And if all others accepted the lie which the Party imposed – if all records told the same tale – then the lie passed into history and became truth. "Who controls the past," ran the Party slogan, "controls the future: who controls the present controls the past." And yet the past, though of its nature alterable, never had been altered. Whatever was true now was true from everlasting to everlasting. It was quite simple. All that was needed was an unending series of victories over your own memory. "Reality control," they called it: in Newspeak, "doublethink."
...
This last was for the disposal of waste paper. Similar slits existed in thousands or tens of thousands throughout the building, not only in every room but at short intervals in every corridor. For some reason they were nicknamed memory holes. When one knew that any document was due for destruction, or even when one saw a scrap of waste paper lying about, it was an automatic action to lift the flap of the nearest memory hole and drop it in, whereupon it would be whirled away on a current of warm air to the enormous furnaces which were hidden somewhere in the recesses of the building.
Re: Newspapers have been known to lie on their own initative
Maybe.
Another possibility is that it went down like this-
Editor to reporter: We've received a very strong, ahem, suggestion from HM's government to write a story about this (hands over an outline).
Reporter: (looks over outline) But, this doesn't make any sense. It's crazy.
Editor: Well, perhaps. But this is very important to people whose good graces we need to stay in. And they say it's true.
Reporter: But (long list of reasons).
Editor: Yes, well, I'm sorry but you work here and I work here and this is something we need to do. If you want to keep working here. If you know what I mean.
Reporter: Um. Ok.
Reporter proceeds to write story but deliberately introduces obvious errors that will discredit the story...
Agreed. The Feds can't even keep their own data secure, and we civilians are supposed to trust them with ours?
This ought to (but won't) completely kill the idea of key escrow and the Feds logging and archiving private data.
I'm probably more trusting than I should be regarding motives, but I've never been trusting re competence. I've never applied for a security clearance, and can't imagine doing so.
Anyone who did trust the Fed's competence by (honestly) filling out a Standard Form 86 has now been proven a fool - anything embarrassing, or even just useful for leverage (which relatives to threaten...), is now in play.
And these incompetent fools are telling us to trust them with our data?
Re: It's amazing how cheaply these politicians sell themselves.
I've noticed that too, long ago.
Buying your local politician is really an incredibly good deal in terms of value for money.
Which explains a *very* great deal about what is wrong with our government.
But I don't think we can really blame those who take advantage of these "deals". That's just human nature - if there's money on the table, only fools and saints don't pick it up.
The problem is the design of the system. As long as government officials have the *power* to give away tax dollars, they'll find ways to justify doing so.
The only long-term solution is to take the power away.
Did the jury need to find that Elonis had the purpose of conveying a true threat? Was it enough if he knew that his words conveyed such a threat? Would recklessness suffice?
These are hard questions, and getting it right is important.
If neither side, and no lower court, argued these issues, then I tend to agree it's best to defer answering them until they've been aired more thoroughly.
The wheels of justice do indeed grind slow. That's not always bad.
They spy on hundreds of thousands of people (admittedly people without the legal right to object), and store all the data in one place. Not even encrypted.
Did they really think nobody was going to be interested in making fools of them?
To be fair, a lot of blame also has to be laid at the feet of the parents. If you need to spy on your kids computer, something is deeply wrong with your relationship with your kids.
Modern tech makes looking up owners from plate numbers trivial – you don’t need a plate scanner, you just need a camera and Internet connection.
When introduced 100 years ago, plates could have had the owner’s name on them – but that was considered an unreasonable invasion of privacy. Quasi-random plate numbers made looking up owners possible, but intentionally difficult and slow.
Technology has changed that. We accept plates now only because we’re used to them. Unless you think it’s also a good idea to require pedestrians to wear a giant sign with their name on it, it’s time to get rid of license plates.
Cars already have VIN numbers stamped all over them – that is enough. The VIN is printed small and isn’t readable by every passing person.
If you get pulled over for a traffic violation, then the cop can ask for your vehicle paperwork.
OK, time for me to set myself up for attack again by saying something moderate.
I think Zuckerberg is sincere here, at least mostly. He really wants to bring Internet access to the 3rd world, and is only minimally trying to personally benefit from the project (not saying some of that hasn't leaked in - it clearly has).
But this is a mistake.
I'm sympathetic to the intent behind the technology restrictions (video, VoIP, Flash, Javascript or Java applets); these are not content restrictions, and these technologies all involve a high ratio of computrons to content (unlike text).
But it's dumb. Targeting feature phones might have been sensible 15 years ago. But by the time this rolls out even peasant farmers will have smartphones (the price of a basic one is heading toward zero very, very rapidly).
