Favorite electronics movies

[Richard Henry]

[snip]

I agree that monitoring communications between US citizens and unfriendly
foreigneers is in the US national interest. In fact, Congress agrees, so
much so that they set up a special secret court to issue the necessary
warrants so that the Bill of Rights is not trashed in the process.

That court (the FISA court) will even grant subpoenas after the fact.
So, why is George opposed to using them? My guess is that the wiretaps
in question have nothing to do with the war on terrorism. Its more
likely that the administration is venturing into areas like industrial
espionage or putting together lists of 'Friends of George' and 'Enemies
of George'.

Bull puckey.

But George IS "listening" in on calls that end up yielding no
subpoena-worthy information.

And you apparently have no problem with that.

If you are blind listening to calls from "over there" what do you
expect?

To end up in court on the wrong end of a warrant.

In this day and age, I'd call it "Googling" ;-)

Historically, it has been known as "spying".

 

[Jim Thompson]

Richard Henry wrote:

[snip]

I agree that monitoring communications between US citizens and unfriendly
foreigneers is in the US national interest. In fact, Congress agrees, so
much so that they set up a special secret court to issue the necessary
warrants so that the Bill of Rights is not trashed in the process.

That court (the FISA court) will even grant subpoenas after the fact.
So, why is George opposed to using them? My guess is that the wiretaps
in question have nothing to do with the war on terrorism. Its more
likely that the administration is venturing into areas like industrial
espionage or putting together lists of 'Friends of George' and 'Enemies
of George'.

Bull puckey.

But George IS "listening" in on calls that end up yielding no
subpoena-worthy information.

And you apparently have no problem with that.

If you are blind listening to calls from "over there" what do you
expect?

To end up in court on the wrong end of a warrant.

In this day and age, I'd call it "Googling" ;-)

Historically, it has been known as "spying".

You'd think on a technical newsgroup people would be more cognizant of
the technology...

The calls are "listened to" by computers looking for "key words".

Calls with certain key words are tagged for human examination.

Do you have a problem with that?

If you do, may your town be the next terrorist target ;-)

...Jim Thompson

 

[Jim Yanik]

Come on! The movie's been on the cable channels for months. These
things get re-released from time to time.

Cable channels always rerun movies,because they have so much time to fill.

Why do you find it so hard to believe that network execs would not select
their movies to match current events? Especially considering the Mainstream
Media bias towards liberalism.

 

[Jim Yanik]

Nah, Tek subsidized a bunch of the production. "Product placement".

Yes,so many TV viewers would use TM500 test equipment and 4053 graphics
storage terminals.

Just like in the past,TEK placed their 500 series tube-type scopes in sci-
fi and action-thriller movies to enhance product sales.

<sarcasm mode off>

 

[Jim Yanik]

[snip]

I agree that monitoring communications between US citizens and
unfriendly foreigneers is in the US national interest. In fact,
Congress agrees, so much so that they set up a special secret court
to issue the necessary warrants so that the Bill of Rights is not
trashed in the process.

That court (the FISA court) will even grant subpoenas after the fact.
So, why is George opposed to using them?

Because it unConstitutionally transfers Executive powers to conduct war to
the Congress or the Courts.That is the SAME as Clinton asserted during his
terms.It's been like that for hundreds of years.

My guess is that the wiretaps
in question have nothing to do with the war on terrorism. Its more
likely that the administration is venturing into areas like industrial
espionage or putting together lists of 'Friends of George' and
'Enemies of George'.

Now,the Clinton administration did EXACTLY that.
They also used the IRS as their personal weapon.

 

[Richard Henry]

On Mon, 23 Jan 2006 21:18:43 -0800, "Paul Hovnanian P.E."

Richard Henry wrote:

[snip]

I agree that monitoring communications between US citizens and unfriendly
foreigneers is in the US national interest. In fact, Congress

agrees,
so

much so that they set up a special secret court to issue the necessary
warrants so that the Bill of Rights is not trashed in the process.

