Brownian Motion

His great gifts as a chess player were balanced by his deficiencies as a human being.

washingtonpost.com NEWS | OPINIONS | SPORTS | ARTS & LIVING | Discussions | Photos & Video | City Guide | CLASSIFIEDS | JOBS | CARS | REAL ESTATE Click Here! ad_icon In Child Porn Case, a Digital Dilemma U.S. Seeks to Force Suspect to Reveal Password to Computer Files By Ellen Nakashima Washington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, January 16, 2008; A01 The federal government is asking a U.S. District Court in Vermont to order a man to type a password that would unlock files on his computer, despite his claim that doing so would constitute self-incrimination. The case, believed to be the first of its kind to reach this level, raises a uniquely digital-age question about how to balance privacy and civil liberties against the government's responsibility to protect the public. The case, which involves suspected possession of child pornography, comes as more Americans turn to encryption to protect the privacy and security of files on their laptops and thumb drives. FBI and Justice Department officials, meanwhile, have said that encryption is allowing terrorists and criminals to communicate their plots covertly. Criminals and terrorists are using "relatively inexpensive, off-the-shelf encryption products," said John Miller, the FBI's assistant director of public affairs. "When the intent . . . is purely to hide evidence of a crime . . . there needs to be a logical and constitutionally sound way for the courts" to allow law enforcement access to the evidence, he said. On Nov. 29, Magistrate Judge Jerome J. Niedermeier ruled that compelling Sebastien Boucher, a 30-year-old drywall installer who lives in Vermont, to enter his password into his laptop would violate his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. "If Boucher does know the password, he would be faced with the forbidden trilemma: incriminate himself, lie under oath, or find himself in contempt of court," the judge said. The government has appealed, and the case is being investigated by a grand jury, said Boucher's attorney, James Boudreau of Boston. He said it would be "inappropriate" to comment while the case is pending. Justice Department officials also declined to comment. But the ruling has caused controversy. "The consequence of this decision being upheld is that the government would have to find other methods to get this information," said Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center. "But that's as it should be. That's what the Fifth Amendment is intended to protect." Mark D. Rasch, a privacy and technology expert with FTI Consulting and a former federal prosecutor, said the ruling was "dangerous" for law enforcement. "If it stands, it means that if you encrypt your documents, the government cannot force you to decrypt them," he said. "So you're going to see drug dealers and pedophiles encrypting their documents, secure in the knowledge that the police can't get at them." The case began Dec. 17, 2006, when Boucher, a Canadian citizen with legal residency in the United States, was driving from Canada into Vermont when he was stopped at the border by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspector. The inspector searched Boucher's car and found a laptop in the back seat, according to an affidavit filed with the court by Mark Curtis, a special agent with Immigration and Customs Enforcement who was called in by the inspector. Boucher said the laptop was his, according to the affidavit. When the inspector saw files with titles such as "Two-year-old being raped during diaper change," he asked Boucher if the laptop contained child pornography. Boucher said he did not know because he was not able to check his temporary Internet files, according to the affidavit. Curtis asked Boucher "to use the computer" to show him the files he downloads. Curtis reviewed the video files, observing one that appeared to be a preteen undressing and performing a sexual act, among other graphic images, the affidavit says. Boucher was arrested and charged with transportation of child pornography in interstate or foreign commerce, which can carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison for a first offense. The agents seized the laptop, and a Vermont Department of Corrections investigator copied its contents. But the investigator could not get access to the drive Z content because it was protected by Pretty Good Privacy, a form of encryption software used by intelligence agencies in the United States and around the world that is widely available online. PGP, like all encryption algorithms, requires a password for decryption. For more than a year, the government has been unable to view drive Z. A government computer forensics expert testified that it is "nearly impossible" to access the files without the password, the judge wrote. "There are no 'back doors' or secret entrances to access the files," he wrote. "The only way to get access without the password is to use an automated system which repeatedly guesses passwords. According to the government, the process to unlock drive Z could take years . . . " In his ruling, Niedermeier said forcing Boucher to enter his password would be like asking him to reveal the combination to a safe. The government can force a person to give up the key to a safe because a key is physical, not in a person's mind. But a person cannot be compelled to give up a safe combination because that would "convey the contents of one's mind,'' which is a "testimonial" act protected by the Fifth Amendment, Niedermeier said . In a phone interview, Boucher said that he likes to download Japanese cartoons and occasionally adult pornography, but that he does not seek to view child porn. He sometimes inadvertently receives images of child pornography when he downloads the other material, but reviews what he downloads to "clean out" the child porn, he said. It is not illegal to possess animated child porn. He said that he agreed to show the agents where he downloaded his files "because I was sure that there was nothing bad in those files." He also said that he felt coerced: "I felt like they really want to force me to do it, like I have no choice." Asked whether he typed in a password to unlock the drive so the agents could view it, he replied: "I prefer not to answer that one." Boucher added the encryption software to protect the rest of his computer from viruses that might accompany the downloaded files, he said. Orin S. Kerr, an expert in computer crime law at George Washington University, said that Boucher lost his Fifth Amendment privilege when he admitted that it was his computer and that he stored images in the encrypted part of the hard drive. "If you admit something to the government, you give up the right against self-incrimination later on," said Kerr, a former federal prosecutor. Lee Tien, senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a civil liberties group, said encryption is one of the few ways people can protect what they write, read and watch online. "The last line of defense really is you holding your own password," he said. "That's what's at stake here." Staff researcher Magda Jean-Louis contributed to this report.

