Unfortunately that doesn't change the court rulings that have found the NSA and FBI actions that many find so disagreeable as being legal. As far as I have read they are complying with the law.
Since there is at least one ruling that finds the NSA's surveillance of US citizens as "probably unconstitutional", it remains to be seen if the NSA is actually complying with the law.
Thanks for the link. Although that particular article seems to be trying to use the fact that bitcoin is not a commodity with the mises views on money and commodities to show that bitcoin is not real money.
Yep, the article's author recognizes (correctly) that bitcoin is NOT a commodity, and then goes on to argue (incorrectly) that therefore bitcoin CAN'T be money/currency. The reality that bitcoin is actually being's used as money/currency apparently is something he can't accept.
For the bitcoin proponents that adhere to the Mises orthodoxy, they (rightly) recognize that bitcoin is money - but then find they have to do a shitload of mental gymnastics to convince themselves that bitcoin is a commodity.
It's kinda funny, but also pathetic. But as you say, there's some crazy beliefs among ideologues. Cheers!
And if I may ask, why would bitcoin being a commodity bolster anyone's ideology? What possible negative implication does the non-commodity status of bitcoin have on which ideology?
Obviously there are all kinds of crazy ideologies out there, but I am just not aware of any that need bitcoin to be more than just a (non-fiat) currency.
Later in the above linked article: "In short, money is the thing for which all other goods and services are traded. Furthermore, money must emerge as a commodity. An object cannot be used as money unless it already possesses an exchange value based on some other use. The object must have a pre-existing price for it to be accepted as money."
More than a few bitcoin proponents worship this religious dogma. They desperately want bitcoin to succeed because the system pushes many of their ideological happy buttons. But since one of their high priests has ruled that real money must arise from a commodity, bitcoins have to be commodities - or they won't be "real" money.
If it is true that something like jewelry is "useful" because there is an industry built on it, then bitcoin is the same kind of "useful" by the same logic.
And that logic would be absolutely valid. A bitcoin is useful - as a currency, nothing else.
My argument here is not about the utility of gold or jewelry, it is about whether a bitcoin can be rightly called a commodity. Since bitcoins are nothing more than numerical balances in a distributed, triple entry electronic ledger, I maintain that bitcoin isn't - and cannot be - considered a commodity.
Well...like I said before, if you can tell me what can be done with a bitcoin other than transfer it to a different wallet/account, I'd be open to the idea that bitcoins are commodities. But balances in a ledger simply don't qualify as commodities, and that's all bitcoins are - ledger balances. So perhaps we'll have to agree to disagree.
...but hackers aren't so interested in disrupting these systems because they're pure evil. Most systems get hacked because there's some profit to be made out of it or someone is trying to put a message out there.
Or, systems get hacked just for the lulz. And you'd better believe there's individuals out there who would get a real hard on by vandalising cell phones/networks.
And even then, it was only valued as art because it was effectively money
No! Gold was valued as a pretty thing/art medium before it came into use as a currency. In fact, all commodity monies arose from physical goods that had other non-currency uses.
Some folks really really want bitcoins to be a commodites because of their ideological disposition, but in reality they're nothing more than bits 'n bytes representing ledger balances.
"Fiat currency only works as well are all those making use of it agree on its value."
There. FTFY.
Bitcoin is not a fiat currency. It is a commodity. It has an "intrinsic" value, which is not subject to opinion.
Not sure what bitcoin has to do with GP's post, but since you brought it up...
While a commodity can be used as currency, commodities always have uses outside of their value as currencies. Bitcoin does not share this property. A bitcoin is nothing more than a numerical balance in a distributed triple entry ledger.
But if you can tell me what you can do with a bitcoin other than spend it (transfer the ledger balance from one account to another), I'd be willing to change my mind.:-)
The housing crisis was "a huge blunder" that was a forced error due to Federal intervention trying to drive up home ownership.
For some reason, you failed to mention that the National Review article you linked to lists many causes of the sub-prime mortgage mess, not just intervention in the market by Fannie & Freddie. I'm sure it was a harmless oversight on your part, though.
I also suspect you're aware that the sub-prime crisis itself was only a part of the broader financial crisis of 2008, and it's pretty clear to me that GP is referring to the broader fiasco, not just the mortgage part.
Dodd-Frank is an impediment to recovery, and yet another excuse for Federal snooping
The Washington Examiner article you linked to says "The Dodd-Frank Act, which established CFPB, bars the bureau from collecting personally identifiable financial information on consumers", so how is it that Dodd-Frank provides an excuse for government snooping? Seems to me the law does just the opposite.
In any case, the relevance of Dodd-Frank and Obamacare to a discussion of avoiding a surveillance state is something that escapes me. But I'm sure you've got it all figured out. Care to share?
That's because in those days there weren't laws like the Patriot Act subverting the 4th Amendment.
There are irrational paranoid fears of a 1984 style future or a Soviet Union future...
It hasn't been that long since someone would be labelled "paranoid" and "irrational" for suggesting that the US government was surveilling *all* phone calls and electronic communications of US citizens. Yet here we are.
