tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post1411296760819540108..comments2024-03-28T15:48:48.514-07:00Comments on CONTRARY BRIN: Accelerating Dangers & Opportunities from TransparencyDavid Brinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-19633690516975589002012-07-20T05:51:07.828-07:002012-07-20T05:51:07.828-07:00I don't know if this fits into the transparenc...I don't know if this fits into the transparency thread or not, but in last year's federal election up here in Canada, we've had...issues. And it looks like <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/07/19/pol-council-of-canadians-lawsuit.html" rel="nofollow">an investigation-via-lawsuit is <i>definitely</i> going ahead</a>.Dwight Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14389833479219422837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-12299421043003253472012-07-20T05:45:36.164-07:002012-07-20T05:45:36.164-07:00http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20120411-to-catch-...http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20120411-to-catch-a-cheat/1<br /><br />Story on catching Olympic dopers relates, in my mind, to transparency issues.Jumperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11794110173836133321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-51103397261633889502012-07-19T17:01:54.662-07:002012-07-19T17:01:54.662-07:00The funny thing is, I'd not even be aware that...The funny thing is, I'd not even be aware that they did it except <i>initially</i> the person linked to my site. Then he removed the link because he didn't want me getting the traffic (which makes me think he was associated with John Solomon, a shock jock webcomic reviewer a few years back who thought "review" meant spouting f-bombs and insulting the cartoonist with various false accusations. Solly ultimately ran out of steam and his site vanished, but at one point he "reviewed" me and tried to rile up my readership by posting a link to his review to my forum. Which I promptly deleted. Time and time again. <br /><br />Finally they went over my head and went after my host, Glych, who let a discussion start so long as my own dictates were followed: no links and no mentioning Solly by name. For a year afterward he'd deride a comic, link me while insulting me, and I would laugh in his face and thank him for all the traffic he sent my way... which was not reciprocated at all because none of my readers knew he existed. Finally it dawned on him that I was right at which point he stopped linking me.<br /><br />So this is either Solly or one of his close associates and he realized that I was getting traffic from that link. I tracked it down (I was curious where the traffic came from) and noticed the copying of my review. If he'd not initially linked me then I'd never have known.<br /><br />Rob H.Acacia H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07678539067303911329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-5024512016258769482012-07-19T13:59:11.585-07:002012-07-19T13:59:11.585-07:00Yeah, I take your point. SA tends to be overpopula...Yeah, I take your point. SA tends to be overpopulated with young illiterate-literates, ping-ponging the most recent and popular ideals back and forth to one another. (Disclosure: I possess a dormant account and have traded merchandise on their forums.)<br /><br />They're loyal to their sense of combined entitlement and each other, willing to participate in community acts of revenge-enforcement. A very interesting combination of openness, reciprocal loyalty, and relatively appalling immaturity. Craig's List, with attitude and lots of profanity. <br /><br />Could be worse. <br /><br />Hey, what if you were to take a bit of IP work, slap a Creative Commons license on it, and announce that you saw that people were copying your stuff, acknowledge the backhanded compliment and offer another, free of charge, with a polite request connected to your livelihood/reputation/whatever?Robhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07541997928359883625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-59178754548047039972012-07-19T12:38:24.079-07:002012-07-19T12:38:24.079-07:00They don't charge to read the site. They charg...They don't charge to read the site. They charge to join the forum (posting content to the forum). I suspect in the rules and regs they say "don't copy shit" or the like but it's not adhered to usually.<br /><br />As such they probably get around that technicality.<br /><br />And honestly, so long as they don't keep it up then I'm not going to suffer grief over it. I've posted my "please don't copy my stuff, you're allowed to do excerpts but not wholesale copying" request on my site, that should suffice for legal purposes.<br /><br />Rob H.Acacia H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07678539067303911329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-69980341374206310092012-07-19T11:58:49.703-07:002012-07-19T11:58:49.703-07:00onwardonwardDavid Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-47100143785246315972012-07-19T11:44:31.612-07:002012-07-19T11:44:31.612-07:00Harumph, well, I had a word or two for a group on ...Harumph, well, I had a word or two for a group on somethingawful... but it war-en't woth ten bucks I wish em well...David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-60951861775279391662012-07-19T11:21:12.575-07:002012-07-19T11:21:12.575-07:00I was a Boy Scout in a good troop - 155 near Chica...I was a Boy Scout in a good troop - 155 near Chicago in '65 - and it was outstanding. I think you should write a few letters to the organization, David, your thinking makes sense to me.