Comments on: Sneak attack: surprise amendment makes CISPA worse, then it is voted and passed a day ahead of schedule. Congress just deleted the Fourth Amendment http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Sat, 25 May 2013 02:53:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1408713 Antinous / Moderator Sun, 29 Apr 2012 04:51:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1408713 You're assuming that I even read the post. You’re assuming that I even read the post.

]]> By: quitterjunior http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1408708 quitterjunior Sun, 29 Apr 2012 04:34:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1408708 So the part where I AGREE with you goes overlooked?  Talk about prejudice... So the part where I AGREE with you goes overlooked?  Talk about prejudice…

]]> By: Ant http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1408631 Ant Sat, 28 Apr 2012 23:42:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1408631 Where to though? How about off Earth? :) Where to though? How about off Earth? :)

]]> By: Bruce Bracken http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1408617 Bruce Bracken Sat, 28 Apr 2012 23:05:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1408617 It is time we exercised our Jeffersonian rights..... It is time we exercised our Jeffersonian rights…..

]]> By: EH http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1408450 EH Sat, 28 Apr 2012 16:06:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1408450 Oh that's right, nobody is ever doing enough to be a critic, including voting. Anti-intellectualism reigns! Oh that’s right, nobody is ever doing enough to be a critic, including voting. Anti-intellectualism reigns!

]]> By: Lemoutan http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1408328 Lemoutan Sat, 28 Apr 2012 06:59:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1408328 Where's the damn B-ark when you need it? Where’s the damn B-ark when you need it?

]]> By: penguinchris http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1408314 penguinchris Sat, 28 Apr 2012 05:45:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1408314 I'm going to assume that's a serious offer. I'll arrive in Stockholm at your convenience, and I promise I won't bring any baconnaise. I’m going to assume that’s a serious offer. I’ll arrive in Stockholm at your convenience, and I promise I won’t bring any baconnaise.

]]> By: penguinchris http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1408313 penguinchris Sat, 28 Apr 2012 05:43:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1408313 As others have alluded to - you can sometimes obtain visas that allow you to live in countries like those you list if you're a big-time investor, or if you get a job there (which is difficult because most employers will put you in a catch-22 - you need a job offer to get a visa, but they'll only give you a job offer if you can obtain a visa some other way, which you can't). There are lots of expatriates, of course, but most are middle-aged or older people who decided to accept their company placing them in a job in their overseas office, or people who have lots of money and are able to retire (and thus get easier-to-obtain retirement visas) or simply not work and travel from place to place once their visas expire. It's not impossible for a young person to move to another country, certainly, but it requires connections and luck, meaning for most people it essentially <i>is</i> impossible. There are those who say "if you don't like it, leave" - if it were possible to do so, there are plenty of people who <i>would</i> leave.  But we can't. In any case, that'd be taking the easy way out. The conscionable thing to do is to fight for change. As others have alluded to – you can sometimes obtain visas that allow you to live in countries like those you list if you’re a big-time investor, or if you get a job there (which is difficult because most employers will put you in a catch-22 – you need a job offer to get a visa, but they’ll only give you a job offer if you can obtain a visa some other way, which you can’t).

There are lots of expatriates, of course, but most are middle-aged or older people who decided to accept their company placing them in a job in their overseas office, or people who have lots of money and are able to retire (and thus get easier-to-obtain retirement visas) or simply not work and travel from place to place once their visas expire.

It’s not impossible for a young person to move to another country, certainly, but it requires connections and luck, meaning for most people it essentially is impossible.

There are those who say “if you don’t like it, leave” – if it were possible to do so, there are plenty of people who would leave. 

But we can’t. In any case, that’d be taking the easy way out. The conscionable thing to do is to fight for change.

