You are absolutely correct. It falls within their job description. Perhaps I should have said "the problem is that they cannot be held accountable when they misuse those abilities."
Much as the whole idea of espionage leaves a sour taste in my mouth, I understand its necessity. But you're spot on in that the NSA got lazy, and they slipped the scope of their jurisdiction, and they were never brought to heel over it. Truth be told, there were a lot of politicians drooling over the potential that technology held, and were sad to see it brought to light – those same politicians we supposedly elected to protect and serve our interests. And no amount of waving the 'national security' flag will ever make this sort of mass surveillance in my – or anyone's – best interests.
I appreciate the sentiment of this. I truly do. Self-sustaining, anarchistic self-governance sounds fantastic.
As long as the whole world moves to it.
The problem with anarchy is (paradoxically) that governments are a necessary evil because other governments exist. The moment America descends into chaotic anarchy or ascends into a utopian anarchy, every other nation on earth will see it as weakness and attack. Russia will take out a century of cold war hostilities. China. Iran. ISIS. North Korea might even take a swing. And that's just with today's "villains."
And none of that even supposes the problems with anarchy in practicality. Anarchy only works so long as the table is level, so long as everyone holds equal force and equal voice. The moment two people group together to better get their way, it starts an arms race that leads us back to right where we're sitting. The moment one person finds enough leverage to overturn the vote on that road, or pays off enough people to pass the vote regardless, the system is broken again. Our current government is, for better or worse, the end result of an attempt to actualize a utopian anarchy. After all, wasn't America founded on the ideals of self-determination and freedom from power hungry tyrants?
The problem isn't government. The problem is people. Or rather, the problem is that the greed and corruption exist within people, and in fact cannot exist outside of people. Government is only corrupt because it is a product of people working together to achieve an end, and people are inherently corrupt.
And yes, the system is rigged, in ways far deeper and more pervasive than any Trump dreamed up during the campaign. And yes, voting doesn't meaningfully change anything above the local level, if even there. And this is, I think, where the hopelessness stems from: people know that it's broken, but the monumental task of fixing it will likely topple our government rather than reform it, and that will likely get us killed before we could recover from it. For the survival of the average American citizen, a broken system is better than no system at all. Because of the enemies we have made (or nations who have decided we are enemies regardless of our actions)...a coup or a revolution would mean war on our soil. People are beginning to realize that fixing our government means the deaths of millions, and not from a civil war.
The real issue isn't the fact that the CIA/NSA/ [insert bureau here] can do these things. The issue is that they can't be held accountable for it.
We saw this in the financial crash of '08 (albeit in the private sector) as well: no one who is actually responsible for these things will ever see jail time. This won't end anyone's career. There's just not much the American people can do about it, and I think there's a sense among the general populace that they know this, even if only on a subconscious level. It's not apathy. It's a helpless resignation.
If they remove the headphone jack, it's solely for market lock-in reasons. Same as on the iPhone.
If, as you mentioned, we can already achieve wireless audio through third-parties, then how does the removal of a jack signify or aid "market lock-in"? I'm not beholden to apple to buy their headphones. Bluetooth is bluetooth. I'm not sure I see how we're being locked in to anything here. I could switch from my apple phone to my android phone with no issue. A proprietary plug, I could understand as lock-in (although I do like the "non 4-dimensional" qualities of the lightning adapter).
I do agree that the modern office space is not necessarily prepared for people to do meetings with no audio jack option. I will say, people thought Apple was crazy when they dumped the CD/DVD drive as well, but I can't say I've missed mine yet. I'm not sure I would call it "bravery", but I might call it "an unwillingness to allow the status quo to prevent our vision of progress", which sounds much more like Apple.
Honestly, how often is wired internet even available in these situations? Do you want to wait in line for a booth with wired internet at every airport and con and conference and ted talk? Should we be adding an RJ45 in the back of every convention hall chair? The logistics you're describing are untenable, especially in light of wifi's existence. The beauty of wifi is that many people can connect from a single point, without being tethered to a cord. That freedom is worth the latency for all but some of the most critical tasks. These are the problems wifi was invented to solve. It sounds like you're wanting to return us all to 1999.
