Well, someone keeps electing her, and it can't be due to her looks or personality.
I'm serious, though: Germany needs to start showing leadership. It can't just bury its head in the ground, mumbling something about "human rights" occasionally, and hope problems will go away. A monopolar world isn't good for anyone.
Oh, like Europe has any leverage to get the US to do anything. What? Merkel would threaten the US with a BMW embargo? French waiters would become surly and refuse to speak English with tourists?
And what "bill" would that be that we have to "pay"? Withdrawing troops from Europe and ceasing spy operations in Europe would be a great money savings for the US. Bring it on, I say, the sooner the better.
Yeah, as they say "There are no rules in love and war" -- so which is it? It appears that the US is no longer getting away with playing the game as if there were no rules.
And who has placed limits on US espionage so far? I don't see anything happening.
These actions might meet your expectations of your government (in the US), but it doesn't meet other countries' expectations of how the US should be acting.
Then your expectations are wrong. It isn't the US government's job to protect the privacy of Europeans, and all this anger directed against the US isn't going to change anything at all.
Europeans should direct their anger at their own governments, for selling them out to the US, for not protecting them from US spying, and for spying on their own citizens.
Until Europeans actually get their act together in Europe, both Americans and Europeans will continue to get screwed.
Guys, just turn around the situation and it would be China doing the same in the US.. wouldn't your outcry be as big as ours (German here), maybe even bigger?
The outcry wouldn't be "Oh, big bad China, would you please, please stop this, it's not nice!", the outcry would be "Why didn't our f*cking government prevent this? We need to spend a lot more on national security, technology, and research to make sure this doesn't happen again."
Really, if you ask me, as a German with a strong national pride myself, the only political answer to this would be simple (and something our corrupt and incompetent government would NEVER do..): close all US bases on German soil, including Ramstein etc., remove every single American non-civilian personell from the country immediately..
Good, please do. Show some spine for a change. At the very least Germany should give asylum to Snowden.
But you know that Merkel is all bark and no bite, and she's reading her voters right: they'd kick her out in a second if they thought their export markets or retirement benefits might be put at risk by actually taking a stance. And if you think that any of these "revelations" are news to the German government, I'd add gullibility to the charge of hypocrisy.
I hope this will cause European governments to grow some balls. The US really isn't well served by having a bunch of subserviant mediocrities governing Europe. We were making a lot more progress when the Soviet Union, evil empire that it was, actually presented a real ideological, military, and technological challenge to the US.
(Oh, and next time, pick your Nobel Prize winners more carefully.)
That has nothing to do with this library. Apple, Google, and almost any government and telecom can push arbitrary code onto your phone. Android and iPhone are both equally vulnerable. It doesn't matter how Apple runs its markets or how they review their software or how secure their OS may be; if you can't trust the update channel, you can't trust the phone.
Courtesy isn't as simple as "don't offend people". When I visit your home and know that you believe to have "chemical sensitivities", it would be discourteous for me to wear cologne. When you go out and demand that spaces be "cologne free" because of your supposed chemical sensitivities, then you are being discourteous. You have a right to expect that people don't offend you in private; you do not have a right to expect that the entire world shapes itself to your will so that you aren't offended or inconvenienced.
This is one of the biggest issues with society- many people are simply unable to imagine that other people are more or less sensitive/annoyed by things. Even worse are the people who simply don't care that what they do annoys others because the world revolves around their own selfishness.
Or maybe they simply don't care about some of the things that annoy you because your particular annoyance is petty and silly. You know, things like "chemical sensitivity", "EM sensitivity", and "private sexist jokes". You don't have a right not to be annoyed.
Nothing on an Android or iPhone device is ever secure; it's too easy for the NSA or other organizations to install Trojan horses. And installing a crypto app from the market is like painting a red bulls eye on your phone.
Our government is a bit like a sociopath. We are nobody's friend
Why would we consider them "our friends"? What have they ever done for us? We have some shared economic and political interests, and that's why we have an alliance and competition, but that's all. Europeans have always understood this and have always been largely anti-American. It's time Americans reciprocate the feeling, instead of trying to ingratiate themselves.
We're talking about what gets Europeans so upset. The NSA has a massive spy network covering most of Europe and Asia, both private citizens and governments. European governments are apparently incapable of spying the same way on the US or other nations, and that's what angers Europeans. A century ago, Europeans were arrogantly proud of their spy services and would have laughed if the US had suggested that such spying was offensive.
You don't need to go to the UN. The European Court of Human Rights and many national courts have decided on war crimes elsewhere before. If they wanted to, they could easily charge and convict over supposed US war crimes.
Statements that the US has "illegally killed" or been engaged in "wars of aggression" are lies with no basis in reality. They are popular in Europe, often because of the guilty conscience of European nations who actually have done both.
