Bob the Super Hamste - Slashdot User

Submission + - Woman sues for return of phone seized by US border patrol agents (bbc.com)

Submitted by Bob the Super Hamste on Friday August 24, 2018 @12:08PM

Bob the Super Hamste writes: American Rejhane Lazoja's phone was seized by US Customs and Border Protection agents after she refused to unlock it for them. The suit alleges that agents took a copy of the data on her phone and kept the phone for more than 120 days before returning it. Additionally the filing states:

Neither was there probable cause, nor a warrant [to search the phone]. Therefore, the search and seizure of Ms Lazoja's property violated her rights under the Fourth Amendment

Submission + - MN legislature introduces amendemnt to protect electronic communication (startribune.com) 1

Submitted by Bob the Super Hamste on Tuesday February 17, 2015 @03:27PM

Bob the Super Hamste writes: The Minnesota legislature has introduced an amendment to the MN Constitution to enshrine the protections afforded by the 4th amendment to electron communication and data as well. It appears that this amendment has broad diverse support in the state house but leadership in the state senate is only lukewarm on it. In the senate Ron Latz (DFL) Chairman of the Judiciary Committee had blocked the amendment stating that he feels it is redundant. Additionally Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk (DFL) opposes the amendment because it is an amendment to the MN constitution. If passed Minnesota would become only the second state enact such a change after Missouri which did so last year and was passed by 75% of the popular vote.

Submission + - TSA airport screenings now start before you arrive at the airport (nytimes.com)

Submitted by Bob the Super Hamste on Tuesday October 22, 2013 @09:09AM

Bob the Super Hamste writes: The New York Times is reporting that the TSA is now doing background investigations on passengers before they arrive at the airport. The publicly stated reason for this is that it is to streamline the security procedures at airports allowing more passengers to receive less scrutiny while at the air port but this new authority allows the TSA additional information about each traveler. The prescreening that is being performed for domestic travel now uses a simiar standard to that of foreign individuals who where entering the US. The new measures go beyond what is used in the Secure Flight program and while light on details mentions that the passengers passport number will be used. The article does however point out the data sources that are available to the TSA to conduct these pre-screening with such as tax identification number, past travel itineraries, property records, physical characteristics, and law enforcement or intelligence information. Also mentioned is that individuals who do not have a passport will not be subjected to the rules and from my reading will not be eligible for lesser screening at that airport. The stated goal of this program is to have 25% of all airline passengers in the US receive lighter screening at the airport so that they don't have to take their shoes off, remove jackets, or remove laptops from bags. Additionally passengers who are in higher risk categories can receive additional screenings. Also mentioned is that all passengers are currently prescreened and that airlines are required to share your passport data with the TSA if they have it.

Submission + - Computer trading and dark pools (cnn.com)

Submitted by Bob the Super Hamste on Monday July 08, 2013 @10:48AM

Bob the Super Hamste writes: CNN Money has an article on computerized trading specifically the non-public markets that are often used to execute orders. The company that the article discusses executes 1/8 of all stock trades in the US or about 900 million trades a day, for comparison the NYSE executes about 700 million trades. The article discusses dark pools or private markets where quotes aren't disclosed to the broader public markets. If the company is unable to fill an order from within its own dark pool it will submit the order to the broader public market, 13 public exchanges, as well as up to 20 other private dark pools. The quotes offered by the private dark pools by law have to be the same or better quote than those offered on public exchanges. There have been recent questions about whether the quotes provided by dark pools have been the best for customers and there is a current investigation by FINRA into the methods used by market makers and dark pool operators to fill orders.

Submission + - Comcast to expand public WiFi using home internet connections (twincities.com)

Submitted by Bob the Super Hamste on Monday June 17, 2013 @08:25AM

Bob the Super Hamste writes: The St. Paul Pioneer press is reporting that Comcast is planning on expanding its network of public WiFi hot spots in the Twin Cities area by using home internet connections and user's WiFi routers. Customers will be upgraded to new wireless routers that will have 2 wireless networks, one for the home users and one for the general public. Subscribers to Comcast's Xfinity service and customers that participate in the public WiFi program will be allowed free access to the public WiFi offered by this service. Non Comcast customers get 2 free sessions a month each lasting 1 hour with additional sessions costing money. The article mentions that a similar service already exists and is provided by the Spain-based company Fon.

Submission + - Comcast buys out GE's remaining 49% stake in NBC (philly.com)

Submitted by

Bob the Super Hamste

on Wednesday February 13, 2013 @10:03AM

Bob the Super Hamste writes: "On Tuesday Comcast announced that it would accelerated its acquisition of NBCUniversal and purchase the remaining 49% owned by GE for $16.7 billion.Previously GE and Comcast were expected to operate NBCUniversal jointly until mid 2014 with Comcast having the option to extend that out until 2018. So far there are not details on when the deal with be completed but the article indicates that Comcast's complete acquisition of NBCUniversal will be completed years earlier that initially thought."

