List of "forbidden knowledge" ?

Huh?

Start a page labelled "forbidden knowledge" and you're bound to attract attention, because then it's about the illegal things you want to do with the knowledge.

Learn about something useful, and it's simply "knowledge" and it's all over the place.

Show us an instance where "knowledge" is actually kept out of view.

Virtualy none is, at best you just have to put in some effort, like looking for a book rather than expecting someone to write about it for free on the internet.

At least, you may just simply have to prove something, your qualifications or just an actual interest, which is hardly the same thing as "forbidden".

Michael

alt.2600.*

"Show us an instance where "knowledge" is actually kept out of view. "

Hmm. Well there have been cases where information is "born classified". There have been a number of senior (PhD mainly) theses which were classified upon submission, due to sensitive information being quoted or discovered accidentally during original research, mainly in the subject of nuclear physics though a few biology and chemistry related subjects were included (such as anything to do with sequencing pathogens and/or increasing virulence of existing ones)

Usually these people end up working for the Government....

I did recall reading somewhere that someone was told not to quote a specific piece of information (i think it was to do with the wavelength of a specific laser) because it was classified in another context, though not relevant for the subject. IOW his work was vetted and the information removed before he was allowed to submit it.

Obviously there's the whole "prevention of terrorism" catch-all, so for example the plans for a GPS jammer would be considered "verboten" as would any way to use distributed computing to decode Police radio traffic in realtime. IIRC even receiver designs able to pick up forbidden wavelengths would be covered.

There was a case recently where a scanner was taken off the market because it was able to detect some "illegal" frequency by a small adjustment to the hardware, that had the spooks "spooked".... !

-Q

email snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.co.uk

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In whose jurisdiction?????

1) Just because an item has something about, say, the FCC (In the USA) stamped on it; that has no force in law the moment one steps outside the country of jurisdiction.

An exception to that MAY be if there is a treaty between two countries and/or international agreements where various countries have previously agreed to comply with certain practices. But what might be a federal offence in one country might be a civil disobedience (or not even a crime) in another.

An example of a workable agreement is where the USA and Canada have for a long time agreed to share radio band frequency spectrum so as to avoid mutual interference.

No point in having a US broadcast in Detroit unusable because of a powerful radio station ON THE SAME FREQUENCY in Windsor, Canada!

An example of a non-agreement are gun laws. What might be simple lawful possession within the USA, for a US citizen, can, within more rigorous laws in Canada be illegal and not allowed, for anyone. And in some circumstances the weapons can be confiscated on site.

2) There are parts of the world where there are no international agreements and very little in way of locals laws in effect or enforced. So, for example, storing dynamite and/or blasting caps etc. within a residential area which might be illegal in most places within North America might not even be mentioned elsewhere. Similarly, not building to proper standards, or drilling into and tapping underground water resources which we might likely be considered illegal in certain place, may not be illegal elsewhere!

Not emitting pollution requirements are in many parts of the world more stringent than in the USA/Canada. For example; London UK imposed no coal burning standards back in the 1950s and 1960s and did much to eliminate their 'smog' problems.

But elsewhere in the world there are no standards or enforcement.

Similarly US copyright laws are often cited as being broken by hackers and copiers who produce 'bootleg' copies of DVDs etc. Allegedly in China, Indonesia etc.

But by opposite token some US filmmakers and TV program producers will demand unfettered/unlimited access to transmit or send their products to audiences/customers in foreign countries who may be paying for their own national programming and resent the intrusion of, what is to them 'Foreign material'.

This is where; a) United Nations Agreements and compliance are required. OR. b) International agreements that are observed by both (all) parties that they will follow/enforce the same standards.

Another example in USA/Canada/Mexico we drive on the right. However in Australia, India, Sri Lanka, Malta, the UK and many other parts of the world we drive on the left. And the vehicles there are configured for that. So driving as in North America would there, be illegal!

Use of radar speed detectors is illegal in some places but not even mentioned elsewhere.

Taking photographs of certain places and of certain people is in some parts of the world is either illegal or at least suspect!

Take a picture of a sentry outside Buckingham Palace, London, would be considered 'cute'! And no one would even question it!

Taking a picture of a security guard outside the White House might get you, at least questioned (he/she might be a member of the CIA!!!!!); and woe betide if your name happened to be a tourist named Mohammad or Hosni or something rather than Joe Smith.