First - in a since all ports on Linux are open by default. However, apparently unlike M$ - an application (server,daemon,etc..) needs to be listening on that specific port - otherwise you get the infamous message "Unable to connect to remote host: Connection refused" I'm sure that M$ has the same type of basic structrure but it seems like they have many more open and insecure ports (something listening on them). Linux by default doesn't have that many, IE - mine only has sshd and cupsd (no I have not "secured" my box), hence the only way to get into the box is through one of those two server daemons.
Second - While using Wine, the application and environment is executed by a specific user - likewise the application will inherit the user's environment (permissions, umask, etc..) so even if the app was written for Linux (modifying pam or something) the executing environment (via the offending user) would HAVE to have to the apropriate permisions - unless explicitly modified, only ROOT has such permisions usually. (note - that vmware is still vulnerable because it runs the actual OS, but it will NOT effect Linux)
This is all rediculous - you change the window and widget themes to something other than the MAC look, and this probably never would have been brought up.
I mean, For example, the menu bar at the top of the screen is an exclusive feature/layout to MAC - yet some of the themes in Linux have the option to implement this; if the layout of an app is something to make an issue of and consequently sue over - why hasn't this infamous menubar been attacked? Or for that matter the whole concept of the window manager?
I completely agree... The scenario your describing is one in which lead me to ditching the entire OS in the first place.
Every time a new player was installed (Real,Quick,etc..) they all vied for their rightful piece of the action, and more.
However, in a world where convenience reigns (human nature) - is there any doubt that such a war even occurs, simply because such a player is conveniently already installed? Leaving the remaining entities fiercely, and sometimes underhandedly competing for a share (even if relatively small) of the this HUGE market?
The aim is to free computer makers to sell Windows bundled with rival audiovisual software such as RealNetworks RealPlayer or Apple's Quicktime, the sources said.
In defense of your customers - When I was in the middle of things, it was only about 10-20% of the commercial products that the support that was actually worth anything, most of the time I DID know more...
One thing anyone in the IT business should learn is to never ever under estimate microsoft.
I don't know about anyone else, but I've always overestimated them - giving them the benifit of the doubt that the next version would be the one that would get me to switch back.... I gave up pretty early with XP.
Eventhough the "responce" of this guy reads like his resume in most parts, the one thing I did pick up on, is how he relates the GPL back to the PublicDomain just as MicroSoft (I blieve) and SCO.
This got me thinking on why these companies would view the GPL this way, when their are obvious and huge differences.
However, to the enduser, for example my parents, it is essentially the same as the public domain - for this reason; they will NEVER know who Linux Torvaldi is, or let alone that he is respnsible for bringing them what they rely on - both comercially and privately..
The essence of the GPL is to provdide a protected way to share knowledge and ideas, and to encourage such a freedom. At the intellectual level, this is the best thing to come along since boxed bread. However, at the business level there is no inherent value of the GPL simply because of the fact that the end user(s) of the resulting products, may very well never know who authored the said product and consequently there could conceivably never be any return on the hard work.
Take the revised XFree86 license that essentially just expects acknowledgement of their hard work.
The big difference between XFree and IBM/Novell/Redhat/etc.. is that the later would conceivably see a return from their efforts with supporting the entire system that they help build, while XFree would never see such a return because they only help build it and to the enduser they are never acknowledged.
Perhaps what the open source community needs to consider is a way to acknowledge the given author(s) if so required - for example in the configuration the X server, acknowledgement of XFree86 and the comercial video driver manufacturer (NVidia/ATI/etc..) could be linked back to their respective sites or something.
Without this acknowledgement, the open source community is essentially alienating the software business world (the community itself will figure out how to support the given product and likewise make any business efforts moot to a certain extent), and these tif's and battles with companies such as SCO and Microsoft are going to be inevitable.
The open source community needs to make every effort to bridge this gap between the intellectual and business worlds - other wise these battles and wars will just get worse, and consequently just as threatening...
