Re: Urgent News Flash

Niall Litchfield wrote:

> "RSH" <RSH_Oracle_at_worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
> news:dMdL8.23947$UT.1644131_at_bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
> > But get real everyone.
> >
> > There's been all sorts of direct and circumstantial evidence indicating
> that
> > terrorists and the like have been making use of the Internet for quite
> some
> > time in coordinating their plans, and there's even web sites with Martha
> > Stewart [No aspersion or offense meant to Ms. Stewart] "How to Build A
> > Horrible And Devastating, Yet Decorative Bomb" recipes. After September
> 11,
> > someone had to unleash the bloodhounds.
> >
> > I honestly do not know what to think or say, as an American, or as an IT /
> > Database / Telecomm / Defense person. I know numerous freedoms are being
> > infringed in unprecedented ways (for Americans; the Official Secrets Acts
> > and such give some of our friends a bit more muscle). And all of our
> militia
> > groups are up in arms about it all (not in the literal sense, hopefully.)
>
> I do think it is right to agitate against unreasonable infringement of
> individual liberty which many of the laws now being passed by liberal
> western govts around the world are currently doing. Technology should (in my
> idealistic dream) bring freedom and empowerment to the individual not the
> powers of a tyranny to the state. Never the less it is daft for me to
> protest about the US acts since they do not apply to me.
>
> >
> > Any random idiot knows all telephone calls placed or received within the
> > greater Washington DC area have been on intercept for years (widely
> rumored,
> > I haven't seen the actual process, and therefore could not attest to it
> > factually).
>
> Same applies here. In fact it is illegal in the UK for phone companies to
> carry communications which cannot be decrypted by GCHQ within a reasonable
> timeframe. It is also not beyond the powers of the security services to tap
> whomsoevers phone they like - though they cannot rely on such evidence in a
> court unless preceded by an injunction to obtain the tap.
> <snip>
>
> > But not all bets are off.
> >
> > The people like us that have been entrusted with the ultimate
> responsibility
> > for personal information, medical data, and other records that could be
> > abused in the wrong hands, have a duty to "Question Authority", ask all
> > these people who the hell they are, get clearance [in written form, if
> > you're smart] from Corporate Legal, Medicolegal Records Retention, the
> > office of the Judge Advocate General (or whatever you non-Colonists call
> the
> > base lawyers/investigators) that stipulates specifically, in detail, what
> > information is wanted, in what form, the reason for the demand, and the
> time
> > frame in which it is wanted, and stipulates and instructs you, in detail,
> > how you are to provide it.
>
> Hmm Might try that one next time I'm presented with an unreasonable demand.
> Most times people don't actually know what info they want *in detail*
>
> >
> > It was always AT&T/Bell policy to tell any government geek with any kind
> of
> > legal paperwork to go to Hell, and after they got done with that, go see
> > Corporate Legal to have them write out orders, and nothing without a
> > signature from a Bell/AT&T lawyer, on proper forms, would be acceptable.
> >
> > (After which they were thankful for the brief sojourn in Hell, where the
> > coffee is at least hot, they have better donuts, and at least the Sports
> > Illustrateds and People and Time are less than 20 years old.)
> >
> > Even with this dreadful threat (or series of threats) hanging over us, we
> > still have a duty to the people that entrust us to protect their data and
> > communications against improper intrusion, examination, duplication, or
> > worst of all, alteration.
> >
> > I don't think that's any kind of oath they make you swear in Oracle
> School,
> > but perhaps, it ought to be.
>
> Well said.

Remember ... your greatest protection from infringment of your rights is the incompetence of those that might wish to do so.

Some worry about government incompetence ... I worry about the opposite. ;-)

Daniel Morgan Received on Thu Jun 06 2002 - 00:03:19 CDT