Re: CAPSII protest...
Yes Tyler, there is something nasty you can do that will not get you nabbed. It requires the following equipment : airline ticket ( aisle seat ) large pizza with the works quart of yogurt one dozen raw oysters one package of MMs ipecac syrup ( or a wafer-thin mint ) Just imagine the effect if almost every flight had one (:or more:) passengers barfing buckets of primordial goo soon after takeoff. Works just as well for trains and buses. It requires massive participation and a large, but not necessarily strong, stomach. I think it expresses quite well how recent events affect us all. This may be a new form of civil disobedience. I hereby place it in the public domain for the benfit of all mankind. I wonder if there's a lab test for ipecac? (: --
Re: Gullible Journalists
Tyler Durden [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote : John Kelsey wrote... For some reason I've never been able to fathom, many journalists seem to be remarkably gullable, when they're told something from the right kind of source, especially a government agency or other official source. The net effect is that by and large journalists have become a cheerleading squad when what is needed is a vigorous and independent critical facility. That is if we are to retain some degree of the of, by and for philosophy. Maybe nobody wants that except for a few malcontents. Chomsky (dig around on http://www.zmag.org/weluser.htm) and others have commented on this quite a bit. What it seems to boil down to is a sort of natural selection. Basically, it works like this: 1) Government is releasing some cool smart-bomb commercials, erh I mean video to a few select news sources. 2) NBC sends a questioning, smart, well-informed dude to said press conference. 3) During said smart-bomb footage notices the Arabic word for Hospital on the top of the smart-bombs target, and asks Is that a hospital? 4) Government takes NBC off list of cool insider info: Can't be trusted, not playing ball 5) NBC, now out in the cold, assigns said informed journalist to covering Ruwanda or other low-profile stuff, and assures military officials that they'll send someone a little more cooperative next time. I'm exagerating for effect here of course...there's possibly not as much conscious decision making, and supposedly this kind of list-making happens for much quieter, insider stuff (not smart bomb footage). But clearly, there's got to be SOMETHING like this happening. -TD It's not entirely one-sided and coercive. I think there is a desire on the part of most people to identify with the winning side. This may induce a similar airheaded cheerleading effect without coercion even being necessary. Simple human nature. The desire to be led. Mike
Re: Comments from 1998 on shuttle
Mike Rosing [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote : From: http://ltp.arc.nasa.gov/space/ask/landing/Black_tiles_falling_off.txt If more than a few were lost from the same area, though, the heat could get bad enough to cause damage to the aluminum skin. Nobody wants to see what would happen if the wings started to deform like taffy, so the tiles are each pull-tested before each flight to ensure the best possible adhesion. Repairing in orbit would be nearly out of the question. For one thing, adhesives don't work well in space (all the volatiles freeze or evaporate instantly), and for another, the tiles are different shape, so there's no way to carry a spare for everything. The astronauts prefer that everything be gotten right on the ground! As I understand it ( possibly I'm mistaken ) the first 5 or 10 shuttle flights carried some sort of gizmo that could squirt an ablative material to conduct repairs in space. So if that item had been carried and if equipment had been on board to support a spacewalk some type of repair may have been attempted. That assumes no damage to the underlying structure. Then you're into welding. Weight, weight, weight. Seems kindof like leaving the spare tire, jack, poncho and duck boots out of your car to save weight and space. It's fine except for that one day you get a flat while it's pouring freezing rain and there's 3 or 4 inches of slush on the ground. Overconfidence? Playing the odds rather than playing it safe? And an astronomer from california reported seeing stuff fall off while over his head. It looks like the landing gear area is the place it started. It will be interesting to see if they can figure out what actually happened, but it's clear that even if they knew there was a problem, there's nothing they could have done other than burn up. Bishop, CA wasn't it? That would be maybe 1000 miles or 4-5 minutes away from the catastrophic breakup in E TX. More than enough time to realize you're beyond screwed. Bummer. I'm not a fan of the space program but yup, it's a bummer. Patience, persistence, truth, Dr. mike
