White House edits to EPA Report on the Environment

by

The White House really doesn’t want to admit that there’s such a thing as global warming. Need proof that they’re doing everything they can to prevent little things like scientific findings from getting in the way of their agenda? A leaked internal memo from the EPA dated April 29th 2003 discussing changes that the White House made to the EPA’s Report on the Environment, and what options they have while dealing with the White House.

  1. Most important, the ROE no longer accurately represents scientific consensus on climate change. A few examples are:
    1. Conclusions of the NRC (2001) are discarded, that multiple studies indicate recent warming is unusual. The 1000 year temperature record is deleted…. Emphasis is given to a recent, limited analysis [that] supports the Administration’s favored message….

    2. Natural variability is used to mask scientific consensus that most of the recent temperature increase is likely due to human activities….

    3. Uncertainty is inserted (with “potentially” or “may”) where there is essentially none. For example, the introductory paragraph on climate change…says that changes in the radiative balance of the atmosphere “may” affect weather and climate. EPA had provided numerous scientific citations, and even Congressional testimony by Patrick J. Michaels, to show that this relationship is not disputed….

    4. Repeated references may leave an impression that cooling is as much of an issue as warming….

(via Boing Boinga>)

Wanna get the FBI's attention?

by

There’s been a rumor going around the ‘net for a while (so far, officially unsubstantiated) that there are certain words which the FBI/CIA/NSA/government scans for using their “Echelon” technology in an effort to sniff out potential terrorists, evidoers, stupidheads, and people who hoard overdue library books. Well, maybe not the stupidheads, but we’re pretty sure about the rest.

The following is (theoretically) a list of (most of) the (suspected) keywords (according to William Knowles). So if I suddenly stop posting here…this post is probably why. ;)

(via MeFi)

