Obviously this is just some rabid Smallville fan trying to get a leg up on the competition for the Get Lex Sweepstakes where you gain access to Lex Luthors email account. By hacking the account, he figured he'd be able to change the password and lock everyone out of the WB competition. Of course, he figured Lex might not have an email account at the FBI, but he figured it was as good as any a place to start... well... turns out Lex didn't. Lex does however have a lexluthor@verizon.com address. So the perp sends his apologies to the FBI for any undue alarm caused.
And... Uhhhmmm.... I of course have no idea as to who this person is or his whereabouts.
You're right... in fact the current laws need to be re-written. I mean, if some guy is selling Rolex's on a corner in the Bronx, well god damnit! Those Cops should not be able to just walk up and ask him a few questions, much less use ANY of that information UNLESS THEY HAVE A WARRANT!
Same thing with some script kiddie in Ohio... The cops should have no right to monitor ISP-wide traffic for SYN-FLOODS, maliciously mal-formed packets, known exploits or other such activity. I mean, those people who get hacked deserve it for not being patched and not being l33t.
And we ought to stop the FBI from searching eBay for stolen items or for people trying to sell Shuttle parts from the next Shuttle catastrophe! I mean, how dare they monitor ANY website like an ordinary person would and use basic common sense!
And I don't give a damn if the site's called IDENTITYTHEIVES.com, they should not be able to so much as pull up the home page with out a due judicial review as to whether or not their is probable cause to do so! And there better be a watchdog orginization in place to dutifully note the number of page views and get an accurate accounting of each one accompanied by a detailed report to be reviewed by a concerned citizens commitee paid for by the tax-payers.
Thank you man, your argument is excellent and shows great insight and profound wisdom. We should bind and restrain law enforcement till the point where they can't so much as look at me sideways without some permit or other. Then, we should all jeer and sneer at how ineffective and clueless Law Enforcement is online and how unenforceable the laws are. *cough*
Next time you see a traffic cop with a Laser-gun, go ahead and demand to see his Warrant and lay your rap on him. Now that I'd like to see. I mean, that's exactly the same thing they are trying to do online, randomly monitor and spot-test the traffic. But for some reason, since it's "online" you and a hundred others get your panties in a knot.
"Since when are Google and Netcraft law enforcement agencies?"
That's the thing, they are not. So why should the FBI not be able to monitor website content ala Google or monitor IP address Domain name Stats ala Netcraft?
That was my point, if those activites would require a Warrant, then Google and Netcraft would effectively be shut down and actually... the entire Internet would become "invitation only" and thereby end the whole shebang.
Requiring the FBI/Law Enforcement to get a Warrant to do what any person in the world could do freely is complete non-sense.
Seems I need make things a little more clear regarding my parent post.
The analogy I'm looking at is an ISP has agreed to allow the FBI to surriptiously monitor it's network activity. In doing so, the FBI is doing nothing more that sampling data coming through on certain ports in the clear (i.e.: non-encrypted transactions such as email, IM p2p).
So let's say that in the process they see a pattern of use that resembles an exploit taking place against several target machines coming from a certain IP address. It turns out that the IP in question is at a home residence, At that point, they can subpeona the ISP and seek a warrant to confiscate the computers at that address and question the residents in the hopes of making an arrest.
I think that would be activity I would agree with. a) The FBI is merely scanning aggregate usage targeting only services, not Individuals. b) If the FBI does decide to target an individual, they will then need to send subpoenas and obtains warrants to actually act or monitor more invasively.
What I'm not for is the FBI being able to intrude upon private networks, scan/break encrypted protocols or target an individuals usage without a proper warrant. Rather, they would merely be sampling random traffic at cooperating ISP's who have agreed beforehand to work with the FBI/law enforcement.
Let's face it, "in the clear" transmissions are not private, just because it's on the interweb should not give anyone, especially a/. user any sense of false security or imply that it's somehow "protected" and "holy" because it's online.
Don't want the FBI to see your file transfers? Use SCP. Don't want your chat eve's dropped on? Use an encrypted channel. Don't want content on your site accessed by strangers? Use SSL and pass protect your pages.
One reason why Law Enforcement has such a hard time dealing with online crime is that it has no way to prevent crime or respond to crime in progress. In online crime, it's almost always after the fact, when the trail is cold and the damage has been done that Law Enforcement get's involved.
I for one think it only makes sense to allow them to have some eyes/ears where it makes sense if they actually hope to do any real law enforcement online.
"I don't like the idea of them monitoring web browsing, URLs, content, etc, without essentially a 'warrant."
While I agree with that stance on web browsing... Requiring a Warrant to monitor URL's and Content would basically put Google and Netcraft out of existence.
Let's step back and think before we get carried away here. Personally, I think all "in the clear" Internet activity should be considered public. Why should the FBI be required to get a Warrant to do what any 13yr old with a network sniffer be able to do with dubious legality?
Personally, I think a warrant should be required only to intrude upon private networks and encrypted communication protocols. So, in my mind, the FBI should be able to snoop on my iChat activity, but required to get a a warrant to snoop my local network activity/Hard Drives/Content if it is behind a secured firewall.
It boils down to precident in the physical world. When you walk around in public, do you bring out your kiddie porn collection, break into shops, try to abduct little girls/boys, expose yourself to random men/women, talk about crimes you're about to or have commited in broad daylight while dozens of bystanders mill about? Then why the hell should you think that the magical interweb somehow makes that OK?
After modding my nano-ceramic sticker with a nano-trans-plasma-inducer I bought off eBay, I was able to achieve cold-fusion! I now have perpetual battery life and after whistling into my cell, unlimited anytime minutes and free long distance for life!
If only they can create a penis enlarging ring-tone like the breast enlarging one they made for those babes in Tokyo, I'll be the shizla!
While it's true that MS cited Safari as the reason to kill off IE for the Mac, keep in mind that Mac IE was a freeware application, hence -- no profits, so why compete with an apple version that has more a more current codebase?
