December 2003 - cypherpunks-legacy

RE: Risk v. Charity (was: RE: Workers Paradise. /Politica...
by jbugden＠smtplink.alis.ca 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Black Unicorn <unicorn(a)schloss.li> wrote: >On Tue, 17 Sep 1996 jbugden(a)smtplink.alis.ca wrote: >> Black Unicorn <unicorn(a)schloss.li> >> >You are saying that everyone on the planet has a right to health >> > insurance and disability insurance whether they can afford it or not. >> > This is folly. The result is serious moral hazard problems. >> >> Almost, but not quite. I'm saying that within our two countries at least >> (Canada, U.S.) everyone could have access to medically necessary >> procedures because the *society as a whole* can afford it. > >The decisions about what is or is not medically necessary must by >design be made by government in a socialized medicine regime. People do make decisions that affect other people. If you feel safer in the good hands of Allstate than at the government trough, good for you. Personally, I trust in Allah, but I still tie up my camel. > This evades an important point as well. Namely, who cares if society > can afford it? Some things are seen as investments in the future of a society. I view both Education and Health through this lens. >> But there is a balance between accurately pricing the risk and >> minimizing the cost of the bureacracy that polices this pricing. > > Oh, I see. Let's give the program to the government then. Good idea. > That will reduce the cost of the bureacracy. The point is still valid. Are we not trying to minimize this cost? >> There are also many ways to modify behaviour, not all of them direct. > > And all of them buy into the notion that people are not to be made > personally responsible for their high risk behavior. There it is again. Blame the sick for their lack of moral fibre. Not every victim of lung cancer smokes. Besides, people are notoriously poor at evaluating the probability of unlikely events (see reference below). A "punishment" that happens 30 years after the "crime" is no deterrent. Prevention is usually cheaper than treatment. > I prefer market solutions. I prefer solutions. James

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The Expat Tax Is Law - The Door Is Now Closed!
by tcmay＠got.net 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

I'm forwarding this message to the list, as it relates to several themes we've been discussing recently. The imposition of draconian taxation policies effectively says that the U.S. is now doing what the Soviet Union did to emigrants: demand that they "pay back" various costs the government claimed they had incurred. Here, the U.S. is telling would-be expats that they cannot take their property with them, that they must effectively "escrow" (there's that horrid word again) their assets in a form and place that the tax collector can access, even if they no longer live in the United States and no longer use services, and even if they had paid their full taxes on income while they _were_ in the U.S. It makes me want to just put my stock certificates in my luggage and just drive on down to Mexico and cross the border (no border checks) and go from there to some safer haven. (However, I imagine the Feds can effectively block sales of my stock--the stock is still formally only an accounting entry, as stock certificates are not "bearer instruments." I could probably relocate to a foreign haven and sell the assets before the IRS would even notice...unless they computerize. I suspect this is coming.) Anyway, here's the article: > From: taxhaven(a)ix.netcom.com(Adam Starchild) > Newsgroups: alt.privacy > Subject: The Expat Tax Is Law - The Door Is Now Closed! > Date: 17 Sep 1996 01:30:43 GMT > Message-ID: <51kv03$d82(a)dfw-ixnews5.ix.netcom.com> > > The Expat Tax Is Law - The Door Is Now Closed! > > by > > Marc M. Harris > > After last year's failed attempt to pass an American > expatriate tax, the U.S. Treasury Department succeeded in > sneaking the provisions into the miscellaneous revenue positions > of the recently passed Health Coverage Availability and > Affordability Act of 1996. Given the failure of their high > profile campaign last year, the Treasury Department switched > strategies this year and undertook one of stealth. While the > press was talking about tax-deductible contributions to medical > savings accounts (MSAs), provisions tightening the expatriation > tax rules were implemented. Foreign grantor trust rules were > also tightened under the law. > In order to provide the health insurance and care benefits > provided under the law, a separate tax title adds certain revenue > raising provisions. In general, these revenue offsets add > provisions aimed at making certain the United States get their > fair share plus some when U.S. citizens and permanent residents > expatriate. In short, Uncle Sam would like to tell its > expatriates that they earned their money from the United States, > not in it. > A review of selected sections of the Congressional Record > provides some additional insight into the thinking behind these > new provisions. > > "It has come to the attention of Congress that some > very wealthy individuals have been relinquishing their > citizenship to avoid U.S. income, estate and gift tax. The > bill does not want to discourage citizens from exercising > their right to expatriate, but does not want to provide a > tax incentive for such an action..." > > If Congress truly wanted to eliminate the incentive for > expatriation, it might be better to eliminate high taxation and > put an