Randox

This has piqued my interest, though I wish the closed BETA were bit more selective. My ability to read and follow directions has proven useful for getting into closed Alpha and Beta tests in the past (why people want testers that can't read will never make sense to me, unless you don't have an NDA at all). Oh well, I'll keep an eye on it.

I still think e voting is fundamentally flawed because of auditing. You can't verify that the machine you are voting on is running the software people say it is running, and the same problem exists with the system that ultimately tallies the votes. You are replacing the massive oversight that exists for a paper election with a single entity that totally promises to count the votes accurately, scouts honour. I also find the idea of inserting something like a voter ID card to be absolutely terrifying, because you could very easily use a system like that tie votes to people's identities, and it is crucial that votes be anonymous (if you can verify how someone has cast their vote, you can threaten or bribe them). Yes, a properly implemented system would be able to verify eligibility and prevent double voting without verifying identity. The problem, as always, is knowing that the voting machines actually use such a system. Also, keep in mind just how much incentive there is to manipulate the national elections of the major world powers. The financial stakes of elections in countries like the USA can climb into the Trillions, and the people who would be trying to manipulate them are government agencies. We've seen what governments can do when they put their mind to cyberwarfare already.

Ah, the Drumpfinator app is paying off :lol: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/drumpfinator/hcimhbfpiofdihhdnofbdlhjcmjopilp?hl=en Turns all discussions about trump from groaners into chuckle fests (every time you guys say trump, I see drumpf).

I went to Nebraska's Democratic caucus last weekend, and there was an insane number of people my age there. Like, hundreds of them, probably. It's a little biased, because I'm in the district where the college is, so probably a lot of the people who live on campus were registered for that area, but the young voter turnout was pretty good in the district my friend went to a few miles away as well. Though, yes, you're right, it could absolutely be better. We obviously need to make a way to vote online without having the results able to be manipulated. That would be terrible. Voting legitimacy is incredibly important and the security implications of an online voting infrastructure on both the front-end and back-end is simply too wide an area for attackers, domestic and foreign. To be brutally honest, of all the agencies, only the NSA could potentially be trusted with such a task, but elections (and citizen security, especially) are not their responsibility. The only data I truly trust on the internet would be data I encrypted offline with an incredibly long key (at least 256 bits of entropy) using open-source and secure software with a tried-and-true encryption method (such as GnuPG with AES), and even then I wouldn't trust the reliability of said data over long periods of time (e.g., data corruption). Even my own computer has full-disk encryption (with GELI and an equally complex key) and whenever I do not have immediate access to my computer I turn it off (if I leave my home, if I go to sleep, if I'm outside for more than a minute or two...). In honesty, I feel I can only trust myself, and sometimes that's difficult. Here is an excellent video on why the concept of online voting is fundamentally flawed: I really can't do his points justice with my own summary. It's worth watching for sure. He runs through a lot of points that a lot of people don't know exist.

No. It's kind of weird to think about CoD having a campaign, complete with a plot and everything. I mean, I've always known it has one, and that such a small number of people play it online doesn't really surprise me. It's just, all you ever hear about in regards to CoD is the multi player, so I guess I've always assumed that the campaigns kind of suck (I'm also pretty sure that accusation has been leveled against some of the previous titles).

If that's the case, I expect he doesn't advertise that fact ahead of time because you betting on the horse every time it's turn comes up would be kind of obvious. Also, seriously, is there a more suspect sport to be betting money on?Have u not seen the tennis match fixing? Touché Today I noticed that my audio manager has options for DTS mode. It's not a huge thing, since my stereo can be adjusted anyway, and my headphones are already perfect, but being able to do audio balancing easily from the PC is still a nice find. Also, since the default base bias on DTS is suitably ridiculous, I've discovered that my stereo has more base capacity than I previously thought :lol: Seriously, I could probably set my computer to play some Anne Murray, and from downstairs it would still sound like there was a thunder storm in my room |^_^|

If that's the case, I expect he doesn't advertise that fact ahead of time because you betting on the horse every time it's turn comes up would be kind of obvious. Also, seriously, is there a more suspect sport to be betting money on?

And you would know a horse is going to win ahead of time how? It feels like Spring has arrived. It's weird, but not unwelcome. I think this used to be normal anyway. I remember many years when I was younger when it was shorts and t-shirt weather by Easter, even when Easter wasn't really late. In the last few years, it's been more like 'maybe snowing'

and Always enjoy a good soundtrack.

In Canada, I think the ratings are legally binding, but only on theatres and retailers. That is, theatres and retailers have to enforce the rating given by whatever province they reside in as given, but an individual who circumvents the restrictions has not broken any law. Anywho, I was interested to learn that each province runs it's own film classification board, and Quebec, being the special flower that they are, use a different rating system to every other province, because why not :lol: Also, the province of Newfoundland and Labrador has no classification board at all, though it is customary for them to adopt the rating given by the board for the Maritimes (run by Nova Scotia, used also for New Brunswick and PEI). So far as I can tell, only Ontario and Manitoba went with 18A. Everyone else is 14A, and I think Quebec was 13+ (both roughly equivalent to PG-13).

