yeah, I've noticed that TCM is really uptight lately and has been way off the scale (more so than usual) on the "panty-knot" scale. what gives, Tim? I think the situation is mostly he's so upset that congress is discussing bills with the words "crypto" in them, which is apparently enough to make him cringe with terror.
Congress discussing any bills whatsoever should make all decent people cringe.
the congressional crypto bills are generally a good thing, because they are increasing public awareness of the issue. any bill that is not fair or just is likely to be tested in the courts, and if our system is beyond an orwellian tyranny, will be struck down. do we have a constitution or not? if so, we have nothing to worry about. (of course, I am not advocating doing nothing, but I am advocating not panicking or calling for the "vaporization of washington"..)
Wrong, you would lose count very quickly indeed if you tried to count all the laws in the US that would lose to a fair and objective constitutional challenge. The constitution doesn`t mean shit any more. The vaporization of washington should be a priority for anyone with a sense of self preservation or moral obligation towards his fellow man.
there might actually be an advanteage in a very orwellian bill *passing*. if it is struck down, perhaps no legislator would ever try again, and those that tried would have their reputations marred with widescale public infamy.
This is certainly a possibility, but is a big risk to take and would also be "playing the game" with the legislators by challenging them on their own terms. The only challenge we should be making is the only one they understand: a .45 pointed up their nostil.
TCM is terrified by virtually anything that happens in govt, which is amusing and comical at times.
I find it amusing and comical, and also very worrying, to see people who aren`t terrified by the actions of a government that fails to recognise nearly all of the basic rights of it`s citizens. If you`re not part of the solution you`re part of the problem. Datacomms Technologies data security Paul Bradley, Paul@fatmans.demon.co.uk Paul@crypto.uk.eu.org, Paul@cryptography.uk.eu.org Http://www.cryptography.home.ml.org/ Email for PGP public key, ID: FC76DA85 "Don`t forget to mount a scratch monkey"