OFF - and multiply!

[M Holmes]

Maxine Wesley writes:

> > Paul Mather writes:
> >
> > > Mike Holmes wrote:

> I would suggest that censorship has created these scenarios in the
> first place - what if these people had been able to develop a healthy
> sexual outlook instead of believing that satisfying sex was taboo and
> probably something to do with rubber gloves!

You mean it isn't??

> > requiring parents to do the damn job they signed up for when they
> > had sex resulting in progeny.

> Hurrah - vote for Mike!!! ;)

Actually, I was toying with the idea of standing as a Libertarian in the
local elections here. My reasons are less that I think there's any
chance at all of being elected (it'd realy bugger up my social life if
that happened) than I'd like to hit back at the Labour Council over
their ridiculous curfew on opening hours. Something like "Nanny State
Says It's Time For Bed" would be good as a slogan :-)

[...]

> > > Or, as is common with many specialist services, the user should
> > > pay to access it, and such payment would carry the burden of
> > > proper authentication.

> Go on Tax it!!!!! :(

> > How about anonymous digital cash? That's almost here already.

> No Mike, you shouldn't agree with this -

I wasn't. I was implying that with Anonymous Digital Cash, the burden of
payment needn't necessarily go hand in hand with proof of age.

Of course such a system is also impossible to tax. The next step of
control of the Internet will almost certainly be to attempt a ban on
encryption and anonymous cash. Someone at Imperial College London has
been arguing that the Internet will enable richer folks to trade
services without being taxed. That's a worrying thing for a State. In
the end, the Internet could do for Western majoritarian democracies what
photocopiers did for Soviet Communism.


> the only reason you'd have to
> pay for it, is if it's 'censored' - perhaps (like going ex-directory)
> those who don't want to receive it should 'opt' out and pay the cost?!

There are interesting implications of anarcho-capitalist justice systems
which would result in bluenoses having to pay for bluenose laws. I've
always wondered just how many people would worry about other people's
behaviour if they had to expend money to do so rather than just a vote.
However, that's even more off topic so I'll save it for the list I'm
setting up to take this offline.

ObSoon: Real Soon Now...


> - as with all other forms of communication, information, education etc
> on the Internet there should be no censorship.  But I guess we've
> finally hit the reoot of all this debate - it's purely because there
> is a buck to be made!

> > Nevertheless, clicking on a link causes your machine to download
> > information from another machine.  In that sense, pornography as
> > well as pizza is *requested* by the user.  The solution to the
> > "unknown link" problem is to require labelling of controversial
> > material

> Sound feasible/ not unreasonable

> > Then the CDA should advocate prosecution when something
> > controversial is clearly mislabelled.

> Sounds simple and easy to adhere to, seconded!


> > > > Should the Internet be something that is safe for kids? If so
> > > > then why shouldn't roads? Make an 8mph speed limit everywhere?

> Yeh - and no more guns or knives shown on television (at all, ever, so
> neh!)

Ummm, can you say "V chip"? That's more of the same nonsense of the
government doing parents jobs for them.

[...]

> > > that is how I remember it being explained to me.) It is for this
> > > reason that oral sex, for example, is illegal in certain states
> > > (or areas) in the U.S.A.  but not in others.

> What a stupid law - these people are asseholes of the first degree and
> should be bound up and whipped

Ooooh, I think that's probably illegal too. Besides, why should they
have all the fun? ;-)

> I sometimes wonder if I landed on the right planet at all, (yeh Cloud
> Cuckoo land would suit me loads - at least I wouldn't have to put up
> with all these drivelly humanoids) but I must have been misplaced
> during the last spaceship outing......

Does that happen to you too?

> Maxine

FoFP