A few days ago I watched all the Marvel movies I hadn't seen yet (not all on the same day), which I think was all of them in phase two except Iron Man 3. Still like Superhero movies, though the second Captain America to me really seemed like a plot where someone should have called Iron Man. I get that they don't normally work together, or even really get along, and I certainly liked that cast, but more than once I found myself wondering why no one had bothered to call Iron Man, because he would have been super useful to have along. I expect if I ever read any of the comics, I would probably be having that thought more often (generally, not about Iron Man specifically). Also, the Thor and Guardians of the Galaxy movies make way more sense after a friend explained that the 9 realms are dimensions, not planets. I also saw Deadpool. Was pretty good, though I seem to have enjoyed it a touch less than every other person I know. I mean, I did really like it, but it's not like watching the new Star Wars or the first Iron Man movie was for me or anything. Also, Deadpool is only rated 14+ in at least Alberta and Nova Scotia (Canadian Provinces), which I think is a more fair rating than 18+/R. I mean, R basically says that you think someone needs to be old enough to have graduated High School to handle it. There are movies out there that merit that, but when I think back to my younger days, I distinctly remember thinking those kinds of ratings were stupid, and watching R rated movies when I was 14-17 didn't melt my brain or turn me into a criminal.

Looks pretty good. The personal combat tasks could be interesting. I'm not sure if that would be successful or not, but I think it's worth a shot. I'm not sure if we've ever done a KBD event before, because of the location. Unless there is a way to get there without the chance of being pk'ed that I've forgotten, I might suggest you nix that one. The Mort'ton event could be a lot of fun too, but it is contingent on getting enough people to be able to build. If you decide to that event, you can probably count me in to help out. I always liked that activity, and I do shade hunting from time to time.

I think we're getting some of that snow now on the east coast. It's pretty light, made for an interesting drive to the grocery store. I've decided that my cars cruise control is a bit of a liability during turns. It's great in a straight line, but if both wheel brake free in a turn, it kills the throttle, and I really don't like that. Fortunately it's easy to switch on and off. Finally getting around to watching some youth Olympics coverage, though I meant to catch it earlier in the day. Didn't even know the youth olympics were a thing until recently, they really don't seem to hype it up at all, which also means a lot of the coverage is going to be highlights, rather than dedicated streams for each sport (if I want commentary at least). Ah well, it's a pleasant surprise either way, and something to enjoy.

Playing through ME3 for the first time with a lot of the DLC, I have to admit that the more awesome the game becomes, not in terms of gameplay but relationship building, the angrier I get about the ending. Before, it didn't love it, but I didn't mind it too much, but after the Citadel DLC in particular, it's getting more to the point of "I don't know if I can even do the last mission, because I'd rather write my own ending in my head". I mean, I will finish the game, but...I almost don't want to now. As a side note, I found the Citadel DLC to be...excessively campy. Not enough to ruin the fun, but the absurdity levels were a little overdone imo. Wrex makes up for it though. Good 'ol Wrex.

Can we appreciate that I was drunk enough to only remember making one of those posts, and I only made 1 typo Not to take anything away from your accomplishment, but I've never gotten people who can't type while drunk. Maybe I'm just not getting drunk enough (possible), but for me, while the message itself might become incoherent, and typing might take a bit longer, the words are typically the words I intended to write at the time, and spelled correctly. You guys just never see it, because there are two things I will not do while drunk: I won't drive, and I won't post things on the internet. Respect the permanency of the internet, and the high probability of drunk people making regrettable decisions. On a side note, I lament the proliferation of smartphone cameras for this reason. I managed to make it almost all the way through school before it became all but guaranteed that if you did something embarrassing, someone would have a record of it. Somethings were just more fun when you knew that, everyone who was there notwithstanding, you were assured of future deniable plausibility. Anyway, I've always found it to be a useful exercise to pre-make a few decisions ahead of time, like the aforementioned not driving or posting things on the internet, and any other important things I anticipate coming up. It's worked pretty well so far.

May protesters never discover universities in Atlantic Canada. Not that they never happen, but they're always conducted by the students, and they're (mercifully) very rare. I expect we are blessed in this way by not having any large cities or universities, so no one bothers to come bother us. Sometimes we get, I'm going to call them religious recruiters, but they're pretty good about taking no for an answer, especially if you look like you are going to class (it's a pretty good excuse on a university campus). Maddy, that sounds rough if all your exchange mates(?) have gone home. I knew a couple last year (as in, lived with), and they introduced me to the local exchange student sub culture I was never really aware of. Kudos to you for being able to stick with it too.

