Radley Balko | April 2, 2009
• Geithner won't rule out firing more executives of private companies.
• Meanwhile, the Treasury Department refuses to disclose details of TARP funding to congressionally-mandated oversight panel created specifically to monitor bailout spending.
• Senate bill would federalize network security, forcing even private companies to use federally-mandated systems.
• Combined federal government commitment on bailouts hits $12.8 trillion, a 70 percent increase since November, and nearly 90 percent of total U.S. GDP for 2008.
• Oregon bill would raise the smoking age to 21.
• New drug czar says at hearing he will focus on demand reduction, prevention rather than enforcement.
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Why do I foresee more successful cyber attacks if the government is responsible for stopping them?
I say this with my libertarian hat off: the government is horrible at IT issues and needs to be a follower, not a leader.
Meanwhile, the Treasury Department refuses to disclose
details of TARP funding to congressionally-mandated oversight panel
created specifically to monitor bailout spending.
Was this explained as being in the spirit of openness?
New drug czar says at hearing he will focus on demand
reduction, prevention rather than enforcement.
So, "Just say no" was the way it should have been all along? No
wonder Obama has been invoking Reagan so much lately. I wonder how
Nancy will be misquoted/applied in this one.
I say this with my libertarian hat off: the government is
horrible at IT issues and needs to be a follower, not a
leader.
How about purring a real libertarian hat on and say in almost every
case the government should not lead.
Goddammit, Radley. Today started off so well too.
He feeds on your pain. He sips your tears and sups on your anguish.
The hoofbeats grow near.
So fedzilla will define and demand proper cyber security. No doubt this one size fits all will be welcomed by ne'er do wells who will have to crack just one system to attack myriad targets.
So what comes after a trillion? quadrillion? Should we start a pool for when we first see that size number being referenced?
So, where is the convention to draft the 2009 Declaration of
Independence?
My first choice would be Vermont because we can all be armed there
without anyone giving a crap, so when they come to shut us down,
we'll be prepared.
My first choice would be Vermont because we can all be armed
there without anyone giving a crap, so when they come to shut us
down, we'll be prepared.
Can do the same in Alaska and they have a cuter governor right
now.
Congress and its committees need a Howard Hughs style smackdown.
Geithner's weaselly DC insider ass needs to be shackled to a water
buffalo and thrown from plane at 30K feet.
A man who worked in the private sector for a whopping 3 years (for
a political figure none the less) is threatening the CEOs of
publicly held companies. God that chaps my ass. Fuck they aren't
even cloaking the involvement in the guise of being able to vote
out the CEO.
Senate bill would federalize network security, forcing even
private companies to use federally-mandated systems.
FUCK! OH FUCK NO! NO NO NO NO NO! Dear Zeus Pleeeeease no. Son of a
Bitch.
New drug czar says at hearing he will focus on demand
reduction, prevention rather than enforcement.
UGH Equally doomed to failure. Should be less bodies at least. baby
steps.
Can do the same in Alaska and they have a cuter
governor right now.
Bullshit.
Look a the supple ripple of manly manliness that oozes from Jim
Douglas' every nook and cranny. He's the hyper-handsome result of
Orlando Bloom and Johnny Depp coming simultaneously in Hugh
Jackman's juicy cunt. Nine months later A SEX GOD WAS BORN.
He's the hyper-handsome result of Orlando Bloom and Johnny
Depp coming simultaneously in Hugh Jackman's juicy cunt.
Fuck! I just vomited and shat at the same time.
Federalized internet security? You want to see a nerd jihad of mythical proportions? I say go for it. Let me get my popcorn first. Every 4chan surfing anonymous hack on the planet would be taking a shot at such a system along with the recently pissed of nerds. Talk about doubling or tripling the hostile force you are trying to keep out.
Look a the supple ripple of manly manliness that oozes from
Jim Douglas' every nook and cranny.
Sorry for being so heterocentric. I keep forgetting that to some,
libertarianism is the perfect blend of modern humanities studies
and ancient finance. Some call it Cosmotarianism.
Of course, like what you like. Not that there is anything wrong
with that.
Federalized internet security? You want to see a nerd jihad
of mythical proportions?
No worse than borders in name only.
