Our liberties

I received this from the AAUP (Amer. Assoc. of University Professors) this morning (I've been following this topic since 2008, courtesy of Boingboing.net):

In early 2008 it became apparent that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had implemented a new and invasive policy giving U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents the authority to seize and copy electronic and printed materials at U.S. border crossings without any suspicion of wrongdoing by the traveler. Despite the subsequent change of administration, the department has not reinstated the previous policy, which required agents to have individualized suspicion before seizing or searching the contents of laptops and other electronic devices.

The AAUP joined with other civil liberties organizations in a May 2008 letter to Congress on this issue, and first alerted AAUP members in an October 2008 e-newsletter. We continued to press the issue through a letter from General Secretary Gary Rhoades to newly confirmed DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano in March 2009, and by joining a number of organizations calling on Congress in October 2009 to increase its oversight of the DHS Chief Privacy Officer.

The government’s continued authority to search personal and private data without individualized suspicion could have serious consequences for faculty members who travel in order to teach, speak, conduct research, and collaborate with colleagues around the world. In light of this, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has requested the AAUP’s assistance once again in gathering information about how this policy is being applied to traveling faculty members.

Please take a moment to review the questions below. If your answer to any of the questions is yes, please briefly describe your experience and e-mail your response to laptopsearch@aclu.org. (You may also copy your response to John Curtis, AAUP Director of Research and Public Policy, at jcurtis@aaup.org.) The ACLU and AAUP promise confidentiality to any faculty member responding to this request.

(1) When entering or leaving the United States, has a U.S. official ever examined or browsed the contents of your laptop, PDA, cell phone, or other electronic device?

(2) When entering or leaving the United States, has a U.S. official ever detained your laptop, PDA, cell phone, or other electronic device?

(3) In light of the U.S. government’s policy of conducting suspicionless searches of laptops and other electronic devices, have you taken extra steps to safeguard your electronic information when traveling internationally, such as using encryption software or shipping a hard drive ahead to your destination?

(4) Has the U.S. government’s policy of conducting suspicionless searches of laptops and other electronic devices affected the frequency with which you travel internationally or your willingness to travel with information stored on electronic devices?

The AAUP Government Relations Committee will continue to inform AAUP members and all faculty and academic professionals of important policy matters and advocate on their behalf. We appreciate your advocacy and your responses.

Brian Turner, Randolph-Macon College (Virginia) and Chair, AAUP Government Relations Committee

For a deeper understanding of the Department of Homeland Security’s policy please see the below links to press coverage about and AAUP actions on this issue.

“Bush's Search Policy For Travelers Is Kept,” Washington Post, 8/29/09

Letter from General Secretary Gary Rhoades to DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano, March 20, 2009

“Expanded Powers to Search Travelers at Border Detailed” Washington Post, 9/23/08

“Search and Replace” [editorial], Washington Post, 8/13/08

“US Border Agency Says It Can Seize Laptops” PC World, 8/3/08

“Travelers' Laptops May Be Detained At Border: No Suspicion Required Under DHS Policies” Washington Post, 8/1/08

Letter to House Committee on Homeland Security, May 1, 2008



The AAUP Online is an electronic newsletter of the American Association of University Professors.  Learn more about the AAUP. Visit us on Facebook.

Name that occupation

BP now estimates as much as 100 gallons of crude oil may have spilled in an area around a well house where a pipe broke in the Prudhoe Bay oil field, Alaska officials said Tuesday. BP's initial estimate was 3 gallons of oil.

The spill, discovered Dec. 21, came from a 6-inch line carrying a mixture of crude oil, water and natural gas, said spokesman Weld Royal of the state Department of Environmental Conservation. [emphasis added]

Mr. Weld Royal investigates broken pipes. (from the AP Wires)

What the web has become

I've been concerned for some time about trends on the web. Issues such as privacy violations, commercialization (yes, I'm using google, the biggest advertising service online) and the polarization of the news as a result of customizable news feeds are all trends to watch.

This article in Slate encapsulated my concerns.

http://www.slate.com/id/2239466/

End of year/new year thoughts, pt. 2

I noticed the headline for this article in the SF Chronicle a few days ago but I avoided reading the story because of the wording:  "Earth on track for epic die-off, scientists say."  The main point wasn't as bad as the headline implied, and the reporter included this line: 

 "If we redouble our conservation efforts, we can stem the tide of extinctions and have those species around in the future," he said. "There is a bit of urgency here. By demonstrating that we have already lost 15 to 42 percent of mammalian diversity, the question is, do we really want to lose any more? I think the answer to that is pretty obvious." 

The scientist quoted is Anthony Barnoski, a UC-Berkeley biologist (integrative biology), and he is referring to the mass die-off that occurred in N. America 12,000 years ago when humans arrived on this continent.

Redouble our efforts.

