Friday 19 February 2010
Thursday 18 February 2010
School used student laptop webcams to spy on them at school and home
According to the filings in Blake J Robbins v Lower Merion School District (PA) et al, the laptops issued to high-school students in the well-heeled Philly suburb have webcams that can be covertly activated by the schools' administrators, who have used this facility to spy on students and even their families. The issue came to light when the Robbins's child was disciplined for "improper behavior in his home" and the Vice Principal used a photo taken by the webcam as evidence. The suit is a class action, brought on behalf of all students issued with these machines.
If true, these allegations are about as creepy as they come. I don't about you, but I often have the laptop in the room while I'm getting dressed, having private discussions with my family, and so on. The idea that a school district would not only spy on its students' clickstreams and emails (bad enough), but also use these machines as AV bugs is purely horrifying.
Schools are in an absolute panic about kids divulging too much online, worried about pedos and marketers and embarrassing photos that will haunt you when you run for office or apply for a job in 10 years. They tell kids to treat their personal details as though they were precious.
But when schools take that personal information, indiscriminately invading privacy (and, of course, punishing students who use proxies and other privacy tools to avoid official surveillance), they send a much more powerful message: your privacy is worthless and you shouldn't try to protect it.
Robbins v. Lower Merion School District (PDF) (Thanks, Roland!)
Primal Scream to play 'Screamadelica' in its entirety in November
Primal Scream have announced they are set to play their seminal 1991 album 'Screamadelica' in its entirety in November.
The band, who have never played the album live in full before, will perform it at the London Olympia on November 27.
'Screamadelica', considered a dance/rock classic, was produced by Andrew Weatherall and features 'Movin' On Up', 'Loaded' and the 10-minute long 'Come Together'.
Tickets go on sale on February 26.
The band, who have never played the album live in full before, will perform it at the London Olympia on November 27.
'Screamadelica', considered a dance/rock classic, was produced by Andrew Weatherall and features 'Movin' On Up', 'Loaded' and the 10-minute long 'Come Together'.
Tickets go on sale on February 26.
Liverpool FC deny latest takeover rumours but billionaire ‘is seriously considering bid’
Despite denials from Liverpool FC that Indian businessmen Mukesh Ambani and Subrata Roy are amongst the potential investors in negotiations with the club, sources in India insist that Roy is seriously considering a bid for the Anfield giants, which could emerge within the next ten days.
Roy, chairman of the Sahara Group conglomerate, has consistently supported Indian cricket and distanced himself from a move to buy a Premier League soccer club, but rumours linking him with a move to Liverpool have not gone away, and an increasing number of sources close to Sahara claim that Roy is seriously considering the move.
'It is believed Roy is examining the viability of buying a stake, which would dilute the shareholding of Liverpool's co-owners, George Gillett and Tom Hicks,' notes the Daily Telegraph newspaper. 'Liverpool remain confident of completing an equity infusion, a stated "requirement" of their banks, RBS and Wachovia, if Hicks and Gillett are to refinance their £237 million loan this summer before the end of the season.'
- Liverpool FC: Rafa Benitez calls for new ownership of club
- Banks won't loan Liverpool cash for stadium without new ownership
Earlier this week Rafa Benitez, Liverpool's manager, added his voice to those calling for Hicks and Gillett, to sell a stake in the club to fresh investors.
"Everyone knows we need a new stadium and investors if we want to go forward so it would be good for the club," Benitez told ESPN. "Over the last two years everyone is talking about new investors and the new stadium and so all the fans are waiting for this good news - and me too."
Ruby Hunter RIP
Aboriginal singer and songwriter Ruby Hunter has died.
The partner of singer Archie Roach reportedly died of a heart attack at her home in Victoria's western district, sources have confirmed.
A Ngarrindjeri woman from South Australia, Hunter met her lifelong partner Archie Roach when she was 16 when they both were homeless teenagers.
Hunter received two ARIA Award nominations - one in 1995 and one in 2000.
She has won Deadlys in 2000 for Female Artist of the Year, 2003 for Outstanding Contribution to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music and 2004 for Excellence in Film and Theatrical Score.
She made her acting debut in One Night the Moon.
With Archie Roach and Paul Grabowsky she wrote and performed the concert Ruby's Story, which told the story of her life through song and spoken word.
With Archie Roach and Paul Grabowsky she wrote and performed the concert Ruby's Story, which told the story of her life through song and spoken word.
Peaches stopped from performing Jesus Christ Superstar
Peaches' "stripped-down" performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar has been "crucified before opening night", the electro-rapper declared yesterday. The concert, which was to take place at Berlin's Hebbel theatre, was cancelled after German rights-holders allegedly refused to license the songs.
"To perform Jesus Christ Superstar as a one-woman-song is a crazy enterprise," Peaches admitted in her initial press release. Citing her teenage affection for the musical, the singer announced plans to sing the entire show, "from entering Jerusalem until the crucifixion", in performances from 25-27 March. Accompanied by pianist Chilly Gonzales, "Peaches will sing all roles including: Jesus, Maria Magdalena, the disciples and the pharisees," organisers said.
