Insufficient Authority - Do not open this thread

[mrnoodle]

I saw both of those again last week when someone at another forum thought they would be funny. They didn't have the same effect as the first time I saw them, but they were still revolting. Especially t--girl. That was just wrong. The g--tse guy looked cartoonish somehow.

I think they should turn off the internet. We saw everything there was to see about 2 years ago, and it's just porn and religious cults now. I want to subscribe to magazines again.

[wolf]

Originally Posted by richlevy

In general, is there any knowledge that is so destructive to the human soul that an argument could be made that it should be forbidden?

Personally, I feel that way about my social security number, but darn little else. Okay, the launch codes for the US nukes. That's probably about it. And that thing from back in high school. No one needs to know about that.

There are obscenity laws which operate against specific types of information, but it's not clear if they exist to protect the viewer.

If that sort of content is available only on demand, rather than accidentally, I don't have a problem with that, just so long as no other laws are broken ... toiletcam and other voyeuristic sites where the person being filmed isn't aware of it, or porn shots involving minors who cannot consent ... that's content that shouldn't be available under any circumstances.

Putting aside all of these issues and just focusing on the reader/viewer/listener, is there any kind of information which is so damaging that it should ethically be banned from being shown to a competent adult?

As in my statement above, it's not just about the recipient of the information ... the source itself may be illegal in some way.

[wolf]

Originally Posted by mrnoodle

I want to subscribe to magazines again.

Don't bother. You won't have the time to read them ...

(I remember loving getting the Publisher's Clearinghouse Giveaway packet, not because I had any real expectation of winning $10 Million on SuperBowl Sunday, but because of the cheap magazine prices ... I had piles of Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, and one of the Mystery Magazines (Ellery Queen or Alfred Hitchcock) that had to be shifted with a forklift.)

[Happy Monkey]

When I was a kid, I went through all the rigmarole to enter the sweepstakes without purchasing anything. I actually won!

Two checks for less than a dollar each, which didn't cover the stamp cost, and which I never cashed.

But I'm pretty sure they removed my parents' address from their mailing list.

[fargon]

It is not the information that may or may not be bad, but what one does with that information...
fargon 10/05/2006

[glatt]

I read online somewhere the instructions for hacking a soda vending machine by pressing the buttons in a certain sequence. Think of the button layout as a keypad. If you enter different sequences, you can do all sorts of things like change the pricing of the cans, including changing the price to zero. Changing (or maybe just checking) the temperature of the machine. Accessing sales statisitics in the small LED screen. Etc. Etc.

I tried it out on a machine at work, and it actually works. I didn't steal any soda, and I reset the machine to how I found it, but I thought it was interesting.

[Flint]

Originally Posted by glatt

...online somewhere...

:::ahem::: online somewhere ??? c'mon!

[glatt]

Originally Posted by Flint

:::ahem::: online somewhere ??? c'mon!

Maybe this was it?
http://www.boingboing.net/2004/12/20...ine_hacks.html

[Urbane Guerrilla]

It's cool that so far every choice has garnered at least two votes. This means the choices are relevant, at least to the Cellar's readership. Well done, Rich.

I voted with that large minority that prides itself on its BS detection.

I thought that you were identifying yourself ("Insufficient Authority") and then giving a command ("Do not open this thread"). It was as though someone said "Police - Dont move"; but, your chosen identity just didn't lend any weight to the order! So, :p .

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by glatt

Maybe this was it?
http://www.boingboing.net/2004/12/20...ine_hacks.html

The original piece was using a keypad inside the machine and you'd have to distract the person with access to the inside long enough to reprogram the machine functions. Then you could have your way with it after they closed up and left.

[Cicero]

Originally Posted by richlevy

If you made it here, then you certainly fit into the spirit of the Cellar.

I posted this thread to open up a discussion on rule-breaking and the 'right' to information. Breaking rules obviously has a long history in the world and in this country.

In general, with information there are three basic arguments for breaking rules on viewing restricted material.

The “me” argument is basically that the person feels that he or she is above the law in regards to that rule. This is more of a 1980's argument which promotes selfish behavior as beneficial to society.

Putting aside all of these issues and just focusing on the reader/viewer/listener, is there any kind of information which is so damaging that it should ethically be banned from being shown to a competent adult?

Hi- New here-
I'm not a fan of Rand (Ayn)- but she points out in "The Virtue of Selfishness" that the definition of selfish changed after the 50's. Selfishness did not used to be at the exclusion of others. With the modern psychotherapy and the self-help generations to thank for demonization of this concept, selfish has morphed into a term of evil- when it used to be proactive. Do for your self so you may do for others. I do think selfish behavior is beneficial to society as long as it is balanced with the ability to do for others. Selfishness is not black and white. Without out a me- I cannot do for you.


As far as banning- you missed snuff films. This includes snuff porn. I knew someone with a highly illegal film called Uncle Godda**. I watched part of it to see if it was authentic. I was not happy. I should have turned the owner in. Not only for his preferences for illegal underground, violent, murderous video, but also I found he had a proclivity for hitting women. Yes, it's extreme. I don't think adults should watch murder media. This may be obvious to some....but guess what, these films are made because there is a market for it!!!!
~Cicero

[xoxoxoBruce]

Why was that film illegal? Unless it was stolen or illegally copied, what makes it illegal.

[Cicero]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Why was that film illegal? Unless it was stolen or illegally copied, what makes it illegal.

Ummm.....Are you familiar with what a snuff video is?

Hint *do not google that- you will be ping'd*

[JerryM]

I thought the title was an open invitation for a first post. Having looked around a bit, I think I will enjoy visiting with this bunch (& perhaps add a bit of weight to the Texian/Southwest faction)

I've never been terribly impressed by verbal admonitions with no apparent teeth. This is probably due to having spent over twenty years in the U.S. Coast Guard, where I always knew exactly what the consequences would be if I failed to follow orders.

While working on my civilian job after I retired from the CG, I once knew an MIS person who had the ability to message all users of our mainframe from her desk in St. Louis. She felt that was too impersonal, so when she needed to do something that could be totally screwed if anyone were on the system, she would call me in Texas and ask me to contact all 25 users in our location and tell them to stay off the system. She could have sent a single system message and then disconnected all users at one time. I never managed to convince her that a simple disconnect is much more effective than a 3rd party message (which may or may not be delivered and recognized as important or authoritative).

Jerry Murdock