punk and free markets
Jim Choate wrote : On Thu, 30 Jan 2003, Tyler Durden wrote: Me? I grew up here in NYC in the 70s, where/when Punk began (please, no one out in the sticks there try to tell me about the Brits inventing Punk, and Yeah, right...not. MC5 (1969, Detroit), Iggy Pop (1973, Detroit)...Kick out the jams brothers and sisters! I'd also include Blue Cheer (1968, San Fran) in the list of bands who don't get credit for starting stuff...in their case Acid Rock/Heavy Metal...Louder than God! I still have the original albums I bought as a pre-teen. Out of focus. The Brits are definitely out of first round play. Now to return your serve : back to NYC, Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground 1966. White Light White Heat 1967. As close to the egg as I can place any band in style and in spirit. If it were necessary to name one band as the progenitors of punk the Velvet Underground gets my vote. I keep meaning to set up my old BO and digitize some nice old vinyl before it's dust. This list, at least in the Fraunhoffer region, does on some level emanate a Punk attitude, and tolerating the presence of a crypto-fascist or two is something of a consequence. But I'm sick of seeing the Tim May cops come out every time someone suggests a different political notion. 'Tim May cops'? Not a very punk attitude you have there. You give Tim way! too much credit. I don't see much apart from anarchy and capitalism - the system is in place and running WOT ( Wide Open Throttle ). Tim just doesn't like some of the players. Mike
Re: Secure voice app: FEATURE REQUEST: RECORD IPs
Harmon Seaver [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Mon, Jan 27, 2003 at 07:06:24PM +0100, Thomas Shaddack wrote: DSL lease timeout. A feature of DHCP-based dynamic IP addresses over permanent connections. Similar for cable, though the differences yo observed seem to be rather implementation-dependent than principial. No, not really. It's far too irregular for that, sometimes goes for over a month, then sometimes 2-3 times in a week. More like them doing work on the system. That's about what I've seen. Not really dhcp anyway, it's Eoppp. Cable is usally dhcp, and is better because it authenticates on the mac address of the cable modem. And dhcp can be set up to always give the same ip to a certain mac address, but I don't think the eoppp can, or at least they don't -- it always has to negotiate a challange/passwd response which can be quite problematic -- sometimes the only way to get it to work again is to unplug the modem for 30 seconds or so, which, of course, frustrates any script you have to automagically reset dns for your domainname, or even just keep you online. Harmon Seaver There's probably an X10 module that would let your Linux box cycle the power on your modem/router/switch. try $50 : http://www.x10.com/automation/x10_ck11a.htm If you're not using a domain name then your script could publish your IP address on your home page ( in the clear or not as you choose ). Mike
Re: No Ex Post Facto Laws, No Easy Loss of Citizenship
Tim May [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote : First, even non-citizens have court rights now being denied to the concentration camp detainees. (Many of you reading this list are snip The Supreme Court should overrule the Appeals Court and say very simply: This man was and is a citizen. His presence overseas did not cause him to lose his citizenship. If he faces charges, he faces them in a U.S. court with full access to lawyers, full habeas corpus rights, full rights to face his accusers, and so on. And the Supremes ought to chastise the Bush Administration for thinking otherwise. --Tim May The supposed justification is that the guy was picked up on the battlefield. I say that on a battlefield, war or no war, they guy's citizenship is irrelevant. Where I differ with the current decision is that once he is detained, effectively removed from battle, his citizenship becomes of paramount importance. Some might argue that there is some sort of intelligence issue in between the two states. Perhaps. So I agree, you are right in what you say but watch what happens if Shrub gets to place more justices in the federal system. It'll get worse than it already is. M
gait control
MV wrote : At 11:34 PM 1/8/03 +0100, Thomas Shaddack wrote: I don't know the weaknesses of gait-observing systems, so I can't suggest anything. Kilts for men (over the knee, please, and not for aesthetics). Hoop-skirts for women. A heavy backpack carried asymmetrically (for extra fun, use a canteen where the sloshing water messes with your physics). Good test cases would involve professional deceivers (actors) also. --- Put a sharp stone in one shoe and some itching powder in yer shorts. That'll screw up yer gait.
