Be careful what you say - Big Brother is watching

The White House is concerned enough about the dissent over health care reform that they have decided they need to start keeping track of people who oppose it.

There is a lot of disinformation about health insurance reform out there, spanning from control of personal finances to end of life care. These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation. Since we can’t keep track of all of them here at the White House, we’re asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov.

Since everything the democrats spew out of their mouths in regards to health care is disinformation and lies a cynical person would suggest that they should all be reported to The White House. Maybe even multiple times by multiple people just to make sure they get the point, but I am not a cynical person so I won't suggest that.

This tracking effort by the administration does make me wonder though - How is it that when, in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, the Bush administration suggested that truckers, mailmen, delivery drivers etc. be on the lookout for suspicious activity and report it to the government that that was an infringement on civil liberty on par with the holocaust but liberals / democrats seem perfectly OK with monitoring a private citizens freely expressed opinions.
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Posted by: chad98036 at 02:02 PM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
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The Great CARS Computer Takeover

I saw Allah dismiss this as just another crazy Glenn Beck conspiracy theory and didn't bother looking into it any further* but after being pointed to it by someone who's opinion I actually value, I have to say.  It IS something and it is something fucking bad.

Now, I can't get to the page where he says he saw this disclaimer but I have no doubt that he saw what he says he saw (they probably have removed it... down the memory hole) and it is very disturbing but I think it speaks to the completely fucked up nature of EULAs everywhere.  As this post I found explains, this isn't REMOTELY the first time someone claimed something as absurd as this in a EULA and I bet its just about as enforcable:

In case you didn’t know already, EULAs are always ridiculous. The Chrome EULA originally listed everything you did on the Internet as property of Google. Everything you post on Facebook is property of Facebook. Everything you do anywhere is property of Company X. It’s in nearly every piece of software you’ve ever used.

On the technical end, this specific instance is meaningless. It states that they have full access, but no, they do not have full access. Despite fear-monger central [How can Fox News be fear monger central when the left's news agencies are all saying that global warming is going to END THE FUCKING WORLD?  Oh well, nobody said liberals were logical -MP], there isn’t a secret backdoor that lets the evil computer people monitor everything you ever do and all of your files. While there are a disconcertingly high number of unpatched and improperly secured Windows machines out there, it’s not a simply just going through the list of logged in users and taking a peek at their harddrives.

And guess what, no, in general, it’s not really considered legal. The general agreement is that the nature of EULAs are unenforceable and would not stand up in court, though precedence is lacking.

Emphasis mine.

He is correct to state that just because you click "Accept" on that EULA, it doesn't physically create a method by which the government can actually DO the things they say they have a right to do any more than Google saying they own your soul in the Chrome EULA makes it so.  The woman in the clip above has clearly talked to someone that knows about computers as she drops the term "tracking cookie" but I can assure you that there is no physical means for a fucking tracking cookie to compromise your security in the way she describes.

Frankly, it would have to install some pretty intense software to even begin to have the ability to do what they say they can do and that would be pretty clearly unconstitutional. 

So, is this a big deal?  This particularly:  no.  Its about par for the course for these types of things and I'm pretty sure no EULA of this nature has every stood up in court and never would.  The problem is  if the government were to actually believe their bullshit, which they are starting to do more and more under Obama, who knows what ridiculous demands they could make of these dealers in the future. 

Again, I really doubt any of this would stand up to real judicial review and I REPEAT, AGREEING TO THE EULA WILL NOT GIVE THEM ACCESS TO ALL OF YOUR DATA PHYSICALLY but the idea that the government could use it to intimidate private citizens and businesses who are ignorant about their legal rights is a bit disturbing. 

For example, everyone knows that signing a waiver of your rights to sue before undertaking some dangerous activity is less valuable than the paper its printed on.  The only reason haunted houses and bungee jumping companies make a grand show of having you sign it is that it makes you think you can't sue so many people just don't.

Similarly, if you think the government has the right to all the data on your computer, you may not make a stink when they come for it.

So my message to you is, make a fucking stink if the government comes for anything that belongs to you.  Just because you agree to something doesn't make it binding because, as is the case here, you can't agree to a contract that is illegal.  You know, if I sign a document saying I promise to kill myself for 50 dollars I don't really have to kill myself.  Same thing.

PS - Any lawyers out there want to agree/disagree because I'm just a moron who's had some experiences with EULA and waivers and sees how it works in practice.

* - Not because Allah dismissed it but because it just sounded too ridiculous to be true. 