Waihopai, INFOSEC, Information Security, Information Warfare, IW, IS, Priavacy, Information Terrorism, Terrorism Defensive Information, Defense Information Warfare, Offensive Information, Offensive Information Warfare, National Information Infrastructure, InfoSec, Reno, Compsec, Computer Terrorism, Firewalls, Secure Internet Connections, ISS, Passwords, DefCon V, Hackers, Encryption, Espionage, USDOJ, NSA, CIA, S/Key, SSL, FBI, Secert Service, USSS, Defcon, Military, White House, Undercover, NCCS, Mayfly, PGP, PEM, RSA, Perl-RSA, MSNBC, bet, AOL, AOL TOS, CIS, CBOT, AIMSX, STARLAN, 3B2, BITNET, COSMOS, DATTA, E911, FCIC, HTCIA, IACIS, UT/RUS, JANET, JICC, ReMOB, LEETAC, UTU, VNET, BRLO, BZ, CANSLO, CBNRC, CIDA, JAVA, Active X, Compsec 97, LLC, DERA, Mavricks, Meta-hackers, \^?, Steve Case, Tools, Telex, Military Intelligence, Scully, Flame, Infowar, Bubba, Freeh, Archives, Sundevil, jack, Investigation, ISACA, NCSA, spook words, Verisign, Secure, ASIO, Lebed, ICE, NRO, Lexis-Nexis, NSCT, SCIF, FLiR, Lacrosse, Flashbangs, HRT, DIA, USCOI, CID, BOP, FINCEN, FLETC, NIJ, ACC, AFSPC, BMDO, NAVWAN, NRL, RL, NAVWCWPNS, NSWC, USAFA, AHPCRC, ARPA, LABLINK, USACIL, USCG, NRC, \~, CDC, DOE, FMS, HPCC, NTIS, SEL, USCODE, CISE, SIRC, CIM, ISN, DJC, SGC, UNCPCJ, CFC, DREO, CDA, DRA, SHAPE, SACLANT, BECCA, DCJFTF, HALO, HAHO, FKS, 868, GCHQ, DITSA, SORT, AMEMB, NSG, HIC, EDI, SAS, SBS, UDT, GOE, DOE, GEO, Masuda, Forte, AT, GIGN, Exon Shell, CQB, CONUS, CTU, RCMP, GRU, SASR, GSG-9, 22nd SAS, GEOS, EADA, BBE, STEP, Echelon, Dictionary, MD2, MD4, MDA, MYK, 747,777, 767, MI5, 737, MI6, 757, Kh-11, Shayet-13, SADMS, Spetznaz, Recce, 707, CIO, NOCS, Halcon, Duress, RAID, Psyops, grom, D-11, SERT, VIP, ARC, S.E.T. Team, MP5k, DREC, DEVGRP, DF, DSD, FDM, GRU, LRTS, SIGDEV, NACSI, PSAC, PTT, RFI, SIGDASYS, TDM. SUKLO, SUSLO, TELINT, TEXTA. ELF, LF, MF, VHF, UHF, SHF, SASP, WANK, Colonel, domestic disruption, smuggle, 15kg, nitrate, Pretoria, M-14, enigma, Bletchley Park, Clandestine, nkvd, argus, afsatcom, CQB, NVD, Counter Terrorism Security, Rapid Reaction, Corporate Security, Police, sniper, PPS, ASIS, ASLET, TSCM, Security Consulting, High Security, Security Evaluation, Electronic Surveillance, MI-17, Counterterrorism, spies, eavesdropping, debugging, interception, COCOT, rhost, rhosts, SETA, Amherst, Broadside, Capricorn, Gamma, Gorizont, Guppy, Ionosphere, Mole, Keyhole, Kilderkin, Artichoke, Badger, Cornflower, Daisy, Egret, Iris, Hollyhock, Jasmine, Juile, Vinnell, B.D.M.,Sphinx, Stephanie, Reflection, Spoke, Talent, Trump, FX, FXR, IMF, POCSAG, Covert Video, Intiso, r00t, lock picking, Beyond Hope, csystems, passwd, 2600 Magazine, Competitor, EO, Chan, Alouette,executive, Event Security, Mace, Cap-Stun, stakeout, ninja, ASIS, ISA, EOD, Oscor, Merlin, NTT, SL-1, Rolm, TIE, Tie-fighter, PBX, SLI, NTT, MSCJ, MIT, 69, RIT, Time, MSEE, Cable & Wireless, CSE, Embassy, ETA, Porno, Fax, finks, Fax encryption, white noise, pink noise, CRA, M.P.R.I., top secret, Mossberg, 50BMG, Macintosh Security, Macintosh Internet Security, Macintosh Firewalls, Unix Security, VIP Protection, SIG, sweep, Medco, TRD, TDR, sweeping, TELINT, Audiotel, Harvard, 1080H, SWS, Asset, Satellite imagery, force, Cypherpunks, Coderpunks, TRW, remailers, replay, redheads, RX-7, explicit, FLAME, Pornstars, AVN, Playboy, Anonymous, Sex, chaining, codes, Nuclear, 20, subversives, SLIP, toad, fish, data havens, unix, c, a, b, d, the, Elvis, quiche, DES, 1*, NATIA, NATOA, sneakers, counterintelligence, industrial espionage, PI, TSCI, industrial intelligence, H.N.P., Juiliett Class Submarine, Locks, loch, Ingram Mac-10, sigvoice, ssa, E.O.D., SEMTEX, penrep, racal, OTP, OSS, Blowpipe, CCS, GSA, Kilo Class, squib, primacord, RSP, Becker, Nerd, fangs, Austin, Comirex, GPMG, Speakeasy, humint, GEODSS, SORO, M5, ANC, zone, SBI, DSS, S.A.I.C., Minox, Keyhole, SAR, Rand Corporation, Wackenhutt, EO, Wackendude, mol, Hillal, GGL, CTU, botux, Virii, CCC, Blacklisted 411, Internet Underground, XS4ALL, Retinal Fetish, Fetish, Yobie, CTP, CATO, Phon-e, Chicago Posse, l0ck, spook keywords, PLA, TDYC, W3, CUD, CdC, Weekly World News, Zen, World Domination, Dead, GRU, M72750, Salsa, 7, Blowfish, Gorelick, Glock, Ft. Meade, press-release, Indigo, wire transfer, e-cash, Bubba the Love Sponge, Digicash, zip, SWAT, Ortega, PPP, crypto-anarchy, AT&T, SGI, SUN, MCI, Blacknet, Middleman, KLM, Blackbird, plutonium, Texas, jihad, SDI, Uzi, Fort Meade, supercomputer, bullion, 3, Blackmednet, Propaganda, ABC, Satellite phones, Planet-1, cryptanalysis, nuclear, FBI, Panama, fissionable, Sears Tower, NORAD, Delta Force, SEAL, virtual, Dolch, secure shell, screws, Black-Ops, Area51, SABC, basement, data-haven, black-bag, TEMPSET, Goodwin, rebels, ID, MD5, IDEA, garbage, market, beef, Stego, unclassified, utopia, orthodox, Alica, SHA, Global, gorilla, Bob, Pseudonyms, MITM, Gray Data, VLSI, mega, Leitrim, Yakima, Sugar Grove, Cowboy, Gist, 8182, Gatt, Platform, 1911, Geraldton, UKUSA, veggie, 3848, Morwenstow, Consul, Oratory, Pine Gap, Menwith, Mantis, DSD, BVD, 1984, Flintlock, cybercash, government, hate, speedbump, illuminati, president, freedom, cocaine, \$, Roswell, ESN, COS, E.T., credit card, b9, fraud, assasinate, virus, anarchy, rogue, mailbomb, 888, Chelsea, 1997, Whitewater, MOD, York, plutonium, William Gates, clone, BATF, SGDN, Nike, Atlas, Delta, TWA, Kiwi, PGP 2.6.2., PGP 5.0i, PGP 5.1, siliconpimp, Lynch, 414, Face, Pixar, IRIDF, eternity server, Skytel, Yukon, Templeton, LUK, Cohiba, Soros, Standford, niche, 51, H&K, USP, \^, sardine, bank, EUB, USP, PCS, NRO, Red Cell, Glock 26, snuffle, Patel, package, ISI, INR, INS, IRS, GRU, RUOP, GSS, NSP, SRI, Ronco, Armani, BOSS, Chobetsu, FBIS, BND, SISDE, FSB, BfV, IB, froglegs, JITEM, SADF, advise, TUSA, HoHoCon, SISMI, FIS, MSW, Spyderco, UOP, SSCI, NIMA, MOIS, SVR, SIN, advisors, SAP, OAU, PFS, Aladdin, chameleon man, Hutsul, CESID, Bess, rail gun, Peering, 17, 312, NB, CBM, CTP, Sardine, SBIRS, SGDN, ADIU, DEADBEEF, IDP, IDF, Halibut, SONANGOL, Flu, &, Loin, PGP 5.53, EG&G, AIEWS, AMW, WORM, MP5K-SD, 1071, WINGS, cdi, DynCorp, UXO, Ti, THAAD, package, chosen, PRIME, SURVIAC, [Hello to all my friends and fans in domestic surveillance]

