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gffyfnhdv

14 karma · joined July 3, 2019

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gffyfnhdv··on YouTube's ban on “hacking techniques” threatens to shut down infosec YouTube
When I was 16, back in 1999 I came to basically the same conclusions as Stallman.

I came to that conclusion trying to “fight” a (non-existant) virus that could infect any non-volatile memory onboard.

Since I didn’t actually control (really I mostly didn’t understand) my hardware it’s always seemed natural to me that, for example, the firmware of a hard drive of a networked computer could be compromised.

Since I didn’t control anything, I was at the mercy of those who did. Therefore I was always very hygienic on the internet, for example.

Stallman’s an arrogant self-righteous bastard. But he’s our bastard, damit! And I love him for it.

gffyfnhdv··on Hillbillies Need No Elegy
I agree Pittsburgh is more Appalachia than ATL; it’s Appalachia proper.

But Atlanta is really close. at the “Piedmont” of the if you will ;)

gffyfnhdv··on Hillbillies Need No Elegy
Btw, I’m not from Appalachia, I just did a post-doc at WVU.

Beautiful state and people.

gffyfnhdv··on Hillbillies Need No Elegy
“... or a church” +1
gffyfnhdv··on Hillbillies Need No Elegy
It isn’t the geographic center of Appalachia either. Pittsburgh, 90mi north, is as much a part of Appalachia as Atlanta, almost 600 mi south.

I get it. The author uses “heart of” as an expression, like I use “literally” in a figurative sense.

But, it also gives me a sense that it betrays the authors almost complete ignorance of Appalachia; which the article purports to explain :S

gffyfnhdv··on Hillbillies Need No Elegy
“Morgantown, West Virginia [...] We were in the heart of Appalachia“

BS! Morgantown is definitely not the heart of Appalachia:

- It’s only 9 mi into WV!

- has population that doubles during the school semester

- has three or four federal agencies (FBI, NETL, NIOSH)

- showered with federal and state largess (thank you senator Byrd)

- has traffic jams worthy of a city with 10x it’s population

- has one of my favorite restaurants in the US

- has a significant private sector economy (Mylan, for one)

-if I recall, technically it didn’t have a recession in ‘08.

I’ve lived in Morgantown for a while. And while I certainly caught a glimpse of Appalachia, it certainly isn’t the heart. Maybe it’s about as redneck as the president of WVU dares to venture.