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Defense Department 'eDNA' Plan Withdrawn
An anonymous reader points out this report on News.com from Declan McCullagh of a far-reaching plan (now withdrawn) to curtail much online privacy through the use of biometric markers, excerpting "The idea involved creating secure areas of the Internet that could be accessed only if a user had such a marker, called eDNA, according to a report in Friday's New York Times." Perhaps they'll withdraw the plan to track everything you buy next. Update: 11/24 17:38 GMT by T : Here is the original New York Times report from John Markoff.
What? You mean Gattaca didn't drive everyone away from this idea already?
"Not knowing when the dawn will come, I open every door." - Emily Dickinson
I recently joined the ACLU and am now a card carrying member. Strange coming from a middle-class republican backgroun. I am 29 now, and feel that at least a contrary response is needed, so that we don't go off the deep end. I don't agree with everything they say, but at least they are there speaking up and deserve some of my hard earned money.
I also a couple days ago became a card carrying member of EFF which is probablly more palletable to us technologists. I would encourage everyone to at least look at their website. Too often it is easy for us to click and read, instead of taking action. At 29 I have started writing my first letters to my congressman. He is a republican, who doesn't share my views, but still he needs to know as his constituate, that I don't like his voting style. Sure, it is one small drop in the ocean, but enough drops will create a flood.
Whether all the changes going on upset you, or if you like them all, we should all stand up and let our voice be heard. Too many of us, including myself, sit on the sidelines. I was at a concert for Counting Crows recently and Adam the lead singer said "The reason the country is run by a bunch of old people is because us young people don't stand up for our selves."
D.O.U.O.S.V.A.V.V.M.
It's quite possible the current political parties are very disappointing and they do not follow the will of the voters but the will of those with money. We are stuck with a bipartisian mediocrity and cannot easily elect third parties to office due to flaws in the U.S. democratic process. For example, representatives and senators are elected as all or nothing-- if 20% of the population votes for a particular independant party, there is no guarantee that any person of that party is elected. In some European countries, the equivalent of representatives are elected by percentage-- in this case 20% of the representatives will be from the independant party. Likewise, voters for the presidential elections have only one choice, whereas in other democratic countries, voters choose the candidates in the order of preference. This prevents the whole Greens vs. Democrats problem that plagued the previous presidential election, in which Green voters (who'd rather have a Democratic president than a Republican even though voting Green may tip the scales and cause a Republican to win office). Not to mention presidents aren't even chosen by popular vote...
Remember the second amendment! Don't let the government disarm the people.