December 2003 - cypherpunks-legacy

A really short one time pad.
by Sean Roach 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Actually, here are ten. 2^.5 3^.5 2^(1/3) 5^.5 5^(1/3) 7^.5 11^.5 13^.5 17^.5 Pi For that patter the nth root of any prime number. A lifetime of "pads" could be distributed in one trip. Of course this still means that you have to make the trip, and write down all of the above with a referring codeword or number. Cheap, I know. Wonder if this type of "one time pad" is as foolproof as truly randomly generated ones.

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Re: Small question about the list
by stewarts＠ix.netcom.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

>I would be realy happy if someone could tell me the adress to remove my name >from the distribution list. >Could anyone send me the procedure on how to remove my name of the list ? The two usual ways to do this on the internet are 1) Use the same address you used to join the list (you _did_ save it?) 2) somethinglist(a)somewhere.com is administered by somethinglist-request(a)somewhere.com (though this is often a frontend for some mailbot like majordomo or listserv @somewhere.com , and may just send you instructions for finding the real mailbot.) # Thanks; Bill # Bill Stewart, +1-415-442-2215 stewarts(a)ix.netcom.com # You can get PGP outside the US at ftp.ox.ac.uk

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Code of Practice for the Internet
by Benjamin Grosman 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Dear All, Found something I thought you all might find interesting..... www.intiaa.asn.au/codeintro.htm A body in Australia is attempting to introduce a "Code of Practice" in Australia Yours Sincerely, Benjamin Grosman

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Re: Taxation Thought Experiment
by azur＠netcom.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

>The crypto-relevance is via crypto anarchy: we need to undermine the tax >system enough that _everyone_, not just us, loses faith in it. (There could >be a "straw that broke the camel's back" effect, if people lose confidence >in the system. Even if most people are _not_ using anonymous digital cash >to hide income, if _enough_ are (and this "enough" could be a visible >minority, visible through recounts of their deeds), then confidence could >be lost. As in Italy and other such places, where compliance rates on taxes >are very low.) > >--Tim May > I've posed similar questions to friends and aquaintences. The working-class stiffs (who can't easily hide from the IRS) feel taxes are an unwelcome but necessary burden in order to provide the blanket of government protection they feel exists. They resent and oppose widespread tax fraud. Self-employed tend to be more open to 'alternative' income structuring. PGP Fingerprint: FE 90 1A 95 9D EA 8D 61 81 2E CC A9 A4 4A FB A9 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Steve Schear | Internet: azur(a)netcom.com Lamarr Labs | Voice: 1-702-658-2654 7075 West Gowan Road | Fax: 1-702-658-2673 Suite 2148 | Las Vegas, NV 89129 | --------------------------------------------------------------------- Internet and Wireless Development Defeat the Demopublican Unity Party. Vote no on Clinton/Dole in November. Vote Harry Browne, Libertarian, for President. http://www.harrybrowne96.org

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Re: Secrecy: My life as a nym. (Was: nym blown?)
by Sean Roach 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 10:14 PM 11/11/96 -0600, Igor Chudov wrote: >This is an interesting topic. I apologize if my questions are too trivial, >but here they are: > > 1) Can a person without an SSN have a credit record? Some > may say that a credit record is a bad thing to have, > but I am still interested in a possibility. > 2) Will private lenders (such as credit card issuers or > mortgage companies) agree to extend credit to a person > without an SSN or to someone who refuses to give out his SSN? > 3) Will the state issue a driver's license to someone who does not > have/does not wish to give out their SSN? > 4) Will states' police (where applicable) approve purchases of > firearms if purchasers do not state their ssn (misstating it > may be a crime) on an application? > 5) Employers are required to pay certain taxes and therefore > they, in my understanding, need to know their employees SSNs. > How can people get around that (unless they do not need to work)? > 6) Can someone without an SSN obtain various kinds of insurance? > >It is my understanding that the law does not regulate use of social >security numbers between private parties. Businesses are free to refuse >to do business with someone who does not present them an SSN. In real >life, how inconvenient is life of a privacy-concerned individual? > >Say, John Anonymous is a young 15 years old who anticipates to become an >engineer and have a middle class life. He wants to get married, have >children, drive a car, obtain insurance, work at some big company, >travel around the world, invest in mutual funds or buy stocks, and so >on. Reliance on government help is not important to him, so he would not >apply for an SSN solely to get Social Security, welfare and such. > >His parents are cypherpunks and did not obtain an SSN for John. How much >effort would it cost him to live a life outlined above? He couldn't, at least not in Oklahoma. In Oklahoma, students in public schools are now required to have SSN's. This may not apply to private schools, but I imagine that it does, at least to some degree. Having a high school education is certainly necessary to gain the Masters necessary to be an engineer. However, getting a drivers liscense should be easy. My sisters drivers liscense number is one that was randomly generated, all because she did not know her SSN off of the top of her head. My drivers liscense number is the same as my SSN, all because I know my state mandated serial number. For all practical purposes, I am Roach, Sean 447-xx-xxxx. Note, 447 refers to the state of my birth. My sisters record is at least a little more convoluted.

