First phones, now this:

The Federal Bureau of Investigation wants U.S. Internet providers to retain Web address records for up to two years to aid investigations into terrorism and pornography [one of these things is not like the other – ed.], a source familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

The request came during a May 26 meeting between U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and

FBI Director Robert Mueller with top executives at companies like Google Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Time Warner Inc.’s AOL.

“I think there is less of a willingness to passively go along with this type of request than there might have been a year ago,” said the source, mentioning the recent uproar over a report that telephone companies had provided call records to the National Security Agency.

A Justice Department spokesman confirmed the meeting but was not immediately available to comment on how long law enforcement officials wanted the records retained.

Down the memory hole. That’ll teach me to sell subdomains. Of course, that paid more than one year of Google ads.

In Cali:

Police may enter Californians’ homes without warrants to arrest those suspected of driving under the influence, the California Supreme Court ruled Thursday in a case testing the scope of the Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures.

The 6-1 decision follows similar rulings in about a dozen other states. A dissenting justice said the majority handed authorities a “free pass” to unlawfully enter private homes and arrest people without warrants.

I’m not sure the details of the case (yet) but it seems a bit troubling to me. Oh, that bastardized fourth amendment.

Update: missed this earlier due to ads:

The case concerned the 2003 Santa Barbara arrest of Daniel Thompson, whom a neighbor suspected was driving drunk and notified authorities. They found a parked car matching the description the neighbor provided and went to the front door of the adjoining residence during a summer evening.

The door was open and a woman said the car’s driver was asleep. Moments later, Thompson walked by the officers and they entered the house and arrested him. The neighbor confirmed it was the person she suspected of driving intoxicated and throwing an empty vodka bottle out the car door.

Thompson’s blood-alcohol level was 0.21, almost three times the legal limit for driving. He was convicted and handed a three-year suspended sentence. He appealed.

Yeah, that’s troubling.

Jim, in comments at NIT, says:

It’s [WATE’s Blog] temporarily down because of a denial of service attack. Our ISP is working on it.

Looks like it’s back up.

I like Brittney and read her blog. But every once in a while her closet moonbat pokes it’s head out.

Aunt B. on The Most Important Thing I’ve Learned from the Libertarians:

The government does not grant us rights. Rights are inherent to us and we lend the government the power to constrain some of those rights so that we can function as a society–we delegate power to the government. But the government doesn’t inherently have power, especially not the power to grant us rights.

Well, sort of. Some rights we do not delegate to the .gov but they seem to take them willy-nilly. I think the only amendment in the bill of rights that hasn’t been completely bastardized for political convenience is number 3. I’d recommend that Aunt B. also read One Thing.

Over at Drug War Rant.

The NRA has a fact sheet on it. They seem down on the Gun Control Acts of 1968 and 1986, which is odd since they passed with the NRA’s support.

There is no gun database:

Provision and Maintenance of NICS Records-

(1) DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY- The Secretary of Homeland Security shall make available to the Attorney General–

(A) records, updated not less than quarterly, which are relevant to a determination of whether a person is disqualified from possessing or receiving a firearm under subsection (g) or (n) of section 922 of title 18, United States Code, for use in background checks performed by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System; and

(B) information regarding all the persons described in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph who have changed their status to a category not identified under section 922(g)(5) of title 18, United States Code, for removal, when applicable, from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

In case Thomas is messed up, it’s bill H.R. 1415.

Just give your hard drives to Best Buy:

A year ago, Henry and Roma Gerbus took their computer to Best Buy in Springfield Township to have its hard drive replaced.

Henry Gerbus said Best Buy assured him the computer’s old hard drive — loaded with personal information — would be destroyed.

“They said rest assured. They drill holes in it so it’s useless,” said Gerbus.

A few months ago, Gerbus got a phone call from a man in Chicago.

“He said, ‘My name is Ed. I just bought your hard drive for $25 at a flea market in Chicago,'” said Gerbus. “I thought my world was coming down.”

Gerbus and his wife had good reason to worry.

A total stranger had access to the couple’s personal information, including
Social Security numbers, bank statements and investment records.

Fortunately, the stranger was nice enough to send it to the guy.

Seven family members were killed in a home invasion.

The AP says:

Foley said it appeared the (sic) at least one assault rifle was used in the killings.

Lots of gunnies often say that we’re one senseless killing away from a renewed push for a ban on weapons that look like assault weapons. This could be it.

I was building an AR-15 last night and had a problem I’ve never had before. It was a Rock River Arms lower and a DPMS lower parts kit. The pistol grip screw from the parts kit would not fit into the lower receiver. I’m not sure if the pistol grip screw was too big or if the hole for it in the lower was too small.

Any one else ever have that problem?

Simple solution is to get another screw but I just thought it was odd that something was out of spec.

Update: I’m thinking DPMS shipped a screw for an A2 stock instead of a pistol grip.

Nicki looks at the record. Via Jed.

Heh.

Blake is doing it.