Monday, November 5, 2007
More on Copying
So I tried the link again and this time it worked. This time I moved on to this document and filled it out. I submitted it late Monday 5/11/07. We'll see what happens now.
Update! For Copying
I would have posted this earlier but I couldn't get on the internet this weekend to do so. Anyway, here is the response to my email to McGraw-Hill:
Dear Christy,
Thank you for your inquiry. Our Copyrights and Permissions Department
will be able to assist you. You can find contact information and
instructions at the following site:
http://www.mhhe.com/catalogs/cust_serv/permissions.mhtml
Thank you for writing.
The McGraw-Hill Companies*
Amanda Wright
HEP Customer Service
I clicked on the link to check it out and it redirected me to a page that didn't load after a half hour. So I'll try again later and if it doesn't work I'll reply to the email pointing out a broken link and asking for an actual reply to my initial question.
|   |
Thank you for your inquiry. Our Copyrights and Permissions Department
will be able to assist you. You can find contact information and
instructions at the following site:
http://www.mhhe.com/catalogs/cust_serv/permissions.mhtml
Thank you for writing.
The McGraw-Hill Companies*
Amanda Wright
HEP Customer Service
I clicked on the link to check it out and it redirected me to a page that didn't load after a half hour. So I'll try again later and if it doesn't work I'll reply to the email pointing out a broken link and asking for an actual reply to my initial question.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
An Attempt in Copying...
So, as per request, I found a text book that would work for the homework assignment. Elementary Number Theory: Fourth Edition by David M. Burton. Furthermore, I've sent out my first email, to two addresses, because they list about thirteen email addresses on the publisher's website McGraw-Hill. It was fun looking at them all and trying to decipher what I needed to do. No matter.
Unfortunately, after half an hour, I was still unable to come up with any contact information for Burton, so I'll just focus on the publisher. But I'm sure no one really cares about that. What you want to know is what the email said. Actually, you might not even care that greatly about that, either.
My email:
To The McGraw-Hill Companies,
First, allow me to apologize for sending this email to
multiple addresses listed on your website. However, I am
unclear as to which address would handle this request.
I am a college student at Hood College and my professor has
set up a project for the class where each student presents
and teaches a specific mathematical topic. In order to
present my topic, I request the ability to copy Chapter 8,
pages 149-170 of David M. Burton's "Elementary Number
Theory: Fourth Edition."
Thank you for your time,
Christy Berman
Now, you might be thinking, "Wow, you could have been a lot more detailed in your description on what you sent." And I could have. I could have tried to cover all aspects, but I'm kind of curious as to how they will respond if they don't really have a lot of information to go on.
Besides, it was spur of the moment creativity in that email and I kind of like it as is. That may very well change in a few days, when I really analyze it, but it's too late for regret.
The cake is a lie!
Unfortunately, after half an hour, I was still unable to come up with any contact information for Burton, so I'll just focus on the publisher. But I'm sure no one really cares about that. What you want to know is what the email said. Actually, you might not even care that greatly about that, either.
My email:
| |
First, allow me to apologize for sending this email to
multiple addresses listed on your website. However, I am
unclear as to which address would handle this request.
I am a college student at Hood College and my professor has
set up a project for the class where each student presents
and teaches a specific mathematical topic. In order to
present my topic, I request the ability to copy Chapter 8,
pages 149-170 of David M. Burton's "Elementary Number
Theory: Fourth Edition."
Thank you for your time,
Christy Berman
Now, you might be thinking, "Wow, you could have been a lot more detailed in your description on what you sent." And I could have. I could have tried to cover all aspects, but I'm kind of curious as to how they will respond if they don't really have a lot of information to go on.
Besides, it was spur of the moment creativity in that email and I kind of like it as is. That may very well change in a few days, when I really analyze it, but it's too late for regret.
The cake is a lie!
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Buy a Computer! Back in the Day.
