in 200hundred years, americas has achieved

[Gri77oN]

mass genocide, then slavery, then freedom, then the american dream, and now:

slavery, of a new kind...

+++++++++

Brave New Era for Privacy Fight
By Kim Zetter

Story location: http://www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,66242,00.html

02:00 AM Jan. 13, 2005 PT

As the nation prepares for President Bush's inauguration next
week, privacy activists on both sides of the political spectrum
are bracing for a White House push to augment controversial
domestic surveillance powers gained under the Patriot Act and
other legislation passed since 9/11.

"The administration has made it clear that they do intend to
continue their move to dramatically reduce privacy and
constitutional protection for our citizens," said former
Republican congressman Bob Barr, who now works as a
speaker and consultant to organizations like the American Civil
Liberties Union.


But surveillance legislation isn't the only concern on the minds
of privacy advocates. They're also looking at technologies and
services coming out of the commercial sector that could
seriously affect civil liberties. Some of the important issues to
watch this year are:


Patriot Act enhancements

In his state-of-the-union speech last year, Bush urged ongress
to renew certain provisions of the Patriot Act that are set to
expire at the end of this year.

Barr and other civil liberties advocates expect that the
administration, believing it has a mandate to gain the powers
it wants, will also try to push through new Patriot Act II
provisions, which the administration partly abandoned when
their existence came to light and caused an uproar in 2003.
Barr expects the administration will pass provisions piecemeal
in other legislation to avoid controversy, as it did last year
with the Anti-Terrorism Intelligence Tools Improvement Act of
2003, or HR3179.


"This will be a crucial battle over the coming two years to see
whether Congress really will stand up for the privacy rights of
our citizens," Barr said. "The record so far has not been terribly
optimistic."


One possible reason for optimism could be the SAFE Act,
introduced in 2003, which Barr sees as a sign that some
members of Congress regretted passing the Patriot Act with
insufficient checks and balances. The Security and Freedom
Ensured Act of 2003, or SB1709, is a bipartisan bill that refines
some of the more invasive provisions of the Patriot Act
regarding wiretaps, library records and other types of
surveillance. The bill has 19 co-sponsors but has been frozen
in the Senate for more than a year. A House companion bill
(HR3352) has also been stuck.


Data mining

The corporate sector has increasingly been collaborating with
government agencies in data-mining projects that whittle away
individual liberties. Privacy advocates say this will be the
most important issue to watch this year.


Although laws prohibit the government from building dossiers
on individuals, they don't prohibit the government from buying
information from commercial data aggregators like Acxiom,
ChoicePoint and LexisNexis, which collect information about
citizens' web surfing, bank transactions, doctor visits and
travel itineraries. And there are no laws governing how federal
agencies can use the data.


The concern cuts both ways, however. Privacy advocates say
there are currently few safeguards governing how private
corporations can use information passed to them by
government authorities. For example, the Fleet Bank in Boston
closed the financial accounts of several customers after law
enforcement made inquiries about the customers' transactions
in the course of a terrorist investigation. Although authorities
never found any reason to charge the customers with a crime,
the bank closed their accounts anyway.


Kim Taipale, executive director of the Center for Advanced
Studies in Science and Technology Policy, said that monitoring
and battling such corporate/government partnerships takes a
concerted effort that has, until now, been lacking.


"When the public spotlight is on it, it creates a lot of concern
and attracts a lot of attention, but the battle is getting the
public spotlight to shine on these plans," Taipale said.


European and Latin American countries are also looking to
establish privacy safeguards for data collected by U.S.
companies on foreign consumers. According to Marc Rotenberg,
executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center,
U.S. commercial data aggregators have collected information
on Latin American consumers and dropped it into border-patrol
databases to help officials determine who should be allowed
entry to the United States.


"This data from property records and DMV and
voter-registration records in those countries should not be
going to the U.S. for these purposes," Rotenberg said. "The
flow of information around the world will be a very big issue
this year."


National ID

Another important issue is the adoption last month of what
could become a de facto national ID card. Even though
Congress previously nixed a proposal for a national ID card on
grounds that it would be too intrusive and prone to abuse, a
driver's license provision in the National Intelligence Reform
and Terrorism Act, passed before Congress' holiday recess,
requires all driver's licenses to be standardized to include
machine-readable, encoded data by the end of 2006.