MS on the otherhand makes a tidy chunk of change with their Office X series product for the Mac, also, appleworks has been available for free from Apple for years... so why pull out now rather than just compete?
Also, MS bought up Connectix, the makers of Virtual PC and have already released new versions since, also they bundle Virtual PC with Office X, so by killing off Office X, they face killing off Virtual PC as well and taking a loss (not that they couldn't afford too). On the whole, I don't see it in MS best interests to walk away from OS X as they are only facing competition, not a lock out in the product arena for that platform.
Maybe I'll buy that argument when and if 1) The US Govt outlaws the creation of file-sharing/P2P software 2) CmdrTaco adds a 0-day Warez "Downloads of the day" slashbox
If the fact of new P2P software offends you, perhaps you'd best to not read/. and instead stick to CNN and Fox, who I'm sure are bound to print stories that deride filesharing per their corporate shareholders expressed views.
Hey I ran it for about 2 minutes, had my fun and threw it in the trash. While a quick zap it to ya spammer might be fun, fact is this will do very little.
I mean, most hard core spammers are using malware to get clueless users to spam for them and the rest are being hosted by companies who are either offshore or just don't care about what their users do with their bandwidth.
For me, a locked down sendmail server+procmail loaded with SpamAssasin+Razor and to top it off, a Bayesian enabled POP3 Clients all come together to eliminate approx 99% of my spam, so I only see a few per week. That to me is what the world needs -- every sendmail server not allowed to relay, inboxes protected and every email client using filters.
Then and only then will the spammers be truly hurt -- when clueless idjits don't get those emails in the first place and thus, can't click those f*cking links.
Considering AOL, Earthling and other ISP's are starting to put all this in, that day may soon be at hand.
I for one am taking the high ground here and currently producing "Christian Cell" a first person action game that will teach children about the bible while they infiltrate godless liberal political organizations before they can put Hillary Clinton into Office and outlaw the bible.
After being air-dropped in the middle of the night your role as a member of Christian Cell will be to use your bible knowledge, high tech gadgetry and stealth skills to sneak up behind enemy targets, collect information and ultimately destroy the leaders of this terrorist organization.
ohhh well I do soooo deeply apologize for not wanting to be bothered for using caps for EMPHASIS. Lord knows I should take time to use strongbold and italic text in HUGE posts with forethought that consume over 1/2 an hour to type in plain text alone.
And we all know that a style of TYPING cannot EVAR EVAR EVAR be taken as humor -- I mean we NEVER see any ALL CAPS EMPHASIS in comics NO.
Thank you sir -- I stand thoroughly corrected -- So can one call GODWINS LAW on calling one a GRAMMER NAZI!?!?!??!
Because you sir seem to lack all concept of pattern recognition and demonstrate an utterly sociopathic tendency to despise methods that you personally do not subscribe to.
As such, I would recommend a few sessions of preliminary counseling followed by several years of institutional correction coupled with heavy doses of medication to be administered several times within a 24 hour period, a frontal lobotomy and permanent revocation of your Republican voting registration.
I'm 32 and have been an IT contractor since 1993 and only deal with direct clients NO AGENCIES -- so I think I could lend some much needed insight to this post.
Here's my 10 commandments:
Thou shalt LEARN TO SPEAK ENGLISH!!!! Time and time again, I get the contract over those from India and even other Americans BECAUSE I CAN TALK TO A CTO/CEO/VP/Director in PLAIN ENGLISH and not mumble, talk in lingo/jargon and not act impersonally.
Thou shalt not do a personal website if you have 1+ yrs experience -- be it a wedding site, a blog, a mom and pop shop or joe shmoe trying to setup an "Enterprise Application". These "people" are DEMONS and will fight tooth and nail and try to bleed bleeed bleed every last detail ESPECIALLY if you are doing them a "favor".
You shalt give your client nothing more than due in your most rightous and holy contract. Face it: if the money comes from some one's personal bank account, YOU DO NOT WANT THIS MONEY. these people will fight tooth and nail about parting with it, no matter how "nice" they seem.
Thou shalt not work for less than 2x the amount you can get as a fulltime employee with salary+benefits including medical with dental and atleast a 2 week per year vacation package. To do less is cutting yourself short. As a contractor you pay your own medical insurance (mines 260 a month for a PPO), you have no employment insurance (no work means no money, don't bother trying to collect unemployment -- unless you've been paying your own UE insurance), what about your retirement? You better account for PUTTING MONEY AWAY in savings.
Any contract over 1 month REQUIRES SUB-CONTRACTORS! Face it, no one man can be king of all things, nor should you want to be. If you are a contractor, the end all and be all goal should be delivering what you promised ON TIME and ON BUDGET. So this requires that you adhere to the previous commandments and calculate ATLEAST your rate+20% as a lesser skilled subcontractor cost UPFRONT. If your subcontractors are SPECIALISTS, you shalt pay them your at least your rate and tack on 20% to cover thine ass.
Thou shalt write off EVERYTHING that has any silicon inside it. A 42" Plasma TV is a "presentation device" a 40G iPod is a "data transfer device", a dvd read/write/player is a media transfer device. Thusly it is devinely mandated that your home entertainment system is a tax write off. Just provide hook-ups to your devices.
Thou shalt NOT host for free. You are a developer NOT in ISP. if your client needs permanant hosting, charge them for your service of procuring a list of acceptable hosting/colocation services if they require it. DO NOT offer permanant hosting or support -- you are a developer and developers religiously beta new services/features in order to develop for the upcoming language/software specs -- YOU ARE NOT AN ISP unless you have 5+ servers and can offer 24/7 tech support without a fee and still sleep and eat.
Thou Shalt not price compete. Bottom dollar developers are just that. Customers that tell you that your rates don't match up with a newbie are not clients you want in the first place. NO MATTER HOW BROKE YOU ARE. Remember -- clients come in packs. one pr two of the pack will be ones you want, the others can eat tripe.
