Thursday, July 31, 2008

Google: "Privacy Does Not Exist"

The assertion came in submission to the court by Google in a lawsuit brought by a Pennsylvania couple who's house appeared on Google's Street View, even though the house is on a clearly marked private street.

"Sous-veillance"

In our Big Brother times, people are turning their own cameras on to the authorities. A perfect example is the video of a NYC policeman attacking a bicycle rider last week. It seems the officer lied in his report about what happened, but without the video his version would probably be difficult to disprove.

White House Must Preserve Emails

From the National Security Archive:
Magistrate Judge John M. Facciola of the U.S. District Court today denied a motion by the White House to reconsider his earlier recommendations and reaffirmed his recommendation that the court order the Executive Office of the President (EOP) to search individual workstations used between March 2003 and October 2005 and preserve any e-mails located on those workstations or on portable media used by EOP employees.

via rawstory

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

IOC Cut Censorship Deal With China

From Reuters:
Some International Olympic Committee officials cut a deal to let China block sensitive websites despite promises of unrestricted access, a senior IOC official admitted on Wednesday.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Oldest New Testament Online

From the AP:
The British Library says the full text of the Codex Sinaiticus will be available to Web users by next July, digitally reconnecting parts that are held in Britain, Russia, Germany and a monastery in Egypt's Sinai Desert.

Perez Hilton Sues Perezrevenge

One from the pot calling the kettle black department.

You Tube Rant is "Spousal Abuse"

Tricia Walsh Smith, the actress who famously dissed her husband on You Tube, has been ordered out of her home. Judge Harold Beeler said the video amounted to spousal abuse and granted a divorce to the husband, Philip Smith, who will pay her $750,000 under the terms of their pre-nuptial agreement.

COPA Struck Down, Again

The Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a lower court ruling that the Child Online Protection Act violates the First Amendment.

SF Sys Admin Gives Up Passcodes

Terry Childs has turned over the codes to San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.

Friday, July 18, 2008

Caroline Fredrickson Interview

Our guest on July 12 was Caroline Fredrickson, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Washington Legislative Office. We talked about the recent approval by Congress and the President of the revised FISA bill, what it means, and where we go from here.

- Listen to the Interview -

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

NASA Needs Urine

No, really. Apparently "faux urine" is difficult to produce.

via /.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Iran Photoshopped Missile Photo

A photo released by Iran's government showing missiles being launched appears to have been heavily modified.

Saturday, July 05, 2008

Tim Wu Interview

Our guest on June 28 was Tim Wu, who recently became Chair of the media reform group FreePress.

- Listen to the Interview -

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

BoingBoing "Unpublishes" Violet Blue Posts

It's the talk of the tubes today, after it got a mention at the LA Times blog. BoingBoing issued a statement saying, in part, "Violet behaved in a way that made us reconsider whether we wanted to lend her any credibility or associate with her. It's our blog and so we made an editorial decision, like we do every single day."

UPDATE: BoingBoing talks with the Times: Pt.1 and Pt.2