Could it be that someone at Google reads my blog? (This is smarter than what I suggested)
Ballsy Google Kicks Belgian Newspapers’ Asses
By Nathan Weinberg
Sometimes Google just makes me jump up and pump my fist, yelling, “Yes! You show those motherf-ers!” This is definitely one of those times. Google responding to Belgian newspaper’s complaints about being included in Google News and the Google cache, as well as a court ruling that they remove those newspapers from their services, decided to show them who’s boss and banned the newspapers outright from Google Belgium’s search results.
Take a look at this search. It returns zero results, just this message:
In response to a legal request submitted to Google, we have removed 1237 result(s) from this page. If you wish, you may read more about the request at ChillingEffects.org.
That’s right: those Belgian newspapers wanted Google to pay for the privelege of sending them readers, so Google is going to take their greed and use it to cut off their legs. Want to bet those papers lose tens of percentages of their traffic? All statistics say yes, and I’ll bet the Hitwise blog is working up a real pretty chart to prove it.
Old, dying media, here’s your lesson for the day: Google doesn’t steal your content, it just points its millions of users at you. That is to your benefit. Don’t blow it next time.
Oh, and Google can basically argue to the judge that it isn’t using dirty tactics, because it simply followed the awful wording of the judge’s ruling:
Order the defendant to withdraw the articles, photographs and graphic representations of Belgian publishers of the French - and German-speaking daily press, represented by the plaintiff, from all their sites (Google News and “cache” Google or any other name within 10 days of the notification of the intervening order, under penalty of a daily fine of 1,000,000.- € per day of delay;
Uh, whoops. Yeah, don’t screw with the Goog.
Coverage also at Slashdot. Found on Findory.
The coup in Thailand seemed to generate far fewer articles than the death of the Crocodile Hunter... Go figure!
http://english.people.com.cn/200609/20/eng20060920_304637.html
UPDATED: 19:52, September 20, 2006
Roundup: Asia-Pacific reaction to Thailand's military coup
The sudden bloodless military coup in Thailand has aroused concern, unease and criticism from some Asia-Pacific nations on Wednesday.
HP's Dunn to testify before House on spying scandal
Committee hearing will investigate company wrongdoings, consider legislation to make 'pretexting' illegal
By Robert McMillan and Robert Mullins, IDG News Service September 19, 2006
Hewlett-Packard Co. Chairman Patricia Dunn will answer questions on the spying scandal that has embroiled her company during a House committee hearing on Capitol Hill next week.
HP's general counsel, Ann Baskins, will also appear at the hearing of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, being held next Thursday, said HP spokesman Ryan Donovan.
HP's lead outside counsel, Larry Sonsini of the Palo Alto law firm Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati, will also testify, according to Terry Lane, a committee spokesman. Sonsini advised HP on the legality of its investigation into media leaks of details from the company's board meetings between 2005 and 2006.
... The committee is looking into HP's methods and is considering new federal legislation that would make this practice, called 'pretexting,' illegal.
HP is also being investigated by the Attorneys General of California and Massachusetts, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Attorney's office.
Ronald DeLia of investigation firm Security Outsourcing Solutions is also set to appear, but Lane said it is possible he will invoke his Fifth Amendment right to not testify to protect against self-incrimination. Prosecutors reportedly are looking into DeLia's company and a Melbourne, Florida, investigation company, Action Research Group, in connection with the scandal.
... The committee has also asked HP Global Security Manager Anthony Gentilucci and Action Research Group owner Joe Depante to testify, but has not heard back from them, Lane said.
You (should) know you're in trouble when this kind of question is being asked...
http://techdirt.com/articles/20060919/073015.shtml
Is California Law Sufficient For A Prosecution At HP?
from the will-they-walk? dept
There's little doubt that HP or people hired by the company engaged in identity fraud in its drive to determine the identity of a boardroom leaker. Clearly, the best that company officials can do is to claim maximum ignorance about what tactics were used. But while California Attorney General Bill Lockyer claims he has enough evidence to indict people within HP, the law may not be so clear cut. Today, the New York Times surveys various legal professionals, and comes to the conclusion that under existing California law, a criminal case may prove difficult. In fact, a law that would have specifically gone after pretexting failed to get through the state legislature. This is not to say that Lockyer couldn't win a conviction, as the actions may violate broader consumer protection laws. But it is worth asking whether he is bluffing at all by announcing so quickly that he already has enough evidence to bring an indictment. And since he's running for state Treasurer, he also has personal motivations for taking a high-profile role in this case. It's no wonder that he's been compared to another state attorney general on the opposite coast. Of course, if the law isn't sufficient to go after this kind of behavior, that's not Lockyer's fault, and it shows the need for state and federal governments to strengthen laws that govern identity-related fraud.