Ir's the best time. Tragedy, and 'close calls' is the best motivator to get people started exercising.
Tragedy and close calls that aren't close to home don't motivate squat. This is slashdot, remember?
But even if your questionable speculation above is true, you'd have to also assume that Mr. Flanagan has some magical powers that allow him to know the actual cause of Mr. Weirich's death. The fact is, he doesn't know the cause, and neither do you.
This isn't his funeral, it's slashdot.
Are you actually defending Flannigan's post? Do you really believe his completely unfounded supposition of the cause of Weirich's death? Or are you just defending idiotic behavior in general?
You might want to consider not criticizing people who encourage others to be healthier.
I don't think posting a directive for people to change their diets and get active if they "look like Jim" (on the day of the guy's death) qualifies as encouraging others to be healthier. Frankly, it comes off as inconsiderate, disrespectful and condescending.
But thanks for your concern about everyone's health. I'm sure your internet encouragements are working wonders.
Missiles, ships, planes, tanks, and large groups of soldiers all cost a lot of money....A geek with a computer is pretty cheap, can do a lot of things, and cause a lot of really inconvenient problems.
I bet that's why the hackers used the compromised machines to play "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" instead of "Thunderstruck".
Nope. As the title of GP's post makes clear, the bible was written/translated by human beings, not "God". Nothing in it is of supernatural origin. GP's point that the bible contains insights into human nature is completely valid. Other cultural mythologies are also great sources of insight into the human condition.
Because the faithful believe that their particular scripture is the "Word of God" doesn't diminish the sapience contained therein.
Slashdot Mirror
Unfortunately that doesn't change the court rulings that have found the NSA and FBI actions that many find so disagreeable as being legal. As far as I have read they are complying with the law.
Since there is at least one ruling that finds the NSA's surveillance of US citizens as "probably unconstitutional", it remains to be seen if the NSA is actually complying with the law.
Thanks for the link. Although that particular article seems to be trying to use the fact that bitcoin is not a commodity with the mises views on money and commodities to show that bitcoin is not real money.
Yep, the article's author recognizes (correctly) that bitcoin is NOT a commodity, and then goes on to argue (incorrectly) that therefore bitcoin CAN'T be money/currency. The reality that bitcoin is actually being's used as money/currency apparently is something he can't accept.
For the bitcoin proponents that adhere to the Mises orthodoxy, they (rightly) recognize that bitcoin is money - but then find they have to do a shitload of mental gymnastics to convince themselves that bitcoin is a commodity.
It's kinda funny, but also pathetic. But as you say, there's some crazy beliefs among ideologues. Cheers!
And if I may ask, why would bitcoin being a commodity bolster anyone's ideology? What possible negative implication does the non-commodity status of bitcoin have on which ideology?
Obviously there are all kinds of crazy ideologies out there, but I am just not aware of any that need bitcoin to be more than just a (non-fiat) currency.
Certain radical libertarians, anarcho-capitalists and others subscribe to a theory of money that requires money to have "evolved from private enterprise from the most marketable commodity".
Later in the above linked article: "In short, money is the thing for which all other goods and services are traded. Furthermore, money must emerge as a commodity. An object cannot be used as money unless it already possesses an exchange value based on some other use. The object must have a pre-existing price for it to be accepted as money."
More than a few bitcoin proponents worship this religious dogma. They desperately want bitcoin to succeed because the system pushes many of their ideological happy buttons. But since one of their high priests has ruled that real money must arise from a commodity, bitcoins have to be commodities - or they won't be "real" money.
If it is true that something like jewelry is "useful" because there is an industry built on it, then bitcoin is the same kind of "useful" by the same logic.
And that logic would be absolutely valid. A bitcoin is useful - as a currency, nothing else.
My argument here is not about the utility of gold or jewelry, it is about whether a bitcoin can be rightly called a commodity. Since bitcoins are nothing more than numerical balances in a distributed, triple entry electronic ledger, I maintain that bitcoin isn't - and cannot be - considered a commodity.
I'm not sure why you think "pretty thing/art medium" counts as being useful.
Hey, you don't have to take my word for it...go ask the jewelry industry.
...and they eat people's bibles for fuel. Luckily, there's Old Glory Insurance.
(WARNING: those denying the existence of evil robots may be evil robots themselves)
Old Glory Insurance. For when the soulless metal ones come for YOU.
Well...like I said before, if you can tell me what can be done with a bitcoin other than transfer it to a different wallet/account, I'd be open to the idea that bitcoins are commodities. But balances in a ledger simply don't qualify as commodities, and that's all bitcoins are - ledger balances. So perhaps we'll have to agree to disagree.
Cheers!
...but hackers aren't so interested in disrupting these systems because they're pure evil. Most systems get hacked because there's some profit to be made out of it or someone is trying to put a message out there.
Or, systems get hacked just for the lulz. And you'd better believe there's individuals out there who would get a real hard on by vandalising cell phones/networks.
Always?
Yes!
And even then, it was only valued as art because it was effectively money
No! Gold was valued as a pretty thing/art medium before it came into use as a currency. In fact, all commodity monies arose from physical goods that had other non-currency uses.