He's the hyper-handsome result of Orlando Bloom and Johnny
Depp coming simultaneously in Hugh Jackman's juicy cunt.
It's gonna be a good day, tater.
Hey, I'm as straight as an adamantium ruler, but to blind yourself to beauty, male or female, is to be a fool.
So what comes after a trillion? quadrillion? Should we start
a pool for when we first see that size number being
referenced?
Already seen it. The amount of derivatives (likely toxic) floating
around the global financial system have a face value in excess of 1
quadrillion dollars. Current/"real" value? Who knows? But these
piddly little trillion here, trillion there bailouts are pathetic,
if the goal is to cover those losses.
Federalized internet security? You want to see a nerd jihad
of mythical proportions? I say go for it. Let me get my popcorn
first. Every 4chan surfing anonymous hack on the planet would be
taking a shot at such a system along with the recently pissed of
nerds. Talk about doubling or tripling the hostile force you are
trying to keep out.
You forget that if they handle it the way they handle everything
else it's going to be based on an argument of pre-emption. That
means keeping tabs on everyone who they think is capable of hacking
such a system, or anyone who might be thinking about hacking such a
system.
Geithner's weaselly DC insider ass needs to be shackled to a
water buffalo and thrown from plane at 30K feet.
What did the water buffalo ever do to anybody? Just load his
'parachute' up with a reasonable amount of lead and it works the
same.
"You forget that if they handle it the way they handle
everything else it's going to be based on an argument of
pre-emption. That means keeping tabs on everyone who they think is
capable of hacking such a system, or anyone who might be thinking
about hacking such a system."
That was the point. The number of those capable and willing will
increase significantly. It acts like any prohibitive regulation.
The increase in capable and willing people would increase
significantly as soon as market forces take hold and the return for
the risk grows to drug trafficking proportions. It's a self
perpetuating fuck up.
You are right about the pre-emptive angle being the next move.
You are right about the pre-emptive angle being the next
move.
I downloaded Cory Doctorow's Little Brother a while back.
Guess it's time to actually read it.
or anyone who might be thinking about hacking such a
system.
I was lookin for a thinking break. Might as well take it now. Hello
NSAFBI, I am no longer thinking of this.
Geithner's weaselly DC insider ass needs to be shackled to a
water buffalo and thrown from plane at 30K feet.
What did the water buffalo ever do to anybody? Just load his
'parachute' up with a reasonable amount of lead and it works the
same.
If you shackle Geithner to a water buffalo, I think the water
buffalo will beg to be thrown out of the plane.
If you shackle Geithner to a water buffalo, I think the
water buffalo will beg to be thrown out of the plane.
That still doesn't explain why hmm hates water buffalo so intensely
that he'd shackle Geithner to one in the first place. What did cebu
ever do to you?
Did you ever consider that if you tried to kill Geithner
conventionally that he might come back as a crazed rubberized
cartoon character with daggers in his eyes and a shrill
voice?
What we really need is some "dip."
And Government taking over cybersecurity? What happens to the
current private entity companies like Norton, McAfee, etc.? Do they
become NGOs?
Won't it be great when EVERYONE is a government employee? We're on
our way to Utopia people! We should be rejoicing!!
Aw, Bunny. It was a good try but I was not trying to start anything either.
All this friendliness is giving me a toothache. If we can't
bicker about borders, why are we even awake, people?
I'm blowing the whistle that summons Dondero.
"There will be a renewed focus on evidence-based approaches
to reduce demand for drugs, through prevention as well as
treatment," Kerlikowske said, according to his prepared
statement.
More toothless-skank Meth Project ads.
Yay!
All this friendliness is giving me a toothache.
Shut your gob-hole, you bucktoothed Kentucky whore.
Now we're cookin' with grease!
Gotta admit, it hurts coming from SF, but somebody had to step
up.
Meanwhile, the Treasury Department refuses to disclose
details of TARP funding to congressionally-mandated oversight panel
created specifically to monitor bailout spending.
Are the Treasury officials currently in jail? I assume the congress
immediately used their subpoena power to enforce testimony and then
had them arrested for whatever the congressional equivalent of
contempt of court is. Right?
Just trying to help a girl out. Especially after Naga bailed on
our duel and escaped the vicious cane beating he had coming to
him.
