What I meant to add was: I fear they will be all the more zealous in their prosecution of this suspected second leak because they can't get their hands on Snowden (and so all their rage against him will be directed against the second leaker).
One source, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter, said there was concern "there is no longer an appetite at Justice for these cases." Maybe not, but it's highly unlikely this case will slide if the leaker is caught.
The insane part of all this is that Conal O'Rourke has been screaming at the top of his lungs for Comcast and/or his former employer to release both the emails that got him fired and the recordings of all his phone conversations with Comcast, so that he can clear his name and get a new job at another accounting firm. To date, his employer and Comcast, the company that cares, have declined to do so.
With O'Rourke threatening (or hinting at) litigation, I'd guess that Comcast and PWC were hesitant to release anything for fear that O'Rourke would then claim that they were violating his privacy. (Yes, I could see this happening even if was saying, "Release everything.") Now that he's actually filed a lawsuit against Comcast, it's probably a smart choice at this point for Comcast and PWC to release nothing (unless/until mandated to do so), make no further comment, and wait for the lawyers to sort it out.
Education is extremely important, all the more so nowadays, when so many employers require a college degree for jobs whose actual work doesn't require a college education, just to narrow down the first group of applicants to a manageable number.
But sometimes, despite all the education in the world, the jobs just aren't there. There aren't enough decent-paying jobs for all the people who are willing and able to work. This challenge isn't going away. Innovation reduces the need for certain work, or at least the incentive to pay people for certain work. That's OK. It's fine. It's good actually. But....
Our society is built on the model of "school --> job --> retirement", a model that is increasingly unsustainable for a significant portion of the population*. How do we adapt?
*setting aside for the moment that the model never actually worked for everyone anyway.
(But I digress. Yes, let's throw Big Tobacco under the bus. But that's just a start...)
Would that mean that overall processing power is now approaching (but will never quite reach) zero?
Also, two spaces after a period. Forever. Even though I know it's going to be "corrected" in this comment. (And furthermore, sentence fragments. Verbs overrated.)
I'd think if he didn't know that Comcast was a PWC client, and didn't identify himself as a PWC employee, that should make a difference. But I'm not sure whether it actually would, officially. (Any experts on accounting ethics here who could tell us?)
And, yes, a few people (including myself) have posted something similar on Ars.
Precisely. If he'd done what you'd suggested he could be viewed as a whistle-blower. But, even if it didn't intend it as such, it's perfectly reasonable to infer from his letter and calls that he's threatening to report questionable activity, unless they meet his demands. That's not whistle-blowing. That looks like something else entirely.
The first part of this story is Comcast as we know it. Atrocious service (even more craptastic than normal), erroneous billing, and a host of problems trying to resolve it.
This is what resulted (after public pressure, of course) in the public apology from Comcast. This is what they're apologizing for.
The second part of this story is where things get a bit dicey and prompt me to do something I really feel terrible doing: Defending Comcast.
Conal O'Rourke works for PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC). PWC provides accounting advisory services to Comcast. O'Rourke, after spending months trying to resolve Comcast's problems with his service and account, emailed a Comcast employee a copy of a letter he said he might send (but had not yet sent) to the Comcast comptroller. In that letter, he said:
Given the significant billing problems I have incurred, similar complaints found on the web and in newspapers, it raises serious concerns regarding Comcast’s internal controls on revenue. I will shortly be in contact with your external auditor, Deloitte with my specific concerns. I am also going to make the recommendation for Deloitte to conduct additional testing of Comcast’s internal controls. This will help your auditor ascertain the extent of this apparent systemic problem and make recommendations for remediation. I will also be contacting the PCAOB [Public Company Accounting Oversight Board] to ensure Deloitte’s compliance with my findings and recommendation as appropriate for additional testing and analysis to be performed.
S ome time later, his problems still not being resolved, he called the Comptroller of Comcast, yelled at his secretary, and again mentioned going to the PCAOB.
This is all according to O'Rourke's description of what's happened. The only thing in question is whether he at any time identified himself to Comcast as an employee of PWC. Comcast says he did. He says he didn't.
But that might not actually be relevant to alleged violations of PWC's ethical standards (although it would be relevant to their learning about alleged violations):
An employee of PWC (Comcast's accounting advisory firm) threatened to contact Deloitte (Comcast's external auditor) with allegations of systematic accounting problems, and threatening to contact the PCAOB. Any accounting firm would likely view that as a probable ethical violation. It's hugely inappropriate.
