Messages

Nigel, you rock.  It's so awesome you're going back to school.

I think Ubuntu is tops.

I shouldn't be dragging myself back into the conversation, but I can't help but smell the bullshit.

As I read the numbers there, the key phrase seems to be SINGLE-DRUG DEATHS... Correct me if I'm wrong, but I interpret that as Marijuana ONLY, and of course the documented number remains at ZERO, as it has been forever.  Funny thing is, this is EXACTLY the same way that Anti-marijuana advertisements twist the numbers.  They don't mention the complete overlap in EVERY documented case in which death occurs; that there was another substance present.   

We spend over a billion a year to keep users in prison, and how many arrests are there a year now, just in the US?  Last I looked, it was nearing 1 mil a year.  What's gonna fix that?  More drug courts? 

You come spend a winter in IL, and I'll spend summer in Tucson. 
Then we have this talk.

I'll dry heat anyday over this fucking cold.  It's STILL bloody cold out!

Also, I am coming back to Tucson this summer.. 

Also, I <3 New Egg.

So do I!  

Although I am pretty disappointed to see that they're selling the Aspire Ones for more than I paid for mine almost three years ago.  WTF!

I've had the Aspire One since they first came out... not the shiniest fanciest thing around, but it's lasted well.  It's been dropped, it's had beer spilled all over it, it's been sat on, slept on until it overheated, and the fucker still gets the job done.  

What price range are you looking for though?  That pretty much decides your options for performance.  I mean, this little puppy will give you excellent performance compared to most other netbooks, but it'll cost you more too.

EDIT: Usually there's a price-perf sweetspot with hardware, but as far as I know, these netbook models aren't so drastically different as to create a wide gap in price-perf.  I can take another look at some prices later, but the closer to 400 you get, it looks like nicer models are in that range, and if you just need basics on the cheap, you shouldn't be spending more than 100-200 dollars.

Hopefully this will finally kill "Friday" off for good:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/229352

Stephen Colbert, The Roots, Jimmy Fallon, and Taylor Hicks in this bitch!

The autotuning... cheerleaders... sasquatch.. 

Not youtube, but...

http://skippyslist.com/2011/03/30/most-disturbing-use-of-a-muppet-song-ever/

HAHAHAHAHAHA 

[Assistantships are only available to graduate students.]

Assistantships are only available to graduate students.

Not true.  ISU has many undergrad researchers and TA's.  I imagine it varies from dept. to dept., but I'm an RA, and most of my wage is paid by the NSF.  Also, at ISU, you CAN apply for university grants and scholarships, and as I said, when available, I'd highly recommend prioritizing these when applying.  So, apparently, some of these details vary from institution to institution, but it's worth checking into when available, and landing an assistant-ship will certainly benefit the efforts of anyone interested in grad school.

Very useful info, Suu.  The only thing I would add is that, in my experience, one has a much better chance of landing scholarships and grants at the University level, so I would apply for those first.  If you've declared your major, talk to the department faculty about local/institutional scholarships; and if you still need more help, try to get on as an RA, a TA, or any other assistant type position.  This provides the opportunity to both make money, and start getting professional experience in your field.

If you put the time into it, there's plenty of money available.  When I find myself struggling financially, I'm typically kicking myself in the ass for not writing more essays, rather than complaining about the lack of funding available.  Today, I'm finishing a one page essay, which may land me an extra 3k next semester, in my pocket.  There are maybe 20 to 30 other applicants, at most.   

THAT SHIT IS REAL??? 

Won't answer the question?  I could be wrong, but my suspicion is that you aren't actually overly familiar with the Drug Court model. 

As far as I'm concerned, no one has the right to make me do a fucking thing over what I smoke.
I tend to take shit like that personally.  Please, carry on, I'm just done.

Okay, thanks for clarifying that you think adults should go to Drug Court for smoking marijuana.

I have no further interest in this conversation, as I suspect I will get a bit too riled otherwise.

In my state, adults and kids alike have the option of drug courts, with the obvious caveat being that they are non-violent offenders and not trafficking.  They will not go to jail, unless they decide to turn that option down.  But then, the outcomes are on them because they made that choice.  

Are you saying you think it is acceptable/justifiable that an adult has to go to drug courts, take classes, pay fines, and get assraped by the state because they smoke herb? 

RWHN doesn't even acknowledge the damage marijuana laws do to parents that in turn harms their children. It's hard to be a mom or dad when you're ill AND locked up, or ill and the only effective relief is denied to you, or ill and now out of a house you used to own because you grew a small amount for your own consumption.

I agree wholeheartedly that keeping it illegal does more harm than good, but legalization should have shitall to do with medicinal use.  If we're talking about full grown adults, it's a matter of personal liberty.