As a side note: I've joked for years about when I'm elderly I want
a cane with a griffin's head on the handle to beat people with.
Three years ago, my sister-in-law found me one for Christmas.
robc,
That's why they let Stevens go, so that they could concentrate on
these prosecutions.
535 heads in a pile on the Mall. I'm pretty much a pacifist, but
that image is really starting to appeal to me.
I'm going to start work on a "green" steam-powered Guillotine. Just
in case. I should be able to get a grant for that, shouldn't I?
I guess that's what makes Fallout 3 so damn appealing. The mall has become the stage for tench warfare between the super mutants and the humans, with radioactive ghouls having their largest community observing from the side.
I'm going to start work on a "green"
steam-powered Guillotine.
Yes, killing millions of bacteria through heat sterilization.
Micro-Murderer! Nano-Hitler!
Nano-Hitler
If I wasnt already established as robc, that would be my reason
pseudonym.
• Senate bill would federalize network security, forcing
even private companies to use federally-mandated
systems.
Key lawmakers are pushing to dramatically escalate U.S. defenses against cyberattacks, crafting proposals that would empower the government to set and enforce security standards for private industry for the first time.
Since the feds have proven immune to infiltration and vandalism of
their own computer systems, this is a great idea.
I once went to traffic court to fight a ticket*. I took a friend
with me whose sole purpose was to run across the courtroom and
tackle me before I could say "but I nothing but contempt for this
court".
I lost. However, the prosecutor actually had his eyes roll back in
his head at one point (I think the expression was "OMG, Im going to
lose a traffic case") and the judge slow-talked the cop at one
point. So I considered it a victory anyway.
Oh yeah, plus the judge died a few months later before his
disbarment proceedings could finish. Another point for me.
*I was guilty as hell, but the cop made a number of errors on the
ticket that gave me a chance. Like the wrong location, he said I
ran a stop sign at an intersection that had a traffic light and no
stop signs.
"but I have nothing but contempt for this
court"
I cant even quote my hypothetical self properly.
robc,
Well, if not you someone should. The thought of a little tiny
Hitler is hilarious. Little squeaky German voice. Strutting around
and complaining about cellular usury and extolling the virtues of
pure Aryan streptococcus.
I guess that's what makes Fallout 3 so damn appealing. The
mall has become the stage for tench warfare between the super
mutants and the humans, with radioactive ghouls having their
largest community observing from the side.
Looking better all the time.
I kept a save just before I went into the Capitol Dome, just so I
could go back and pop off mini-nukes in there any time I wanted.
Cathartic.
See, this is what happens when politicians are allowed to keep their heads when they step out of line.
I acquired Fallout 3 this past weekend. Nice game.
Mammoth in scope--very akin to Oblivion and thoroughly
entertaining.
I look forward to re-nuking landmarks in DC.
As a side note: I've joked for years about when I'm elderly
I want a cane with a griffin's head on the handle to beat people
with. Three years ago, my sister-in-law found me one for
Christmas.
Isn't this just an eagle's head?
I guess that's what makes Fallout 3 so damn
appealing.
I'm a pussy gamer and can't break free of the turn-based stuff and
sports. Fallout 2 was my favorite game EVAH at the time, but 3 is
all real-timey and frightens me. Is that the game to make my leap
with, or is there a better suggestion?
If Obama were an old fashioned help the poor liberal and had
taken these trillions of dollars and given it away to the poor and
unfortunate through say bigger welfare, health and unemployment
benefits, I would disagree with him but I wouldn't hate him for it.
I would at least have to admit he was a good if misguided and
mistaken man.
But that is not what he is doing. Instead, he is taking trillions
of dollars and giving it to corrupt state governments, billionaire
bankers who have ruined their companies and the world economy with
it, and pretty much anyone who is politically connected enough to
be worthy of paying off. Obama isn't a liberal, at least not in any
terms I can understand. He is instead a two bit Peronist thug.
FrBunny,
Fallout 3 lets you fight with a turn-based-esque combat system call
V.A.T.S.,
a well as real-time. It might actually be the perfect game to
transition on.
FrBunny,
Join the club. I just recently stopped playing Rome: Total War and
I'm on Medievel 2 right now. Gonna take me roughly 4 months before
I'm tired of it.