Submission + - Man charged with HIPPA violations for video taping police (twincities.com)

Submitted by

Bob the Super Hamste

on Wednesday January 09, 2013 @09:44AM

Bob the Super Hamste writes: "The St. Paul Pioneer Press is reporting that Andrew Henderson was recording Ramsey County sheriff's deputies frisk a bloodied faced man who was then loaded into an ambulance by paramedics. Then the sheriff's deputy Jacqueline Muellner approached Andrew Henderson and confiscated his video camera stating "We'll just take this for evidence" which was recorded on Andrew Henderson cell phone. On October 30th Andrew Henderson went to Arden Hills sheriff's office to retrieve his video camera where he was told where he would have to wait to receive his camera back. A week later Andrew Henderson was charged with obstruction of legal process and disorderly conduct with the citation stating "While handling a medical/check the welfare (call), (Henderson) was filming it. Data privacy HIPAA violation. Refused to identify self. Had to stop dealing with sit(uation) to deal w/Henderson." In mid November Andrew Henderson went back to the sheriff's office to attempt to retrieve his camera and get a copy of the report when Deputy Dan Eggers refused. Deputy Dan Eggers pulled Andrew Henderson and have the following discussion which was also recorded by Andrew Henderson.
Deputy Dan Eggers: "I think that what (the deputies) felt was you were interfering with someone's privacy that was having a medical mental health breakdown," "They felt like you were being a 'buttinski' by getting that camera in there and partially recording what was going on in a situation that you were not directly involved in."
Deputy Dan Eggers stated that Henderson should "have a little respect" for people's privacy to which Andrew Henderson stated that he had done nothing illegal
Deputy Dan Eggers noted that the incident report stated nothing was recorded on the camera.
Deputy Dan Eggers: "I mean, were you just pointing it?"
Andrew Henderson: "No. It was deleted,"
Deputy Dan Eggers: "You deleted it?"
Andrew Henderson: "No. She must have deleted it," referring to Jacqueline Muellner.
Not possible, Deputy Dan Eggers replied. "There would have been some documentation about that."

Randy Gustafson Ramsey County sheriff's office spokesman states "It is not our policy to take video cameras. It is everybody's right to (record) ... What happens out in public happens out in public. One exception might be when a law enforcement officer decides that the recording is needed for evidence, he said. In that case, the officer would generally send the file to investigators and return the camera on the spot."

Jane Kirtley professor of media ethics and media law at the University of Minnesota states that "Law enforcement has no expectation of privacy when they are carrying out public duties in a public place." She also notes that the seizure and alleged erasure of recorded evidence "raises significant Fourth Amendment issues for him ... The seizure here was not to preserve the evidence — it was to destroy the evidence."

Jennifer Granick, a specialist on privacy issues at Stanford University Law School, states that the alleged violation of HIPPA rules by Andrew Henderson is nonsense stating "There's nothing in HIPAA that prevents someone who's not subject to HIPAA from taking photographs on the public streets, HIPAA has absolutely nothing to say about that.""

Submission + - Venezuela bans the commercial sale of firearms and ammunition (bbc.co.uk) 2

Submitted by

Bob the Super Hamste

on Friday June 01, 2012 @09:13AM

Bob the Super Hamste writes: "The BBC is reporting on a new law in Venezuela that effectively bans the commercial sale of firearms and ammunition to private citizens. Previously anyone with a permit could purchase a firearm from any commercial vendor but now only the police, military, and security firms will be able to purchase firearms or ammunition from only state owned manufactures or importers. Hugo Chavez's government states that the goal is to eventually disarm the citizenry. The law which went into effect today was passed on February 29th and up to this point the government has been running an amnesty program allowing citizens to turn in their illegal firearms. Since the law was first passed 805,000 rounds of ammunition have been recovered from gun dealers. The measure is intended to curb violent crime in Venezuela where 78% of homicides are linked to firearms."

Submission + - UK Draft Energy Bill avoids banning coal or gas power (bbc.co.uk)

Submitted by

Bob the Super Hamste

on Tuesday May 22, 2012 @09:32AM

Bob the Super Hamste writes: "The BBC is reporting that the UK's new Draft Energy Bill avoids banning coal or gas powered plants. The bill would guarantee profits for new nuclear and offshore wind plants by putting a levy on people's energy bills. The bill does not mandate a statement that minsters had previously made about having totally clean energy within 2 decades. The government states that provisions within the bill will ensure a balanced diverse energy mix as well has stating that future emissions from gas powered plants will have to be captured and stored. The bill also aims to increase competition in the UK energy market by making it easier for new competitors to become connected to the grid.

