Without the FOIA and responsible journalism there is no oversight by the people. If you can't see it, how can you oversee it?. The first amendment is in place, in large part, because freedom of speech is quintessential to the running of a fair process. Journalism is the "fourth branch" of government, and by not responding legally and appropriately to the FOIA requests the DHS is both acknowleging this and circumventing the well established process. So saying "Every single government department that has power over other people needs a watchdog or oversight committee." coupled with "The people are the oversight committee." is just a long winded way of saying that the DHS needs to be eliminated.

Who the fsck do you think you are kidding? The left go silent? I don't see a single post in favour of them. Do you really think only those on "the right" know how to post on Slashdot?

I wasn't ware that Vietnam Soldiers (for example) passed sedition laws.

Learn2english? I guess you need to learn2read. You can start with your own post, where you will see the whining. Then read what I wrote, where you'll see the simple fix.

I have been using Android since the first device ... the T-Mobile G1 ... came out. In fact I pre-ordered it before it was released. It has never been a problem for me either, and I use plenty of apps. This whole thing is much ado about nothing, really. Yes some apps have an ad in them, but I never really even notice them. I pay attention to the UI and don't click on the ads. Thus my reason for not having any sympathy for the winers, who are likely M$ schills or just plain idiots.

There are many. I'm not your research flunky.

"So you were walking around in the evening and got mugged? Why do you even try to complain, it is your fault."

No, you were walking around in the evening and someone asked politely: "Hey, if you'd like I'll trade you these services for your personl information", and you said yes. You could have said no, but you didn't. You said yes. Just grow the fsck up and stop crying that you shouldn't have to be responsible for the consequences of your decisions.

Loss of privacy isn't "demonstratable harm" because you agreed to said "loss of privacy." For future reference, if you lie face down and let some guy have his way with you, that isn't rape either. It doesn't mean consent laws are "worthless". It just means you don't get to give consent and then have the protections provided by them.

"How come I can turn on and use my computer without having any adware running on it, and I can't do that with a phone?"

Because you made a choice for which you refuse to take responsibility. If you want Android, but don't want Google Apps, you simply get a phone that is configured as such. Stop whining that you bought a product and it is doing what it is designed to do. If you don't like Apple's Walled Garden, don't buy Apple. If you don't like Google apps, buy a phone that doesn't bundle them and then don't install them. You are making a choice, and then crying like a little girl that you made the wrong choice (for you and a small handful of others, that is) and want Googe to eat the cost of your ignorance.

"I strive to write "perfect" code if I have the time. It's not that hard, just double check and try to run the edge cases in your head whenever you do something complicated."

I highly doubt you can write a non-trivial C or C++ program without bugs, or really any language for that matter. I'm not talking about thousands of lines either. 100 or so should do it. The fact that you don't mention any kind of requirements spec, perhaps with the aid of some CASE tools, or at least a testing and feedback method, coupled with the fact that you think that you can do it "in your head" makes it clear that you have no idea how to develop code.

You said "registry". That was enough to freak me right the fuck out, and I am a seasoned developer.

You are assuming a mutual exclusion that doesn't exist,as well as a knowledge of the methodology used. If you apply all three, none of those workarounds work. Then, one could also do "blind metrics analysis", where different methods of analysis are used during different, and secret / unannounced windows of time.

You see, as smart as the typical developer thinks he is, it doesn't take much for someone with real skills to bury them ... deep.

two times seven is fourteen.
7477 6f20 7469 6d65 7320 7365 7665 6e20 6973 2066 6f75 7274 6565 6e2e

"Too bad you needed words to make your point about math."

Your problem seems to be that you don't understand what does and does not constitute a word, and how they relate to math.

My logic sounds flawed because you have just perfectly expemplified my point. I stated something. You perceived me to have stated something completely different, and then made the mistake of thinking your flawed perception was reality. You then projected your inadequacy onto me. I in fact said nothing even remotely close to what you repeated back.

That being said, it has already been stated quite clearly in this thread: "It's testable, it's measurable, it's repeatable, it's capable of prediction." In other words, it deals with the objective rather than the subjective. Math is a branch of science, and there are 10 types of people in the world: Those who can understand the points I have made, and those who lack the logical facilities to understand the definition of science. You clearly fall into the category 10.

I'll wait for the simulated Johhny Appleseed. Then at least there will be an actual reason to post the story on Slashdot.