Let’s start with some good news: wiretaps in the US are up 19%.
Do what? Has this guy lost his mind? That means Big Brother really is watching us!
Well, yes and no. While the total number is up 19%, that total number is only 3,464 wiretaps for the year 2004. That works out to less than one wiretap per 100,000 population. Compare this with Italy, the most wiretap-happy country, with a rate of 172 per 100,000 population. Kind of puts it in perspective, doesn’t it? News.com has the full story here.
Now on to other stuff.
In a geeky note, Apple Computer has release Bonjour for Windows. Based on the description, all that I can say is “Great, just what we needed–Yet Another Network Scanner”. If I catch one of my users scanning the network I’m responsible for, they’re going to find their port partitioned so fast they won’t know what hit them. This story also courtesy News.com.
In the tongue-in-cheek bad news, it would seem that 666 is only in the Neighborhood of the Beast. According to this story, 616 may be the actual Number of the Beast. If they’re right, there will be a lot of tattoos that will have to be corrected.
A federal appeals court has jerked the FCC’s chain and told TV manufacturers that they are not a wholly-owned subsidiary of the MPAA. If you like to tape or TiVo your TV, you should welcome this news.
Everyone’s seen the picture of the US soldier holding a dying child, the victim of the so-called “insurgents” in Iraq. FOXNews brings us the story behind the photo.
In a bit of local news, Sandy Creek Baptist church is celebrating 250 years of its history. That strikes me as pretty cool.
Teddy Jacobson brings us a Stephen Camp article on Corbon 9mm 115 gr. DPX + P ammo. If you rely on a 9mm as a carry or self defense gun (and if you do, why?), you should read this. Corbon is some expensive stuff, but what’s your life worth?
The Pajama Pundits are hosting this week’s Carnival of Cordite.
And finally, Mr. Lion rips the NY Times *spit* a new one because they’re advocating a return to the 55 MPH speed limit. Damn, the next thing you know Joan Claybrook is going to be back designing speedometers.