Post #32,213
3/14/02 3:25:38 PM
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A cozy relationship
[link|http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/industry/03/14/microsoft.eu.reut/index.html|I smaell a conflict of interest]
Excerpt:
BRUSSELS, Belgium (Reuters) -- Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer, whose company has been at odds with the U.S. government over antitrust violations, said on Thursday it was working closely with the Justice Department to fight cybercrime.
"As we think about private and public partnerships, we have to say that this (partnership) is key," said Ballmer, as he outlined the dangers of cybercrime to the European Policy Centre, a private think-tank.
"We've worked very closely, for example, with the Department of Justice in the United States to get additional funding for FBI efforts to target cybercrime," he said.
"They simply didn't have enough people who were technically expert," he added. "We've loaned our experts but we also think it's very important that government have its own experts as part of the policy process in these issues."
Ballmer said the greatest threat in cybercrime is that computer systems may be entered and perused without the knowledge of the company involved -- otherwise known as hacking.
"The worst problem is the person peering around in your computer system and you don't know it," he said.
The co-operation between Justice and Microsoft contrasts with their roles as adversaries in other arenas.
I say:
It doesn't contrast enough.
[link|http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/marlowe/index.html|http://www.angelfir...e/index.html]
Truth is that which is the case. Accept no substitutes.
If competence is considered "hubris" then may I and my country always be as "arrogant" as we can possibly manage.
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Post #32,220
3/14/02 4:14:32 PM
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"We've loaned our experts..." is this a joke?
Alex
"Never express yourself more clearly than you think." -- Neils Bohr (1885-1962)
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Post #32,246
3/14/02 6:34:44 PM
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Contrast?
We've worked very closely, for example, with the Department of Justice in the United States to get additional funding for FBI efforts to target cybercrime I'm sure. After all, with SSSCA and DMCA, GPLed projects (the only real competition left, now that MS has disemboweled the market with the blessings of the current administration) will be cybercrime. They simply didn't have enough people who were technically expert," he added. "We've loaned our experts As if Microsoft has security experts to spare. Ballmer said the greatest threat in cybercrime is that computer systems may be entered and perused without the knowledge of the company involved -- otherwise known as hacking.
"The worst problem is the person peering around in your computer system and you don't know it," he said. Gee - isn't this ability part and parcel to MS DRM and systems administration? The co-operation between Justice and Microsoft contrasts with their roles as adversaries in other arenas.
I say:
It doesn't contrast enough. Or at all. Watch my predictions come true. Will that make me a Pundit? Nah. Prolly not. After all, soon enough I won't be allowed to discuss my predictions.
Imric's Tips for Living- Paranoia Is a Survival Trait
- Pessimists are never disappointed - but sometimes, if they are very lucky, they can be pleasantly surprised...
- Even though everyone is out to get you, it doesn't matter unless you let them win.
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Post #32,336
3/15/02 12:23:50 PM
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Re: Contrast?
"now that MS has disemboweled the market with the blessings of the current administration)"
Technically, of course, with the blessings of the former administration, vis a vis the original useless and stupid 1995 consent decree arranged by Anne Bingamon, a good Democrat if there ever was one.
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Post #32,345
3/15/02 12:57:59 PM
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And what political party affilliation does David Boies have?
Bingamon? She may have been "a good Democrat", but she was (and still is) a political animal and a complete dufus.
Boies? I also believe he is "a good Democrat".
Your point?
jb4
(Resistance is not futile...)
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Post #32,364
3/15/02 2:30:02 PM
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Republicans and Democrats are two sides of the same
wooden nickel. Having a Republican administration is no more a guarantee of good government than a Democratic one. A bad administraton now doesn't mean that the last was good; a good administration now doesn't mean the last was bad - no matter how politicians may want to spin things.
The government of the United States serves not the people, but the politicians. If political gain and/or power can be realized by destroying what could have been the greatest social advance since the printing press, if money or votes can be gained for either political 'club' by siding with criminals, then our government has shown time and time again that it will do so - even if the end result is demonstrably harmful to the people of the US (or the world) in general.
