Posted 10:56 PM by Gerald Klaas
The State of California won $2 million award against spammers. I don't really expect it to make any difference in the amount of SPAM on the internet, nor do I think the State of California will collect a penny, still it's a good start at defining the legal issues involved in SPAM. I.e., is it an issue of free speech for the SPAMmers, or is it an issue of invasion of privacy to the recipients, or is it an issue of theft of resources?

Posted 9:49 PM by Gerald Klaas
Although Fred Smart's numerology is generally beyond me, I did enjoy his response to Allen Hacker regarding the Fibonacci Sequence. I have some appreciation of the art in numbers, I earned my bachelor's degree in Mathematics (emphasis in Statistics). I don't remember ever hearing of the relationship of female to male bees in a hive being in the Golden Ratio. I was surprised that neither Fred nor Allen referred to the ratio as The Golden Ratio.

Posted 6:31 AM by Gerald Klaas
California Supreme Court justice Janice Rogers Brown is being considered for appointment to the federal DC Circuit Court. In what I consider an amazingly orwellian statement, a so-called "broad coalition" released the following, published in the Sacramento Bee

Declaring "a battle for the soul of the Constitution ... a battle for the soul of America," a broad coalition said Monday that it will pull out all the stops to defeat Janice Rogers Brown's appointment to the nation's second most powerful court.

This so-called "broad coalition" includes the Sierra Club, the California Association of Black Lawyers, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, not exactly a set of groups with a history of eternal vigilance protecting the "soul of the Constitution".

Posted 7:40 PM by Gerald Klaas
Allen Hacker gives some moral support to Doug Kenline on an occasion of a bout with 4th decade crisis.

It happened to me. I had thought that I would have made a profound difference in the world by the time I was 40. I had thrown myself at the task like a hapless ball against the wall in a game of squash, continually having to take time out for the bitchy little demands of life (paying the rent, etc.), and suddenly I was 40 and the place was unrecognizably worse than when I had first noticed that it was bad!

As Doug already knows, I turned 40 this year as well, and as Allen Hacker observed in his time, I too have noticed that the place seems worse than it was when I noticed it was bad, despite all of my individual efforts. I haven't gotten to the place yet where I thought I'd quit, I've always just figured I'd go down kickin'!

Posted 4:49 PM by Gerald Klaas
Joseph Almond makes some commentary about the creep of communism into America as specifically seen in the case of Rick Stanley. I couldn't have said it better myself.

When individual incentive is capped and robbed, as it is today through regulations, fees, taxes and rules, the economy suffers. Just like it is, right now.

On this day, we live in a moment of history that is crucial.

You see, Rick Stanley was arrested in Denver yesterday, October 18.

Now, you may wonder why this matters to you or me, so I'll make it as simple as I can.

When a good, hardworking man (like me or you) can be apprehended and jailed, having committed no crime, then we are all at risk. This is literally a form of terrorism, sponsored by the state. It is designed to scare me and you...all of us, into quiet submission.