farkin' hippie klintonites

Sidebar

The Balko formerly known as Gort — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 22:44:00 GMT

Not much action on this blog lately. I've been busy. I just added this to the sidebar:

Is Bush an "Idiot"?

The Balko formerly known as Gort — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 15:34:00 GMT

Linda Ronstadt: The Dixie Chicks said they were emberrassed he was from Texas... I'm embarrassed George Bush is from the United States. [The president] is an idiot... He's enormously incompetent on both the domestic and international scenes.

Via Drijfzand

Municipal elections in the Netherlands

The Balko formerly known as Gort — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 23:45:00 GMT

Rita Verdonk

The Balko formerly known as Gort — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 10:21:00 GMT

It has become a blunt instrument, but it is time for a Google bomb:

Vreemdelingenhaat

Check result

Nudity is not always in bad taste

The Balko formerly known as Gort — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 01:34:00 GMT

The people at Secure Computing make software, called SmartFilter, that is used by corporations, libraries and countries to block network traffic that contains, among other things, nudity. They are so smart that if they find one picture of a classical naked man on a site, they earmark that site as containing nudity, and then the software blocks all traffic from that site. For instance, the almost complete Safe For Work site boingboing is blocked from viewing in Qatar because of the existence of this picture on their site.

One way to fight this kind of censorship is to screw with the system. BoingBoing reader Kurt von Finck invented a way to do so.

What happens when the blogosphere uses so much tasteful nudity that the web is unusable for SmartFilter users? What happens when SmartFilter blocks so much content that the web is crippled for its users?
So, I have created the attached button (standard 120x90 size) that BB readers can put on their sites. It features the pubic region of Michelangelo's David sculpture, uses fairly neutral colors, and is taken from public domain stock photography. I release this work into the public domain, relinquish any claims over its use, and encourage BB readers to put it on their sites.
Maybe if enough of us do so, SmartFilter will just collapse under the weight of its own odious censoring.

The boingboing team does their thing to help put Secure Computing out of business. They do this in three ways:

First, we're publishing a guide to evading the SmartFilter censorware. There are hundreds of ways to defeat these censorware apps, and we're going to catalog as many of them as possible.
Link to "BoingBoing's Guide To Evading Censorware."
Next, we're compiling a list of SmartFilter's dumb classifications. Send us your misclassified SmartFilter sites so we can add them to the list.
Finally, we're producing a guide to convincing your employer to ditch SmartFilter. It consists of parts one and two above: a list of bad SmartFilter classifications and a list of ways that SmartFilter can be shredded like wet kleenex. Why spend money on bad technology that doesn't work?

I, for one, welcome our new censoring overlords, and to please them I've added the penis picture to my "stuff" bar.

Big Sister

The Balko formerly known as Gort — Sat, 28 Jan 2006 23:30:00 GMT

With the Big Brother Award every year people, companies, government institutions and proposals are put in the spotlight for promoting privacy violations.Today, during the Dutch awards ceremony in De Melkweg in Amsterdam, Dutch minister for Integration and Immigration Rita Verdonk has won the Big Brother Award.

Minister Verdonk is awarded the price because she handed-over the status of asylum seeker of rejected applicants to their country of origin, denied it repeatedly in parliament and later minimised the impact of this information. Though much media attention was devoted to the credibility of the minister, the gravity of the privacy violation remained underexposed, according to the jury. The information about their attempt to seek asylum might very well cause life threatening situations for the applicants in their country of origin. Thus the case provides a perfect illustration how important privacy is for the security of people.

Sony BMG has won the award in the category Companies for the rootkit scandal. In the category government institutions, the Flevo hospital earned an award with very poor security of personal data about patients. In the category 'proposals', the government was crowned fot its idea to put a central database into place with biometric data.

Link

xyzzy

The Balko formerly known as Gort — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 22:34:00 GMT

The devotee of text based adventure games will recognise the title as the secret word that takes you out of the Colossal Cave. Defective Yeti has a modern version, based on the decisions leading to the Iraq invasion.

Iraqi Invasion: A Text Misadventure Revision 88 / Serial number 54892

Oval Office You are standing inside a White House, having just been elected to the presidency of the United States. You knew Scalia would pull through for you.

There is a large desk here, along with a few chairs and couches. The presidential seal is in the middle of the room and there is a full-length mirror upon the wall.

What do you want to do now?

> INVADE IRAQ You are not able to do that, yet.

> LOOK MIRROR Self-reflection is not your strong suit.

> PET SEAL It's not that kind of seal.

