Comments on: Some of my worst nightmares coming true http://www.mckeay.net/2007/08/09/some-of-my-worst-nightmares-coming-true/ The views of one man on security, privacy and anything else that catches his attention Fri, 29 Aug 2008 19:12:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: Peter http://www.mckeay.net/2007/08/09/some-of-my-worst-nightmares-coming-true/#comment-961 Peter Mon, 13 Aug 2007 13:28:42 +0000 http://www.mckeay.net/2007/08/09/some-of-my-worst-nightmares-coming-true/#comment-961 The whole wiretapping thing is very disturbing. There are already people and procedures in place to handle all these situations, the current administration just doesn't feel the need to be bothered by them. They could get exactly the same result by going through the proper, legal procedures, but they feel they are "above the law." To me, that is the scariest thing about this administration. They have used the threat of terrorism to slowly chip away at 200+ years of checks and balances. They want to be all 3 branches and anyone who dares question them must be a terrorist. We need MORE oversight and MORE questioning of what the government is doing. The whole wiretapping thing is very disturbing. There are already people and procedures in place to handle all these situations, the current administration just doesn’t feel the need to be bothered by them. They could get exactly the same result by going through the proper, legal procedures, but they feel they are “above the law.”
To me, that is the scariest thing about this administration. They have used the threat of terrorism to slowly chip away at 200+ years of checks and balances. They want to be all 3 branches and anyone who dares question them must be a terrorist.
We need MORE oversight and MORE questioning of what the government is doing.

]]> By: pragmatist http://www.mckeay.net/2007/08/09/some-of-my-worst-nightmares-coming-true/#comment-960 pragmatist Sat, 11 Aug 2007 15:22:19 +0000 http://www.mckeay.net/2007/08/09/some-of-my-worst-nightmares-coming-true/#comment-960 If you love the idea of increased surveillance in U.S. systems (to catch terrorists), you should still want it built so that unauthorized parties cannot use it against you. If you hate the idea of increased surveillance (as an invasion of privacy or whatever) then you should be crying out for robust controls in such systems simply as a tactic to slow down or head off their deployment, or at least to reduce the risk if they are deployed. Both sides, each for their own reasons, should be calling for congressional review of the system to assure robust control. Why hasn't it happened? Such a technical review could be turned to political advantage for either side. The only dumb thing is to ignore the issue. If you love the idea of increased surveillance in U.S. systems (to catch terrorists), you should still want it built so that unauthorized parties cannot use it against you.

If you hate the idea of increased surveillance (as an invasion of privacy or whatever) then you should be crying out for robust controls in such systems simply as a tactic to slow down or head off their deployment, or at least to reduce the risk if they are deployed.

Both sides, each for their own reasons, should be calling for congressional review of the system to assure robust control.

Why hasn’t it happened? Such a technical review could be turned to political advantage for either side.

The only dumb thing is to ignore the issue.

]]> By: Martin http://www.mckeay.net/2007/08/09/some-of-my-worst-nightmares-coming-true/#comment-959 Martin Fri, 10 Aug 2007 15:56:20 +0000 http://www.mckeay.net/2007/08/09/some-of-my-worst-nightmares-coming-true/#comment-959 No slam taken. I admit, many of the shorter posts I are just pointers to full length articles by other authors. It's rare I write something longer than 3-4 paragraphs. I'm just used to longer, more involved stuff from Bruce, so when I see him filling up space with block quotes, I begin to wonder. Martin No slam taken. I admit, many of the shorter posts I are just pointers to full length articles by other authors. It’s rare I write something longer than 3-4 paragraphs. I’m just used to longer, more involved stuff from Bruce, so when I see him filling up space with block quotes, I begin to wonder.

Martin

]]> By: jth http://www.mckeay.net/2007/08/09/some-of-my-worst-nightmares-coming-true/#comment-958 jth Fri, 10 Aug 2007 05:22:42 +0000 http://www.mckeay.net/2007/08/09/some-of-my-worst-nightmares-coming-true/#comment-958 Not to jump on a Schneier bandwagon, but he began with (paraphrased) "I was going to write a blog post expounding on the horrors of this bill, but Susan already did so." I've noticed the same thing, but I hope it's a sign of him being busy rather than him avoiding writing anything. And it's nice to read blogs where the author isn't simply repeating what others have been saying. (Not meaning to slam NSB here, to be clear...) Not to jump on a Schneier bandwagon, but he began with (paraphrased) “I was going to write a blog post expounding on the horrors of this bill, but Susan already did so.” I’ve noticed the same thing, but I hope it’s a sign of him being busy rather than him avoiding writing anything. And it’s nice to read blogs where the author isn’t simply repeating what others have been saying. (Not meaning to slam NSB here, to be clear…)

]]> By: Jack Daniel http://www.mckeay.net/2007/08/09/some-of-my-worst-nightmares-coming-true/#comment-957 Jack Daniel Fri, 10 Aug 2007 01:01:12 +0000 http://www.mckeay.net/2007/08/09/some-of-my-worst-nightmares-coming-true/#comment-957 Martin, I'll buy you a Captain Privacy cape and encourage you to wear it proudly. Martin, I’ll buy you a Captain Privacy cape and encourage you to wear it proudly.

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