From what I understand (via FNC), is that this was over a contract dispute - based on Viacom raising their "fees" 40% over the life of the contract. The way I see it, EchoStar was just looking out for their customers - but Viacom spinning it as EchoStars fault and using the channels that they (Viacom) own to advertise to their (EchoStars) customers to complain and ask them not to cancel what they are paying for - essentially spinning things around to have more heat put onto Echostar to submit to the price increase, and by none other than their own customers...
"Select the file system type you prefer and format with quick format" This should be your first clue, this only rewrites the fs table (TOC).
It sounds to me like this is simply a case of ghost screwing up the geometry settings in the partition table, and then ofcourse there is yet another Windoze bug to exploit it - sorry, I mean get hosed by it...
This sounds sort of like something I used to do for automatic installation way back when, use 'dd' to dump then entire contents of "hdX" to some file
# dd if=/dev/hdN of=/tmp/dump
then dump the contents of that file to another HD that is the same size or bigger.
# dd if=/tmp/dump of=/dev/hdN+1
The result is that everything will work just fine, and running fdisk (on Linux) will show an uncorrupt partition table, BUT that geometry (obtained via BIOS) shows a much bigger drive, but DO NOT save the resulting table (w) - fdisk will rewrite it and then hose everything up! Pretty much just the opposite of this method....
The question I'd pose to everyone lambasting this blacklist is that if you were a business person and in the course of doing business you exposed yourself to significant risk of liability and you know one of your customers was just looking for a reason to sue you... would you do business with them?
I agree with you in that since, but the problem I have with this overall idea (of the database), is actually two fold...
First it's not going to get used legitamately, I seriously doubt atleast, and it will get abused - perhaps of getting to the point of charging more for some patients or something if you are even related to those on the list... Unforunately, it seems that when it comes to business and law - when you give them an inch, they take a mile to make the extra buck.
Secondly, I would be very surprised to see the reverse of this, a database for idiot doctors - for the simple fact it probably could be argued that it is slander and thus made illegal.
First off - I would like say congrats on beating the cancer, I'm really glad to hear a success story.
Although, I must say that it sounds like you were complelled to double check the medication, either from habbit or the neccisity for taking the right stuff to make it. I am very alergic to penicilan, and I know nothing about medicine - I have to rely on the doctors and likewise the pharmacy to tell waht to do and give me the right stuff.
If I went in for something to get treatment, and the pharmacist gave me what I was allergic to - damn right I would be pissed! For the simple fact that I trusted them in something that I have no idea about, and for what ever reason they did not seem to take they EXTRA SECOND or two to take the responsibility in what they were doing.
"...someway to blame someone; it's just a natural reaction to a tragedy."
Fairly recently, my cousin's wife had a very major surgery - chance of surviving was maybe 50%, chance with out pralysis was around 10%. Essentially they were taking part of her hip and putting it in her neck - sounds very dangerous to be sure.
However, I think it was a very wise move on the Doc's part to issue the statements about the percentages. Probably what should happen is this done more often - you walk into to get a flue shot, and your told (and in writing) that there is a 0.0005% chance of adverse or fatal consequences. Then if your unlucky to fall in that 0.0005% percent of population, then it is simply shit happens...
And yes, my cousins wife came threw the surgery with flying colors, making my wonder if those percentages were hyped?
Then it could be deemed as slander, the other way around the Doc's are just keeping a central database of, more or less, information that is availiable publicly.
The difference is that programmers attach the infamous EULA to their resulting product - essentially "use at your own risk - to warrany expressed or implied".
The medical profession doesn't really have this kind of luxury...
I would agree that there is extreme BS on both sides, it seems that human nature has partly evolved into blaming what ever on someone else.
However, in the case you spoke about - my first guess is that the Doc's attorney did not put much into the case thinking it was blatant BS just like we do, but the plantiff's attorney didn't take that stance and probably bind sided the defense's attorney with stuff he did not expect...
There has to be some kind of plausable reason for something as dumb as this being victorious.
Investors are not stupid. - Relatively speaking, there is also a very low percentage of them that are conspiracy theorists - unlike the grand folk here on/.
