December 2003 - cypherpunks-legacy

Re: Libertarians and crypto and such
by tallpaul＠pipeline.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

On Feb 16, 1996 12:34:42, 'Thomas Grant Edwards <tedwards(a)Glue.umd.edu>' wrote on libertarians and the Libertarian Party. I am able to draw a distinction between people whose primary political identification is with the Libertarian Party (LP) and "small el" libertarians just as I am able to draw similar distinctions between people in the Communist Party U.S.A. and "small c" communists or members of the Socialist Party U.S.A. and "small s" socialists. While I have an enormous number of disagreements with the LP I have never presented any critique on the list of the LP. I've spent many evenings with LP members in bars or coffee shops arguing over politics. On more than one occasion I've been at the same demos with LPers, generally over issues like "reform" (i.e. total elimination) of the drug laws. On the basis of my personal observations in the 1980s and 90s I consider LPers to be far more honest and well-informed than libertarians, just as I consider old-style Randian Objectivists far more principled that today's libertarian "Subjectivists." You are far more able than I to state with certaintude what the general policies of the LP are. But the LP is not the total class of libertarians nor all of the individual libertarians. While the LP or its majority may not call for the things I've critiqued, certainly libertarians have. Nor, as far as I can recall, have LPers repeatedly posted to the cypherpunk list material that is on-the-surface at least significantly off-topic; libertarians have. And I responded. --tallpaul

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Re: True democracy in America.
by jf_avon＠citenet.net 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Isaac Hopkins <Isaac.C.Hopkins-1(a)tc.umn.edu> wrote: [ Crypto Relevancy: Hey, if you cannot figure it out, too bad for you...] [[ Sorry, I am in a bitchin mood today. It happens not too often]] >A truly Democratic society is only feasible when you have an educated >society that can act outside of their own self interest. This is why we do not need a "true" democracy. Why should any individual act in a way that is not in his best interest? The blanked-out concept here is the concept of "best-interest" It would be *very* interesting to drag the collectivists into such a debate. But they are wise enough to thread away from what is, to them, quicksand... >In a democratic society you must be accepted by >the majority in order to survive. >Think about all of the greatest minds in >history, most of them were very controversial. A democracy is just the >tyranny of the majority. Then, why strive for it? Apparently, it is not in the best *long term* interest of the vast majority of individual in that society... JFA Selfishness is a fundamental Virtue. **** NEW PGP 2.6.2 KEY ********* This key is actually suspended, as of Feb, 16 1996, was never distributed, and might be subject to deletion. Sorry for the trouble my mis-management might have caused. 2048 bits Key ID:24201BA1 1996/02/13 Jean-Francois Avon <jf_avon(a)citenet.net> Key fingerprint = 23 B6 24 31 86 67 FB 35 C7 A7 AF 12 A1 61 E9 3D **** OLD KEY: DO NOT USE ANYMORE UNLESS FOR VERIFYING SIGNATURES **** 1024 bits Key ID:57214AED 1995/10/04 Jean-Francois Avon <jf_avon(a)citenet.net> Key fingerprint = 84 96 76 AE EB 7C AB 15 88 47 87 B0 18 31 74 9F

