Accordingly, all warrentless accesses of personal data will be done for anti-terrorism reasons.

Government will use every power it has, always, to do whatever it is it wants to do.

The original intent of the power is *utterly and wholly irrelevant*.

With US debt at 14.3 trillion dollars and with countless examples through history of hyperinflation causing default and massive human suffering, it is not obvious to me that deflation is worse.

Moreover, you must consider *why* deflation or inflation is occurring.

If inflation is occurring because the State prints money, not only is that theft, but it is a situation where the State has the potential to massively abuse its monopoly and destroy the economy. This is a major risk and problem.

If deflation is occurring because no new money is being created while at the same time the economy is generating new wealth, it is easy then print roughly the correct amount of new money.

The latter situation is, I think, obviously preferable to the former.

I wrote:
> Why do I have to use the Government's money?
> Why can't I use my own?

You've replied by telling me I can use euros...

There's a difference between using another State issued currency (euros, etc) and issuing *your own currency*.

What about *freedom?* if I want to issue my own currency and someone else will accept, why can't I?

The State has given to itself the monopoly of money. This permits the State to abuse its position and, for example, devalue the currency to fund spending. If a multitude of free, independent currencies were available - rather than a very small selection of monopoly monies (e.g. all State monopoly currencies) this would not be possible, since any currency being abused by its issuers would immediately be exchanged for trustworthy currencies.

People in general benefit hugely from a reliable, simple medium for the long term storage of wealth. When this is not available, everyones lives are made more troublesome and a consequence of this is that long term economic growth - the process which makes us all richer and brings the poor into wealth - is reduced.

> You don't have to use Government money.

Incorrect. Fiat currency is a State monopoly. Private individuals *are not permitted, by law, to issue fiat currency*.

Along with that, the fact you *can* barter is irrelevant, because it doesn't change the fact that the general freedom to issue currency is denied by the State.

> The thing about State creation of money is not that it isn't topical, but that it's largely irrelevant.

The US Government has recently created truly vast amounts of money. I think it incorrect to assert this is irrelevant. We will see what happens.

Tor.

I live where we don't trust Government statistics and notice all four major currencies in a devaluation race and gold at 1500 USD an ounce.

Also, have a look at this, it's a long term graph showing the real value of sterling since 1750.

http://www.moneyweek.com/~/media/MoneyWeek/2011/110411/11-04-13-MM01.ashx?w=450&h=279&as=1

Inflation in the UK is rising and has just topped 4%. It'll be worse in the USA.

Think about freedom.

Why do I have to use Government money?

If one individual has a contract with another, what business or right does a third party have to impose conditions on that contract?

Regarding the creation of money by the State, I mention that as a particular problem because it is a major topical issue.

Why do I have to use the Government's money?

Why can't I use my own?

What about *freedom?*

> Anything with such features will be banned by governments.

Then we are subjects, not citizens.

> Does anyone honestly think the promise of protection from inflation will cause people to ask for their paycheck in BitCoins?

I'm interested. The alternative is investment, which is problematic due to the risks involved and bureaucracy, or gold, which is highly speculative.

I'd give a -lot- to have a stable, trustworthy, inflation free currency, something not subject to Governmental manipulation. Right now I hold as little fiat currency as possible, simply because the State keeps stealing wealth from me by devaluing the currency.

Either way, whether or not this BitCoins are going to be THE solution, they are A solution, and the more solutions there are, the better.

> Congress has the sole authority to coin money.

I believe at the current time and for some considerable time every Government in the world has granted to itself a monopoly in the supply of fiat currency. This is unethical, because it forces people, if they wish to use fiat currency, to use that particular currency. It is wrong to force people to do things against their will, unless you're acting in self-defense.

Moreover, monopoly leads to appalling service and abuse of priviledge, *always*.

A particular problem we see here is the manipulation of the supply of fiat currency for the benefit of the Government. One example of that is inflation, which is the transfer of wealth from those who hold fiat currency (those who have saved) to those who hold debt (those who have borrowed). The State is the massive holder of debt and the individuals who have worked and earned their wealth are those who have saved. It is theft, plain and simple, to support massive State spending.