end to the litigation crisis rather than creating another > layer of government regulation and bureaucracy. > > "Congress believes the changes are consistent with > existing tax treaties in conferring a tax credit for taxes > paid in the foreign country, and to the extent they are > inconsistent, the Treasury Department will re-negotiate the > treaties to account for the changes. The new provisions > take precedence over any treaties..." > > To make certain that other countries will not benefit from > America's brain drain, the United States will once again embark > on a campaign to bully other nations into accepting America's > oppressive system of taxation and regulation. > > "This bill would subject former citizens to the > expatriation provisions with no inquiry into their motive > and requires individuals who exchange property that would > otherwise be exempt from U.S. taxation as foreign source > income must immediately recognize U.S. source income on any > gain from such a transaction. The Secretary is authorized > to issue regulations to treat removal of tangible property > from the U.S. and other conversions to foreign source > income. For example, any income from stock transferred to a > foreign source, such as dividends, would be converted to > U.S. source and immediately taxed..." > > Logic dictates that if this tax were to approach 100%, it > would look quite similar to currency controls and foreign > investment prohibitions. Since it only goes about half of the > way, we can assume that we are 50% down the road toward American > currency and foreign investment controls. > > "A new information reporting requirement has been added > requiring former citizens and long-term residents to > complete information reporting at the time of > expatriation..." > > Just to make certain that no one escapes from the United > States without leaving all their wealth behind, the new > information reporting requirements will make certain that the > Treasury Department always knows where your assets are placed. > Of course, if you fail to report, civil and criminal sanctions > will apply. The new treaty negotiations will most likely include > provisions to extradite those "expat tax evaders" back home for > their "criminal act" of leaving a country that was once known as > the home of the free. Our sources at the Internal Revenue > Service tell us this treaty provision will be known as the Hotel > California provision -- you can check out, buy you can never > leave. > > "The bill also requires that a U.S. person that > receives a distribution from a trust must report that to the > Service..." > > Now Uncle Sam is not only seeking to penalize those patriots > that have placed their funds out of harm's way, but now the > potential recipients of those receipts. If the logic of current > money laundering statutes apply as they do in most tax cases, the > bank that accepts the cashing of the beneficiary's distribution > check from a foreign trust will be a co-conspirator in this > "unpatriotic" affair. > > "Effective for transfers made after February 6, 1995, > if a non-resident alien becomes a resident within five years > of transferring property to a foreign trust, the transferor > will be considered to have transferred the property on the > date he became a resident..." > > The Statue of Liberty stands as America's great symbol of > open immigration with its famous inscription "give us your tired > and poor." With this provision, any person who hopes to emigrate > to the United States will definitely become tired of complying > with U.S. regulations and poor after he complies with them. > > "If a U.S. person receives more than $10,000 worth of > gifts from one foreign person during any tax year, he must > file a report with the Service. If he fails to file a > report, the Service has the sole discretion to determine the > taxation of the property received by the U.S. person and the > person is liable for a penalty of 5 percent of the value of > the gift for each month he fails to file a report..." > > Currency controls and foreign investment restrictions work > both ways. Not only will governments prevent you from sending > your money out, but they will also prevent you from sending your > money in without their fair share plus some. > > "The Service has the power to prescribe regulations to > prevent the avoidance of the Estate, Trust and Beneficiary > part of the Code..." > > This provision is known as an Abusive Transaction provision. > It is commonly referred to by international human rights > organizations as the arbitrary and capricious application of > laws. > > "Once the Secretary of the Treasury establishes a > reasonable belief that the expatriate's loss of U.S. > citizenship would result in a substantial reduction in > estate, inheritance, legacy, and succession taxes, the > burden of proving that one of the principal purposes of the > loss of U.S. citizenship was not avoidance of U.S. income or > estate tax is on the executor of the decedent's estate..." > > If these provisions were making you feel a bit suicidal, > please forget it. Uncle Sam is not only going to pursue you to > the grave, but also your executors and heirs. > > Other items in the Congressional Record provide an even > greater insight into Washington's motivations: > > "Because U.S. citizens who retain their citizenship are > subject to income tax on accrued appreciation when they > dispose of their assets, as well as estate tax on the full > value of assets that are held until death, the Committee > believes it fair and equitable to tax