September 29, 2004

• Black Helicopters
• you go smallish bear. Nice post. In related news, The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Thursday launched a public comment period on its plan to compel Internet broadband and VoIP providers to open their networks up to easy surveillance by law enforcement agencies. Been wondering how I was going to post that. Darned one-strike MoFi rule . . .
• The idea that the jackbooted fascist thugs will oppress us from up on high from a blimp fills me with mixed feelings of dread and embarassment.
• God bless the ACLU. One provision down, how many more to go?
• eleventy-billion.5
• pete_best, I'm curious how many people will be willing to comment on the FCC plan, given the scary IDENTIFY YOURSELF, CITIZEN! nature of the comment process. I chickened out.
• To celebrate this victory, I think I'll go download a bunch of songs all about terrorism.
• Also give money to the ACLU. (Though I don't know if you can do that as a Canadian...)
• House and Senate negotiators reached an agreement Thursday to extend the USA Patriot Act, the government's premier anti-terrorism law, before it expires at the end of the month. But a Democratic senator threatened a filibuster to block the compromise.
• A great decision!
• Not the extension, but the above Fed court decision.
• Patriot Act Agreement: It's Capitulation, Not a Deal
• USA PATRIOT Is Here To Stay Legislative mission creep will turn runny noses and lobster fishing into terrorist acts
• Only 10 nay votes. That's just friggin wonderful. Count me among the many anti-Feinstein monkeys, now. I've also lost a great deal of respect for Boxer. On another note, how is it possible for laws not relating to terrorism to be put in the PATRIOT act? It's for TERRORISM, not putting lobster fishermen behind bars.
• Here's what the AP had to say about the provisions that didn't relate to terrorism: "The renewal includes several measures not directly related to terrorism. One would make it harder for illicit labs to obtain ingredients for methamphetamine by requiring pharmacies to sell nonprescription cold medicines only from behind the counter. Another focuses on port security, imposing new criminal sanctions and a death sentence in certain circumstances for placing a device or substance in U.S. waters that could damage vessels or cargo." Yep, that's our "liberal media", all right. :op
• Too bad "S.C.R.E.W.J.O.B." couldn't be worked out to spell something.
• Is it irony or simple karma that the only source for this article is a French one? The country that funded (in large part) the American Revolution? The Revolution that heralded some kinda document of some sort? Some kinda fourth amendment to something? "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized." I also think it's interesting that the "Warrant" part is capitalized.
• Too bad "S.C.R.E.W.J.O.B." couldn't be worked out to spell something. it's funny that you say that, because in a parallel universe, my first act as supreme chancellor will be to sign the T.O.T.A.L.L.Y A.W.E.S.O.M.E. amendment into law. i mean, hey... who wouldn't be in favor of a TOTALLY AWESOME amendment?
• Patriot Act Partly Blamed in Madrid Case
• Patriot Act, The Game!
• Shitler issues "signing statement" with renewal of Patriot Act. That whole "tell us what you're doing" thing? Naaah.
• Bush. Bush issues signing statment with renwal of Patriot Act. Not Shitler. Sorry. Typo.
• Captain America – fugitive
• PATRIOT scares Canadian unis off US servers
• PATRIOT scares Canadian unis off US servers Debcha sez, "There's an article in today's Globe and Mail about how Canadian universities are switching their RefWorks accounts from a US server to one at the University of Toronto in order to avoid having research information flagged by the Patriot Act. RefWorks is a reference and citation management tool, which university libraries subscribe to and users have personal accounts on. There's concern among scholars that they could be identified and flagged if they are doing research on sensitive areas (North Korea, terrorism, nuclear weapons). The Dalhousie librarian they quote points out that there is no way of knowing if your data has been searched under the Patriot Act, and 'it is still possible for the RCMP and CSIS to probe the Ontario server, but in Canada there is at least judicial oversight.'" I wondered what a 'uni' was.
• Patriot act makes it harder to get real Sudafed
• Not just for terrorists: the Patriot Act is also a useful weapon against US attorneys. Via.
• FBI Misuses, Underreports Patriot Act Power: Audit
• Judge Strikes Down Part of Patriot Act
• Court Strikes Down 2 Key Patriot Act Provisions
• Lawrence Lessig on the coming "i-Patriot Act"