Thou shalt not hop projects. You take a project, you finish it. Bottom line: keep your promises. If the client can not fulfill the needs of the project or breaches the terms of the project and no remedy can be agreed apon: SUE THEM. Do not take a hit because the client hurts the project, charge them and let them know about it before you do. Extra work or delays in the project are BILLABLE. Remember -- you are a service provider and you do not have to accept any harm from your client in regards to profits.
Thou shalt collect money UPFRONT! At the bare minimum you shall invoice all flat rate projects at 33% at project start -- 33% upon an agreed mid-development milestone -- 33%+REMAINDER upon completion. Smart and more skilled negotiations will get you 50% AT START -- 25% at mid and 25% upon completion.
Hey!! Look at the bright side! All you 30 something software developers out there should rejoice! The average inmate will be a early 20's something computer geek who'd be gunning for your job in a few years time. So all you coders can look forward to knowing that you can safely count on job security while this country goes about throwing most college age people in prison.
And if you're a Bush Voting Republican -- it's double plus good! You can expect a massive sweep of all those college-edumacated left wing pinko "closet intellectuals" off the streets just in time for Cheney's Presidential Election Campaign. The last thing this country needs is people who question authority.
And for the rest of you -- REJOICE TOO!!! Adding millions of people into the prison population means higher STATE REVENUE! We'll have more people bamming out license plates than ever and I'm sure most State Prison Industries will add a contract coding department so your company can hire cheap development from the prisons instead of India! That means, more state revenue to lower your taxes with, cheap labor to help keep your company afloat AND LESS OFFSHORING!!!
Personally, I was pleasantly surprised at the lack of any earth-shattering voter irregularities reported.
Sure, plenty of hickups, a few thousaand votes lost or misrepresennted here and there, but on the whole, nothing to really put any legitimate dispute as to the overall effect on the outcome of the Presidential Election
So while the system may not be perfect, it works for the most part and hopefully by 2008, we'll have better software in place.
The downside is that the lack of any real major problems reported will weaken arguements fort the adoption of OSS standards for voting software as well as ironing out some of the problems we still see with voter blacklists in Florida and elsewhere.
Isn't Bush supposed to be done in by an assasins bullet? I mean, the 0 year "curse" has been responsible for the deaths of US Presidents longer than the Redskin election "prophecy" has been around.
So I'd say the 0 year curse trumps the Redskin Prophecy and I see you one war before 2006.
Look people, using OSS over propriatary "black box" code is no answer to the REAL PROBLEM! To truly fix this broken election system, of ours we should use the ancient Babylonian system of CLAY TABLETS!
No hanging chads, unintelligeable markings or buggy software. Besides, ever here of the Babylonians having such problems with THEIR ELECTIONS?? I thought not.
I've already developed an prototype using an 8' tall cardboard box, cookie cutters and a happy-cake oven. How much did this cost me? $42.95+shipping and handling. Eat that Diebold!
Uhhhmmm look people, I'm all for privacy and the need for oversight on what the government and corps do to infirnge on our privacy.
But, freaking out about RFID's in US passports is freakin inane! What part of Radio Frequency ID seems so sinister in a Federally issued ID??? Jeeez... if anything it might help US citizens get cleared faster when passing through customs at international bounderies.
Now, if this was a Government mandated RFID tag... sure scream bloody murder. But placing an electronic ID tag onto a VALID FORM OF ID is not something to freak out about. So hey... take a chill pill, turn off the Art Bell and go for a walk or something.
RFID is a reality, let's focus on keeping it both USEFULL and WHERE IT BELONGS. And in my book, a passport or ID card is a perfectly valid place to put one, The only concern here is what type of precautions they'll be implementing to insure against identity theft via RFID-reader toting thieves.
... and that would be limited only to Dell customers under warranty or some sort of service package who actually bother to call for support. I would consider it safe to suspect that the actual percentile of spyware infested PC's to be more on the order of 60-70%.
Remember, people only call when they are aware of a problem. And even then, most people will "get by" until the problem is so pronounced they are forced to do something about it.
Copyright, Trademarks, Corporate self interest and greed are the laws of the land.
For those of you who didn't get the memo, Eisenhauer was a niave fool to whom no one listened. The common citizen is not in the interests of our Governments law making. It is the Corporations to who they attend.
Just how many laws have been enacted in the last 6 years that grant you additional rights and protections? And just how many laws have been enacted that create criminal prosecution of citizens for actions that lay against the best interest of Corporations?
Like those Bush tax cuts? Well, while you're cashing in a days pay check worth of tax cut, think about Microsoft. They pay no tax at all. Obviously placating MS and other mega-buck corps to the point of giving them a free ride means more than placating you and I. Funny how those that can least afford it pay the most while those that have bank accounts larger than developing nations pay the least.
Want to fight a corporation who tries to usurp your rights? Prepare to be driven to the gutter by legal fees and get nothing in return, even if you do win. Thank god for the ACLU and EFF, without them you'd have no hope in the world. Face it.. we no longer live in a true Democratic Republic. We live in a Plutocratic-Capitalist society, which functions by a wealthy elite using it's wealth to influence policy to their self interest.
Wake up people, seems everyday/. posts an article such as this. And every day people will whine and bitch. But not many see the root of the problem.
Nader has "an" answer for it, but the problem is much bigger than he and without support in Congress and Senate (it's they who collect the check and enact law devised and written by Groups such as the RIAA/MPAA/MS), he stands a snow balls chance of accomplishing anything. But this is a real problem that effects each and every ordinary citizen. The question is, what will be done about it.
Ahhh call Godwins law... but since I did not call you a Nazi, only a fascist by your statement, that argument is full of shit. I even took the time as to illustrate why I was referring to your statements as those parallel to fascism. What better and more appropriate example of fascism should I submit???? Should I have referred to it as "the unspeakable German Regime of the 30's and 40's"? Or simply as Nazis????
There are many interesting parallels to Bush/Ashcroft et al and Hitler/Naziism. Your failure to see that shows your limited scope of thought.
So it seems I get the last word here.:) I'll take it for all it's worth.