O'Rourke was angry and frustrated. This was entirely justified. Comcast is awful, and their customer service in his case was especially bad. But in his anger, he did something that, as a PWC employee, he should not have done. Not because it was strategically unwise, but because it was ethically very very questionable. As an accounting professional with 20+ years' experience, he should have known better. And unfortunately now he's suffering for that, even though it was Comcast that started all this.
The guy sounds more sad and sick than anything else. If we're (quite correctly) condemning fraud, we should also look at the people feeding his delusion, and profiting from it.
The sixth-fastest programmer in the world shouldn't have needed an Ethernet cable hanging from a plane. He should have been able to solve the problem by typing really really fast, possibly on three or more keyboards, in a room illuminated only by blinky-light-units. I know because I saw it on TV.
So ... social justice makes me an extremist now. Hmm. Never really thought that supporting equality and asking people to be decent to each other was so immoderate. Learn something new every day, I guess.
Some universities (or parts of universities) are fighting back against insane textbook costs by encouraging professors to explore alternatives through Open Educational Resources or other means:
With enough pressure from students and support from faculty, this could (maybe, in time) drive the publishers to re-examine their pricing model. Or drive them out of business if they don't.
However, the original notice noted that "temporary" exhibits will still have restrictions on photography "for reasons of copyright." But, as IPKat notes above, it's not clear why that should only apply to the temporary exhibits, since many of the permanent exhibit works are still under copyright as well (though the museum itself might also hold the copyright on many of those works).
I'm guessing that (at least in some cases) whoever's providing the temporary exhibits has "no photos" restrictions in their exhibit agreement with the National Gallery.
Just like our military, our police follow the orders of the elected officials.
Members of the military are expected to obey all lawful orders. An order that is unlawful does not have to be obeyed. In fact, obeying an unlawful order can result in criminal prosecution. (See "Just following orders".)
Police should be subordinate to civilian authority, most definitely. But both should be subordinate to the Constitution.
On the post: FBI Raids House Of 'Second Leaker' Who Provided Terrorist Watchlist Documents To The Intercept
Re:
What I meant to add was: I fear they will be all the more zealous in their prosecution of this suspected second leak because they can't get their hands on Snowden (and so all their rage against him will be directed against the second leaker).
On the post: FBI Raids House Of 'Second Leaker' Who Provided Terrorist Watchlist Documents To The Intercept
On the post: This Post Is Not About GamerGate
It will be.
It will be.
On the post: Guy Comcast Got Fired Now Suing Comcast For Violating Federal Privacy Law
With O'Rourke threatening (or hinting at) litigation, I'd guess that Comcast and PWC were hesitant to release anything for fear that O'Rourke would then claim that they were violating his privacy. (Yes, I could see this happening even if was saying, "Release everything.") Now that he's actually filed a lawsuit against Comcast, it's probably a smart choice at this point for Comcast and PWC to release nothing (unless/until mandated to do so), make no further comment, and wait for the lawyers to sort it out.
On the post: USTR Hoping To Keep Corporate Sovereignty Provisions If It Excludes Big Tobacco From The Deal
Re: Re:
But sometimes, despite all the education in the world, the jobs just aren't there. There aren't enough decent-paying jobs for all the people who are willing and able to work. This challenge isn't going away. Innovation reduces the need for certain work, or at least the incentive to pay people for certain work. That's OK. It's fine. It's good actually. But....
Our society is built on the model of "school --> job --> retirement", a model that is increasingly unsustainable for a significant portion of the population*. How do we adapt?
*setting aside for the moment that the model never actually worked for everyone anyway.
(But I digress. Yes, let's throw Big Tobacco under the bus. But that's just a start...)
On the post: FBI Wants To Know If Applicants Have Been Downloading Unauthorized Content
Re: candidate pool the size of a soup bowl
On the post: Dorian Nakamoto Wants To Sue Newsweek -- But It Seems Unlikely To Succeed And Could Cause More Problems For Him
Re: Yeah, about that old-school math
Also, two spaces after a period. Forever. Even though I know it's going to be "corrected" in this comment. (And furthermore, sentence fragments. Verbs overrated.)
On the post: Techdirt's Response To Roca Labs' Demand For A Retraction
Re: I looked,
That's defamatory libelslander!