Re: Dossiers and Customer Courtesy Cards
If I remember correctly, right after the WTC attack one of the grocery chains, I think it was Safeway, immediately offered it's customer lists to the FBI. What were they going to do profile people who bought excessive amounts of chick peas, garlic and lemons? Albertson's has recently returned to the stupid card but I notice that there is a checkbox that says you do not wish to give personal information. Fine. Of course you then lose the fantastic benefit of possibly having lost car keys returned via your friendly neighborhood grocery. It's all marketing bull with the added benefit of of contributing to that giant database in the sky. M
Snort
My intuition is that the government is going to be slightly fairer than, for example, Disney. That's just a guess, though. Bruce With an emphasis on slightly I might tend to agree but it looks more like the difference between liver cancer and kidney failure than it does the difference between perfect health and a cardiac arrest. Disney doesn't have the power to tell me what I may eat or smoke, except in their parks and on their property. Disney doesn't have the power to come to my house and search it (except when they collude with the police or other state-sanctioned actors, such as the SPA). Disney can go bankrupt and vanish if they make the wrong decisions or anger too many people. Disney cannot draft men into their armies and send them to die in foreign wars. Disney cannot establish death camps to liquidate Jews, gypsies, Ukrainians, intellectuals, and capitalist roaders. And so on, for thousands of examples. Other than these examples, yeah, you and Bruce are right that government is slightly fairer than Disney. Snort. Gurgle. Did you overlook the analogy? A miniscule difference in relative measure is irrelevant. --Tim May, Citizen-unit of of the once free United States The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots tyrants. --Thomas Jefferson, 1787
Re: Thwarting LE library fishing expeditions
Steve Schear [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote : After reading this ALA document http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/usapatriotlibrary.html , I believe I have concocted a legal administrative measure to thwart the anonymous fishing expeditions (esp.those authorized under the USA Patriot Act). In a nutshell, libraries would create a database to track and manage LE requests (this might be manual or online). They would also make available a special service, perhaps charged to their library account, for their patrons to check whether their names were in this database and guarantee a response within 48 hours. If they were in the DB the library would fail to respond, thus providing a sort of ZK proof of investigation. Q: Are such deadman data bases systems unlawful? Can LE force the library to provide false information to a patron? Looks like they can do any damn thing they please up to and including killing you and be praised for it. Somewhere underneath the pseudopatriotic chanting and totalitarian terrorism there lies what's left of America. May it rest in peace. steve I think maybe the better approach would be to ensure that the information they might be looking for is never created. Various anonymity systems for book checkout and collateral might be devised. Probably the best approach would be to digitize books and let them circulate on CD via sneakernet. Then you get into the handy dandy little ID code that each CD writer contains and writes to each CD. Anyone know how to defeat that? I think a random # option would be nice. Books without images should compress very nicely as text files. I think everybody should have a copy of every book. There is safety in uniformity. Mike
Re: TCPA and Open Source
James A. Donald [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote : -- On 13 Aug 2002 at 0:05, AARG! Anonymous wrote: The point is that while this is a form of signed code, it's not something which gives the TPM control over what OS can boot. Instead, the VCs are used to report to third party challengers (on remote systems) what the system configuration of this system is supposed to be, along with what it actually is. It does however, enable the state to control what OS one can boot if one wishes to access the internet. It does not seem to me that the TPM is likely to give hollywood what it wants, unless it is backed by such state enforcement. Furthermore, since the TPM gets first whack at boot up, a simple code download to the TPM could change the meaning of the signature, so that the machine will not boot unless running a state authorized operating system. It could well happen that TPM machines become required to go on the internet, and then later only certain operating systems are permitted on the internet, and then later the required operating system upgrades the TPM software so that only authorized operating systems boot at all. --digsig James A. Donald Golly gee, I wonder why there was a floater out there about the administration wanting to update the protocols we all use? If you can imagine a repressive technological approach to privacy and communication then you can bet your ass that it has already been thought of and is on someone's wishlist in DC. It seems a moot point to even debate whether or not this is the ultimate intent of the current crop of crap. Fucking duh! Mike
