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Edward Snowden SXSW live stream

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Re: Edward Snowden SXSW live stream

#41

Post by cinquemb »

exelius wrote: post #37
cinquemb wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What about the formation of any corporation? To whom does the potential corporation submit itself to? And what benefits does it receive upon incorporation even well before any business model can be in sight or capital gained?

Corporations submit to the shareholders. Those shareholders submit to the government, because let's face it: governments have real power in the form of men with guns. Different governments have different rules about how and when those men with guns do things, and yes, that is a conversation that needs to happen in the US. This was a talk targeted at technologists. All technologists can do is try to make it harder for…

All technologists can do is try to make it harder for governments to collect data on the entire population at once by using secure crypto schemes.

I disagree with that statement, because it assumes all technologists pick the state as the enemy, or that they all think mass collection is a problem. I personally see the information asymmetry between who can have access to such information and those who do not as the problem, and one that I am personally working on solving.

And then there's this: look how many people you see advocating for "secure crypto schemes" and how many of them are actively developing them and have been for decades, and wonder about how effective they have been so far for the greater population or even to the population that is still advocating for it. Because I sure do wonder about that…

Re: Edward Snowden SXSW live stream

#42

Post by eplanit »

krisdol wrote: post #31
untog wrote: post #30

1. Did he really have the US Constitution as a backdrop? Is he Saul Goodman? 2. It's a shame no-one asked him about his opinions on Russia's recent actions. I know it isn't anything to do with the revelations he exposed, but seeking asylum in Russia makes him part of the broader political game.

There's a right time and right place to publicly criticize a country's actions, and I think it comes after you no longer depend on that country for political asylum

Right, it comes after you flee to Hong Kong with the goods.

Re: Edward Snowden SXSW live stream

#43

Post by mcphilip »

untog wrote: post #30

1. Did he really have the US Constitution as a backdrop? Is he Saul Goodman? 2. It's a shame no-one asked him about his opinions on Russia's recent actions. I know it isn't anything to do with the revelations he exposed, but seeking asylum in Russia makes him part of the broader political game.

>1. Did he really have the US Constitution as a backdrop?

I'm as politically cynical as just about anyone I know. I have no faith in either party. Ron Paul was the only remotely interesting candidate in the primaries, but after he lost I couldn't care less about the Obama vs Romney election. Both are empty suits beholden to the highest bidder. Sure, the parties are great at focusing on polarizing issues like abortion and distribution of wealth, but neither one apparently gives a fuck about reforming the rot at the core (e.g. campaign financing, congress beholden to corporate interest, defense spending, moral hazard post bailouts, cost of college skyrocketing along with student aid keeping pace, etc).

So yes, I'm a doom and gloom kind of guy who sees no clear way out of the mess that the US is in. I'm not patriotic, though I'm still grateful to be a US citizen. I scoffed at the Tea Party's obsession with the US Constitution since I saw very little evidence that they really understood what it's all about. If I saw any politician giving an interview with a US Constitution as the backdrop, I'd roll my eyes and wonder what they were trying to sell me.

BUT, Snowden is the best example that I know of as a person that really values the plan for the US as laid out by the Constitution and who saw first hand an insidious threat to ignoring those principles without the public even being aware. If there's anyone who has earned the right to call himself a true patriot and defender of the Constitution, it's Edward Snowden. So the backdrop may not be such an odd choice given that perspective, IMO.

Re: Edward Snowden SXSW live stream

#44

Post by jcampbell1 »

Crito wrote: post #24
bostonpete wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you really think his goal was to get them to rescind their invitation? I don't think I'm typically cynical on such matters but I have little doubt that his goal was to get publicity for asking for this invitation to be rescinded. I suspect he got exactly what he wanted here -- go on record against Snowden and get liberals attacking him. That can only help him fend off potential threats in a primary later this year…

> "and get liberals attacking him" If there is one thing I don't understand about this entire issue, it is how partisan politics are actually playing out. Normally I just look at what people in my extended family think, but all of the Republicans/conservatives in my extended family think that all of this NSA stuff is A Big Deal (tm) and think Snowden a patriotic hero (presumably because they think that it paints the…

It is the same paradox as the big military vs small government thinking in the republican party. This particular congressman is a big military republican.

Idealogical consistency isn't really important for either party. I just accept that.

Re: Edward Snowden SXSW live stream

#45

Post by if_by_whisky »

fragsworth wrote: post #21
if_by_whisky wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Using the t word while trying to censor people that disagree with you politically is infuriatingly unpatriotic.

