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apl4eris
~ Abstract Brain ~
USA
4800 Posts |
 Posted - 10/27/2003 : 13:38:25
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Anybody else been addicted to www.slashdot.org ? Do you ever post or comment there? I love that site...maybe a little too much. (Though it could never take the place of the beloved FBnet!) For those who may not be familiar with it, it is a long-running forum that covers posted news on topics including technology, science, sci-fi, video games, free-speech, the internet, and government (damn, this sounds like an ad! - sorry, just wanted to fill out any gaps). It is the originator of slashdotting, or posting a news item with a link to an article, etc., and the resulted hosing up of the hosting webserver because of all the interest...
A couple of recent topics in particular have gotten me pretty interested. One from today:
"White House Website Limits Iraq-Related Crawling"
http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/03/10/27/2052228.shtml?tid=103&tid=126&tid=95&tid=99
Another recent topic that got me was the Diebold case - For anybody interested in the democratic process, and alsoespecially for the other yanks out there:
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=03/10/17/2118218&mode=thread&tid=103&tid=153&tid=99 |
Edited by - apl4eris on 10/29/2003 08:46:16 |
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the swimmer
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1602 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2003 : 13:46:19
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| Hey by the way, I answered your query on dvd players. |
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apl4eris
~ Abstract Brain ~
USA
4800 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2003 : 13:51:32
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Thank you swimmer - I appreciated that.
edit- funny haha - I like how you ignored the topic there buddy - I saw that! |
Edited by - apl4eris on 10/27/2003 14:04:52 |
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the swimmer
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1602 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2003 : 14:16:32
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You know, I went to the slashdot site. Too many words.
Make my tired head hurt. I no can focus so long. |
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apl4eris
~ Abstract Brain ~
USA
4800 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2003 : 14:19:58
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If you read the topic about the administration disallowing info to search engines about the war in Iraq, and you accidentally type in whitehouse.com to view the txt files yourself, you may get some eye candy.... I guess I make crappy topics. Goddammit.
aaaarrrgh! |
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realmeanmotorscutor
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1764 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2003 : 14:37:57
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quote:
Originally posted by apl4eris
If you read the topic about the administration disallowing info to search engines about the war in Iraq, and you accidentally type in whitehouse.com to view the txt files yourself, you may get some eye candy.... I guess I make crappy topics. Goddammit.
aaaarrrgh!
what's all this apl? can you post a link to this topic? not for the eye candy, I've heard about that ;) but I'm curious what administration disallows searching for war info.
Semper ubi sub ubi. |
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apl4eris
~ Abstract Brain ~
USA
4800 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2003 : 14:43:28
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Thank you for your interest, realmeanmotor!
Um, that would be the US Federal goverment's administration...
http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/03/10/27/2052228.shtml?tid=103&tid=126&tid=95&tid=99
There are a couple of articles linked in the story - you can access the txt file at whitehouse.gov/robots.txt
I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but that doesn't mean I don't think some things could pose a problem for freedom of information, etc....
edit: I should add that the issue here is the disallowing of websearch crawls for older statements about Iraq...they are "cleaning house", perhaps? |
Edited by - apl4eris on 10/27/2003 14:47:56 |
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Dave Noisy
Minister of Chaos
Canada
4496 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2003 : 15:39:05
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Wowwee, they don't want anything archived:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/robots.txt
Every line is a different 'directory' that they don't want search engines indexing...insane!
And YES - i read /. - hit it several times a day.
Don't have an account, so i don't post. No doubt it would be buried in with all the other pointless postings..hehe |
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El Barto
= Song DB Master =
USA
4020 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2003 : 20:15:06
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apl, you have got to be the coolest female on this board. I'm billyradcliffe on slashdot. I haven't been reading it much lately, but I take advantage of their RSS feed and head on over to the site when an interesting story comes up.
 "I joined the Cult of Clops / If I were you, I'd sleep with one eye open." |
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apl4eris
~ Abstract Brain ~
USA
4800 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2003 : 20:25:34
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Umm, I know that's *not* true, but thanks for the kind words, el barto. :)
Nice nic, BTW!
Are you familiar with the Diebold case? The CEO of the company made a speech from here in Ohio recently (they won the bid for Ohio's voting machines) saying that he was going to do "everything in his power" to deliver the vote to Bush in 2004. Stirred up quite a controversy, as he is also a contributor. Now, this tremendous leak about all the security/other holes in their software. You really should check out some of those memos on any of the mirrored sites (from the link above). This is serious shit, as there are only 3 companies handling electronic voting in the US. And in most cases there is no guaranteed physical proof of your vote before it gets sent back to the db over the network. |
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realmeanmotorscutor
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1764 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2003 : 21:01:36
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jeezum crow! Just when I think my disgust has reached its peak. Thanks for the info apl.
"What should be done about this? I'd suggest a manual-labor cooperative, of people willing to download the daily feed from the White House, mirror it and ensure that people can search without having their IP addresses logged. If you have a better idea, post a comment."
That would be a bitch but it's a good idea.
 "I joined the Cult of Popeye / The CoF required my good eye" |
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apl4eris
~ Abstract Brain ~
USA
4800 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2003 : 21:19:46
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You got it scutor! I currently do not have means to mirror this info, but there are many out there that are. There is another site which should be taken with a grain of salt as it does not come without a bias, if you are interested in other manipulations of news/info on the web: www.thememoryhole.com
Here's more on the story about Diebold and it's possible impacts to the future of fair voting:
www.kuro5hin.org/story/2003/10/21/2367/2543" target="_blank">http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2003/10/21/2367/2543 |
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realmeanmotorscutor
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1764 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2003 : 21:24:23
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well that wasn't my idea; I actually got it from a link within your link.
