Recent Posts

5976

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by wraith808 on June 22, 2013, 09:32 AM »

@IainB - the inclusion of said line muddied that for me, especially with the included point towards the basement... sorry for that.

5977

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by wraith808 on June 22, 2013, 08:50 AM »

it's a true story and too important to bury there.

-IainB (June 22, 2013, 01:09 AM)

Were you being... sarcastic?  I don't think this is a true story.  Especially since there have been many variations on it... and that would be considered murder in any jurisdiction that I know of.

5978

Living Room / Re: Worth Reading: Trevor Pott's editorial on NSA PRISM and its real ramifications

« Last post by wraith808 on June 21, 2013, 09:27 AM »

Remember that whole "Keep the FBI"?

I'm just going to leave these right here...

FBI Admits It Surveils U.S. With Drones

Why Won’t the FBI Tell the Public About its Drone Program?

5979

Living Room / Re: Worth Reading: Trevor Pott's editorial on NSA PRISM and its real ramifications

« Last post by wraith808 on June 20, 2013, 07:18 PM »

If we just keep throwing out any bum that won't follow the rules, I hope they'd learn that *we* are the masters, and get their acts together. After just a few cycles, things would get better.

-CWuestefeld (June 20, 2013, 06:42 PM)

There was a conference made up of movers and shakers from several fortune 500 companies.  The moderator of one of the main sessions asked a question: if you could play by the rules and in 10 years double the profits of the company and have a stable company, or in 2 years triple it, knowing it would be out of business in 5, which would you do.

The majority said the out of business in 5.

One of the checks and balances against the abuse of power, I think, is the existence of people already in power, paradoxically.  Without that bulwark, and without knowing the quality of those being put into power, and knowing that they had a limited time to get what they could, I think you'd see a lot more slash and burn.

5980

Living Room / Re: Worth Reading: Trevor Pott's editorial on NSA PRISM and its real ramifications

« Last post by wraith808 on June 20, 2013, 05:49 PM »

But here's the rub...when voting someone out...who steps in to fill the void?

-40hz (June 20, 2013, 04:35 PM)

That is the question, is it not?  And there's no way to answer it really.  In our current system of politics, you have to have money in order to serve.  Either yours, or someone else's.  That's indicative of a larger problem.  And the people that would be best for the job in general don't have any aspirations towards it.  That's how you usually tell that someone would be good for the job.

So that was my point in the whole don't start talking boot people out.  What fills the void will probably not be any better... and may just be worse.

5981

Living Room / Re: Worth Reading: Trevor Pott's editorial on NSA PRISM and its real ramifications

« Last post by wraith808 on June 20, 2013, 03:22 PM »

Unintentionally funny in light of this conversation... I received a note of a graphic novel on sale on DriveThruComics.  Looked a the sample... and had to post this screen cap.

huge image and vaguely political

5982

Living Room / Re: Worth Reading: Trevor Pott's editorial on NSA PRISM and its real ramifications

« Last post by wraith808 on June 20, 2013, 02:01 PM »

I've never (and will never) vote along party affiliations.  I vote for the person that I perceive to be the best for the job.  It's the only way the system as set forth works, and also the reason that it doesn't... because most don't.

5983

Living Room / Re: Worth Reading: Trevor Pott's editorial on NSA PRISM and its real ramifications

« Last post by wraith808 on June 20, 2013, 12:07 PM »

I think it's reached the point where the only way to get the message across is to seriously consider impeachment proceedings and removal from office 

-40hz (June 20, 2013, 09:29 AM)

This is not a single person problem though, and the programs and such were not enacted by one person, nor even a conspiracy.  That's the biggest problems with even starting to think along those lines.  It becomes a blame game and quickly devolves into partisan politics.

This isn't about party.  It's about the whole government.  And unless we can/are willing to throw them all away and start over, that type of thing only exacerbates the problem.

5984

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by wraith808 on June 19, 2013, 08:20 PM »

Russian Tampon Commercial
Your puny western ads don't work on russian women.

http://www.liveleak....iew?i=95c_1371654375

5985

Living Room / Re: XBone (XBox One) and Microsoft's desktop view

« Last post by wraith808 on June 19, 2013, 05:17 PM »

So, right after posting that round-up, they have now reversed course.