Unfortunately, Sir Andrew's German colleagues were not enthusiastic. In a flurry of posts to Twitter, Peaches revealed that the musical's rights-holders had refused to grant her permission to use the material. "[They] claim that this project is of no interest to them due to its unconventional form," she wrote. "It's a shame that the authorities feel threatened by this fresh approach. I know a lot of people who really love the music and would appreciate this stripped-down solo performance. I have so much respect for the music and lyrics from the original score and this was my way of honouring that."
Earlier, Peaches framed the Jesus Christ Superstar production in the same terms as her previous concert performances, many of which were provocative or sexually explicit. "I'm a performer," she said, "my concerts are extravagant and play with exaggerations. This project allows me to do without all this. I want to confront this task totally exposed, because it is a possibility. It's a question of stamina." There's still time for rights-holders to turn the other cheek.
Israel says no proof it carried out Hamas Dubai killing
Dubai believes 11 "agents with European passports" killed Mahmoud al-Mabhouh.
Seven foreign-born Israelis named as suspects say their identities were stolen and they were not involved. UK passports used were said to be fake.
France, Germany and the Irish Republic also said they believed the passports from their countries used by the alleged killers were false.
'Israel never confirms'
Hamas has accused Israeli agents of murdering their operative - a view shared by many commentators because Mossad has in the past used forged foreign passports in its operations.
But in Israel's first official comments on the affair, Mr Lieberman said there was no reason to blame Israel and Mossad.
ANALYSIS Katya Adler, BBC Middle East correspondent Israel is alive with rumour as to whether Israel's intelligence service, Mossad, murdered Hamas operative Mahmoud al-Mabhouh. Mossad has used fraudulent foreign passports and stolen identities to carry out its missions in the past, provoking diplomatic rows with a number of friendly countries. Former Israeli secret service officer, Gad Shimron, says agents steal identities to escape tougher security checks. But would Mossad want to point the finger at innocent Israeli citizens? At least five of the names listed by Dubai match those of Israeli dual nationals. Maybe Mossad thought this was a clear way, without making a public declaration, of letting the world know it organised the murder - thereby sending a warning to Israel's enemies abroad. It is possible another country masterminded the attack, designing it to look like a clumsy Mossad operation. Or maybe Israel co-operated with others. |
"There is no reason to think that it was the Israeli Mossad, and not some other intelligence service or country up to some mischief."
He did not outright deny Israeli involvement.
"Israel never responds, never confirms and never denies," he said. "There is no reason for Israel to change this policy."
Mr Mabhouh was murdered in his hotel room in Dubai on 20 January.
Reports have suggested he was in Dubai to buy weapons for the Palestinian Islamist movement, Hamas.
Two Palestinian suspects were being questioned about the murder. Police said they had "fled to Jordan" after the killing, without releasing their names.
Officials in Dubai, who have issued arrest warrants, said the team appeared to be a professional hit squad, probably sponsored by a foreign power.
They released CCTV footage which they said showed some of the suspects in disguises, including wigs and false beards, in the hotel near Dubai's international airport.
The suspects allegedly trailed Mr Mabhouh when he arrived in Dubai from Syria, paid for everything in cash and used various mobile phones.
Some of the British-born Israelis whose names were on the passports used by the suspects have said they are shocked by the discovery.
"I don't know how they got my details, who took them," said Stephen Daniel Hodes, 37.
"I haven't left the country, I think, for two years and I've never been to Dubai ever. I don't know who's behind this. I am just scared, these are major forces," he said.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called for a "full investigation" into what happened.
Does gay sex cause earthquakes?
According to the Talmud, it does. About which Tzvee, from Tzvee's Talmudic Blog, writes, "That must be some awesome gay sex."
He goes on to explain:
According to the Talmud text, earthquakes are caused by any one of a number of acts: yes by gay sex, but also by disputes, and also by not taking heave offering and tithes from your produce, and also because God is just upset that the Temple is in ruins and there are theaters and circuses in Israel. Rabbis ought to know better than to cherry pick among the reasons for earthquakes.
This rather absurd discussion has been prompted by reports that a group of fundamentalist rabbis has blamed the Haiti earthquake on the end of "don't ask, don't tell." Seriously. This is from one of those rabbis:
Thirteen months before 9/11, on the day New York City passed homosexual domestic partnership regulations, I joined a group of Rabbis at a City Hall prayer service, pleading with G-d not to visit disaster on the city of N.Y. We have seen the underground earthquake, tsunami, Katrina, and now Haiti. All this is in sync with a two thousand year old teaching in the Talmud that the practice of homosexuality is a spiritual cause of earthquakes. Once a disaster is unleashed, innocents are also victims just like in Chernobyl. We plead with saner heads in Congress and the Pentagon to stop sodomization of our military and our society. Enough is enough."
My Jewish God, on the other hand, loves all people, who are created in His image. Even gays. And even Haitians. And certainly gay Haitians. And most definitely gay Haitians who live near Chernobyl.
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