]]> By: Nicole Moseley http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1408225 Nicole Moseley Sat, 28 Apr 2012 01:13:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1408225 Hello, I am under the the impression that it is not all that easy to fire every political figure and lobbyist. Our rights are taken away bit by bit by the "rich and powerful" both because Americans have allowed them to for so long out of party loyalty and ignorance and because politicians are willing to take everything they can and manipulate people to a degree that most other people either won't or can't. We can just not vote for them, but then again, who do we vote for to replace them? The ones that are genuinely good people often times don't get enough press or they become corrupted like many other politicians. We need people that have good sense and intelligence, are honest, don't let personal opinions get in the way of what is best for the public, and people that are willing and able to see from different perspectives. We need people in office that aren't greedy, selfish, or prideful to a disgusting degree. We need people that can balance a damn checkbook too. Anyone who has ever had to live on a budget understands that you can't just say "well my dollar is worth ten normal dollars" and it actually be true. Anyone who has ever tried to get along with their neighbors knows better than to go into the neighbors' yards and houses and tell them what to believe, what to buy, what to eat, and how to raise their children. But people like that often don't go for government offices because of politics or because they try to help on a local scale, not a national or global scale.  Hello, I am under the the impression that it is not all that easy to fire every political figure and lobbyist. Our rights are taken away bit by bit by the “rich and powerful” both because Americans have allowed them to for so long out of party loyalty and ignorance and because politicians are willing to take everything they can and manipulate people to a degree that most other people either won’t or can’t. We can just not vote for them, but then again, who do we vote for to replace them? The ones that are genuinely good people often times don’t get enough press or they become corrupted like many other politicians. We need people that have good sense and intelligence, are honest, don’t let personal opinions get in the way of what is best for the public, and people that are willing and able to see from different perspectives. We need people in office that aren’t greedy, selfish, or prideful to a disgusting degree. We need people that can balance a damn checkbook too. Anyone who has ever had to live on a budget understands that you can’t just say “well my dollar is worth ten normal dollars” and it actually be true. Anyone who has ever tried to get along with their neighbors knows better than to go into the neighbors’ yards and houses and tell them what to believe, what to buy, what to eat, and how to raise their children. But people like that often don’t go for government offices because of politics or because they try to help on a local scale, not a national or global scale. 

]]> By: Guest http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1408085 Guest Fri, 27 Apr 2012 22:22:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1408085 I also find my armchair to be comfortable. I also find my armchair to be comfortable.

]]> By: Ambiguity http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1408076 Ambiguity Fri, 27 Apr 2012 22:18:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1408076  Well, if you're going to get all critical of people's knowledge... ACTA is a treaty, not a law. And while it has been signed, it has not been ratified... ...so your statement only pretends to be informed.  Well, if you’re going to get all critical of people’s knowledge…

ACTA is a treaty, not a law. And while it has been signed, it has not been ratified…

…so your statement only pretends to be informed.

]]> By: pjcamp http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1407867 pjcamp Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:45:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1407867 Your childlike belief that the entire government is controlled by a single person is really kind of scary. Didn't you have to take civics in grade school? Your childlike belief that the entire government is controlled by a single person is really kind of scary. Didn’t you have to take civics in grade school?

]]> By: Tap Yatoes http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1407707 Tap Yatoes Fri, 27 Apr 2012 18:22:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1407707 Your childlike faith in a con man is really quite touching. Your childlike faith in a con man is really quite touching.

]]> By: Tap Yatoes http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1407706 Tap Yatoes Fri, 27 Apr 2012 18:21:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1407706 It amazes me how dumb people routinely pretend to be informed. He already signed ACTA into law, which has many of the same provisions. You hopeychangers were too blinded by his aura to see it. It amazes me how dumb people routinely pretend to be informed. He already signed ACTA into law, which has many of the same provisions. You hopeychangers were too blinded by his aura to see it.

]]> By: EH http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1407494 EH Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:50:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1407494 He still hasn't done enough, and much less than he knows is expected from the tenor of his 08 campaign. Just because he's done a few good things for segments of the population doesn't take away from the fact that he's been a jackass on the things that affect the most people. He's a political coward. He still hasn’t done enough, and much less than he knows is expected from the tenor of his 08 campaign. Just because he’s done a few good things for segments of the population doesn’t take away from the fact that he’s been a jackass on the things that affect the most people. He’s a political coward.

]]> By: Jason Sewall http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1407424 Jason Sewall Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:29:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1407424 I apologize if I wasn't clear; I meant to establish that a bill is made into federal law in the US by either passing both chambers of Congress by simple majorities and being signed by the sitting President, or by passing both chambers by a 2/3rd majority alone. The bill didn't not pass the House with a 2/3rds majority, so with Obama's promised veto, the bill will not pass. I apologize if I wasn’t clear; I meant to establish that a bill is made into federal law in the US by either passing both chambers of Congress by simple majorities and being signed by the sitting President, or by passing both chambers by a 2/3rd majority alone.

The bill didn’t not pass the House with a 2/3rds majority, so with Obama’s promised veto, the bill will not pass.

]]> By: Jason Sewall http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1407401 Jason Sewall Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:19:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1407401  I was not kidding. Since the Senate has a Democratic majority and the democrats seem to be opposed to this bill, allowing a vote would condemn it. Since the Democratic majority is not large enough to force a cloture vote (i.e. they don't have the so-called 'Supermajority'), the Republicans can prevent the bill from being shot down by the aforementioned fillibuster. In this case, the reason for doing so would be to drum up support for it, but in my experience the longer these sorts of things bounce around without getting passed, popular outrage grows and eventually they croak. Here's hoping.  I was not kidding. Since the Senate has a Democratic majority and the democrats seem to be opposed to this bill, allowing a vote would condemn it.