Although the legislation didn't specify what data would be
encoded in the cards, it gave authority to the secretary of
transportation, in consultation with the Homeland Security
secretary, to define the data within 18 months.


Privacy advocates are concerned that rather than just
preventing ID fraud, the data on cards could be linked to a
national database containing dossiers of information gathered
from other sources.


Robert Ellis Smith, publisher of the Privacy Journal, has said
the new law "will have more serious consequences for
individual liberties of American citizens than any other law
enacted in at least two decades."


Privacy legislation and states' rights

Privacy advocates expect ongoing battles between the federal
government and states over jurisdiction in privacy matters.
California experienced such a scuffle when Congress, bowing to
pressure from business lobbyists, passed a law in 2003 that
undid a California privacy regulation.


The state law would have let bank and brokerage customers
prevent financial institutions from sharing their personal
information -- such as bank balances, credit card purchases
and stock holdings -- with affiliate companies. California has
been a leader in passing privacy legislation, but Rotenberg
says the state's moves have made a lot of people inside and
outside of corporate boardrooms uncomfortable.


"There's a lot of nervousness in Washington about California's
willingness to create privacy laws," Rotenberg said, "and I
think you may see some effort to use federal authority to reign
in states."


DNA databases

Although Californians have high regard for privacy, this regard
didn't extend to criminal suspects last November when
residents approved one of the most aggressive DNA measures
in the country, which privacy advocates say will likely be
copied nationwide.


The DNA Fingerprint, Unsolved Crime and Innocence Protection
Act allows authorities to take DNA samples from anyone --
adult or juvenile -- convicted of a felony. Currently, it also lets
police collect samples from any adult arrested for specific
felonies, such as sexual assault and murder, even before they
are convicted.


But in 2009, that authority will expand to allow police to
collect DNA samples from any suspect arrested for any felony
-- including nonviolent crimes like residential burglary --
whether or not the person is charged or convicted. It's
expected that genetic data for 1 million people -- including
innocent suspects -- will be added to California's DNA
databank by 2009, making it the largest state DNA databank in
the country.


"Not long ago, people said we would only collect for felony
convictions of sex crimes where there is a high level of concern
about recidivism," Rotenberg said. "Now it's dramatically
expanded to non-sex crimes and even misdemeanors. I can
now imagine the world of perfect DNA matching that (the film)
Gattaca depicted."


RFID tags

Radio-frequency ID tags will become a bigger issue in 2005 as
their use expands into new areas. Currently, stores and
companies embed RFID tags in the packaging of drugs and
commercial products to help track product supplies and update
orders. But privacy advocates say the tags will soon be
embedded in clothing and other products, raising concerns that
the tracking might not stop when consumers leave a store
with the product.


"The problem is not only about tracking the whereabouts of
people but about linking associations," Rotenberg said.
"Students with RFID student cards can be grouped and
monitored in terms of who they're with."


Chips embedded beneath the skin will also become a larger
issue.

Last October, the FDA approved an implantable computer chip
that would contain medical information to assist with health
care. The military has discussed implanting the chips in
soldiers to speed up medical care, and Rotenberg said it's
likely the chips will soon be used in prisoners, parolees and
eventually children. The concern is with forced chipping, which
would take away choice from individuals receiving the chips.


Rotenberg expects 2005 to be a busy year for privacy
advocates. But he hopes that individuals won't leave it to
organized activists to do all the work to protect privacy rights
or think that because a specific right doesn't pertain to them
that it's OK for others to lose it.


"It's a mistake to think that privacy is an individualist or
atavist right," Rotenberg said. "I really view privacy as a
collective right. When someone else is forced to give up their
privacy, yours could be the next to go."


++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++


I stand against these ciolations, and am actively informinn all people around me about these risks.
it is our duty, as people whom understand the danger, to inform others.

please note that it is not the technology that is negative, it is
the fact that it can be used against freedom and the search for
happyness we all thrive for.

Gri, scared.