The schism between the Rulers and the ruled, and the rise of privelege (private law) continues.
Bush is an idiot who, I believe, is bent on making a deal with the devil to further his own ends - and those ends are power and wealth to the elite, who will then supposedly 'take care' of the 'little guy' (yes, trickle-down economics and the Republican philosophy of favoring business over the people IS the old Roman system of patronage). This is no better than penalizing business in favor of the individual, and the idea that the wealthy owe society more because they were successful.
I really do believe that Bush, through Ashcroft, is responsible for this travesty of 'Justice' - the DoJ had already won! Now they say they have to consecrate MS monopolization tactics because they had no case? Since when do convicts get a say in thier sentencing? Why, since the convict is a billionaire with great public recognition!
You seem to think that only one political party at a time can be stupid, immoral, or criminal. I have no such illusions.
Imric's Tips for Living- Paranoia Is a Survival Trait
- Pessimists are never disappointed - but sometimes, if they are very lucky, they can be pleasantly surprised...
- Even though everyone is out to get you, it doesn't matter unless you let them win.
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Post #32,410
3/15/02 8:08:06 PM
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An essential part of The Dance
is to keep these brain-dead Labels alive.. Every time a 'Conservative' proves tongue-tied in describing in clear non-blab terms.. that which s/he deems worthy of conserving; every time a 'Liberal' cannot describe differences between a tolerant attitude towards new ideas and.. mere wishy-washy uncertainty:
The 3% win another round in the largest War On ___ of our multitudinous Wars-on: the War On Language itself. A subset of: keeping the sheep grazing and distracted by bafflegab, safe from ever interfering with Corporate governance.
In a mere 20 years - perhaps ever since a Popular Leader voiced the sentiment, Greed? Why.. That's Good! and the assault on basic words in the vocabulary, began in earnest: School performance appears to have echoed that rate of decline towards first, the expected obtuseness (?) and onwards toward widespread dumbth. The modern bizness TLA - a code which was never meant to mean Anything! but of late is actually taken seriously.. illustrates how far and how fast we have declined. Kids killing over Logos on sneakers - what dumbth-value is assigned to such behavior?
Meanwhile the money=power concentrates further daily. We may have already passed lock-in, because when we screw up things, we bring bizness efficiency to the process of dismantling .. even our language. Confucius explained what that would mean for a people.
We could try to regain some self respect by identifying accurately the one remaining 'political party': The Corporate Politician Party. But, we won't.
I'd see ya on the barricades Imric but.. I suspect all the troops will be at the sports bar or detailing their UAVs. (We're all so very busy, marching in place; it's hard to schedule stuff, y'know?)
Ashton Revere (by appointment only, on alt. Wednesdays after soccer practice)
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Post #32,580
3/18/02 11:45:42 AM
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But school performance is great
School performance appears to have echoed that rate of decline
Oh, but the schools are performing marvelously well ... at their intended purpose. You've read some of the John Gatto stuff Ben keeps linking to, haven't you? Considering the purpose of public schools is to train pupils to not think, they seem to be doing a fantastic job.
Or did you mean that the performance of the students on any reasonable measure of, well anything, has been declining?
I can't be a Democrat because I like to spend the money I make.
I can't be a Republican because I like to spend the money I make on drugs and whores.
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Post #32,695
3/19/02 1:35:46 AM
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Meant: Gatto's thesis is daily confirmed________:(
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Post #32,578
3/18/02 11:36:58 AM
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Re: Republicans and Democrats are two sides of the same
Ya, more or less, methinks. Both of our Democratic senators (Murray and Cantwell) were tripping all over themselves during the trial to appear supportive of Microsoft. Both of 'em just cut a sweet deal for Boeing to lease tankers for the Air Force. Bingaman got paid $2.5 mil by Global Crossing to lobby for them. Bois used to work for IBM in their antitrust suit.
It's all about the money.
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Post #32,295
3/15/02 5:13:49 AM
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OR: The Nazis lend Dr. Mengele to the N.I.H.
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