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Re: Ben T. Moore "Mr. Anonymous"
by btmoore＠iquest.net 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 09:33 PM 2/14/96 -0800, hochiminh(a)alpha.c2.org wrote: ><<<<Quoting Ben T. "Mr. Anonymous" Moore to Karl>>>> ***** SNIP ***** (Much deleted for brevity) >Well, Mr. Anonymous, let's see how well YOU have used your own advice. With >just a little effort using WEB search engines available to everyone on the net I >have found the following: > >Yes you have no credit history, at least not a positive history and you have no bank >account. However, these "accomplishments" were not the result of your "goal" to be "invisible to the system". You have a credit history, a VERY poor one. This and the fact that you have no bank account stems from the fact that you are a deadbeat not some cyber-hero looking to "drop-out" of the system. You are approximately $13,000.00 behind in child support. In fact a search of the records available to the general public reveals you were recently arrested for failure to pay child support. A fund rasing campaign was instituted in several USENET and FIDONET newsgroups to raise your bail when your attorney-employer abandoned you in jail. In fact you have been arrested several times in the last 12 months for some rather abberant behavior. Ok I'll respond to this first paragraph: As I said in my privious post. I have *NO* credit history! I don't know who you ran but whoever it was... it wasn't me. As for having poor credit, when I did have a credit history, it was quite good... New car and house, never late on a payment. I've *NEVER* been arrested! So I don't have a police record either! I don't have any kids... So what you've said is specious as regards myself... EVIDENTLY, MY SYSTEM WORKS PRETTY WELL! Wouldn't you say? :-) >Let me list the things I have been able to find out about you: > >1) You are an African-American Male, age 36. Nope... I'm an American of African and Native American descent. I'm a bit older than 36... >2) You live in Indianapolis, Indiana. I do not live in Indianapolis, Indiana >3) You are the on-again off-again bodyguard for Militia-Patriot attorney Ms. Linda Thompson and was with her when she was arrested (again)12-23-95. I am not Ms. Thompson's bodyguard... I'm in another line of work entirely. :-) >4) You were arrested for attempting to smuggle weapons (bullets?) into the Indianapolis County Jail 07-22-95. Not true... Don't know who you ran but it obviously wasn't me... >5) You are about 6'4" tall and weigh 260#. I'm flattered! Wish I was 6'4" and I definitely don't weigh 260# >6) You also use the IRC name "Shaka". I am on IRC... which is a good guess, but I've never used the moniker "Shaka." >7) You are a deabeat dad being $13,000.00 in arrears in child support. Don't have kids... you figure it! >8) You recovered some property for Ms. Thompson and filed a Police Report > # 9531780A. Again, wrong person! >9) You wrote a letter to the editor in the Indianapolis Post Spotlight lamenting you "child support" woes. Pathetic, very pathetic. Called Indianapolis, The don't have a newspaper called the Post... Again Not me. >So while you are off being a cool anonymous dude the rest of us are paying for the AFDC you ex-wife has to use to feed the kids. How do you justify an internet account while being $13,000.00 in arrears on child support? You are a disgrace to your race, the Militia-Patriot movement and men in general. You wouldn't perchance be a bigoted law enforcement officer would you? I understand there are plenty in the Indianpolis area... :-) >BTM> I just have never felt warm and fuzzy knowing that any government agency, >BTM> business, or whoever can get my personal information off a computer could come >BTM> knock on my door some dark night. If you're interested in fortifying your privacy, >BTM> I can give you a few pointers. > >BTM> 1.) Go to your local DMV and inform them you've had a change of address. I >BTM> selected a high rise apartment building with 15 floors and selected an address >BTM> on a non-existant 23rd floor. Getting your Driver's License address changed >BTM> should cost less than $10.00. > This is a violation of Indiana Code but breaking the law is of no concern to you, huh? As I don't live in Indianapolis... that's really of no concern of mine... >BTM> 2.) Go find a company like "Mail Boxes Etc." and rent a mailbox. The cost is >BTM> nominal compared to the added privacy and security. The distinction between >BTM> a mailbox and a Post Office Box is with a mailbox you have an actual street >BTM> address. You can receive deliveries from UPS and Federal Express at a >BTM> mailbox. You can't at a P.O. Box. > >BTM> 3.) This part requires some skill... befriending a graphic artist is a good idea for >BTM> this one. But what you need is a phony work identification. Pick a name! A >BTM> couple of "Pass Port Photos" and some lamination and you're good to go. > >This is a violation of Indiana and Federal Laws depending on how they are used. How they are used? I'm specificaly telling you how to use them! Obviously you are a plant and a spy in this mailing list for the government! It is people of your ilk we want, need and demand protection from! >BTM> 4.) Take your new persona down to your local utility companies and get the serv- >BTM> ice switched to the name of your new persona. Even get your phone switched >BTM> and have the number non-published. You'll be pleasantly surprised from now >BTM> on, everytime your phone rings, it will be someone you really want to talk to. > >Another violation of Indiana Code Given the fact you ran the wrong person... my system must work extremely well! You're just the nefarious type my system is designed to circumvent! Better luck next time! Benjamin T. Moore (btmoore(a)iquest.net)

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Re: Libertarians and crypto and such
by Bruce Baugh 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 12:43 AM 2/17/96 -0500, tallpaul wrote: >While the LP or its majority may not call for the things I've critiqued, >certainly libertarians have. Nor, as far as I can recall, have LPers >repeatedly posted to the cypherpunk list material that is on-the-surface at >least significantly off-topic; libertarians have. And I responded. So you get the fun of attacking this straw man called "libertarians" without any responsibility to identify any actual people it might include other than a handful of folks that the vast majority of us think are kooks. And you've also acquired the remarkable mental power, apparently, to discern who is or is not an LP member based on their posts here. Neat tricks. But until they're joined with a willingness to look at a wider range of libertarian posts than the fragment that feeds your pet peeves, I reserve the right to be impressed. And yes, this is off-topic. So this is all I have to say about it. -- Bruce Baugh bruce(a)aracnet.com http://www.aracnet.com/~bruce

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Re: Using lasers to communicate
by jamesd＠echeque.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 12:03 AM 2/16/96 -0800, gw wrote: > 50% mirrors picking off > those laser beams would do it, and you could not detect the resulting > attenuation as distinct from naturally ocurring attenuation and variation. Assume, as seems reasonable, that I point my laser from the roof of my house to an ISP relay station located on a tall building or a nearby mountain. An interception device will stick out like dogs balls. Whoever wants to tap my line is going to have to build a tower. --------------------------------------------------------------------- | We have the right to defend ourselves | http://www.jim.com/jamesd/ and our property, because of the kind | of animals that we are. True law | James A. Donald derives from this right, not from the | arbitrary power of the state. | jamesd(a)echeque.com