Funny how you ignored my statements about the Patriot act and it's provisions for secret search warrents, secret arrest, secret detention for indefinite periods and secret trials/convictions. By Voting for Bush, you directly support that Act.
And what's this: (lending aid and comfort to an enemy while actual combat was occuring, by speaking what he had to know at the time were falsehoods but ALL should know now he did advance the enemy cause and directly caused additional torture of American POWs)
You made no direct reference to this. Are you referring to his publicly throwing of his vietnam medals during protest? If so, by calling a man who on his own volition put his life on the line for his country and who found our actions there injust and in fact criminal a traitor is a hell of a thing to say and reinforces my beliefs that you could give a damn about our protected rights. We have the right to voice dissent, we have the right to protest and we have the RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS AGAINST OUR GOVERNMENT. And don't forget we are a nation founded by traitors who bore arms against our government, a government that is still respected today. King George lived long after the MAgna Carta and his actions were an act of war against a group of insurgent radicals in a domain controlled by the British Government and said act of war was approved by the house of lords, their version of the Senate.
No, Kerry is no traitor, he bled for this country. Hence, the purple hearts. The purple hearts he threw away. He bled for those medals, he was luckky to be alive to recieve those. And you call him a traitor for excising his Constitutional right to assembly and free speech????? And then call Godwins law? As I said, you are a supporter of fascism and against our National Charter, namely the Constitution.
Before reading your last reply I was almost feeling I had been a bit harsh... but I see I was entirely sport on as to what you really are. You are the one who has views that are inimical to ideals of America's veru foundation and would readily support the rise of a police state to imprison and execute all those who spoke out against our governments actions. By stating your 50% dissagreement regarding Bush, who cares??? It just brands you a coward for not having the balls to do shit, yet whine about and then turn around and call those that served and bleed, yet spoke out loud traitors. What a pussy. Just like Bush. Did he bleed? Hell no. BUt he'll get up and wear a flight suit under a banner that says "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED". While our fellow Americans continue to die in greater and greater numbers. And this is the man you'll vote for.
And hell yeah I'm voting for Kerry, I'd rather vote for Nader, but even if he did win, he'd get nothing accomplished because he would have no pull in either the House or the Senate. We need some real reform, we need to stop the legalized bribery of our Congressmen and Senators.
By voting Bush or any neoCon Republican, you are condoning the wholesale takeover of the military/industrial complex. Eisenhaur is beyond a doubt one of the greatest Republicans ever. I man, had I been even born then, would have voted for in a heart beat. I vote independently, regardless of party. If Giulianni were to run for pres, I just might vote, or Arny even, being a California citizen, I respect he h
You sir are a fascist and I mean that in the most literal of sense per the definition of fascism. More over, your statements fall in line with the ideals of the neoCons and thus I take it you are a whole-hearted supporter of Bush and a Fox News educated brownshirt. I'll stretch is a bit, but not far, and suppose you consider anyone who would question the President or voice dissent of the US Government to be a traitor.
By calling for the end of the Democratic party in part or in whole, you are saying America should be a dictatorship, And by calling for the destruction (speedy exit -- same as destruction?? I think so) of all non-democratic, non-judeo-christian societies, I think you would have fit in quite well in Nazi Germany. It seems you share our current Governments Totalitarian and Nationalistic doctrines. Hence, my referring to your beliefs as Fascist and my wanting to back hand you.
You see, unlike you, I am a patriot. I believe in freedom, personal choice and the fact that as long as there is more than 1 person alive on this earth you shall have conflict. Moreover, I believe in the right to disagree but I accept violence as a possible outcome of any dispute. I do not fear violence nor do I care to give up essential liberties for a false sense of security. You and I have EXTREME conflict. You see, I believe in the ideals that founded this country, I believe in the Freedom of the individual to think and share his own thoughts without fear of persecution, imprisonment and death. I believe that all people should be allowed to worship any god or no god at all, I believe in my inaliable rights and that people have the right to act against their government should the need arise. While you on the other hand support the annihilation of all you fear or do not understand. Your mind set much like Bushco's is that all people not like you should either conform or perish. That in my mind is treason to the our Democratic charter and to your fellow American. For it betrays the very essence of Democracy and Liberty. You and all neoCons like you are nothing but brownshirts who thrive on fear and hate and practice violence to make your case. And that's why if we ever did met up, there would be blood. Because as an American I understand who the enemy is, it's people like you who would attempt to take away my rights and the rights of all americans and to subvert that to a fascist regime of endless war to impose it's views of right/wrong unto the world.
You may think I'm taking it out of context, but I'm only taking your argument to it's logical conclusion. Because once Fascism starts it will not stop until defeated in an act of great bloodshed. The neoCon ideal is for a controlled Police State where corporate self interest reigns supreme over the rights of the people and all people are monitored by their peers, all dissent quelled and diversity of thought excised. Already America has been agressive in confiscating the rights of Americans to speak and travel freely in the name of "terrorism". Already we have seen politicians call each other "traitors" for speaking in dissent, already we have seen the ignorant citizen who confuses Nationalism with Patriotism. Nazi brownshirts were no different, they thought themselves to be patriots as well. So we see it again, the brownshirts such as yourself eating it all up on Fox and goosestep to the Ashcroft war against civil liberties applaud the war on terror and think your actions Patriotism. The natural outcome of the Patriot Act legislation, the war on terror and the NeoCon ideal is to transform America, if not the whole world into a Police State in the name of "National Security". Don't believe me? Then look at the Patriot Act.... Secret warrants, secret arrests, secret imprisonment with secret charges for indefinate periods of time, secret trials and secret convictions. When I was a child, that is exactly exactly what I was told were the policies of America
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Obviously this is just some rabid Smallville fan trying to get a leg up on the competition for the Get Lex Sweepstakes where you gain access to Lex Luthors email account. By hacking the account, he figured he'd be able to change the password and lock everyone out of the WB competition. Of course, he figured Lex might not have an email account at the FBI, but he figured it was as good as any a place to start... well... turns out Lex didn't. Lex does however have a lexluthor@verizon.com address. So the perp sends his apologies to the FBI for any undue alarm caused.