Xbox One Will Not Require Internet, Restrict Used Games

That 180 seems very unlike them.  I'm still suspicious...

5986

Living Room / XBone (XBox One) and Microsoft's desktop view

« Last post by wraith808 on June 19, 2013, 03:40 PM »

So, I know a lot of people here aren't really gamers, so might not have been following the next generation console wars.  But I think that Microsoft's approach in this arena is interesting because of certain conversations here in regards to Windows 8 and glass walled gardens (and I'm willing to eat crow on this)

So first, the basics, which I'll reference with links, then give the salient points in this post:

The Xbox Is Not Always Online, But Seems To Block Used Games

Report: All Xbox One games must be installed, secondhand players must pay fee

That XBbox One Reveal sure was a disaster, huh?

XBox One is a desperate prayer to stop time

Xbox One Internet Trade Policy

XBox One Privacy, Connectivity, and Game Licensing

TL;DR - Basically, the XBox One has targeted the entertainment appliance rather than the gamer.  They are looking to replace your cable box in your house.  It requires a Kinect, and is always on.  With Xbox One you can game offline for up to 24 hours on your primary console, or one hour if you are logged on to a separate console accessing your library. Offline gaming is not possible after these prescribed times until you re-establish a connection, but you can still watch live TV and enjoy Blu-ray and DVD movies. You don't own your games, you license them, and they are no longer an insert a disc proposition, but must be installed, and registered to your Xbox Live account.  Once this is done, it cannot be installed to anyone else's account, though there is talk of a fee to allow it to do so.  If your XBox live account is suspended/banned, you lose all of your games.  Loaning or renting games won’t be available at launch, but they are exploring the possibilities with their partners.

And now you know why it's being nicknamed the XBone.  Take it up the rear for Microsoft's partners.

"An NSFW Summary"

"More not so NSFW gifs to express displeasure"

Is this what's next for the desktop?

5987

Living Room / Re: Worth Reading: Trevor Pott's editorial on NSA PRISM and its real ramifications

« Last post by wraith808 on June 19, 2013, 02:40 PM »

You're not to be so blind with patriotism that you can't face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it or says it.
- Malcolm X

5988

Living Room / Re: Microsoft to take over entire BestBuy computer section in 600 stores

« Last post by wraith808 on June 19, 2013, 01:00 PM »

That has to do with the fact that you were accosted outside of the department more than anything else.  Those stores are very silo'd in their education... ask me how I know.

If the person had any hint, however, he would have paged someone to help.

And, since 40 brought up Serenity again...

In the movie Serenity, the utterly amoral hatchet-man for big government justifies his 'scorched earth' destruction of everybody who ever aided (or even knew) the crew of Serenity by saying: If your enemy goes to ground, leave him no ground to go to.

-40hz (June 19, 2013, 07:55 AM)

And, following that logic through, there's another quote from the Operative that might fit Microsoft...

I'm not going to live there. There's no place for me there... any more than there is for you. Malcolm... I'm a monster.What I do is evil. I have no illusions about it, but it must be done.

5989

Living Room / Re: Worth Reading: Trevor Pott's editorial on NSA PRISM and its real ramifications

« Last post by wraith808 on June 19, 2013, 12:56 PM »

^ Getting a bit too political and such for outside of basement IMO.  

There's a whole thread for political jokes there.  Two reasons to stay away from that.  One, to keep focused.  And two, it's not a party thing.  Even if Romney had gotten elected, the same would be going on.  See: the fact that this was started in 2006.   I'm even cynical enough to believe that if a Libertarian was on the other side of this, the program would *still* be in place.

5990

Living Room / Re: Now you can "Log-In with PayPal"

« Last post by wraith808 on June 19, 2013, 10:15 AM »

I can say from personal experience, that the battery life on these things is ridiculous.  I haven't had to replace mine (for another use... but the same principle) in 2 years.  And just having access to the device doesn't give you access to the account.  It syncs up the secureid with the server, and you enter that and your password.  You have to physically co-opt the person, and get their password.  And you should still not use the same password on different sites.