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Re: Libertarians and crypto and such
by blanc 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

A note on the arguments disintegrating into granular accusations & counter accusations: Some of you ought to realize that no matter what category of political/philosophical inclinations a person has, or deems themselves to have, or is deemed to have by others, they as individuals are still going to have their own peculiar perspective, their own version, of these views. Meaning, that it is not 100% predictable that *all* libertarians will think & do the same as all other so-called "libertarians". "Democrats" or "Republicans" or even "wiccans" will have their own variations on the same themes and disagree among themselves over what the most correct policy for action could be/should be/shall be. These labels for philosophical & political stands are really only general indicators of an individual's conclusions about worldy events or the direction in which they tend to orient their sympathies; when the "rubber meets the road" and real action or some real support is required, it can be quite surprising to see their actual responses to events. Whether one person or a like-minded group is aligned philosophically correctly (suitable to one's own preferences) or not, is info that is useful only for determining trends; no matter what combination of beliefs a particular group concocts into a world-view, it is still required of the individual person that they deal effectively with whatever threats arise in *their own* immediate Present, regardless of what anyone else did in the History of Mankind or what "those other groups" extol as being The Right Thing for All (tm). Aren't one's own actions more important and telling than any group affiliations? The ideals which motivate one to seek the use of encryption are very significant to the need to justify the use of it. The most valid ideals will relate to the real world in which we all actually work and play. And The Truth Which Does Not Go Away is the indispensable Fact of the Matter that when the NSA proposes to open your personal files you are going to want to prevent it, no matter what political party or program you claim to support the rest of the time. .. Blanc

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RE: COO_kie
by Michael E. Carboy 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

So, Folks, how does one manipulate the cookie in Netscape so that the user can control what Netscape sees??? Michael E. Carboy carboy(a)hooked.net 2-12-96. FinTim: "This bug in your PC is a smart cookie." Netscape Navigator contains a little-known wrinkle that increases the power of companies to find out who their customers are and what they are up to. It allows companies to track which Web pages an individual looks at, when, for how long, and in what order. The information is stored on the customer's computer as "persistent client-state hypertext transfer protocol cookies". 2-12-96. WSJ: "Consumer Privacy on Internet Goes Public." The advertising industry's response to the volatile issue of consumer privacy is drawing howls of protest from consumer advocates. The battle is over what should marketers be allowed to do with personal information they gather from consumers visiting Web sites. Marketers "want to have dossiers on people with incredible detail so they can pick and choose what they send to you." "Invention Machine's Software Wins Orders for Picking Brains of Inventors." A software program is being snapped up by a growing number of America's biggest companies to provide inventing partners for their engineers. The program codifies the invention principles behind some two million international patents and the inventive techniques of some of the world's greatest inventors. Mr. Tsourikov said the product grew out of his early studies under Genrich Altshuller, who posited that invention isn't a random process but has a certain algorithm which drives it. COO_kie

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Netscrape's Cookies
by Deranged Mutant 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Ready the article about the COOKIE.TXT file that Netscape creates. Apparently my copy has yet to modify it since it was installed... so much for 'hacking' it (I decided to try and leave it write-protected for now). I'm curious if anyone knows which sites use/modify it. Also wondering why Netscape seems to touch/modify the certification key files every time it runs. Rob. --- Send a blank message with the subject "send pgp-key" (not in quotes) to <WlkngOwl(a)unix.asb.com> for a copy of my PGP key.

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OECD international crypto policy
by nobody＠REPLAY.COM 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

gnu(a)toad.com (John Gilmore) wrote: >It would be interesting to see notes from other >participants in the same OECD meeting(s). Another >1-hour meeting was scheduled in Canberra on Feb 9. >Anyone know what happened there? The Feb 9 session of the "Group of Experts" Mr. Gilmore mentions was restricted to official OECD delegations. See: http://www.nla.gov.au/gii/programl.html Papers of the open conference on Feb 7 and 8 were promised posting on the Web concurrently but none have yet appeared at: http://www.nla.gov.au/gii/papers.html Cryptographers Quisquater, Denning and Diffie (and others at the Paris December sessions) were scheduled for Feb 7 and 8. Professor Denning was listed to give "The Future of Cryptography" discussed on cypherpunks a while back. Perhaps a public-spirited participant will share the fruits of the open and restricted events, as with the Paris gathering.

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Debrauschie (SP?) wavelets
by tien＠well.sf.ca.us 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Perhaps a dumb question, but is this kind of analysis relevant to crypto? (I read an article about it in Discover) Lee Tien

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