Whois is going away?

[dibl]

...
I think (my opinion) that privacy is expensive and growing more so.

I look at the modern concept of "privacy" from a historical perspective. It is a very recent development that there is a "right" to have one's personal information kept non-public. If I know the name and approximate location of a person living in the USA in 1960, it is entirely possibly that I can find their name and address in a city directory, and of course in the contemporaneous telephone book. Earlier in the 20th century, their occupation was included in their directory listing. Going back to the 1870s and 1880s, county history books were published with the names of prominent citizens, the size and market value of their farms, a summary of their ancestry, the names of their spouses and children, their religion and their political party affiliation. All the heavy breathing about the right to privacy leaves me about as impressed as the alleged right to carry an AR-15. I think some people get a little carried away with their "rights"...

Just my two cent's worth.

[TWPonKubuntu]

In the past, the consequences of having your personal info made public were much less.

Today, on the other hand, that information is a route to having your identity stolen, your bank account broken into and funds "stolen" (but it's only fiat money, not real gold and silver). Information about which groups you belong to (interesting turn of phrase that), where you go, who you listen too and what you espouse (politically, morally, ethically) can be used against you.

So, yes, privacy has become a greater concern in today's world.

The whole gun brouhaha falls back to the reason for our American 2nd Amendment and the attempts at new interpretations of that part of the US Constitution. "The very fact that government could even consider repealing the Second Amendment is the very reason for which it was written".

I'm in favor of the "heavy breathing" with respect to privacy. Consider the consequences if it is lost. We have plenty of examples in other countries...

I hope this thread drift is still within the bounds of acceptable speech on this forum. The mods and the owner have been very understanding. May they continue to be so.

[GreyGeek]

There was a time when people in this country didn't have the right to disagree with the PTB. The treatment the people suffered under the PTB gave cause for about 1/3rd of them to revolt. About 1/3rd wanted to remain under the rule of the PTB. The final 3rd rode the fence to see where the chips would fall. After the PTB were defeated and thrown out, representatives of the people created a document consistent with their beliefs about the Rights Of Man and for the last 250 years you and I have enjoyed exercising those rights in a country which, until recently, has been more free than any other country on earth.

Right now, in this forum, but not on many other forums (FB, YT, Twitter, G+, Instagram, Reddit, Disqus, etc.), you and I practice the alleged right to free speech without fear that the hosting provider will shut this forum down because we are not politically correct. I say alleged because the 1st Amendment does NOT contain a prohibition against infringement. The 2nd Amendment does. Despite that, until recent times, the 2nd Amendment has been infringed numerous times in numerous places to varying degrees, and now those who have been advocating for more infringements are now advocating for repeal. That's how brazen they've become, and how scary. If they are willing to repeal that which "shall not be infringed", NONE of the other Amendments have a snowball's chance in Hades of surviving.

On MOST college campuses today the 1st Amendment has been functionally repealed already. If you are not Far Left then you have no right to speak your opinion on any political matter, or about anything else, because you are a "hater", "racists", "homophobic", or worse, a White Christian male.

Fifteen to twenty years ago I was able to use the Internet to access people's info: full name, address, phone number, property value, medical records, police records, prison records, and much more. Most of that info has been monetized by the sources. The White Pages is no longer free. Even the building codes in my city have been blocked to public access unless one is willing to pay $600 to access the laws and regs they have to follow to install a bathroom, or make other changes to their property, and those laws and regs were created by our own legislature.

True freedom allows people the right to express their opinion even if it contradicts your own. Thus, even someone who believes the Earth is flat should be allowed a place to express that belief on the web, regardless of how stupid you or I think it is. But, if the current trend continues, the Internet will become a depository for only politically correct information. You think Hillary corrupted the office of Sec of State in a pay-to-play scheme funneling money through their Clinton Foundation? Fine, you just can't express that opinion on the web in a public forum and expect it to remain, or you to continue to have access. Think Trump is a corrupt, illiterate dummy accidentally elected to the office of POTUS and can't do the job? You have zillions of places to post that opinion without fear of it being deleted or contradicted, because those who contradict you will have their opinion deleted and their account closed.