Since the Democratic majority is not large enough to force a cloture vote (i.e. they don’t have the so-called ‘Supermajority’), the Republicans can prevent the bill from being shot down by the aforementioned fillibuster. In this case, the reason for doing so would be to drum up support for it, but in my experience the longer these sorts of things bounce around without getting passed, popular outrage grows and eventually they croak. Here’s hoping.

]]> By: Topperfalkon http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1407395 Topperfalkon Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:17:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1407395  @turn_self_off:disqus Ah, yes. I vaguely remember that case. I'm not sure if PPUK covered that at the time although I suspect we might have. I'm pretty certain it came up on TorrentFreak though and perhaps here too  @turn_self_off:disqus Ah, yes. I vaguely remember that case. I’m not sure if PPUK covered that at the time although I suspect we might have. I’m pretty certain it came up on TorrentFreak though and perhaps here too

]]> By: Topperfalkon http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1407389 Topperfalkon Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:16:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1407389 Oh I'm well aware of that, although given the timing I'm guessing this'll be sat on until the elections and then pushed through in the wash-up just like DEAct was. The point was that we don't even know what will be in the draft yet. Oh I’m well aware of that, although given the timing I’m guessing this’ll be sat on until the elections and then pushed through in the wash-up just like DEAct was. The point was that we don’t even know what will be in the draft yet.

]]> By: Topperfalkon http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1407384 Topperfalkon Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:14:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1407384  @sickkid1972:disqus Well the supposed point of extradition is that the accused gets tried in the country they are suspected of committing an offence in rather than the one they're currently based in. There are some more legitimate scenarios cases for it, but it does have the potential to be misused. I think if we were to keep an extradition treaty (particularly in my views as a Pirate), it would need a complete rewrite and there'd have to be additional checks that the jurisdiction they're being extradited to does not have an unreasonable punishment for the severity of the offense (and we should always deny extradition where we believe the death penalty would be used), and only to allow extradition for major criminal offences. It would be simpler just the get rid of extradition though, on the provision that those suspected of crimes in other jurisdictions are tried fairly in the country they are resident in, and that any compensation necessary is demanded and repaid fairly as well.  @sickkid1972:disqus Well the supposed point of extradition is that the accused gets tried in the country they are suspected of committing an offence in rather than the one they’re currently based in. There are some more legitimate scenarios cases for it, but it does have the potential to be misused.

I think if we were to keep an extradition treaty (particularly in my views as a Pirate), it would need a complete rewrite and there’d have to be additional checks that the jurisdiction they’re being extradited to does not have an unreasonable punishment for the severity of the offense (and we should always deny extradition where we believe the death penalty would be used), and only to allow extradition for major criminal offences.

It would be simpler just the get rid of extradition though, on the provision that those suspected of crimes in other jurisdictions are tried fairly in the country they are resident in, and that any compensation necessary is demanded and repaid fairly as well.

]]> By: digi_owl http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1407380 digi_owl Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:12:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1407380  @Topperfalkon:disqus Not the only .com that has been seized recently. Was there not a music blog domain that was in legal limbo for over a year before the ICE rescinded with bare a oops statement?  @Topperfalkon:disqus Not the only .com that has been seized recently. Was there not a music blog domain that was in legal limbo for over a year before the ICE rescinded with bare a oops statement?

]]> By: Lemoutan http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1407377 Lemoutan Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:11:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1407377 <strong>Ipo</strong> - not South African myself but it's such a useful word I've adopted it into my 'social networking vocabulary'. More than just prancing around. The connotation is that pronking's supposed to confer evolutionary advantage by demonstrating to the onlooking predator that the community is healthy enough to be unfazed by the presence of said predator, and is basically telling the lion (or state) to go fuck itself. Ipo – not South African myself but it’s such a useful word I’ve adopted it into my ‘social networking vocabulary’.

More than just prancing around. The connotation is that pronking’s supposed to confer evolutionary advantage by demonstrating to the onlooking predator that the community is healthy enough to be unfazed by the presence of said predator, and is basically telling the lion (or state) to go fuck itself.