Posted by: Moron Pundit at 06:29 PM | Comments (13) | Add Comment
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Traction Park

Back in the day, when Ralph Nader was leading the charge of the nanny state, in northern NJ there was a place, a magical place.
They called it Action Park.
It was kind of like Disney World. If Disney World had been built by the criminally insane for the terminally stupid and/or hopelessly suicidal.
Or maybe it was what happened when you took a bunch of moonshine crazed rednecks and gave them enough money to buy a theme park and a bunch of NJ politicians. Most of the rides had to have started with a slurred "Let's see what happens".
Being a red-blooded, American male, 20 years old+/-, I loved it.
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Posted by: Veeshir at 03:57 PM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
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I just realized Joe Biden actually told the truth about something

Recently Joe Biden told an AARP audience that in order for the US to avoid going bankrupt we needed to spend a trillion dollars on health care reform.

(CNSNews.com) – Vice President Joe Biden told people attending an AARP town hall meeting that unless the Democrat-supported health care plan becomes law the nation will go bankrupt and that the only way to avoid that fate is for the government to spend more money.

Everyone pretty roundly ridiculed him for the remark but this evening I realized he is teeling the truth. Here's the realization I came to - Health care reform isn't really about health care at all, it's about reducing the entitlement burden from an aging US population. By rationing care to older people they will die off sooner reducing the long term costs to Social Security and Medicare. It's a short term investment for a long term payoff. Sneaky 'lil batards huh?

Posted by: chad98036 at 10:01 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Hoist On Their Own Retard.

Mike at Cold Fury's been harshing my mellow since at least some time in 2002 and maybe earlier, I'm not sure when I found his blog. If you're not reading him you should be. He doesn't post all that much, but when he gets off a good one, he really gets off a good ope.

In this post he links to an American Thinker article that points out something that should be hit hard, hit often and shouted from the rooftops, considering the current health care "debate". I am a little upset I didn't think about it.

Ted Kennedy is 76 and has brain cancer, life expectancy is around 78.
Quote from the American Thinker article
Is Senator Kennedy's life valuable enough to dedicate millions of dollars to extending it another month, another day, another year?

We've been told that there must be some realistic valuation. Remember the article from last week about how if you only have 6 months to live the gov't should let you die instead of spending money to keep you alive for only a short time?

Let's introduce this into the health care "debate" and demand that, since Teddy is all in favor of the gov't being in charge and therefore de facto in favor of rationing, he should set an example for all of us and just die.

That way he wouldn't be "wasting" valuable health care resources that could be used for a woman who's buying food for her kids instead of health care. 

Posted by: Veeshir at 01:10 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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Washington's state government in action

In these troubled times, it's nice to know that they're doing the all-important work that the people fish of the state have elected them to do.

(h/t)

Posted by: Sean M. at 11:36 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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The American Community Survey

Any of you Morons get one of these in the mail recently?  My dad got one, and while I was recently house sitting for him and my mom, he started getting calls (with the number blocked...hmmmm) from people asking if he'd completed it.  I said I didn't know.  After a while, they were calling nearly every day (the 'rents  were out of town for two weeks) and, get this, threatening that he could be fined between $100 and $5000 if he didn't send it back!  They can do that?

He let me take a look at it when he got back, and it had some pretty damn intrusive questions.  They ask for the income of everyone in the household, where they work and how long it takes them to get there, and the race of everyone in the home, including the primary countries of origin of their ancestors.  And I got the impression that writing in "Fuck off, that's none of your goddamn business" was not an option.

That's our federal government at work, threatening people and demanding to know what their skin tone looks like.  Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm moving to a cabin in the woods.

Posted by: Sean M. at 11:30 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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None of us will ever work in Bozeman

Not by our choice - because there's no way in hell Bozeman would ever hire any of us.

According to the city officials, employee applicants must sign a waiver giving the city permission to conduct an investigation into the person's background, which includes handing over social networking login credentials to city administrators.

The application form requests that prospective employees submit information on current personal or business Web sites, Web pages or memberships in chat rooms and social networking sites, including Facebook, Google, Yahoo, YouTube.com and MySpace, among others, according to a report on the Web site of CBS affiliate KZBK in Bozeman.

Posted by: Alice H at 08:42 PM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
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They'll just ban your pocket knife instead

Figures they'd try and do something like this, given that recent attempts to take away firearms have been shut down, the Democrats have to ban something.  (h/t)

Posted by: doubleplusundead at 09:37 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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Nice To See The Euroweenies Have Their Priorities In Order

Biggest threats?

