Friday, February 27, 2015

Yesterday was "100 flowers", today is "Reichstag fire".

Once upon a time in China, there was an evil warlord named Mao Tse Tung. He wanted to identify and kill everyone in his lands who disagreed with him. So he proclaimed a new government program, the Hundred Flowers Movement. He said "Let a hundred flowers bloom; let a hundred schools of thought contend".

And then after a little while of letting these people talk, he killed them all. In 1957. Then he really got busy, and depopulated the entire continent.

Once upon a time in Germany, there was an evil Chancellor named Adolph Hitler who wanted "emergency powers" so he could become Die Fuhrer instead of just the Chancellor. So he had somebody burn down the Reichstag. This is known as the Reichstag Fire, and it marked the creation of the Third Reich.

Reichstag fire.

Adolph went on to kill a lot of people, although he never came even faintly close to Mao Tse Tung.

Fast forward to modern times. In the Interwebz we have an example of the Hundred Flowers Movement. We've all been happily sharing our most private thoughts, comments, news, pictures, naked pictures, movies, ALL of our lives on-line since the 1990's. And during a great deal of that time, the United States government, the Canadian  government, the British government, all kinds of governments around the world have RECORDED IT ALL.

These days the NSA alone copies pretty much ever packet that goes along the Internet. You know that Apple iCloud thing that's so awesomely convenient for saving pics off your phone? They copy those. Yes, they do.

Love him or hate him, at least we were warned.

So somebody, somewhere, has a perfect record of everything you've ever done online or on the phone.

Which brings us to today. Today is the Reichstag Fire of The Internet.

Dallas Mavericks owner and investor Mark Cuban predicted that proposed FCC Internet regulations will end up impacting TV and "your TV as you know it is over" on Thursday's "Squawk Alley" on CNBC.
Cuban began by predicting "the courts will rule the Internet for the next however many years." He then explained, "let's just take it all the way through its logical conclusion. All bits are bits, all bits are equal. If all bits are equal, then let's look at what a stream bit is an example. So when Henry and I do an interview, and it's streamed lived on the Internet, there's a camera, it goes through an encoder, it sends it out via server or some manner to the Internet, you click on Business Insider and you watch the stream, right? Now, let's look at CNBC on Comcast. There's cameras right in front of you, they go through a switcher, they go through an encoder, it's put through a server, it goes to Comcast, and it's streamed in a managed service environment to television. It's the exact same thing. And if it's the exact same thing technologically and all bits are equal, then why shouldn't CNBC and all TV networks that are delivered on cable, and Telco, and fiber like Verizon, why shouldn't they be part of the open Internet as well? And if they are and all bits are equal, now, let's take it one step further. It's the purview of the FCC now. The FCC, right? So, the FCC now has to apply their same standards to content, don't they, that they do to television content because that's where it is and there's going to be certain citizens who think 'well now, since all content is delivered over the Internet because all bits are bits, and it's a fair, and open, and equal Internet — decency standards.' And remember the FCC is the same agency that fought Nipplegate for eight years over a wardrobe malfunction."
He added, "your TV as you know it is over."
Meaning that if they want to, the FCC could be applying "decency standards" to your personal shit on Apple iCloud. And sending the cops around for a chat if they feel the need.

That most likely won't happen this week because its far too quick a change. They'll ease into it over the course of a few years, after a couple billion dollars worth of lawsuits grind their way through the courts. But, I predict that the days of carrying your smartphone around everywhere and sharing pics of your dinner on Facebook are now officially numbered.

Welcome to the New World Order.

I do believe I said this was going to happen waaaaaay back in 2008, but everybody said "Noooo, that can't happen here! This is a civilized country."  Problem is, that's wrong. It can happen here. It just did.

Germany and China were civilized countries too, my friends. Look what happened to them.

The Phantom

6 comments:

Alyric said...

And when the jackboots come knocking on doors to put people on trains there won't be much resistance, since Obama just showed that the President has the power to ban guns by executive decree (because Congress won't stop him).

Unless anyone really thinks that it's going to end with just one type of ammunition? Anyone? Hands?

Didn't think so.

Any student of history that hasn't been completely indoctrinated by the left should start hearing alarm bells the moment any government tries to restrict access to arms.

The Phantom said...

This kinda thing is why I don't own an AR15. Why would I subject myself to the machinations of the US military surplus supply chain?

Wheel weights, my son! Wheel weights.

Alyric said...

I really should learn to cast my own bullets. I very much fear it will be a crucial skill at some point in the (hopefully) far future.

The Phantom said...

Cowboy shooters cast their own for fun, and to have more period-authentic kit. If you have a .45-70 lever rifle, cast bullets work just fine.

I think cast .30cal might be less awsome, given the difficulty of spire points, boat tails and all that. For those you need a swaged bullet with a copper jacket.

But if you want spire points, you can always machine them instead. Lots of ways to skin the cat.

Occam said...

I have cast my own "pills" for decades – I go back to the days of using wheel weights and tin instead of buying premade ingots – Had an electric smelter I made from an old pottery Kiln - I even made my own copper gas checks and semi jackets - did my own bullet swaging – even made some of my own molds when I was getting all fancy with bullet design. Time consuming, had to make some of the dies and swages - I called this shit "fun" - was really into comp shooting back in the day.

They worked fine in a variety of calibers and firearms until you get into the demands of precision long range shooting or dangerous game hunting. Long range Hi-Vo low drag projectiles have to be extremely weight concentric - most competitive bench shooters are abandoning multi metal projectiles for single metal, uniform density pills. The manic accuracy nuts turn their own bullets from variety of semi hard dense metals then play with rifle twists that stabilize these wild-catted projectiles - these guys are making a 5 shot bug hole at 1000 yds. with turboed 6.5mms, magnum.300s, big 7mms, seem to be the best down range ballistically although you do see some stubborn .35, .380 and .50 cal muley-heads trying to get their ammo to make the same tight groups at 1000+ yds.

I think it is the elements in government enforcement agencies with a fascist reflex who fear this capability (proficient target accuracy) in civilian hands - it represents a formidable tactical resistance tool - thus the call for banning and reclassifying FMJs and solid metal bullets as "armor piercing" and re-defining "armor" as cop Kevlar instead of its intended meaning referring to vehicle armor. So called "cop killer" bullets are the same pill our government uses as "terrorist/bad guy killers" - tyrant's reasoning eh?

The American NWO wing wants little formidable resistance to its martial takeover - guess they fear the thought of blood shed - particularly if it's theirs - so civilian disarmament/resistance is paramount to a NWO despot government's agenda. This extended period of civil freedom has ensured there are enough guns that even after confiscation, those needed to resist tyranny will always be circulating in civilian hands and in the black market - the technology is durable, old and simple enough that ammo and gun parts can be made from common materials with just hand tools. And try as you might to deny this, it is a self evident fact and reason that Canada and the US have never experienced a despotic government - yet.

black mamba, still not a robot said...

I've posted this (it will show up in about 3 hours). I hope that's cool.