December 2003 - cypherpunks-legacy

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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Secrecy: My life as a nym
by azur＠netcom.com 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? >> Some recent congressional actions or court rulings regarding the mandidate for SSN (Source: National Organization for Non-Enumeration (NONE), http://ime.net/none) * Public Law 104-193 President Clinton Signs Welfare Bill. The bill includes a number of sections attempting to expand the use of the Social Security number and creates new state and federal databases for personal information. * H.R. 3598 Prohibits certain misuses of the Social Security number. Prohibits any person from utilizing any person's Social Security number for purposes of identification of such person without the written consent of such person. * H.R. 3110 Disclosure of Social Security number. Provides for disclosure by the Social Security Administration of Social Security numbers and other records to judgments, or orders issued by courts of competent jurisdiction. * H.R. 4209 Requires applicants registering to vote to provide Social Security number. Amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require each individual registering to vote in elections for Federal office to provide the individual's Social Security number. * S. 580 Illegal Immigration Control and Enforcement Act of 1995. Provides for a reduction of acceptable employment-verification documents. * S. 999 Illegal Immigration Control Act of 1995. Provides for the issuance of enhanced social security cards for citizens and mandates employer verification of the number. * Olympia, Washington. Court rules no "right to labor" without social security number. * Bar None New Hampshire attorney, was suspended from the Maine Bar because he refused to disclose his Social Security number. Reinstated after agreeing to Consent Decree. * Texas Tech Texan was terminated from his employment for failing to provide a social security number. Filed a religious discrimination claim with EEOC. Rehired under provisions of Consent Decree. * Stop The Press Washington state youth was fired from his newpaper route for not having a Social Security number. Rehired after proving federal law does not require enumeration as a condition of employment. * Vote! Vote! Virginia's law requiring all citizens to provide their Social Security number in order to become registered to vote imposes "an intolerable burden" on their right to vote. * Taco's Are His Life Ohio teenager fired by Taco Bell for refusing to provide a Social Security number. Rehired after proving there is no requirement to provide number to employer. * Social Security Number Not Needed For Licenses Virginians can choose not to have their SSN appear on their driver's license. * Driver License District of Columbia law requiring applicants for driver's license to provide their Social Security number held invalid. -- Steve

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

17 Dec '03

>Blanc wrote: >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. > A case in point: A small company which manufactures premium, hand-rolled, cigars received a bill from the ATF for an unpaid tax and penalties. The notice indicated that the particular tax was over 5 years delinquint. When asked where in the over 500 pages of ATF regulations this tax was documented the investigator said he didn't know and indeed didn't find it after weeks of trying. Finally and expert in D.C. found the obscure reference. The company wanted to know why they were being billed for this tax after almost a decade of operation. They were told that althought the tax has been on the books the ATF had only recently programmed its computers to access the tax. Nevertheless, the tax and penalties were owed, billed or not.

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NRC Crypto Report Supplement
by John Young 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

As Herb Lin noted here last week, the final printed version of the NRC Cryptography Report is available. It's a handsome and bountiful volume; and belongs in all the world's libraries. The main difference from the May 30 pre-publication version is about 190 pages of reference documents, now provided in a new Appendix N. The book claims all came from the Internet. We've put 13 of the documents listed below on our site, and will finish the last 2 tomorrow. The Executive Orders, MOUs and MOAs may be of interest. The contents are at: http://jya.com/nrcnidx.htm Here's they are: Appendix N Laws, Documents, and Regulations, Relevant to Cryptography N.1 STATUTES N.1.1 Wire and Electronic Communications Interception and Interception of Oral Communications N.1.2 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance N.1.3 Pen Register and Traffic Analysis N.1.4 Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act of 1995 N.1.5 Computer Security Act of 1987 N.1.6 Arms Export Control Act N.2 EXECUTIVE ORDERS N.2.1 Executive Order 12333 (U.S. Intelligence Activities) N.2.2 Executive Order 12958 (Classified National Security Information) N.2.3 Executive Order 12472 (Assignment of National Security and Emergency Preparedness Telecommunications Functions) N.2.4 National Security Directive 42 (National Policy for the Security of National Security Telecommunications and Information Systems) N.3 MEMORANDUMS OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) AND AGREEMENT (MOA) N.3.1 National Security Agency/National Institute of Standards and Technology MOU N.3.2 National Security Agency/Federal Bureau of Investigation MOU N.3.3 National Security Agency/ Advanced Research Projects Agency/ Defense Information Systems Agency MOA N.4 REGULATIONS N.4.1 International Traffic in Arms Regulations N.4.2 Export Administration Regulations

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Re: More snake oil: ENIGMA
by attila＠primenet.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

In <v02140b07aeaed1f1f746(a)[10.0.2.15]>, on 11/12/96 at 05:20 PM, azur(a)netcom.com (Steve Schear) said: . Attila said: . .> I wonder if anyone told them the data recovery teams can pull .> multiple layers of data off a disc after it has been stripped? .I've often wondered how effective disk encryption programs, like DiskCrypt, .are at hiding data from a Class III adversary (e.g., NSA). These programs .offer a means of 'cleaning' the data and directory space using randomized .patterns applied one or more times, but this might be insufficient for .removing data written slightly off-track by a previous write cycle. . I don't have any direct experience with 'serious' error recovery either; however, over a few years span listening to some my friends who have not come in from the cold, I received the very definite reading the key is a differential measurement on flux and organization which expands the 'hearing' range exponentially -even if it is multiple destructive formatting. I written software programs for C2 and B1 clearance, including primitives which wiped as they went. I used a pattern which shifted and repeated itself --not too ridiculous on unix if you are using type 2 read/write primitives. messy? yes, in its own simple way. The software was certified by multiple fairly sensitive regula- tory agencies, plus the usual few for whom there is no name. you don't expect, and you do not receive, anything more than a yes/no. but it was in these circumstances I 'heard' the comments on recovery. and their ability to measure that differential gets better every year! No, I do not consider 'erased' disks safe from a determined federal agency. I keep sensitive stuff on zip drives which are removable, and easily crippled forever. that and our principal [a]vocation: stronger cryptography than the hardware can bruteforce or trick. -- Cyberspace and Information are Freedom! FUCK your WIPO, too. -attila

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Re: Censorship on cypherpunks?, from The Netly News
by frantz＠netcom.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 9:33 AM 11/12/96 -0800, Declan McCullagh wrote: >The Netly News >http://www.netlynews.com/ >November 11, 1996 > >Cypher-Censored >By Declan McCullagh (declan(a)well.com) >... > That is, until recently, when Dimitri Vulis was given the boot. > After he refused to stop posting flames, rants and uninspired personal > attacks, Vulis was summarily removed from the mailing list. > >... > > Thus began a debate over what the concept of censorship means in a > forum devoted to opposing it. Did Gilmore have the right to show Vulis > the virtual door? Or should he have let the ad hominem attacks > continue, encouraging people to set their filters accordingly? The > incident raises deeper questions about how a virtual community can > prevent one person from ruining the forum for all and whether only > government controls on expression can be called "censorship." There is a serious error here. Gilmore did nothing to prevent Vulis from posting to the list. He only prevented Vulis from receiving the list under his own name. And, the as hominem attacks continue. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bill Frantz | The lottery is a tax on | Periwinkle -- Consulting (408)356-8506 | those who can't do math. | 16345 Englewood Ave. frantz(a)netcom.com | - Who 1st said this? | Los Gatos, CA 95032, USA

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