... Uhhhmmm .... I of course have no idea as to who this person is or his whereabouts.
And
You're right... in fact the current laws need to be re-written.
I mean, if some guy is selling Rolex's on a corner in the Bronx, well god damnit! Those Cops should not be able to just walk up and ask him a few questions, much less use ANY of that information UNLESS THEY HAVE A WARRANT!
Same thing with some script kiddie in Ohio... The cops should have no right to monitor ISP-wide traffic for SYN-FLOODS, maliciously mal-formed packets, known exploits or other such activity. I mean, those people who get hacked deserve it for not being patched and not being l33t.
And we ought to stop the FBI from searching eBay for stolen items or for people trying to sell Shuttle parts from the next Shuttle catastrophe! I mean, how dare they monitor ANY website like an ordinary person would and use basic common sense!
And I don't give a damn if the site's called IDENTITYTHEIVES.com, they should not be able to so much as pull up the home page with out a due judicial review as to whether or not their is probable cause to do so! And there better be a watchdog orginization in place to dutifully note the number of page views and get an accurate accounting of each one accompanied by a detailed report to be reviewed by a concerned citizens commitee paid for by the tax-payers.
Thank you man, your argument is excellent and shows great insight and profound wisdom. We should bind and restrain law enforcement till the point where they can't so much as look at me sideways without some permit or other. Then, we should all jeer and sneer at how ineffective and clueless Law Enforcement is online and how unenforceable the laws are.
*cough*
Next time you see a traffic cop with a Laser-gun, go ahead and demand to see his Warrant and lay your rap on him. Now that I'd like to see. I mean, that's exactly the same thing they are trying to do online, randomly monitor and spot-test the traffic. But for some reason, since it's "online" you and a hundred others get your panties in a knot.
"Since when are Google and Netcraft law enforcement agencies?"
That's the thing, they are not.
So why should the FBI not be able to monitor website content ala Google or monitor IP address Domain name Stats ala Netcraft?
That was my point, if those activites would require a Warrant, then Google and Netcraft would effectively be shut down and actually... the entire Internet would become "invitation only" and thereby end the whole shebang.
Requiring the FBI/Law Enforcement to get a Warrant to do what any person in the world could do freely is complete non-sense.
Seems I need make things a little more clear regarding my parent post.
/. user any sense of false security or imply that it's somehow "protected" and "holy" because it's online.
The analogy I'm looking at is an ISP has agreed to allow the FBI to surriptiously monitor it's network activity. In doing so, the FBI is doing nothing more that sampling data coming through on certain ports in the clear (i.e.: non-encrypted transactions such as email, IM p2p).
So let's say that in the process they see a pattern of use that resembles an exploit taking place against several target machines coming from a certain IP address. It turns out that the IP in question is at a home residence, At that point, they can subpeona the ISP and seek a warrant to confiscate the computers at that address and question the residents in the hopes of making an arrest.
I think that would be activity I would agree with.
a) The FBI is merely scanning aggregate usage targeting only services, not Individuals.
b) If the FBI does decide to target an individual, they will then need to send subpoenas and obtains warrants to actually act or monitor more invasively.
What I'm not for is the FBI being able to intrude upon private networks, scan/break encrypted protocols or target an individuals usage without a proper warrant. Rather, they would merely be sampling random traffic at cooperating ISP's who have agreed beforehand to work with the FBI/law enforcement.
Let's face it, "in the clear" transmissions are not private, just because it's on the interweb should not give anyone, especially a
Don't want the FBI to see your file transfers? Use SCP.
Don't want your chat eve's dropped on? Use an encrypted channel. Don't want content on your site accessed by strangers? Use SSL and pass protect your pages.
One reason why Law Enforcement has such a hard time dealing with online crime is that it has no way to prevent crime or respond to crime in progress. In online crime, it's almost always after the fact, when the trail is cold and the damage has been done that Law Enforcement get's involved.
I for one think it only makes sense to allow them to have some eyes/ears where it makes sense if they actually hope to do any real law enforcement online.
"I don't like the idea of them monitoring web browsing, URLs, content, etc, without essentially a 'warrant."
While I agree with that stance on web browsing...
Requiring a Warrant to monitor URL's and Content would basically put Google and Netcraft out of existence.
Let's step back and think before we get carried away here.
Personally, I think all "in the clear" Internet activity should be considered public. Why should the FBI be required to get a Warrant to do what any 13yr old with a network sniffer be able to do with dubious legality?
Personally, I think a warrant should be required only to intrude upon private networks and encrypted communication protocols.
So, in my mind, the FBI should be able to snoop on my iChat activity, but required to get a a warrant to snoop my local network activity/Hard Drives/Content if it is behind a secured firewall.
It boils down to precident in the physical world. When you walk around in public, do you bring out your kiddie porn collection, break into shops, try to abduct little girls/boys, expose yourself to random men/women, talk about crimes you're about to or have commited in broad daylight while dozens of bystanders mill about? Then why the hell should you think that the magical interweb somehow makes that OK?
After modding my nano-ceramic sticker with a nano-trans-plasma-inducer I bought off eBay, I was able to achieve cold-fusion! I now have perpetual battery life and after whistling into my cell, unlimited anytime minutes and free long distance for life!
If only they can create a penis enlarging ring-tone like the breast enlarging one they made for those babes in Tokyo, I'll be the shizla!
$curl --user-agent 'OMFG! T3HY Ha>
yarrrr
"What instructions are there on the laundry tab ?"
Not sure about Windows users, but for those with OSX 10.2 and greater it should read: "Hand Wash in iSync or iClean only"
har har har.
I'm not so sure I agree with your FUD.
While it's true that MS cited Safari as the reason to kill off IE for the Mac, keep in mind that Mac IE was a freeware application, hence -- no profits, so why compete with an apple version that has more a more current codebase?
MS on the otherhand makes a tidy chunk of change with their Office X series product for the Mac, also, appleworks has been available for free from Apple for years... so why pull out now rather than just compete?
