Earlier quoted context omitted.
That explains the new accounts with 500+ karma...
Are you threatening me? ;-) Kidding aside, I almost never downvote (power = responsibility)
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Cyberscare: Ex-NSA chief calls transparency groups, hackers next terrorists
31–40 of 186 posts
Re: Cyberscare: Ex-NSA chief calls transparency groups, hackers next terrorists
#32How long do I have to use this site before I get downvote?
It comes at 500 karma. You'll have to wait a while. And if you mean the article, then you'll never get downvote. There is no downvoting articles. Only flagging.
Oh I thought it was removed completly. I understood that but this 500 points-rule souds like an invitation to karma whoring...
I'll return to my silent existence now.
Re: Cyberscare: Ex-NSA chief calls transparency groups, hackers next terrorists
#33"who haven't talked to the opposite sex in five or six years." This is the scariest aspect of the data collection. People like this have the data to identify homosexuals. Hell, I suspect that a lot of the rationale for the data collection was tracking Muslims. The potential this information has to facilitate genocide is astronomical and homophobes are in positions of power.
I understood the quote as an insult to nerds who are afraid to talk to women and not as homophobia.
Agreed - it is interesting that the phrasing in the article was deliberately gender agnostic. What is the relevance of political correctness in the context of a boorish and petty insult?
Re: Cyberscare: Ex-NSA chief calls transparency groups, hackers next terrorists
#34So expressing support for Snowden is suggested to be a sign I might be a threat to a country. Way to accelerate the self-censorship (and the subsequent censorship of thought) that this whole surveillance disaster creates.
I don't know exactly who Hayden was talking about, but various people on the Internet have done a lot more than "express support". Calls for "revolution" and "rioting in the streets" seem to pop up in comments on these stories on a pretty regular basis on various sites. But there have also been suggestions of more specific action, including shooting FISA court judges and others and one guy on Reddit speculating about blowing up parts of the power grid.
Now I'm sure most of that is pointless Internet talk. But it certainly goes way beyond expressions of support or discussion of changing policy or laws through democratic means.
Re: Cyberscare: Ex-NSA chief calls transparency groups, hackers next terrorists
#35This is a great argument against people who "got nothing to hide". If the government suddenly decides you are a terrorist you will understand privacy is a good thing.
There was a very good article on that subject in Chronicle two years ago. (http://chronicle.com/article/Why-Privacy-Matters-Even-if/127...)
IIRC Bruce Schneier has made an excellent point too: "nothing to hide" becomes destructive the moment those in power get to decide what is the current definition of "illegal" or "dangerous". Just find all occurrences and shows of support of the $new_threat in the available personal histories and persecute at will.
In other words, it's never the right approach.
Re: Cyberscare: Ex-NSA chief calls transparency groups, hackers next terrorists
#36yesterday Muslims, today hackers, tomorrow 82 year old nuns will be called terrorists!
Re: Cyberscare: Ex-NSA chief calls transparency groups, hackers next terrorists
#37People need to start accepting that government != country; such people as such being called as "terrorists" or "communists" or other words that were bandied about as the bogeyman of the time are perceived as threats to the government by those most poised to profit from that government. A government that no longer represents the people, but corporations and those that benefit by it, will threaten those that question i…
> A government that no longer represents the people, but corporations and those that benefit by it, will threaten those that question its legitimacy as that is only obvious. A government elected with a reasonable majority arguably represents the people who elected them. Not represents as in "represents their interests", implying that they act on their behalf in their best interest. No, represents as in "they are the…
What is this post supposed to be? An junior high school Civics lesson? There was never any opportunity to "elect" anything to do with NSA. The NSA is a huge military-ish state security organization that was secretly and massively built up in the Cold War. It at least seems to outsiders that it served its purpose well[1]. But there is no more great enemy, and the whole lot are now struggling to remain relevant.
People have been boycotting elections for years. That only makes it easier for the radical fringes to their their crap on the agenda and for politicians to focus on those low-hanging fruits.
[1] I've been reading a lot about NSA lately and it seems they could've got us all killed with some very provocative missions pentesting Soviet air defenses. They did manage to get dozens of pilots and air-crew killed.
Re: Cyberscare: Ex-NSA chief calls transparency groups, hackers next terrorists
#38So expressing support for Snowden is suggested to be a sign I might be a threat to a country. Way to accelerate the self-censorship (and the subsequent censorship of thought) that this whole surveillance disaster creates.
I don't know exactly who Hayden was talking about, but various people on the Internet have done a lot more than "express support". Calls for "revolution" and "rioting in the streets" seem to pop up in comments on these stories on a pretty regular basis on various sites. But there have also been suggestions of more specific action, including shooting FISA court judges and others and one guy on Reddit speculating about…
All over it has been established that per-se democracy does not exist anymore. Meaning that wealthy and powerful have more democracy allotted to them than to the rest.
Actually what is seems is that government is putting screws real tight on the lid because if whole FIAT dollar thing fails - there will be no more democracy and only Militarized police and thorough monitoring of the people will stop an extraordinary event such as Civil war or revolution from happening.
Re: Cyberscare: Ex-NSA chief calls transparency groups, hackers next terrorists
#39"who haven't talked to the opposite sex in five or six years." This is the scariest aspect of the data collection. People like this have the data to identify homosexuals. Hell, I suspect that a lot of the rationale for the data collection was tracking Muslims. The potential this information has to facilitate genocide is astronomical and homophobes are in positions of power.
Can we all please just take a deep breath and stop with the hyperbole.
The US government is not planning to commit genocide against gay people or whatever ridiculous premise you're insinuating.
Re: Cyberscare: Ex-NSA chief calls transparency groups, hackers next terrorists
#40People need to start accepting that government != country; such people as such being called as "terrorists" or "communists" or other words that were bandied about as the bogeyman of the time are perceived as threats to the government by those most poised to profit from that government. A government that no longer represents the people, but corporations and those that benefit by it, will threaten those that question i…
> A government that no longer represents the people, but corporations and those that benefit by it, will threaten those that question its legitimacy as that is only obvious. A government elected with a reasonable majority arguably represents the people who elected them. Not represents as in "represents their interests", implying that they act on their behalf in their best interest. No, represents as in "they are the…
“Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.”
H. L. Mencken