Terror? No.

Nukes? No.

Zombie/Robot Alliance? Nope.

Strawberries? Yup.

In addition to increased inspections, the Swedish Board of Agriculture (Jordbruksverket) also plans on utilizing isotope analysis to expose suspected cases of strawberry fraud.

In recent years, there have been an increasing number of reports in the Swedish press about imported strawberries being packaged and sold as authentic Swedish strawberries.

While the Board of Agriculture has never come across a confirmed case of the alleged strawberry fraud, the agency is taking no chances in its efforts to protect Swedish consumers.

The agriculture board announced on Tuesday it plans to dispatch more than 20 inspectors tasked with taking a closer look at the strawberries lining the shelves in stores, street markets, and roadside stands all across the country.

After inspecting the berries’ packaging and invoices, inspectors then call up growers to confirm that appropriate prices are being charged.

Suspicious strawberries are confiscated, then sent to a lab in Germany which in turn performs an isotope analysis to determine the origins of the berries by cross-referencing them with samples of guaranteed Swedish strawberries.

“Customers are faithful in their purchases and buy Swedish. The consumer has the right to make an informed choice,” said Susanne Görsberg from the Agriculture Board’s trade and marketing division, to the TT news agency.

Posted by: eddiebear at 11:18 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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You will drive what Obama wants you to drive

Thou shalt drive a tiny hybrid hippie car, or take crappy public transportation, so sayeth Our Marxist Messiah.

Posted by: doubleplusundead at 10:07 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Producers of The Dam Busters need to quit being PC wusses

I agree with this guy completely, quit being spazzes, if you're trying to be somewhat historically accurate, use the dog's real name.  The Dam Busters is a film that follows Operation Chastise, the famous raid on three dams in the Ruhr (where the bouncing bombs were used) carried out by the RAF 617th squadron. Wing Commander Guy Gibson had a dog that was something of a mascot for the squadron, but was hit by a car and killed on the day of the raid, the squadron named one of the attack points for the dog.  The dog?  A black lab named Nigger.  (Here's a picture of Nigger the dog in front of one of the bombers and crew)  The production team and director are trying to come up with a PC alternative, but are meeting resistance from people who think that if you're trying to do a historically accurate piece, you know, try and be historically accurate.

Yeah, the race hustlers, grievance mongers and stupid people are going to screech, they always do, because that's how they get shakedown money.  The production team needs to stand firm, and tell those bitching that history is history, and all the whiners and screeching retards fuck themselves sideways.  The dog's name was Nigger, quit being pussies, man up, and deal with it.

Posted by: doubleplusundead at 10:31 PM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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Warrantless GPS Tracking

Mood:  Stern and Disapproving

Looks like the Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled it is legal for Wisconsin law enforcement to track citizens with GPS without obtaining a warrant. 

I have a multi-part response*:

1. Go fuck yourself.
2. Eat my shit.

I also have a follow up question:  Would it then be legal for me to track government officials using GPS without their knowledge?  Think how many abuses of power, sex scandals and bribes could be avoided if we could just watch our 'leaders' at all times without them knowing.

It is time to start retaliating to this stupid nanny bullshit once and for all.  They want to take our liberty and make our lives beaurocratic nightmares, its time to pay the piper.  It is time to make these elitist, meddling pricks as miserable as they are trying to make us**.

* - I apologize for all the legal jargon. 

** - Moron Pundit does not condone the use of violence.  He would suggest other forms of civil disobedience like ordering 40 pizzas to your Senator's office from 20 different restaurants at the same time.

Update: I'd assume this is going to eventually make it to the SCOTUS since there are differing opinions on the matter.

(h/t: Ace and Resident BDSM Expert - Alice H.)

Posted by: Moron Pundit at 08:47 AM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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America is now officially retarded

Oh, fer crying out loud...

According to a letter from the FDA General Mills' advertising violates the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. The agency said claims that Cheerios ingredients can lower cholesterol within a certain amount of time, all while providing cancer-fighting and heart-healthy benefits, essentially makes Cheerios "a drug" by their definition. And no drug in this country can be legally marketed without an approved new drug application.

If anybody needs me, I'll be...well, I'm not really sure, to be perfectly honest.

I'm still waiting to find out what kind of transportation I can use to get to my new destination, which kind of fuel I can power said transportation with, where I can build a new place without endangering any fur-bearing spotted gnats, northwest medium-horn sheep, or striped desert trout*, what kind of water and power sources I can use, when I can use them, and what kind of food and drink I'm allowed to take with me. I don't currently own any firearms, so at least I don't have to worry about that issue.

