Consumer Reports Compares and Contrasts 11 Travel Websites
Do Travel Search Engines Deliver? An Examination of the Leading Sites, December 21, 2005.
Quick and Useful Guide on Creating Effective Passwords
How to Write Better Passwords, by Sarah D. Scalet
TSA’s New List of Permitted and Prohibited Items
Permitted & Prohibited Items, Prepare for Takeoff, December 2005.
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 …
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
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 …
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 …
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 …
Opposing Views on Patriot Act Reauthorization Presented in DOJ and Advocacy Group Statements
DOJ Fact Sheet, December 20, 2005 – Civil Liberties Safeguards in the USA PATRIOT Act Conference Report: “After months of debateincluding 23 Congressional hearings with over 60 witnessesthe Senate must act to reauthorize the USA PATRIOT Act before these key provisions expire. Last week, the House of Representatives voted to reauthorize the bill with strong …
Pelosi Requests Declassification of Her Letter on NSA Activities
Press release: “House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today on her request to the Director of National Intelligence to declassify a letter she wrote several years ago to the Bush Administration expressing concerns about the activities of the National Security Agency.” “When I learned several years ago that the National Security Agency …
Advocacy Group on Free Expression Issues Report Calling for Strengthening Fair Use
Will Fair Use Survive? Free Expression in the Age of Copyright Control (76 pages, PDF), by Marjorie Heins and Tricia Beckles, Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, Free Expression Policy Project, December 2005. “The report recommends: creating a clearinghouse for information, including sample replies to cease and desist and “take down” letters; …
Bipartisan Group of Senators Call For Joint Inquiry into Domestic Surveillance
Press release, December 20, 2005: “U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and a bipartisan group of Senate Intelligence Committee members today called for a joint inquiry by the Judiciary and Intelligence Committees into the President’s authorization of domestic electronic surveillance of U.S. citizens.” Related reference: Press release: “The American Civil Liberties Union today submitted records requests …