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Richard Stallman Accosted For Tinfoil Hat

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the of-all-the-reasons dept.

ndansmith writes "Bruce Perens posts in his blog about an amusing encounter between Richard Stallman and United Nations security at the World Summit on the Information Society in Tunis. It seems that RFID technology, which Stallman opposes for privacy reasons, was used in the identification badges for the conference. From the blog: 'You can't give Richard a visible RF ID strip without expecting him to protest. Richard acquired an entire roll of aluminum foil and wore his foil-shielded pass prominently.' During a keynote speech, Stallman also passed around the tinfoil for other to use as well. It seems that UN security was not amused, however, as they would not let him leave the room for some time." What makes this even funnier, of course, is that tin foil hats won't stop them.

23 of 549 comments (clear)

  1. Those poor security people ... by ScrewMaster · · Score: 5, Funny

    They really had no idea who they were dealing with.

    --
    The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
    1. Re:Those poor security people ... by hey! · · Score: 5, Funny

      No, I expect they studied his dossier very carefully.

      Then assigned the new kid to the detail. You know the one: shoes are a bit too shiny ;uniform pants crease is a bit toocrisp. The one who never lets you forget he's ready for anything.

      Anyhow, that's what I would have done.

      --
      Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
    2. Re:Those poor security people ... by Mr.+Underbridge · · Score: 2, Funny
      I have my Washoe County, Nevada, work card for security guard work in my wallet. When are you going to step up to the plate and be one of those smarter security guards?

      Better question, when are you? ;)

      /rimshot

  2. Hmm by Army+of+1+in+10 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm confused... who am I supposed to root for? Stallman or the UN?

    Excuse me while I go curl into the fetal position in a corner until I resolve this dilemma. ;)

    --
    I am an Army of 1 in 10
    1. Re:Hmm by kfg · · Score: 1, Funny

      who am I supposed to root for?

      Yourself.

      KFG

    2. Re:Hmm by Dominic+Burns · · Score: 1, Funny



      ... who am I supposed to root for? Stallman or the UN?

      Well, one's a pointless, ineffectual slob, the other's Richard Stallman. You decide :)

    3. Re:Hmm by LiquidCoooled · · Score: 1, Funny

      Sony Spokesperson: "Insert this CD and we will gladly do the rooting for you :)"

      --
      liqbase :: faster than paper
  3. curses, foiled again! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Curses, foiled again - darn it! i m #1

  4. What are you talking about? by gcnaddict · · Score: 5, Funny

    "What makes this even funnier, of course, is that tin foil hats won't stop them."

    what are you talking about? Tin foil hats stop everything :P

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    Viable Slashdot alternatives: https://pipedot.org/ and http://soylentnews.org/
  5. Paranoia isn't cheap by CosmeticLobotamy · · Score: 5, Funny

    You deserve what you get if you use aluminum foil. Any conspiracy theorist worth his salary won't accept anything less than genuine tin.

  6. Movie Guy Comment by griffjon · · Score: 3, Funny

    Richard Stallman Accosted For Tinfoil Hat

    Best. Slashdot Heading. Ever.

    --
    Returned Peace Corps IT Volunteer
  7. real reason? by Bethor · · Score: 4, Funny

    Are you sure it was the tinfoil?
    I mean, if I was a security guy and got confronted by thisthis, I would be pretty nervous too!

  8. Transparent tinfoil hats and badge holders by digitaldc · · Score: 3, Funny

    Richard will surely be using transparent aluminum in many creative ways. It is the best of both worlds, you can see the RFID tag, you just can't scan for it.

    --
    He who knows best knows how little he knows. - Thomas Jefferson
  9. is that the second coming of Jesus? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    or just some paranoid wacko?

  10. if (Al == Sn) by kperson · · Score: 1, Funny

    From the people that brought you... "Pi = 3.14" We now have... "aluminum = tin".

  11. Subskin aluminum foil by RAMMS+EIN · · Score: 4, Funny

    ``aluminum amplifies''

    So now I know what they were doing with me in that incubator. They were installing an aluminum hat under my skin. Clever. I'll cut it out, though!

    --
    Please correct me if I got my facts wrong.
  12. Re:For all the "what does it matter" folks by kex · · Score: 2, Funny

    Now you see the violence inehrent in the system!

    Help! Help! I'm being repressed!

    --
    I try not to laugh in death's face. I tend to make belittling comments and snicker behind death's back.
  13. Re:Chickenwire the new tinfoil! by arose · · Score: 2, Funny

    You just have to turn the foil around. Or get the cheap stuff instead of the new expensive One Way Foil(TM).

    --
    Analogies don't equal equalities, they are merely somewhat analogous.
  14. sooo.. let me get this straight... by tomcres · · Score: 3, Funny
    RMS doesn't like the UN being able to track where he is using RFID technology.. but he doesn't think it's pretty easy for them to track his location by looking out for the one idiot in the tin-man costume among a bunch of suits?

    Way to go, RMS! :P

  15. Then what by weierstrass · · Score: 3, Funny

    Then Richard Stallman can run the world, of course.

    --
    my password really is 'stinkypants'
  16. Re:tin, pfft by arose · · Score: 2, Funny

    No, sue the manufacturer of the film!

    --
    Analogies don't equal equalities, they are merely somewhat analogous.
  17. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 2, Funny

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  18. Re:Isn't the whole poimt if a security badge ID? by dangitman · · Score: 2, Funny
    He was VIOLATING A SECURITY MEASURE.

    Oh no, the horror! VIOLATING A SECURITY MEASURE makes you WORSE THAN HITLER!!!

    --
    ... and then they built the supercollider.