I checked the blog multiple times, but alas it was to no avail. Sadly, I found many of the YouTube links on this blog to be unavailable or would only play without sound, so my timeline of computer commercials is a bit compromised. Therefore, I can't really have any opinion on several ads.
Atari 400 - unavailable
Commodore VIC 20 - The Commodore VIC-20 ads remind me of my father and brother, actually, in the sense that my father doesn't see how video games are worthwhile but he makes certain that his computer is the very best and can handle any current games that my brother wants to play. It seems like that's the kind of attitude these commercials are presenting: computer games aren't useful, but if you're going to play them, then play them on the best machine available.
Commodore 64 - The Commodore 64 ad puts down the current competition to bolster the 64 itself. This is accomplished by only showing text graphics on the other three computers (Apple II, IBM PC, and Radio Shack TRS-80), which incidentally displays "Commodore 64" in every case, while showing mostly charts, graphs, and other displays in multiple colors. Personally, I dislike ads that target specific competition; it's a cheap tactic to me. If you can't acquire customers by the quality of your product, then improve your machine and don't try to put down others. I'm kind of weird about things like that.
Commodore 64 - the second ad unavailable
Coleco ADAM - unavailable
Texas Instruments 99/4A - Maybe it's just me, but the Texas Instruments 99/4A ad didn't sell me anything. The only thing it talked about was the rebate on the computer; there were no details about the quality of the machine or what it was capable of. I like to see what I'm getting before I spend that much money on something. A computer isn't like a bed; a rebate doesn't mean anything if the machine can't preform half as well as a more expensive model. While I love my TI-83 scientific calculator, I can't say that this ad gave me high expectations for the computer. The entire selling point was "it's cheap" and, really, with computers you get what you paid for.
Kaypro II - I really liked the Kaypro II computer ad. It's funny to me because of how true it is today that a computer itself might cost one thing, but all of the peripheral devices jack the price up significantly. Like the Texas Instruments ad, this one was talking a lot about money, but this one actually ended with a quick display of the working unit. Granted, it was only a monitor of green text, but it's an improvement over a non-functioning machine that makes a cameo appearance in its own ad. I think the biggest selling point of this ad would be the comedy factor. I'm not sure that I would buy this computer, but the commercial definitely sparks my interest.
Apple Macintosh "1984" - unavailable. Although I loathe 1984 and I never want to read it again, the commercial might have been interesting
IBM Personal Computer - unavailable
Windows 1.0 - Windows 1.0 bothered me. I don't watch TV anyway, but if I do happen to be with someone who's watching TV, I cannot stand the car commercials that are like this. I don't like getting yelled at to buy a product, and I don't know anyone who does. The only redeeming grace of this commercial is that, according to the original blogger, it isn't an actual commercial.
Amiga 1000 - The Amiga 1000 doesn't do much for me because it repeats the same graphics instead of showing a bigger variety. Also, it seems to me that Commodore likes sheet music, since similar graphics were on an earlier model. The ad itself is something I'm more prone to look at because it expands on the abilities of the computer and compares them to the need in current society, instead of simply trying to show up other models.
Tandy 1000 - Tandy 1000 focuses on what is necessary for the workplace and goes into detail on the programs useful to get ahead at a desk job. That's all well and good, and I'm sure it attracts customers who want to be professional and get ahead in their careers, but I'm a gamer and I could tell I wouldn't want the computer before the ad was half over. Don't misunderstand me, though: the ad is good in that it shows functioning machines and their capabilities.
IBM P S/2 - unavailable
Apple II - unavailable
Apple PowerBook - unavailable
Apple Newton - unavailable
IBM ThinkPad 701C - The IBM ThinkPad 701C highlighted a laptop that would be just as useful as a computer, especially in the workplace. This is definitely true when working on projects, and I know my dad carries his laptop with him everywhere because he always needs to pull information off of it. While there would not realistically be a meeting with everyone surrounding a single machine, the point it gets across is that the ThinkPad is a very convenient and useful device. Personally, I think the music was the biggest hook.