This is just out of control. Why aren't more people freaking out
about the Government hijacking private companies? This is
madness.
http://www.notoriouslyconservative.com
It might actually be the perfect game to transition
on.
I'd be tempted to make the leap meself, if the wife would let
me.
A while back someone made a mod for Civilization III where one of
the government types was Libertarianism. I tried it out -- all of
your cities just start building whatever the hell they want, and as
central government you can't do anything. Pretty funny.
When I was in Peru, there was a guy with a little street stall who had a bunch of canes with birds' heads, including a toucan-headed one which looked frighteningly lethal.
Is that the game to make my leap with, or is there a better
suggestion?
Offhand, I can't think of a better one.
We'll have you running and gunning yet.
A while back someone made a mod for Civilization III where one of the government types was Libertarianism. I tried it out -- all of your cities just start building whatever the hell they want, and as central government you can't do anything. Pretty funny.
Awesome.
I'd be tempted to make the leap meself, if the wife would
let me.
Try the economic argument:
Honey, it will stimulate the economy. And dollar-for-dollar video
games are the best entertainment value around.
Or, try this one:
Dear, after I get this thing set up, I will disappear for hours at
a time and not be bothering you or getting in your way.
Its a win-win!
The game is teaching me about scarcity. Specifically, the scarcity of ammunition.
"If Obama were an old fashioned help the poor liberal and had
taken these trillions of dollars and given it away to the poor and
unfortunate through say bigger welfare, health and unemployment
benefits"
Man, give me time. The rich for financing and the masses for
numbers. I have it under control.
I kept a save just before I went into the Capitol Dome, just
so I could go back and pop off mini-nukes in there any time I
wanted. Cathartic.
Good man - I have one as well. I also have 35 mini nukes at this
point, for the extra pleasure of blowing everyone the hell
up.
FrBunny, although the game looks like a shoopter on its face, your
stats, the VATS system, and your pacing will have a much bigger
impact on your killing/survival than your reflexes. Where Call of
Duty is about your ability to identify a speck of a shadow moving
all the way across the map, behind a car, and accurately firing 3
into it, FO3 is about your character. It's not easy in the
beginning, but that's what makes your mid/end game character that
much more fun. You had to work to become an epic killing
machine.
Just an amazing game.
"""You forget that if they handle it the way they handle
everything else it's going to be based on an argument of
pre-emption"""
Pre-emption will be the reason why Homeland Security will need
access to every single computer in the US.
I would not be surprised if anti-virus companies will have to
include some code for DHS purposes. I wouldn't be surprised if
that's already true.
""""This is just out of control. Why aren't more people freaking
out about the Government hijacking private companies?""""
The government isn't hijacking companies. A CEO can't be ousted if
they don't take federal dollars. Don't blame the government if a
company is willing to comply with extreme demands to suck of the
taxpayer teat.
The game is teaching me about scarcity. Specifically, the
scarcity of ammunition.
Yeah. The scrounger perk (the one where you find more ammo) makes a
HUGE difference. Before that I basically picked up everything I
could possibly carry to trade for ammo. I would play a lot of the
game with just a 10mm pistol and whatever rifle I had the most
bullets for. Of course you have to leave some room for land mines
and grenades.
VATS + Grenades = FUN
Ska, I'm positively giddy now. At least I'll save a few bucks thanks to my ignorance.
And if you get really good at defusing land mines, they are free
and plentiful in certain areas.
It really is an amazing game. Just huge. As a casual gamer (not an
insomniac OCD weirdo like me) it would take you months and months
to poke around in every nook and cranny. And the huge variety of
weapons makes this Ratchet and Clank fan swoon.
I've downloaded The Pitt expansion, and I'm going to start it
tonight. Auto-axe, here I
come.
Its a win-win!
I'll give it a shot.
At the very least, i've got a copy of Fallout II lying around
somewhere if i need a postapocalyptic fix. I'd rather be mininuking
the Capitol, though.
Just for one small note of perspective, the federal intervention
into 'private companies' from the article looks to be only public
utility monopolies, like electric companies (and water
works).
That said, as other's have mentioned, govt leading your IT security
is like having Josef Fritzl in charge of your community youth
soccer league.
Just for one small note of perspective, the federal
intervention into 'private companies' from the article looks to be
only public utility monopolies, like electric companies (and water
works).
