On Friday, July 12, 2013 8:23:36 PM UTC-5, dave wrote:
On 07/12/2013 04:49 PM, D. Peter Maus wrote:

On 7/12/13 04:25 , Hils wrote:



You can't tell me you're surprised.



Not at all, but having real evidence in the public domain means we are

discussing truths rather than only suspicions (and it's rather fun

seeing spooks and politicians running around like ants whose nest has

been uncovered).





It's not like this is a new revelation. Back doors to MS software

were divulged in interviews with Bill Gates dating back to the very

early days of Windows. The revelation that the authorities had back door

access to MS products was revealed at the same time that PGP was

revealed to given the FBI a back door key to their encryption.



Google and Yahoo are no better. Google has an office in the White

House, for heaven's sake.



When Windows 3.1 was becoming the choice for windowing software, and

Win 95 was still on the drawing board. Gates, in an interview with

Charlie Rose said he envisioned a day when Windows would be incorporated

into our cars, our homes, our appliances, and connected to a central

server in the home. And once or twice a week, "with permission"

Microsoft would upload the data on the server, and send out notices that

the car needs an oil change, butter needs to be replenished in the

refrigerator, and the washer/dryer could be set for lower energy usage

for the loads being laundered. Even place orders automatically to refill

the fridge.



Think about that, for a minute. Redmond running your house. Your

life. We might as well be Binars.



"With Permission" would be the EULA that we've come to know and

love, that informs us that opening the package confers permission.



I haven't used MS software since. I've never used Internet Explorer..

And have used open source software for all my applications since Steve

Case cut the throat of Netscape. And while reading the Google TOS, very

early on, stopped using Google.



My work machines are running OSX, while my personal machines run

Linux, or Free, and Open BSD.



I root all my machines, best I can. I've rooted my iPhone. And I've

installed anti tracking software, where I can, when I find something

that works. And I limit my connectivity to matters where I cannot avoid it.



You're right. There is hard evidence that widespread surveillance of

the general population has been going on for years, and it's now been

released into the light.



And while we're discussing these truths, are we actually taking

actions to bring pressure to bear against those responsible? To effect

change?



The Romans had bread and circuses to mollify the population.



We have beer and the Karshashians.



Absent vigilance, and action, we will share the same fate.



If we haven't already.



Caligula was also a weak man with something to prove.





The more absolute the power, the more corrupt the entity.



It's cool we have an issue that transcends the left:right cubbyholes.

You reckon they (''they'') espied on me mowing my yard this morning? They (''They'') would have seen me cussin the crap out of my lawn mower, ergo last night when I removed the blade to sharpen it I had the lawnmower tilted at too much of an angle and oil ran into the cylinder and fouled the spark plug because the intake valve was open. I had a hell of a time gittin my lawn mower running.