The rules that the TSA has rolled out regarding photo IDs and their requirements for getting onto passenger airplanes are usless. In fact, you could argue that they are worse than useless, since they create a false sense of security – and they cost us a lot of money (both directly and indrectly). But don’t… Continue reading The TSA’s Photo ID Rules are Useless
Category: politics
The Difference Between the Government and the Mafia
I saw this in a discussion over on Slashdot about New York sales/use tax – someone mentioned that “New York has always been a bit bizzare about taxes.” Someone else replied with: They’re not bizarre; they’re just greedy for every dollar they can get their grubby little paws on. Just remember that the only difference… Continue reading The Difference Between the Government and the Mafia
Sousveillance
This is encouraging: Now a countervailing storyline is starting to get some traction in real life: the increasing citizen use of technology to “watch from below.” The practice has been called “sousveillance,” a word that comes the French word “sous” (from below) with the word “viller” (to watch). Instead of Big Brother using a panopticon… Continue reading Sousveillance
Our Litigious Society is Getting Out of Hand
When you read things like this, it really makes you worry: But you see, Anna is from Estonia, a former republic of the old Soviet Union. As in, the Evil Empire, world’s leading exporter of communism. So when Anna says she feels less free in the United States, where she now lives, than in the… Continue reading Our Litigious Society is Getting Out of Hand
The Quixotic Quest for Invulnerability
Schneier on Security: Homeland Security Cost-Benefit Analysis. A very worthwhile read – basically: The premises: The number of potential terrorist targets is essentially infinite. The probability that any individual target will be attacked is essentially zero. If one potential target happens to enjoy a degree of protection, the agile terrorist usually can readily move on… Continue reading The Quixotic Quest for Invulnerability