That reminds me of a story of a relative, who was working in a local German bank (Sparkasse). They were screening the text on money transfers (Überweisung) for words like "anthrax". I couldn't believe that they had such an order.
US bars friends over Twitter joke
51–60 of 232 posts
Re: US bars friends over Twitter joke
#52As said Richelieu, who knew his police business: “Avec deux lignes d’écriture d’un homme, on peut faire le procès du plus innocent“. Unfortunately, this wasn't representative of a time of utmost personal freedom...
Can you please translate?
I knew a version from Voltaire which goes like this: "give me one sentence from anyone and I'll have him hanged."
Of course if it comes from Richelieu it's more interesting since he actually could have people hanged, their castles destroyed, their properties confiscated, etc.
Re: US bars friends over Twitter joke
#53I am not really familiar with the Sun, but people here on HN seem to dismiss the story as a hoax because it's featured on the this website/newspaper. Can anyone please clarify what's its reputation and why should it be mistrusted? Thanks.
I wouldn't go as far as to say that the Sun makes stuff up... but they certainly don't question a "good story" as much as they should and seem to print almost everything at face value. It's the kind of paper that has sensationalist headlines about pederasts on the front page, topless pics of barely legal girls on page 3 and no sense of irony. This particular article falls into the Jingoism style articles that the Sun…
Unfortunately, a lot of the US media doesn't seem to be aware of this. There was an amusing incident a while back where Wired had an article claiming that the British government was installing CCTVs in peoples' houses to watch their parenting. There source for this nonsense was that most reliable of papers, the Express.
Re: US bars friends over Twitter joke
#54Shenanigans. 1) Where did they get the pictured Homeland Security report if HS "declined to comment"? If accurate, it looks like the sort of communication that an agency that refused to comment on an story would not be too quick to divulge. There is no mention of a FOI application, which I'm not even sure two foreigners are entitled to. 2) The two posing clowns are just that kind you would expect to be the butt of jo…
> Where did they get the pictured Homeland Security report if HS "declined to comment"?
The Daily Mail article captions it as "Paperwork handed to Mr Van Bryan".
May be shenanigans, but I don't see any particular reason to think so aside from the fact it's reported by the Sun/Mail.
Re: US bars friends over Twitter joke
#55And people wonder why I do nothing on the Internet under my own name.
Are you serious? Do you think you can't be tracked down by all the IP-addresses you are using?
Re: US bars friends over Twitter joke
#56Have no more fear, your country is safe from all terrorists who tweet about their plans. Truthfully, I wouldn't have expected this from America, they're the kind of jokes I could imagine myself making on Twitter, but will be careful not to before future trips there.. This is pretty much what I think of when going to China, and what makes me specially careful not to say anything the Chinese could take as a threat. Heh…
US is done as the "land of the free". It's still very hard for many people to believe it, but it's true. I mean it's 47th place in the world for freedom of press now - 47th! That's far from the beacon of freedom US used to be. Whenever I see the heavily armed and militarized police in US and how they react to protesters, it's like I'm watching news about Russia or something.
Re: US bars friends over Twitter joke
#57Earlier quoted context omitted.
I wouldn't go as far as to say that the Sun makes stuff up... but they certainly don't question a "good story" as much as they should and seem to print almost everything at face value. It's the kind of paper that has sensationalist headlines about pederasts on the front page, topless pics of barely legal girls on page 3 and no sense of irony. This particular article falls into the Jingoism style articles that the Sun…
"I wouldn't go as far as to say that the Sun makes stuff up..." You really think Freddie Starr ate that hamster? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freddie_Starr#.22Freddie_Starr_...
Wikipedia backs up my recollection that Freddie Starr's publicist made that up, although the Sun was hardly deceived into believing it was true.
Re: US bars friends over Twitter joke
#58Shenanigans. 1) Where did they get the pictured Homeland Security report if HS "declined to comment"? If accurate, it looks like the sort of communication that an agency that refused to comment on an story would not be too quick to divulge. There is no mention of a FOI application, which I'm not even sure two foreigners are entitled to. 2) The two posing clowns are just that kind you would expect to be the butt of jo…
Shenanigans?
Nah. Simulation.
Re: US bars friends over Twitter joke
#59Earlier quoted context omitted.
US is done as the "land of the free". It's still very hard for many people to believe it, but it's true. I mean it's 47th place in the world for freedom of press now - 47th! That's far from the beacon of freedom US used to be. Whenever I see the heavily armed and militarized police in US and how they react to protesters, it's like I'm watching news about Russia or something.
When _was_ it the land of the free? The period between giving black people the vote and the PATRIOT act? Even then, it was hardly number one.
I am always at odds with this because I find myself talking about our freedoms being taken away while I think back on my grandfather and what he went through. Gay people are even getting closer to the vast majority accepting them and possibly marriage (depending on the supreme court). This country was built with women and blacks having no true freedom. That does not mean I am not appalled at what is happening now, but what should we go back to? People constantly mention "freedom" like everybody in this country always had it. The government is just finding ways to do what it has always done, which no includes technology. The main difference is that the internet lets us know without a short time-span.
I do hope that we can make a better future, but it is not like the past was the greatest thing either.
Re: US bars friends over Twitter joke
#60There's a better version of the story on the Daily Mail web site that has a picture of the documents given to these folks when they were barred: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2093796/British-tour...
Only The Sun could make an article in the Daily Mail appear good by comparison. Amazing quote from the girl in this piece though: "We just wanted to have a good time on holiday. That was all Leigh meant in his tweet. He would not hurt anyone. He is gay.' Wondering if I can use that as evidence that I wouldn't hurt anything if I ever have any problems with the TSA..
Reading Ms. Banting's Twitter stream makes me wonder if they weren't really barred from entry on the grounds of being total numbskulls.