And - even if he could somehow make the technology limits stick, guess what would happen? People would start encoding video, VoIP, etc. in text files, that's what.
So I give him credit for trying to do a good thing. I think he means well (with only a little self-interest involved).
We should thank him, and gently but firmly explain why it's a bad idea.
I do wish people were more charitable in their assessment of the motives of those they disagree with. People can be wrong without being evil or selfish.
Just what we don't need - yet another law that gets lawyers going suing people and imposing fines.
What's wrong with just saying that such non-disparagement clauses aren't enforceable? Do we really need to threaten every business in the country with a fine of "up to" $16,000/day per customer?
And, personally, I don't see anything wrong with an employer asking employees not to badmouth them publicly - at least as long as they're employed there.
val·ue ˈvalyo͞o/Submit noun 1. the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something. "your support is of great value" synonyms: worth, usefulness, advantage, benefit, gain, profit, good, help, merit, helpfulness, avail; More
On the post: French Privacy Regulator Says Google Should Censor Global Internet Over EU Right To Be Forgotten Requests
On the post: The Pulitzer Prize In Bullshit FUD Reporting Goes To... The Sunday Times For Its 'Snowden Expose'
Re: Newspapers have been known to lie on their own initative
Another possibility is that it went down like this-
Editor to reporter: We've received a very strong, ahem, suggestion from HM's government to write a story about this (hands over an outline).
Reporter: (looks over outline) But, this doesn't make any sense. It's crazy.
Editor: Well, perhaps. But this is very important to people whose good graces we need to stay in. And they say it's true.
Reporter: But (long list of reasons).
Editor: Yes, well, I'm sorry but you work here and I work here and this is something we need to do. If you want to keep working here. If you know what I mean.
Reporter: Um. Ok.
Reporter proceeds to write story but deliberately introduces obvious errors that will discredit the story...
On the post: Second OPM Hack Revealed: Even Worse Than The First
Re: Hate it
I'm sure you meant well, and perhaps you even did good things to help your neighbors and the world.
But, with all due respect, trusting the Feds to keep your SF86 information secure was...foolish. And now you're going to pay the price.
On the post: Second OPM Hack Revealed: Even Worse Than The First
Re: Worrisome, but not surprising
This ought to (but won't) completely kill the idea of key escrow and the Feds logging and archiving private data.
I'm probably more trusting than I should be regarding motives, but I've never been trusting re competence. I've never applied for a security clearance, and can't imagine doing so.
Anyone who did trust the Fed's competence by (honestly) filling out a Standard Form 86 has now been proven a fool - anything embarrassing, or even just useful for leverage (which relatives to threaten...), is now in play.
And these incompetent fools are telling us to trust them with our data?
On the post: The Out And Out Corruption Of Hollywood's State Subsidies
Re: It's amazing how cheaply these politicians sell themselves.
Buying your local politician is really an incredibly good deal in terms of value for money.
Which explains a *very* great deal about what is wrong with our government.
But I don't think we can really blame those who take advantage of these "deals". That's just human nature - if there's money on the table, only fools and saints don't pick it up.
The problem is the design of the system. As long as government officials have the *power* to give away tax dollars, they'll find ways to justify doing so.
The only long-term solution is to take the power away.
On the post: USA Freedom Act Passes As All Of Mitch McConnell's Bad Amendments Fail
Re: Re: Re: So what, in your view, is "the ailment"?
(An attitude which, but the way, tends to be self-fulfilling.)
On the post: Supreme Court Completely Punts On First Amendment Question About 'Threatening' Song Lyrics On Facebook
I'll cut the Supremes some slack here
These are hard questions, and getting it right is important.
If neither side, and no lower court, argued these issues, then I tend to agree it's best to defer answering them until they've been aired more thoroughly.
The wheels of justice do indeed grind slow. That's not always bad.
On the post: Company That Lets Parents Spy On Their Kids' Computer Usage... Has Database Hacked And Leaked
Re: Re: Re: Who could possibly have seen this coming?
On the post: Company That Lets Parents Spy On Their Kids' Computer Usage... Has Database Hacked And Leaked
Re: Who could possibly have seen this coming?
Re-reading my comment, I see that I could have, with equal justice, replaced "parents" with "government" and "kids" with "citizens".
On the post: Company That Lets Parents Spy On Their Kids' Computer Usage... Has Database Hacked And Leaked
Who could possibly have seen this coming?
They spy on hundreds of thousands of people (admittedly people without the legal right to object), and store all the data in one place. Not even encrypted.