Am I missing something in your post? Because based on your complaints it sounds like we'd be better off if we could solve some of wifi's issues, instead.
These people are so fucking sutpid, it is astonishing to think that they developed nuclear weapons; waged the Cold War; and to this day, launch people into space! Their entirely dysfunctional leadership does not seem capable of any rational thought. Perhaps those early accomplishments were just manifestations of autonomous reflexes?
Are we still talking about Russia? America isn't exactly running the smoothest, most intelligent government at the moment either...
I take my watch off at the end of the day. I put it on in the morning. How big a difference is it to set it "on a charger on my nightstand", instead of just "on my nightstand?"
As I read this article, I was reminded of the push back in the 90's to get off the corporate networks (Compuserve, AOL, etc.) where data and people were walled off from opposing networks, and dive into the World Wide Web. At some point the pendulum swung back towards the value brought by corporate networks, the biggest of which seems to be ease of construction compared to traditional web design.I first noticed the shift with community sites like angelfire/geocities and then moving towards social networks, where you just add content.
Now the pendulum is swinging back again because the cost/value equation in favor of corporate networks makes less sense (specifically, we didn't realize the consequences of selling ourselves and our data for 'free' services until it was too late.).
"You don't blame the person if they left the house unlocked."
I'm telling you the cops won't, but the insurance company will. There's a big difference between the legal consequences of our actions and the social consequences of our actions.
Yes, someone 'hacked' their accounts. Yes, there should be consequences for that sort of thing. At the same time, celebrities shouldn't be shocked that nude photos of themselves are a [disturbingly] valuable commodity on the internet. The fact is, these should have been better protected, (either by the celeb or their management) and that has some social consequences apart from the legal standing. And frankly, this shouldn't be shocking news to celebrities. It's not news to any of us out here in the real world.
The thing these programs [try] to bring isn't so much help with learning as much as EQUAL ACCESS to learning. It attempts to level the playing field between the kids at home with no pc for research and the more well-off kids with greater tech access.
That said, it doesn't provide in home internet access, satellite or 3g coverage, so many times it seems like a wasted effort, but it allows students greater flexibility than previous generations. They aren't tied down to a classroom, or getting shuffled out of the lab so a new class can come in. They can do their work anywhere there's free wifi. Further, it adds a value to your district in less tangible ways: showing kids you trust them with not-inexpensive hardware does interesting things to their psyche.
When gaming, moving the audio processing from motherboard to a discrete audio card doesn't relieve enough stress on the CPU to give additional in-game framerate, smoothness, etc., but it does increase the quality of the audio itself.
How is leaving Mexico because the cartel makes daily life unsafe any different than leaving Syria because radical Islamists make daily life unsafe?
When refugees show up at the Jordanian border, we all weep for their loss. When they show up at OUR border, we truck them back to the hell they came from and blame them for causing us trouble.
You tell me what's off base about having some compassion and asking intelligent questions about WHY they left.
Slashdot Mirror
http://www.politico.com/story/... is the first I found, and that's 10/2016, at 200 million.
198 million records of people over the age of 18 and registered to vote... isn't that basically "everyone who's registered to vote?" Or dang near?
Anyone with more spare research cycles? How many registered voters are in america currently?
You are absolutely correct. It falls within their job description. Perhaps I should have said "the problem is that they cannot be held accountable when they misuse those abilities."
Much as the whole idea of espionage leaves a sour taste in my mouth, I understand its necessity. But you're spot on in that the NSA got lazy, and they slipped the scope of their jurisdiction, and they were never brought to heel over it. Truth be told, there were a lot of politicians drooling over the potential that technology held, and were sad to see it brought to light – those same politicians we supposedly elected to protect and serve our interests. And no amount of waving the 'national security' flag will ever make this sort of mass surveillance in my – or anyone's – best interests.