The obvious implication and risk is that we shall be screened and judged in future processes based on every single minute thing we have ever said, typed, and done, because 100% of our lives will be accessible, as opposed to being judged from across a table.
I don't see how that is "obvious" at all. How do potential employers screen you based on your cloud-based Google documents that will have been deleted decades ago? You need to take off your tinfoil hat.
"in contrast, most European countries have experienced substantial declines in tooth decay without its use, primarily due to the introduction of fluoride toothpaste in the 1970s.[3]"
I have expressed a concern that it is unethical to use these services without informing the students' parents of what is at stake e.g. the students are getting a digital footprint from the age of seven and are unaware of the implications this may have later in life.
And what precisely are the implications and risks according to you?
but the ethics over lack of disclosure in the parental consent process
What precisely do you think isn't being disclosed?
Hell, I'm pretty much there myself. This is NOT the country that my grandfather went to war for in WWII.
You mean the country that threw people of Japanese heritage in internment camps? The country that put homosexuals in jail? That blacklisted people because of left-wing ideology? The country that disenfranchised blacks by the millions? No, it's not the same country. It's a worse country in some ways, and a much better country in many others.
But change anything? Nah, that's not realistic. The only power I have in that regard is one vote in opposition of the millions of morons here who vote the wrong way.
If you start with such erroneous assumptions about the past, it looks like you're the "moron" and part of the problem.
Assange is far from universally loved outside of the US, but I would say his side enjoys considerably greater support than the side of US' spying on everybody else's communications at their fancy.
Spying is intelligence gathering on other nations. Europeans just hate that they have become so much worse at it than the US. Back when European nations were playing "the Great Game" they thought the US was uncultured and uncivilized for not being as good at it. And Europeans didn't even spy for fighting terrorism, they were doing it for imperialism, conquest, and profit. It's the same with copyright: back when Europe actually still produced art and literature, Europeans were all gung ho about copyright and imposed it on the US. When Hollywood and US music started dominating world culture, all of a sudden Europeans start whining about the supposed evils of copyright laws and the destruction of European culture. Europeans are a bunch of hypocrites.
Also, don't wonder why the world tells you to go fuck yourself when you ask for Snowden
That's why Snowden is currently relaxing in some nice Mediterranean resort, protected by the freedom-loving Europeans, right? Why Assange is off in iceland having wild sex with beautiful blond Icelandic women? Oh, wait, that didn't happen.
If you weren't murdering teenagers with completely illegal and immoral drone strike programs after killing a few hundred thousand civilians in multiple wars of aggression, maybe everyone wouldn't burst out in laughter every time you uttered the phrase "rule of law."
And that's why European nations have charged the US with war crimes and won, right? Oh, wait, that didn't happen either.
Yes, the US has its problems. No, wherever you are from is unlikely to be any better. And if you want things to change, rather than expressing your Schadenfreude, you better find some way to help fix it. Because if it doesn't get fixed in the US, it won't get fixed in whatever dump you happen to live in.
except that is has. at least in NY 2 gay people could get the same rights as a married couple simply by living together for XX amount of years.
That's not true. They may have received the same state benefits (although I doubt that), but they didn't receive the same federal benefits (taxes, immigration, etc.) because DOMA prevented it. That's why DOMA was repealed.
Slashdot Mirror
There is no well-defined list of acts-of-war, as in "if you do any of these things, we are justified in starting a war with you".
Well, someone keeps electing her, and it can't be due to her looks or personality.
I'm serious, though: Germany needs to start showing leadership. It can't just bury its head in the ground, mumbling something about "human rights" occasionally, and hope problems will go away. A monopolar world isn't good for anyone.
Oh, like Europe has any leverage to get the US to do anything. What? Merkel would threaten the US with a BMW embargo? French waiters would become surly and refuse to speak English with tourists?
And what "bill" would that be that we have to "pay"? Withdrawing troops from Europe and ceasing spy operations in Europe would be a great money savings for the US. Bring it on, I say, the sooner the better.
And who has placed limits on US espionage so far? I don't see anything happening.
Then your expectations are wrong. It isn't the US government's job to protect the privacy of Europeans, and all this anger directed against the US isn't going to change anything at all.
Europeans should direct their anger at their own governments, for selling them out to the US, for not protecting them from US spying, and for spying on their own citizens.
Until Europeans actually get their act together in Europe, both Americans and Europeans will continue to get screwed.
The outcry wouldn't be "Oh, big bad China, would you please, please stop this, it's not nice!", the outcry would be "Why didn't our f*cking government prevent this? We need to spend a lot more on national security, technology, and research to make sure this doesn't happen again."
Good, please do. Show some spine for a change. At the very least Germany should give asylum to Snowden.
But you know that Merkel is all bark and no bite, and she's reading her voters right: they'd kick her out in a second if they thought their export markets or retirement benefits might be put at risk by actually taking a stance. And if you think that any of these "revelations" are news to the German government, I'd add gullibility to the charge of hypocrisy.
