b.cognosco
Where leaping to conclusions is my primary form of forward motion.
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No Sunset for Patriot Act
Saturday, April 19, 2003
MPAA Dead-set to Kill Analog
Cory Doctorow documents the appalling plans the MPAA has for analog consumer devices in And MPAA Sayeth, Let There Be 5 States for Analog. It seems the MPAA views itself as the only real arbiter of what is, and is not, suitable technology. And they are on a desperate witch-hunt to lock up every conceivable opening where a consumer might actually exercise choice without getting billed for it. This stuff makes no sense for anyone outside the MPAA/RIAA executive suites, and they know it. That's why they continue to exclude the press from all of their public meetings. It must be nice to view yourself as the center of the universe.I can't help but draw a parallel to how the Church persecuted Galileo for teaching that Earth revolved around the Sun, just at the dawning of the Thirty Years War that would be its downfall. The MPAA may be entering its own Thirty Years War. I'll bet it doesn't take that long for the Church to fall this time around.
You have the right to.... ...whatever rights the MPAA grants you. And you'll be damn happy to have them! That essentially sums up the MPAA's attitude toward "consumer" rights to listen/watch/copy/balance on their heads the media they purchase, er, license. [algorhythm]
Friday, April 18, 2003
CryptoHeaven Test Partners
CryptoHeaven is a security services provider with an offering I'd like to test. The Toronto-based company offers a suite of security services -- encrypted e-mail, encrypted backup, encrypted file sharing, encrypted IM -- via both a Web interface and a local client. CryptoHeaven has some interesting aspects, including distributing the source code for its software and using a system with no third-party key holders -- not even the Sysadmins have access to the decryption keys. The company offers both individual and business accounts.Of course, not everything needs to be encrypted. But there are certainly times when secure document delivery and file exchange might be useful, especially when working as an outside consultant for large corporations -- i.e. sensitive M&A documents, financial contracts and audit data, personnel files, etc. There could also be times when companies might want to keep certain internal info -- audits, etc. -- off its own systems. In these cases a secured environment could provide an extra layer of comfort for the client.
But I need some help. To test the CryptoHeaven environment I need some fellow experimenters to sign up for the company's free trial accounts. The nature of the system is such that, IMO, it isn't likely to be used as a substitute for regular collaboration. Rather, it looks like a good option for handling limited, sensitive projects.
If you're interested in testing CryptoHeaven with me download the company's free software and create a trial account. You can ping me via my username of Aristotle5.
Bloglet and Radio
I tried adding Bloglet e-mail to my weblog but don't seem to be able to make it work. I keep getting server errors. I don't know anything about the Blogger API. Is anyone out there using Bloglet with a Radio weblog hosted on a private domain?Update: Rick Klau has pointed to the obvious and simple solution, using Bloglet's RSS-type for my website. Rick explains how it works in his comment. Thanks Rick!
Global Canasta
Hannaford talks about how the big boys play cards. Like Cringe said yesterday, it's all a game.
Pfizer plays gin rummyOligopolies collect brands like gin rummy players collect good cards; they want to put together the right combination of winners in the right categories. But they also discard brands, which get picked up by other players. (Actually, they act more like players in the old-fashioned gin-related game of canasta, where players can hold as many cards as they can pick up.)
The discards come from two reasons: a product doesn't fit into the strategy of the oligopoly, or a merger when regulators demand that brands/products be spun off to maintain some level of competition in specific categories or subcategories. Their discards are usually picked up by another oligopoly. [...] [Oligopoly Watch]
Writing Blurbs
Sometimes it's useful to write short introductions to long essays, rather than blogging an entire essay on the main page of a weblog. A good case might be a weblog-based home page for a small consultancy, where short news items and intros are used to keep content updated, with links to the more detailed stories for those who are interested.Writing useful introductions can sometimes be a challenge. In journalism it's called the "head-deck-story" structure -- you try to inform at each level while successively providing more detail. James Robertson points to a very helpful article on Blurbs that includes explanation, instruction, and examples of both good and bad usage. Additionally, there are links to a blurb gallery and other blurb writing resources.
Blurbs: Writing previews of web pages. Dennis G. Jerz discusses how to write blurbs, the brief descriptions that summarise what readers will find at the other end of links. To quote: A good blurb should inform, not tease. Usability testing will help you determine the best... [Column Two]
I Want My ENT
I've updated Radio.root. I've grabbed the latest version of myRadio. Now I need some topics in my feeds!
As soon as Matt releases lT 1.3.3 I'll have topics in my own feeds (At least in the full version.) I have to check with Mark Paschal to see about the truncated and headline feeds I create using his Stapler product. I suspect Stapler and liveTopics never see each other. Hmm.