With that said, here is my 2 cents on this conspiracy...
SCO started this entire hooprah, through claiming that portions of their interlectual property were found in the Linux kernel, they even had the infamous discounts for those that jumped on board first, that ironically never came about.
At first sight, this was a HUGE gold mine for them, consequently their stock rose to as high as $30, news stories everywhere purpotrated the events for months.
However, everything they have done since has been to force the destruction (through litigation) of the very gold itself, that laid in abundance in their newly found gold mine - even to the extent of aproaching congress, and proclaiming open source (Linux) threatened the economy and the nations security.
The ONLY reason you (pretending to be Darl) would even conceive of such a hair brained idea, would be if your OWN product was in danger AND that very product was extremely valuable - obviously with SCO Unix being on the endangered species list since the mid 90's, this logically can not be the reasoning - unless he is just legally insane and literally cannot comprehend reality.
So, that concludes that there must be something else that they have, that they could offer someone that could be worth that goldmine.
It's an inherent fact that they are the resulting owners of the original AT&T patents who invented UNIX in the first place. They own UNIX out right, with their own version relatively a dead horse - they're a king with little to no rule or power.
What on earth could the newly appointed king do with a kingdom that he would have no control over? Answer - sacrifice it to the very empire that ruled the rest of the world, and in return acquire a peice of that empire that they he would be able to rule, and with real power.. Aparently from the actions of Darl and his brigade, they chose to try and carry out this very sacrifice, by bringing litigation and threats against any and all members of the very faction that did have the power and control over his kingdom, the faction also known as Linux - however, since this very faction was so huge and wide spread, it would be inevitable that his own kingdom would cease to exist if he was succesful. Which leads back to the argument of the sacrifice, and now with these leaked memos it seems evident that not only is this a sacrifice, but the empire also was very much behind the sacrifice by funding the very threats and litigous actions....
Autozone has thousands if not millions of loyal blue-collar customers...
These customers, are for the majority are computer illiterate in comparison to us/.'s, just think of the spin (M$ and SCO) would put on this if they were able to get an injuction against AutoZone from using Linux, effectively shutting down their stores - millions of people, that have nothing to do with the tech industry would be effected. It would be all over the news - and why? They used Linux... I would have no doubt that one of either SCO or M$ would spin this so that everything is blamed on soley using Linux it self, and in effect while the tech world loves her - the rest of the world would despise and only view Legal as very illegal, consequently staying very far away from it...
I have to admit, choosing AutoZone was a good move on his part in order to spread his FUD about Linux...
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Nevada, requests injunctive relief against AutoZone's further use or copying of...
AutoZone uses Linux in their stores, if they were to get this injuction they would effectively shut AutoZone down, a huge chain of stores that effects millions of both geeks and computer illiterate alike. And they (M$ and SCO) would obviously spin it as "See, look what using Linux gets you...."
The catch is that now 'Billy', in a sense, leggaly owns the toy and can sue 'Bobby' - unless Bobby has thousands of dollars that he can use for his defence, he HAS to stop playing with it...
I'm starting to wonder why M$ has so many patents that are blatently prior art (binary, XML, virtual desktops, etc..). Could Billy someday go after everyone not playing with him, and everyone else (not having the hundreds of thousands needed to fight the numerous patent infringment claims) would have to stop playing period?
I'm so sick of hearing "if you are innocent... why do you care?" It's called the 4th amendment - our founding fathers didn't want the government to be able to search us without judicial review - without proving they had SOME case - and without our knowledge.
The USA was formed for the simple fact that there current government was to controlling - so they formed one based on freedom. Because of that, we've become (or atleast one of the major ones) the most powerful nation on earth - with that honor, comes everyone and there grandma wanting to take you down. And if they do, that freedom we all bitch about IS GONE!
If my home was searched, they'd find maps, atlases, sharpies, box cutters, CD-RWs, and a long list of other "terrorist equipment". I have books talking about how to protect your privacy, so I must have *something* to hide. I have books of a highly libertarian slant - I must be plotting to overthrow the government! I have a poster of the empire state building on my wall. The poster is there because I think it's a beautiful building, but the FBI could use it as "proof" that I planned to blow it up.