On the post: Behind the Veil Part 6: Comcast Informs Employer Of Complaining Customer
Re: Re: Please don't make me defend Comcast
And, yes, a few people (including myself) have posted something similar on Ars.
On the post: Behind the Veil Part 6: Comcast Informs Employer Of Complaining Customer
Re: Re: Please don't make me defend Comcast
On the post: Behind the Veil Part 6: Comcast Informs Employer Of Complaining Customer
Please don't make me defend Comcast
The first part of this story is Comcast as we know it. Atrocious service (even more craptastic than normal), erroneous billing, and a host of problems trying to resolve it.
This is what resulted (after public pressure, of course) in the public apology from Comcast. This is what they're apologizing for.
The second part of this story is where things get a bit dicey and prompt me to do something I really feel terrible doing: Defending Comcast.
Conal O'Rourke works for PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC). PWC provides accounting advisory services to Comcast. O'Rourke, after spending months trying to resolve Comcast's problems with his service and account, emailed a Comcast employee a copy of a letter he said he might send (but had not yet sent) to the Comcast comptroller. In that letter, he said:
Full letter here (sorry about big URL):
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/1309773-gmail-electronic-copy-mr-lawrence-j-salva.html
S ome time later, his problems still not being resolved, he called the Comptroller of Comcast, yelled at his secretary, and again mentioned going to the PCAOB.
This is all according to O'Rourke's description of what's happened. The only thing in question is whether he at any time identified himself to Comcast as an employee of PWC. Comcast says he did. He says he didn't.
But that might not actually be relevant to alleged violations of PWC's ethical standards (although it would be relevant to their learning about alleged violations):
An employee of PWC (Comcast's accounting advisory firm) threatened to contact Deloitte (Comcast's external auditor) with allegations of systematic accounting problems, and threatening to contact the PCAOB. Any accounting firm would likely view that as a probable ethical violation. It's hugely inappropriate.
O'Rourke was angry and frustrated. This was entirely justified. Comcast is awful, and their customer service in his case was especially bad. But in his anger, he did something that, as a PWC employee, he should not have done. Not because it was strategically unwise, but because it was ethically very very questionable. As an accounting professional with 20+ years' experience, he should have known better. And unfortunately now he's suffering for that, even though it was Comcast that started all this.
On the post: Apparently The Reason Comcast Has Crappy Customer Service Is Because It Was Lacking A 'Customer Experience' VP
Ew, Comcast. no.
On the post: Prison Commissioner Buried Investigators' Findings Of Rikers Island Wardens' 'Complete Abdication' Of Responsibilities
"punishment?-promotions-and-MORE-promotions!"
Now that's accountability.
Right?
On the post: Another Story Of A 'Fake' Brilliant Inventor? Is 'Scorpion Walter O'Brien' A Real Computer Security Genius?
Re: Thank you for this article
On the post: Another Story Of A 'Fake' Brilliant Inventor? Is 'Scorpion Walter O'Brien' A Real Computer Security Genius?
Re:
On the post: The Threats Against Emma Watson Were All An Anti-4Chan Campaign
Re: Re: Considering that Moot...
On the post: Study Indicates College Textbook Piracy Is On The Rise, But Fails To Call Out Publishers For Skyrocketing Prices
Alternatives
http://sites.temple.edu/alttextbook/
http://dailybruin.com/2013/01/31/library-to-offer-grants-f or-cheaper-textbook-alternatives/
http://libguides.wmich.edu/textbooks
http://www.presstelegram.com/so cial-affairs/20140820/cal-state-university-system-tackles-escalating-textbook-costs
With enough pressure from students and support from faculty, this could (maybe, in time) drive the publishers to re-examine their pricing model. Or drive them out of business if they don't.
On the post: Could Taking A Selfie In A Museum Violate Copyright Law?
Temporary Exhibits
I'm guessing that (at least in some cases) whoever's providing the temporary exhibits has "no photos" restrictions in their exhibit agreement with the National Gallery.
On the post: Judge Says Raid On Twitter User Perfectly Fine Because Officers Can Enforce Non-Existent Laws Provided They Have 'Probable Cause'
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Members of the military are expected to obey all lawful orders. An order that is unlawful does not have to be obeyed. In fact, obeying an unlawful order can result in criminal prosecution. (See "Just following orders".)
Police should be subordinate to civilian authority, most definitely. But both should be subordinate to the Constitution.
On the post: Canada's New Investment Agreement With China Will Take Precedence Over Canadian Constitution for 31 Years
Re:
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