The part about the differences in loyalties of the Symantec researchers was telling, though.
"We don't care if this harms something important our country is doing to stop madmen from getting the Fist of God. We have customers to do business with!"
You're looking at this the wrong way; fighting computer viruses is akin to fighting biological viruses, it benefits everyone. Even if stuxnet was being used in some sort of covert fashion, you don't go around using viruses as weapons without having an effective vaccination/cure in place.
Today we have massive amounts of both relatively easily obtained oil from oil shale.
Actually, shales are predominantly a source of Natural Gas. The permeability (measurement of ability to transport) of shales is so small due to the tight pore space, that very few liquids actually make it to the wellbore. Its much easier for the gas molecules to make it to the wellbore.
Speaking of natural gas, I believe that's what we'll be running our vehicles on in the upcoming years. Combustion engines only require a few modifications to burn it and we have abundant sources in all the new shale plays being produced right now. Reservoir estimates indicate we have a 200 year supply of natural gas.
As stupid as it is, its the law. He has an obligation to follow the law, not a moral technical compass. If there is a problem with the law then it needs to be changed not broken. You are your technical vigilantes need to be stopped from taking technology into your own hands.
How exactly was he breaking the law? As I understand it, the whole issue wasn't that he tampered with anything. Instead, he refused to disclose the passwords when the person requesting them did not follow proper protocols.
The problem with comparing this to movies is that MPAA Rating system isn't law, merely a voluntary policy (Source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_Picture_Association_of_America_film_rating_system) Stores that refuse to sell/rent R-Rated Movies/M-Rated games to minors are well within their rights; stores are free to conduct their business as they wish. However, on that same note, stores can also choose to sell these movies/games to whoever they want.
With the quality of some professors, you could learn more my specifically not going to class.
I totally agree with this statement. I'm a engineering sophomore right now and there are just some teachers who are just plain horrible. I specifically recall one physics lecture where my grade IMPROVED when I stopped going to lecture. This semester, there are some other classes with the same "quality" teaching, which I'd really like to skip, but the professor has an attendance policy. So, my laptop has become my saving grace. Mind, I dont do anything too distracting, usually just surfing the web or working on other assignments. I've come to find that the classes with attendance policies either mean either the class or the professor is worthless.
Disc space -- the final frontier!