Join the Tip.It Monster Hunting Team! We're recruiting! [pending]red_1455458400[/pending] The Tip.It Monster Hunting Team is hunting for some new, active recruits! After a bit of a hiatus, the Tip.It Monster Hunting Team is once again running events, hunting down the biggest and baddest monsters in RuneScape, and the team is looking for some fresh blood to help out. If you are interested in being part of the TMHT and helping to run our monster hunting events, please keep reading to learn more about the team, what we expect, and how to apply! About the Team The Tip.It Monster Hunting Team (TMHT) is not just about going on monster hunts; it's about leading monster hunts. Our team members are experts on monster hunting! They take leadership positions and help lead attendees on the hunt! We decide which events to put on, we work out all the details, and then we lead people during the event itself. Requirements to Apply If you're thinking about applying to join the team - that's AWESOME! Here's a list of requirements you have to meet in order to be considered: You must be P2P.You must have a high combat level.You must be knowledgeable about monster hunting (ideally not limited to just one boss).You must be a natural leader and be comfortable giving instructions.You must be a team player.You must have a Tip.It Forum account and check the forum regularly.Ideally you will have attended TMHT events before, but this is not a requirement.It is much more important to us that those who apply are adequate leaders and can successfully run events with large numbers of attendees than it is that those who apply are experienced monster hunters. Bossing techniques can be taught; leadership and dedication cannot. How to Apply Still with us? The next step is to fill out and submit your application. Applications will be read by the entire TMHT. We will review all of them equally and fairly, and choose the best of the bunch to join our ranks! If you're not accepted, don't worry! You can still attend our events and there might be a chance that you'll be able to join the team at a later date. :) Fill out the below application and PM it to @Randox with the subject line TMHT Application APPLICATION DEADLINE: 14th February 2016 (11:59pm GMT) [hide=Application - Read Only] General Information: Tip.It Forum Name: Link to Forum Profile: RuneScape Name: Please attach a dynamic stat signature to display your RuneScape Stats ( http://www.tip.it/runescape/?dynamic ): Your Qualifications: What time zone do you live in? How often do you play RuneScape? How many hours a week (or a day)? How long have you been monster hunting? Which bosses do you have experience killing. How experienced are you in killing them? Do you have any leadership experience? Why do you want to join the TMHT? Anything Else? If you have anything else you'd like to tell us about your qualifications or about yourself as a person, please use this space to do so. [/hide] [hide=Application In Code Tags - Copy From Here!] [size=5][b]General Information:[/b][/size] [b]Tip.It Forum Name: [/b] [b]Link to Forum Profile: [/b] [b]RuneScape Name: [/b] [b]Please attach a dynamic stat signature to display your RuneScape Stats ( [url="http://www.tip.it/runescape/?dynamic"]http://www.tip.it/runescape/?dynamic[/url] ): [/b] [size=5][b]Your Qualifications:[/b][/size] [b]What time zone do you live in? [/b] [b]How often do you play RuneScape? How many hours a week (or a day)? [/b] [b]How long have you been monster hunting? [/b] [b]Which bosses do you have experience killing. How experienced are you in killing them?[/b] [b]Do you have any leadership experience?[/b] [b]Why do you want to join the TMHT? [/b] [size=5][b]Anything Else?[/b][/size] If you have anything else you'd like to tell us about your qualifications or about yourself as a person, please use this space to do so.[/hide] Remember, this is your chance to put your best foot forward! Do not rush your application, and please enter in as many details as possible. Make a good first impression! You will receive a PM to let you know if your application has been accepted or rejected. Please don't expect a PM back until the deadline has passed (although you may also receive one sooner)! If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to post them in this thread.

I suppose if the question is limited to just open carry, then my only objection to open carry from any standpoint that concerns me is that it's going to be easier to disarm someone who has their gun in plain sight if they are so inclined (for immediate use or run of the mill theft). I'm not sure how much of a concern that actually is, but that's what came to mind. I suppose another concern, though I think this is already a thing, is that if criminals see that a lot of people are armed, that means they need to be armed too, and the level of violence, when it happens, has therefore escalated. I'm not sure that qualifies as a concern though, since it's common knowledge any American can be armed, and guns are so easy to acquire in the states that there is no reason for a criminal not to be armed anyway. If I were actually living in the States, or planning on it, then yeah, I'd have a huge personal issue with it. People just aren't armed in Canada, especially not with handguns. Even criminal elements are often armed with rifles, not pistols, because it's just not easy to get your hands on a handgun here. Where I grew up, if you are armed in public and you aren't a cop, it means you are in the process of, or about to start, shooting at people, so an armed civilian is to me an implicit threat: Cross me and die. For an analogy, imagine if the law was instead about the right to bring your dog(s) to work with you. Now, I would be totally fine with that. I was raised around dogs, and I had friends who also had dogs that would have attacked if you threatened their family. Anyway, I'd be fine with that, but I imagine people who didn't grow up with dogs, and don't know how to interact with them without being bitten, they would be really nervous.