You dont keep up with the news do you... BOMB making materials & instructions; extreme religous material (with known relations to terrorism); obvious leterature towards bad things (Bob's guide to blowing things up); etc... You need to chill, and stop being so paranoid...
My financial records show I frequently buy computer equipment - I must by a computer terrorist! I make a cash deduction of $100 about once a week - I must be buying drugs! I wrote a check to a person with a foreign sounding name - he must be a member of my terrorist unit!!
Spending $100 per week is nothing - you know how many people do that? Its one of the reasons we have a thriving economy (getting better and better). If you had NOT spent that kind of money, and then all the sudden started transfering $1000's and $1000's to alternate bank accounts, and buying airline tickets overseas, etc... Then there may be something there.
Government abuses have run rampant the last couple of years - anyone who's opinions differer from the government can have their right to travel violated.
Taking out the twin towers, part of the pentagon, an attempt at the whitehouse and all in the same few hours - I would be damn sure nothing else would happen either! There has been NO terrorist activity in the U.S. since 9/11. 9/11 was a horrible tragedy but it sickens me that republicans have turned it into an excuse to create a police state. Let's face it - the terrorists won. The U.S. has lost or is in the process of losing all the freedoms they hated us for.
Hmmm.. Could it be because the government has been so anal? The terrorists HAVE NOT WON - we STILL have have the right to practice what ever religion we want, if your girlfriend is old enough - she can STILL vote, you can STILL scream and rant about what ever you want, you can STILL talk bad about the government and get away with it. Terrorists are not after a "mind set" - they are after destroying our way of life, if anything your helping them out by getting so damn paranoid!
Slashdot Mirror
First - in a since all ports on Linux are open by default. However, apparently unlike M$ - an application (server,daemon,etc..) needs to be listening on that specific port - otherwise you get the infamous message "Unable to connect to remote host: Connection refused" I'm sure that M$ has the same type of basic structrure but it seems like they have many more open and insecure ports (something listening on them). Linux by default doesn't have that many, IE - mine only has sshd and cupsd (no I have not "secured" my box), hence the only way to get into the box is through one of those two server daemons.
Second - While using Wine, the application and environment is executed by a specific user - likewise the application will inherit the user's environment (permissions, umask, etc..) so even if the app was written for Linux (modifying pam or something) the executing environment (via the offending user) would HAVE to have to the apropriate permisions - unless explicitly modified, only ROOT has such permisions usually. (note - that vmware is still vulnerable because it runs the actual OS, but it will NOT effect Linux)
...so called "Local Security Authority Subsystem Service"...
Goes to show you that Microsoft + security = oxymoron
This is all rediculous - you change the window and widget themes to something other than the MAC look, and this probably never would have been brought up.
I mean, For example, the menu bar at the top of the screen is an exclusive feature/layout to MAC - yet some of the themes in Linux have the option to implement this; if the layout of an app is something to make an issue of and consequently sue over - why hasn't this infamous menubar been attacked? Or for that matter the whole concept of the window manager?
I completely agree... The scenario your describing is one in which lead me to ditching the entire OS in the first place.
Every time a new player was installed (Real,Quick,etc..) they all vied for their rightful piece of the action, and more.
However, in a world where convenience reigns (human nature) - is there any doubt that such a war even occurs, simply because such a player is conveniently already installed? Leaving the remaining entities fiercely, and sometimes underhandedly competing for a share (even if relatively small) of the this HUGE market?
Ahh, the beauty of consumer choice ....
Does nobody RTFA?!!
The aim is to free computer makers to sell Windows bundled with rival audiovisual software such as RealNetworks RealPlayer or Apple's Quicktime, the sources said.
In defense of your customers - When I was in the middle of things, it was only about 10-20% of the commercial products that the support that was actually worth anything, most of the time I DID know more...
Did M$ Office pay off - or will it?
