"England, the USofA, and the rest of the Free World have fought a long and hard battle against totalitarian, oppressive and stifling governments. And with the current trend of indiscriminate searching, monitoring and spying on its citizens, the Free World will stay free."
"The NSA knows what information he had access to and what he has released"
No they don't, why do you think they are running around like headless chickens for? They're scared to death and the media system with Snowden's files is nailing them for every lie they tell. That's why they're still playing the propaganda game because they haven't anything else.
"That his actions were justifiable or moral or whatever you think of him doesn't change the fact that was he did was illegal,"
Pot calling kettle black. What the NSA is doing is illegal. In exposing the NSA Snowden's actions are as a whistle blower who understood the risks of outing the "company". In actively violating the constitution, the NSA and those who allowed this are committing treason as defined in that same constitution. Now the perpetual liars are continuously trying to manipulate the public to make this go away. I can't wait for the next revelation to disprove this CBS interview and discredit CBS for what it really is. If CBS had any kind of investigative arm give the fact the NSA is proven liars they would be harping on them all through the interview. You know real journalism, something that hasn't been seen since the seventies.
"Without an SUV, how should soccer moms haul multiple kids and their gear to and from soccer practice?"
Give the kids some exercise. Have them carry everything as the physically run from where ever to soccer practice. That way they're already warmed up when they get there and get cool down exercise on the run back home. Health/Weight problems will be a thing of the past especially for the moms.
"who pushed for this so they could sell you bulbs that cost 3x as much"
Kind of reminds you of the HDTV BS doesn't it? Old TV was good enough, but no, the market was saturated and electronics manufacturers needed a way to increase profits past the run to the bottom. Wow, new standard that's incompatible and no more useful than the old standard and some ways worse. Content is content, the news lady will still be telling me the same news I'll just be able to make out that one split-end follicle in her massive wig(assuming she's hot and I'm not staring at something else on her instead).
PS. CFLs also have a flicker problem that make them a headache generator when reading that incandescents don't.
"So put in a whole house surge protector and use some battery backups on sensitive electronics. I live in a semi-rural area and I took the extra steps to ensure that my power is reliable instead of constantly dealing with the aggravation and cost of replacing light bulbs needlessly."
Yea, buying more expensive equipment to provide stability and reliability for something that's supposed to be stable and reliable on the default installation in the first place. Nevermind I'm paying for it to be working to begin with and it's required to be stable and reliable by law(monopoly).
"It isn't a private speech. You have no reasonable expectation of privacy because it is now widely known that the government spies on our communications. Therefore, it is not reasonable to have an expectation of privacy."
The fact that the government has to go out of it's way to do it says there is an 'expectation of privacy'. Where do you think all the money we pay in taxes goes to? It's sure isn't to help the public.
"Asking people not to listen in on radio communications is like asking people not to listen in on the guy shouting his opinion on a street corner: if you don't want to be heard, don't shout it."
Radios aren't built into our heads. Can't say the same about our ears. Like electronic everything it takes the effort of building the devices and tuning in to listen in which unlike a post card or listening to someone speak it isn't obvious.
"That's a good point. I'm sure the feds would still have a problem if banks trade IOU's and dont actually move the money, but do it entirely in not-dollar-values...
Bank A: I'll pay you 500 Monopoly bitmoney for that loan package. But lets leave it to monopoly money so there's less taxes Bank B: Okay. Sounds Good. Here.. have a 'free' gift. Bank B: I want to cash in my 500 Monopoly bitmoney for your Widgets and such. Bank A: Sure, here, have them for 'free'."
You know you just described what was going on before the 2008 crash, right? It's still going on, just the default behavior now.
" The US government probably has only detained a few people indefinitely on US soil in the last decade, and while their treatment is clearly unconstitutional they didn't exactly have clean hands"
' "Probably" means you don't know what you're talking about. The fact that the government has gotten away with it more that once proves there's a severe problem for something that by our own laws shouldn't happen at all. The numbers are irrelevant if it's you being abused. That's one of the problems in this country a culture of "if it's not me I don't care" and "better to ask forgiveness than ask permission".
"a book to me is far less annoying and 'in your face' than maher's video presentations, let alone a road show."