Re: Mandatory hardware
Major Variola \(ret\) [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote : TV makers may face mandate on digital receivers Wed Jul 31, 9:17 AM ET In an effort to jump-start the languid rollout of digital TV, federal regulators next week are expected to require all new TV sets to include digital receivers by 2006, say people familiar with the matter. TV makers say the mandate would boost the price of a TV by about $200, dampening sales. Broadcasters, who have pushed for such a rule, dispute the figure. snip http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2cid=711ncid=738e=8u=/usatoday/2002 0731/tc_usatoday/4320647 Lets see... they think they can require crap in TVs, in teleco equiptment... anyone still doubt they will try a power grab on the motherboard? I have no doubt that they will try to screw the motherboard ( they are, after all, motherfuckers ) but I suspect it will turn out to be more difficult than they think to completely eradicate noncompliant devices. That is unless the new protocols that the administration wants require hw id fields and authentication before packets can be carried. Now that I think about it it could easily be like getting service to a cell phone only more so. Interestingly, wireless equipment could be used to make networks that are not part of the controlled net. Then of course those can be outlawed. It looks pretty grim.
Re: Pizza with a credit card
One useful piece of advice: Don't but pizza with a credit card: SNIP Course all those terrorists buying their pizzas with cash get away clean. I've wondered for years how much longer this will be allowed. Cash is still viable. Not as viable as it was 10, or even 5 years ago. I am still able to travel with only cash, buy a pizza with only cash, or other food, still buy groceries without having to produce mein ausweiss (why I stopped shopping at CostCo years back). But it is all getting stickier. Quite clearly cash has got to go! I'm not sure how tough this would be to sneak past the slumbering electorate. Pretty tough I expect. But the usage level is certainly going down while the percentage of electronic transactions is skyrocketing. We've even had concresscritters suggesting that the transport of $10K !interstate! should be illegal. I think this came up when the most recent international transport rule changes were made. It's getting more wierd every week now. An adjustment in the other direction will come along soon - I hope but doubt.
We don't need no stinking keys...
if you'll just leave your back door ajar. I could suggest some alternate meanings for empowered. Sorry for the imagery. Mike http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/ptech/07/18/computer.security.ap/index.html /* Tools of empowerment Clarke said the recommendations -- which currently number 77 but could change before the official announcement -- will include government-provided software and other tools to make them easier to implement. He declined to say what the specific recommendations are. It's designed to not just say (they) have a responsibility, but to empower them by giving them the tools, Clarke said. */
Re: 385-3 vote: House OKs life sentences for hackers
Elyn Wollensky [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote : seems the cyber-terrorist FUD is starting to hit the fan ... ;~( e House OKs life sentences for hackers But time may run out for computer crime bill in Senate http://www.msnbc.com/news/780923.asp WASHINGTON, July 15 - The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly Monday to create a new punishment of life imprisonment for malicious computer hackers. By a 385-3 vote, the House approved a computer crime bill that also expands police ability to conduct Internet or telephone eavesdropping without first obtaining a court order. snip Until we secure our cyber infrastructure, a few keystrokes and an Internet connection is all one needs to disable the economy and endanger lives, sponsor Lamar Smith, R-Tex., said earlier this year. A mouse can be just as dangerous as a bullet or a bomb. snip Explain to me how someone who puts porno on a USAF website is any worse than someone who spraypaints a bridge abutment? Isn't community service a typical outcome of the latter getting caught? Explain to me how a computer hacker is more dangerous than a drunk driver on the freeway? A hacker who interrupts power could be said to put hundreds or thousands of lives at risk but so could a drunk driver who spends an hour on the freeway. One is parallel the other is more or less serial, so what? I guess rationality has little to do with what we're seeing : enabling technologies scare totalitarians. Mike
Re: Hayek was right. Twice.