I hope this will cause European governments to grow some balls. The US really isn't well served by having a bunch of subserviant mediocrities governing Europe. We were making a lot more progress when the Soviet Union, evil empire that it was, actually presented a real ideological, military, and technological challenge to the US.
(Oh, and next time, pick your Nobel Prize winners more carefully.)
That has nothing to do with this library. Apple, Google, and almost any government and telecom can push arbitrary code onto your phone. Android and iPhone are both equally vulnerable. It doesn't matter how Apple runs its markets or how they review their software or how secure their OS may be; if you can't trust the update channel, you can't trust the phone.
Courtesy isn't as simple as "don't offend people". When I visit your home and know that you believe to have "chemical sensitivities", it would be discourteous for me to wear cologne. When you go out and demand that spaces be "cologne free" because of your supposed chemical sensitivities, then you are being discourteous. You have a right to expect that people don't offend you in private; you do not have a right to expect that the entire world shapes itself to your will so that you aren't offended or inconvenienced.
No, I simply said that not every pet peeve and annoyance people have needs to be indulged.
I said nothing about using phones in movie theaters.
Or maybe they simply don't care about some of the things that annoy you because your particular annoyance is petty and silly. You know, things like "chemical sensitivity", "EM sensitivity", and "private sexist jokes". You don't have a right not to be annoyed.
With respect, you don't know your history:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Game
Nothing on an Android or iPhone device is ever secure; it's too easy for the NSA or other organizations to install Trojan horses. And installing a crypto app from the market is like painting a red bulls eye on your phone.
Why would we consider them "our friends"? What have they ever done for us? We have some shared economic and political interests, and that's why we have an alliance and competition, but that's all. Europeans have always understood this and have always been largely anti-American. It's time Americans reciprocate the feeling, instead of trying to ingratiate themselves.
We're talking about what gets Europeans so upset. The NSA has a massive spy network covering most of Europe and Asia, both private citizens and governments. European governments are apparently incapable of spying the same way on the US or other nations, and that's what angers Europeans. A century ago, Europeans were arrogantly proud of their spy services and would have laughed if the US had suggested that such spying was offensive.
You don't need to go to the UN. The European Court of Human Rights and many national courts have decided on war crimes elsewhere before. If they wanted to, they could easily charge and convict over supposed US war crimes.
Statements that the US has "illegally killed" or been engaged in "wars of aggression" are lies with no basis in reality. They are popular in Europe, often because of the guilty conscience of European nations who actually have done both.
I don't see how that is "obvious" at all. How do potential employers screen you based on your cloud-based Google documents that will have been deleted decades ago? You need to take off your tinfoil hat.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_fluoridation
"in contrast, most European countries have experienced substantial declines in tooth decay without its use, primarily due to the introduction of fluoride toothpaste in the 1970s.[3]"
The only people who can afford to live in a nice part of London are diplomats, bankers, ex-dictators, and oil billionaires.
US urbanization is around 82%, higher than the UK, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy.
And what precisely are the implications and risks according to you?
What precisely do you think isn't being disclosed?
Yeah, the Europeans were so much better at this, and that's why they are still so mighty and powerful. Uh huh.
Compared to which other countries?
You mean the country that threw people of Japanese heritage in internment camps? The country that put homosexuals in jail? That blacklisted people because of left-wing ideology? The country that disenfranchised blacks by the millions? No, it's not the same country. It's a worse country in some ways, and a much better country in many others.
If you start with such erroneous assumptions about the past, it looks like you're the "moron" and part of the problem.
Spying is intelligence gathering on other nations. Europeans just hate that they have become so much worse at it than the US. Back when European nations were playing "the Great Game" they thought the US was uncultured and uncivilized for not being as good at it. And Europeans didn't even spy for fighting terrorism, they were doing it for imperialism, conquest, and profit. It's the same with copyright: back when Europe actually still produced art and literature, Europeans were all gung ho about copyright and imposed it on the US. When Hollywood and US music started dominating world culture, all of a sudden Europeans start whining about the supposed evils of copyright laws and the destruction of European culture. Europeans are a bunch of hypocrites.
That's why Snowden is currently relaxing in some nice Mediterranean resort, protected by the freedom-loving Europeans, right? Why Assange is off in iceland having wild sex with beautiful blond Icelandic women? Oh, wait, that didn't happen.
And that's why European nations have charged the US with war crimes and won, right? Oh, wait, that didn't happen either.
Yes, the US has its problems. No, wherever you are from is unlikely to be any better. And if you want things to change, rather than expressing your Schadenfreude, you better find some way to help fix it. Because if it doesn't get fixed in the US, it won't get fixed in whatever dump you happen to live in.
That's not true. They may have received the same state benefits (although I doubt that), but they didn't receive the same federal benefits (taxes, immigration, etc.) because DOMA prevented it. That's why DOMA was repealed.