Isn't the biggest tragedy the whole modern election process? It is rife with $$ influence, has enormous barriers to entry to mortals, requires grotesque marketing manipulations of it's participants, and essentially rubber stamps incumbents at an alarmingly high rate.
The question is an "election" even the best way anymore? How about random selection for Congress, much akin to jury duty? Serve a 2 year stint and go home. I would have much more confidence in such a body than the one we have. And assuming the process were random enough, it would be a better reflection of "will" and be the most democratic.
The illusion is we have a choice. It isn't just the mechanics that are at issue, it is the process that needs deeper thinking.
The amount of paranoia, hypocrisy, cynicism and lack of critical thought here (both the action and the majority of posts) is astounding and somewhat depressing. She is just a person. It is possible to show some respect at that level? Happens to be on a bit of a Forest Gump ride. Could happen to anyone.
She is either incompetent, in which case all the "evil secrecy paraonia" crap is unjustified, or she is quite competent and all this muck racking is just a cheezy way of not truly challenging the beliefs you are clearly so afraid of. How much are you a participant or even active agent in this circus?
Hacking like this is an invasion of privacy. Hyperbole aside about the Patriot act. Get a clue about ends and means, think harder about what you really believe in.
You should perhaps spend some time with the 9/11 Commission report. If anything, over timidity by bureaucrats out of concern for legal safeguards may have prevented discovery of the plot in July. And even basic improvements in watch listing, database consolidation and coordination would have likely exposed at least some of them. It is ignorant to ignore the efficacy of simple improvements such as these in deterence. It might not prevent, but as part of a layered and systemic approach, the return is tremendous. If nothing else, it makes the nefarious have to work harder, and probably stick out of the crowd more readily.
Not every attempt to more effeciently and accurately exercise legitimate state functions, such as establishment of legal identity and documentation of qualification to drive, is inherently evil. Certainly reasoned public dicussion and consideration of such proposals is a great benefit of our society, and should be exercised to it's full degree. Sufficient safeguards and checks must be thought through and included by necessity. Having said that, it would be nice if the Sept 10 crowd would at least wake up a bit, perhaps read the 9/11 report, and accept their is legitmate motivation for some of these proposals.
This project bears some similarities to projects and concepts popular within the Soviet Union at the time, or at least shortly thereafter. I believe I have a couple of dusty books in my basement talking about the application of ASU (automated control systems) to managing a centrally controlled economy. Not sure at all about this, it has been a long time. But it might be interesting to know where the concept truly germinated.
Money is essentially information. In a centrally managed economy you lose that. Massive application of IT is one attempt at solving the problem. Bold no doubt. But not so sure it is a good idea. Even today.
Too bad to see the conversation devolve into the customary "anti-us vs coup was justified" agenda bashing. There is an interesting concept here. Distressing to see them consistently drowned out with the garbage agenda making of the moment.
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Isn't the biggest tragedy the whole modern election process? It is rife with $$ influence, has enormous barriers to entry to mortals, requires grotesque marketing manipulations of it's participants, and essentially rubber stamps incumbents at an alarmingly high rate. The question is an "election" even the best way anymore? How about random selection for Congress, much akin to jury duty? Serve a 2 year stint and go home. I would have much more confidence in such a body than the one we have. And assuming the process were random enough, it would be a better reflection of "will" and be the most democratic. The illusion is we have a choice. It isn't just the mechanics that are at issue, it is the process that needs deeper thinking.
The amount of paranoia, hypocrisy, cynicism and lack of critical thought here (both the action and the majority of posts) is astounding and somewhat depressing. She is just a person. It is possible to show some respect at that level? Happens to be on a bit of a Forest Gump ride. Could happen to anyone. She is either incompetent, in which case all the "evil secrecy paraonia" crap is unjustified, or she is quite competent and all this muck racking is just a cheezy way of not truly challenging the beliefs you are clearly so afraid of. How much are you a participant or even active agent in this circus? Hacking like this is an invasion of privacy. Hyperbole aside about the Patriot act. Get a clue about ends and means, think harder about what you really believe in.
How can you be so confident there is absolutely no possible public benefit to this concept?
You should perhaps spend some time with the 9/11 Commission report. If anything, over timidity by bureaucrats out of concern for legal safeguards may have prevented discovery of the plot in July. And even basic improvements in watch listing, database consolidation and coordination would have likely exposed at least some of them. It is ignorant to ignore the efficacy of simple improvements such as these in deterence. It might not prevent, but as part of a layered and systemic approach, the return is tremendous. If nothing else, it makes the nefarious have to work harder, and probably stick out of the crowd more readily.
Not every attempt to more effeciently and accurately exercise legitimate state functions, such as establishment of legal identity and documentation of qualification to drive, is inherently evil. Certainly reasoned public dicussion and consideration of such proposals is a great benefit of our society, and should be exercised to it's full degree. Sufficient safeguards and checks must be thought through and included by necessity. Having said that, it would be nice if the Sept 10 crowd would at least wake up a bit, perhaps read the 9/11 report, and accept their is legitmate motivation for some of these proposals.
This project bears some similarities to projects and concepts popular within the Soviet Union at the time, or at least shortly thereafter. I believe I have a couple of dusty books in my basement talking about the application of ASU (automated control systems) to managing a centrally controlled economy. Not sure at all about this, it has been a long time. But it might be interesting to know where the concept truly germinated. Money is essentially information. In a centrally managed economy you lose that. Massive application of IT is one attempt at solving the problem. Bold no doubt. But not so sure it is a good idea. Even today. Too bad to see the conversation devolve into the customary "anti-us vs coup was justified" agenda bashing. There is an interesting concept here. Distressing to see them consistently drowned out with the garbage agenda making of the moment.