Apparently my brain wasn't working. With you and your fiance (I did know about that, just slipped my mind), that's two couples I know of for sure. @Hedgehog, I feel like if you are being graded on a curve, that curve should really only account for people who are actually still in the class at the end. That's pretty stupid that you got pushed into a lower grade because the people failing all abandoned ship. Ok not that extreme but I can't lie that I've just felt nervous about America, maybe it's the cultural differences between the UK and America. Like the whole proud of my country thing isn't such a huge thing in the UK. Rarely will you see a union jack proudly flown on buildings. It's just different. But it's not even bad. Different isn't always bad but I guess I've just gotta chill out and experience things for myself in just being skeptical over nothing and just watching the news on crazy shit that happens in America. I love your money though I couldn't stop cracking up at the "in God we trust" idk what's so funny about it but I just kept repeating it and cackling all week. I think Americans are among, if not the most, patriotic people. What is strange to me is that the states seem to have such an adversarial relationship with the federal government (at least, some of them do), so I would expect that patriotism to be directed at the state level, not the whole country. At least for me, in a game like WoT, I like putting a Canadian flag on my tanks, because being mistaken for American's is pretty much a national pet peeve, but I would much rather fly my provincial flag (or both). I don't think I could deal with being anyplace that has open carry laws. I think it's what you're used to. For example, I never really feel safe in cities, because there are other people around. I was raised in the country, and my street didn't have a lot of houses when I was growing up, so during my formative years, I got used to wide open spaces completely devoid of people. I like that, and that is what makes me feel safe. I have a lot of city friends now, and they find it super creepy. Even in the city, I actually prefer deserted streets (as long as it's deserted because it's late, and not because I'm in the wrong part of town). I've heard about the 'ghost cities' in China, since they build entire cities and it then takes years for them to fill up. Sounds perfect to me :lol:

Picked up Rebel Galaxy in the winter sale, and no regrets. It's a little getting used to, but so far, the game is everything I wanted in the Starpoint Gemini games, and more. The game has a self described naval combat style, with a focus on broadsides, and I love it.

Pretty sure I've read about a few posters meeting up over the years. Seems like a couple met up like within the last few months but I could be wrong I'm guessing it's not common knowledge then, but there is a pair that now live together.

Uhh, no it isn't. So it's not. I guess it's been a while :lol: Finally got some of that stormy weather. Despite the ground not being frozen (10C Christmas day, I think even warmer on boxing day), yesterday's snowfall has stuck around, and thanks to the municipalities uncharacteristic lackadaisical approach to plowing residential roads, we now have a lovely sheet of ice for a road. Normally, the snowplow operators would have been out in force racking up overtime. I expect that after last year, the government has reigned that behavior in so that we aren't looking at our snow clearing budget in the rear view mirror by the end of January again. Someone finally reminded me about the steam Winter sale, which by the looks of it, is the best sale. A couple of games I've been really wanting poped up at prices I couldn't pass up, while some other games I half want at cheap enough to tease me. That's some pretty awesome dedication Horatio.

When I woke up on Christmas, it was so foggy outside that it actually gave everything a white-ish tint. Hey, if you can't celebrate the weather you want, celebrate the weather you have. It actually works out, since I only got around to changing the oil and throwing winter tires on the car this afternoon, when it was warm and sunny. The way they're talking about it, we're getting a blizzard tomorrow. Ended up with a Star Wars themed Christmas. No arguments here. Also, DVD drive and SD card reader notwithstanding, I have finally replaced every component that came from my old PC. The performance impact will be minimal if anything (new, faster RAM), but I've doubled the number of case fans, so I shouldn't have temperature issues anymore, even in the summer. If I had to guess, the drinking age in most provinces is 19 because that's the voting age (and I think the age of legal adulthood). Also, it prevents grade 12 students from buying liquor for all their high school buddies (in theory). Frankly, from a social perspective, I think that works out nicely, since it's typically illegal for anyone in highschool to drink, but legal for everyone in university or college to drink. It puts everyone in the same boat.

Merry Christmas Off-Topic!

I'm a pretty big fan of the new Star Wars movie. Probably will be when I wake up to. I don't see any particular issue with how the story was constructed, and I think it actually pays service to how both of the prior trilogies were done. I also have to say that I have been to precious few movies where the crowd cheers. If nothing else, the story was worth it for moments like that. Also, the opening crawl makes me feel like a kid again. I also don't know why the flood control doesn't always work. I would however ask that people don't try to bypass it, and if the forums aren't responsive, please don't sit there hammering the post button over and over again.