> But I don't have a cassette deck either, so I use my brand new laptop as the storage by plugging the Apple into its audio ports.

Well done! Hats off to you sir.

You still haven't answered the parent's question. Irrespective of whether Manning is guilty or not, when do the generals who ordered illegal actions get charged?

Why that's crazy talk!

You young people and your logic...

Hey there soldier! Worried about PTSD? Afraid your conscience may interfere with your patriotic duty? No need to worry! With our new treatment you'll never have to worry about flashbacks, or fear that you may have to turn whistleblower. War-crimes trials? No fear. We'll make sure you will always be the most reliable and entirely truthful un-witness.

> when a warrant has been issued by a judge

Seriously? We live in a world where even "after the fact" FISA warrants are not enough for some. Hell, there is currently legislation mooted in various countries that would allow corporations the same kind of powers just because you MIGHT be sharing a movie.

And you think I'm deluded...

Where freedom of speech is illegal Tor use is illegal. Yet there are still those that would exercise their free speech regardless of the risk. Dissidents who use Tor to get their message out or to listen to anothers' message don't do it because it is no risk. They are usually very well aware of the risks they take.

The world is replete wih people willing to commit "crimes" if sufficiently motivated.

I'm sorry. What's you're point?

It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government...except for every other form that's ever been tried.

I have written no laws. I support politicians and parties that on balance seem to give the best outcome for my vote compared to the other candidates.

Perhaps I was a bit clumsy. What I tried to say to the parent poster (who asked "what if I don't like what the majority choose") was, either accept the outcome or change the government. I didn't specify how the latter might be achieved.

Define "valid", "reasonable", "limited". Describe how you would limit the expansion of those terms' meanings.
Describe for what purpose the collected information might be limited to. Define how long the data will be held for and what safeguards you would have in place to ensure your speech doesn't mark you as an enemy of the state under some future statute.
Define "bad guys".

Some might disagree with you.

Isn't your post self contradictory?
If a government detects and blocks the protocol then it's blocked for both good and bad guys and Tor is rendered ineffective.
If however its possible for the bad guys to bypass these blocks the it's possible for the good guys too in which case Tor is achieving its purpose. I'd be grateful for anyone more familiar wih the tech to chime in at this point.

Just to be clear, it's purpose is not to "help the good guys". It's to provide a technology that enables uncensorable speech. With respect to my original post it is firmly on the side of "freedom of speech", with all the ugly consequences that entails.

You live in a democracy don't you?
Accept the tyranny of the majority or impose your own.

Freedom of speech, or government monitoring of all communications.
Decide which one you want and accept the consequences of your decision.

As an Australian citizen, let me just say this:

Fuck me dead!

> Where's the gene for that?

Good question. I don't actually know, but I CAN tell you that there IS a test for the Arsehole-parent gene. It's not 100% accurate, but if a parent sends their kid's DNA sample to the lab mentioned in the article...chances are they've got it!

> Why is healthcare such a rip-off?

Because you are American.

Before anybody jumps up and yells at me that other health systems have their own problems and/or their success/efficacy is greatly inflated, let me agree with you that all those other health systems are generally crappy too.

It's just that your health system is so fucked that it makes everyone else's crappy to mediocre systems look luxurious* by comparison.

* in the Monty Python sense.