AP: “The use of warrantless wiretaps on American citizens was never discussed when Congress authorized the White House to use force against al-Qaida after the Sept. 11 attacks, says former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle.” Washington Post Op Ed, Power We Didn’t Grant, by Tom Daschle, Friday, December 23, 2005: “As Senate majority leader at… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: December 2005
UK to Implement 24 Hour Vehicle Surveillance Program
The Independent Online: “Britain is to become the first country in the world where the movements of all vehicles on the roads are recorded. A new national surveillance system will hold the records for at least two years.” The Independent Online: “If the police and security services can show that a national surveillance operation based… Continue Reading
Domestic Spying Program Extends to Monitoring All Calls Abroad and Locations in 6 U.S. Cities
Privacy advocates and legal scholars are speculating on and commenting about the ramifications of the surveillance program encompassing an even wider arena of communications than previously considered to be the case. Boston Globe: Spy net may pull in all U.S. calls overseas – Many Americans’ privacy is at risk, some say: “The National Security Agency,… Continue Reading
Archives Releases Additional Documents Relating to Judge Samuel Alito
NARA press release: “The National Archives at College Park will release 45 documents relating to Samuel Alito. These records total 744 pages from Record Group 60, Records of the Department of Justice, Files of John Bolton, Michael Carvin, Roger Clegg, Stephen Galebach, Brian Landsberg, Mark Levin, and Richard Willard….The National Archives found the documents, consisting… Continue Reading
Consumer Reports Compares and Contrasts 11 Travel Websites
Do Travel Search Engines Deliver? An Examination of the Leading Sites, December 21, 2005. Continue Reading
Quick and Useful Guide on Creating Effective Passwords
How to Write Better Passwords, by Sarah D. Scalet Continue Reading
TSA’s New List of Permitted and Prohibited Items
Permitted & Prohibited Items, Prepare for Takeoff, December 2005. Continue Reading
GAO Audit Highlights Continued FBI Case Management Architecture Problems
Following up on previous postings on the FBI’s virtual case file system, see Information Technology: Responses to Subcommittee Post-Hearing Questions Regarding the FBI’s Management Practices and Acquisition of a New Investigative Case Management System, GAO-06-302R, December 21, 2005. “The absence of performance-based contracting and effective contractor tracking and oversight has constrained the FBI’s ability to… Continue Reading
Challenges Remain for Google Book Program
Google’s Great Works in Progress – Academics point to content errors in the ongoing Book program, but the search giant says fixes are coming Continue Reading
Debate Escalates on Domestic Spying Program
Following up on news that Judge Robinson resigned from the FISA court in protest over the administration’s warrantless surveillance program, related commentary and articles: Warrantless Wiretapping: Why It Seriously Imperils the Separation of Powers, And Continues the Executive’s Sapping of Power From Congress and the Courts, by Edward Lazarus. Judges on Surveillance Court To Be… Continue Reading
House Approves 5 Week Extension for Patriot Act
AP: “The House passed a five-week extension of the Patriot Act on Thursday and sent it to the Senate as Congress scrambled to prevent expiration of anti-terror law enforcement provisions on Dec. 31.” From Pelosi Statement on One-Month Extension of Patriot Act: “Mr. Speaker, there is a very crucial debate in this country today about… Continue Reading
FISA Court Judge Resigns In Response to Domestic Surveillance Program
Via FAS: “The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court was created by section 103(a) of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1803(a)). It was originally comprised of seven district judges from seven circuits named by the Chief Justice of the United States to serve a maximum of 7 years. In 2001, the U.S.A. Patriot… Continue Reading
