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User: Darth+Muffin

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  1. Re:I'm sure the NSA wants their fingers on it. on Google and Microsoft Plan Kill Switches On Smartphones · · Score: 1

    First, I don't watch TV, except for Cosmos and it's over. The gov has no interest in you or I using our cell phone. There is no constitutional right to a cell phone, so no basis for a case. They would want to prevent further cell-activated devices from going off. They want to shut everything down so that only they have control of the situation. That's how SWAT teams, etc. work.

  2. I'm sure the NSA wants their fingers on it. on Google and Microsoft Plan Kill Switches On Smartphones · · Score: 1
    You can bet the NSA and other government agencies are drooling over the prospect of getting access to this.

    If there's a Boston-type bombing, they would want to shut down cell phones in the area. That might even be a legitimate use, but next they'll want to use it preemptively around the President, then at the Superbowl.... and suddenly we've got tyranny.

  3. Profit! on $10k Reward For Info On Anyone Who Points a Laser At Planes Goes Nationwide · · Score: 5, Funny

    1) Aim laser pointer at my own plane, parked in a hangar. 2) Turn myself in for "intentionally aiming a laser at an aircraft" 3) Profit!

  4. You can bet NSA has the keys on Industry-Wide Smartphone "Kill Switch" Closer To Reality · · Score: 4, Interesting
    The NSA is why this is a bad idea. Once this is in, I'll bet you'll start seeing this used by the govt. First at Boston Bombing type events, then later at demonstrations like Occupy Wallstreet, and then wherever the president happens to be touring at the moment.

    What would the govt of some place like Egypt have given for a phone kill switch?

  5. Re:It's crap on Retired SCOTUS Justice Wants To 'Fix' the Second Amendment · · Score: 1

    That is extended to women by the 14th (and possibly 19th) amendment.

  6. Re:It's crap on Retired SCOTUS Justice Wants To 'Fix' the Second Amendment · · Score: 3, Insightful

    +1 to this! It makes us subjects, not citizens, since we would then have rights only when the government says so. That's not a right. This is the bill of rights, not the bill of benefits. "When serving in a militia" is pretty much all the time since all able-bodied men and women make up the militia.

  7. A few reasons why it won't work: on Algorithm Challenge: Burning Man Vehicle Exodus · · Score: 2

    1. People frequently travel in groups. If your camp of 4 cars wants to travel together and leaves at the same time, who's plate do you go off of?
    2. If you're in the 5am block and the rest of your camp is in the 4pm block, how are you going to break camp?
    3. How are you going to enforce this? Needs people to do so.
    4. What do you do with people who don't want to participate in the license plate lottery? Again, requires more people and a place to put them.
    5. Still will have the problem of people who think they're special with exceptions as to why they need out now, why they missed their window, or why they should be allowed in a different time slot. This takes people and slows things down.

  8. Ethical is irrelevant. on NASA Can't Ethically Send Astronauts On One-Way Missions To Deep Space · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Whether sending a willing astronaut, who understands and chose to do this of his own free will, on a dangerous or even one-way mission is ethical is not a question for anyone except the astronaut. It's like trying to decide if gay marriage is "ethical". Unless you're one of the ones involved, nonya business trying to define ethics.

  9. How is cryptocurrency unique? on WV Senator Calls For Ban On All Unregulated Cryptocurrencies · · Score: 1

    I don't get how buying and selling Bitcoins is any different than doing the same with Beanie Babies, Baseball Cards or mp3 files (that you have the right to sell). What is the legal definition of "Cryptocurrency"? New ones are popping up all the time. Where were the legislators crying for regulation when the bottom fell out of the Beanie Baby market?

  10. A few suggestions. on Ask Slashdot: Where Should a Geek's Charitable Donations Go? · · Score: 2

    Geeks Without Borders is one I like (geekswithoutborders.org) which sounds like it may be a good match for your wants. I know many of the people involved in it and it's legit. However, usually we (the organizations I'm in) go for local children's literacy programs instead. If you can't find one then buy and donate a pile of geeky books to the city or school library. We have also supported a local group that goes out and fixes up/repairs schools.

  11. A non-roving rover? on Meet the Very First Rover To Land On Mars · · Score: 1
    I would say that:
    1. It's not a rover if it never moved, and
    2. It was never deployed, so technically it was never on the surface of mars itself.

    The Mars-3 probe did at least enough to count.

  12. Brave New World on Ask Slashdot: What's the Most Depressing Sci-fi You've Ever Read? · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Brave New World, Aldus Huxley. Perfectly horrible. Stranger in a Strange land was also pretty depressing.

