On the terrorism of stories 31 Dec 2009 That purveyor of stories that scare and delight us, CNN, hosts a thoughtful column by Bruce Schneier, in which he points out that the so-called security at airports in the light of terrorism, is really just about telling comforting stories. The money quote: Despite fearful rhetoric to the contrary, terrorism is not a transcendent threat. A terrorist attack cannot possibly destroy a country’s way of life; it’s only our reaction to that attack that can do that kind of damage. The more we undermine our own laws, the more we convert our buildings into fortresses, the more we reduce the freedoms and liberties at the foundation of our societies, the more we’re doing the terrorists’ job for them. Politics
Censorship The first casualty 26 Jul 2010 The increasing intention of western and non-western governments to censor the internet is usually put in terms of “child protection”, although it is very unlikely to be affected by censorship, merely by using uncensorable techniques like Torrents. But one has to wonder if the real reason is more to do… Read More
Politics What do Americans want from a leader? 27 Oct 200818 Sep 2017 Well, anyone, really, not just Americans. My question arises from the somewhat breathless attitude taken towards Obama. While I think he is an admirable guy, and I have done so for a time now, I wonder what people expect him to be able to achieve? What is the minimum a… Read More
Politics The wealthy are often sociopathic. Why? 15 Aug 201827 Feb 2019 I have been encountering, in these days of political “incorrectness” (i.e., bastardry), more and more well-to-do folk who treat other folk as if they were lesser beings. Ranging from stepping over homeless people (literally) to failing to give way when you drive a Korean car and they a European one… Read More
Bruce Schneier takes the cool-headed long-term view of security. Always sees it as a trade-off, not as an absolute. His most memorable aphorism is that a security system should “fail gracefully,” because no security system can ever be fail-safe.