]]> By: traalfaz http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1407366 traalfaz Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:07:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1407366  IF Obama signs it. Whether he does or not, this vote tells us who to vote for.  Anyone who didn't vote for this (as one condition)  IF Obama signs it.
Whether he does or not, this vote tells us who to vote for.  Anyone who didn’t vote for this (as one condition)

]]> By: Topperfalkon http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1407359 Topperfalkon Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:05:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1407359  @turn_self_off:disqus There is that point, but they have also seized the domain, partly because they believe that it's their jurisdiction (the DoJ even released a statement to that effect).  @turn_self_off:disqus There is that point, but they have also seized the domain, partly because they believe that it’s their jurisdiction (the DoJ even released a statement to that effect).

]]> By: EvilTerran http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1407356 EvilTerran Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:04:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1407356  Work on your reading comprehension. Especially when everyone's telling you you're wrong. You're making yourself look like an idiot.  Work on your reading comprehension. Especially when everyone’s telling you you’re wrong. You’re making yourself look like an idiot.

]]> By: Topperfalkon http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1407350 Topperfalkon Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:02:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1407350  Well yes, the fact that ICANN is still a US body is very worrying, but that's a different argument for a different day.  Well yes, the fact that ICANN is still a US body is very worrying, but that’s a different argument for a different day.

]]> By: EvilTerran http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1407338 EvilTerran Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:58:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1407338 Putting an idea in the Queen's speech is a long, *long* way from making it law. Given how U-turn-happy our government is, I expect it to rotate at least 540 degrees before settling one way or the other. Putting an idea in the Queen’s speech is a long, *long* way from making it law. Given how U-turn-happy our government is, I expect it to rotate at least 540 degrees before settling one way or the other.

]]> By: digi_owl http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1407322 digi_owl Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:52:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1407322 Thinking about a-m.root-server.net? Those are a bit of a special case, as they point to not one IP but several around the planet. There was a ruckus a few years back when China managed to get all traffic to either F or I routed to their mirror of those servers. Here is a map of where the various root server mirrors are located: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Root-current.svg It is attached to this Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Root_nameserver And USA do not really need the domain to take control. Note that all the master DNS servers are on US soil. And ICANN still answers to the US department of commerce, iirc. Thinking about a-m.root-server.net? Those are a bit of a special case, as they point to not one IP but several around the planet. There was a ruckus a few years back when China managed to get all traffic to either F or I routed to their mirror of those servers.

Here is a map of where the various root server mirrors are located:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Root-current.svg

It is attached to this Wikipedia article:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Root_nameserver

And USA do not really need the domain to take control. Note that all the master DNS servers are on US soil. And ICANN still answers to the US department of commerce, iirc.

]]> By: EvilTerran http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1407320 EvilTerran Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:51:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1407320 @twitter-5781312:disqus  "All of the exit points of the TOR network are closely monitored by government agencies. " "All" Er, no. No more than any other internet node is monitored. Tor doesn't work that way. Nice tinfoil hat, though. @twitter-5781312:disqus  “All of the exit points of the TOR network are closely monitored by government agencies. ”

“All”

Er, no. No more than any other internet node is monitored. Tor doesn’t work that way.

Nice tinfoil hat, though.

]]> By: digi_owl http://boingboing.net/2012/04/26/sneak-attack-surprise-amendme.html#comment-1407302 digi_owl Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:41:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=157034#comment-1407302 Megaupload, like many other sites, operated mirrors around the globe. This means that whenever you enter their url into your browser, your connecting to the server mirror closest to you, transparently. US government raided the company that leased servers to Megaupload on US soil (gaining copies of the server drives), and convinced various authorities around the globe to perform arrests and freezing of assets. Because of the latter the mentioned servers are in a legal limbo. The company that leased them to Megaupload wants to erase the drives and lease the hardware to others. Megaupload has said they want to pay for the servers being brought back online so that anyone with legitimate data on them can reclaim it. the US government is blocking that with the claim that the servers may contain child porn. Megaupload has countered that by pointing out that if the server leasing company erase those drives, that could be considered destruction of evidence... It is a 3 ring circus, so bring plenty of popcorn... Megaupload, like many other sites, operated mirrors around the globe. This means that whenever you enter their url into your browser, your connecting to the server mirror closest to you, transparently. US government raided the company that leased servers to Megaupload on US soil (gaining copies of the server drives), and convinced various authorities around the globe to perform arrests and freezing of assets. Because of the latter the mentioned servers are in a legal limbo. The company that leased them to Megaupload wants to erase the drives and lease the hardware to others. Megaupload has said they want to pay for the servers being brought back online so that anyone with legitimate data on them can reclaim it. the US government is blocking that with the claim that the servers may contain child porn. Megaupload has countered that by pointing out that if the server leasing company erase those drives, that could be considered destruction of evidence…

It is a 3 ring circus, so bring plenty of popcorn…

]]>