Thanks for these extra sites, I'll check them out as soon as I make some headway with my philosophy paper.
"I joined the Cult of Popeye / The CoF required my good eye" |
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apl4eris
~ Abstract Brain ~
USA
4800 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2003 : 21:39:19
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| Yeah - I know it was a suggestion in the messages. I was just agreeing that that was a good idea, and explaining why I wouldn't be able to do that myself. Good luck on that philosophy paper! I don't envy you at all! |
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realmeanmotorscutor
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1764 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2003 : 21:49:45
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yeah it's a one pager. One page essays are actually a lot more difficult than one might think; there's no room for error or bullshitting. I must be absolutely precise and concise. ugh.
"I joined the Cult of Popeye / The CoF required my good eye" |
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apl4eris
~ Abstract Brain ~
USA
4800 Posts |
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bedrock_barney
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
871 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2003 : 09:21:11
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| Been reading about this in the serious papers over here (I read the Independent). Quite chilling undertones. One question from a simple Brit - why all the different forms of voting mechanisms in the US. Is it a State to State thing? It's pretty much 'x marks the spot' here in the UK when you get to vote in Tony Blair or whoever takes your fancy. It might be old fashioned but it works (I think!) |
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apl4eris
~ Abstract Brain ~
USA
4800 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2003 : 09:36:03
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Yeah, it's a state to state thing - it is an individual state's right to choose the voting form. I believe the overall standards for voting are "regulated" by the federal government. It could be argued that it is actually better to have many forms of voting, or at least of voting technology companies, in order to ensure that if a company does have faulty software, or decides to tweak the results, there are far fewer votes effected. It is still not anywhere near a solution, though.
Here's a Newsweek article:
http://www.msnbc.com/news/985810.asp |
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apl4eris
~ Abstract Brain ~
USA
4800 Posts |
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bedrock_barney
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
871 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2003 : 09:46:14
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The newsweek article is an interesting read. Very 'Big Brother' isn't it?
Voting is a fundamental democratic right - anything that gets in the way of this process or even sniffs at getting in the way should obviously be thoroughly investigated. The Florida presidential election controversy was a total farce. Did the failings from this ever get proper attention? |
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Dave Noisy
Minister of Chaos
Canada
4496 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2003 : 14:17:01
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| Aw come on - the US election is a huge joke as it is anyway. Why not throw in some slapstick? |
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apl4eris
~ Abstract Brain ~
USA
4800 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2003 : 14:18:23
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| >banana peel< |
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bedrock_barney
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
871 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2003 : 14:45:50
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Well I suppose you've got Arnie now. Will someone have to change the rules so he can get to be president? Change his birth certificate or something? |
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apl4eris
~ Abstract Brain ~
USA
4800 Posts |
Posted - 10/30/2003 : 08:43:47
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Serf Woman: Who are you?
Arthur: I am Arthur. I am your President.
SW: Well, I didn't vote for ya!
Serf Man: That's what I'm on about! The majority of the citizens voted for some other git!
Serf Woman: Then how do ya get to be president?
Arthur: The Lady of the Attorney General's Office, clad in finest polyester, declared there shall be no recount. THAT is why I'm your president!
TOYNBEE idea in Kubrick's "2001" resurrect DEAD ON planet JUPITER |
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apl4eris
~ Abstract Brain ~
USA
4800 Posts |
Posted - 10/30/2003 : 08:46:28
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oh yeah, I got mixed up:
Arthur: I am your King.
Peasant woman: Well I didn't vote for you.
Arthur: You don't vote for kings.
Woman: Well how'd you become king, then?
Arthur: The Lady of the Lake, her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite, held aloft Excalibur from the bosom of the water, signifying by devine providence that I, Arthur, was to carry Excalibur. That is why I'm your king.
Dennis: Listen. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.
Arthur: Be quiet!
Dennis: You can't expect to wield supreme executive power just because some watery tart threw a sword at you!
Arthur: Shut up!
Dennis: If I went 'round sayin' I was an emporer just because some moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away!.
TOYNBEE idea in Kubrick's "2001" resurrect DEAD ON planet JUPITER |
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bedrock_barney
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
871 Posts |
Posted - 10/30/2003 : 11:15:53
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"Help, help I'm being oppressed!"
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apl4eris
~ Abstract Brain ~
USA
4800 Posts |
Posted - 10/30/2003 : 11:18:26
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| Yeah, yeah, join the club. I do like that old Emperor Norton chap though. Makes me all warm and fuzzy... |
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El Barto
= Song DB Master =
USA
4020 Posts |
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apl4eris
~ Abstract Brain ~
USA
4800 Posts |
Posted - 11/02/2003 : 11:55:49
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| Thanks for the news link El Barto! Good to see other people are concerned. I'll check that CNN story - I hope it's not limited to Diebold, though. Apparently a 2nd of the Big 3 voting machine companies is having a similar problem. This is one of democracy's worst nightmares, and it seems like it's slipping under the radar. I for one am freaked out and pissed off big-time. |
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d3niz3n
- FB Fan -
Canada
75 Posts |
Posted - 11/02/2003 : 15:48:54
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great topic and discussion. two things to add. i recall reading the elvin hatch was to propose a bill to amend the consitution so that his buddy arny could run for president. can't seem to find a link at the moment. the other thing is a documentary from the canadian program the fifth estate on conspiracy theories surrounding the events of september 11 2001 (not 1973, though there are those too).
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article5103.htm
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