Also, MS bought up Connectix, the makers of Virtual PC and have already released new versions since, also they bundle Virtual PC with Office X, so by killing off Office X, they face killing off Virtual PC as well and taking a loss (not that they couldn't afford too). On the whole, I don't see it in MS best interests to walk away from OS X as they are only facing competition, not a lock out in the product arena for that platform.
Maybe I'll buy that argument when and if
/. and instead stick to CNN and Fox, who I'm sure are bound to print stories that deride filesharing per their corporate shareholders expressed views.
1) The US Govt outlaws the creation of file-sharing/P2P software
2) CmdrTaco adds a 0-day Warez "Downloads of the day" slashbox
If the fact of new P2P software offends you, perhaps you'd best to not read
Hey I ran it for about 2 minutes, had my fun and threw it in the trash. While a quick zap it to ya spammer might be fun, fact is this will do very little.
I mean, most hard core spammers are using malware to get clueless users to spam for them and the rest are being hosted by companies who are either offshore or just don't care about what their users do with their bandwidth.
For me, a locked down sendmail server+procmail loaded with SpamAssasin+Razor and to top it off, a Bayesian enabled POP3 Clients all come together to eliminate approx 99% of my spam, so I only see a few per week.
That to me is what the world needs -- every sendmail server not allowed to relay, inboxes protected and every email client using filters.
Then and only then will the spammers be truly hurt -- when clueless idjits don't get those emails in the first place and thus, can't click those f*cking links.
Considering AOL, Earthling and other ISP's are starting to put all this in, that day may soon be at hand.
I for one am taking the high ground here and currently producing "Christian Cell" a first person action game that will teach children about the bible while they infiltrate godless liberal political organizations before they can put Hillary Clinton into Office and outlaw the bible.
After being air-dropped in the middle of the night your role as a member of Christian Cell will be to use your bible knowledge, high tech gadgetry and stealth skills to sneak up behind enemy targets, collect information and ultimately destroy the leaders of this terrorist organization.
ohhh well I do soooo deeply apologize for not wanting to be bothered for using caps for EMPHASIS. Lord knows I should take time to use strong bold and italic text in HUGE posts with forethought that consume over 1/2 an hour to type in plain text alone.
And we all know that a style of TYPING cannot EVAR EVAR EVAR be taken as humor -- I mean we NEVER see any ALL CAPS EMPHASIS in comics NO.
Thank you sir -- I stand thoroughly corrected -- So can one call GODWINS LAW on calling one a GRAMMER NAZI!?!?!??!
Because you sir seem to lack all concept of pattern recognition and demonstrate an utterly sociopathic tendency to despise methods that you personally do not subscribe to.
As such, I would recommend a few sessions of preliminary counseling followed by several years of institutional correction coupled with heavy doses of medication to be administered several times within a 24 hour period, a frontal lobotomy and permanent revocation of your Republican voting registration.
Thank you and GOOD DAY to you SIR!
Please -- inform me as to when we had a 100% indisputably accurate account of votes. Please --I beg you inform me.
I'm 32 and have been an IT contractor since 1993 and only deal with direct clients NO AGENCIES -- so I think I could lend some much needed insight to this post.
Here's my 10 commandments:
Thou shalt LEARN TO SPEAK ENGLISH!!!!
Time and time again, I get the contract over those from India and even other Americans BECAUSE I CAN TALK TO A CTO/CEO/VP/Director in PLAIN ENGLISH and not mumble, talk in lingo/jargon and not act impersonally.
Thou shalt not do a personal website if you have 1+ yrs experience -- be it a wedding site, a blog, a mom and pop shop or joe shmoe trying to setup an "Enterprise Application". These "people" are DEMONS and will fight tooth and nail and try to bleed bleeed bleed every last detail ESPECIALLY if you are doing them a "favor".
You shalt give your client nothing more than due in your most rightous and holy contract. Face it: if the money comes from some one's personal bank account, YOU DO NOT WANT THIS MONEY. these people will fight tooth and nail about parting with it, no matter how "nice" they seem.
Thou shalt not work for less than 2x the amount you can get as a fulltime employee with salary+benefits including medical with dental and atleast a 2 week per year vacation package. To do less is cutting yourself short. As a contractor you pay your own medical insurance (mines 260 a month for a PPO), you have no employment insurance (no work means no money, don't bother trying to collect unemployment -- unless you've been paying your own UE insurance), what about your retirement? You better account for PUTTING MONEY AWAY in savings.
Any contract over 1 month REQUIRES SUB-CONTRACTORS!
Face it, no one man can be king of all things, nor should you want to be. If you are a contractor, the end all and be all goal should be delivering what you promised ON TIME and ON BUDGET. So this requires that you adhere to the previous commandments and calculate ATLEAST your rate+20% as a lesser skilled subcontractor cost UPFRONT. If your subcontractors are SPECIALISTS, you shalt pay them your at least your rate and tack on 20% to cover thine ass.
Thou shalt write off EVERYTHING that has any silicon inside it.
A 42" Plasma TV is a "presentation device" a 40G iPod is a "data transfer device", a dvd read/write/player is a media transfer device. Thusly it is devinely mandated that your home entertainment system is a tax write off. Just provide hook-ups to your devices.
Thou shalt NOT host for free. You are a developer NOT in ISP. if your client needs permanant hosting, charge them for your service of procuring a list of acceptable hosting/colocation services if they require it. DO NOT offer permanant hosting or support -- you are a developer and developers religiously beta new services/features in order to develop for the upcoming language/software specs -- YOU ARE NOT AN ISP unless you have 5+ servers and can offer 24/7 tech support without a fee and still sleep and eat.
Thou Shalt not price compete. Bottom dollar developers are just that. Customers that tell you that your rates don't match up with a newbie are not clients you want in the first place. NO MATTER HOW BROKE YOU ARE. Remember -- clients come in packs. one pr two of the pack will be ones you want, the others can eat tripe.
Thou shalt not hop projects. You take a project, you finish it.