> EXAMINE CHAIRS They are two several chairs arranged around the center of the room, along with two couches. Under one couch you find Clinton's shoes.

> FILL SHOES You are unable to fill Clinton's shoes.

> EXAMINE DESK It is a large, oak desk, with several drawers.

In one drawer you find a bag of pretzels.

> EAT PRETZEL. I don't think the pretzel would agree with you.

> INVADE IRAQ You are not able to do that, yet.

More here

Via boingboing

Persons of Interest

The Balko formerly known as Gort — Fri, 06 Jan 2006 01:55:00 GMT

Ashcroft calls them terrorists. They call themselves Americans.

After the Sept.11 terrorist attacks, more than 5,000 people, mainly non-U.S. nationals of South Asian or Middle Eastern origin, were taken into custody by the U.S. Justice Department and held indefinitely on grounds of national security. Muslim immigrants were subject to arbitrary arrest, secret detention, solitary confinement, and deportation. Many were denied access to legal representation and communication with their families. During a period when the U.S. government has made every effort to depersonalize these detentions, refusing to reveal the names or even the number of immigrants detained, the voices of those affected — their testimonials and experiences — become our only window into the human costs of post September 11th immigration policies. Following an unconventional format, Persons of Interest presents a series of encounters between former detainees and directors Alison Maclean (Jesus’ Son) and Tobias Perse in an empty room which serves both visually and symbolically as an interrogation room, home, and prison cell. Through interviews, family photographs, and letters from prison, the directors have fashioned a compelling and poignant film, allowing those affected a chance to tell their own stories.

Nabil Ayesh

"Nabil is originally from Palestine. He was arrested on September 11 2001 while stopped at a traffic light in Philadelphia. "Where are you from?" Nabil remembers the officer asking him. "Israel," Nabil answered. The officer asked Nabil if he was Israeli or Arabic. "I said I'm Arabic, and they said you're under arrest." Nabil was detained for one year and seventeen days. He was never charged with anything. His wife and children were all deported back to Palestine. After he was released Nabil got a working permit and a job as a contractor. "I am trying to get my life back together," he said, "But it's hard. It was hard for me in jail. Now my main concern is my family." Nabil was re-arrested in April 2003 when police in Syracuse, NY pulled over a speeding car in which he was a passenger. He was held in a Batavia, NY jail and then deported to the West Bank, where he was reunited with his wife and four children."

The documentary Persons of Interest will be show at the International Film Festival Rotterdam

Via this post at the General's blog.

UK uses intelligence obtained under torture

The Balko formerly known as Gort — Sun, 01 Jan 2006 22:10:00 GMT

Click for bigger picture

Damning documentary evidence unveiled. Dissident bloggers in coordinated exposé of UK government lies over torture.

freedom tickles

The Balko formerly known as Gort — Wed, 21 Dec 2005 12:59:00 GMT

Because the White House says so. You can judge for yourself by this top-secret transcript of a typical ultra-civil Q&A between super-competent CIA agents and a genuine, 100% guilty evildoer. As you can see, the interrogation guidelines are strictly followed.

[BEGIN TRANSCRIPT]

CIA OPERATIVE: Remove the hood.

(RUSTLING SOUND)

TERRORIST #456-B: Where am I?

CIA OPERATIVE: Hey buddy! You're someplace super secret, but don't worry. I just want to ask you a couple few questions, 'k?

TERRORIST #456-B: Who are you?

CIA OPERATIVE: Whoa, pardner. You're not here to ask questions, silly goose. I am. But you can call me Bruce. Tea?

TERRORIST #456-B: No, thank you. The last thing I remember, I was sitting down to watch a rerun of "Everybody Loves Mehmet"... and then men burst in and I was hit in the head and then...

CIA OPERATIVE: Howdy and hello! Pork rind?

TERRORIST #456-B: No, thank you.

CIA OPERATIVE: Alrighty then. Let's get started? You are a terrorist.

TERRORIST #456-B: What?

CIA OPERATIVE: You are a terrorist.

TERRORIST #456-B: Is that a question?

CIA OPERATIVE: Cigarette?

TERRORIST #456-B: I don't smoke.

CIA OPERATIVE: Ok, so to continue: you are a terrorist.

TERRORIST #456-B: No, I'm... not.

(A SIZZLE AND A SCREAM OF PAIN)

TERRORIST #456-B: You put your cigarette out on my forehead! Sweet merciful Allah!

CIA OPERATIVE: Let's back up: what's your name?

TERRORIST #456-B: Amal Al-Rahiim

CIA OPERATIVE: Nope. Sorry.

