Put aside your libertarian angst for a second and imagine if we did have a national DNA registry that positively and uniquely identified everyone. Sure we have all seen Gattaca and imagine ways of forging DNA derived identification, but it would be much harder.
So then when I move and need to establish new relationships with local stores I should be sure to carry a box of bandaids with me. (They'll want to run a blood test before issuing me credit, of course!)
OK, so that's a bit of a stretch, how about this: the local DMV office will need to have a medical section so they can do the DNA check?
Here's a tip, Cringely. Go to this place called a "book store." It sells books for cash. You may have been able to "save" 50 cents on a Kelley Blue Book from spamazon.com, but how much is your privacy worth?
Most people (consumers) don't recognize that there may be a privacy problem with Amazon-- for them it's a convenience issue, even if they end up paying _more_ for the book through Amazon.
Never work for an employer that demands your Social Security number; if asked for it, make one up and use it instead.
Since you reference SSN, I'm going to assume that you are in the US. Do you follow your own advice? Have you ever been caught doing this? Don't you think the government will notice that they're getting tax payments for a SSN that doesn't have a person attached to it?
Slashdot can handle a 5 second delay in delivering packets -- your phone can't.
In short, while bits are bits, the method of delivery is different and needs to be paid for that way.
It seems to me that there's a fundamental difference of opinion in the purpose of taxation. Some people think that taxation is designed to keep government running, so government should continue to seek out new sources of revenue as old ones dry up.
Other people seem to feel that the purpose of taxation is to ensure that required services can be paid for. Sometimes these required services are for protection of residents (911, interstates, etc), sometimes they are to encourage commerce.
What value does the government bring to VoIP? If you can't point to any value that the government brings to this technology, then (it seems to me) that you have to admit that they're just trying to recover lost revenue.
Slashdot Mirror
Put aside your libertarian angst for a second and imagine if we did have a national DNA registry that positively and uniquely identified everyone. Sure we have all seen Gattaca and imagine ways of forging DNA derived identification, but it would be much harder.
So then when I move and need to establish new relationships with local stores I should be sure to carry a box of bandaids with me. (They'll want to run a blood test before issuing me credit, of course!) OK, so that's a bit of a stretch, how about this: the local DMV office will need to have a medical section so they can do the DNA check?
Anybody know what CD or federal agency he is referring to? I want to know if I'm at risk?
Here's a tip, Cringely. Go to this place called a "book store." It sells books for cash. You may have been able to "save" 50 cents on a Kelley Blue Book from spamazon.com, but how much is your privacy worth?
Most people (consumers) don't recognize that there may be a privacy problem with Amazon-- for them it's a convenience issue, even if they end up paying _more_ for the book through Amazon.
Never work for an employer that demands your Social Security number; if asked for it, make one up and use it instead.
Since you reference SSN, I'm going to assume that you are in the US. Do you follow your own advice? Have you ever been caught doing this? Don't you think the government will notice that they're getting tax payments for a SSN that doesn't have a person attached to it?
Spoken like a dude who's forgotten how long it's been since he blocked 12.0.0.0/8 (attbi.com)
12.0.0.0/8 isn't just attbi.com -- AT&T is our ISP (connected via T1, not cablemodem), and we're in that block.
Slashdot can handle a 5 second delay in delivering packets -- your phone can't. In short, while bits are bits, the method of delivery is different and needs to be paid for that way.
It seems to me that there's a fundamental difference of opinion in the purpose of taxation. Some people think that taxation is designed to keep government running, so government should continue to seek out new sources of revenue as old ones dry up.
Other people seem to feel that the purpose of taxation is to ensure that required services can be paid for. Sometimes these required services are for protection of residents (911, interstates, etc), sometimes they are to encourage commerce.
What value does the government bring to VoIP? If you can't point to any value that the government brings to this technology, then (it seems to me) that you have to admit that they're just trying to recover lost revenue.
Are you thinking of the book "The Mouse that Roared"?