Bottom line: keep your promises. If the client can not fulfill the needs of the project or breaches the terms of the project and no remedy can be agreed apon: SUE THEM. Do not take a hit because the client hurts the project, charge them and let them know about it before you do. Extra work or delays in the project are BILLABLE. Remember -- you are a service provider and you do not have to accept any harm from your client in regards to profits.
Thou shalt collect money UPFRONT! At the bare minimum you shall invoice all flat rate projects at 33% at project start -- 33% upon an agreed mid-development milestone -- 33%+REMAINDER upon completion. Smart and more skilled negotiations will get you 50% AT START -- 25% at mid and 25% upon completion.
Hey!! Look at the bright side!
;)
All you 30 something software developers out there should rejoice! The average inmate will be a early 20's something computer geek who'd be gunning for your job in a few years time. So all you coders can look forward to knowing that you can safely count on job security while this country goes about throwing most college age people in prison.
And if you're a Bush Voting Republican -- it's double plus good!
You can expect a massive sweep of all those college-edumacated left wing pinko "closet intellectuals" off the streets just in time for Cheney's Presidential Election Campaign.
The last thing this country needs is people who question authority.
And for the rest of you -- REJOICE TOO!!!
Adding millions of people into the prison population means higher STATE REVENUE! We'll have more people bamming out license plates than ever and I'm sure most State Prison Industries will add a contract coding department so your company can hire cheap development from the prisons instead of India! That means, more state revenue to lower your taxes with, cheap labor to help keep your company afloat AND LESS OFFSHORING!!!
Really people, it's a win-win situation.
Personally, I was pleasantly surprised at the lack of any earth-shattering voter irregularities reported.
Sure, plenty of hickups, a few thousaand votes lost or misrepresennted here and there, but on the whole, nothing to really put any legitimate dispute as to the overall effect on the outcome of the Presidential Election
So while the system may not be perfect, it works for the most part and hopefully by 2008, we'll have better software in place.
The downside is that the lack of any real major problems reported will weaken arguements fort the adoption of OSS standards for voting software as well as ironing out some of the problems we still see with voter blacklists in Florida and elsewhere.
No, that's not the case at all. Google had plenty of Abu Ghraib pics not too long ago. Now they are gone.
I'm not sure if I'll stop using Google -- but my trust in them just sank to the point where I'd rather go to other engines first.
Isn't Bush supposed to be done in by an assasins bullet?
I mean, the 0 year "curse" has been responsible for the deaths of US Presidents longer than the Redskin election "prophecy" has been around.
So I'd say the 0 year curse trumps the Redskin Prophecy and I see you one war before 2006.
Look people, using OSS over propriatary "black box" code is no answer to the REAL PROBLEM! To truly fix this broken election system, of ours we should use the ancient Babylonian system of CLAY TABLETS!
No hanging chads, unintelligeable markings or buggy software.
Besides, ever here of the Babylonians having such problems with THEIR ELECTIONS?? I thought not.
I've already developed an prototype using an 8' tall cardboard box, cookie cutters and a happy-cake oven. How much did this cost me? $42.95+shipping and handling. Eat that Diebold!
Uhhhmmm look people, I'm all for privacy and the need for oversight on what the government and corps do to infirnge on our privacy.
But, freaking out about RFID's in US passports is freakin inane!
What part of Radio Frequency ID seems so sinister in a Federally issued ID??? Jeeez... if anything it might help US citizens get cleared faster when passing through customs at international bounderies.
Now, if this was a Government mandated RFID tag... sure scream bloody murder. But placing an electronic ID tag onto a VALID FORM OF ID is not something to freak out about. So hey... take a chill pill, turn off the Art Bell and go for a walk or something.
RFID is a reality, let's focus on keeping it both USEFULL and WHERE IT BELONGS. And in my book, a passport or ID card is a perfectly valid place to put one, The only concern here is what type of precautions they'll be implementing to insure against identity theft via RFID-reader toting thieves.
... and that would be limited only to Dell customers under warranty or some sort of service package who actually bother to call for support. I would consider it safe to suspect that the actual percentile of spyware infested PC's to be more on the order of 60-70%.
Remember, people only call when they are aware of a problem.
And even then, most people will "get by" until the problem is so pronounced they are forced to do something about it.
Copyright, Trademarks, Corporate self interest and greed are the laws of the land.
/. posts an article such as this.
For those of you who didn't get the memo, Eisenhauer was a niave fool to whom no one listened. The common citizen is not in the interests of our Governments law making. It is the Corporations to who they attend.
Just how many laws have been enacted in the last 6 years that grant you additional rights and protections? And just how many laws have been enacted that create criminal prosecution of citizens for actions that lay against the best interest of Corporations?
Like those Bush tax cuts? Well, while you're cashing in a days pay check worth of tax cut, think about Microsoft. They pay no tax at all. Obviously placating MS and other mega-buck corps to the point of giving them a free ride means more than placating you and I. Funny how those that can least afford it pay the most while those that have bank accounts larger than developing nations pay the least.
Want to fight a corporation who tries to usurp your rights? Prepare to be driven to the gutter by legal fees and get nothing in return, even if you do win. Thank god for the ACLU and EFF, without them you'd have no hope in the world. Face it.. we no longer live in a true Democratic Republic. We live in a Plutocratic-Capitalist society, which functions by a wealthy elite using it's wealth to influence policy to their self interest.
Wake up people, seems everyday
And every day people will whine and bitch. But not many see the root of the problem.
Nader has "an" answer for it, but the problem is much bigger than he and without support in Congress and Senate (it's they who collect the check and enact law devised and written by Groups such as the RIAA/MPAA/MS), he stands a snow balls chance of accomplishing anything. But this is a real problem that effects each and every ordinary citizen. The question is, what will be done about it.
Ahhh call Godwins law... but since I did not call you a Nazi, only a fascist by your statement, that argument is full of shit. I even took the time as to illustrate why I was referring to your statements as those parallel to fascism. What better and more appropriate example of fascism should I submit???? Should I have referred to it as "the unspeakable German Regime of the 30's and 40's"? Or simply as Nazis????