<br /><br /> The readers here might like this unrelated article from England:<br /> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jul/16/barons-in-control-of-britain<br /><br />(a repost; I was in Troop 155, not 152...)<br /><br />Re the stolen writing, if they charge money to read their site, they are ripe for copyright lawsuits...Jumperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11794110173836133321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-30351990819348049962012-07-19T09:44:07.885-07:002012-07-19T09:44:07.885-07:00You know, they do repost comics there, in violatio...You know, they <i>do</i> repost comics there, in violation of the copyright for said comics. The problem is, you smack them with a stick and they swarm you worse than Japanese hornets. You know the hornets in question, they're the size of the palm of your hand and spit caustic liquid in your eyes?<br /><br />Yeah. Worse than that.<br /><br />Rob H.Acacia H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07678539067303911329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-42499551157814513612012-07-19T08:33:04.806-07:002012-07-19T08:33:04.806-07:00SomethingAwful.com charges the $10 for an account,...SomethingAwful.com charges the $10 for an account, once, and nothing thereafter. There is no tech support and they never respond to requests. You'd probably have to go right to the DMCA cease-and-desist to get satisfaction on a copyright complaint. And even then you may not get it.Robhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07541997928359883625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-15890013780608377472012-07-19T06:00:13.253-07:002012-07-19T06:00:13.253-07:00I know what you mean, Dr. Brin. I want to send the...I know what you mean, Dr. Brin. I want to send them a cease-and-desist for copying verbatim one of my reviews but paying $10 for the right to join the forum just to do that doesn't sit right. <br /><br />I e-mailed their tech support people but never received a response. It wasn't even a nasty cease-and-desist either, just a polite request. Ah well. They've not done anything like that since (that I'm aware of) and I did put up a copyright notification on my own website so hopefully having sent a request will be enough to protect my copyright.<br /><br />Rob H.Acacia H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07678539067303911329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-89554172996787989952012-07-19T04:27:00.176-07:002012-07-19T04:27:00.176-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Jumperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11794110173836133321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-14628915516240428012012-07-18T22:56:58.467-07:002012-07-18T22:56:58.467-07:00Yeah, I walked past the permanent festival of food...Yeah, I walked past the permanent festival of food trucks at the Old Courthouse square in Portland, a week ago and thought about how many days it would take to cycle around and then go to line two on all the menus, then line three...<br /><br />Jiminy, did any of you look at the range of religions listed as giving BSA faith awards?<br /><br />Look up General Church of the New Jerusalem and Meher Baba... there's one for Zoroastrians!!<br /><br />But the unitarian one... it means atheists and agnostics are welcome, so long as you use the word "unitarian" once in a while... <br /><br />People oughta chill.David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-42869828083175908412012-07-18T22:29:24.925-07:002012-07-18T22:29:24.925-07:00Re: Best street food in the world. I've been t...Re: Best street food in the world. I've been to NYC. Portland,OR, just kills it. Over 1200 various carts. And I can't think of a bad one that stayed open over a month. But then I have a "Cartivore" t-shirt, so I might not be a fair judge. Of course, cnn agrees with me<br /> http://articles.cnn.com/2010-07-19/travel/worlds.best.street.food_1_street-food-arepas-locals?_s=PM:TRAVEL<br /><br />And us news and world <br /> http://travel.usnews.com/features/Worlds_Best_Street_Food/<br /><br />Just sayinmatthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17757867868731829206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-80690979264370774202012-07-18T20:46:35.873-07:002012-07-18T20:46:35.873-07:00Do any of you have accounts at Somethingawful.com?...Do any of you have accounts at Somethingawful.com?<br /><br />One of the forums carried some stuff about me worthy of a brief answer but I don't want to join just for that.David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-38216023201604380592012-07-18T20:45:31.760-07:002012-07-18T20:45:31.760-07:00Of course they exist. But forest for the trees.
M...Of course they exist. But forest for the trees.<br /><br />Males are dangerous. Half of civilization is about dealing with that fact. Sometimes you gotta start with the obvious.David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-54623006407628399892012-07-18T19:22:21.183-07:002012-07-18T19:22:21.183-07:00I'm not sure about Sandusky-level lesbian pedo...I'm not sure about Sandusky-level lesbian pedophiles, but there are definitely a number of female pedophiles out there in the teaching profession. Every so often you hear about some teacher who was caught sleeping with her mid-teen students. When you consider how many sex crimes go unreported... well, it's entirely possible that there are female pedophiles who do target girls. <br /><br />A simple search on Bing quickly revealed two websites with data on female pedophiles. While you can't necessarily trust what you read online... I'm not sure these two sites are necessarily fake:<br /><br />http://crime.about.com/<br />http://www.wnd.com/<br /><br />(I'm not linking to the specific stories in question because I didn't feel comfortable doing that. After all, I have no proof those stories are <i>legit</i>, which is why I linked the websites behind the threads in question.)