This is a common scam. The cashiers check, or the moneygram, or the money order is either counterfeit or stolen, which doesn't become clear until a week or two after you deposit it.

The New York Times Printer Friendly Format Sponsored By January 12, 2008 Irene Reid, Singer, Bandleader and Actress, Dies at 77 By PETER KEEPNEWS Irene Reid, a singer who toured and recorded with Count Basie’s band and appeared on Broadway in “The Wiz,” died last Saturday in the Bronx. She was 77. The cause was cardiac arrest, said Wendy Oxenhorn, director of the Jazz Foundation of America, which had been helping to provide Ms. Reid with health care for more than a decade. A jazz vocalist whose style was heavily laced with elements of gospel and the blues, Ms. Reid never achieved as much success as contemporaries like Dinah Washington and Esther Phillips who took a similar approach. But she worked steadily, and she finished her life on a high note with a surprising career resurgence. Born in Savannah, Ga., on Sept. 23, 1930, Ms. Reid began singing in a church choir there and moved to New York in 1947 to pursue a singing career. After winning the Apollo Theater’s amateur contest several times, she spent two years with the Dick Vance band at the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem before going out on her own. She joined the Basie band in 1961 and stayed for a year, then formed her own small group, Irene Reid and Company, and recorded two big-band albums for Verve, one of the leading jazz labels of the period. But probably her most prominent job in the post-Basie years was on Broadway, where she briefly joined the cast of “The Wiz” as the wicked witch Evillene, the role originated by Mabel King. In 1997, after two decades spent largely under the show-business radar, Ms. Reid began recording for the small Savant label with the organist Charles Earland. Her album “Million Dollar Secret” was the first of six she released as a leader in her last years — more than she had in her entire career up to that time. She also worked frequently at Smoke, the Lenox Lounge and other New York nightclubs until a few years ago, when health problems forced her to stop performing. She is survived by a daughter, Gwendolyn Reid; four sons, Michael Leon Redfield, Bernard Redfield, James Raymond Reid and Gregory Reid; 13 grandchildren, and 9 great-grandchildren.

Red appeared at Newport in 1957 with Jack Teagarden, J.C. Higginbotham, and Kid Ory, and was recorded by Verve. It's criminal that this date has never made it to CD.

Yum!

I assume that David Levy already enjoys wanking on his Mac.

Sorry to hear it, Moose. Best of luck to you.

Christmas in the Trenches by John McCutcheon My name is Francis Tolliver, I come from Liverpool. Two years ago the war was waiting for me after school. To Belgium and to Flanders, to Germany to here I fought for King and country I love dear. 'Twas Christmas in the trenches, where the frost so bitter hung, The frozen fields of France were still, no Christmas song was sung Our families back in England were toasting us that day Their brave and glorious lads so far away. I was lying with my messmate on the cold and rocky ground When across the lines of battle came a most peculiar sound Says I, "Now listen up, me boys!" each soldier strained to hear As one young German voice sang out so clear. "He's singing bloody well, you know!" my partner says to me Soon, one by one, each German voice joined in harmony The cannons rested silent, the gas clouds rolled no more As Christmas brought us respite from the war As soon as they were finished and a reverent pause was spent "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" struck up some lads from Kent The next they sang was "Stille Nacht." "Tis 'Silent Night'," says I And in two tongues one song filled up that sky "There's someone coming toward us!" the front line sentry cried All sights were fixed on one long figure trudging from their side His truce flag, like a Christmas star, shown on that plain so bright As he, bravely, strode unarmed into the night Soon one by one on either side walked into No Man's Land With neither gun nor bayonet we met there hand to hand We shared some secret brandy and we wished each other well And in a flare-lit soccer game we gave 'em hell We traded chocolates, cigarettes, and photographs from home These sons and fathers far away from families of their own Young Sanders played his squeezebox and they had a violin This curious and unlikely band of men Soon daylight stole upon us and France was France once more With sad farewells we each prepared to settle back to war But the question haunted every heart that lived that wonderous night "Whose family have I fixed within my sights?" 'Twas Christmas in the trenches where the frost, so bitter hung The frozen fields of France were warmed as songs of peace were sung For the walls they'd kept between us to exact the work of war Had been crumbled and were gone forevermore My name is Francis Tolliver, in Liverpool I dwell Each Christmas come since World War I, I've learned its lessons well That the ones who call the shots won't be among the dead and lame And on each end of the rifle we're the same © 1984 John McCutcheon -

So's your mother.

