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Simon Phipps's personal commentary

Gartner slates Passport [WebTech]

Seems Gartner group is profoundly unimpressed by Passport and that just because you say security is important it doesn't mean you're secure...

posted at 7:44 PM (UK) | Comment? (0 so far) | links to this post | |

Police State, redux [SocioPolitico]

When a right-wing commentator (author of a book of 'anti-left venom', "The Terrible Truth About Liberals") calls America a police state [via IP], it's time to sit up and notice that there's an issue and not just liberal propaganda. Boortz has plenty of proof-points in his article, but the use of Texas Rangers and federal agents to pursue and allegedly harrass Texas state legislators who were using the only avenue left to obstruct apparent jerrymandering by the Republican majority seemed to me to resonate and to top out the list of signs that include 'disappearances', imprisonment without trial and arbitrary restrictions on freedom of travel.

And is America up in arms about this? Well no. It seems that all discussion of these issues, like discussion of links [Day Pass required, see also the cartoonist's blog] between the current administration's policies and the contracts being awarded or earmarked for their campaign contributors and past employers, is considered unpatriotic. How bad does it have to get before it makes the front pages [free Day Pass required] and the Fox Network, I wonder? And (not that I am trying) how many blog entries will it take to get on the 'denied travel' list?

posted at 6:51 PM (UK) | Comment? (0 so far) | links to this post | |

Eclipse [PhotoTravel]

I am in California and saw the end of the eclipse of the moon last night - wonderful! I have never seen an eclipse before, so this was a big first for me, given a passing interest in the heavens for many years. The blood red of the covered part on a huge, rising moon that was just becoming full was awesome.

posted at 5:20 PM (UK) | Comment? (0 so far) | links to this post | |