| Time |
Event |
| 4:33a |
Gmail encryption offer
Google is adding client-side encryption, but due to the basic
architecture it's not entirely trustworthy.
Google encryption may be effective against snoopers that have no
special relationship with Google. However, Google remains ultimately
in control of the encryption software and the operating system it runs
on, so you can't trust it fully. Google will have the power to give
you an "upgrade" that shows Google the plaintext of every encrypted
message. |
| 4:33a |
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| 4:33a |
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| 4:33a |
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| 4:33a |
Netflix password sharing, UK
It looks like the UK government is going to join in a campaign of
repression against people who share Netflix passwords.
The name "Intellectual Property Office" indicates a basic leaning
towards dividing people and imposing repression. This is a typical
example. If you allow
that term
to shape your thinking, you will
be evil too. Likewise for calling sharing "piracy."
Netflix
does so many unjust things to its customers
that I urge
everyone to reject it entirely. In particular, it requires customers
to run nonfree software designed specifically to restrict them.
Using it and sharing a subscription deals the company a small blow,
which it deserves, but does not protect customers from most of the
injustice. |
| 5:03a |
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| 5:03a |
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| 5:03a |
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| 5:19a |
Afganistan's seized funds
The US seized funds from Afghanistan's central bank, and in September
set up a channel to donate those funds for food for Afghans. But it's
not doing anything. |
| 5:19a |
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| 5:19a |
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| 5:34a |
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| 8:19a |
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| 8:19a |
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| 8:34a |
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| 9:19a |
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| 9:19a |
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| 10:49a |
Urgent: Julian Assange rally, Boston
‘First Night Against the Wars’ is coming up. Let's have our next stand-out
for Julian starting at 2pm on Dec 31 in *Copley Sq*. at the corner of
Boylston and Dartmouth, in front of the Public Library. We are expecting
more activists this year as we join forces with Boston’s new coalition
‘Solidarity Action Network’. The coalition group will be gathering from
noon to 5, bringing all our issues together, crushing inequality, climate
collapse, endless war, nuclear Armageddon and, of course, free speech! It
grew out of the Earth Day Strike a few months back. |
| 2:03p |
|
| 2:04p |
Dutch apologize for slavery
*Dutch PM apologizes for Netherlands’ role in slave trade.*
Activists in former Dutch colonies imperiously rejected the apology
because its words and its ceremony were not done to their satisfaction. |
| 2:04p |
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| 10:34p |
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| 10:34p |
Keystone tar sands oil pipeline leaks
The Keystone tar sands oil pipeline has had several big leaks, more than one
would expect. Its safety record is deteriorating, and it may have been
built with low-quality materials.
It's a good thing that the Keystone XL pipeline was not built.
Given the extra corrosivity of tar sands oil, and the extra pollution
caused by extracting and burning it, we should probably shut down
the existing Keystone pipeline and stop the extraction of tar sands oil. |
| 10:34p |
Elon Musk censoring info from public
*Elon Musk claims the FBI paid Twitter to "censor info from the
public." Here's what the Twitter Files actually show.* |
| 10:34p |
Retirement tax changes
Retirement tax changes: *This bill does not make it easier for workers
to save for retirement, it just makes it easier for high-income
earners to shelter more of their earnings from taxes.* |
| 10:34p |
Greater enemy of truth than lies
*Bullshit is a greater enemy of truth than lies are.*
A lie denies specific truths. Bullshit attacks the very idea of
truth. |
| 10:34p |
|
| 10:34p |
Lesson from Cuban missile crisis
*Sixty years on from the Cuban missile crisis, the US has learned its
lessons — but Putin has not.*
The challenge is to give Putin an exit that isn't either a victory for
him or a disaster for everyone. I can't offer an answer, but the
start of an answer is to stop pushing to oust or prosecute Putin.
Desirable and just they would be, but not wise. |
| 10:34p |
Experts welcome new Biden Policy for humanitarian aid in sanctioned nations
*Experts Welcome New Biden Policy to Facilitate Humanitarian Aid in Sanctioned
Nations.*
It is clearly established that US trade sanctions harm poor people in those
countries, by interfering with imports of food and medicine.
This was the case in Iraq in the 1990s and until the Bush forces
conquered that country. People have been clamoring for changes
to avoid that result ever since then. |
| 10:34p |
Biden sees non-nuclear deal impossible to resurrect
Biden privately sees the non-nuclear deal with Iran as impossible to
resurrect.
However, he is still open to diplomacy on the matter. |
| 10:34p |
Republican attitudes lead whites to die younger
The real "great replacement": a broad range of Republican attitudes
lead whites to die younger (especially those without a college
education).
Some of these attitudes lead people to take foolish risks, from which
some die. But in areas where Republican attitudes dominate, they also
lead to laws that put people in increasing danger. The Republican
Party has become the Republican DEATH CULT. |
| 10:34p |
Senate considered harmful tax trade
The Senate considered a harmful trade: to extend tax credits for poor families
with children in exchange for tax cuts for corporations
(mostly for the rich).
The article does not make it clear which of those two changes were temporary
and which were permanent. But I expect that the increase in tax credits for
children was temporary.
This sort of deal is bad and we should defeat it. Continuing to
reduce taxes for the rich will paralyze the government, leaving it
unable to afford tax credits for the poor, or anything else.
We need to increase taxes on the rich. |
| 10:34p |
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| 10:34p |
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| 10:34p |
Australians propose a "right to protest" law
Australians propose a "right to protest" law to override state laws
that impose severe punishments on nonviolent protests.
I've read that Australia does not have anything like the US Bill of
Rights in its constitution. It needs one. |
| 10:34p |
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| 10:34p |
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| 10:34p |
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| 10:34p |
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