Author Archives: Jeff Porten

This Facebook memory forced me to think a bit before I remembered which mass shooting it referred to. So many to choose from. Jeff

I’ll add that my blood regularly boils when a website uses JavaScript to break copy, paste, and autofill. I have several recurring payments that break credit card entry such that I need to pull out the plastic and enter by hand, unless I decide to store the card on their servers. Jeff

“We are shit people and everything they tell you about Americans being better than everyone else is a lie.” How To Talk To Young People About The Kavanaugh Story

This is utterly fricking insane, and buries the lede: at 4°C, natural food chains collapse globally and agricultural suitability for any given crop shifts several degrees of latitude. That’s before considering the havoc introduced by weather patterns.

They’re not predicting “bad,” they’re saying collapse of civilization is inevitable within 82 years, unless they expect five billion people to quietly starve without causing much upheaval. Trump administration sees a 7-degree rise in global temperatures by 2100

“Heterosexuality is seen as neutral and harmless, while queerness of all varieties is considered obscene — and not just by people who are openly bigoted. Even many who purport to be allies find it difficult to separate queerness from sex.”

Made me recall some conversations 20 years ago during which, guilty as charged. My attitudes have changed since, not sure when because this is the first time I’ve considered it. So yes, by all means, had Bert and Ernie been gay sooner (emphatically *not* what I was told in 1972), maybe I would have been less ignorant. Why it matters that Bert and Ernie are gay, which they are

There’s been buzz about the “new” Trump-can-text-everyone thing, but so far it’s not big news that: 1) this thing is getting tested in two weeks; 2) it sets off the phone ring equivalent of an air horn; most importantly 3) IT’S GOING TO DO IT TO EVERYONE’S PHONE SIMULTANEOUSLY.

Put simply, I suspect most people will freak the fuck out just from the coordinated alert, let alone that it’s supposed to sound like an air raid. Freaking people the fuck out is, in fact, the point of the system. But given the number of people driving on highways, walking in dense crowds, or carrying firearms at the time of the alert, I’m not going to be too surprised if FEMA causes an emergency this time around. How to Avoid an ‘Unblockable’ Presidential Alert

Okay, quick summary of why this is horrific:

1) Encryption is a solved problem for 40 years. Block companies in five nations from implementing it well, and you guarantee that everyone *but* those using products from those companies can get it.

2) There’s no such thing as “backdoors for good guys.” A backdoor is identical to a security vulnerability. The only difference between the good guys and the bad guys is that the good guys will know how to get there, and the bad guys have to figure it out (possibly by bribing a good guy—unless it’s ridiculously easy to find, which is often the case).

3) Depending on how broadly this is interpreted, say goodbye to secure bank connections and other Internet traffic, most of which (and obviously, all US) routes through the US.

4) Agreements and enforcements by these supernational organizations are typically secretive; you won’t know who’s implemented it until either there’s another Snowden, or someone publicizes they’ve open a backdoor.

5) Likewise, such agreements are very difficult to affect politically, as any one nation can respond to political pressure with, “the alliance has asked us to do it.”

‘Five Eyes’ governments call on tech giants to build encryption backdoors — or else

Seth Goren likely knows about this (or maybe signed it) but tagging him anyway First ever: 40+ Jewish groups worldwide oppose equating antisemitism with criticism of Israel

If you are considering a movie subscription service, I recommend: figuring out a way to make it a legitimate business expense. Oh, and other stuff in the article.

Exploring Sinemia and Other Movie Subscription Service Alternatives to MoviePass – TidBITS

I know a book this guy needs to read

Man On Cusp Of Having Fun Suddenly Remembers Every Single One Of His Responsibilities

Genuinely wondering whether to include this on a list of suggested Pugwash chapter discussions.

PLEASE DO NOT FUCK THE ROCK