Windows 95 - Windows 95 is entertaining because it's all about imagination. The video gives the impression "If you can think it, you can use this machine to create it." While that is only implied, and the original blogger isn't certain that the video is even a commercial, I think the message there is more apt to bring in customers than a lot of other ads.
Packard Bell - The Packard Bell commercial baffles me. It seems to be telling people that libraries are bad and being in contact with others is painful - be a hermit! I know the ad is attempting to let the viewers know that a home PC is more convenient, but it really doesn't come off that way to me.
IBM - unavailable
Gateway 2000 - unavailable
Apple "Think Different" - Apple's "Think Different" ad was interesting in that it makes the viewer look at life from a different perspective, however it really doesn't make me want to buy a computer. I am not a fan of ads that don't tell me what they're selling until the very end. I'm even less of a fan of ads that don't ever tell me what they're selling, even at the very end. This is kind of a mixture, since it's never really explicit, but if you are interested in computers than you recognize the logo at the end. I guess that's a good way to target potential buyers - if you recognize the logo then the ad is meant to inspire greatness ...and imply that greatness is achieved through Apple products.
iMac - The iMac ad failed to interest me simply because I want to know the capabilities of the computer. While the skin is nice to personalize, if the machine performs poorly then I really don't care if it is the coolest and most interesting looking thing on the planet. I don't want a really cool, really heavy paperweight. I want a machine that does what I ask it to do.
Pets.com - While I don't really know what a Pets.com commercial is doing in the list of computer commercials, really bad singing repulses me and this commercial definitely had just that. Also, on a not totally irrelevant note, I don't know anybody who goes out specifically shopping for pet food while dressed for work.
Windows XP - The Windows XP commercial was a lot like the Windows 95, in that it's all about expression. The intention of the ad was geared toward what you can do in leisure time on a PC, instead of what you can do at work. Granted, flying is not included, although that would be awesome, but the combination of scenes and song makes for an uplifting ad. The way that the words panned on the commercial made me think it was supposed to be kind of subliminal because your eye is drawn to the bizarre - people gliding in the air, over the pale white text in the corner of the screen.
Apple "Switch" - I cannot say that I liked the Apple "Switch" ad simply because of the style. Even if it isn't true, the spokesperson definitely seems like she's on some kind of drug. True, she mentions the versatility of the Apple and how portable it is, but I'm not certain I should be taking advice from a girl who seems like she's made quite a few bad choices in life. Bringing a computer to the beach? That's a surefire way to break it fast. I will say, however, that I enjoy the fact that she says "it's silver and exciting" in the most bland, uninterested voice ever.
IBM Linux - Much like Apple's "Think Different", IBM's Linux commercial is meant to inspire but it says nothing about the machine the ad is supposed to be for. I can gather nothing about Linux beyond that it should help me achieve the ability to leave my mark on the world. That is wonderful and all, but I want to know more about what I'm actually forking over money for.
Apple "Get a Mac" - Actually, this ad made me instantly think of this comic, which is why I don't mind the commercial as much as I normally would. Again, this is an attack, but unlike the Commodore ad, this is PC versus Mac and there isn't a specific company Mac is targeting. Still, the unsubtle "Mac's are new, young, and exciting while PCs are boring, old, and only for work" campaign is annoying.
Atari 400 - unavailable
Commodore VIC 20 - The Commodore VIC-20 ads remind me of my father and brother, actually, in the sense that my father doesn't see how video games are worthwhile but he makes certain that his computer is the very best and can handle any current games that my brother wants to play. It seems like that's the kind of attitude these commercials are presenting: computer games aren't useful, but if you're going to play them, then play them on the best machine available.
Commodore 64 - The Commodore 64 ad puts down the current competition to bolster the 64 itself. This is accomplished by only showing text graphics on the other three computers (Apple II, IBM PC, and Radio Shack TRS-80), which incidentally displays "Commodore 64" in every case, while showing mostly charts, graphs, and other displays in multiple colors. Personally, I dislike ads that target specific competition; it's a cheap tactic to me. If you can't acquire customers by the quality of your product, then improve your machine and don't try to put down others. I'm kind of weird about things like that.