Marcel Popescu [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote : From: Sampo Syreeni [EMAIL PROTECTED] But when the yield does not go to the one who created the master copy, why should anyone create anything, anymore? (Or, more realistically, why should people create at an efficient level?) There's no such thing as efficient level, except in the tautology the market outcome is always efficient. We both created stuff we didn't expect to be paid for - these emails. Why - this is for psychology to discover. Mark The why is easy - for some reason you think that strutting around in this barnyard is going to get you more chicas. Mike
Re: [OT] why was private gold ownership made illegal in the US?
Anonymous [EMAIL PROTECTED] Just curious, but what was the rationale under which private posession of gold was made illegal in the US? It boggles the mind... snip However doing a straight devaluation was politically unacceptable at the time. Because the dollar was pegged to gold, devaluing the dollar meant in effect increasing the value of gold in terms of dollars. This would represent a tremendous windfall to holders of gold. And gold, by and large, is owned by the rich. snip By eliminating private gold ownership, Roosevelt was able to take a necessary step to invigorate the economy, devaluing the dollar, while reducing the risk of a civil war. The rich protested, of course, but in practice they went along with the measure as they were terrified of a workers' revolution. snip IIRC many of the wealthy were quick enough to ship huge amounts of gold to Europe. That is one reason I have heard given that the St Gauden's $20 gold pices of that era are possibly poor investments - there is a reservoir of them overseas. Mike
Re: Terror Reading
Eric Cordian [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote : It was my understanding that libraries destroy records of patrons' activity as soon as the books are returned. Nonetheless, this is an interesting Federal fishing expedition, with warrants issued by secret courts, and criminal penalties for librarians who talk too much. http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-attacks-libraries0625jun24.story -- Eric Michael Cordian 0+ OK, so all that is needed is a collateral-based anonymous library card. Required collateral could be based on the difficulty of replacement. Priceless relics could require identity as collateral. Potboilers, market price + shipping and handling. Worse than searching library records, of course, is the tracking of internet reading habits. Mike
Theft Attempt or LEO Sting?
Look at the two sites : http://www.e-gold.com http://www.e-golb.com - BTW the registrant's info is phony, Docent doesn't know her, carder.com user search fails, may she get boiled alive someday I never opened an e-gold account. I wonder where the fuckers got my e-mail address - here or because I check markets on kitco? Mike e-mail excerpt : Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- * * * Important information about your e-gold account * * * --- e-gold Account User Agreement updates Please go in yours account and read e-gold User Agreement using the link below. * * * IMPORTANT * * Only after logging in and reading updates you can continue spend e-gold. Click here for login. - Thank you for using e-gold! - This automatic email sent to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Do not reply to this email. www.e-gold.com
Re: Theft Attempt or LEO Sting?
Sunder wrote: The https cert for e-golb shows up as snake oil in all the fields. www.snakeoil.dom Snake Oil, Ltd Webserver Team Snake Town Snake Desert, XY emailAddress: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Snake Oil CA Snake Oil, Ltd Certificate Authority Snake Town Nice scam... Probably snorted cypherpunks for email addrs and spammed'em all. All the top bar links point to the real e-gold site nice... All except for home and login - the key ones, so to speak. Well, I'll continue to invest/spend e-gold at my old rate of 0; Yawn. Mike
Artist's rights?