One thing anyone in the IT business should learn is to never ever under estimate microsoft.
I don't know about anyone else, but I've always overestimated them - giving them the benifit of the doubt that the next version would be the one that would get me to switch back.... I gave up pretty early with XP.
Eventhough the "responce" of this guy reads like his resume in most parts, the one thing I did pick up on, is how he relates the GPL back to the PublicDomain just as MicroSoft (I blieve) and SCO.
This got me thinking on why these companies would view the GPL this way, when their are obvious and huge differences. However, to the enduser, for example my parents, it is essentially the same as the public domain - for this reason; they will NEVER know who Linux Torvaldi is, or let alone that he is respnsible for bringing them what they rely on - both comercially and privately..
The essence of the GPL is to provdide a protected way to share knowledge and ideas, and to encourage such a freedom. At the intellectual level, this is the best thing to come along since boxed bread. However, at the business level there is no inherent value of the GPL simply because of the fact that the end user(s) of the resulting products, may very well never know who authored the said product and consequently there could conceivably never be any return on the hard work.
Take the revised XFree86 license that essentially just expects acknowledgement of their hard work.
The big difference between XFree and IBM/Novell/Redhat/etc.. is that the later would conceivably see a return from their efforts with supporting the entire system that they help build, while XFree would never see such a return because they only help build it and to the enduser they are never acknowledged.
Perhaps what the open source community needs to consider is a way to acknowledge the given author(s) if so required - for example in the configuration the X server, acknowledgement of XFree86 and the comercial video driver manufacturer (NVidia/ATI/etc..) could be linked back to their respective sites or something.
Without this acknowledgement, the open source community is essentially alienating the software business world (the community itself will figure out how to support the given product and likewise make any business efforts moot to a certain extent), and these tif's and battles with companies such as SCO and Microsoft are going to be inevitable.
The open source community needs to make every effort to bridge this gap between the intellectual and business worlds - other wise these battles and wars will just get worse, and consequently just as threatening...
Use a bash script...
# let X=$X+1
From what I understand (via FNC), is that this was over a contract dispute - based on Viacom raising their "fees" 40% over the life of the contract. The way I see it, EchoStar was just looking out for their customers - but Viacom spinning it as EchoStars fault and using the channels that they (Viacom) own to advertise to their (EchoStars) customers to complain and ask them not to cancel what they are paying for - essentially spinning things around to have more heat put onto Echostar to submit to the price increase, and by none other than their own customers...
"Select the file system type you prefer and format with quick format" This should be your first clue, this only rewrites the fs table (TOC).
It sounds to me like this is simply a case of ghost screwing up the geometry settings in the partition table, and then ofcourse there is yet another Windoze bug to exploit it - sorry, I mean get hosed by it...
This sounds sort of like something I used to do for automatic installation way back when, use 'dd' to dump then entire contents of "hdX" to some file
# dd if=/dev/hdN of=/tmp/dump
then dump the contents of that file to another HD that is the same size or bigger.
# dd if=/tmp/dump of=/dev/hdN+1
The result is that everything will work just fine, and running fdisk (on Linux) will show an uncorrupt partition table, BUT that geometry (obtained via BIOS) shows a much bigger drive, but DO NOT save the resulting table (w) - fdisk will rewrite it and then hose everything up! Pretty much just the opposite of this method....
The question I'd pose to everyone lambasting this blacklist is that if you were a business person and in the course of doing business you exposed yourself to significant risk of liability and you know one of your customers was just looking for a reason to sue you... would you do business with them?
I agree with you in that since, but the problem I have with this overall idea (of the database), is actually two fold...
First it's not going to get used legitamately, I seriously doubt atleast, and it will get abused - perhaps of getting to the point of charging more for some patients or something if you are even related to those on the list... Unforunately, it seems that when it comes to business and law - when you give them an inch, they take a mile to make the extra buck.
Secondly, I would be very surprised to see the reverse of this, a database for idiot doctors - for the simple fact it probably could be argued that it is slander and thus made illegal.
