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User: MirthScout

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Comments · 133

  1. Re:They're right on State of Alaska Prints Out Palin's E-Mails; Online Distribution 'Impractical' · · Score: 1

    Uh.... no. It is easy. Certainly easier than the 2 years it as taken them to print. Export to a file and/or directory (for some systems you might be able to skip this step). For each requester, copy to physical electronic media (DVD, thumb drive, external USB drive; whatever works). Collect payment and hand over. Requester can convert formats and host if they want.

    No hosting required.

    Printing them out was pure mean spirited obstruction.

  2. Re:Product link on Michigan Police Could Search Cell Phones During Traffic Stops · · Score: 1

    Wouldn't this mean that the devices that this works on have some pretty serious security vulnerabilities?
    The vendors should fix them. Probably won't, but definitely should.

  3. Re:Power that can be abused will be abused. on Michigan Police Could Search Cell Phones During Traffic Stops · · Score: 2

    Police are for filling out paperwork and investigating a crime that has already happened. They are not bodyguards. Except for rare coincidences when they happen to be present when a crime is committed they cannot protect anyone. In my experience, most police are well meaning people that try to help. People just need to keep their expectation of what the police should do in line with the reality of what is possible. The point of having them is to catch the people that have already commited crimes so that they don't commit more crimes and as a mild deterrent to others commiting crimes.

    People are responsible for their own protection.
    Remember... When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.

  4. Re:Welcome to the real truth on Feds Prep For E-Gov Shutdown · · Score: 1

    It is well past October 2010. It is way overdue.

    They haven't done any real work on the budget that is due October 2011.

  5. Re:Good idea on Texas Bill Outlaws Discrimination Against Creationists In Academia · · Score: 1

    How evolution occurs is still being investigated. That it does in fact happen has been repeatedly observed and exhaustively proven. In this respect is is very similar to the Theory of Gravity. We're pretty damn sure some effect we call gravity does in fact exist. We're still working on exactly how it works.

  6. Re:Mirage in the Distance on Duke Nukem Forever Release Date Revealed · · Score: 1

    So, in 3 more years the new release date will only be 2 months away.
    I guess it is progress.

  7. Re:Best buy? on Retailers Dread Phone-Wielding Shoppers · · Score: 1

    Wow, those prices have come down. They used to try to charge $120 for a HDMI cable. They didn't like me very much when I'd tell people where to get the same cable for $10.

  8. Re:What about free services? on Fourth Amendment Protects Hosted E-mail · · Score: 1

    gmail is an internet service provided by google. In fact Google provides many internet services. Why would anyone even ask if they are an internet service provider? Google is not an internet connection provider in most areas but internet services they most certainly do provide.

  9. Re:not to rain on anyones parade.. on SpaceX's Dragon Module Successfully Re-Enters · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I think it will take Slashdot at least 3 more days to report on the cheesey cargo in the Dragon capsule.

  10. Re:All the speed you can't have on Verizon Speeds Up FiOS To 150Mbps · · Score: 1

    Heh... Verizon has FIOS service in my city. In March of 2009 I asked when I could get service in my area (a fairly dense tourism oriented section of the city). I was told September. I guess I should have asked which year.

    Verizon only has FIOS service in carefully selected parts of carefully selected cities. It doesn't do me any good though.

  11. Re:a gun on Where To Start With DIY Home Security? · · Score: 1

    You just have to adjust your definition of human. If it isn't acting with humanity, i.e. with regard for others and their property, then, at least at that time, it isn't human.

  12. Re:What if he shot the cop? on Facing 16 Years In Prison For Videotaping Police · · Score: 1

    As long as you understand that it is possible to be quite certain of something and still be wrong you might learn something. Completely deaf people are allowed to drive in the US.

  13. Re:it's not a bad idea, and it's not costly on UK Police Threaten Teenage Photojournalist · · Score: 1

    Yes, that law is abused a lot in the US. Often when it wasn't a lawful order just as it wasn't in this case.

  14. Re:My read... on Supreme Court Throws Out Bilski Patent · · Score: 1

    Legal does not equal good.

  15. Re:A Better Target on Publishing Company Puts Warning Label on Constitution · · Score: 1

    Not really. It recognizes that while democracy is often a good idea it can also be a pretty bad one if the minority isn't protected.

    One example of democracy: 3 wolves and a sheep voting on what is for dinner.

