RTFA: http://lessig.org/blog/2007/10/corruption_lecture_…

As promised, here’s the first lecture on corruption. It is an alpha version. I’m eager for comments and feedback. My first written feedback came from Aaron Swartz, with whom I had conspired last winter about making this move. I’ll post his comments and some replies later today. I’ve also set up a page on the wiki where I will collect significant versions of the argument. Summary and criticism there would be helpful.

Hmm.. I haven’t watched this in its entirety, since it’s 65 minutes on Google Video. However, it’s on the list – perhaps for tonight?

RTFA: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070926/ap_on_go_ca_st…

WASHINGTON – Defense Secretary Robert Gates told Congress on Wednesday he is unhappy with the Pentagon’s oversight of its private contractors in Iraq, saying he’s dispatched a fact-finding team to investigate problems there.

“My concern is whether there has been sufficient accountability and oversight,” he told the Senate Appropriations Committee at a hearing called to discuss the administration’s request for additional war funding.

Gates said the Pentagon has sufficient legal authority to control its contractors. The issue, he said, is whether commanders have sufficient “means and resources” to exercise adequate oversight.

RTFA: http://www.stopthespying.org/

The president is unconstitutionally wiretapping the telephone and Internet communications of millions of ordinary Americans.
Companies like AT&T want immunity for their illegal collaboration with the President’s program.

And Congress might let them get away with it.

Stop the Spying Now!

This one is pretty basic. Your conversations have been recorded. Yes – that’s what this fuss is about. You thought you had a constitution to protect you, but now you feel like an idiot.

RTFA: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,295805,00.html

A woman accused of running a high-end Washington prostitution ring says the U.S. government may be targeting her because Muslim men used her escort service before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

In court papers filed this week, Deborah Jeane Palfrey said she might have to divulge classified information to defend herself against racketeering charges. She said the information possibly including the identities of customers from the Middle East could have national security implications.

She is asking a federal judge to schedule a secret hearing to discuss the information.

Everybody is pulling the “national security” card. This reasoning appears to be a little contrived.

RTFA: http://techdirt.com/articles/20070829/155106.shtml

“No portions of this website may be reproduced or copied without the express written permission of the owner.”

And then goes on to selectively highlight or quote certain parts of copyright law. Of course, this is wrong. As I did above, you can absolutely reproduce or copy portions of this company’s website without the express written permission of the owner. It’s called fair use, and while many copyright holders want to pretend it doesn’t exist — it absolutely does. Quoting a small portion of a website, especially for the purpose of, say, educating people about fair use, is fair use at work.

IP law is totally twisted by so many companies, and for so many reasons that have nothing to do with copyright or trademark, at all.