Thursday, April 17, 2003
The Buffalo Theory
I'm gonna go have a six-pack.
The Buffalo TheoryAs explained by Cliff Clavin, of Cheers. One afternoon at Cheers, Cliff Clavin was explaining the Buffalo Theory to his buddy Norm. Here's how it went:
"Well ya see, Norm, it's like this... A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and Weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members. "In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks The slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the Brain a faster and more efficient machine. That's why you always feel smarter after a few beers."
[347.com || Andy's World] [Ye Olde Phart]
Marvin Gaye and Steve Jobs
Cringely on Jobs, Gates, and Universal Music.Personally, I think Bill Gates would love to be as cool Steve Jobs. I don't think he obsesses over it the way Jobs does, but I do think it bugs him. I mean, doesn't every geek want to have their own reality-distortion zone? There are some things money can't buy, and Steve Jobs has one of them. And Cringely is right about one thing -- it's all a game.
04/17/03: Whats Going On. What does Marvin Gaye have to do with Apple buying Universal Music? Bob explains all.[...] Steve Jobs is envious of Bill Gates power and wealth, while Bill Gates is envious of Steve Jobs charisma and vision. All interactions between the two are dominated by Steve, both because he has the greater need to dominate and because Bill is just too busy being fascinated watching Steve to bother taking charge. [...] [I, Cringely @ PBS Online]
Patriot Act Faces Opposition
An interesting story being reported by AP via FoxNews on House Judiciary Committee chairman James Sensenbrenner's objections to the secrecy and tactics of the DoJ regarding the Patriot Act. Sensenbrenner has apparently sent a list of over 100 questions to the Bush Administration regarding the use and expansion of the Patriot Act but is still waiting for a response -- noting that virtually everything regarding the Act has been classified Top Secret and therefore off-limits to Congress.
[...] Sensenbrenner maintains that because the department refuses to be forthcoming, it is losing the public relation battle needed to extend the law beyond its October 2005 expiration, much less expand it. [...]
Toward the end of the article there is a quote from Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, regarding his desire to see the Act's limited sunset provisions removed.
[...] "It seems to me to be ridiculous to take away the best law enforcement tool against terrorism before we get rid of terrorism," said Hatch, R-Utah. "This bill has helped us protect ourselves from terrorism both inside and outside the country. It's a tough bill, but it's constitutional and it works." [...]As noted in my previous post, this quote indicates Hatch's view that any open review of the Act will lead to its death, since Americans are historically intolerant of abusive laws.
There is no way to know how this will shape up, but there is clearly a battle brewing over the extent and duration of the Patriot Act. The proper approach is for the Administration to be straightforward and forthcoming about exactly what they're doing, how they're doing it, and precisely what costs are being exacted in American liberty.
If this law been, as Hatch suggests, wildly successful in protecting us then the DoJ should be more than willing to show just how Patriot made possible what other laws could not, and how any mistakes have been corrected and compensated.
It is up to the people of America to choose the proper balance between Liberty and Security, not unelected bureaucrats in the DoJ. An open debate about the Act, its consequences and ramifications, and its innocent victims is the best way to make that choice. And Senator Hatch would be well advised to keep that in mind.
Terry Frazier at 7:54 PM
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No Sunset for Patriot Act
Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, wants to remove the sunset provisions from the USA Patriot Act, according to this article at Montana forum.com. (Thanks to Ed Cone for the pointer.)The Patriot Act already has fairly weak sunset provisions, as significant portions of the law are not open to review -- in particular, provisions regarding new electronic surveillance measures. You can read more about what does, and does not, sunset in this Electronic Frontier Foundation review. Note the numerous sections of the bill labeled DOES NOT SUNSET.
But Hatch seemingly wants to remove any review of the bill, no doubt recognizing Americans' past intolerance of such abusive laws once the immediate need for them has passed. It is a shame we have anyone in our Government who would consider such a review unnecessary, given the sweeping new powers created by Patriot, and Hatch should be roundly rebuked by his constituents at the next election.
[...] Once in a while, you have to thank goodness for the extremists or at least those people with steady, definable values.Last year, when the moderates of both political parties were falling all over themselves to hand sweeping new police powers to the federal government, a coalition of leftwingers and rightwingers in the House objected. These representatives were unable to stop the so-called Patriot Act, but they did succeed in attaching a sunset provision to the law. That means that unless the full Congress reviews the act and decides it must be continued, it will expire in 2005.
Now, Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, head of the Senate Judiciary Committee, wants to get rid of the sunset provision and make the Patriot Act permanent. [...] [Montana forum]
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