<br /><br />If I were to guess, I'd say that seeing that pedophilia is a mental illness and teachers are under increasing amounts of stress due to public and political sentiments against their pay and unions... and just snap one day and start behaving in a fashion they'd not do if not under the severe amount of stress they're under. <br /><br />And speaking as a former substitute teacher who was sexually harassed by a female student (and then warned by the school administration next time to <i>immediately</i> report the girl to the administration because of the possibility of her trying to report me falsely to get me into trouble), it's also entirely possible that some of these cases (in which charges are not levied) were false charges against the teachers out of a twisted need for revenge by some socially-deficient young teen.<br /><br />But to go back to the concept of the female Sandusky? They exist. They're just not usually in a position of extreme visibility as Sandusky was.<br /><br />Rob H.Acacia H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07678539067303911329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-91073507645791867862012-07-18T19:21:47.156-07:002012-07-18T19:21:47.156-07:00Girls can do Venture but by the time we set one up...Girls can do Venture but by the time we set one up my daughter was already shrug blase and uninterested, Didn't know we could put her in cubs! That must be recent. sigh.<br /><br />But it does show they are evolving. Interesting how it is in rhythm with the evolution of mormonism.<br /><br />Forgive me but I think we can wait on a Mormon president till the next, more evolved generation.David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-29959977610785420392012-07-18T18:56:27.537-07:002012-07-18T18:56:27.537-07:00I went through the BSA scrutiny a couple of years ...I went through the BSA scrutiny a couple of years ago, when I served as Cubmaster. <br /><br />They rigorously background-check and vet every adult volunteer. In my view the exclusion of gays from unit leadership is a bottom-up decision. Most scouts are sponsored by Catholic troops. Most units are Mormon. <br /><br />Mormons are working through the truth of things. The trajectory is toward much greater tolerance. I have anecdotes to offer if anyone is interested. I don't know what the Catholics are doing, but I can attest that a nominal Cub Scout pack sponsored by a Mormon ward isn't going to quibble about a nine year old boy's conception of God. They're far too busy just executing the program. <br /><br />Whether or not to admit girls to Tiger Cubs and Cub Scouts is left to a Council/District/Unit decision. In other words, the sponsoring organization decides. The only "boy only" groups left in the national charter are the actual red-epaulet and orange-epaulet Boy Scouts and Ventures, though I think girls can be Ventures. <br /><br />Verifiably, young women are employed as camp counselors in our district in the PDX area, under Oregon's very liberal employment laws.Robhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07541997928359883625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-71017853972275301962012-07-18T18:27:09.931-07:002012-07-18T18:27:09.931-07:00An example if just now doing your homework.
See t...An example if just now doing your homework.<br /><br />See the Hindu & Buddhist religious medals awarded by the Boy Scouts of America<br /><br />http://www.usscouts.org/advance/boyscout/religious.asp#Hindu<br /><br />Heck fire, there's a UNITARIAN one! Jesus, what do you want???David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-4965599450360926562012-07-18T18:01:48.948-07:002012-07-18T18:01:48.948-07:00From a perspective of a millennial, the BSA is stu...From a perspective of a millennial, the BSA is stuck with the values of a bygone era. If the BSA wants to stay relevant in the 21st century, they are simply going to have to change their position on gays. The latest generation of parents, the millennials which are just now entering the years where they have children old enough to join the BSA, largely accepts the notion that gay people should have equal rights. <br /><br />Taking stances those parents view as bigoted is entirely unhelpful toward ensuring they have the membership they need to ensure long-term vitality of the organization. I'm sure this all will change eventually along with shifts in leadership to the next generation, but by then, it may be too late.BCRionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04955960949670858365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-55236488620502370372012-07-18T16:48:01.394-07:002012-07-18T16:48:01.394-07:00Actually, I expected more heat from this than seem...Actually, I expected more heat from this than seems to have arisen...<br /><br />Ian: "You might also want ot note thatsexual abuse of girls by lesbians is also a real concern."<br /><br />To whom? Nobody I know. When was the last time you heard of a lesbian Sandusky? Oh they exist, anecdotally. But seriously, any effort to make this "evenhanded" is just silly. And so are Girl OR Boy scouts who fret about female Lesbians or Bi's.<br /><br />Ian: "The Scouts simply need to adopt the same policies as any other group in a contemporary western society"<br /><br />They HAVE! We have to take Child Protection courses and there's a rule that no adult is ever to be alone with a scout, ever. Silly but necessary.