Commodore 64 - the second ad unavailable
Coleco ADAM - unavailable
Texas Instruments 99/4A - Maybe it's just me, but the Texas Instruments 99/4A ad didn't sell me anything. The only thing it talked about was the rebate on the computer; there were no details about the quality of the machine or what it was capable of. I like to see what I'm getting before I spend that much money on something. A computer isn't like a bed; a rebate doesn't mean anything if the machine can't preform half as well as a more expensive model. While I love my TI-83 scientific calculator, I can't say that this ad gave me high expectations for the computer. The entire selling point was "it's cheap" and, really, with computers you get what you paid for.
Kaypro II - I really liked the Kaypro II computer ad. It's funny to me because of how true it is today that a computer itself might cost one thing, but all of the peripheral devices jack the price up significantly. Like the Texas Instruments ad, this one was talking a lot about money, but this one actually ended with a quick display of the working unit. Granted, it was only a monitor of green text, but it's an improvement over a non-functioning machine that makes a cameo appearance in its own ad. I think the biggest selling point of this ad would be the comedy factor. I'm not sure that I would buy this computer, but the commercial definitely sparks my interest.
Apple Macintosh "1984" - unavailable. Although I loathe 1984 and I never want to read it again, the commercial might have been interesting
IBM Personal Computer - unavailable
Windows 1.0 - Windows 1.0 bothered me. I don't watch TV anyway, but if I do happen to be with someone who's watching TV, I cannot stand the car commercials that are like this. I don't like getting yelled at to buy a product, and I don't know anyone who does. The only redeeming grace of this commercial is that, according to the original blogger, it isn't an actual commercial.
Amiga 1000 - The Amiga 1000 doesn't do much for me because it repeats the same graphics instead of showing a bigger variety. Also, it seems to me that Commodore likes sheet music, since similar graphics were on an earlier model. The ad itself is something I'm more prone to look at because it expands on the abilities of the computer and compares them to the need in current society, instead of simply trying to show up other models.
Tandy 1000 - Tandy 1000 focuses on what is necessary for the workplace and goes into detail on the programs useful to get ahead at a desk job. That's all well and good, and I'm sure it attracts customers who want to be professional and get ahead in their careers, but I'm a gamer and I could tell I wouldn't want the computer before the ad was half over. Don't misunderstand me, though: the ad is good in that it shows functioning machines and their capabilities.
IBM P S/2 - unavailable
Apple II - unavailable
Apple PowerBook - unavailable
Apple Newton - unavailable
IBM ThinkPad 701C - The IBM ThinkPad 701C highlighted a laptop that would be just as useful as a computer, especially in the workplace. This is definitely true when working on projects, and I know my dad carries his laptop with him everywhere because he always needs to pull information off of it. While there would not realistically be a meeting with everyone surrounding a single machine, the point it gets across is that the ThinkPad is a very convenient and useful device. Personally, I think the music was the biggest hook.
Windows 95 - Windows 95 is entertaining because it's all about imagination. The video gives the impression "If you can think it, you can use this machine to create it." While that is only implied, and the original blogger isn't certain that the video is even a commercial, I think the message there is more apt to bring in customers than a lot of other ads.
Packard Bell - The Packard Bell commercial baffles me. It seems to be telling people that libraries are bad and being in contact with others is painful - be a hermit! I know the ad is attempting to let the viewers know that a home PC is more convenient, but it really doesn't come off that way to me.