As far as getting "carried away" with my right to own an AR-15 (which I don't, BTW) , it is as much a right as it is to own a ball point pen. IF the claim is made that the 2nd Amendment doesn't apply to modern semi-automatic weapons then the 1st Amendment only applies to books made on Gutenberg presses and letters written on parchment with India Ink and quill pens.

The military version of the AR-16 has a fully automatic setting (one pull of the trigger, multiple shots until the finger is released, often called "spray and pray" because accurate firing is difficult), a three shot burst setting and a single shot setting. The civilian versions of the AR-15 has only a single shot setting. One pull of the trigger, one shot. Repeatedly pulling the trigger as fast as one can quickly results in fatigue and then cramping. Even the infamous bump stock does not convert an AR-15 to fully automatic. Under Obama's watch the AFT approved the bump stock knowing that even though it is a clever way to allow the finger to rapidly pull the trigger multiple times without getting tired (the recoil pushing the trigger against the finger thus emulating an automatic weapon) and it would most certainly be abused by someone just coming off their meds, they allowed it anyway. Some would say deliberately to create the ensuing clamor.

The civilian AR-15 is just like any other semi-automatic hunting rifle that has been around since after WWII. The most notable one is the BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle). The name "BAR" was kept for product recognition. The military version hasn't been made since the 1960 and the current civilian version is just and only semi-automatic.



It doesn't look scary, but it fires a more powerful bullet than the AR-15 as fast as you can repeatedly pull your finger. It has a magazine, which can be enlarged or a larger mag can be made or bought that will hold more bullets.

Here is RM-25, Remington's latest hunting rifle



It has a magazine similar to the BAR's and it can be replaced with larger capacity mags. But, uh, oh, it has a pistol grip! That makes it scary, even though the rifle is only semi-automatic and fires a bullet more powerful than an AR-15. Somehow, we're supposed to think that the pistol grip makes it more dangerous. Or that the fore handle shrouds the barrel. Gasp! And that hole in the rifle butt. Watch out!

Here is a comparison of the energies of modern rifle bullets.



Notice that the 223 is a .22 caliber bullet. Almost the exact same caliber as your common .22LR bullet. It travels at a higher velocity than any of the other rounds shown, but it delivers the lowest energy of those shown. Smaller rounds were chosen by the military because they allowed soldiers to carry more rounds into battle. Typically, 200 rounds, with re-supplies being brought in as necessary. A 55 grain 223 vs 180-240 grain .30-06 caliber, the round used in the M1 Garand, which the AR-16 replaced. And, the military version of the .223 was deliberately designed to be slightly unstable so that it became a dum-dum round when it hit a body. Dum-dums are illegal under the Geneva convention. Civilian .223 ammo is not unstable and mushrooms like other soft nosed bullets. And, an AR-15 makes a poor SAW because it will over heat. That's why the Los Vegas shooter brought multiple rifles to his hotel room, changing out when one got too hot to fire or jammed because it was too hot. And, at 600 rounds per second, an AR could go through 200 rounds in 20 seconds, if all were in one magazine. Then what would the soldier do after his 200 rounds were gone and no supplies were forth coming, throw rocks? Most soldiers fire semi-auto, not burst or full auto because those two settings just waste rounds.

Notice that most of the mass shooters (90+%) were fresh off their psychotropic meds but not stupid. They knew to go to "Gun Free" zones to do their shooting because law abiding citizens would NOT be armed in those locations even if they had a concealed carry permit. And packed in like sardines at music or theatrical events it would be impossible to miss even without aiming. Just firing in the general direction. Even with a bump stock.