expatriates on the > appreciation in their assets when they relinquish their U.S. > citizenship. The Committee believes that an exception from > the expatriation tax should be provided for individuals > whose income and net worth are relatively modest..." > > If you are poor, you may leave; however, if you were a > productive American in the United States that no longer exists, > you must stay and pay or leave behind the fruits of your > productivity. America's Second Civil War has begun and it is > known as Class Warfare. > > "Exceptions from the expatriation tax are provided for > individuals. (An) exception applies to a U.S. citizen who > relinquishes citizenship before reaching age 18-1/2, > provided that the individual was a resident of the United > States for no more than 5 taxable years before such > relinquishment..." > > Since one cannot renounce their American citizenship prior > to their 18th birthday, the children of an American resident > overseas have only 6 months to renounce their citizenship and > avoid the application of these laws. Ho many 18 year olds are > capable of making this type of decision? > > "Under the provision, an individual is permitted to > elect to defer payment of the expatriation tax with respect > to the deemed sale of any property. Under this election, > the expatriation tax with respect to a particular property, > plus interest thereon, is due when the property is > subsequently disposed of. In order to elect deferral of the > expatriation tax, the individual is required to provide > adequate security to ensure that the deferred expatriation > tax and interest ultimately will be paid... In the event > that the security provided with respect to a particular > property subsequently becomes inadequate and the individual > fails to correct such situation, the deferred expatriation > tax and interest with respect to such property becomes due. > As a further condition to making this election, the > individual is required to consent to the waiver of any > treaty rights that would preclude the collection of the > expatriation tax." > > Only in Congress could one dream of a law that requires its > former citizens to waive their rights in a foreign country in > order to escape from the political, social, and economic tyranny > of the United States. > > "Under the provision, special rules apply to trust > interests held by the individual at the time of > relinquishment of citizenship or termination of residency. > In addition, an individual who holds (or who is treated as > holding) a trust interest at the time of relinquishment of > citizenship or termination of residency is required to > disclose on his or her tax return the methodology used to > determine his or her interest in the trust, and whether such > individual knows (or has reason to know) that any other > beneficiary of the trust uses a different method..." > > The latter provision is known as the "Stool Pigeon" clause - > - you are required to turn your fellow beneficiaries over to the > Internal Revenue Service. Similar laws existed in Nazi Germany > that encouraged children to turn their parents and neighbors over > to the authorities. > > "If the individual holds an interest in a trust that is > not a qualified trust, a special rule applies for purposes > of determining the amount of the expatriation tax due with > respect to such trust interest. Such separate trust is > treated as having sold its assets as of the date of > relinquishment or citizenship or termination of residency > and having distributed all proceeds to the individual, and > the individual is treated as having recontributed such > proceeds to the trust. The individual is subject to the > expatriation tax with respect to any net income or gain > arising from the deemed distribution from the trust. A > beneficiary's interest in a non-qualified trust is the basis > of all facts and circumstances. If the individual has an > interest in a qualified trust, a different set of rules > applies. In determining this amount, all contingent and > discretionary interests are resolved in the individual's > favor (i.e. the individual is allocated the maximum amount > that he or she potentially could receive under the terms of > the trust instrument)..." > > The United States is quite generous in calculating the tax > based on the maximum possible distribution. In their arrogance, > it appears that the law does not detail how to recover the excess > tax if the maximum level is never reached. Alternatively, > Congress never intended for former Americans to comply with this > law. > > "If the individual does not agree to such a waiver of > treaty rights, the tax with respect to distributions to the > individual is imposed on the trust, the trustee is > personally liable therefor, and any other beneficiary of the > trust will have a right of contribution against such > individual with respect to such tax." > > Based on the above, no foreign financial institution with > offices or business in the United States would accept the > trusteeship of an American's assets. > > "Under the provision, an individual is permitted to > make an irrevocable election to continue to be taxed as a > U.S. citizen with respect to all property that otherwise is > covered by the expatriation tax. This election is an "all- > or-nothing" election;..." > > Congress is quite generous with this provision in allowing > expatriating Americans to continue being chased by tax collectors > for the rest of their lives overseas. > > "Under the provision, an individual is treated as > having relinquished