Good-bye checks and balances- People OK with that!
May 12, 2006
Well, according to this article on Wired, it looks like the NSA won't let the Department of Justice have access to the clearance it needs to do some investigating.
Apparently this doesn't concern most citizens, because a recent poll shows that Americans support NSA's efforts.
It looks like the constitution has become optional now a days… and all America can do is shrug its shoulders! Meh.
It's time to stand up and tell them that this is unacceptable!
Do what you can- vote, petition, inform others!
A disturbing report on domestic spying :-o
May 12, 2006
(and we're not kidding, they ARE watching you)
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060511-6813.html
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-05-12-hayden-support_x.htm
Every phone call you make is logged… and that's just the beginning.
I wish this were only conspiracy theory…
And you know what?
AT&T is just giving them the information they want
"AT&T Corp., Verizon Communications Inc. and BellSouth Corp. telephone companies began turning over records of their customers' phone calls shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, said USA Today, citing anonymous sources it said had direct knowledge of the arrangement." -USA Today
(Your world. Delivered straight to the NSA.)
Life of a Law Student
May 11, 2006
Tomorrow I will be taking my last final and subsequently celebrating/mourning the completion of my first year of law school.
While I'm away, please send story ideas/links/news to me through the comments. I'm looking to do a story on the environment soon. 
I'll have some new material for the weekend.
Take care and enjoy the rest of the week!
You probably already know that Fox news is a lapdog for the Bush administration, but is CNN just as unwilling to report a story when it may be critical of the US?
This report thinks so:
[Post 9-11 press coverage was quite factual.] But, alas, that was not to last. Researchers found that as the months went by, analysis and opinion gradually crept back in, and the proportion of fact fell from 75 percent of the news to 69 percent. "The level of factualness declined to levels lower than those seen in the middle of the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal," says the report. The other trend that showed up was a distinct unwillingness to challenge or criticize U.S. policy or the Bush Administration. In September, 71 percent of news stories were classified as entirely or predominantly pro-U.S. That figure fell to 50 percent in December. It is here that the gulf between CNN and Fox News Channel turns out to be nonexistent. Much has been made in recent weeks of the unabashedly pro-American stance taken by Fox News with regard to the terrorist attacks and the war in Afghanistan. Sure enough, 78 percent of the relevant stories on "Special Report with Brit Hume" were all or mostly supportive of the White House’s actions. But wait: On CNN's "NewsNight with Aaron Brown," 77 percent of the relevant stories were entirely supportive of the Bush Administration. "Looking at the two signature evening newscasts of the two cable networks over nine days, there was no appreciable difference," says the study.
I don't think the media is getting to the hard hitting questions and doing its job as a governmental watch dog. The first amendment is supposed to protect the media and allow it to keep the government in check by reporting on it.
That is not happening now. Without this function, the government can go unchecked. This is dangerous. I think that we are already feeling its effects, but it's going to get worse.
Blogging and the internet can't keep the balance alone. YOU CAN HELP! How can we stop this? Show the media you want fair coverage. Read stories that are factual and critical of the government when it has done wrong (or could do better). The news agencies can tell what stories you read on the internet! Pass along stories that are intersting, not just fluff. Keep a blog or just tell others about what you've read. Also, comment on news pages that allow for comments. There's so much you can do, just let the media know what you want. They want ratings, reward them when they do good.
The constitution gives us this right. Let's use it, before the media completely abuse it.
Show me the money!
May 10, 2006
It looks like Exxon will surpass Microsoft as cash king.
This will make them the biggest company by stock-market value.
I guess that's not hard when you can charge anything you want for your product because people have to have it.
Go Go Net Neutrality!
May 10, 2006
A key Democratic senator is endorsing laws regulating broadband service providers. Republicans have already quashed a bill in committee that provided for regulation of broadband service providers.
"Net neutrality, also called network neutrality, is the idea that network operators should not be allowed to prioritize content and services–particularly video–that come across their pipes."
If you haven't done so yet, write your representatives and tell them to endorse net neutrality. Also, sign this petition and ensure that the internet stays free and neutral!
Recording Industry vs The People
May 9, 2006
Here's a great blog by a couple of lawyers who represent people who are sued by the RIAA.
A must read!
(URL: http://recordingindustryvspeople.blogspot.com/ )
Windows Withdrawl
May 9, 2006
Windows Xp has been around since 2001. I was a freshman in undergrad. Five years later, Microsoft has decided to innovate (very slightly) with Vista, which won't emerge until at least January of next year.
They scaled back all their major changes, and now we're left something that's not quite all that amazing. The system mainly tries to catch up with the upcoming popularity of Apple's OSX.
Microsoft's new browser, just as overdue, is Internet Explorer 7. It's far behind times, and struggling hard to catch up with the popular Firefox browser. (If you aren't using Firefox by now, you've got to change. Especially since IE7 won't be out until next year either!)
Maybe this is a chance for people to try Linux. Here's an article about switching.
I have tried knoppix and Ubuntu. It's different from Windows. It's even a little harder to learn and use, but Linux is advancing at amazing rates. Especially since Windows has been stuck in the mud for so long.
Linux might be worth a try. The least it can do is make Microsoft more innovative and competitive, if not give them a run for their money. 
20 years of withdrawl
May 9, 2006
Our oil dependency will last at least another 20 years.
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles may take that long to develop.
(Small picture of a fuel cell. Source: micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/java/fuelcell/)
However, hybrid cars will become much more common.
There’s gotta be some other alternatives!!!
Goals
May 9, 2006
Here are some of my goals in making this blog,
And, in general, this is what every citizen should strive to do:
- Advance a government works for the people;
- ensure our freedoms;
- protect our environment;
- make corporations accountable, competitive and innovative;
- reduce corruption;
- establish security;
- encourage diversity and acceptance;
- eradicate ignorance;
- promote open discussion of important issues; and
- enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
It’s gotta be first for a reason…
May 9, 2006
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
With Bush's approval rating at 31%, all I can ask is:
Who are these 31% that are approving of him?
Let's see, apparently they:
- want to lose most of their privacy and freedoms in the name of (false) security
- love spending exorbitant amounts of money on fuel and energy
- support putting our troops in danger for no good reason
- don't value clean air, lush forests, or nature, unless we can get oil from any of them
- enjoy a monarchy/dictatorship instead of a representative democracy with checks and balances
- support massive, omnipresent, monopolistic and corrupt corporations
- want the richest, most greedy and powerful white conservative christian men running the world.
Sounds like a wonderful country!
Right?
A Perfect place to live, like in the movies…
Run by the most caring of men…
There's never any oppression or hostile control…
Why resist?
Stop the RIAA cartel!
May 8, 2006
Please help keep the internet free!
May 8, 2006
Save the Internet:
Fill out this this petition to stop big telecommunication companies from taking over the internet.
If you don't know what is going on regarding net neutrality, look here.
" Congress is now pushing a law that would end the free and open Internet as we know it. Internet providers like AT&T and Verizon are lobbying Congress hard to gut Network Neutrality, the Internet's First Amendment and the key to Internet freedom. Net Neutrality prevents AT&T from choosing which websites open most easily for you based on which site pays AT&T more. So Amazon doesn't have to outbid Barnes & Noble for the right to work more properly on your computer.
Many members of Congress take campaign contributions from these companies, and they don't think the public are paying attention to this issue. Let's show them we care – please sign this petition today." – MoveOn.org
Be informed. Then be active.
Save the Internet:
Fill out this this petition to stop big telecommunication companies from taking over the internet.
