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security
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Phone Records
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security
nsa
Federal Judge Orders NSA Spy Program Stopped
U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor in Detroit today found the NSA domestic spying program "without warrant" and violated the First and Fourth Amendments. She ordered it stopped. More »
nsa
US Threatens to Sue if Maine Probes Verizon's Phone Record Gift to NSA
Verizon customers in Maine asked the Public Utilities Commission to investigate whether the cellphone company handed over their phone records to the NSA. A July 28th letter from the DOJ to the PUC asked them to demure, and intimated at possible legal action. More »
irony
Phone Record Lawsuit Over NSA Spying Dismissed
A judge Tuesday tossed out an ACLU lawsuit against the government over over AT&T's alleged turning over of phone records to the NSA. More »
usatoday
Pith & Vinegar
• Statistics show customers love when businesses find new and inventive ways to dupe them. [9news] "Five-second ads try to counter TiVo"• This fucking smiley-face trademark story won't go away so here's your one and only link to it. Frown. [NYT] "Smiley Face Is Serious to Company"
• Three days of delays on the Chicago Metra commuter train after soap found on rails. Jeez, wait times aren't even that long when they discover people on the tracks. [CT] "Metra apologizes for rush-hour soaper"
• Mac Skankbooks flourish like yellowish spores in a warm and moist environment. [CNet] "Some MacBooks have premature age spots"
• USAToday retracts report that telcos turned over customer records to NSA. Sort of. [USAToday]
at&t
AT&T Owns Your Booty
In a followup to "AT&T: All Your Phone Are Belong to Us", the SF Gate interviewed some privacy wonks who say: More »
top
AT&T: All Your Phone Are Belong to Us
If you're an AT&T customer, you have until this Friday to switch. More »
nsa
Verizon Wants to Chat About -$1000 Bill
Back in mid-may, we decided that the best way to protest the phone companies selling our records to the NSA was to send our cell phone company a bill for $1000. What we did is take our Verizon bill, deduct $1000 from it, and enclose a copy of 18 USC 2701 with relevant secitons highlighted. Specifically, those parts saying that if anyone gives up your phone records, they can get fined $1000. Obviously, this is in jest. But Verizon's taking it seriously enough to want to schedule a conference call with us. More »
the news
The News
• Watch those covetous little fingers, consumer borrowing rose 5.9% in April, the highest in 10 months. [NYT]• It's your store no more, Albertsons to close 100 supermarkets. [LAT]
• Judge to review classified papers to determine whether national security privileges apply in NSA spying case. Legal forecast for next week: judge found guilty of abetting terrorism for reading classified documents. [LAT]
• Death of al-Qaida's Iraqi leader prompts oil price dip. Motorists ask if they can help. [LAT]
• Wendy's switches to healthier oil. Dave Thomas squishes in his greasy grave. [CT]
• Airlines fill up on freight to try to make a buck. Cargo crates complain of cramped quarters, having to buy own forklifts. [CT]
the news
The News: Now, 100% Dolphin Safe!
• ACLU wants FCC to review hold AT&T's acquisition of BellSouth until the baby bell's complicity in handing customer records to the NSA without warrant can be reviewed. Mmm, name soup. [NYT]• Powell's Books has such fierce customer loyalty that some customers want their ashes interred there. Just open up a nursery and they'll have the book market cornered, from cradle to grave.[LAT]
• Consumer Reports says that due to high levels of mercury, pregnant women should not eat tuna. Plus, those dolphin bits can get stuck in the baby's umbilical cord. [CT]
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