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RE: Taxation Thought Experiment
by Blanc Weber 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

From: Timothy C. May The crypto-relevance is via crypto anarchy: we need to undermine the tax system enough that _everyone_, not just us, loses faith in it. ......................................................... Having more of the facts about how taxation works - how it affects an individual in certain examples, providing the kind of calculating which both Tim and Joseph have gone through, should do it (bring about the loss of faith). And Ross Perot would be the right person to communicate it, with his charts and his detailed explanations (so would Harry Browne, but he doesn't yet have the cash for such advertising). Ross doesn't want to do away with taxes completely, but he is at least interested in their making sense. .. Blanc

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Down-Under Bounce Attack halted
by David Lesher / hated by RBOC's in 5 states 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

The postmaster of that AU site running the bounce attack assures me he has been able to vanquish the daemon running the box in question; despite the fact he did not even know it was there ;-} [Don't ask..] -- A host is a host from coast to coast.................wb8foz(a)nrk.com & no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433 is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433

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RE: Taxation Thought Experiment
by Blanc Weber 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

From: azur(a)netcom.com I've posed similar questions to friends and aquaintences. The working-class stiffs (who can't easily hide from the IRS) feel taxes are an unwelcome but necessary burden in order to provide the blanket of government protection they feel exists. They resent and oppose widespread tax fraud. Self-employed tend to be more open to 'alternative' income structuring. ..................................................... Just before the elections I heard on NPR and read in an article in a local newspaper, some people's stories of how they converted from Democrat to Republican. Most of them said that athough they were originally idealistic about all the good things which government can do, when they started their own businesses they were suddenly confronted with all the excruciating regulation and rigmarole which any business must deal with on a daily basis while just trying to get some work accomplished. Very quickly they realized the consequences of a lot of the government proposals which they had heretofore supported. So I realized that experience is not only the best teacher, but it is also the best argument against bad cases of faith in government-run economies. Sometimes a person can't understand what the problem is unless they've "been there", and once a person becomes self-employed, starts a business, or becomes an investor in an enterprise, the light dawns and they Understand. I'm happy when I read that more and more of those people who are "down-sized" or layed off are turning to self-employment and starting their own companies, because this means that more people will acquire through direct experience (that is, confrontation with govmt agencies) the details of real-life economics which were left out of high school & college. And this means more economics&tax-savvy voters in existence for govmt candidates to face in the elections. .. Blanc

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December Cypherpunks Meeting at PGP Inc.
by Dave Del Torto 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Cypherpunks December Meeting Notice (1 of 3) I'm pleased to announce that PGP Inc will be hosting December's Cypherpunks physical meeting at our offices in Redwood Shores (mid-peninsula). We really hope to see you here physically, both to present existing/new topics and projects and also to briefly check out what we're doing. If you want to mark your calendars in advance (there'll be two more reminders), here's the basic info: HOST: Pretty Good Privacy, Inc. (Dave Del Torto) TIME: 14 December 96 (Saturday) 12 Noon - 6 PM LOCATION: Pretty Good Privacy, Inc. 555 Twin Dolphin Drive Suite 570 Redwood Shores CA 94065 USA (directions will follow in the next reminder) Please email me your presentation ideas as soon as possible so I can draw up the agenda for everyone (including some idea of how much time you think you'll need). We'll provide a fast TCP/IP hookup, a workstation (Win95/Mac/UNIX) as needed, an RGB projection device, an overhead projector for transparencies/etc, and any other reasonable equipment you might need (assuming you warn us at least a week in advance). Bagels/Chips will be provided by us, but bring your own beverages. We will pause for a "keysigning moment" near the end of the meeting. If anyone has any early questions, please contact me via email, telephone or even PGPfone (by appointment). My key is available via the URL in the header above. dave ________________________________________________________________________ Dave Del Torto +1.415.65432.31 tel Manager, Strategic Technical Evangelism +1.415.631.0599 fax Pretty Good Privacy, Inc. http://www.pgp.com web

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Re: Child Protective Services and Political Views
by Dale Thorn 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Duncan Frissell wrote: > At 11:26 AM 11/12/96 -0800, Timothy C. May wrote: > >Who knows, it may even be a > >technical crime ("contributing to the delinquency of a minor"?) to even > >discuss basic libertarian ideas with a minor. And as I said, Child > >Protective Services could quite possibly seize a child whose parents were > >sufficiently vocal about their beliefs.) > One shouldn't be vocal to public employees in any case. Avoid them. If > you are going to be vocal use a non government forum. Separate your > personal life from your political life. It's not too hard to break most of > the pointers between your physical presence and your ideological presence. > Even though an investigator could find where I sleep at night, they would > have to actually expend the resources. My neighbors and the local cops are > unlikely to make the connection because they and I move in very different > circles and I minimize my database presence. [snip] Those people who live a very simple life [no TV, or at least no Cable TV, sleep on the floor with a small, thin mattress, use very little power outside of what's necessary for the laptop AC adapters, drive the smallest cheapest car available, wear old clothing, wear a beard to cut down on shaving, eat mostly veggie and mostly fresh, avoid doctors and drugstore products, stay away from large-corporation jobs, move frequently, rent but never buy, .... (you get the picture)] will get by just fine, and will have the flexibility to make large-scale adjustments rather easily. People who consider the opposite of some of the things mentioned above as very important to them will have to deal with the bad news.

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