:)
There are many interesting parallels to Bush/Ashcroft et al and Hitler/Naziism. Your failure to see that shows your limited scope of thought.
So it seems I get the last word here.
I'll take it for all it's worth.
Funny how you ignored my statements about the Patriot act and it's provisions for secret search warrents, secret arrest, secret detention for indefinite periods and secret trials/convictions.
By Voting for Bush, you directly support that Act.
And what's this:
(lending aid and comfort to an enemy while actual combat was occuring, by speaking what he had to know at the time were falsehoods but ALL should know now he did advance the enemy cause and directly caused additional torture of American POWs)
You made no direct reference to this. Are you referring to his publicly throwing of his vietnam medals during protest? If so, by calling a man who on his own volition put his life on the line for his country and who found our actions there injust and in fact criminal a traitor is a hell of a thing to say and reinforces my beliefs that you could give a damn about our protected rights.
We have the right to voice dissent, we have the right to protest and we have the RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS AGAINST OUR GOVERNMENT. And don't forget we are a nation founded by traitors who bore arms against our government, a government that is still respected today. King George lived long after the MAgna Carta and his actions were an act of war against a group of insurgent radicals in a domain controlled by the British Government and said act of war was approved by the house of lords, their version of the Senate.
No, Kerry is no traitor, he bled for this country. Hence, the purple hearts. The purple hearts he threw away. He bled for those medals, he was luckky to be alive to recieve those. And you call him a traitor for excising his Constitutional right to assembly and free speech????? And then call Godwins law?
As I said, you are a supporter of fascism and against our National Charter, namely the Constitution.
Before reading your last reply I was almost feeling I had been a bit harsh... but I see I was entirely sport on as to what you really are. You are the one who has views that are inimical to ideals of America's veru foundation and would readily support the rise of a police state to imprison and execute all those who spoke out against our governments actions. By stating your 50% dissagreement regarding Bush, who cares??? It just brands you a coward for not having the balls to do shit, yet whine about and then turn around and call those that served and bleed, yet spoke out loud traitors. What a pussy. Just like Bush. Did he bleed? Hell no. BUt he'll get up and wear a flight suit under a banner that says "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED". While our fellow Americans continue to die in greater and greater numbers. And this is the man you'll vote for.
And hell yeah I'm voting for Kerry, I'd rather vote for Nader, but even if he did win, he'd get nothing accomplished because he would have no pull in either the House or the Senate. We need some real reform, we need to stop the legalized bribery of our Congressmen and Senators.
By voting Bush or any neoCon Republican, you are condoning the wholesale takeover of the military/industrial complex. Eisenhaur is beyond a doubt one of the greatest Republicans ever. I man, had I been even born then, would have voted for in a heart beat. I vote independently, regardless of party. If Giulianni were to run for pres, I just might vote, or Arny even, being a California citizen, I respect he h
You sir are a fascist and I mean that in the most literal of sense per the definition of fascism. More over, your statements fall in line with the ideals of the neoCons and thus I take it you are a whole-hearted supporter of Bush and a Fox News educated brownshirt. I'll stretch is a bit, but not far, and suppose you consider anyone who would question the President or voice dissent of the US Government to be a traitor.
By calling for the end of the Democratic party in part or in whole, you are saying America should be a dictatorship, And by calling for the destruction (speedy exit -- same as destruction?? I think so) of all non-democratic, non-judeo-christian societies, I think you would have fit in quite well in Nazi Germany. It seems you share our current Governments Totalitarian and Nationalistic doctrines. Hence, my referring to your beliefs as Fascist and my wanting to back hand you.
You see, unlike you, I am a patriot. I believe in freedom, personal choice and the fact that as long as there is more than 1 person alive on this earth you shall have conflict. Moreover, I believe in the right to disagree but I accept violence as a possible outcome of any dispute. I do not fear violence nor do I care to give up essential liberties for a false sense of security. You and I have EXTREME conflict. You see, I believe in the ideals that founded this country, I believe in the Freedom of the individual to think and share his own thoughts without fear of persecution, imprisonment and death. I believe that all people should be allowed to worship any god or no god at all, I believe in my inaliable rights and that people have the right to act against their government should the need arise. While you on the other hand support the annihilation of all you fear or do not understand. Your mind set much like Bushco's is that all people not like you should either conform or perish. That in my mind is treason to the our Democratic charter and to your fellow American. For it betrays the very essence of Democracy and Liberty. You and all neoCons like you are nothing but brownshirts who thrive on fear and hate and practice violence to make your case. And that's why if we ever did met up, there would be blood. Because as an American I understand who the enemy is, it's people like you who would attempt to take away my rights and the rights of all americans and to subvert that to a fascist regime of endless war to impose it's views of right/wrong unto the world.
You may think I'm taking it out of context, but I'm only taking your argument to it's logical conclusion. Because once Fascism starts it will not stop until defeated in an act of great bloodshed.
The neoCon ideal is for a controlled Police State where corporate self interest reigns supreme over the rights of the people and all people are monitored by their peers, all dissent quelled and diversity of thought excised. Already America has been agressive in confiscating the rights of Americans to speak and travel freely in the name of "terrorism". Already we have seen politicians call each other "traitors" for speaking in dissent, already we have seen the ignorant citizen who confuses Nationalism with Patriotism. Nazi brownshirts were no different, they thought themselves to be patriots as well. So we see it again, the brownshirts such as yourself eating it all up on Fox and goosestep to the Ashcroft war against civil liberties applaud the war on terror and think your actions Patriotism. The natural outcome of the Patriot Act legislation, the war on terror and the NeoCon ideal is to transform America, if not the whole world into a Police State in the name of "National Security". Don't believe me? Then look at the Patriot Act.... Secret warrants, secret arrests, secret imprisonment with secret charges for indefinate periods of time, secret trials and secret convictions. When I was a child, that is exactly exactly what I was told were the policies of America