Easy MovableType to TypePad redirecting

by

Since this weblog used to be managed using MovableType on my personal server, and I’m working on moving all of my old posts over to this weblog (only one year’s worth of posts left to go!), I’ve ended up with most of my posts duplicated in two spots on the ‘net. I’m also still getting a lot of hits to my old site (and the occasional comment) thanks to all the search engines that still point there.

I’d been planning on diving into the arcana of the Apache mod_rewrite module — it’s a very powerful way to tell your server “if someone asks for this page, send them to that page instead” — to redirect all the hits to this new address, but then tonight I discovered a much, much easier solution.

Needless to say, as soon as I get those last years’ worth of posts transferred over, I’ll be setting this method up.

Here come the ads

by

My “Bookshelf” (books) and “Noises” (CDs) lists are back on the site, now that TypePad has given us the necessary tags to work them into our templates. Since I didn’t want to go back to having sidebars on the page, but still wanted to incorporate them into the front page somehow, I’m currently experimenting with an “ad banner” style layout.

Between the 2nd and 3rd posts on At the very bottom of the main page, there’s now the “ad banner” box, displaying the most recent addition to my book and music lists. For books, this is whatever I’m currently reading, and for music, I’m more or less randomly choosing a CD every so often to pop in there. The far right side is simply a link to Amazon. As always, any purchases from these links funnel a few pennies my way. It may not be much, but every little bit helps!

Bare your bum at Bush!

by

Bare Your Bum at Bush!The President of the United States has accepted an invitation from The Queen to pay a State Visit to the United Kingdom from Wednesday 19th November to Friday 21st November 2003.