5991

Living Room / Re: 29K word sample of my sci-fi ebook, due on Amazon and B&N in October

« Last post by wraith808 on June 18, 2013, 10:52 AM »

Ooh thanks!  And I didn't see your earlier question... I'm mostly writing stories to support the RPGs I created and finish those.  I tend to get distracted by a lot of different projects.

5992

Living Room / Re: Worth Reading: Trevor Pott's editorial on NSA PRISM and its real ramifications

« Last post by wraith808 on June 17, 2013, 06:02 PM »

What the Chinese Public is saying about the NSA Leaker

5993

Living Room / Re: Ministry of Truth - Washington Post changes wording in its archive about PRISM

« Last post by wraith808 on June 17, 2013, 02:39 PM »

Well, it depends... was the article annotated that it was changed?  Or just changed?  It's the latter that is the problem.

5994

Living Room / Re: What annoys you to no end?

« Last post by wraith808 on June 17, 2013, 12:25 PM »

People who go to the gym and smell like they've bathed in cologne or perfume.

-Josh (June 17, 2013, 07:25 AM)

People who don't use cologne or perfume and smell like they've been to the gym.

-cranioscopical (June 17, 2013, 12:01 PM)

People who use cologne or perfume and still smell like they've been to the gym.

5995

Living Room / Re: Bitmessage - a protocol for secure decentralized e-mail

« Last post by wraith808 on June 17, 2013, 10:44 AM »

And the funny thing is looking back at Buffy (7 seasons) and Angel (5 seasons) is that their beginnings weren't as good as the endings.  There were glimmers, for sure, but it just wasn't there.  Given that, how good would Firefly have been after a few seasons?  It was just starting to get into the main plot...

...A special hell indeed.

5996

Living Room / Re: Bitmessage - a protocol for secure decentralized e-mail

« Last post by wraith808 on June 17, 2013, 09:46 AM »

(had to look up browncoats...ah, firefly, why is joss wheden so prolific?!)

-superboyac (June 16, 2013, 07:31 PM)

More like... why is he not more prolific?

Sorry that this didn't pan out.  Seems a good idea with a bad implementation.

5997

Living Room / Re: Worth Reading: Trevor Pott's editorial on NSA PRISM and its real ramifications

« Last post by wraith808 on June 17, 2013, 08:08 AM »

3 NSA veterans speak out on whistle-blower: We told you so

Apparently these three paved the way for Snowden- trying to leak the exact same information, but failed.

For years, the three whistle-blowers had told anyone who would listen that the NSA collects huge swaths of communications data from U.S. citizens. They had spent decades in the top ranks of the agency, designing and managing the very data-collection systems they say have been turned against Americans. When they became convinced that fundamental constitutional rights were being violated, they complained first to their superiors, then to federal investigators, congressional oversight committees and, finally, to the news media.

To the intelligence community, the trio are villains who compromised what the government classifies as some of its most secret, crucial and successful initiatives. They have been investigated as criminals and forced to give up careers, reputations and friendships built over a lifetime.

Today, they feel vindicated.

Excellent article- and it explains a lot of what his thinking was, and why he went public immediately rather than trying to handle this internally.

5998

Living Room / Re: Worth Reading: Trevor Pott's editorial on NSA PRISM and its real ramifications

« Last post by wraith808 on June 17, 2013, 08:03 AM »

Nevermind

5999

Living Room / Re: Bitmessage - a protocol for secure decentralized e-mail

« Last post by wraith808 on June 16, 2013, 06:21 PM »

Shiny. Browncoats Unite!

-40hz (June 16, 2013, 07:08 AM)

Don't really have anything to add... just had to give a shout out as a Browncoat.  Now let's go be bad guys.

6000

Living Room / Re: Worth Reading: Trevor Pott's editorial on NSA PRISM and its real ramifications

« Last post by wraith808 on June 15, 2013, 09:43 PM »

So... the other shoe drops.

NSA admits listening to U.S. phone calls without warrants