I assume you mean "traitor", but the same could probably be said of "terrorist"

What's the difference these days : p

Re: Edward Snowden SXSW live stream

#46

Post by dublinben »

kzahel wrote: post #16
cs02rm0 wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure it's bandwidth and not just that they're not muting their microphones while he talks. Either way, the experience is terrible.

Seriously. Manually mute your mic. This applies to everybody who uses hangouts or conferences with anything, ever.

It also makes a big difference to use a headset or headphones so the other person's audio is directed into your ears, not played out loud.

Re: Edward Snowden SXSW live stream

#47

Post by MrZongle2 »

smtddr wrote: post #25
Crito wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "and get liberals attacking him" If there is one thing I don't understand about this entire issue, it is how partisan politics are actually playing out. Normally I just look at what people in my extended family think, but all of the Republicans/conservatives in my extended family think that all of this NSA stuff is A Big Deal (tm) and think Snowden a patriotic hero (presumably because they think that it paints the…

>>but all of the Republicans/conservatives in my extended family think that all of this NSA stuff is A Big Deal(tm) and think Snowden a patriotic hero (presumably because they think that it paints the Obama administration in a bad light, which they are always all for.) I'm glad there are republicans/conservatives that are against what NSA is doing because it supports my wild theory[1] about what would happen if thing…

I'm not glad that they hold Obama responsible for something that probably started before he showed up and he probably doesn't have absolute power to shutdown.

What one President can create without the involvement of the other two branches of government, his successor has the power to dismantle.

Re: Edward Snowden SXSW live stream

#48

Post by Crito »

nsxwolf wrote: post #26
Crito wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "and get liberals attacking him" If there is one thing I don't understand about this entire issue, it is how partisan politics are actually playing out. Normally I just look at what people in my extended family think, but all of the Republicans/conservatives in my extended family think that all of this NSA stuff is A Big Deal (tm) and think Snowden a patriotic hero (presumably because they think that it paints the…

I presume the pro-NSA Republicans and conservatives think they are taking a principled stand in defense against terrorism, even if it means standing with the Obama administration. Most of my conservative friends and family (which are, in fact, most of my friends and family, period) are against the NSA not because of Obama, but because they are generally anti-big government and have been the "big brother is watching u…

> "Most of my conservative friends and family (which are, in fact, most of my friends and family, period) are against the NSA not because of Obama, but because they are generally anti-big government and have been the "big brother is watching us" types for decades. They see this as vindication of a lifetime of accusations of paranoia from the Left."

This is a good point; I am probably giving my family members too little credit.

Re: Edward Snowden SXSW live stream

#49

Post by CamperBob2 »

MrZongle2 wrote: post #47
smtddr wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>>but all of the Republicans/conservatives in my extended family think that all of this NSA stuff is A Big Deal(tm) and think Snowden a patriotic hero (presumably because they think that it paints the Obama administration in a bad light, which they are always all for.) I'm glad there are republicans/conservatives that are against what NSA is doing because it supports my wild theory[1] about what would happen if thing…

I'm not glad that they hold Obama responsible for something that probably started before he showed up and he probably doesn't have absolute power to shutdown. What one President can create without the involvement of the other two branches of government, his successor has the power to dismantle.

It's not always that easy. Yes, any branch of government -- legislative, executive, or judicial -- has the authority to shut these programs down. But you can rest assured that the first people the NSA spied on were the politicians and judges who might try to stop them.

What happened to Eliot Spitzer didn't involve the NSA specifically, but I'm sure the lesson wasn't lost on anyone.

Re: Edward Snowden SXSW live stream

#50

Post by bostonpete »

smtddr wrote: post #25
Crito wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "and get liberals attacking him" If there is one thing I don't understand about this entire issue, it is how partisan politics are actually playing out. Normally I just look at what people in my extended family think, but all of the Republicans/conservatives in my extended family think that all of this NSA stuff is A Big Deal (tm) and think Snowden a patriotic hero (presumably because they think that it paints the…

>>but all of the Republicans/conservatives in my extended family think that all of this NSA stuff is A Big Deal(tm) and think Snowden a patriotic hero (presumably because they think that it paints the Obama administration in a bad light, which they are always all for.) I'm glad there are republicans/conservatives that are against what NSA is doing because it supports my wild theory[1] about what would happen if thing…

> Since he doesn't need to be re-elected, I'm assuming the opinions he has these days are truly his own without any other motive. That hurts. :(

If you believe he's doing it because it's what he believes is best for the country, that's the best you can hope for I guess. He's a smart guy, with an appreciation of the Constitution, and a lot more information available to him than the vast majority of people on any issue put before him. Given that he's not up for re-election again, I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt on his motivations in his second term.

That's not to say that I agree with every thing he does, just that I take comfort in knowing that he's relatively unencumbered at this point.

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