Absofuckinglutely. This is what I do, and what she does, though our methods of exploration vary.

Except that with "retard" and quite a few others, there are genuine traits that are undesirable to most people, thus the constant cycling of terms. Technical terms come in to general and pejorative use, then new technical terms come in to be less pejorative. This the terms more and more vaguely refer to the condition when referencing actual mentally handicapped people.

~~idiot~~ ~~moron~~ ~~cretin~~ ~~retard~~ (from '[profound] mental retardation')

All technical or health terms that have been cycled into being slurs in common use. Some more terms that have made their way into pejorative use:

~~Handicapped~~ (not so much pejoratively used, but being cycled out anyways) ~~Special~~ ~~Differently Abled~~

I'm sure any new technical terms that are used will be picked up for pejorative use soon enough. But "mentally retarded" was and is an apt description, it's just not socially acceptable anymore because of it's ease of use as an insult, and the concomitant public view and usage of the word.

Excellent. Whether you enjoy the embrace of Mother Google or wallow in the filth of another mammal's appendages, i wish you pleasant nightmares.

And, how does what you said cancel out what you responded to?

Privately held. That means there's a chance that someone can go good with it.

I thought docking didn't involved noses.

Yep. People differ from each other, and one common way is along gender lines. Doesn't mean everyone of a particular gender is the same. ..but, if there weren't differences, there would be no need for identifying with one, or the other, or both, or neither.

Sad days.

This is going to be fun.

Prudence generates value. Technology speeds a task, but without prudence and principle, you will simply fill the space freed by technology with other things that are meaningless.

Regarding programming, specifically, if you're looking at creating real value for society, you need to create frameworks that give leverage to effective and ethical thinking.

Right now, the world is fucked because social networking has simply brought to light how incapable people are at managing their own lives and perspectives, particularly while being seen. Social networking has given people power, but all that does is let people make bigger mistakes. Plus, with the monetary incentives on the back-end squeezing every bit of emotion for cash, people are getting burnt out.

Structured power is better. Connections need to have consequences, and those consequences need to have real effect. To be effective, individual power (not over others, but over one's own life) must be central to the collective structure - and the collective should be granted that same right, over it's own existence.

The ideal social network would ensnare fools, catch the greedy, and reward the prudent, the wise, and the loving, through empowering them to be whoever it is they truly are.

You probably don't remember, but once, long ago, in the age of legends, Google emerged as a force within humanity. They wielded the power of "don't be evil," and they meant it. They empowered people to find what they wanted, and to communicate. The ads were tasteful, clearly marked, and unobtrusive - useful, even.

But all things that are born must die, and death does not come because things are going well for the dying thing. The Google was no exception. Did the leadership fail, or did time simply run it's course? We may never know for certain, but when The Originators left, all that remained was a vile and empty core. Where once there was abundance, there came indolence. And as the remaing scraps of mind fought over the space where they thought the power was, they thought the power of "don't be evil" was outdated. Bothersome. In the way. But in truth, it was simply arcane - their minds, profane as they were, could not comprehend the true nature that brought them power. So they ejected the power of their own foundation, and struck the rule from their books.

And so to this day, they ride the shockwave the true power made as it left. They think the shockwave is the power, but it is just a side effect. They see their hands closing to grasp it, but they do not see how weak they make themselves. They have ridden the shockwave up, and they will ride it down, and just as they are not prepared for the heights of it, they are not prepared for the depths they enter, either.

And that, my boy, is the story of how The Google came to be, and how it began to fall. It is the end of some things, to be sure, but also the beginning of another. Sovereign individual collectives are juust around the corner, waiting for their builders to come.

taps cane on the floor regularly to keep the rocking chair going, tamps pipe

Someday, I'll tell the tale of how a little bird was born, became known by all, and died, partly of it's own foolishness, and partly because of one who wanted to keep it for himself. ..Or how Unity tried to seize those who contributed to it, but lost everything in the process. It's all the same tale, though. Everything that lives, must die. But forgetting to stand on a principle can hurry any entity along that path.

blows smoke ring

You can carefully buy a midrange laptop. Lenovo Legion has some pretty decent gear for a good price, 'specially if you're getting a model that's on it's way out. Plus, at that point you have tons of reviews.

About to get a new laptop, and it's gonna Pop!

It/that.