IBM - unavailable
Gateway 2000 - unavailable
Apple "Think Different" - Apple's "Think Different" ad was interesting in that it makes the viewer look at life from a different perspective, however it really doesn't make me want to buy a computer. I am not a fan of ads that don't tell me what they're selling until the very end. I'm even less of a fan of ads that don't ever tell me what they're selling, even at the very end. This is kind of a mixture, since it's never really explicit, but if you are interested in computers than you recognize the logo at the end. I guess that's a good way to target potential buyers - if you recognize the logo then the ad is meant to inspire greatness ...and imply that greatness is achieved through Apple products.
iMac - The iMac ad failed to interest me simply because I want to know the capabilities of the computer. While the skin is nice to personalize, if the machine performs poorly then I really don't care if it is the coolest and most interesting looking thing on the planet. I don't want a really cool, really heavy paperweight. I want a machine that does what I ask it to do.
Pets.com - While I don't really know what a Pets.com commercial is doing in the list of computer commercials, really bad singing repulses me and this commercial definitely had just that. Also, on a not totally irrelevant note, I don't know anybody who goes out specifically shopping for pet food while dressed for work.
Windows XP - The Windows XP commercial was a lot like the Windows 95, in that it's all about expression. The intention of the ad was geared toward what you can do in leisure time on a PC, instead of what you can do at work. Granted, flying is not included, although that would be awesome, but the combination of scenes and song makes for an uplifting ad. The way that the words panned on the commercial made me think it was supposed to be kind of subliminal because your eye is drawn to the bizarre - people gliding in the air, over the pale white text in the corner of the screen.
Apple "Switch" - I cannot say that I liked the Apple "Switch" ad simply because of the style. Even if it isn't true, the spokesperson definitely seems like she's on some kind of drug. True, she mentions the versatility of the Apple and how portable it is, but I'm not certain I should be taking advice from a girl who seems like she's made quite a few bad choices in life. Bringing a computer to the beach? That's a surefire way to break it fast. I will say, however, that I enjoy the fact that she says "it's silver and exciting" in the most bland, uninterested voice ever.
IBM Linux - Much like Apple's "Think Different", IBM's Linux commercial is meant to inspire but it says nothing about the machine the ad is supposed to be for. I can gather nothing about Linux beyond that it should help me achieve the ability to leave my mark on the world. That is wonderful and all, but I want to know more about what I'm actually forking over money for.
Apple "Get a Mac" - Actually, this ad made me instantly think of this comic, which is why I don't mind the commercial as much as I normally would. Again, this is an attack, but unlike the Commodore ad, this is PC versus Mac and there isn't a specific company Mac is targeting. Still, the unsubtle "Mac's are new, young, and exciting while PCs are boring, old, and only for work" campaign is annoying.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Recommendations
Class Blog: Ashley's. Why? I'm being shallow and I think her dog is cute.
Website: The Devil's Panties
I had an unfortunately difficult time deciding which website I wanted to post, but this is the best, I feel.
Picture: The Cow that Didn't Make It
I might not be that interested in the little lullaby, but my fondness for cows wins me over in this one.
Video: Zombie War
This was a bit harder than the others because, while I watch a lot of things on Youtube, the vast majority of them are not things that I would normally post. Oh, and before I forget, this is for humor. I don't like talking politics with anyone; don't get offended.
Unecessary Bonus!
The other three websites I was considering: Something Positive, Ctrl+Alt+Del, Looking for Group
Can we tell I'm big on web comics?
Website: The Devil's Panties
I had an unfortunately difficult time deciding which website I wanted to post, but this is the best, I feel.
Picture: The Cow that Didn't Make It
I might not be that interested in the little lullaby, but my fondness for cows wins me over in this one.
Video: Zombie War
This was a bit harder than the others because, while I watch a lot of things on Youtube, the vast majority of them are not things that I would normally post. Oh, and before I forget, this is for humor. I don't like talking politics with anyone; don't get offended.
Unecessary Bonus!
The other three websites I was considering: Something Positive, Ctrl+Alt+Del, Looking for Group
Can we tell I'm big on web comics?
The other pictures I was wavering on: Saïx, of Organization XIII (Kingdom Hearts, anyone?) and Three of Hearts. Justification for these two pictures? I really like the three best friend heros of Kingdom Hearts and the picture, to me, exhibits the care they have for one another. As for Saïx, I simply like the mood expressed in the picture.