[laxphenom]

imagine what's likely to happen between now and the NEXT 200 years....prolly another pretty short but bad list of reform

[AimedForDeath]

I find this to be bullshit, I am sick of our so called 'government' ruining everything! This is going to turn into a tyranny pretty damn soon. It's going to be just like russia back in the day... It's bad enough we get sent to jail for possesing a PLANT/FLOWER! Not to mention the fact that they 'reserve the right' to listen into our phone conversations?...Come on people, wake up, they are slowly changing everything so that we don't know. Basiclly this is reminding me of a book I read not to long ago called 'Animal Farm' which was about Russia and how Lenon, Trotsky, and Czar Nikolas we're pulling shit off... I'm going to take a reading from the book...

"Soon the pigs (Trotsky) we're changing the 'constitution' word by word, so that none of the other animals would know. Such as, instead of 'no animal shall sleep in a bed', they changed it to 'no animal shall sleep in a bed WITH SHEETS' ...'

It is basicly showing how our so-called government can change our rights, word by word, to alter our freedom. I mean they could just as easily change somthing in secret such as what they did with cell phones... They changed the law of privacy, to say that they can listen if they think a crime is being commited... Well how the hell do they know if a crime is going to be commited if they didnt listen BEFORE?

[General Blaze]

Originally Posted by AimedForDeath

I find this to be bullshit, I am sick of our so called 'government' ruining everything! This is going to turn into a tyranny pretty damn soon. It's going to be just like russia back in the day... It's bad enough we get sent to jail for possesing a PLANT/FLOWER! Not to mention the fact that they 'reserve the right' to listen into our phone conversations?...Come on people, wake up, they are slowly changing everything so that we don't know. Basiclly this is reminding me of a book I read not to long ago called 'Animal Farm' which was about Russia and how Lenon, Trotsky, and Czar Nikolas we're pulling shit off... I'm going to take a reading from the book...

"Soon the pigs (Trotsky) we're changing the 'constitution' word by word, so that none of the other animals would know. Such as, instead of 'no animal shall sleep in a bed', they changed it to 'no animal shall sleep in a bed WITH SHEETS' ...'

It is basicly showing how our so-called government can change our rights, word by word, to alter our freedom. I mean they could just as easily change somthing in secret such as what they did with cell phones... They changed the law of privacy, to say that they can listen if they think a crime is being commited... Well how the hell do they know if a crime is going to be commited if they didnt listen BEFORE?

ill just let out one big yuuuuuup

[BallSack]

Democracy does'nt work. I'm suprised this country's lasted this long. The roman empire lasted extremely long, and so far we've made it about 200 + years and it's already the most divided country on earth.

[BallSack]

I'm actually more republican leaning. Communism is truly terrible and I definitely don't support it in any way, I just said this country is very divided as a result of our "freedoms".

[Gri77oN]

Originally Posted by Tomohiro

I come from a communist country and it's not fucking fun. Having tags, being pulled off the street for wearing anything not considered the norm.

BUT THIS IS EXACTLY WHERE USA IS HEADING !!!


don't you see, how must i spell it to ya all....



wake up.

[Fatkid420]

Originally Posted by Gri77oN

BUT THIS IS EXACTLY WHERE USA IS HEADING !!!


don't you see, how must i spell it to ya all....



wake up.

You are right, it is going that direction. This is why im going the other direction. Destination Vancouver Canada. I will be moving there as soon as I finish college.

[el-producto]

Originally Posted by Gri77oN

BUT THIS IS EXACTLY WHERE USA IS HEADING !!!


don't you see, how must i spell it to ya all....



wake up.

dont see that happening

[Gri77oN]

this so wrong in my opinion.

to flee away or to deny the facts is most certainly not an option.
not anymore.

we (as in us, those whom just want to be happy) must step up and have our voices heard.

this system we have put in place doesn't /seem to/ work, granted.
but it /can/ all we need is to focus on real atteinable goals:
health
freedom
happyness.

global economy could be used to attein such goals, but right now, it's goal is to make the rich get richer.
may it be in the us or outside.
That's what's wrong.

we have (as in we, those among us whom just want happyness) to let
go of our thirst for money or power, we have plenty of proofs that it
doesn't lead to happyness.