Some folks really really want bitcoins to be a commodites because of their ideological disposition, but in reality they're nothing more than bits 'n bytes representing ledger balances.
"Fiat currency only works as well are all those making use of it agree on its value."
There. FTFY. Bitcoin is not a fiat currency. It is a commodity. It has an "intrinsic" value, which is not subject to opinion.
Not sure what bitcoin has to do with GP's post, but since you brought it up...
While a commodity can be used as currency, commodities always have uses outside of their value as currencies. Bitcoin does not share this property. A bitcoin is nothing more than a numerical balance in a distributed triple entry ledger.
But if you can tell me what you can do with a bitcoin other than spend it (transfer the ledger balance from one account to another), I'd be willing to change my mind. :-)
ps - All Money is Fiat Money
The inability to intelligently regulate the value of the currency in accordance with the economic needs of the society is a bug, not a feature.
Mod parent up, please! It's a good thing that government issued currencies are intelligently regula....oh wait...
Don't forget a stamp for Michael Jackson. It could even make a "hee hee" sound when licked.
The housing crisis was "a huge blunder" that was a forced error due to Federal intervention trying to drive up home ownership.
For some reason, you failed to mention that the National Review article you linked to lists many causes of the sub-prime mortgage mess, not just intervention in the market by Fannie & Freddie. I'm sure it was a harmless oversight on your part, though.
I also suspect you're aware that the sub-prime crisis itself was only a part of the broader financial crisis of 2008, and it's pretty clear to me that GP is referring to the broader fiasco, not just the mortgage part.
Dodd-Frank is an impediment to recovery, and yet another excuse for Federal snooping
The Washington Examiner article you linked to says "The Dodd-Frank Act, which established CFPB, bars the bureau from collecting personally identifiable financial information on consumers", so how is it that Dodd-Frank provides an excuse for government snooping? Seems to me the law does just the opposite.
In any case, the relevance of Dodd-Frank and Obamacare to a discussion of avoiding a surveillance state is something that escapes me. But I'm sure you've got it all figured out. Care to share?
No one complains about those.
That's because in those days there weren't laws like the Patriot Act subverting the 4th Amendment.
There are irrational paranoid fears of a 1984 style future or a Soviet Union future...
It hasn't been that long since someone would be labelled "paranoid" and "irrational" for suggesting that the US government was surveilling *all* phone calls and electronic communications of US citizens. Yet here we are.
Ir's the best time. Tragedy, and 'close calls' is the best motivator to get people started exercising.
Tragedy and close calls that aren't close to home don't motivate squat. This is slashdot, remember?
But even if your questionable speculation above is true, you'd have to also assume that Mr. Flanagan has some magical powers that allow him to know the actual cause of Mr. Weirich's death. The fact is, he doesn't know the cause, and neither do you.
This isn't his funeral, it's slashdot.
Are you actually defending Flannigan's post? Do you really believe his completely unfounded supposition of the cause of Weirich's death? Or are you just defending idiotic behavior in general?
Jim was 57, not 58.
RIP
You might want to consider not criticizing people who encourage others to be healthier.
I don't think posting a directive for people to change their diets and get active if they "look like Jim" (on the day of the guy's death) qualifies as encouraging others to be healthier. Frankly, it comes off as inconsiderate, disrespectful and condescending.
But thanks for your concern about everyone's health. I'm sure your internet encouragements are working wonders.
If you look like Jim, it's time to change your diet and get active if you want a long healthy life.
Lemme ask you a question, Mr. Flanagan: would you say those words while attending Mr. Weirich's memorial service? No?
You might want to consider using ONE standard of behavior for your social interactions - be they in cyberspace or meatspace.
...then told the begger on the sidwalk to "get a job" as he left.
($4B, really, who's counting fb stock?)
Brian Acton and Jan Koum.
apparently not. There is a real reason why those that can afford it and have to live in Texas, will choose Austin.
Only if you're a nerd or hippie with money - otherwise you'd choose Dallas or Houston if you've got cash.
The fact that Google is looking at San Antonio before considering Dallas/Houston for their fiber service should tell you something.
Missiles, ships, planes, tanks, and large groups of soldiers all cost a lot of money....A geek with a computer is pretty cheap, can do a lot of things, and cause a lot of really inconvenient problems.
I bet that's why the hackers used the compromised machines to play "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" instead of "Thunderstruck".
Great! Now the students will have some training for the jobs they'll end up in anyway after graduating with a psych degree.
But of course it's false...
Nope. As the title of GP's post makes clear, the bible was written/translated by human beings, not "God". Nothing in it is of supernatural origin. GP's point that the bible contains insights into human nature is completely valid. Other cultural mythologies are also great sources of insight into the human condition.
Because the faithful believe that their particular scripture is the "Word of God" doesn't diminish the sapience contained therein.
"For the exogenously extended organizational complex functioning as an integrated homeostatic system unconsciously, we propose the term 'Cyborg'.
Just for kicks, I put that sentence through The Hemingway App. Their server has been down for some time now.