That court (the FISA court) will even grant subpoenas after the fact.
So, why is George opposed to using them? My guess is that the wiretaps
in question have nothing to do with the war on terrorism. Its more
likely that the administration is venturing into areas like industrial
espionage or putting together lists of 'Friends of George' and 'Enemies
of George'.

Bull puckey.

But George IS "listening" in on calls that end up yielding no
subpoena-worthy information.

And you apparently have no problem with that.

If you are blind listening to calls from "over there" what do you
expect?

To end up in court on the wrong end of a warrant.

In this day and age, I'd call it "Googling" ;-)

Historically, it has been known as "spying".

You'd think on a technical newsgroup people would be more cognizant of
the technology...

The calls are "listened to" by computers looking for "key words".

That is a bit of a grey area, but I accept the need/utility of such a
function.

Calls with certain key words are tagged for human examination.

Do you have a problem with that?

I have aproblem with the admitted extra-legal way the human examination is
being conducted. If the automated system triggers on keywords, that is
sufficient cause to apply for a warrant from the FISA court.

If you do, may your town be the next terrorist target ;-)

Apparently not. San Diego was left off the list of cities that the
governemnt considers at enough risk to get additional infrastructure funding
for defense against attacks. In spite of the geographic location (southwest
corner), the Navy and Marine bases, the busiest border crossing in the
world, the uncontrolled smuggling and undocumented immigration, etc...

 

[Richard the Dreaded Libertarian]

One of my favorites was on tv tonight - Enemy of the State.

Does anyone here think it was subversive of ABC to schedule this movie
during this time of arguments pitting national security against human
rights?

Subversive? Probably, in the eyes of big brother. ;-) To us freedom-
lovers, it was like a breath of fresh air.

Ah! I looked it up, and it _WAS_ Jason Robards that got iced
first thing. ;-)

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Richard the Dreaded Libertarian]

(and we ARE at war with Al-Qa'ida.)

Where can I find this (alleged) declaration of war?

Thanks,
Rich

 

[Richard the Dreaded Libertarian]

If you do, may your town be the next terrorist target ;-)

So now, you're advocating aiding and abetting the enemy?

Thanks,
Rich

 

[Rich Grise]

I don't think I have ever seen an electronics movie, Per Se. Or maybe I'm
just forgetting?

Unfortunately, any kind of electronics content in movies is usually
most notable for the hilarity it invokes. Such as the movie that cut
to a quick take of a computer screen- a PCB autorouter was operating.
The dialog: "Amazing! A computer searching for a bomb!".

Or, take this dialog (please) from the original "sci-fi" Star Trek
("Court Martial"):

----
Ready, Mr. Spock?
Affirmative, Captain.
Gentlemen, this computer
has an auditory sensor.
It can, in effect, hear sounds.
By installing a booster,
we can increase that capability
on the order of 1 to the 4th power.
The computer should bring us every sound
occurring on the ship.
All personnel have left the ship as ordered, sir.
Dr. McCoy?
All right, Mr. Spock.
[Loud Beating]
Turn it down a little.
[Volume Decreases]
Gentlemen, that sound is caused by the heartbeats
of all the people on board the ship.
Dr. McCoy will use this white sound device
to mask out each person's heartbeat

How did it pick up their heartbeats but not their voices? ;-)

But their "tapes" were kinda prophetic - see "usb stick".

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Rich Grise]

Then again, who cares. Star Trek IV was pretty funny, and it wouldn't
have made any sense if they stayed completely true to technological
back-story of the original series.

My favorite line was when Kirk and the whale lady were having coffee,
and she says, "So, you're going to tell me you're from outer space?"
Kirk: "No, I'm from Ohio. I just work in outer space."

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Richard the Dreaded Libertarian]

I had that thought while watching that movie.

I don't know if anyone else caught it,but in the movie "Enemy of the
State",the pro-surveillance group was the Democrats,and the Repubs were
against it.

Oh, so it couldn't have been subversive - it was clearly fantasy! ;-P

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Dirk Bruere at Neopax]

Where can I find this (alleged) declaration of war?