The mother of these two semi-talents wanted to somehow cash-in on her progeny's fame, so she decided to "write" a book. She surveyed her own unique talents and interests and decided that what she excelled at was raising good Christian children. Her book on parenting was due out in the Spring, but then I read yesterday that publication has been delayed. Go figure.

Colin Milburn Ian Botham 'Sir' Geoffrey Boycott Cesar Chavez Gilbert Grape Ernest & Julio Gallo

Do these allegations against Roger Clemens come as a surprise to folks who follow baseball, or has he been suspected of being a steroid user for many years?

Half Nelson Three Quarter Nelson Nelson Rockefeller

I see in the news that Roger Clemens is a Bondanista too. Lots of idols falling this day.

Kind of a Swiss Army De-Wee Wee-er.

Tools of the trade

Harry Carey Larry Sherry Marion Berry

It sure was a different world back then. Columbo Yogurt was a courageous little company; they put their own heads on the chopping block and waited for the axe to fall.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/11/t...s/index.html?hp Circumcision is the most common surgical procedure performed in the United States. But does it violate the human rights of baby boys? That’s the provocative question raised this month by The British Medical Journal, which published a debate between two physicians about the benefits, risks and social reasons behind circumcision. Some medical experts view circumcision as a potentially important medical intervention for stopping the spread of AIDS. Last year, a report showed that the procedure appears to reduce a man’s risk of contracting AIDS from heterosexual sex by half. Around the world, about 30 percent of men are circumcised, and most were circumcised in infancy. Circumcision is more common in English-speaking and Muslim countries. In the United States, about 70 percent of men are circumcised, although rates vary by race and ethnic group, according to a September study in PLoS One. That same study suggested circumcision rates in the United States are on the decline as parents begin to debate the medical vs. cultural reasons for seeking the procedure. Dr. Geoff Hinchley, a British emergency doctor, notes that most circumcisions take place for religious rather than medical reasons. He also notes that circumcision continues “unchecked” in countries where other rituals, such as female circumcision and facial scarification, have been made illegal. Dr. Hinchley notes that historically, the medical community has made many unsupported health claims to promote circumcision, including the prevention of penile cancer, masturbation, blindness and insanity. Although he acknowledges recent data showing circumcision lowers risk for H.I.V. transmission, he argues that is an issue for sexually active adults, not children. “The decision about whether to have this procedure should be left until the person is old enough to make his own informed health care choices,'’ he writes. “The unpalatable truth is that logic and the rights of the child play little part in determining the acceptability of male genital mutilation in our society.'’ British physician Dr. Kirsten Patrick argues that the future sexual health benefits justify parents’ choices to have their sons circumcised. Dr. Patrick writes that the pain of circumcision, if done under local anesthesia, is comparable to that from an immunization shot. She also cites evidence of medical benefit to men and women, noting that circumcised men are less likely than uncircumcised men to have human papillomavirus infection, and that male circumcision is associated with a reduced risk of cervical cancer in women with high-risk sexual partners. A large New Zealand study suggested that uncircumcised men are almost twice as likely to get a sexually transmitted infection. But Dr. Hinchley counters with a recent study that showed the uncircumcised adult penis is more sensitive than the circumcised penis, largely because the five most sensitive areas are removed during circumcision. “This implies a reduction in future sexual sensitivity for circumcised adults,'’ he notes. “Far from being a harmless traditional practice, circumcision damages young boys.” Dr. Patrick disagrees, noting that no good research has examined the long-term psychological effects of male infant circumcision. “Until a large, representative study of sound methodology examines this issue, we cannot know for sure if men who grew up without a foreskin feel that they were assaulted,'’ she writes. “Only a tiny proportion of the billions of circumcised men have reported emotional distress as a result of it.” She concludes, “It is far better to help parents to find a competent operator than to force them to navigate the unregulated circumcision services alone, which increases the likelihood of harm. Circumcision is a choice that parents will make on behalf of their male children, for cultural or other reasons, and regulating its provision is the wisest course of action.” Read the full debate in The British Medical Journal here, as well as responses from BMJ readers on both sides of the issue here. Finally, I recommend this fascinating post from my colleague John Tierney, who writes about A New Debate on Female Circumcision on the TierneyLab blog.

Merry Sunshine Ra Harry the Rat with Women

Allen Thurman Thurman Arnold Thurman Munson

Wallace Beery Margaret Mead Guinness Stout

Little Sir Echo Bouncin' with Bud Buddy, Can You Spare a Dime?