Joss Garman of Greenpeace states:
"By failing to set a clear goal for carbon-free electricity by 2030, ministers are opening the door to a dangerous new dash for gas that will put up both bills and carbon emissions, and increase our dependence on imported fuel. This means families and business will be exposed to rocketing international gas prices. The fastest and cheapest way to bring down bills and carbon emissions is by ramping up energy efficiency but Ministers have totally failed to deliver on this."

Additionally it would appear that the guarantee of profits for for new nuclear power plants may not be legal as there is a ban on subsidies for nuclear power under European law and the UK coalition government agreement"

Submission + - Sicence fiction writer Elizabeth Moon believes everyone should be chipped (bbc.com) 4

Submitted by

Bob the Super Hamste

on Tuesday May 22, 2012 @09:08AM

Bob the Super Hamste writes: "The BBC has an opinion piece from science fiction writer Elizabeth Moon who believes that everyone should be chipped at birth. Her reasoning is that it would prevent identification mistakes and even allow soldiers to identify combatants from non combatants. You can hear the full piece from the BBC World Service programme The Forum here."

Submission + - Mystery of 2000 year super noval solved new myster (bbc.co.uk)

Submitted by

Bob the Super Hamste

on Tuesday October 25, 2011 @10:39AM

Bob the Super Hamste writes: "The BBC is reporting that the mystery of a 2000 year old supernova has been solved. The supernova RCW 86 was observed in 185AD by Chinese astronomers and was visible for eight months. Recently sicentists have wondered how the supernova grew so big. By combining data from the Chandra X-ray telescope and the XMM-Newton Observatory with recent images from the US space agency Nasa's Spitzer and Wide-field Infrared Survey (Wise) telescopes scientists scientists have figured out that the supernova expanded into a relatively empty bubble of space. These empty bubbles of space are typically associated with a core collapse supernova but the core remnant is high in iron which instead is associated with a type 1A super nova. The findings are published in the Astrophysical Journal."

Submission + - Public supports geo-engineering (bbc.co.uk)

Submitted by

Bob the Super Hamste

on Monday October 24, 2011 @11:17AM

Bob the Super Hamste writes: "The BBC is reporting that there is strong among the public in the US, UK, and Canada for research into geo-engineering with approximately 72% respondents supporting the research. The survey was focused on solar radiation management. The article also mentions the UK Stratospheric Particle Injection for Climate Engineering (SPICE) project which would inject water particles into the upper atmosphere as a prelude to spraying cooling sulphate. Researchers for the SPICE project calculate that 10-20 balloons could cool the global climate by 2C. Also mentioned in the article is the voluntary moratorium on the procedure by the international Convention on Biological Diversity"

Submission + - Is online property real? Lawyer says no. (mnginteractive.com)

Submitted by

Bob the Super Hamste

on Monday October 24, 2011 @08:51AM

Bob the Super Hamste writes: "The St. Paul Pioneer Press is reporting on an analysis by lawyer Justin Kwong in the William Mitchell Law Review about virtual property and ownership. Justin Kwong asserts that virtual items are not real items and that you do not own them but only have a license. The analysis stems from a 2008 case of a Blane, MN man who filed a police report for the online theft of approximately $3800 of virtual goods. Justin Kwong compares virtual items to a mug club at a bar where patrons purchase rights to a specific numbered mug but cannot remove the mug from the premises. He does note that if in game items are purchased there needs to be clear language stating:
"the transaction is a license, not a sale, and that traditional consumer protections afforded by sales of goods do not necessarily apply""

Submission + - Real 3D display (cnn.com)

Submitted by Bob the Super Hamste on Tuesday October 18, 2011 @12:03PM

Bob the Super Hamste writes: Fortune magazine is reporting that the company Zebra Imaging is producing a 3D hologram table that will project a 360 degree 3D image that doesn't require glasses. Funding for this project is being provided by DARPA for battle planning. The company expects it will take at least another 3 years for the table to be ready for commercial applications.

Submission + - TSA announces pilot of trusted traveler program (cnn.com)

Submitted by

Bob the Super Hamste

on Thursday July 14, 2011 @03:42PM

Bob the Super Hamste writes: "CNN is reporting that the TSA has announced the pilot of their trusted traveler program. This is the program where an individual gives up additional information to the government and then gets expedited security. The pilot program will only be available to certain frequent fliers on Delta passengers flying out of Atlanta and Detroit, and to American Airlines passengers flying out of Miami and Dallas. Plans are in the work to expand this to other airports and other airlines as well."

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