Leaks and Government's accountability

[Striker Davies]

Back in 1983 I attended a national Computer Conference in Melbourne. One speaker was a professor of Russian Studies at a UK University, Leeds I think. I was a systems analyst but also had a degree in Russian Studies, and one of my professors was a Danish IT genius who had designed much of the Soviet economic planning system that ran on a nation-wide network of English Electric KDF-9 mainframes (going way back, now!). The speaker's point was direct - because of the rather primitive email systems that existed on this national network throughout the USSR, true information could be and was being passed around the Soviet Empire about the state of the nation, information that had previously been completely controlled by the Soviet political bosses.

The speaker said that was the reason why the USSR would fall before the turn of the century. In fact, it happened nine years earlier.

This is why Assange is proving such a powerful force and why big government and big business is so terrified of him and what he is doing. When the people are aware of the truth, tyranny tends to fall apart. Despite the hysterical screamings of lunatics like Palin, Limbaugh and their ilk, Wikileaks has revealed nothing than could endanger national security (and Clinton and Gates have said the same), but he HAS revealed the lies, the venality, the illegalities and misconduct of the powerful. I can hardly wait till he reveals the secrets of the big banks.

The world is better off for him.

[RandomThoughts]

1. Move within your myth, don't let your myth move you.

[Luminous Animal]

2. A spoon is not a fork unless it is a spork.

[Luminous Animal]

3. K & R