Did they really think nobody was going to be interested in making fools of them?
To be fair, a lot of blame also has to be laid at the feet of the parents. If you need to spy on your kids computer, something is deeply wrong with your relationship with your kids.
On the post: Obtained Emails Show FBI's General Counsel Briefly Concerned About Privacy Implications Of License Plate Readers
Past time to get rid of license plates altogether
When introduced 100 years ago, plates could have had the owner’s name on them – but that was considered an unreasonable invasion of privacy. Quasi-random plate numbers made looking up owners possible, but intentionally difficult and slow.
Technology has changed that. We accept plates now only because we’re used to them. Unless you think it’s also a good idea to require pedestrians to wear a giant sign with their name on it, it’s time to get rid of license plates.
Cars already have VIN numbers stamped all over them – that is enough. The VIN is printed small and isn’t readable by every passing person.
If you get pulled over for a traffic violation, then the cop can ask for your vehicle paperwork.
On the post: Florida Governor Signs One Bill Protecting Free Speech... And Another That Undermines It
Since nobody in Florida makes movies anyway...
No more anonymous YouTube for you, buddy!
On the post: Facebook's Plan To Be The Compuserve Of Developing Nations Faces Mounting Worldwide Criticism
I have some sympathy for Zuckerberg
I think Zuckerberg is sincere here, at least mostly. He really wants to bring Internet access to the 3rd world, and is only minimally trying to personally benefit from the project (not saying some of that hasn't leaked in - it clearly has).
But this is a mistake.
I'm sympathetic to the intent behind the technology restrictions (video, VoIP, Flash, Javascript or Java applets); these are not content restrictions, and these technologies all involve a high ratio of computrons to content (unlike text).
But it's dumb. Targeting feature phones might have been sensible 15 years ago. But by the time this rolls out even peasant farmers will have smartphones (the price of a basic one is heading toward zero very, very rapidly).
And - even if he could somehow make the technology limits stick, guess what would happen? People would start encoding video, VoIP, etc. in text files, that's what.
So I give him credit for trying to do a good thing. I think he means well (with only a little self-interest involved).
We should thank him, and gently but firmly explain why it's a bad idea.
I do wish people were more charitable in their assessment of the motives of those they disagree with. People can be wrong without being evil or selfish.
On the post: EFF Asks Court To Reconsider Ruling That Would Make Violating Work Computer Policies A Criminal Act
Re: blame game
The courts are the only branch of government that is still uncorrupted. Mostly.
On the post: Clinton Email Case Gets Nutty: Clinton Offers Faux Support For Faster Release... That She Could Have Done Herself
Re: Re:
There are still 90 year old women in Russia who kiss photographs of Stalin every night.
Unthinking loyalty is for life.
On the post: Clinton Email Case Gets Nutty: Clinton Offers Faux Support For Faster Release... That She Could Have Done Herself
Re: Re: time it takes to scan the documents is literally negligible.
That was a lot of extra work and expense for them - 55,000 pages!
She was Secretary of State. I think she knows more about the State Dept.'s IT capabilities than you guys do.
On the post: Clinton Email Case Gets Nutty: Clinton Offers Faux Support For Faster Release... That She Could Have Done Herself
Re: Can anyone explain
That's something third world dictatorships are famous for - and it looks bad.
The voters are supposed to make up their minds.
(Not that she hasn't earned that cell.)
On the post: Clinton Email Case Gets Nutty: Clinton Offers Faux Support For Faster Release... That She Could Have Done Herself
Re: Re: Re: Who cares?
Printing out 55,000 pages of emails on paper to make it hard for anybody to figure out what's in there may be clever.
(At least if you think the American public consists of idiots who won't realize that only somebody attempting to hide things would do that.)
Honest? Ethical? Trustworthy? No.
On the post: Legislators Introduce Bill Calling For Nationwide Ban On Non-Disparagement Clauses
Yet another invitation to sue
What's wrong with just saying that such non-disparagement clauses aren't enforceable? Do we really need to threaten every business in the country with a fine of "up to" $16,000/day per customer?
And, personally, I don't see anything wrong with an employer asking employees not to badmouth them publicly - at least as long as they're employed there.
On the post: Why Is Consumers' Research Pushing For Anti-Consumer Trade Deals, And Bad Intellectual Property Laws?
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: "Value"
From https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=define%20va lue :
val·ue
ˈvalyo͞o/Submit
noun
1.
the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something.
"your support is of great value"
synonyms: worth, usefulness, advantage, benefit, gain, profit, good, help, merit, helpfulness, avail; More
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