SOURCE:Computerworld

Software maker blasts 'vigilantism' in Pa. school spying case

Absolute Software will update its LANRev to disable camera feature

By Gregg Keizer

The company selling the software used by a Pennsylvania school district to allegedly spy on its students blasted what it called laptop theft-recovery "vigilantism" today.

Absolute Software said it dissuades users of theft-recovery software from acting on their own. "We discourage any customer from taking theft recovery into their own hands," said Stephen Midgley, the company's head of marketing, in an interview Monday. "That's best left in the hands of professionals."

Midgley confirmed that Lower Merion School District of Ardmore, Pa. was running Absolute Manage, formerly known as LANRev, which Absolute Software acquired last December. The suburban Philadelphia school district purchased and deployed LANRev prior to Absolute's acquisition, he said, noting that most school districts buy the software for power management features that let IT staff remotely power down systems.

Deprivation of rights under color of law is a well-recognized, if not frequently prosecuted crime. Indeed, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has a comprehensive explanation and some interesting statistical data, including a list of the most common categories in which these crimes occur:

• excessive force;

• sexual assaults;

• false arrest and fabrication of evidence;

• deprivation of property; and

• failure to keep from harm.

However, that's not the topic I want to address today. I want to focus on what I call "deprivation of rights under cover of law." But, first it seems important to consider what "deprivation" means.

SOURCE:BlueHampshire

200 Years and Counting--Adultery in New Hampshire Still a Crime

by: hannah

Mon Dec 21, 2009 at 07:27:51 AM EST

But, not much longer, if Representatives Horrigan, D-Durham, and McGuire, R-Epsom can get the Legislature to approve the bill they have filed to repeal the criminal statute. The Associated Press story has been picked up coast to coast and border to border. So, in an effort to avoid repetition, let me suggest a slightly different perspective on what's appropriate for the coercive powers of the state to address and what not.

Read More

SOURCE:NH Union Leader

Terie Norelli: Discrimination against the transgendered is wrong

By TERIE NORELLI

There are persons in our society who are discriminated against and who deserve our protection. Twelve states, more than 50 cities, and many large corporations have opposed discrimination against transgendered persons.

New Hampshire and the General Court have a long and proud history of standing against discrimination. A few weeks ago, the House once again stood against discrimination. I would urge all citizens of our state and all members of the Senate to stand with us.

Four retired U.S. military men shared their opinions with the readers of the Washington Post.

Whether or not it's all worth reading, the first few paragraphs demand a response.

Gays and The Military: A Bad Fit
By James J. Lindsay, Jerome Johnson, E.G. "Buck" Shuler Jr. and Joseph J. Went

Wednesday, April 15, 2009; Page A19

With the nation engaged in two wars and facing a number of potential adversaries, this is no time to weaken our military. Yet if gay rights activists and their allies have their way, grave harm will soon be inflicted on our all-volunteer force.

It seems that Justice Clarence Thomas and I have a point of agreement--that our rights, both human and civil, have concomitant obligations.

‘Today there is much focus on our rights,” Justice Thomas said. “Indeed, I think there is a proliferation of rights.”

“I am often surprised by the virtual nobility that seems to be accorded those with grievances,” he said. “Shouldn’t there at least be equal time for our Bill of Obligations and our Bill of Responsibilities?”

When the State of New Hampshire determines that an individual should be deprived of liberty and the pursuit of happiness and put under the guardianship of the state, it petitions a Court (Judge of Probate) to find that the "ward" is "incapable of exercising" his or her rights to do any or all of the following:

It was a rather peculiar diatribe by the Secretary of Defense, especially considering that, oh so many ages ago, he'd been a member of the Air Force himself. Even more puzzling, considering that the Air Force is running at least four mega bases in Iraq, including the Balad Air Field, which rivals O'Hare in traffic, was Robert Gates' assertion that the Air Force is not pulling its weight in the Iraq and Afghanistan endeavors.

What was he thinking?

Over at NHFree.com we have been kicking around various ideas for civil disobedience. I'm kind of a perfectionist about CD and think it should be done mostly when it's something average people could support. So I'd like to know what you progressive NH folks think, before I decide whether to do this. Right now I'd say there's a 10% chance I will.

Considering how many people have been harmed by the TSA, how expensive it has gotten, how ineffective it is generally acknowledged to be... how it even endangers people...perhaps *something* harmless needs to be done to show them that at least some folks have had enough. The images of despondent, shuffling, compliant humanity in those lines...do not remind me much of the America I read about in history books.