I read about a relatively cheap and effective idea to combat global warming that's gotten little attention. The plan, to paint roofs white, would be effective in cities.  According to this article in the L.A. Times, the suggestion by Steven Chu, if put into effect, might save as much carbon dioxide from building up in the atmosphere as removing 600 million cars from the roads for 18 years.  The estimate did not provide data as to the average mileage of the cars, so I assume they meant standard American cars with an average of 25 miles per gallon efficiency.

Drawbacks to this plan include questions of aesthetics and the inability of white roofs in colder climates to melt snow, thereby raising heating costs because the sun's heat would not penetrate through the snow and the reflective coating.  However, this plan would be highly effective in hotter, sunny climates.  The fastest growing regions in the USA are the South and Southwest, so this would be beneficial in those regions, and world wide, more people live in equatorial cities  than in cities north of the equator.

Another relatively cheap plan would be to replace wood-burning ovens that produce heavy amounts of particulate matter with efficient solar ovens, or clean stoves (carbon offset projects demo).  According to Wired, this relatively cheap intervention would reduce or eliminate one quarter of the world's soot and smoke released into the atmosphere, the type of particulate matter that coal-fired power plants and cars produce.  A climate report released by UCSD's Scripps Institution of Oceanography in March, 2008 described the immediate improvement to be accrued if smokeless stoves were to be distributed throughout regions relying on wood, dung or coal for cooking fuel.  According to the authors of that report, (also quoted in the Wired article), soot and other particulate air pollution are 60% as polluting as carbon dioxide.  These particulates, called 'black carbon,' are also produced by burning diesel fuel and so are produced in northern regions that rely on diesel to heat homes in the winter.  A number of agencies have begun projects to distribute clean stoves, including the Surya Project, begun by Dr. Veerabhadran Ramanathan, of Scripps (see above).

So, what do we have?  Projects to distribute clean stoves, a plan to paint roofs white and a net result of slowing global warming.  Not too bad.  To quote another of my favorite authors, too often we are paralyzed by the difficult choices set before us and thereby miss our options.

next post:  vertical farms

End of year/new year thoughts

So, no party.  Maman had a stroke and was taken to the local med. school.  She was given TPA, but I have yet to hear how she's doing.  I've called, and emailed the boys, but no word yet.  She'd had a heart attack in April or thereabouts, and this last can't be good.

I got 2 interesting pieces of mail:  one urging me to get insurance to protect me if I need long-term care (I'm going to look into that) and the other to think about joining the Peace Corps.  Very interesting idea. I will look into that too.

I did another long-term projection of my finances, and it doesn't look good.  I'll need to die before age 75, if not before.  I'm not too worried; I think my chances of long-term survival aren't that good.

I wish my roommate could learn to load the dishwasher correctly.  Such a stupid concern, given how much of the world doesn't have dishes or water, but it's the daily things that wear us down and affect our happiness rating.  I really need to re-read "Stumbling on Happiness" in order to critique it, if I can, and to get some perspective.  The economic crisis gave me some insight or, I should say, a reminder of how freeing loss of control can be (a quote I picked up from Michael J. Fox), and I need to remember that when things aren't good.  "The days are long but the years are short" is my new motto.

James has learned that when I start to lift him by putting my hand under his chest, I will then almost instantly pick up his outside back foot, so that he can partially support himself. Yesterday I noticed that he lifted his foot for me, in anticipation.  I'm really happy about that.  I tested it today, and it seems to be something he's really learned.  I'm going to work on taking him to the vet now.  He was really good in December, and only growled after he got back in his carrier.  I think the short visits helped.  I'll take him the next time I pick up some canned food, later this week.

One of my friends said her blog is to document her children.  Mine is to document my life.  My inspiration:  Doogie Howser, Wil Wheaton, and any movie or show with voice-over narration.  I know a lot of people hate it, but I really like it.

I'm having trouble settling down to reading a book, or watching a movie that's serious.  I remember feeling like this years ago, and not knowing what to do.  I had that odd, restless sensation, nothing made me happy.  I watched "Dogma" and felt so much better.  The combination of theology and low humour seemed to do the trick.  I also keep thinking about the Laurie King book I read over Thanksgiving (Folly) that I think I need to read it again.  And the rest of her stuff.  Her bio is inspiring.

I started a new sweater yesterday, for the little guy.  I finished up the blanket, hat and scarf for E's little guy, and will put the buttons and drawstring on the set I promised Nancy years ago.  In doing so, I re-read some of Elizabeth Zimmerman's Almanac of Knitting.  I'd forgotten the gorgeous descriptions of north woods camping she'd included.  I think, if I could, I'd do my life over and focus on knitting, like I'd wanted to 25 years ago.  Researching Ecuadoran women's collectives would have been an excellent project.  I was so stupid.

I should make a list of regrets.  I could see how fear and self-loathing kept me from accomplishing anything.  and still are.  hence the blog.  I've been so afraid to write the dissertation for what it would reveal about my personality and flaws that it's been overwhelming. yet, Wil Wheaton reveals himself.

I have an idealistic and narrow perspective of the world.