" There’s a scene in the afterlife where Abby Hoffman’s punishment for his sins is that he has to tell Ayn Rand a joke, and she has to understand it and laugh, before he can move on."That’s HIlarious! So is your work. You’ve gained a fan.
I have to confess NAOQV has moved up several places in my estimation. Can you go upstairs and check on Theresa, her flat has been quiet for quite awhile? You might want to wear gloves, and bring a witness.
" I still contend if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear." Error
Vengence
Incompetence
Laziness
Our Constitution has served this Republic and its citizens well for over two hundred years. Let us strive to protect it, and prevent it from being broken.Sincerely, JusSayin
“Nothing to hide, nothing to fear” is always trotted out by authoritarians to justify the erosion of individual liberty. It was the line used by Joe McCarthy and J. Edgar Hoover. It was used to justify the excesses of the Gestapo. It is used currently in North Korea as in “only bad citizens need to fear the State; if you are ‘good’ and obedient you will prosper.”
I am not a doomsday paranoid waiting for the black helicopters to appear. But I am old enough to remember the concept of privacy, something that those born into the internet age are apparently unable to comprehend, and something that no longer exists except for a few eccentric hermits.
…the nice thing about non- fanatics on either side (or any side, for that matter) is that they have no problem criticizing their own side, if they perceive possible wrongdoing (legal or moral)…
Part of the problem is the willing surrender of privacy by people blurting out every little detail of their lives on Facebook et al. We’ve surrendered more private information via FB and store discount programs than the gov’t could ever imagine and we have a new generation of adults coming in who don’t see the least need for privacy. (I speak collectively: I don’t FB and blurt out every last detail of my life, although I have nothing to hide I don’t want every last detail in government hands without proper warrants).
What I hate is the double-standard. If they’re allowed to snoop on us, then we absolutely should have total government transparency and be able to see everything the government does. Every congressman’s tax return and banking information should be open for all to see. And with the FISA courts being able to re-write the law with no review, that needs a great big spot light permanently on it.
You speak of equality…..I cannot believe that all people in the US have the same opportunities. In the UK we are not equal in that respect..It might be written that all people are created equal, but I’m sure many don’t find it so. In my country lots of people have “guarantee” of equality but it ain’t that way..It’s a failing of human nature that some people will always be “more equal than others”.
If someone really is listening in on us, let’s have some fun with it. Tomorrow, everyone make a phone call or e-mail with the work “kumquat” in it, and let Big Brother get a headache trying to figure out what it means.
Uncle Joe Premium Member almost 11 years ago
" There’s a scene in the afterlife where Abby Hoffman’s punishment for his sins is that he has to tell Ayn Rand a joke, and she has to understand it and laugh, before he can move on."That’s HIlarious! So is your work. You’ve gained a fan.
JusSayin almost 11 years ago
I have to confess NAOQV has moved up several places in my estimation. Can you go upstairs and check on Theresa, her flat has been quiet for quite awhile? You might want to wear gloves, and bring a witness.
JusSayin almost 11 years ago
" I still contend if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear." Error
Vengence
Incompetence
Laziness
Our Constitution has served this Republic and its citizens well for over two hundred years. Let us strive to protect it, and prevent it from being broken.Sincerely, JusSayin
the old professor almost 11 years ago
“Nothing to hide, nothing to fear” is always trotted out by authoritarians to justify the erosion of individual liberty. It was the line used by Joe McCarthy and J. Edgar Hoover. It was used to justify the excesses of the Gestapo. It is used currently in North Korea as in “only bad citizens need to fear the State; if you are ‘good’ and obedient you will prosper.”
I am not a doomsday paranoid waiting for the black helicopters to appear. But I am old enough to remember the concept of privacy, something that those born into the internet age are apparently unable to comprehend, and something that no longer exists except for a few eccentric hermits.
jadoo823 almost 11 years ago
…the nice thing about non- fanatics on either side (or any side, for that matter) is that they have no problem criticizing their own side, if they perceive possible wrongdoing (legal or moral)…
Cloudster almost 11 years ago
@The Old Professor
Part of the problem is the willing surrender of privacy by people blurting out every little detail of their lives on Facebook et al. We’ve surrendered more private information via FB and store discount programs than the gov’t could ever imagine and we have a new generation of adults coming in who don’t see the least need for privacy. (I speak collectively: I don’t FB and blurt out every last detail of my life, although I have nothing to hide I don’t want every last detail in government hands without proper warrants).
What I hate is the double-standard. If they’re allowed to snoop on us, then we absolutely should have total government transparency and be able to see everything the government does. Every congressman’s tax return and banking information should be open for all to see. And with the FISA courts being able to re-write the law with no review, that needs a great big spot light permanently on it.
pcolli almost 11 years ago
You speak of equality…..I cannot believe that all people in the US have the same opportunities. In the UK we are not equal in that respect..It might be written that all people are created equal, but I’m sure many don’t find it so. In my country lots of people have “guarantee” of equality but it ain’t that way..It’s a failing of human nature that some people will always be “more equal than others”.
Sherlock Watson almost 11 years ago
If someone really is listening in on us, let’s have some fun with it. Tomorrow, everyone make a phone call or e-mail with the work “kumquat” in it, and let Big Brother get a headache trying to figure out what it means.