First off - I would like say congrats on beating the cancer, I'm really glad to hear a success story.
Although, I must say that it sounds like you were complelled to double check the medication, either from habbit or the neccisity for taking the right stuff to make it. I am very alergic to penicilan, and I know nothing about medicine - I have to rely on the doctors and likewise the pharmacy to tell waht to do and give me the right stuff.
If I went in for something to get treatment, and the pharmacist gave me what I was allergic to - damn right I would be pissed! For the simple fact that I trusted them in something that I have no idea about, and for what ever reason they did not seem to take they EXTRA SECOND or two to take the responsibility in what they were doing.
"...someway to blame someone; it's just a natural reaction to a tragedy."
Fairly recently, my cousin's wife had a very major surgery - chance of surviving was maybe 50%, chance with out pralysis was around 10%. Essentially they were taking part of her hip and putting it in her neck - sounds very dangerous to be sure.
However, I think it was a very wise move on the Doc's part to issue the statements about the percentages. Probably what should happen is this done more often - you walk into to get a flue shot, and your told (and in writing) that there is a 0.0005% chance of adverse or fatal consequences. Then if your unlucky to fall in that 0.0005% percent of population, then it is simply shit happens...
And yes, my cousins wife came threw the surgery with flying colors, making my wonder if those percentages were hyped?
Then it could be deemed as slander, the other way around the Doc's are just keeping a central database of, more or less, information that is availiable publicly.
The difference is that programmers attach the infamous EULA to their resulting product - essentially "use at your own risk - to warrany expressed or implied".
The medical profession doesn't really have this kind of luxury...
I would agree that there is extreme BS on both sides, it seems that human nature has partly evolved into blaming what ever on someone else.
However, in the case you spoke about - my first guess is that the Doc's attorney did not put much into the case thinking it was blatant BS just like we do, but the plantiff's attorney didn't take that stance and probably bind sided the defense's attorney with stuff he did not expect...
There has to be some kind of plausable reason for something as dumb as this being victorious.
Ya know this is getting bullshit when wanting, forget about expecting, justice could very well endager your health....
Investors are not stupid. - Relatively speaking, there is also a very low percentage of them that are conspiracy theorists - unlike the grand folk here on /.
With that said, here is my 2 cents on this conspiracy...
SCO started this entire hooprah, through claiming that portions of their interlectual property were found in the Linux kernel, they even had the infamous discounts for those that jumped on board first, that ironically never came about.
At first sight, this was a HUGE gold mine for them, consequently their stock rose to as high as $30, news stories everywhere purpotrated the events for months.
However, everything they have done since has been to force the destruction (through litigation) of the very gold itself, that laid in abundance in their newly found gold mine - even to the extent of aproaching congress, and proclaiming open source (Linux) threatened the economy and the nations security.
The ONLY reason you (pretending to be Darl) would even conceive of such a hair brained idea, would be if your OWN product was in danger AND that very product was extremely valuable - obviously with SCO Unix being on the endangered species list since the mid 90's, this logically can not be the reasoning - unless he is just legally insane and literally cannot comprehend reality. So, that concludes that there must be something else that they have, that they could offer someone that could be worth that goldmine. It's an inherent fact that they are the resulting owners of the original AT&T patents who invented UNIX in the first place. They own UNIX out right, with their own version relatively a dead horse - they're a king with little to no rule or power.
What on earth could the newly appointed king do with a kingdom that he would have no control over? Answer - sacrifice it to the very empire that ruled the rest of the world, and in return acquire a peice of that empire that they he would be able to rule, and with real power.. Aparently from the actions of Darl and his brigade, they chose to try and carry out this very sacrifice, by bringing litigation and threats against any and all members of the very faction that did have the power and control over his kingdom, the faction also known as Linux - however, since this very faction was so huge and wide spread, it would be inevitable that his own kingdom would cease to exist if he was succesful. Which leads back to the argument of the sacrifice, and now with these leaked memos it seems evident that not only is this a sacrifice, but the empire also was very much behind the sacrifice by funding the very threats and litigous actions....