I appreciate the sentiment of this. I truly do.
Self-sustaining, anarchistic self-governance sounds fantastic.
As long as the whole world moves to it.
The problem with anarchy is (paradoxically) that governments are a necessary evil because other governments exist. The moment America descends into chaotic anarchy or ascends into a utopian anarchy, every other nation on earth will see it as weakness and attack. Russia will take out a century of cold war hostilities. China. Iran. ISIS. North Korea might even take a swing. And that's just with today's "villains."
And none of that even supposes the problems with anarchy in practicality. Anarchy only works so long as the table is level, so long as everyone holds equal force and equal voice. The moment two people group together to better get their way, it starts an arms race that leads us back to right where we're sitting. The moment one person finds enough leverage to overturn the vote on that road, or pays off enough people to pass the vote regardless, the system is broken again. Our current government is, for better or worse, the end result of an attempt to actualize a utopian anarchy. After all, wasn't America founded on the ideals of self-determination and freedom from power hungry tyrants?
The problem isn't government. The problem is people. Or rather, the problem is that the greed and corruption exist within people, and in fact cannot exist outside of people. Government is only corrupt because it is a product of people working together to achieve an end, and people are inherently corrupt.
And yes, the system is rigged, in ways far deeper and more pervasive than any Trump dreamed up during the campaign. And yes, voting doesn't meaningfully change anything above the local level, if even there. And this is, I think, where the hopelessness stems from: people know that it's broken, but the monumental task of fixing it will likely topple our government rather than reform it, and that will likely get us killed before we could recover from it. For the survival of the average American citizen, a broken system is better than no system at all. Because of the enemies we have made (or nations who have decided we are enemies regardless of our actions)...a coup or a revolution would mean war on our soil. People are beginning to realize that fixing our government means the deaths of millions, and not from a civil war.
What are we supposed to do about it?
The real issue isn't the fact that the CIA/NSA/ [insert bureau here] can do these things. The issue is that they can't be held accountable for it.
We saw this in the financial crash of '08 (albeit in the private sector) as well: no one who is actually responsible for these things will ever see jail time. This won't end anyone's career. There's just not much the American people can do about it, and I think there's a sense among the general populace that they know this, even if only on a subconscious level. It's not apathy. It's a helpless resignation.
If they remove the headphone jack, it's solely for market lock-in reasons. Same as on the iPhone.
If, as you mentioned, we can already achieve wireless audio through third-parties, then how does the removal of a jack signify or aid "market lock-in"? I'm not beholden to apple to buy their headphones. Bluetooth is bluetooth. I'm not sure I see how we're being locked in to anything here. I could switch from my apple phone to my android phone with no issue. A proprietary plug, I could understand as lock-in (although I do like the "non 4-dimensional" qualities of the lightning adapter).
I do agree that the modern office space is not necessarily prepared for people to do meetings with no audio jack option. I will say, people thought Apple was crazy when they dumped the CD/DVD drive as well, but I can't say I've missed mine yet. I'm not sure I would call it "bravery", but I might call it "an unwillingness to allow the status quo to prevent our vision of progress", which sounds much more like Apple.
Airport? Conference? eduroam?
Honestly, how often is wired internet even available in these situations? Do you want to wait in line for a booth with wired internet at every airport and con and conference and ted talk? Should we be adding an RJ45 in the back of every convention hall chair? The logistics you're describing are untenable, especially in light of wifi's existence. The beauty of wifi is that many people can connect from a single point, without being tethered to a cord. That freedom is worth the latency for all but some of the most critical tasks. These are the problems wifi was invented to solve. It sounds like you're wanting to return us all to 1999.
Am I missing something in your post? Because based on your complaints it sounds like we'd be better off if we could solve some of wifi's issues, instead.
We know what each of our American presidential candidates are like too, but we're still going to give one of them the job....