As opposed to christian evangelists, missionaries, and traveling prayer meetings. Give me a break, nothing they are doing hasn't been done by religion before and maybe it's time for some balance.
"it just seems too mean-spirited to me "in person" than in a book to be of much use in enlightening believers. mocking sarcasm isnt going to change anyone's mind."
Your response is proof that even in this country we have problems with religious dogma programmed into us from birth.
"They should go to Saudi Arabia, or Yemen or Egypt or Tunisia or Iran, and try to make their point across to the Muslims."
They also wish to stay alive. You said it yourself that this religious group responds with violence to any kind of religiously viewed challenge. In Egypt and Syria, they're wiping out christian minorities in towns. Tolerance seems to have little meaning especially under any kind of perceived challenge or need for revenge.
"I'd rather wear the slutty dress and keep some semblance of equality and rationality about our law thanks."
From your id I hope you mean a kilt rather than a "slutty dress". Don't you have some pride? Or better yet sensitivity to the eyesight/sanity of others?
" Bollaert was charged under a California identity theft law that prohibits using identifying information of a person without their permission "
In other words, he's been charged with doing what every person, business, and the government itself does in the US/world. This is part of the lawmakers passing meaningless and opportunistic laws just to do so. Either enforce it on everybody and face the consequences or repeal it. Anything else is just government abuse and prosecutorial misconduct.
Slashdot Mirror
"This Orwellian shit needs to stop."
When the world stops being Orwellian then the complaining can stop, not before. If you need examples, watch the news.
"England, the USofA, and the rest of the Free World have fought a long and hard battle against totalitarian, oppressive and stifling governments. And with the current trend of indiscriminate searching, monitoring and spying on its citizens, the Free World will stay free."
Scary, ain't it?
"we have rovers on mars that draw penises"
Link or it didn't happen.
"Correct: the flag is pretty obvious."
And the US flag was there first forty years ago. So China owes the US rent, pay up or get off China.
"The NSA knows what information he had access to and what he has released"
No they don't, why do you think they are running around like headless chickens for? They're scared to death and the media system with Snowden's files is nailing them for every lie they tell. That's why they're still playing the propaganda game because they haven't anything else.
"That his actions were justifiable or moral or whatever you think of him doesn't change the fact that was he did was illegal,"
Pot calling kettle black. What the NSA is doing is illegal. In exposing the NSA Snowden's actions are as a whistle blower who understood the risks of outing the "company". In actively violating the constitution, the NSA and those who allowed this are committing treason as defined in that same constitution. Now the perpetual liars are continuously trying to manipulate the public to make this go away. I can't wait for the next revelation to disprove this CBS interview and discredit CBS for what it really is. If CBS had any kind of investigative arm give the fact the NSA is proven liars they would be harping on them all through the interview. You know real journalism, something that hasn't been seen since the seventies.
"Without an SUV, how should soccer moms haul multiple kids and their gear to and from soccer practice?"
Give the kids some exercise. Have them carry everything as the physically run from where ever to soccer practice. That way they're already warmed up when they get there and get cool down exercise on the run back home. Health/Weight problems will be a thing of the past especially for the moms.
"who pushed for this so they could sell you bulbs that cost 3x as much"
Kind of reminds you of the HDTV BS doesn't it? Old TV was good enough, but no, the market was saturated and electronics manufacturers needed a way to increase profits past the run to the bottom. Wow, new standard that's incompatible and no more useful than the old standard and some ways worse. Content is content, the news lady will still be telling me the same news I'll just be able to make out that one split-end follicle in her massive wig(assuming she's hot and I'm not staring at something else on her instead).
PS. CFLs also have a flicker problem that make them a headache generator when reading that incandescents don't.
"So put in a whole house surge protector and use some battery backups on sensitive electronics. I live in a semi-rural area and I took the extra steps to ensure that my power is reliable instead of constantly dealing with the aggravation and cost of replacing light bulbs needlessly."
Yea, buying more expensive equipment to provide stability and reliability for something that's supposed to be stable and reliable on the default installation in the first place. Nevermind I'm paying for it to be working to begin with and it's required to be stable and reliable by law(monopoly).