George Bush is unlikely to walk around the streets kissing babies because of the large number of people that wish to blow him up. However, a ‘Brits love Bush’ photo-op of happy crowds greeting the man may be in the offing and it’s vitally important that we rob him of such a lucrative propaganda device. By attending such gatherings (by accident or design) and ensuring that you bare your buttocks as he passes by, you either render any photos taken at that moment unusable or make a very clear indication of what Britain thinks of this bigoted warmonger.

Hey, I’d do it! Maybe it’s time we rethink our protest strategies here in the U.S., too.

(via Atrios)

Love, Natalie

by

A definite must-read: a letter from Natalie of the Dixie Chicks:

Dear Reader:

I am taking the time out of my very busy rock and roll life to write you this letter. As I am sure you can understand, being me is a full time job. I can’t just drop everything every three days because someone needs a quote or statement about a quote or statement we may or may not have said. It’s just draining me of time and effort I need to put toward other things. For one, I as a taxpayer have to get busy earning money to help pay off the latest \$87 billion dollar addition to the national debt! Also, I have a huge list of phone calls to return.

I’ll list a few just so you get the idea.

Message 1: Saddam Hussein called and wants to know where his weapons of mass destruction are. Listen Saddam, I already told you, I don’t know. You’re going to have to call the White House on that one.

Message 2: Country radio called and wants to know if it’s true that you’re leaving country music? This one must be a prank call. I mean, how can you leave a party now when the hosts had shown you to the door six months ago.

(via Atrios)

Geek porn!

by

Cute girl + Dual 2.0 Ghz PowerMac G5 = Geek Porn! ;)

If all goes well, I should be doing this very thing this weekend. ‘Cept I won’t be nearly as photogenic while doing it. And I don’t think I’d look as good in that dress. Other than that, though, it’ll be exactly the same. Really.

Dean breaks Clinton's fundraising record

by

According to ABC News, Howard Dean is on-track to come close to the quarter-million mark in fundraising so far, and has already beat Clinton’s fundraising record.

Dean, raising millions on the Internet, will probably take in \$13 million to \$16 million this quarter, a campaign insider said. That would lift him to at least \$23.5 million for the race so far and probably make him the Democratic money leader for the year.

Democratic strategists say Dean could raise at least double what his party’s other top hopefuls will collect during the three-month fund-raising period. The former Vermont governor has already passed the Democratic record set by President Clinton, who took in \$10.3 million over three months in 1995 for his re-election.

While it wasn’t explicitly mentioned in the article, I thought the attached photo was interesting — a shot of Dean receiving a framed picture of Martin Luther King, Jr. from labor leader Dennis Rivera.

Rivera, head of one of New York’s most politically powerful labor unions, Local 1199 of Service Employees International, put his fund-raising muscle behind the former Vermont governor.

While I don’t know whether this was an official endorsement from Local 1199, or whether any other labor unions have officially backed Dean, there has been a fair number of mentions of support and good words from various labor unions concerning Dean. From what I understand, this could be a major, major boost to Dean’s campaign — and blow to Bush’s — if he can pick up endorsements from some of the country’s largest unions. While most of the media talk lately has been about Clark’s entry to the Democratic field, Dean’s momentum certainly hasn’t seemed to slip any. Good to see.

(via Mathew Gross)

Burning toast brightly, proudly, and with great beauty

by

Following up on yesterday’s book banning post, today comes news that the books will not be removed from the school curriculum.

In the end, the school board voted unanimously to keep Brave New World and Stranger in a Strange Land, while giving parents more control over their students’ choices by requiring principals to automatically offer an alternative to a challenged book.

While I’m very glad that this was the final decision, the requirement to offer alternative choices seems a little silly. How is that going to work? Most of the class reads Brave New World, while two or three students read something else? Class discussions are going to be an interesting experience.

(via Go Fish)

Good news!

by

George W. Bush is in the worst political trouble of his presidency, according to a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released Wednesday night. Bush’s approval rating now stands at 49 percent, the lowest point of his tenure.

[…]

In other questions from the poll released Wednesday night, 52 percent disapproved of Bush’s handling of the economy, his highest disapproval rating ever and the first time it has been above 50 percent.

About damn time, too.

(via Kos)