Yeah, I guess I'll still be here. Eating Cheerios.

(h/t)


*May not be actual species

Posted by: Sean M. at 04:38 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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One Way To Stick It To The Nanny State

Just claim you are conducting "scientific research", or something like that.

Kerry’s tap room has been turned into a “Smoking Research Centre” after pal James Martin studied the law and discovered a get-out clause.

It means the nationwide smoking ban could be reduced to ashes if other pubs and clubs cash in on the idea.

James, a printer, found under Section 9 of The 2007 Smoking Act (Exemptions) that smoking “research” can be carried out in a separate room as long as there is no through bar.

The vault at Kerry’s pub, The Cutting Edge, fits the bill. It is separate from the main boozer, has its own bar, and now sports signs on the doors boasting “Designated Smoking Room”.

All Kerry’s punters have to do is fill in a questionnaire asking how many cigarettes they smoke and if they like a smoky atmosphere. Then they can sit back and enjoy a fag with their pint.

Posted by: eddiebear at 01:05 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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Here Is Some Nanny State Meddling I Want To Be A Part Of!

Inspecting brothels? Count me in.

Judges visited the Salon Prestige club, just off the city's main shopping street Kurfürstendamm, and said its existence was only noticeable by an inconspicuous name plate.

Its opening hours - 11:00 am to 11:00 pm on weekdays and 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm on weekends and public holidays according to its website - should also be acceptable for neighbours, the court said. The establishment also does not serve alcohol, it emphasised.

Posted by: eddiebear at 12:23 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Free beer in Alabama!

Craft brewers and beer enthusiasts are waging a grassroots campaign against one of Alabama's more prominent prohibitionist Nanny Staters, in particular a state senator Erwin , who has been obstructing efforts to allow good beer to flow again in Alabama.  We've noted that in a lot of counties in Alabama, there thrives a subspecies of Nanny Stater, Nannicus Biblicus Thumpus, which thrives on controlling others, and in particular has a real fixation on controlling sex and booze related fun vice. 

Be sure to check out Free the Hops!, which is trying to roll back the various Nanny beer laws.  Cheers guys!

Posted by: doubleplusundead at 12:22 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Let's put a government-controlled GPS in each and every car!

I suppose the silver lining is, the Feds will be able to find your car each and every time it's stolen.

The tax would entail equipping vehicles with GPS technology to determine how many miles a car has been driven and whether on interstate highways or secondary roads. The devices would also calculate the amount of tax owed.

Who's going to start organizing the efforts to get 48% of Americans to break their mandatory car-nannies? I think it's time to keep an eye on who's running against James Oberstar and start doing everything we can to make sure Oberstar loses his seat in 2010. It's a shame, because he's generally against gun control and abortion, but this sort of nanny-stating can't be allowed to get a foothold.

Posted by: Alice H at 07:09 PM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
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You don't fucking say!

In Bloomberg Archipelago, crimes in which firearms are used has dropped, meanwhile, crime with knives is way up and makes up what dropped in crimes with firearms.  I can't wait for Nanny Bloomberg to start agitating for bans on kitchen knives.

Posted by: doubleplusundead at 12:48 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Behold The Glories Of The Nanny State, Clown Shoe Edition

So Alex, is this one time you approve of Nanny Statism?

When he returned to the circus he was told by management he could no longer wear the size-18 shoes because they compromised his health and safety.

Mr Kashkin features in the circus' reworking of the Rasputin tale, The Monk's Dream.

His routine includes dressing himself whilst walking on a wire, dress himself within a hoop of fire, and playing a drum-kit, trumpet and double-bass all at the same time.

But he is now worried performing in his regular sized footwear will lose impact on the audience.

Mr Kashkin, 40, from Temruk, Russia, said: "The shoes are an important part of my costume, and I was disappointed to be told I couldn't do this part of my act.

"I feel fine, and think I could do it in the shoes – the impact might be lost on the audience now."

Rejecting that it was a case of health and safety gone mad, Larry Dewitt, Health and Safety adviser to the circus said: "I'm not a believer in political correctness, or doing things for the sake of doing it however.

"You have to take a common-sense approach with these things – if it's stupid, don't do it."

Paul Archer, General Manager for the Moscow State Circus, said: "I think it will definitely detract from the visual aspect of the performance.

"It's very important because there's a language barrier to the whole performance, as it's in Russian."

Posted by: eddiebear at 09:11 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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