  16. Extremes? on Android's "Flea Market" Needs Urgent Attention · · Score: 1

    'If Google is to present a threat to the Apple App Store ecosystem, it needs to address discovery and purchasing as a matter of urgency, or abandon control and hand over the entire management of the Android Market to carriers, OEMs and trusted publishers.'

    So, Google need to step up and do something right or do something a thousand times worse?
    Just my opinion but that seems like a pretty extreme pair of options!

  17. It's back up again. on Youtube Pulls Original "Rickroll" Video · · Score: 1

    And has it back up again before anyone can get the story posted.

  18. Re:In-home Reprimand on PA School Defends Web-Cam Spying As Security Measure, Denies Misuse · · Score: 1

    I'd say the school very clumsily and stupidly tried to do something good. Stop the practice, tell them they are idiots and that they broke the law. Then, asses the situation and analyze the actual damages. I'd wager this will NOT be organized crime but a hand full of overzealous teachers and other staff.

    Tell them they broke the law???????? Uh, and then what???? Aren't you missing the important part here? How about criminal prosecution for the laws they broke? I really don't think that the fact that they are school officials gives them some kind of special immunity. They should be prosecuted exactly the same as if you or I had broken the same laws. I just read an article that said the FBI is now investigating but I really don't understand why local and state law enforcement wasn't already investigating.

  19. Re:Ahem on Firefox Mobile Threatens Mobile App Stores, Says Mozilla · · Score: 1

    ActiveSync is basically for Exchange. So, yes you can get your corporate Exchange email and your gmail via imap or pop3 at the same time.
    But you can't get your corporate Exchange email, contacts and calandar AND gmail via Exchange (ActiveSync), gmail contacts and Google calendar (both only syncable over the air via ActiveSync). It is very limiting.

    What I want is to access my corporate email, contacts and calendar (Exchange ActiveSync) and also my Gmail, Gmail contacts and Google Calendar (using ActiveSync). Just can't be done with the current iPhone software.

  20. Re:And the point goes to the criminals on Massachusetts Police Can't Place GPS On Autos Without Warrant · · Score: 1

    Yes, unless there is a law allowing it.
    Of course, good luck arguing about it in court unless you are rich and get a particularly good judge.

  21. Re:Any other alternative to the high speed chase? on Massachusetts Police Can't Place GPS On Autos Without Warrant · · Score: 1

    I agree as long as the police to it legally. They present their evidence for reasonable suspicion of a suspect to a judge. The judge issues a warrant allowing the police to tamper with the car owner's property by installing the GPS tracking device.

  22. Re:And the point goes to the criminals on Massachusetts Police Can't Place GPS On Autos Without Warrant · · Score: 1

    The court did NOT rule that it interfered with the owners use of the vehicle as you claim.
    The ruling is that the police tampering with the vehicle interferes with the owner's interest in the vehicle. In my opinion, this makes perfect sense because any interference with the owners interests in the property lessens the owners degree of ownership (control) of the property. It is in fact a partial seizure of that property.

    Logically and from what I've read of the ruling so far, the fact that this case involved a GPS tracking device or that tracking was done seems to be irrelevant to the ruling. It is the mere fact that the vehicle was tampered with by someone other than the owner and without the owners permission (or a warrent which would be permission of the court) that is the real point. The ruling would, and should, be the same if the police had attached a small empty cardboard box to the car.

  23. Re:Compression? on iPhone Straining AT&T Network · · Score: 1

    It loads the entire page and I like it this way. Then you can zoom in and scroll around the page quickly. Depending on the site it can be a little painful waiting for the entire page to load but usually its not too bad. If it did a preview and then loaded a more detailed section when you want to zoom the way you describe it would make the zoom in and scroll around painful.
    It seems like the two approaches are somewhat of a trade off... how do you like your pain administered?

  24. Re:Something I've considered... on How To Stop Businesses Storing SSNs Indefinitely? · · Score: 4, Informative

    That's actually a good question. The answer is , no, it is not supposed to be secret. It is an identifier; identifiers are not secret.

    The problem is that so many companies misuse SSNs. They treat them as if they were passwords.
    What is your name? John Smith
    What is your SSN? 123-45-6789
    OK, you must be John Smith all right. What can I do for you?

    It is this completely broken way that companies "verify" your identity that is the problem. People try to keep their SSN secret to reduce the chances an "identity thief" will get it and use a company's and/or bank's broken procedures to steal from you.

  25. Re:Try the slow down method on How Do IT Guys Get Respect and Not Become BOFHs? · · Score: 1

    That's a very good explanation of the philosophy I use to guide my responses, in short: Never reward bad behavior.