U.S. citizenship on the date that the > individual first makes known to a U.S. government or > consular officer his or her intention to relinquish U.S. > citizenship... A U.S. citizen who furnishes to the State > Department a signed statement of voluntary relinquishment of > U.S. nationality, confirming the performance of an > expatriating act with the requisite intent to relinquish his > or her citizenship is treated as having relinquished his or > her citizenship on the date the statement is so furnished > (regardless of when the expatriating act was performed), > provided that the voluntary relinquishment is later > confirmed by the issuance of a CLN (Certificate of Loss of > Nationality). If neither of these circumstances exist, the > individual is treated as having relinquished citizenship on > the date a CLN is issued or a certificate of naturalization > is cancelled. The date of relinquishment of citizenship > determined under the provision applies for all tax > purposes..." > > Based on this provision, almost any American who now wishes > to undertake the expatriation route will be subject to the tax. > In short, the door has closed for most Americans. > > "Under the provision, the exclusion from income does > not apply to the value of any property received by gift or > inheritance from an individual who was subject to the > expatriation tax. Accordingly, a U.S. taxpayer who receives > a gift or inheritance from such an individual is required to > include the value of such gift or inheritance in gross > income and is subject to U.S. income tax on such amount..." > > This implies that if an American expatriate sends funds back > to support his aging parents, his parents will need to treat > these gifts as taxable income. If the parents fail to report > these amounts, they could also suffer civil and criminal > penalties associated with tax evasion. > > "Under the provision, an individual who relinquishes > citizenship or terminates residency is required to provide a > statement which includes the individual's social security > number, forwarding foreign address, new country of residence > and citizenship and, in the case of individuals with a net > worth of at least $500,000, a balance sheet..." > > Given the desire to obtain balance sheets from expatriating > Americans, it is only a matter of time before the IRS requires > the inclusion of personal balance sheets of individual taxpayers > with their Form 1040s or at least those they suspect might wish > to expatriate. > > "In the case of a former citizen, such statement is due > not later than the date the individual's citizenship is > treated as relinquished and is provided to the State > Department..." > > In short, this means that you cannot obtain your certificate > of loss of nationality without providing the information to the > United States government. > > "Further, the provision requires the Secretary of the > Treasury to publish in the Federal Register the names of all > former U.S. citizens with respect to whom it receives the > required statements or whose names it receives under the > foregoing information-sharing provisions..." > > Now your friends and neighbors can know that you have > expatriated. Although Congress respects the right of Americans > to expatriate, it will publish your name in the federal register > as if expatriation were a criminal act. > > "The provision directs the Treasury Department to > undertake a study on the tax compliance of U.S. citizens and > green-card holders residing outside the United States and to > make recommendations regarding the improvement of such > compliance. The findings of such study and such > recommendations are required to be reported to the House > Committee on Ways and Means and the Senate Committee on > Finance within 90 days of the date of enactment..." > > Uncle Sam has awoken to the fact that most Americans living > overseas are the most likely individuals to expatriate and as a > result, they are gearing up to create a machine to attack them as > well. > > The provision is effective for U.S. citizens whose date > of relinquishment of citizenship (as determined under the > provision occurred on or after February 6, 1995. U.S. > citizens who committed an expatriating act with the > requisite intent to relinquish their U.S. citizenship prior > to February 6, 1995, but whose date of relinquishment of > citizenship (as determined under the provision) does not > occur until after such date, are subject to the expatriation > tax..." > > This means that if you have not already relinquished your > citizenship or have only done so recently, you are subject to the > expat tax. The door has closed, but not completely. > > About the Author > > Marc M. Harris is a certified public accountant and > president of The Harris Organization. He has already developed a > strategy for legally avoiding the expat tax, which he discusses > only in personal appointments. > > Copyright 1996 by Marc M. Harris > > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > > Posted by Adam Starchild > The Offshore Entrepreneur at http://www.au.com/offshore -- Boycott "Big Brother Inside" software! We got computers, we're tapping phone lines, we know that that ain't allowed. ---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---- Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, tcmay(a)got.net 408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA | knowledge, reputations, information markets, Licensed Ontologist | black markets, collapse of governments. "National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."

