From CNN: “President Bush on Tuesday rejected calls to release classified sections of a congressional report on the September 11, 2001, attacks, saying his administration must protect intelligence sources during the war on terrorism.” See my July 24 posting on the report here.
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Daily Archives: July 29, 2003
The Citizens’ Protection In Federal Databases Act
From the Center for Democracy and Technology: Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) is introducing legislation (S. 1484) requiring all government agencies that use commercial data for law enforcement and intelligence purposes to report to Congress about their activities and the potential privacy implications of those programs. Citizens’ Protection in Federal Databases Act (pdf), to require a… Continue Reading
Most Federal Gov’t Websites Only Available in English
From today’s WSJ: “As the second anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks approaches, Ready.gov, the Department of Homeland Security’s high profile Web site, provides information only in English. Meanwhile, advocates for non-English speakers say they’d like to see government sites become more accessible — but particularly emergency-information sources like Ready.gov.” According to the article,… Continue Reading
Pentagon Wants to Predict Terrorist Activity With Market Methodology-But Program Abruptly Cancelled
Talk about a fast resolution: This program, about which I posted very early this morning, has been cancelled due to the uproar on Capitol Hill. See below for details. According to AP, the Pentagon’s DARPA division has a website called FutureMap (Futures Markets Applied to Prediction), describing a progam for predicting the probably of terrorist… Continue Reading
Ashcroft Defends Patriot Act
Attorney General Ashcroft promotes antiterrorism law: Speaking at a homeland security conference on Monday, “Ashcroft said the USA PATRIOT Act preserved traditional checks on library, bookstore and business records because a “federal judge must first issue a warrant” and because it is for “foreign intelligence that doesn’t affect U.S. persons.” Statement of Barbara Comstock, Director… Continue Reading
What Is Real Economic Impact of Spam?
Diverging Estimates of the Costs of Spam: “Spam is costing the U.S. economy billions in network resources, diminished productivity and forgone Internet sales. But how many billions?” See also Spam Battle Plans– “Companies are relying on multilevel spam-fighting strategies that include e-mail filtering tools, blacklist services and employee education.” Continue Reading
Federal Court Orders Recovery of E-Mail Evidence
Judge Orders UBS to Pay to Retrieve E-Mail – “A federal judge ordered UBS to pay the majority of the costs involved in restoring e-mail evidence sought by a former employee who is accusing the bank of sex discrimination.” Continue Reading
Judge Pulls the Plug, Again, on Interior Dept. Net Access
From Government Computer News: “Judge Royce C. Lamberth of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia late this afternoon issued a preliminary injunction requiring the Interior Department to disconnect its IT systems from the Internet, with some exceptions.” Elouise Pepion Cobell v. Gale A. Norton, Secretary of the Interior Civil Action No. 96-1285;… Continue Reading
New IRS Taxpayer Database Years Behind Scheduled Release
IRS Again Delays Modernized Taxpayer Database: “The system, the Customer Account Data Engine (CADE), will be a modern database that will house tax information for more than 200 million individual and business taxpayers and replaces the antiquated, magnetic tape-based system that came into use four decades ago.” Continue Reading