<br /><br />And you still miss the point. I do NOT claim that gay men are more dangerous to Boy Scouts than hetero men are to Girl Scouts. Both have to watch out for MALES who are attracted to their youthful charges. <br /><br />Period. It is not gayness that is the problem. It is perverted males who want to be near helpless members of the gender they are attracted to.<br /><br />My position is both logical and ENTIRELY NEUTRAL on the big picture of gay vs straight tolerance. The issue is not gayness it is males.<br /><br />Ian: "The protection issue is a smoke-screen, the BSA simply wants to exclude people it considers morally unacceptable - which includes atheists and agnostics as well as homosexuals."<br /><br />I agree that their are troglodytes in leadership roles in BSA. They would not agree with my attempt at a compromise because they personally ARE bigots. I oppose them, openly.<br /><br />Ian: "For that matter, the BSA oath requires Scouts to do their duty "to God" - which is interpreted to exclude members of polytheistic religons such as Hinduism and Buddhism. "<br /><br />You are being silly. Like Penn. There are no efforts across the BSA to police any aspect of "god" or "reverent"... yes, the mormon troops are another matter. And there are troops with harraguing scoutmasters and I would fight that if I saw it. But I have never, ever personally seen a trace of it in 50 years of scouting.<br /><br />The crux... making an enemy organization out of one that does as much good in the world as scouting is simply loony. There are irksome aspects that are gradually being reformed and I have put forward a suggestion that would re-couch the whole thing in a way that would eliminate half of the injustice and move us forward. In 20 years my approach would be obsolete, now it would be a step forward.<br /><br />Obdurate thickheaded nostalgia is a fault of the right. The left often, in its impatience, refuses to consider complexity.David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-44447649599872954012012-07-18T16:26:00.142-07:002012-07-18T16:26:00.142-07:00"Neon Genesis Potterlion" is clearly a l..."Neon Genesis Potterlion" is clearly a load of Hogwarts...<br /><br />And the KFC Matrix has you, Ian!<br /><br />Scouts...yep!<br /><br />And finally, for those who are interested, a quick note to point out that Wikileaks has found a way around the credit card blockade.<br /><br />'273 ickgroa' ancient slime molds released from their prison in a melting glacier.Tony Fiskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14578160528746657971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-73197751877144456342012-07-18T15:17:16.484-07:002012-07-18T15:17:16.484-07:00A quick addendum: is they any evidence, ANY ediden...A quick addendum: is they any evidence, ANY edidence at all, that sexual abuse within scouting has worsened in any of the countries that have allowed gays to serve in leadership roles?<br /><br />The protection issue is a smoke-screen, the BSA simply wants to exclude people it considers morally unacceptable - which includes atheists and agnostics as well as homosexuals.<br /><br />For that matter, the BSA oath requires Scouts to do their duty "to God" - which is interpreted to exclude members of polytheistic religons such as Hinduism and Buddhism. <br /><br />I suppose we should be grateful they did, eventally and reluctantly,drop their requirements for racial segregation.<br /><br />Oh and I'm yet to hear of the BSA refusing to allow scouting groups from national associations that accept gays to take part in scouting events iwthin the US or prohibiting its members from attendign events in those countries.<br /><br />I guess it's only the ANERICAN gays you have ot watch out for (that or the real reason for the ban is that the Catholic church and the Mormon church sponsor thousands of scout troops in the US and would withdraw their support if the policy was changed.)<br /><br />The Catholic church are, of course, the first group most people would turn to for advice on how to protect young people from sexual abuse by authority figures.Ianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01739671401151990700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-4545009635694565412012-07-18T14:17:06.325-07:002012-07-18T14:17:06.325-07:00David, ALL groups that deal with young people have...David, ALL groups that deal with young people have policies in place to protect their charges from sexual exploitation.<br /><br />That's a given and hardly needs a special declaration.<br /><br />You might also want ot note thatsexual abuse of girls by lesbians is also a real concern.<br /><br />The Scouts simply need to adopt the same policies as any other group in a contemporary western society.<br /><br />For example, here in Queensland, teachers, school employees, coaches and, yes, scout masters and salaried employees of the Scouts have to get a "Blue Card" which involves a national check of police records (amongst other things).<br /><br />That strikes mes as a far more effective way to protect children than a ban on openly gay men.<br /><br />Need I point out that heterosexual neb are actually more likely to be pedophiles than homosexuals.<br /><br />(Homosexuality is a sexual preference. Pedophilia is a mental illness that inclines its victims to sexually assault children. Many if not most pedophiles are sexually attracted to children of both sexes.)Ianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01739671401151990700noreply@blogger.com