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Re: ListSTAR/SMTP
by StarNine Eval Key Service 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Here is your authorization serial number for ListSTAR/SMTP. Remember, only one evaluation serial number is allowed per customer. If you require additional authorization serial numbers please contact our Sales Department. If you have any problems with the software, please contact our support staff (support(a)starnine.com) When you are ready to purchase ListSTAR/SMTP, you may do so by contacting our Sales Department by phone at 1-800-525-2580, or by sending email to sales(a)starnine.com. You may also order some products Online at <http://store.starnine.com/> Thank you for evaluating ListSTAR/SMTP! sales(a)starnine.com (510) 649-4949 This key will expire in 30 days. Key is for: ListSTAR/SMTP Demo Key Serial Number: L*SM-386u-q9qE-%t4y-yptE Key Support ID: 6-1399-KHQ Key Duration: 47 Day(s) Beginning: Sun, Sep 1, 1996 Expiring: Fri, Oct 18, 1996 Number of users/Options: 0 -------------------- Original Message Follows -------------------- Request for Eval Serial Number

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Re: The Expat Tax Is Law - The Door Is Now Closed!
by tcmay＠got.net 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 11:20 PM 9/17/96, Duncan Frissell wrote: >At 05:11 AM 9/17/96 -0700, Tim May wrote: > >>It makes me want to just put my stock certificates in my luggage and just >>drive on down to Mexico and cross the border (no border checks) and go >>from there to some safer haven. >> >>(However, I imagine the Feds can effectively block sales of my stock--the >>stock is still formally only an accounting entry, as stock certificates >>are not "bearer instruments." I could probably relocate to a foreign haven >>and sell the assets before the IRS would even notice...unless they >>computerize. I suspect this is coming.) > >But since a 10-year old (who is willing to break the law) can defeat their >expat tax, what difference does it make. All one has to do is cash out, >transfer all funds overseas, follow them, and renounce. Move the funds >around a little. It's not tax fraud (no false documents have been uttered >-- indeed no documents at all). Just take your marbles and go home. While I've always admired your "in-your-face" approach to tax matters, I remain skeptical. What I expect will happen is some variant of "witholding" to be implemented, where one's "transfer agent" (the holder of one's actual stock, regardless of who holds the paper certificates) releases only, say, 60% of the proceeds from a sale and holds the remaining 40% for eventual settlement of taxes. (Much as one's employer "witholds" a percentage, ranging up to 50% or so, for Federal, State, and FICA taxes.) --Tim May We got computers, we're tapping phone lines, I know that that ain't allowed. ---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---- Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, tcmay(a)got.net 408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA | knowledge, reputations, information markets, Higher Power: 2^1,257,787-1 | black markets, collapse of governments. "National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."