> Makes lots of sense. They were within their rights to replace the m/b.

The fan had a problem, not the motherboard and changing the motherboard will screw up Windows, so I don't think that's an okay thing for a repair center to do. It is not reasonable to expect users to install the OS and all their apps when a fan dies.

> > I wanted to get them to check was if the motherboard was actually changed.
> Ok, the answer is "yes". Now what?

No. The question was never answered. The nearest answer - and this took four weeks, you understand - was "Sony repair are trustworthy; what they have written down on the repair sheet will be accurate". The point I was making was that what's on the repair sheet may be the list of repairs which were *supposed* to occur, and that any other changes which occurred in the course of those changes are - as a matter of policy - not listed.

I am certain that they never checked if the mobo was changed, or that they know it was, but are refusing to admit that it occurred.

> > Their response was, I kid you not, "in this situation we recommend you reinstall Windows".
> This is a correct response. Do you have a better alternative?

Yes. First, they apologise for screwing up my PC. Second, they stop changing motherboards when they don't have to, because of the costs it imposes on the end users.

Oh and third, they find my 3G SIM. They'll find it, I think, in my motherboard...

TBH the most aggreviating part of all this is how *arrogant* Sony are. They screwed up my laptop and their response is, literally, "we recommend in this situation you reinstall Windows". I mean, WTH?

As it is, I have reinstalled Windows and the problems still exist. I had a dying fan. I sent my laptop back for a new fan. I now have a fixed fan but a broken motherboard. Sony will probably recommend that in this situation I send my laptop back to them for repair.

In principle, yes. In the particular case of Wikileaks, I'm reasonably inclined towards believing them - they've not shown themselves untrustworthy. I can't say the same of the any Government in the world. (I'm inclined not to think any of the cables are US plants, because probably Wikileaks obtained the cables prior to the US Government knowing; if the US Government *did* know, I think they'd be more interesting in stopping the leak than using it to plant some fake cables, because the costs of the leak are much higher than the benefits of the fake cables).

I've had problems recently with Sony.

I have a Vaio Z. Nice bit of kit. The fan began to die - getting very loud. I took the SSD out (for data privacy) and sent the laptop off for repair. The fan is replaced. Sony also indicate they have updated the BIOS.

I get the laptop back, put the SSD back in... ...and Windows is SCREWED.

Doesn't recognize the display, can't find the audio chipset, power management software thinks there's an optical drive attached. Oh and my 3G SIM which was in the motherboard has gone. Performance when running a game is now juddery (run - slight pause - run - slight pause) and I get abrupt lock ups about once every two or three days.

Now, you tell me how a fan and BIOS change causes this? I think they changed the motherboard, because the fan is pretty integral to the motherboard; and Windows Does Not Like having the motherboard changed under it.

Sony customer support has been worse than useless. I would have been better if I had never emailed them - I would be up the time I've wasted.

Their response was, I kid you not, "in this situation we recommend you reinstall Windows".

I wanted to get them to check was if the motherboard was actually changed. I couldn't get them to actually *acknowledge that question*. It was flat out ignored.

Just beyond the pale.

That's if the story is true.

It could be a plant. The FBI/CIA historically have planted stories in the US press. They were a year or two ago castigated for doing so in Iraq - purely fabricated stories making out things are improving, etc (which is a bit different, it's Iraq rather than the USA, but it's still flat out no-nonsense *lies* to the population, which we're supposed not to do) - so it's not like they can't.

Seems a bit odd, I think, that Wikileaks should have such a policy. Would be entirely against everything they stand for. Makes me think - hmm, I wonder... who'd like to make Wikileaks look real bad and who do I know who has the capability to plant stories in the press?

Basically, keep that little voice in your head going - the one which questions everything. Not paranoia, just making sure you're not falling prey to your own assumptions. Including the ones which say it's always the Gov, because the story *could* be true.