According to this CBSNews.com report, Thomas H. Kean, Chair of the 9-11 Commission, which has struggled to obtain essential government documents to conclude its investigation and issue a report by the end of May 2004, has gone on record with the following statements: “”As you read the report, you’re going to have a pretty clear… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: December 2003
Effective Dates for Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003
From the FTC website, this press release from December 16 announcing the effective dates for the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACTA), H.R. 2622, Public Law No: 108-159. Federal Trade Commission (16 C.F.R. Part 602) and Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (12 C.F.R. Part 222): Effective Dates for the… Continue Reading
California May Take Action Against E-Voting Manufacturer
E-voting machine manufacturer Diebold Inc. is in the news again, this time in connection with possible California state election law violations, according their Secretary of State, as determined by an auditors report that revealed the use of unapproved software in the last election. In related news, see this article Critics: Convicted felons worked for electronic… Continue Reading
President Signs New Homeland Security Directives
Homeland Security Presidential Directive/Hspd-8: “This directive establishes policies to strengthen the preparedness of the United States to prevent and respond to threatened or actual domestic terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies by requiring a national domestic all-hazards preparedness goal, establishing mechanisms for improved delivery of Federal preparedness assistance to State and local governments, and… Continue Reading
Google Introduces Book Search Feature Beta
Google Print (BETA) FAQ: “During this trial, publishers’ content is hosted by Google and is ranked in our search results according to the same technology we use to evaluate websites. On Google Print pages, we provide links to some popular book sellers that may offer the full versions of these publications for sale. Book seller… Continue Reading
ICANN Approves Global User Community Participation
From a December 16 announcement by ICANN: “In an important step towards fulfilling the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers’ (ICANN’s) objective to have informed, structured participation of the individual Internet user community (“At-Large”), six organizations in three geographic regions have received “At-Large Structure” certification. Certification recognizes that the following groups meet ICANN’s criteria… Continue Reading
New Guide to Electronic Discovery
Electronic Discovery and Evidence by Michael R. Arkfeld, with eight chapters on topics that include: the creation and storage of electronic information, Computer Forensics, Experts and Service Bureaus, Discovery and Production Process, and Court Procedural Rules and Case Law. See also Raves for Two New EDD Books Continue Reading
EU Reaches Determination on Passenger Name Record Data Collection
Quoting from the 16th December 2003 speech by Frits Bolkestein, Member of the European Commission in charge of the Internal Market, Taxation and Customs concering EU Data Protection: “Firstly, clear limits on the amount of data to be transferred with a closed list of 34 elements. Furthermore, the US has undertaken not to require airlines… Continue Reading
Report Calls for Regulation of Internet Telephony
The New Millennium Research Council today (NMRC) issued a press release and a report titled, The Future of Internet Phone Calling, Regulatory Imperatives to Protect the Promise of VoIP for Industry and Consumers [Link]. From CNN, see also Firms answer call for Internet phones See also this December 15 letter from EPIC to FCC Chairman… Continue Reading
President Signs Anti-Spam Bill
Fact Sheet: President Bush Signs Anti-Spam Law A link to the CAN-SPAM Act (S. 877, P.L. 108-187, 117 Stat. 2699) is available in this posting. The law is effective January 1, 2004. Today FTC Chairman Tim Muris answered questions about the spam bill submitted by email to through government’s “Ask the White House” online forum. Continue Reading
Supreme Court to Review Cheney Energy Case
The GAO failed in their effort to obtain access to essential documents from Vice President Cheney’s National Energy Policy Development Group in order to determine if the nation’s energy policy was influenced by corporations with a financial stake in the outcome. See my August 26 posting for links to relevant documents and commentary on this… Continue Reading
Iowa Launches Government Accountability Website
Results Iowa – Accountability for Iowa: “This website is part of our account to you on how we are doing with the responsibilities and resources that you have entrusted to Iowa state government. In one easily accessible place we are sharing our goals at an enterprise level (The Leadership Agenda), and department by department (Departments’… Continue Reading