In one of his broadcasts, 1996
http://www.mideastweb.org/osamabinladen1.htm

--
Dirk

The Consensus:-
The political party for the new millenium
http://www.theconsensus.org

 

[Richard the Dreaded Libertarian]

Back in the days when I considered myself a Republican, defense of the
Consitution and Bill of Rights was one of our tenets.

When I was in High School, I joined the Young Republicans and we went and
campaigned for Goldwater. "Au H2O '64" was the catch-phrase. I remember,
after he got trounced, seeing an ep of "That Was The Week That Was" where
someone remarked, "Well, Goldwater didn't get elected because he said he
wanted to bomb North Vietnam". And then somehow manages to notice that
that's exactly what Johnson was doing.

And, yes, back in those days the Republicans were for upholding and
supporting the Constitution. They advocated limited government, too,
AFAIK.

Wonder what made them flip-flop to the party of "**** the Constitution!"

Sigh.
Rich

 

[Richard the Dreaded Libertarian]

Say it loud, Brother Richard.

NeoCons seem to think that
the 2nd Amendment is the only one necessary.
Well, maybe the 10th
--but only if you're talking about limiting individuals' reproductive
rights
(not if you're talking about kemo patients
using cannabis to treat their nausea and lack of appetite).

Y'know: Compassionate Conservatives(tm).

The question that needs to be asked is, "Who owns your body?"

Thanks,
Rich

 

[Rich Grise]

The best electronics bit in Star Trek is in the one with the evil
alternate universe (Spock with the beard). They need to take some
files from the computer and they put it on an orange 3.5" floppy disk.
Where did the prop department get one of those in 1967? They were
using punch cards back then.

Those weren't floppy disks - they were plastic props.

They did kinda foreshadow the gigabyte USB sticks (or whatever they're
called these days)...

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Rich Grise]

On 22 Jan 2006 12:41:08 -0800, the renowned "Tim Shoppa"



<more snip>

I think it was _Blade Runner_ that first showed futuristic devices
that were less than perfect-- digital-ish noise and that sort of
thing. Prescient to our current state of affairs where we've gone from
good and consistent fidelity black dial phones to scratchy, echoey
cellphones with extra noise and flakiness from the Bluetooth
earpieces, wallowing in a sea of 2.4GHz noise that degrades
performance at random intervals.

Yeah, but Daryl Hannah was hot!

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Rich Grise]

That is reminiscent of "Brazil" by Gilliam. Typewriters for data entry,
video screens with huge magnifying glasses, big dial phones, and that sort
of thing. The ducts were hilarious... and De Niro as the rogue duct
repairman was simply classic. The torture scene at the end, with Michael
Palin as a kinda likable Mengele was a bit too grim.

And please don't forget "Max Headroom". Amanda Pays was hot! And Matt
Frewer is nuts. ;-) But I thought it was cool to see them using what
looked like 1930's vintage teletypes and stuff.

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Paul Hovnanian P.E.]

[snip]

Well, the CIA and especially the FBI have a pretty bad track record for
respecting the limits in the constitution.

But it is my opinion that the people in the NSA understand the
constitution. You can bet that president Bush's illegal order to
monitor US persons without FISA or other court approval was leaked by
someone in the NSA who was disgusted and appalled.

Maybe. Or perhaps it was noticed by someone in the telecom industry.
After all, wiretaps are no longer conducted with alligator clips in a
phone closet anymore. RF interception doesn't work well for fiber optic
systems either. The NSA needs a hook into the telecom's switching
equipment. That leaves behind lots of evidence in log files, network
traffic reports, etc.

As far as I can see, without a bona-fide declaration of war from the
congress, precious little slack should be accorded to the president on
matters of the constitution and limits to executive power.

The courts have ruled that a state of war isn't justification for
violating provisions of the constitution or the law. And, we're not even
officially at war right now.

 

[Rich Grise]

Low-speed, maybe, if they can get enough tubes together to do the logic and
memory.

It took a bit of googling, but this might be interesting:
http://www.maxmon.com/history.htm

"1926 AD First patent for a semiconductor transistor"

So, yes, if anybody'd thought of it, it was pretty much off-the-shelf by
then.

Cheers!
Rich