Venatus vestibulum robotics, ipsum amet metus in modum
Better? :)
This. Mod parent up.
That sounds good. Except for one tiny thing:
I DON'T BELIEVE YOU.
These people are so fucking sutpid, it is astonishing to think that they developed nuclear weapons; waged the Cold War; and to this day, launch people into space! Their entirely dysfunctional leadership does not seem capable of any rational thought. Perhaps those early accomplishments were just manifestations of autonomous reflexes?
Are we still talking about Russia? America isn't exactly running the smoothest, most intelligent government at the moment either...
I take my watch off at the end of the day. I put it on in the morning. How big a difference is it to set it "on a charger on my nightstand", instead of just "on my nightstand?"
Much ado about nothing.
Are they actively anti-consumer, or simply pro-self, and we get caught in the wake?
Greed that accidentally destroys your country I can understand. Willfully destroying your country I can't. Occam's razor and all that.
Agreed.
As I read this article, I was reminded of the push back in the 90's to get off the corporate networks (Compuserve, AOL, etc.) where data and people were walled off from opposing networks, and dive into the World Wide Web. At some point the pendulum swung back towards the value brought by corporate networks, the biggest of which seems to be ease of construction compared to traditional web design.I first noticed the shift with community sites like angelfire/geocities and then moving towards social networks, where you just add content.
Now the pendulum is swinging back again because the cost/value equation in favor of corporate networks makes less sense (specifically, we didn't realize the consequences of selling ourselves and our data for 'free' services until it was too late.).
True, but from your original post:
"You don't blame the person if they left the house unlocked."
I'm telling you the cops won't, but the insurance company will. There's a big difference between the legal consequences of our actions and the social consequences of our actions.
Yes, someone 'hacked' their accounts. Yes, there should be consequences for that sort of thing. At the same time, celebrities shouldn't be shocked that nude photos of themselves are a [disturbingly] valuable commodity on the internet. The fact is, these should have been better protected, (either by the celeb or their management) and that has some social consequences apart from the legal standing. And frankly, this shouldn't be shocking news to celebrities. It's not news to any of us out here in the real world.
The police will most certainly blame the person who broke in to your house.
The insurance company will most certainly blame you for leaving your house unlocked.
This isn't an either/or situation. It's both/and, as has been pointed out numerous times over the last few weeks.
Why are we still talking about this? (Oh God. I'm part of the problem....)
Tell that to Kirk. He liked blue women just fine.
Well, based on nationality, actually. American isn't a race.
" If men were angels, no government would be necessary." - James Madison, Federalist Papers #51
The thing these programs [try] to bring isn't so much help with learning as much as EQUAL ACCESS to learning. It attempts to level the playing field between the kids at home with no pc for research and the more well-off kids with greater tech access.
That said, it doesn't provide in home internet access, satellite or 3g coverage, so many times it seems like a wasted effort, but it allows students greater flexibility than previous generations. They aren't tied down to a classroom, or getting shuffled out of the lab so a new class can come in. They can do their work anywhere there's free wifi. Further, it adds a value to your district in less tangible ways: showing kids you trust them with not-inexpensive hardware does interesting things to their psyche.
The state over whose territory this occurred bears responsibility for this awful tragedy.
I think you misread that quote.
What Putin is saying is "We did it. Also we own the Ukraine."
When gaming, moving the audio processing from motherboard to a discrete audio card doesn't relieve enough stress on the CPU to give additional in-game framerate, smoothness, etc., but it does increase the quality of the audio itself.
where he can just snap his fingers for Christ's sake!
That's a different God. Don't mix genres. :)
How is leaving Mexico because the cartel makes daily life unsafe any different than leaving Syria because radical Islamists make daily life unsafe?
When refugees show up at the Jordanian border, we all weep for their loss. When they show up at OUR border, we truck them back to the hell they came from and blame them for causing us trouble.
You tell me what's off base about having some compassion and asking intelligent questions about WHY they left.