Ahh, what a story this could make...
Think about it, in it's own way its brilliant...
/.'s, just think of the spin (M$ and SCO) would put on this if they were able to get an injuction against AutoZone from using Linux, effectively shutting down their stores - millions of people, that have nothing to do with the tech industry would be effected. It would be all over the news - and why? They used Linux... I would have no doubt that one of either SCO or M$ would spin this so that everything is blamed on soley using Linux it self, and in effect while the tech world loves her - the rest of the world would despise and only view Legal as very illegal, consequently staying very far away from it...
Autozone has thousands if not millions of loyal blue-collar customers...
These customers, are for the majority are computer illiterate in comparison to us
I have to admit, choosing AutoZone was a good move on his part in order to spread his FUD about Linux...
...
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Nevada, requests injunctive relief against AutoZone's further use or copying of
AutoZone uses Linux in their stores, if they were to get this injuction they would effectively shut AutoZone down, a huge chain of stores that effects millions of both geeks and computer illiterate alike. And they (M$ and SCO) would obviously spin it as "See, look what using Linux gets you...."
The catch is that now 'Billy', in a sense, leggaly owns the toy and can sue 'Bobby' - unless Bobby has thousands of dollars that he can use for his defence, he HAS to stop playing with it...
I'm starting to wonder why M$ has so many patents that are blatently prior art (binary, XML, virtual desktops, etc..). Could Billy someday go after everyone not playing with him, and everyone else (not having the hundreds of thousands needed to fight the numerous patent infringment claims) would have to stop playing period?
I'm so sick of hearing "if you are innocent... why do you care?" It's called the 4th amendment - our founding fathers didn't want the government to be able to search us without judicial review - without proving they had SOME case - and without our knowledge.
The USA was formed for the simple fact that there current government was to controlling - so they formed one based on freedom. Because of that, we've become (or atleast one of the major ones) the most powerful nation on earth - with that honor, comes everyone and there grandma wanting to take you down. And if they do, that freedom we all bitch about IS GONE!
If my home was searched, they'd find maps, atlases, sharpies, box cutters, CD-RWs, and a long list of other "terrorist equipment". I have books talking about how to protect your privacy, so I must have *something* to hide. I have books of a highly libertarian slant - I must be plotting to overthrow the government! I have a poster of the empire state building on my wall. The poster is there because I think it's a beautiful building, but the FBI could use it as "proof" that I planned to blow it up.
You dont keep up with the news do you... BOMB making materials & instructions; extreme religous material (with known relations to terrorism); obvious leterature towards bad things (Bob's guide to blowing things up); etc... You need to chill, and stop being so paranoid...
My financial records show I frequently buy computer equipment - I must by a computer terrorist! I make a cash deduction of $100 about once a week - I must be buying drugs! I wrote a check to a person with a foreign sounding name - he must be a member of my terrorist unit!!
Spending $100 per week is nothing - you know how many people do that? Its one of the reasons we have a thriving economy (getting better and better). If you had NOT spent that kind of money, and then all the sudden started transfering $1000's and $1000's to alternate bank accounts, and buying airline tickets overseas, etc... Then there may be something there.
Government abuses have run rampant the last couple of years - anyone who's opinions differer from the government can have their right to travel violated.
Taking out the twin towers, part of the pentagon, an attempt at the whitehouse and all in the same few hours - I would be damn sure nothing else would happen either!
There has been NO terrorist activity in the U.S. since 9/11. 9/11 was a horrible tragedy but it sickens me that republicans have turned it into an excuse to create a police state. Let's face it - the terrorists won. The U.S. has lost or is in the process of losing all the freedoms they hated us for.
Hmmm.. Could it be because the government has been so anal? The terrorists HAVE NOT WON - we STILL have have the right to practice what ever religion we want, if your girlfriend is old enough - she can STILL vote, you can STILL scream and rant about what ever you want, you can STILL talk bad about the government and get away with it.
Terrorists are not after a "mind set" - they are after destroying our way of life, if anything your helping them out by getting so damn paranoid!