So, the right to bear arms, even a civilian semi-auto AR-15, is not alleged under the 2nd Amendment. It is guaranteed, despite the infringements by folks who took an oath to "support and defend the Constitution from all enemies, both foreign and domestic" and they further swore to defend the Constitution "willingly, without mental reservation or purpose of evasion". Obvious, many of our politicians have lied taking their oath. "Common sense" infringements don't make folks safe, they prevent folks from defending themselves. That can plainly be seen in the EU, France and England. The people there can no longer defend themselves against the attacks of the hordes of immigrants, which the police turn blind eyes to, and they cannot speak out against them or they suffer quick action by police for "incitement to riot" or "racial provocation", etc.... They now enjoy the same freedoms in the EU under the PES that the peasants enjoyed in the USSR, and no more. Here in America we are sliding down that same path.

[dibl]

Heh heh heh -- sorry, I did not mean to divert the topic to gun control. I only meant to use that as an example of the recent popularity of "expansion" of individual rights, beyond what was ever written in the constitution or found by the Supreme Court. I agree that a right of privacy is implied by the Fourth Amendment, as found late in the 20th century by the Supreme Court. But it is not a right of anonymity. I'll leave the Heller decision alone for now ...

[TWPonKubuntu]

GG, Would that be a Black Assault Ball Point Pen? In that case you should never be allowed to carry it, whether concealed or open. Under no conditions will the Full Semi Automatic model be sold in stores.

I love thread drift...

[GreyGeek]

Heh heh heh -- sorry, I did not mean to divert the topic to gun control. I only meant to use that as an example of the recent popularity of "expansion" of individual rights, beyond what was ever written in the constitution or found by the Supreme Court. I agree that a right of privacy is implied by the Fourth Amendment, as found late in the 20th century by the Supreme Court. But it is not a right of anonymity. I'll leave the Heller decision alone for now ...

Expansion of rights don't bother me, as long as they apply equally to all. But giving the seven legally "protected groups", a concept not found in the Constitution and antithetical to it, more rights than the general public can enjoy is moving in the wrong direction, creating super political classes with special rights and privileges. Once used to level past wrongs, and rightly so, it is now being abused to push a political agenda that is decidedly anti Rule of Law under the Constitution.

[woodsmoke]

GAWD how time have changed!!

THE "generation" of "college" NOW...WANTS THE GOVERNMENT TO REPEAL...

their VERY RIGHTS...

because they "feel threatened" by ...

ANY FU@#$%^ thing that

has not been approved by the TEACHER...

who...when he or she is "asked a question"...

HAS SO LITTLE KNOWLEDGE...

that she or he INTONES...with great..."gravitas"...

"Let us...learn from this"...

In other words ...the teacher HAS NO CLUE...

but "toked plenty of dope"...

THE SNOWFLAKE TEACHERS OF TODAY...'

ARE OFFENDED...BUT...THEY

DO NOT KNOW WHY...

by this image...

HOMESCHOOL YOUR KIDS AND PUT THIS POSTER IN YOUR FOYER FOR THEM TO SHOW TO THEIR PUBLIC SCHOOLED FRIENDS!!!


WHICH LEAD TO THEIR FREEDOM TO BE STOOOOOOPID!!!!!!

[GreyGeek]

GG, Would that be a Black Assault Ball Point Pen? In that case you should never be allowed to carry it, whether concealed or open. Under no conditions will the Full Semi Automatic model be sold in stores.

I love thread drift...

That’s why a CNN expert on self defense advised that if you are trapped in your office while a mass shooting is taking place, and the shooter breaks into your office, then pick up a sharp lead pencil, call up your inner ninja, and attack him!

That’s the first time I heard the suggestion to take a pencil to a gun fight.

[TWPonKubuntu]

"CNN expert"... Isn't that like "Military Intelligence" and "Government assistance"? Each is an Oxymoron. Run Away! Run Away!

[dibl]

... Isn't that like "Military Intelligence" and "Government assistance"? Each is an Oxymoron. Run Away! Run Away!