Sweet! Should make it easier to hack in and get free juice.
Seriously, though. I'm sure it's going to apply to "critical
infrastructure assets" only, but in a world where pawnshops and
convenience stores are "financial institutions" how long before
everything is a critical asset?
Yeah, I'm going to have to get the expansion as well.
Howzit work if you've already finished the main story line?
Because, to my surprise, in the "base game" there is no "free
time/sandbox" to roam the wasteland after the main story is
completed.
T,
No idea. I've got it on Xbox 360; my brother has it on PC. Sounds
the same so far.
I saw a report where Missouri retracted that report, but I seriously doubt they retracted their beliefs revealed in the report.
PC vs XBOX - from what I've seen there is a negligible
improvement in the PC version if you have the hardware for it. The
real advantage to the PC version are the mods. I have Oblivion on
both, and while the console is nice and easy to run (no conflicts),
the PC had all sorts of player created mods you could download
(effecting both gameplay and visuals). I would look into what kind
of mods are out there and let that dictate it. I'm not sure if the
PC has the same DLC from Bethesda that the 360 offers. Of course
you must also consider your home theater vs. computer setup for
both audio and video. 21" monitor vs. big screen LCD; surround
sound vs. desktop speakers; my home theater makes the XBOX my go to
platform.
Howzit work if you've already finished the main story line?
Because, to my surprise, in the "base game" there is no "free
time/sandbox" to roam the wasteland after the main story is
completed.
I'm not sure. I haven't completed the final mission because of this
issue. I've been holding off for the DLC that expands the game to
level 30.
Ska,
The Pitt expansion pack allows for leveling past 20. And it will
"resurrect" a character with a finished storyline. Add
achievements, perks and weapons.
Of course you must also consider your home theater vs.
computer setup for both audio and video. 21" monitor vs. big screen
LCD; surround sound vs. desktop speakers; my home theater makes the
XBOX my go to platform.
While I agree heartily, I have sole and exclusive rights to my PC
whereas those other people in my house keep whining abut watching
movies or TV or some crap. Do they not understand why I bought the
61" HDTV? They seem to think it was for them.
T - it's so hard to remind them that 27/32/36" was just fine
until the behemoth came home.....
SF - with that little nugget I think I'm sold.
Living with roommates will illustrate almost all the horrors
of communism.
Roommates? I'm talking about the wife and kid. I want in on some of
that patriarchical oppression the feminists keep nattering about,
because I sure as hell don't have any now.
it's so hard to remind them that 27/32/36" was just fine until
the behemoth came home.....
Yeah, there's a 40" in our bedroom and a 26" upstairs for little
bit, but everybody wants to use the monster. Piss off, bitches!
I've got games to play!
Roommates? I'm talking about the wife and kid.
Dude. I'm so, so sorry. [ducks shoe thrown by own wife]
T - let them bask in the splendor of the DC Wasteland. The kid
will want to watch the whole time you play (note: the game is
definitely rated M for good reason), and the wife won't want to
have anything to do with you!
Bioshock is also awesome for similar reasons.
my home theater makes the XBOX my go to platform.
Same here, but good mods can totally rock. I keep expecting
"open-source" games on the XBOX with mods downloadable through XBOX
live. It would be a game-changer (snerk) that will whichever
console implementing it a huge advantage.
I have sole and exclusive rights to my PC whereas those other
people in my house keep whining abut watching movies or TV or some
crap.
Sigh. I game on the back-up screen. When the wife's out of town I
move it down to the Sony 50 incher. Fab.
The kid will want to watch the whole time you play (note:
the game is definitely rated M for good reason),
She was doing that with Bioshock over Christmas break. I'd get up
before everyone else, let the dog out, and fire the Xbox up. She'd
come downstairs at some point, start watching me play, and the only
reason I'd notice was she'd start laughing when I'm swearing at the
TV.
Well then, she'll be happy to know that Bioshock 2 comes out in November. This time you play as the first Big Daddy (from what I've seen), complete with drill bit arm attachment and other cool weapons. You can also pack weapons and plasmids at the same time for even more destruction. I don't much else about it, but I'm sure there are some articles out there. Bioshock was pretty sweet so I'm expecting a lot out of this one.
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