giza | PowerBooks and Fahrenheit 9/11

I've decided that I'm going to get a PowerBook as my next machine. Between seeing justincheetah's and reading more about the PowerBook tech specs, and I'm getting more and more impressed with the thought that Apple has put into their products.

At this point, I've pretty much narrowed it down to a 15" 1.5 Ghz G4 PowerBook with SuperDrive, getting a 512 MB stick of RAM in it, buying an additional 512 MB stick from someplace else, buying AppleCare, and possibly buying the JBL "Creature" speakers that I saw at the Apple Store tonight. Probably a printer, too. That should keep me in the technology game for the next few years, and hopefully make the new machine be an investment in my career.
Earlier this week, I bought a network card for my current machine (P3-450) and got that working. I was surprised that 10/100 cards go for $10 or so these days. And Linux had no problems seeing the card, either. :-)
Earlier today, I also picked up a WRT54G router from Linksys. This router can do a number of things for me which include: 1) Playing the part of a 100 BaseT switch, 2) doing DHCP and NAT for a Broadband connection, and 3) Acting as a wireless access point. #1 was easy enough to make work, and #3 is working (and locked down) thanks to jouva's help. #2 will be working fully as soon as my DSL circuit is installed. I ordered DSL last week and have to wait 10 business days for ~~the shit eaters formerly known as Verizon~~ Verizon to flip a switch in their CO.
Finally, I got the chance to see Fahrenheit 9/11 over this weekend. It wasn't as graphic as I thought it would be, and I found it to be quite educational. It pointed out the sort of things that the American media didn't cover. Like... how the Bush Family has financial ties with the Bin Ladens and that Osama isn't quite that estranged from them after all. It also covered some nasty things such as the civil liberty-sucking PATRIOT act, and that very few members of Congress actually read this horrible thing that was signed into law.

So yeah, I think Fahrenheit 9/11 is definitely worth seeing. You might not agree with all it, but you might find some parts educational, or at least humorous.

(deleted comment)

> What I see is that you're not answering my questions or countering my points, just repeatedly resorting to these vague statements or concepts.

You're not making any points. You're just saying "we were right to attack because they are the bad guys- here is what makes them the bad guys". Those aren't points, that's not an argument, that's vilifying the other side to justify your own actions [Communism anyone? In case you didn't get it, that's what my picture was referencing, the connection between Communism and Terrorism as political tools].
But okay, let me elaborate on what I said and was ignored before- what the Iraqis did during the war bares no consequence on the validity of starting the war with Iraq whatsoever. What the Taliban did bares no consequence on the validity of starting the war with Iraq whatsoever. None. At all. Nada. Moving on.

> An appeal to emotion does not make it fallacy.

Alas, it does.

> And "come back when you see things my way" is not the sign of an open mind.

So, "ability to avoid logical fallacies" equates "seeing things my way"? Well. Thanks?

> I've cited sources, facts, and answered every point and claim in turn. I have made my points logically and can back up everything I say.

Like how cutting people's heads after the war had already started justifies starting the war? But hey, no need to defend yourself, you already stated previously that appeal to emotion is apparently not a logical fallacy.

> I've proven I can change my mind and see the merits of other arguments... can you?

Now see, the problem is, I see and know what your argument is; or at least its basis. You're upset that people are attacking your nation, which has throughout its history done and helped many a nation, and you see this as just another extension of that effort, hampered by other nation's fear, or greed,or whatnot.
Unfortunately, this also appears to blind you on the little issues like "the reasons the war was started for were false", "the administration was aware of how flimsy some of them were even while they stated they were hard facts", "we're not giving in to terrorists... by reducing our own civil rights", "the best way to fight terrorism is to say Fuck Off to your allies when they don't jump and bark when you ask them to", "we're being led against Islamic Extremists by a Christian Fundamentalist", "we support our troops by cutting their pensions and making them pay for their own health insurance" and a plethora of others that are Okay Because It's War. Or something.

> Sure sounds like an appeal to Islam to me.

And how does that leap to "ergo, he is an Islamic Extremist"? Or is the fact politicians invent stuff to appease the masses new to you? If Bin Laden decrees you a heretic then you're not much of an extremist.

> Show me one instance where Islamic Law has been *chosen* by a populace...

Iran. Late 70s, early 80s. There was a religious backlash in most of the world at the time (also the start of the politically stronger Christian fundamentalist movement in the US) and in Iran, a democracy with a reasonably modern society the people, that is to say older/adult people, overthrew it for Islamic law instead, because they felt it (this is good, tell me if it's familiar in any way) "eroded their moral values and went against god". What Iran is now is not what Iran was in say 1975.

> It is not something the people of Afghanistan or Iraq had before we went in...

Yes, Afghanistan, the shining example of democracy in the darkness of the Middle East. Come on...

> You choose to live your own life that way, that's fine. I have no problem with that. You start trying to impose such laws on others, attacking them for having different values or faiths and forcing them to conform to your ideals, denying *them* the right to choose... that's quite another.

No, democracy = majority rules. That's it. That's the whooooooooole deal. Voting representatives? Nothing to do with democracy, that's the Republic bit. Human rights? Nothing to do with democracy, that's your Constitution. Democracy just means that the majority decides. If 51% of people decide that all left handed people should die? Democracy doesn't care, it has nothing to do with it, if it's stopped it's due to other governmental tools [like prementioned], not itself.

> The Iraqis now have the right to choose their own system and destiny, and as their society heals, to live their lives freely.

Unless of course the same thing happens to them that happened to Afghanistan; like say, Bush pulling troops and funds to attack another country, leaving the country to be ruled by local warlords.

PowerBooks and Fahrenheit 9/11

Re: My Final Post. Really.

Re: My Final Post. Really.