The video I've been playing a good fifteen times in a row while searching through blogs: Loathing. No, I haven't seen the muscial Wicked; I just like the song.
And, if you ever have time, watch things by Avenue Q. They're hillarious.
Also, the guys who do Looking for Group made a music video to Disney's "Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid, but they have their own lyrics and it really, really isn't for the squimish. By that I mean that there's animated, cartoon violence. Thus why I haven't linked to it here. However, if you want to see it, it's on YouTube. In the search bar type Looking for Group: Slaughter Your World and it's the first option. If you didn't bother looking at the webcomic, LFG has to do with World of Warcraft.
At this point, after you've realized that I do, in fact, have a lot of interest in gaming, I would like to reference the title of my blog. Enough said.
The video I've been playing a good fifteen times in a row while searching through blogs: Loathing. No, I haven't seen the muscial Wicked; I just like the song.
And, if you ever have time, watch things by Avenue Q. They're hillarious.
Also, the guys who do Looking for Group made a music video to Disney's "Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid, but they have their own lyrics and it really, really isn't for the squimish. By that I mean that there's animated, cartoon violence. Thus why I haven't linked to it here. However, if you want to see it, it's on YouTube. In the search bar type Looking for Group: Slaughter Your World and it's the first option. If you didn't bother looking at the webcomic, LFG has to do with World of Warcraft.
At this point, after you've realized that I do, in fact, have a lot of interest in gaming, I would like to reference the title of my blog. Enough said.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Legal or Illegal?
Can the government intercept communications without a court order? Well, according to the Patriot Act of 2001 it is perfectly legal. The program set in place by the Patriot Act allows for warrantless searches of anyone; this is an action that has no backing in any previously created privacy laws. After U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor ruled that the National Security Agency (NSA) program is unconstitutional in 2006, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales spoke for the Bush Administration and appealed the ruling. According to Gonzales, the program is reviewed periodically by lawyers. Furthermore, according to Press Secretary Tony Snow for the White House, "The program ... targets only international phone calls ... where one of the parties on the call is a suspected al Qaeda or affiliated terrorist." That brings up a whole new issue of what exactly makes the government suspect someone of being a terrorist. However, being that that particular issue is one that could have many, many answers, I won't get into it. Sufficed to say you can be suspect based on anything from something as simple as looks (and let's face it, while that is profiling and is considered "wrong," everyone forms an opinion on someone else based on the first impression of looks) to something as complex as particular actions that can be observed without invasive monitoring.
Now then, I bet this looks like I'm drawing the conclusion that the government can intercept communications without a court order. Well, that does seem to be the law now, however the Patriot Act is under criticism for a good reason. Any bill passed into law must go through America's checks and balances system to prevent too much power from one part of the government. The Patriot Act was not passed properly and the issues of both the Democrats and Republicans who saw the bill were never properly addressed and even ignored by the Bush administration; the media never got their objections because the NSA program was highly classified. The media spurs on all kinds of false points about the debate, sheilding the real issues and burying problems behind mountains of facts and ficitions. Pointing fingers back to prior administrations as doing the same types of searches is a common tactic that actually works against the current administration, but only if people know the whole truth of the matter. Both Clinton and Carter approved surveillance without a court order, however both of them included the stipulation that this was foreign policy and could not be enacted upon U.S. persons a.k.a. anyone inside of the United States, citzen or otherwise. Another thing sited for defense of the Patriot Act is the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which again has stipulations about being solely between foreign powers and protects the privacy of Americans. Also, that particular Act has a time alotment of information gathering of 15 days maximum, and it is only after Congress has declared war. A different often used tactic is that of either being "for" national security and safety or "against" security so that you can keep privacy. There is no such simple split in the matter. It is more than a question of for or against, the Patriot Act is a question of authority and balance. Unfortunately, the majority of individuals are not well informed. After all, whatever the media tells us must be true.