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Re: Anthrax on the 'net [Was Re: Fear of Flying -- from HotWired ]
by tcmay＠got.net 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 9:14 PM 9/17/96, Mike Fletcher wrote: > The Frank Herbert (of _Dune_ fame) book _White Plague_ comes >to mind. Basically a molecluar biologist's wife and kids are killed >by an IRA bomb while visiting Dublin. He snaps and creates a plague >which kills women (men are carriers) as revenge. All without using >that nasty Internet (in fact, the book was written back before even >ARPAnet). A _very_ minor correction. My copy of "The White Plague" is not handy, but I distinctly recall reading it circa 1980-1, certainly no earlier than 1977-8. The ARPANet was going strong by then. Newsgroups were getting started around 1980, give or take, as I recall. But of course I agree that "The White Plague" was written long before "The Net" became a household name. (Interestingly, Herbert was computer-literate, and he even wrote a book about using PCs, circa the late 70s....something like "Nailing Jelly to a Tree.") --Tim May We got computers, we're tapping phone lines, I know that that ain't allowed. ---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---- Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, tcmay(a)got.net 408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA | knowledge, reputations, information markets, Higher Power: 2^1,257,787-1 | black markets, collapse of governments. "National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."

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Re: Snake-Oil FAQ
by Krenn 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- It would be nice to have a list of actual products which are deemed potential snake-oil. Such a list could be maintained anonymously through a nym to avoid all the annoying legal problems with commenting on another's product. Though truth is the best defense against libel charges, it would be very annoying to be sued or some such by some hairbrained snake-oil peddler. Krenn -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.2 iQCVAwUBMj84gEnqfwPpt/QVAQEWZAP9EZ7+3dQol+ZBLYQIiEk8f8avKDje5LBh EmE5GVxFXDgD9wAmcccMMuVxxCaUhN0kc8Q4StQ4aZGjwdrCGouHq4aNJdd73ERP vuk+VpQrlUwSvwwPlfXKUIQrM1PHfNigXrS5OrsQe/H/GjLw2lFa/WI2urR2Cuqg oMmtuQKrJik= =r2wq -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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Systems/Communications Security Positions in the South Bay
by steve＠tsearch.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

I know someone is going to get PO'd about this, but I didn't know how else to get these in front of you in a timely manner. These positions are critical and interesting parties can interview next week, please read on: --------------- One of the Nation's leaders in Systems and Communications security is seeking several talented engineers to join their South Bay Development/Consulting facility to develop Internet/WWW Commerce Software. As a Software Developer on this project you will be responsible for the development of Electronic Commerce Software that spans the World Wide Web, e-mail, distributed applications, security, cryptography, O/S security, and Internet protocols. Qualified candidates should be experienced system software developers with three years development experience including several of the following areas: Unix, NT, TCP/IP, network protocol development, distributed application development, applied cryptography. For more information on this and other opportunities send a resume/email to steve(a)tsearch.com -------------------------- 2. One of the Nation's leaders in Systems and Communications security is seeking several talented engineers to join their South Bay Development/Consulting facility to develop Distributed, CORBA-compliant Software. As a Software Developer on this team you will join a new project spanning distributed object applications, CORBA ORB services, CORBA security, O/S security, a network protocol development. An existing high security O/S's distributed system capabilities are being extended to provide object request brokerage. New security components for access-controled inter-ORB interoperability are being developed. New and existing security mechanisms are being integrated for these components. This position requires strong system software development experience with at at least three years development experience including several of the following areas: CORBA, Unix, firewalls, TCP/IP, network protocol development, object-oriented software development, distributed application development, Mach, Kerberos, DCE, trusted systems, multi-level security. For more information on this and other opportunities send a resume/email to steve(a)tsearch.com -------------------- 3. One of the Nation's leaders in Systems and Communications security is seeking several talented engineers to join their South Bay Development/Consulting facility as Network Security Consultants. There are 4 positions requiring 2-4, 4-6 (2), and 6+ years of experience respectively. As a Network Security Consultant you will: - discuss network configuration and hacker threats with system administrators - understand issues related to network security policies and procedures - identify effective approaches to security issues of multi-platform systems, corporate LANs, and Internet systems - identify, understand, and effectively communicate risks, and tradeoffs between security requirements and user productivity and system performance - provide input for training materials that address customers' specific policies, network configuration, and risks - operate independently to perform customer relations and project management for some projects, including primary responsibility for written deliverables - provide oversight for a number of projects managed by others, - perform business development and expand customer base, with assistance from junior colleagues. These positions require strong system software development experience with UNIX and NT platforms, as well as some of the following: network protocols, firewalls, network security vulnerabilities, applied cryptography, access control, risk assessment, security policies. For more information send a resume/email to steve(a)tsearch.com ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]] Steve Dyson Technology Search International Consultant 25 Metro Drive, STE 238 steve(a)tsearch.com San Jose, CA 95110 VOICE 408.437.9500 FAX 408.437.1033 "...dockin-doid, dockin-doid.........dockin- doid" ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]

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Quantum Computers
by John K Clark 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- In the April 12 1996 issue of Science there is an article on Quantum Computers. It makes clear that a practical Quantum Computer has not been proven to be possible, nevertheless the article had a very optimistic tone, an optimism I did not see just one year ago. If such a machine could be built the ramifications are mind boggling. When a conventional 64 bit single processor computer performs an operation, it does it on ONE 64 bit number at a time. When a 64 bit (actually a 64 qubit) single processor QUANTUM computer performs an operation it does it on ALL 64 bit numbers at the same time, all 2^64 of them, more than a billion billion, and any increase in the number of qubits the computer can handle will increase it's already astronomical power exponentially. It gets even wilder, because the quantum mechanical state of the matter in the machine's memory determines the output, Seth Lloyd of MIT thinks you could run the machine in reverse and the result would be a quantum mechanical micromanipulator. Despite this enormous increase in performance and a possible short cut to Nanotechnology, most weren't very interested because it didn't seem like a Quantum Computer could ever be built. The slightest error or interaction with the outside environment would render the machine inoperative, conventional error correcting codes don't work for in the quantum domain and most said that correcting codes for quantum mechanical information was impossible. They were wrong. Late last year Peter Shor of ATT showed how to encode a piece of quantum information in a 9 qubit system so that the information is retained even if there is an error in one of the 9 qubits. A few months later researchers at IBM refined Shor's technique so that only 5 qubits was needed, and found ways to correct for multiple errors. The trouble was, although Shor's idea worked well for storing and transmitting quantum information without error, it did not work for the actual calculation, many thought that surely was impossible. It turns out they were wrong about that too. In the August 30 1996 issue of Science is an article by J. I. Cira, T. Pellizzari, and P. Zoller entitled "Enforcing Coherent Evolution In Dissipative Quantum Dynamics". They propose a Quantum error correcting scheme with modest computational overhead that would dramatically increase the number of quantum logic gates the machine could have before errors made it unreliable. If p is probability that a single gate will fail, then without error correction a Quantum Computer can only have 1/p gates as a practical matter. With this new quantum error correcting code it can have 4/p^2 gates before errors overwhelm it. For example, if the probability that one gate will fail is .09 then if you have no error correction your Quantum Computer better not have more that 11 logic gates, with this new error correcting idea it could have 494 logic gates without making more errors than the 11 did. Until very recently the only useful program known to be able to run on these machines was one to factor large numbers for code breaking. Unfortunately there are problems, to factor a 100 digit number the machine would need to perform millions of quantum logical operations without being effected by the outside environment, even with the newly discovered quantum error correcting codes that would not be easy to do, not for that many operations. In the August 23 1996 Science is a fascinating research article by Seth Lloyd called "Universal Quantum Simulators". Lloyd has found a way for quantum computers to do something far, FAR, more useful than factoring numbers, and is much easier for the machines to do too. In quantum mechanics it's often possible in theory to predict what something will do but not in practice because of computational complexity, that's why Chemists must still perform experiments. To simulate the behavior of N electrons, in a conventional computer you would need memory space and computation time proportional to 2^2N. Just to figure out what's going on with 40 electrons, like those