Sweden's government presented a contentious plan Thursday to allow a defense intelligence agency to monitor — without a court order — e-mail traffic and phone calls crossing the nation's borders.
The government insists only a fraction of the electronic communications will be affected, but critics worry the program, designed to combat terrorism and other threats to national security, is too far-reaching.
Their concerns resemble criticism of a U.S. surveillance program launched in 2001 that monitors international phone calls and e-mails to or from the United States involving people suspected by the government of having terrorist links.
The Swedish proposal, which needs parliamentary approval, would give the National Defence Radio Establishment a green-light to use so-called data mining software to search for sensitive keywords in all phone and e-mail communication passing through cables or wires across the country's borders.
Today, such traffic can only be monitored with court approval if police suspect a crime, although the agency is already free to spy on airborne signals, such as radio and satellite traffic.
European governments have gradually been expanding their surveillance powers, wiretapping rules and police search powers as part of efforts to unravel terror plots.
Looks like others are coming around to the knowledge that fighting terrorists needs similar tools.
The top U.S. mobile service provider, owned by AT&T Inc., plans to announce an agreement with World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. on Thursday to sell everything from ringtones with famous wrestlers' voices to graphics and videos, including weekly matches and the annual spring tournament.
Some World Wrestling videos will be available as part of Cingular's $19.99 a month media service plan and the company will also sell a premium video package for $4.99 a month featuring highlights from WrestleMania and other shows.
Cingular, which is being rebranded as AT&T, will also sell related ringtones for $2.49 each and graphics for $1.99.
He believes enough of Cingular's 61 million customers are wrestling fans "that this will do very well."
But WWE's 15 million weekly viewers are the ones who will ultimately decide if the phone screen can deliver a clear enough image of favorite super stars like Hacksaw Jim Duggan or his curvaceous female counterparts.
There is no stopping the WWE. I just hope their fans aren't watching wrestling on their cell phones while driving. They are crazy enough already.
Let's check back in 6 months to see where this goes.. Umm, nowhere. This is another right wing whack job attempt by the MINORITY party of the swedes to make some headlines. There is ZERO chance it will pass, as the swedes take their privacy VERY seriously.
I challenge retire rich to show ONE LAW that has passed in the European community which gives the government rights that the patriot act has done for us.
Hmm, well, a friend of mine said something (kind of) along those lines but I thought it was funny at least - - - "...well they brought Spock back in Star Trek III with the Genesis machine..." I about lost it laughing..
Either way, as long as they still have cool space cinema and some more battle, I'll be cool with such a sub-plot
I think the writers have been making a serious mistake by getting away from what makes the series interesting: the paranoia over who is/isn't a cylon, and the constant fear of being chased through space by robotic freaks.
By making the Cylons this season a walking Benetton ad, they've managed to take a lot of the tension out of the series. There's also simply fewer space battles...
They need to go back and watch that "30 minutes" episode from the first season.
I challenge retire rich to show ONE LAW that has passed in the European community which gives the government rights that the patriot act has done for us.
to quote the Big Lebowski here, "obviously you're not a golfer"
Ever hear of a band called Van Halen? ...That's pic looks like it should be some kind of poster in health/drug ed. class "don't do hard drugs or you'll end up like this guy.."
ever hear of a doob doing that to a person? didn't think so. not that I'm advocating use of any of that, just that the nutcase people who think all (illegal) drugs are of equal levels of evil are a bit wrong in their assumptions.
but in case you were posting in jest, that was a good one TCH, it looks as if that human came from a distant, zoned out planet of waste... sad really...
My department had to deal with the Rinbot virus since last Thursday, when infection occurred. I am glad it's pretty much over but am very exhausted about it.
