Calling all Legal Eagles...

Please review these proposed changes to US Code, Title 18, regarding Cyber-Security Enhancement and Consumer Data Protection Act of 2006.

We need to make sure that this bill is correct, and stands without any weird and strange riders...

One of my first questions is Section 2 E:
`(E) the capability to gain access to or remotely control without authorization, a protected computer.'.

Who is defining this, and how exactly is "access" defined?

If this can pass, it may bring protections to our personal data... however, I'd much prefer to see the existing Privacy Act of 1974 expanded to all businesses and consumers.

That's my 2¢, YMMV.

Cyber-Security Enhancement and Consumer Data Protection Act of 2006 (Introduced in House)

Microsoft is using the threat of patent violations by the free and open-source software community to try to drive enterprise customers to SUSE Enterprise Linux and to further muddy the waters around the next version of the upcoming GNU General Public License.
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As part of this latest strategy, Microsoft has, for the first time, put an actual figure on the number of its patents being violated by free and open-source software.

In an interview with Fortune, Brad Smith, Microsoft's general counsel, claims that the Linux kernel violates 42 of its patents, the Linux graphical user interfaces run afoul of another 65, the Open Office suite of programs infringes 45 more, e-mail programs violate 15, while other assorted free and open-source programs allegedly transgress 68.

If there are real patent infringements, how about coming clean with them? Just making claims, is a wasted effort, and the rest of us realize that this is just another attempt at Microsoft's classic strategy of FUD.

Give us a break M$, you've made enough money...

Microsoft Claims Open-Source Technology Violates 235 of Its Patents

OMG!!!

The Canadian Post Office has reached a new all time low...

Canada Post cowed by very threatening cat | Oddly Enough | Reuters

The office in charge of protecting American technical secrets about nuclear weapons from foreign spies is missing 20 desktop computers, at least 14 of which have been used for classified information, the Energy Department inspector general reported Friday.

This is the 13th time in a little over four years that an audit has found the department, whose national laboratories and factories do most of the work in designing and building nuclear warheads, has lost control over computers used in working on the bombs.

And this is the same government agency that allowed the Sandia Labs leak a few years back...

What is it going to take to get them to LEARN?

San Jose Mercury News - Security agency computers missing

Catonic wrote:
Now that's a tower. It has been upgraded to eight legs (instead of four) which makes it a confusing lattice of steel at the base.

Not only do I want to know what AT&T does with it, but I want it... :D

RE: AT&T Long Lines: NRWYILNO

A 20-year-old Superior man received probation after he was convicted of having sexual contact with a dead deer.

The sentence also requires Bryan James Hathaway to be evaluated as a sex offender and treated at the Institute for Psychological and Sexual Health in Duluth, Minn.

"The state believes that particular place is the best to provide treatment for the individual," Assistant District Attorney Jim Boughner said.

He was found guilty in April 2005 of felony mistreatment of an animal after he killed a horse with the intention of having sex with it. He was sentenced to 18 months in jail and two years of extended supervision on that charge as well as six years of probation for taking and driving a vehicle without the owner's consent.

So,

1) He's done this before...
2) The state will evaluate him and "treat" him

And I saw another article, where his lawyer is arguing that the Dead Deer does not constitute an "animal", but a "carcass", and the law does not forbid people to have sex with "carcasses".

You can find the motion the lawyer filed at the URL below:

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/1116061deer2.html

This is just crazy...

I just can't understand how this guy gazes at a Horse or Deer, and see's "love".

kare11.com :: KARE 11 TV - Wisconsin man who had sex with deer, given probation

As digital evidence increases in importance, authorities seize anything that can hold data. This includes computers, CDs, USB keys, MP3 players, cell phones and game consoles, Jim Christy, a director of the U.S. Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center, said in a presentation at the Black Hat DC Briefings & Training event here.

And we should let Georgia Private Investigators be the only ones that perform Computer Forensics?

The EXPERTS can't keep up with the data... how the hell are the Private Investigators?

Cybercops drowning in data | CNET News.com

But Dr. Haupt said that Merck would continue to provide health officials and legislators with education about the vaccine and would continue to lobby for more financing for vaccines in general.

So, they are stopping the "Lobbying" but continue to pressure the legislators and health officials... how is this "Halting the Lobbying"?

Merck is the Devil.

There, I said it.

Fuck you MERCK and your vaccines... if it were a good thing, and not something that would simply buoy your losses on other failed drugs, it would truly be a wonderful thing. However, Since HPV is also carried by the MALES of the species, your vaccine would then be JUST AS EFFECTIVE?

However, you aren't pushing for the boys in this country to be vaccinated, are you? And why is that? hrm... let's ponder, shall we?

You aren't sticking your trial medications in my children. Get the clue.

Merck to Halt Lobbying for Vaccine for Girls - New York Times

The message is clear. Get out while you can. Microsoft's only interest is to empty your pockets and keep your computer hostage. It wants to turn computing into a monopoly content distribution channel and sell you to the highest bidder. Choose freedom and switch to Free/Open-source software.

This article simply confirms my belief that Microsoft is the devil. I love what Wombat told me... "Asta la 'Vista'"... I'm on to ubuntu.

A dystopian future - looking beyond Windows Vista

The industry needs to recognize that it'll be impossible to stop piracy. The more complex, innovative, or intricate the content protection system, the more interest and zeal crackers will have in subverting such protection. If the US was unable to keep nuclear weapons technology secret after WW2, there is no way the MPAA can ask consumer electronics companies to keep movies and music 100% secure, especially when the whole intent of music/movies is to be seen and heard.

This is a very well written article and one that I agree with...

DRM in the BitTorrent and Broadband Age