  13. No Solicitors on Ask Slashdot: What Are Your Tips For Working From Home? · · Score: 1

    There are plenty of more important points already given in this discussion (the most important being that family members need to know not to bug you unless there are flames or blood involved), but one I haven't seen was a good "No Solicitors" sign, especially if you're working at home alone. Seriously, you have to be that grumpy "get off my lawn" guy. Those little b@stards have some sort of ESP and can tell when you're home... BTW, there's no law that says you "have" to answer the door.... even if you're right there in the window to see.

  14. Re:This is why the IT dept should be a cost center on How To Thwart the High Priests In IT · · Score: 1

    In addition to what Scutter said, this also leads to departments outsourcing and hiring Bob's Neighbor's kid who's taking a class on web design at the community college, so he would obviously be perfect to set our our Sharepoint site...

  15. Re:This is not really a bitcoin story on Bitcoin Price Crashes · · Score: 1
    Please, name 3 companies for me that do NOT handle security issues in a manner similar to this. Go ahead, really...

    Disclosures required by law don't count, those were forced.

  16. Tapping land lines? on Does Wiretapping Require Cell Company Cooperation? · · Score: 1

    The simplest and most likely explanation is that the dictator originally told the cell company "if you want to do business in this country, I need the ability to wiretap". Another explanation is that depending on who you call, a cell call likely routes over land lines at some point (especially in a third world country). Anyone with physical access to the lines has the theoretical capability to tap.

  17. Terry Childs also didn't have any criminal intent on Feds Won't File Charges In School Laptop-Spy Case · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Terry Childs didn't have any criminal intent either, and he caused a lot less harm. Look where that got him... I no longer have any faith in the "justice" system.

  18. Something can be done. on What Can Be Done About Security of Debit Cards? · · Score: 1
    My wife works at a Credit Union and gets these types of things all the time. There are a few things you can do.

    1. Get a Bank or Credit Union that gives a damn. Investigate before you choose one. A good one will monitor your activity and shut it down and call you when something goes wonky (like charges from all over the place or charges from known fraudulent organizations). When it does go wrong a good one will either fix it quick or possibly give you provisional credit to get you buy until they do fix it.

    2. Use a real Credit Card for most items and have the discipline to pay it off each month. Credit Cards are held to a higher standard than debit because it's *their* money and not *yours*. If you challenge a charge they have to credit you right away while they research it, and the burden of proof is on them. As a side benefit you might get mileage or an annual rebate.

    3. Use your debit card for small ticket items -- lunch, gas, etc. Don't keep more than you're willing to lose in the account, a few hundred maybe.

  19. Where does it say that? on FCC Inquires About Controversial Verizon Fees · · Score: 1

    Show me where it says anything remotely like that in the US Constitution. The only one covering your ass is you. They do have powers to regulate monopolies in interstate commerce, but until Verizon is declared one that doesn't apply.

  20. Re:Ooooh... Intercontinental on Jetman Attempts Intercontinental Flight · · Score: 1

    Besides the above point, I wouldn't call it "intercontinental" because he didn't leave from a continent. He left from a plane 6500 feet above the continent. Hell, starting from that high you could probably sail an unpowered glider across the straight of gibraltar.

  21. Re:Old Axiom on How Vulnerable Is Our Power Grid? · · Score: 1

    It doesn't have to come down to paranoia, it just means realizing that you're vulnerable. Realize that the power could go out at any time, for an extended period, and there's nothing you can do about it. Make minor preparations so that you can deal and you're good. If power means that much to you and you HAVE to have 100% availability, then pay to go the datacenter/hospital route. The electrical company does have an interest in getting you running again ASAP, so you don't need to be an island. It comes down to risk management and knowing which risks to take. That's really what life is about when you get down to it.

  22. Check your state laws on Working Off the Clock, How Much Is Too Much? · · Score: 1

    I was astonished to find that in WA state, many geek jobs are not exempt from OT. http://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=296-128-535

  23. Source? on Flu Models Predict Pandemic, But Flu Chips Ready · · Score: 2, Insightful
    "Supercomputer software models predict that swine flu will likely go pandemic sometime next week"

    Source, please? Otherwise it's just more overblown panic-inducing hype. Neither the linked article, or the article it links to say this. In fact, the second article says "So far, we haven't even identified the incubation period or how long people are infectious," and if that's the case I don't see how any computer model could be accurate.

  24. Duplicate Story! on James Bond Villain Data Center · · Score: 1
  25. functional replica != resurrect on Researcher Resurrects the First Computer · · Score: 2, Funny
    Resurrect would imply he's getting the original working again. This is more like a clone...

    Great, now I've got a Computer version of Jursassic Park running around in my head.