"There is a process for properly releasing classified information."
Now if there were a process to define what should be classified other than 'it being politically damaging to my campaign/career'.
"closed session to deal with confidential matters such as classified information."
In a country whose government system is defined by open process this is a dramatic fail.
" At least, NSA claims this and FISA backs them (and by extension, Chief Justice Roberts)."
Except FISA by its very definition is illegal in that it violates the principles defined in the constitution.
"It isn't a private speech. You have no reasonable expectation of privacy because it is now widely known that the government spies on our communications. Therefore, it is not reasonable to have an expectation of privacy."
The fact that the government has to go out of it's way to do it says there is an 'expectation of privacy'. Where do you think all the money we pay in taxes goes to? It's sure isn't to help the public.
"Asking people not to listen in on radio communications is like asking people not to listen in on the guy shouting his opinion on a street corner: if you don't want to be heard, don't shout it."
Radios aren't built into our heads. Can't say the same about our ears. Like electronic everything it takes the effort of building the devices and tuning in to listen in which unlike a post card or listening to someone speak it isn't obvious.
"What has predator missiles got to do with constitutional rights to privacy?"
When those missiles are killing americans, everything!!
"That's a good point. I'm sure the feds would still have a problem if banks trade IOU's and dont actually move the money, but do it entirely in not-dollar-values...
Bank A: I'll pay you 500 Monopoly bitmoney for that loan package. But lets leave it to monopoly money so there's less taxes
Bank B: Okay. Sounds Good. Here.. have a 'free' gift.
Bank B: I want to cash in my 500 Monopoly bitmoney for your Widgets and such.
Bank A: Sure, here, have them for 'free'."
You know you just described what was going on before the 2008 crash, right? It's still going on, just the default behavior now.
"Trust, but verify"
If you feel you have to verify then you don't trust them. It was bullshit when Reagan said it and it still is.
"I'm now an IT manager over our hardware repair and oncall function, and I owe it to the day I went "PC Compatible"... over a freakin' video game."
Remember, that's how UNIX got started too.
"I absolutely loved that game."
I remember playing battlezone on the apple II at school in the early eighties.
" The US government probably has only detained a few people indefinitely on US soil in the last decade, and while their treatment is clearly unconstitutional they didn't exactly have clean hands"
'
"Probably" means you don't know what you're talking about. The fact that the government has gotten away with it more that once proves there's a severe problem for something that by our own laws shouldn't happen at all. The numbers are irrelevant if it's you being abused. That's one of the problems in this country a culture of "if it's not me I don't care" and "better to ask forgiveness than ask permission".
"He is also trying to raise opposition to the institutional legislative advantages religion, particularly the Church of England, has in government"
We have that same problem here in the US.
"a book to me is far less annoying and 'in your face' than maher's video presentations, let alone a road show."
As opposed to christian evangelists, missionaries, and traveling prayer meetings. Give me a break, nothing they are doing hasn't been done by religion before and maybe it's time for some balance.
"it just seems too mean-spirited to me "in person" than in a book to be of much use in enlightening believers. mocking sarcasm isnt going to change anyone's mind."
Your response is proof that even in this country we have problems with religious dogma programmed into us from birth.
"They should go to Saudi Arabia, or Yemen or Egypt or Tunisia or Iran, and try to make their point across to the Muslims."
They also wish to stay alive. You said it yourself that this religious group responds with violence to any kind of religiously viewed challenge. In Egypt and Syria, they're wiping out christian minorities in towns. Tolerance seems to have little meaning especially under any kind of perceived challenge or need for revenge.
"I'd rather wear the slutty dress and keep some semblance of equality and rationality about our law thanks."
From your id I hope you mean a kilt rather than a "slutty dress". Don't you have some pride? Or better yet sensitivity to the eyesight/sanity of others?
" Bollaert was charged under a California identity theft law that prohibits using identifying information of a person without their permission "
In other words, he's been charged with doing what every person, business, and the government itself does in the US/world. This is part of the lawmakers passing meaningless and opportunistic laws just to do so. Either enforce it on everybody and face the consequences or repeal it. Anything else is just government abuse and prosecutorial misconduct.