a positive step

[chelidon]

A good thing, and further sign that Bush's power is eroding somewhat in his second term...

House limits Patriot Act rules on library records

Comments

[christeos-pir.livejournal.com]

/me wonders if Amazon et al are already voluntarily offering access to their db...

[chelidon.livejournal.com]

I would not be surprised at all. My book purchases would probably very much confuse any monitor, as well as provide at least a bit of concern ;>

Google, too, keeps semi-permanent records of searches by IP address, so in theory, your entire searching history could be mined.

[christeos-pir.livejournal.com]

Winston Smith, you're not doing your exercises!

[chelidon.livejournal.com]

Heh. Did you ever play the RPG Paranoia? Classic. "Citizen SM-0427, please finish your Cold Fun nutritional suppliment and report imediately to Termination Chamber XA-62. Failure to report as ordered will be considered evidence of treasonous Communist sympathies and is subject to a 500 credit fine."

The frightening thing is that outre comedy like that game, the fake over-the-top TV shows and commercials in movies like Robocop and Running Man, actually don't seem all that funny any more...too close to reality ;>

[christeos-pir.livejournal.com]

I've been saying "Orwell was an optimist" for some time now.

[elnigma.livejournal.com]

Hey its something. Woohoo!
got to cheer even small steps, when they are the most available going the right direction. :)

[chelidon.livejournal.com]

Absolutely. Of course, the huge cynic in me wonders if this is merely an attempt to write off the most publicly unpopular element of the plan (and not remotely one of the most damaging to civil liberties) in order to assuage Joe Public while they beef up other aspects and make them permanent. I guess we'll see...

[kitten-goddess.livejournal.com]

Good. I'm pleasantly surprised. You're also the only friend on LJ whose news links aren't all scary, all the time.

[chelidon.livejournal.com]

lol -- thanks. I figure we have to celebrate the victories when we get 'em, especially these days. or we'll just be continually depressing each other into an ineffectual funk, and how useless would that be? ;> As the old cliche goes, "don't mourn, organize."

[rainysummerday.livejournal.com]

Thank you. The thing that's puzzled me the whole time since the "Endless War" on terrorism is that hasn't everyone read 1984? I read it when I was 8 which had a huge impact on my understanding of reality. Aren't the signs of totalitarianism all too clear? Is it really a trade-off between freedom and security taken to an extreme? Maybe the pendulum has just hit it's wall, and is swinging back again.

Now to the work of teaching the dualists about the third road...

[chelidon.livejournal.com]

The thing that's puzzled me the whole time since the "Endless War" on terrorism is that hasn't everyone read 1984?

Well, yes. The terrible thing I half-suspect is that while some take it as a cautionary tale, others have taken it as a blueprint.

Maybe the pendulum has just hit it's wall, and is swinging back again.

By the gods of my people, I hope so. And I'm not opposed to giving that big ol' pendulum a wee shove now and again, just in case...

Now to the work of teaching the dualists about the third road...

You and me both, sister...to this work I do my self commit.

[yezida.livejournal.com]

Thank the Gods