found in a medium sized atom, you would need to perform 10^24 operations. It's no wonder that Chemists keep their test tubes. Lloyd found a way to perform the same simulation using just N quantum bits (qubits) and the number of operations the quantum machine must do is proportional to N, not 2^2N as on a conventional computer. In addition, the time required to do the simulation over time t is proportional to t, in other words it can do it in real time, like an Analog computer. A very important feature of Lloyd's algorithm is that it doesn't demand that the Quantum computer be a perfect machine that is totally isolated from the environment, it easily deals with errors. Incredibly, noise from the environment and decoherence can be useful to the computer, it can actually help it simulate noise and decoherence in the system it's simulating. This may help put a stop to all the "End Of Science" books we've been seeing lately. People were saying that it was a waste of time to try to find a quantum theory of gravity because there would be no way to test it. It would be a HUGE calculation, but a thousand qubit quantum computer could do it. Lloyd says we could make a Quantum Computer today with a few tens of qubits and it would "require only minor modifications of current technology". I'd say that's a pretty good start. He also says "The wide variety of atomic, molecular, and semiconductor quantum devices available suggests that quantum simulation may soon be a reality". In a separate development, Lov K Grover of ATT recently found a way for a Quantum Computer to find a piece of information in a random list with N items in just the square root of N steps, not 1/2 N steps, which is the average if you do this on a conventional computer. Apparently the appeal of making a calculation on 2^n numbers at the same time with a machine that only has n qbits is too strong for the military to ignore. In the same issue of Science is an article about the defense department making a 5 million dollar grant to start an institute for Quantum Information and Computing (QUIC). It's charter has 5 aims. 1) Improve quantum algorithms. 2) Improve quantum logic gates. 3) Improve the architecture of Quantum Computers. 4) Improve quantum error correcting codes. 5) Study the general theory behind quantum computation. I find all this very exciting, it must have been like this in the late 1930's when reports trickled in about nuclear fission and the idea occurred to people that a bizarre device like a nuclear bomb might actually be able to exist in the real world. John K Clark johnkc(a)well.com -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.i iQCzAgUBMj9UEH03wfSpid95AQGa4wTwubIy9BE9emWFU1DVaDL7+o7p5Z86OVah iBd3OKgONhJUmodDz5Egq7dwzqLvS2Rc5BQ7UPmT5uezzE/6wxmVDRAqxjJFKWHa 1TJtSv94d/S5HA8RjaAMWpOPOKQUf0KILy+jfoQMrpCLFd0cKM+aQUyhExPN92A7 EyIDQ3RUnAJNYR5JVXUVcEsiDVuPney56ZwkOqx1KAhuTI/Bcdg= =AKnq -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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Re: The Expat Tax Is Law - The Door Is Now Closed!
by Duncan Frissell 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 05:11 AM 9/17/96 -0700, Tim May wrote: >It makes me want to just put my stock certificates in my luggage and just >drive on down to Mexico and cross the border (no border checks) and go >from there to some safer haven. > >(However, I imagine the Feds can effectively block sales of my stock--the >stock is still formally only an accounting entry, as stock certificates >are not "bearer instruments." I could probably relocate to a foreign haven >and sell the assets before the IRS would even notice...unless they >computerize. I suspect this is coming.) But since a 10-year old (who is willing to break the law) can defeat their expat tax, what difference does it make. All one has to do is cash out, transfer all funds overseas, follow them, and renounce. Move the funds around a little. It's not tax fraud (no false documents have been uttered -- indeed no documents at all). Just take your marbles and go home. DCF

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Re: "But if it saves just one child."
by tcmay＠got.net 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 1:52 AM 9/18/96, "" <pstira(a)escape.com> wrote: >On Mon, 16 Sep 1996, attila wrote: > >> = .The rallying cry heard so often these days: "But if it saves just one >>child." >> = . > > >ACCKKKKKIK. > >SYN >ACK >GAK >BLAH. > >Read some Ayn Rand. >This must end. > >IOW: I call bullshit. I call total bullshit. >The net, fomerly my oasis, needs death. Millie, First, Attila was quoting my comment. Second, this was sarcasm. (Or, variously, facetiousness, tongue-in-cheek, and other varieties of irony.) You really need to learn when someone is _supporting_ your point of view through such uses of irony, rather than going ballistic, Just a Modest Proposal, as it were, he said Swiftly. --Tim May We got computers, we're tapping phone lines, I know that that ain't allowed. ---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---- Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, tcmay(a)got.net 408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA | knowledge, reputations, information markets, Higher Power: 2^1,257,787-1 | black markets, collapse of governments. "National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."

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