On Thu, 13 Jun 2002, Lucky Green wrote: The other half of the shears cutting away at the public's right to entertain themselves with the artwork they purchased in any way they please is represented by parts of the art culture of significant political clout, in particular in Europe. Bills are pending or have already passed, that make it illegal for a buyer of a work of art to simply dispose of the work, or use it as kindling in his fireplace, once he no longer desires to own it. No, you can't just burn that painting you bought from some street corner painter five years ago. Though you are permitted to give the painting back to the artist. Without compensation, of course. the american artists are also trying to get this kind of right in place for themselves. The perspective isn't so much copyright as it is leave it alone forever. But it amounts to the same thing. Beyond absurd. A piece of art is like any other piece of property. Mike
Feinstein Follies
What an dumbass Feinstein is, the House and the Senate vote in a draconian bill with zero forethought and she has the goddamned gall to say we should not rush to judgement. http://www.thehill.com/050102/patriot.shtm I think were in a very difficult time where our national security is threatened, said Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.). I think before people rush to judgment on the Patriot Act we ought to have a substantial period of time to let it sort itself out. She is right on one point, our national security is threatened, and stupid politicians are the primary source of that threat. I am perenially shocked at the low standards to which we voters hold our elected officials. I will never get over it. Never. Pardon me while I go vomit. Again. And again... Mike
Re: Bad guys vs. Good guys
As a simple illustration of the inability to separate the Good Guys from the Bad Guys I use my experiences with my Visa card company. I use the damn thing to buy gas a few times a week and every so often I'll use it for a big ticket item like a PC or a Spa for example. At which time I generally have to spend 20 minutes on the phone with the numbnutz at the credit company explaining that despite the fact that their SW tells them I behave like a credit card thief ( testing the card at the relatively low-risk gas pump then buying a laptop ) I really am the customer, the card is in my posession and I really do want to use it. I usually get a warning about my language at which point I am allowed the priveledge of speaking with some sort of manager. Maybe I am a bad guy since I curse and almost never carry a credit card balance. Very unpatriotic. I remember that in the weeks post 9-11 Safeway or one of the other grocery store chains offered to profile customers. What are they going to do? Question everyone who buys olive oil, chick peas, garlic and sesame paste? The whole surveillance thing is bound to proceed at breakneck speed and bound also to be a useless waste of effort. The next terrorist event will probably be something quite unexpected and not easily detected. Oh well, it makes a good discussion topic and a good freak show ( on the TV news I mean, not here, no freaks here ). Mike
Re: Coins vs. bills
Tim May [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Thursday, April 11, 2002, at 10:05 PM, Peter Gutmann wrote: (And bear in mind that a one dollar coin is worth about what a quarter ($0.25) was worth in 1970, and about what a dime ($0.10) was worth when silver dollars were still common. Maybe we need a $10 coin.) --Tim May US $10 coinage. They're really pretty. In non-proof grade they're USD100. Not really a circulation coin, more of a gift item. http://catalog.usmint.gov/wcs/wcs_command/0,,cginame_a=ProductDisplayquerystring=prnbr;Z13+prmenbr;1000+cgnbr;1100,00.html The Silver Eagles ( $1 ) are really pretty too. I'd hate to carry around very many silver dollars considering the price of Ag today ( ~USD4.55 ). 1 pound would be worth about $50. Although modern US silver dollars carry a hefty premium over their metal content so really 1 lb would be about $75. No wonder paper money became popular. Is Howard Ruff still recommending preparing for the upcoming hyperinflation by buying metals? Mike
Re: Detectable cash notes a fantasy
Trei, Peter wrote: Michael Motyka[SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Tim May [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Tuesday, April 9, 2002, at 10:54 AM, Trei, Peter wrote: Putting RF Tags in cash is one of those ideas with Unintended Consequences. Muggers would love having a way of determining which victims are carrying a wad, as would many salesmen (and JBTs looking to perform a 'civil confiscation' on 'a sum of currency'.) [...] Further, placing the notes in a simple aluminum foil pouch, or a wallet with equivalent lining, would cut any detectable signals by maybe 30-50 dB. Not to mention that if you didn't want your money chirping its presence every time a bad actor pinged it you could just disable the transponder in the money : mechanical pressure or repeated bending high voltage high power RF heat For paper money failure rates will probably be high anyway. Perhaps, perhaps not. Remember, the primary app for this is anti-counterfeiting. Sir: ALL your $20 bills are failing authentication. Please wait while I call Security. Peter I thought of this but I felt that at this point it is no longer cash but a fixed-denomination smart card. Currently you can exchange a partial note ( ~50% ) for a new one. There would have to be a mechanism in place for failed electronic bills otherwise people might not be very confident in accepting them. Granted, the inconvenience factor could get high. Mike
