cnewmark

AT&T and Verizon caught doing untrustworthy stuff

The vast majority of people working at AT&T and Verizon work really hard to do the right thing, but their management seems to have problems with that.

We work with a lot of cops, and they feel that no American is above the law. They resent people who claim to fight terrorism in a way that helps promote terrorism.

In particular, it's hard to sympathize with telecomm management who forgot their civics lessons, and who rolled over when bad guys in power asked them to break the law.

Fortunate, we have genuinely patriotic groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation who are fighting for American values. They need more grassroots support and membership. Check out Stop the Spying. For more, check out their take on the issue, including a pertinent link to reporting by Newsweek.

Remember, the people at the telecoms aren't happy with the (lack of?) trustworthiness of their management. In developing situations:

• Verizon was caught interfering people could text on their phones
• AT&T is trying to crush legitimate criticism of their services

WristSTRONG: Salman Rushdie

Burma: "I'll let you know when I've been shot"

Good updates re the situation in Burma from the SF Chronicle/SF Gate here:

"I'll let you know when I've been shot," Dawn continued. "I'll ask someone before I die to blog about it. If it was an instant death, I'll come to my sister in my dream and tell her to blog about it, or I won't rest in peace."

Dawn's blog is here

My friend said I was brave blogging about this when I am confused about where I stand. I was not being brave. I am a coward hiding in the office. At first, I started removing my photo in my profile, and was going to hide the posts that provide personal details of me. Then I decided not to because I am not doing anything wrong.

In the midst of all these chaos, I am very afraid. I am afraid for myself, I am afraid for my family, and I am afraid for the country.

... and 'net access cut off today

Writers from Colbert/Onion/Letterman doing show in SF

Hey, these guys write for the Finest News Sources, worth checking out:

Following a sold-out national tour, the Found Footage Festival will make its triumphant return to the Bay Area next month with a brand new installment of live comedy and hilarious clips from found videotapes. By popular demand, curators Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher will present their all-new lineup of odd and hilarious found video clips in a special four-show engagement at The Red Vic Movie House in San Francisco on Friday, Oct. 5th and Saturday, October 6th at 7:15& 9:15 pm. The weekend Bay Area tour will wrap up with a matinee performance at The Parkway Theater in Oakland on Sunday, Oct. 7th at 5 pm.

Check here for more.

Knight News Challenge Season

Hey, the Knight Foundation does a lot of good for journalism as it evolves.

If you know anyone interested in innovation in community journalism who wants to try for some of the $5 million prize pool, have 'em check out newschallenge.org

from Sunlight Foundation: earmarkwatch.org

Hey, the folks there have been busy, launching a new tool to look at questionable actions by Congressmen at EarmarkWatch:

Here's your chance to investigate earmarks–those spending measures inserted by members of Congress into bills that direct taxpayer dollars to their pet projects. Are members using earmarks to meet pressing needs? Reward political supporters? Are they good public policy, or vehicles for pure pork? Every earmark is different, and we currently have over 3,000 of them online, ready and waiting for you to dig into.

Here's a little tidbit:

In an alpha test of the tool, Sunlight researchers used it to determine that 17 of the 27 recipients of Defense earmarks sponsored by Rep. James Moran had contributed to his campaign or leadership PAC in 2007, some $99,900 in all. Those 17 firms were showered with earmarks worth $24 million.

WristSTRONG: Kamala Harris, DA for San Francisco

(Scott Chernis, www.scottchernis.com)

Burma: "It's hard to hide what's happening here"

That's what I heard yesterday on the BBC from a guy in Burma, as the military dictatorship cracks down.

Also, check out Burma cyber-dissidents crack censorship:

Images of saffron-robed monks leading throngs of people along the streets of Rangoon have been seeping out of a country famed for its totalitarian regime and repressive control of information.

The pictures are sometimes grainy and the video footage shaky - captured at great personal risk on mobile phones - but each represents a powerful statement of political dissent.

"It is amazing how the Burmese are able through underground networks to get things from outside and inside," says Vincent Brussels, head of the Asian section of press freedom organisation Reporters Without Borders.

Some coverage of the OneVoice blogger event with WristStrong

Hey, some people talk about it much more eloquently than I have:

• OrthodoxAnarchist
  
• MidEastYouth
  
• NoFactZone
  

Arianna supports WristStrong at OneVoice bloggers' event

(yes, a bad photo)

She made a reference to my "gorgeous" gf, which is true, but... I still haven't gotten the wristband from her.

also, the No Fact Zone picked up my giving a wrist band to Richard Sambrook who runs BBC World Service, which I listen to a lot, like now.