What if I were to touch base with all the authorities at Manch airport and inform them I and others will be appearing at a given time near the security checkpoint. I'd be wearing a shirt that reads something like: "Report TSA abuses here." I'd want to stay out of the way. If people approach me with complaints about the authorities, I give out phone numbers they can call. Maybe I bring a camera and interview passengers who come up to me, air their stories, let them use my phone, provide some other form of humanitarian assistance. Probably I do not try to videotape the checkpoint itself unless something controversial happens there. I broadcast live on Porcupine 411. Media gets invited.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MANCHESTER – The Friends of Patrick Arnold PAC has launched a campaign website at Democracy for America’s DFA-Link.

Patrick Arnold, a resident of Manchester’s Ward 12, is running for State Representative to represent citizens of Manchester’s west side (Hillsborough Co., Dist. 17) in the State Legislature.

SEN CLINTON AND SEN OBAMA

PLEASE STEP UP AND LEAD!

To All House And Senate Members

NO RETROACTIVE IMMUNITY FOR THE TELECOM GIANTS!

Thank You Sen. Dodd for heading back to Washington and taking your stand on this all important issue. Thank you for upholding your sworn oath to defend our Constitution. Most Constitutional Law Scholars believe the NSA warrant less spying program violated the Fourth Amendment of The Bill Of Rights concerning Unreasonable Search and Seizure. In no way, should any Bill be passed giving retroactive immunity to the phone companies. They were accomplices to law breaking.

We need to send a clear message to future Commanders in Chief that if you engage Corporations into becoming accomplices in law breaking, there will be a price to pay, for both the President, and the guilty Corporations. I only wish more of the Presidential candidates would have left Iowa for one day, and stood with you. You Sen. Dodd, Sen Feingold, and Rep. Kucinich seem to be of the very few in Washington who have the courage to take the correct stand for "We The People." The FISA courts were set up in 1978, necessary, due to the Nixon administration and it's abuse of Executive Branch Power.

SOURCE: SALON.COM

by Glenn Greenwald

During yesterday’s chat with Washington Post Congressional reporter Paul Kane, this extremely revealing exchange occurred, regarding the view of Harry Reid and other anonymous Democrats of Chris Dodd’s actions this week, whereby Dodd disrupted their collective desire for quick, smooth, trouble-free passage of Bush’s surveillance and immunity bill:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NH Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy
1 603-391-7450
info@nhcommonsense.org
www.nhcommonsense.org
12/14/2007

The New Hampshire Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy today announced the launch of its online petition to support a marijuana decriminalization measure in the New Hampshire House of Representatives. The bill would reduce penalties for possession of less than 1.25 ounces of marijuana from a misdemeanor to a "civil violation" offense punishable only by a fine.

Executive Director Matt Simon said the measure that will be considered is a far cry from legalization. "This bill will simply reduce the penalties for marijuana possession and acknowledge an obvious fact: that marijuana is far less harmful than some other currently illegal drugs," he said.

Supporters note that similar 'decrim' measures have been in effect since the 1970's in other states, including Maine. "We're just trying to minimize the harms done by Marijuana Prohibition," Simon explained.

SOURCE: Boston Globe

By David Abel

Globe Staff / December 10, 2007

A federal jury ruled last week that State Police troopers at Logan International Airport unlawfully detained the coordinator of the American Civil Liberties Union's Campaign Against Racial Profiling while he was passing through the airport in the fall of 2003, attorneys on both sides said yesterday.
King Downing sued the Massachusetts Port Authority, which runs the airport, and State Police, alleging the troopers violated his constitutional rights by unreasonably stopping, questioning, and asking him for identification after he left the gate area. He had arrived in Boston to attend a meeting on racial profiling.

SOURCE: Baltimore Sun

by Ralph E. Shaffer and R. William Robinson

With overwhelming bipartisan support, Rep. Jane Harman’s “Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act” passed the House 404-6 late last month and now rests in Sen. Joe Lieberman’s Homeland Security Committee. Swift Senate passage appears certain.

Not since the “Patriot Act” of 2001 has any bill so threatened our constitutionally guaranteed rights.

If you didn't get around to watching the most recent Democratic presidential candidates sounding off in Las Vegas, you didn't miss much. As usual, a couple of candidates got to monopolize the time and the really important issue of the week, immunity for the telephone companies who've been helping our security agencies spy on the American people, got short shrift.