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Comment Re:But, who cares? (Score 1) 419

by zarathruster (#31841794) Attached to: "Phone In One Hand, Ticket In the Other"
The study I looked at was 41,000 deaths for all of 2007, not just one month. I would venture to say that last year would be higher, but not significantly. Perhaps there were crashes where multiple people died, so even though there were 41,000 deaths maybe there were 38,000 crashes or something like that. So, as far as my logic goes, this was my on-the-fly reasoning: 1 in 20 crashes involves a cell phone. All crashes where someone died were still crashes and we should be able to reasonably say are subject to the 1 in 20 rule that has been established for all crashes whether someone died or not. 41,000 divided by 20 gives me 2050 deaths by cell phone. I am, of course, not assuming any more than a correlation between cell phone use and a crash, as you pointed out. There are lots of other distractions, again, so why choose cell phones? It's a pet cause. As I said, I avoid accidents all the time but usually by someone who isn't even on the phone. As far as meaning goes, I think you can tell that my words had a hint of sarcasm, obviously I don't think that avoiding drunk SUV drivers is the meaning of life, but I sure do get a lot of enjoyment bitching about it to my friends when it happens. But I was really referencing this quest for safety and security in a less than evitable world and how the illusion of safety that these laws give us are only hurting us. All those things you listed that give meaning are exactly what I am advocating, and my examples were merely hyperbole. We need to live dangerously, and this means taking risks. :)

Comment But, who cares? (Score 1) 419

by zarathruster (#31812162) Attached to: "Phone In One Hand, Ticket In the Other"
1 in 20 crashes involves a cell phone, 41000 people died in car crashes last year, so maybe 2050 deaths a year are caused by cell phones. Who cares? I am tired of pet causes like this that demonize slightly risky behavior like driving buzzed and bringing a knife to school, you know, behaviors that make life exciting and worth living. So you might get killed by some dumbass on his phone, if you were a decent driver you should be able to avoid it. I know I avoid getting killed by some prick in an SUV at least twice a week.
Games

The Struggle For Private Game Servers 125

Posted by Soulskill from the let's-make-onyxia-fight-ragnaros dept.
A story at the BBC takes a look at the use of private game servers for games that tend not to allow them. While most gamers are happy to let companies like Blizzard and NCSoft administer the servers that host their MMORPGs, others want different rules, a cheaper way to play, or the technical challenge of setting up their own. A South African player called Hendrick put up his own WoW server because the game "wasn't available in the country at the time." A 21-year-old Swede created a server called Epilogue, which "had strict codes of conduct and rules, as well as a high degree of customized content (such as new currency, methods of earning experience, the ability to construct buildings and hire non-player characters, plus 'permanent' player death) unavailable in the retail version of the game." The game companies make an effort to quash these servers when they can, though it's frequently more trouble that it's worth. An NCSoft representative referenced the "growing menace" of IP theft, and a Blizzard spokesperson said,"We also have a responsibility to our players to ensure the integrity and reliability of their World of Warcraft gaming experience and that responsibility compels us to protect our rights."

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