For now, due to the Patriot Act of 2001, the government can intercept communications without a court order. It's up for debate whether that will continue to be legal. I, for one, agree with Judge Taylor that the NSA surveillance program "violates the separation of powers doctrine, the Administrative Procedures Act, the First and Fourth amendments to the United States Constitution, the FISA and Title III" and therefore should be revoked (CNN). As much as I morally disagree with the way the Act was implimented and pretty much all of the details surrounding it, taking a stance on pure legality still brings me to the same conclusion. This isn't about feeling violated about loss of privacy or anything else. This is about circumventing the system put in place to keep the United States as democratic as the Founding Fathers had envisioned. It's about those great, nebulous qualities of truth and justice. The surveillance of members of the United States without a court order should not be legalized. As Thomas Jefferson said, a man who places security over freedom deserves neither.
Information from:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/08/17/domesticspying.lawsuit/index.html
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-05-10-nsa_x.htm
http://mediamatters.org/items/200512240002
Now then, I bet this looks like I'm drawing the conclusion that the government can intercept communications without a court order. Well, that does seem to be the law now, however the Patriot Act is under criticism for a good reason. Any bill passed into law must go through America's checks and balances system to prevent too much power from one part of the government. The Patriot Act was not passed properly and the issues of both the Democrats and Republicans who saw the bill were never properly addressed and even ignored by the Bush administration; the media never got their objections because the NSA program was highly classified. The media spurs on all kinds of false points about the debate, sheilding the real issues and burying problems behind mountains of facts and ficitions. Pointing fingers back to prior administrations as doing the same types of searches is a common tactic that actually works against the current administration, but only if people know the whole truth of the matter. Both Clinton and Carter approved surveillance without a court order, however both of them included the stipulation that this was foreign policy and could not be enacted upon U.S. persons a.k.a. anyone inside of the United States, citzen or otherwise. Another thing sited for defense of the Patriot Act is the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which again has stipulations about being solely between foreign powers and protects the privacy of Americans. Also, that particular Act has a time alotment of information gathering of 15 days maximum, and it is only after Congress has declared war. A different often used tactic is that of either being "for" national security and safety or "against" security so that you can keep privacy. There is no such simple split in the matter. It is more than a question of for or against, the Patriot Act is a question of authority and balance. Unfortunately, the majority of individuals are not well informed. After all, whatever the media tells us must be true.
For now, due to the Patriot Act of 2001, the government can intercept communications without a court order. It's up for debate whether that will continue to be legal. I, for one, agree with Judge Taylor that the NSA surveillance program "violates the separation of powers doctrine, the Administrative Procedures Act, the First and Fourth amendments to the United States Constitution, the FISA and Title III" and therefore should be revoked (CNN). As much as I morally disagree with the way the Act was implimented and pretty much all of the details surrounding it, taking a stance on pure legality still brings me to the same conclusion. This isn't about feeling violated about loss of privacy or anything else. This is about circumventing the system put in place to keep the United States as democratic as the Founding Fathers had envisioned. It's about those great, nebulous qualities of truth and justice. The surveillance of members of the United States without a court order should not be legalized. As Thomas Jefferson said, a man who places security over freedom deserves neither.
Information from:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/08/17/domesticspying.lawsuit/index.html
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-05-10-nsa_x.htm
http://mediamatters.org/items/200512240002
Sunday, September 23, 2007
The Lives of Others Review
I found the movie The Lives of Others to be incredibly depressing and very reminiscent of 1984. It actually took me two sessions to get through the entire movie because I simply couldn’t sit through it all at one time. As difficult as it was to watch a dramatization, it was made worse by knowing that things of this caliber actually happened for so long on this large of a scale.