I just wanna love ya all, i wanna care for ya, i wanna help you atteind happyness; i sure know it's possible.

but first, i gotta pay my taxes.


how insane can that be ?


we HAVE TO CHANGE.

[Gilligan]

CIA gives grim warning on European prospects

NICHOLAS CHRISTIAN


THE CIA has predicted that the European Union will break-up within 15 years unless it radically reforms its ailing welfare systems.

The report by the intelligence agency, which forecasts how the world will look in 2020, warns that Europe could be dragged into economic decline by its ageing population. It also predicts the end of Nato and post-1945 military alliances.

In a devastating indictment of EU economic prospects, the report warns: "The current EU welfare state is unsustainable and the lack of any economic revitalisation could lead to the splintering or, at worst, disintegration of the EU, undermining its ambitions to play a heavyweight international role."

It adds that the EU’s economic growth rate is dragged down by Germany and its restrictive labour laws. Reforms there - and in France and Italy to lesser extents - remain key to whether the EU as a whole can break out of its "slow-growth pattern".

Reflecting growing fears in the US that the pain of any proper reform would be too much to bear, the report adds that the experts it consulted "are dubious that the present political leadership is prepared to make even this partial break, believing a looming budgetary crisis in the next five years would be the more likely trigger for reform".

The EU is also set for a looming demographic crisis because of a drop in birth rates and increased longevity, with devastating economic consequences.

The report says: "Either European countries adapt their workforces, reform their social welfare, education and tax systems, and accommodate growing immigrant populations [chiefly from Muslim countries] or they face a period of protracted economic stasis."

As a result of the increased immigration needed, the report predicts that Europe’s Muslim population is set to increase from around 13% today to between 22% and 37% of the population by 2025, potentially triggering tensions.

The report predicts that America’s relationships with Europe will be "dramatically altered" over the next 15 years, in a move away from post-Second World War institutions. Nato could disappear and be replaced by increased EU action.

"The EU, rather than Nato, will increasingly become the primary institution for Europe, and the role Europeans shape for themselves on the world stage is most likely to be projected through it," the report adds. "Whether the EU will develop an army is an open question."

Defence spending by individual European countries, including the UK, France, and Germany, is likely to fall further behind China and other countries over the next 15 years. Collectively these countries will outspend all others except the US and possibly China.

The expected next technological revolution will involve the convergence of nano, bio, information and materials technology and will further bolster China and India’s prospects, the study predicts. Both countries are investing in basic research in these fields and are well placed to be leaders. But whereas the US will retain its overall lead, the report warns "Europe risks slipping behind Asia in some of these technologies".

For Europe, an increasing preference for natural gas may reinforce regional relationships, such as those with Russia or North Africa, given the inter-dependence of pipeline delivery, the report argues. But this means the EU will have to deal with Russia, which the report also warns "faces a severe demographic crisis resulting from low birth rates, poor medical care and a potentially explosive Aids situation".

Russia also borders an "unstable region" in the Caucasus and Central Asia, "the effects of which - Muslim extremism, terrorism and endemic conflict - are likely to continue spilling over into Russia".

The report also largely en dorses forecasts that by 2020 China’s gross domestic product will exceed that of individual western economic powers except for the US. India’s GDP will have overtaken or be overtaking European economies.

Because of the sheer size of China’s and India’s populations their standard of living need not approach European and western levels to become important economic powers.

The economies of other developing countries, such as Brazil, could surpass all but the largest European countries by 2020.

Delivery formats for "Scotsman.com News"



Can anyone tell me what great things France has brought to the world in the last 200 years?

Keep focusing on our negatives so your dont have to think about your own.

Democracy doesnt work. That is why our forefathers made us a republic, not a democracy. If everyone has 1 vote, then think about how many ill-informed, non informed people you have making decisions for you. People go and vote and dont even know what they are voting for. This will not be a popular statement, but we need to have some more limits or something on voting. People who dont pay taxes, people with 0 stock in this country vote on decisions to better themselves at the cost of the taxpayers.

[Grim Bongmaster]

Originally Posted by Gilligan

CIA gives grim warning on European prospects

What the hell'd I do?