(SPLASHING, FOLLOWED BY GARGLING.)

CIA OPERATIVE: Your name is Terrorist. You are one.

(MORE SPLASHING, FOLLOWED BY MORE GARGLING)

TERRORIST #456-B: Can't... can't breathe... (ANGUISHED COUGHING)

CIA OPERATIVE: Tea?

TERRORIST #456-B: I'm not a terrorist. I don't...don't even know any... I'm a barber...

CIA OPERATIVE: That's not what this form says. This form says that you, terrorist #456-B are Amal Al-Rahmaan, a known terrorist sympathizer.

TERRORIST #456-B: My last name is AL-RAHIIM not AL-RAHMAAN!

CIA OPERATIVE: Huh. Pota-TOE, POE-tato. Arabiac names all sound the same to this small town farm boy. I'm sure it's a typo.

TERRORIST #456-B: What is that? Dear Allah, I thought Americans didn't believe in cruel or inhumane punishments! Torture!

CIA OPERATIVE: This is a sock full of limes. It won't leave bruises. And buddy, Americans believe in results. The bottom line. Besides, this isn't torture, it's just really painful talking. Now, alley-oop!

(A SERIES OF WET THUDS, FOLLOWED BY WEEPING)

CIA OPERATIVE: You are a terrorist.

TERRORIST #456-B: Fine. FINE! I am a terrorist!

CIA OPERATIVE: See? This is easy! And now that you admitted that -- THIS IS FOR NINE ONE ONE AND THE WTC, RAGHEAD!

(WET THUDS, CRIES OF PAIN)

CIA OPERATIVE: Where is the suitcase nuke?

TERRORIST #456-B: The what?

CIA OPERATIVE: You heard me. The nuclear device. Where is it? WHERE IS IT?

TERRORIST #456-B: I don't know what you're talking about.

CIA OPERATIVE: Don't fuck with me Al-Rahmaan!

TERRORIST #456-B: I told you that's not my name!

CIA OPERATIVE: Do you know what a broken nose feels like?

(A CRUNCH AND A YELP)

CIA OPERATIVE: Really stings, huh? Lots of blood. Now repeat after me: I am Amal Al-Rahmaan, terrorist. Say it. Say it or I go for the cheek bones.

TERRORIST #456-B: I...I...I am Amal Al-Rahmaan. Terrorist.

CIA OPERATIVE: And where is the nuke?

TERRORIST #456-B: I don't know, where is it?

CIA OPERATIVE: Is it in New York? Washington DC?

TERRORIST #456-B: Uh... yes!

CIA OPERATIVE: Jesus Lord, I knew it. I knew it. Is it a dirty bomb? Or a fully operative nuke?

TERRORIST #456-B: Yes, yes!

CIA OPERATIVE: You're holding back on me. Tell me all you know, or I swear, you'll be swallowing your teeth next!

TERRORIST #456-B: Well, I don't know. There's a nuke and I'm a terrorist? I'm a terrorist and I'm going to nuke you, nuke you all? With nuclear bombs?

CIA OPERATIVE: I hate to do this, you sniveling coward. But I'm going to break your toes with this hammer.

TERRORIST #456-B: Don't break my toes with that hammer. Please.

CIA OPERATIVE: Then what is the plan? TELL ME! THE CLOCK IS TICKING!

(FURIOUS HAMMERING AND INCONSOLABLE BELLOWING)

TERRORIST #456-B: Well, my terrorist friends and I, we're smuggling a nuclear bomb...filled with anthrax...into the United States inside a...

CIA OPERATIVE: Yes? Inside what? A container? A shipping container?

TERRORIST #456-B: How did you know?

CIA OPERATIVE: What else?

TERRORIST #456-B: That's it.

CIA OPERATIVE: Are you sure?

TERRORIST #456-B: Yes.

CIA OPERATIVE: Super-duper sure?

TERRORIST #456-B: That's all I know.

CIA OPERATIVE: I'm still going to rip your fingernails off.

TERRORIST #456-B: Why? WHY?

CIA OPERATIVE: Then stuff you in a cell where you can't pray, or talk to anyone and if you think you can starve yourself, just wait until we shove a tube up your nose and pump liquified bacon bits product directly into your stomach.

TERRORIST #456-B: Why don't you just kill me? KILL ME!

CIA OPERATIVE: Please. We're Americans. That would be barbaric.

(HIGH-PITCH WHINE OF A DRILL)

Now open wide!

[END TRANSCRIPT]

Source