The plot is about
His once-classmate, a moocher and political kiss-up named Grubitz, is now his chief officer. While watching a play written by East German playwright Dreyman, Wiesler asks to be assigned to monitor the man, believing that he is up to no good. Grubitz claims the idea as his own after the play ends and he goes to greet the minister Hempf and put in a good word for himself. Hempf of course believes Dreyman is up to no good, but it isn’t discovered until later that his interest lies not in any real evidence of wrongdoing against the GDR but rather that the minister is attracted to Dreyman’s actress girlfriend, Christa-Maria Sieland. Given consent, Wiesler leads a team to completely wire the whole of Dreyman’s apartment and sets up the monitoring command post in the disused and dusty top floor. He and his own underling Udo take shifts monitoring every moment in the house and recording it all in reports under the case name “Lazlo.”
Wiesler’s blind faith in the goodness of the regime takes its first blow from Grubitz’s dismissal of the relevant facts that Hempf is having some kind of affair with Christa-Maria and subsequent editing of the submitted typed reports from the first few days of constant monitoring. Over time he grows something of an emphatic connection with Dreyman and finds himself wanting to protect the man. There is no need for protection, however, until Dreyman’s director friend Jerska commits suicide over his blacklisting and subsequent treatment. This spurs Dreyman into action, which causes him to write an article for a West German magazine der Spiegel about the suicide rates in
Wiesler directly intervenes to force Dreyman to become aware of Christa-Maria’s “relationship” with Hempf, although no one ever discovers the Stasi’s involvement. He later even gives Christa-Maria the moral support she needs to stop bowing down to Hempf in fear and for the sake of her career. When Dreyman starts actual anti-GDR propaganda, Wiesler manages to scale back the operation and get Udo reassigned before he starts falsifying all of the documentation on what is happening in the apartment. In the end his intervention is not enough because of a jealous and spurned high official who takes out his frustration by giving Grubitz information on Christa-Maria’s illegal medication. Put in detainment and without the moral support she needs, Christa-Maria cracks partially and gives the Stasi only bare bones of information incriminating Dreyman. The subsequent search finds nothing, but this tips Grubitz off that all is not well with his usually trustworthy ally Wiesler. To make amends, Grubitz forces Wiesler to interrogate Christa-Maria for the information necessary to finally imprison Dreyman.
When the information is finally revealed, Wiesler leaves immediately to hide the evidence away. The actress returns to Dreyman’s residence, now considered an informant for the regime, and is met by her concerned lover. Not long after, the Stasi appear pretending to have no idea of where the evidence is hidden only very briefly before moving to sign Dreyman’s prison sentence. Christa-Maria, however, cannot live with herself after having destroyed the only passion in her life and commits suicide by running into the path of an oncoming truck, unknowing of Wiesler’s interference. The Stasi’s career is over, however, because Grubitz knows for certain that Wiesler is the reason that nothing was found; there is no evidence and no way to prove it, so the best that Grubitz can do is demote his once top agent to mail duty for the rest of his life.
Years later, the
In the beginning I could only half tolerate Wiesler for his commendable work ethic but his naïveté about what was actually happening made it difficult for me to watch the movie through. I also found Grubitz and Hempf to have no redeeming qualities, although if I ever watched it again I might manage to see some. Granted, I don’t believe either man was intended to portray any positive qualities, unlike Wiesler, and since this is a movie it’s likely that any worthwhile traits have been edited out of their personalities to give them the ultimate “bad guy” vibe. I’m still conflicted about Christa-Maria because she wasn’t a very strong character but it felt like she broke too easily under threat. I never really formed an opinion on Dreyman, either, because he was really a flat character and his personality wasn’t one that changed dynamically throughout the movie.
This is the kind of movie I don’t like to think about because of what it really represents. Just like I absolutely hated 1984 when I read it, this movie irks me because of the maltreatment and simple disregard one human shows another. Living in a society where your opinion can get you locked up for years without any trial, where confessions are forced out under duress, and where fear is the most potent factor in normal people’s lives is a horrible concept to consider. Having no secrets makes anyone feel exposed and uncomfortable, even if there is nothing to hide. Movies like The Lives of Others make me uncomfortable in my own skin for days.
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