Originally Posted by Gilligan

Democracy doesnt work. That is why our forefathers made us a republic, not a democracy. If everyone has 1 vote, then think about how many ill-informed, non informed people you have making decisions for you. People go and vote and dont even know what they are voting for. This will not be a popular statement, but we need to have some more limits or something on voting. People who dont pay taxes, people with 0 stock in this country vote on decisions to better themselves at the cost of the taxpayers.

I'm thinking maybe an IQ test for voters, or require them to memorize the bill of rights...

[Gri77oN]

Originally Posted by Gilligan

Can anyone tell me what great things France has brought to the world in the last 200 years?

wait let me think... a peace speach applaused by the WHOLE UNITED NATIONS against the war in irak ... ?




YOU ARE TIREING, Gillian.

YES FRANCE IS AS SHITTY AS THE US OR ANY OTHER COUNTRY.

there i said it.

now, can we f***ing move on and be constructive.

Originally Posted by Gilligan

Keep focusing on our negatives so your dont have to think about your own.

AS LONG AS one keep thinking in such way (my mistakes vs your mistakes) nothing constructive will be made.
they are OUR misktakes, as a whole community called humanity.

Originally Posted by Gilligan

If everyone has 1 vote, then think about how many ill-informed, non informed
people you have making decisions for you. People go and vote and dont even
know what they are voting for.

say for exemple: the congress that vote patriot Act without even reading it ? that's not icompetence, that's lazyness, that's .. that's ... <*i shall censor myself on this one*>

Originally Posted by Gilligan

People who dont pay taxes, people with 0 stock in this country vote on decisions to better themselves at the cost of the taxpayers.

there it's right there /you said it yourself/ :

*TO BETTER THEMSELVES*


when is it that people in power will start to work for their citizens...

when is it that people will start fighting for other's freedom, or health, or happyness.

I am fighting for the right to freedom of americans, and i'm french.
(ergo this thread as an exemple)

I am not fighting against something or someone.
I am fighting FOR someone, anyone, everyone.
because i am part of everyone; one my own, i'm nobody, and so are you, Gilligan.

(
imho, of course
^__^
)

[Gilligan]

could you atleast attempt to spell my name right when addressing me?

The same un you gave a speech to against iraq, is that the same UN that is so currupt from the top on down to the bottom? The same un France sold their vote to iraq in?



You talk about us being slaves, who are we slaves to?

I would say socialist programs, ones you love, your country impliments, the ones ruining your economy, enslave the population. Slavery is working without proper compensation. Working so the govt can steal your money is slavery. Maybe your should butt out of our lives, our slavery, and try to do something about your own. But that is against the French policy isnt it. You are good at pointing out problems, even giving your solutions, although very seldom asked for them, but its hard to listen to them when they are comming from a place where the government enslaves the entire population.


Off topic, i noticed in another post you said you meditate 80% of the time your awake, does that mean you meditate at work or do you not have a job?



Heres a good example of how democracy sucks. We are a nation of a majority christian population. If the majority rules, the christians could basicly do what the hell they wanted. Ban other religions, Ban books, ban anything, do anything,. This is why democracy sucks.







You talk about bettering themselves, but the selfish people better themselvs at the cost of the workers. They have no reguard for anyone but themselves.


Fight for your own fucking freedoms in your own fucking country!
Heres someone who has the nad to stand up for the enslaved people in your country. Vote Sarkozy in 07! End sociaist, enslaved, anti-jew and anti-american France.!!!!!! socailsm is slavery!!!! Moreso than anyt slavery you think we have here. ACT goddamnit!!!


Happy 1,000 post to me, i couldnt ask for a better topic for it to be under.

Fucking ACT!!!!!!! Free yoursevles, then help us.
You telling me to act is like a monk telling me about sex.

[Gri77oN]

Originally Posted by Gilligan

could you atleast attempt to spell my name right when addressing me?

yes of course, my applogies.
it's just that ... don't ask me how but i never even /saw/ the 2nd g until you pointed it out to me.

I'm sorry but i can tell that this i due to the way I pronounce your name in my head, i pronouce it gillian, becoz it sounds like grillon ....


sorry mate.

now onto you post..