So.......

[AKS\/\/ulfe]

...and here all you computer guys thought Windows XP's security holes was Bill Gates' doing...
-SW
ps: Saur-> paraphenalia pedelling... not drugs.

[Furious]

Originally posted by funkedup
I don't think that stuff should be illegal, but it is illegal.  The AG doesn't make laws, he enforces them.  I don't see how you can fault them for shutting down the stores and using the stores' records to investigate buyers.  Do you want them to enforce the law of the land or not?

In this case, it's not the why, it's the how.  Our personal privacy is being eroded.  You may not care, I do.  


...and as an aside, we in the U.S. have lots of stupid laws.  Felatio is illegal in some states.  Do you think it would be alright to give law enforcement agents the ability to monitor couples during sex to see if this law is being broken?  


F.

[Stringer]

Originally posted by Furious



...  Felatio is illegal in some states.  Do you think it would be alright to give law enforcement agents the ability to monitor couples during sex to see if this law is being broken?  


F.

[funkedup]

Originally posted by Furious
...and as an aside, we in the U.S. have lots of stupid laws.  Felatio is illegal in some states.  Do you think it would be alright to give law enforcement agents the ability to monitor couples during sex to see if this law is being broken?  


F.

That has no relation to the situation we are discussing.  What we are discussing is the DEA shutting down online stores which were selling illegal items.  It's got nothing to do with fellatio or privacy or monitoring.

[midnight Target]

The real problem here is not whether the AG is allowed to investigate buyers. The problem is his ability to investigate LOOKERS! He just made it dangerous to look at a site selling illegal stuff. All you have to do is click on this link http://www.headshopstuff.com and you are on a list at the Justice Department. Now that you are on a list, it will be easier to get a search warrant for something unrelated.... bad Ashcroft... bad!

[funkedup]

That link is broken.  It must be a trick so they can get me to click on it more.  They are coming for me, I know it.

[midnight Target]

lol... thats cause I made it up

[Furious]

Originally posted by funkedup
That has no relation to the situation we are discussing.  What we are discussing is the DEA shutting down online stores which were selling illegal items.  It's got nothing to do with fellatio or privacy or monitoring.

Did you miss where I said, "as an aside.."?

Did you read the damn article?  The sites were not just shut down, which I have nothing against as selling something is not a first amendment right, but the browser was redirected to a DEA server.  

How does that have "nothing to do with privacy or monitoring"?

Viewing web pages of bongs for sale is no reason for the government to track you.  Viewing bongs is not illegal.


F.

[funkedup]

lol... thats cause I made it up

I figured as much.

The problem is his ability to investigate LOOKERS! He just made it dangerous to look at a site selling illegal stuff. All you have to do is click on this link http://www.headshopstuff.com and you are on a list at the Justice Department.

If somebody can demonstrate that they are investigating lookers then I would have a problem with it.  The fact that they are clearly labeling the sites as being busted makes me think they probably aren't doing that.

Even if they are recording all the hits on those sites, what are they going to do with them?  It's just a bunch of IPs.  In most cases you can't trace them to a person.

[funkedup]

Furious:
URL Redirect does not equal Tracking

Viewing web pages of bongs for sale is no reason for the government to track you. Viewing bongs is not illegal.

First off, there's no bongs on the pages, because they have been replaced by the American flag thingie.  Second, why would they track you if you were just looking at bongs?  Third, even if they wanted to track you, how could they do it?  AFAIK your browser doesn't tell them your name and address and SSID.

[Gunthr]

Don't worry Weazel! You can still get to sites like this, which give the chemical recipies for all the favorite drugs that can be manufactured with the right chemicals and equipment - if you have a little chemistry knowledge...

The Hive

This site is potentially more harmful than the paraphenalia sites. Yet our constitution protects it.

Since Clinton allowed this site to have existence, people can now make their own PCP or Meth right at home!

[AKS\/\/ulfe]

Funked, I thought you were a computer guy?

Where there is a will, there *IS* a way. ISPs log IPs, some even use static IPs. ISPs have also, in the past, been cooperative with the feds.

Besides, they are logging those IPs for something... and it ain't for a print out to be used as (as Hangtime puts it) hugahunk.

I'm uncomfortable knowing that the feds track my movement as is... the internet is supposed to be free domain, AFAIK you can't pass federal laws on something that's international.
-SW

[weazel]

Originally posted by Saurdaukar
Obviously the Nazis are secretly running the country.

Those who don't learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.

I find it hard to believe that Americans are giving the current regime carte-blanche in matters of personal liberty....and apparently could care less.

[Steve]

Wahhhhzel,     Ya, The U.S. is sooooo much like nazi Germany was.  I bet we will try to take over all of Europe next.

Carte-blanche?  Most Americans support war in Iraq... pull your head out of the dark hole it is in and pay attention.

[weazel]

I'm watching you funny boy!