This is disturbing...
http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/09/19/1745200&from=rss
Hezbollah Hacked Israeli Military Radio
Posted by kdawson on Tuesday September 19, @02:39PM from the how-to-kill-tanks dept. Encryption Science
florescent_beige writes, "Newsday is reporting that Hezbollah was able to monitor secure Israeli military communications, perhaps using technology supplied by Iran, during the recent Lebanon war. A former Israeli general, speaking anonymously, called the results 'disastrous' for Israel. The story reports that an anonymous Lebanese source said that Hezbollah might have taken advantage of Israeli soldiers' mistakes in following secure radio procedures. The radio gear uses frequency hopping and encryption."
The article identifies the Israeli communications equipment as the US-designed Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System.
Well, if they've got nothing to hide...
http://www.washingtontechnology.com/news/1_1/daily_news/29348-1.html
DHS seeks Privacy Act exemption for new database Click to Listen
By Alice Lipowicz Staff Writer 09/19/06
The Homeland Security Department wants exemption from most Privacy Act requirements for a new database that will keep personal information on its employees, visiting contractors, job applicants and student interns, among others.
The Office of Security File System will include classified and unclassified information, according to a recent notice posted in the Federal Register.
On the other hand...
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/09/19/terrorism_privacy_breaches/
Terrorism no excuse for privacy breaches, says EU regulator
No need to change laws
By OUT-LAW.com Published Tuesday 19th September 2006 17:22 GMT
Terrorism and organised crime should not be used as excuses for passing laws which undermine people's privacy and data protection rights, according to the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS). Existing laws do not need changed, he said.
Copyright lawyer job opportunity?
http://www.gigalaw.com/news/2006/09/youtube-seeking-ways-to-avoid.html
YouTube Seeking Ways to Avoid Copyright Issues
Video-sharing site YouTube Inc., in a move that could defuse the threat of legal action against it, is racing to overhaul the way media and entertainment companies view unlicensed online use of their content. YouTube is rolling out technology designed to automatically spot copyrighted material that users upload without the permission of media companies, and then to share ad revenue with those companies.
Read the article: The Wall Street Journal | Posted: 9/19/2006 04:20:00 PM
http://www.bespacific.com/mt/archives/012541.html
September 19, 2006
World Legal Information Institute September News Issue Available
Via Madeleine Davis: "The September issue of 'WorldLII News' is available here. Contents this month include new databases on AustLII, CanLII, Droit
francophone, CommonLII and NZLII and a new Privacy Law Library on WorldLII. 'WorldLII News' is free and published regularly. Previous issues can be accessed here.
http://www.bespacific.com/mt/archives/012548.html
September 19, 2006
President's Identity Theft Task Force Announces Interim Recommendations
FTC press release: "The President’s Identity Theft Task Force has adopted interim recommendations on measures that can be implemented immediately to help address the problem of identity theft, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales and Federal Trade Commission Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras announced today."
“Stupid is as stupid does” F. Gump (It amazes me how often I quote this particular philosopher...)
http://techdirt.com/articles/20060920/015325.shtml
Things Not To Do When On Trial For Stealing Computers: Steal The Court's Computers
from the just-saying dept
Not that we fully understand the mind of a criminal, but, generally speaking, while you're on trial for committing a specific crime, you should probably do your best to make yourself look innocent. That probably includes not committing the identical type of crime. Especially in the courthouse where your case is being tried. Of course, no one ever said that you had to be smart to be a criminal. Apparently a man was convicted of stealing a computer after he stole computers from the courthouse during his own trial for stealing computers elsewhere. He says he did it "for personal reasons" and as his way of "asking for help." It would seem like there are better ways to ask for help, but, now it looks like he'll be getting somewhere around five years of "help" in prison.
Worth passing on?
http://www.securityfocus.com/infocus/1877?ref=rss
Beginner's guide to wireless auditing
David Maynor 2006-09-19
Old, but useful?
http://www.microsoft.com/Education/CreateTimeline.mspx
Create a Timeline in Microsoft Excel
Updated: April 14, 2004
This is humor? I think there is more to it...
New Office Slang
How to be memorable... (and arrested for possession of burglary tools?)
http://www.ohgizmo.com/2006/09/18/lock-pickin-business-card/
Lock-Pickin’ Business Card
Posted on 09.18.06 @ 8:42 pm
It looks like even Google has been overwhelmed by the users trying to view this (ahem) article...
http://digg.com/tech_news/Topless_Sunbather_Caught_in_Google_Earth
Topless Sunbather Caught in Google Earth!
Gregd submitted by Gregd 8 hours 34 minutes ago (via http://googlesightseeing.com/2006/09/19/topless-sunbathing/ )
Imagine having a quiet afternoon's sunbathing on your private, secluded, back patio - and then one day discovering that your nearly naked body has been posted all over the Internet!
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