I can't believe it's not a democracy!

If Credo is behind this, then I'm getting a new mobile phone provider:

Telecoms firm hails 'significant victory' as judge blocks FBI's data demands. The Guardian reports: The Californian telecoms company thought to be behind a stunning court victory that has blown a hole in the FBI's highly secretive system for collecting US citizens' private data has hailed the "significant" legal breakthrough.

Credo, based in San Francisco, spoke out after a federal judge ordered the US government to stop issuing what are called "national security letters" – demands for data that contain in-built gagging clauses that prevent the recipients disclosing even the existence of the orders or their own identity.

In a carefully worded release, the firm fell short of revealing itself as the instigator of the legal action that resulted in Friday's development. But it is understood by the Guardian that the telecommunications firm was indeed the unnamed litigant behind the action.The Californian telecoms company thought to be behind a stunning court victory that has blown a hole in the FBI's highly secretive system for collecting US citizens' private data has hailed the "significant" legal breakthrough.

Click the link to read the whole thing. The judge gave the government 90 days to appeal, and given the Obama administration's laser like focus on punishing whistleblowers and continuing W's destruction of the 4th amendment by treating citizens as criminals (see FISA, Sen. Obama's vote in favor thereof), I have no doubt that the administration will throw everything they can at the appeal. I mean, you can't have an effective police state unless you can get whatever you want whenever you want without restraint, right?

I must say that before reading this article, I assumed CREDO was like Move On, a seemingly good idea that either was co-opted by political consultant whores or was the means by which closeted political consultant whores made themselves useful to the democratic party by convincing progressives that clicking a link or signing an online petition was the same thing as actually protesting bad policy or actually engaging in the political process. But if Credo was behind this case--and it looks like they are--I'm going to choose them as my cell phone provider. I mean, they actually did something spectacular. Kudos Credo.

It's like a longer, slower version of "V for Vendetta," but without Natalie Portman:

Anonymous hacks US Sentencing Commission, distributes files. And what is the "as-yet unknown information" that Anonymous is threatening to release if the U.S. government does not comply with Anonymous' demands for legal reforms (which are, quite frankly, sensible and aimed at finally making the U.S. a nation or laws and not men)? No one knows, but encrypted files have been distributed, each identified with the name of a Supreme Court Justice. The question is what is in the files? Information on the named justice, or something more? If at least some of the information in each file is on the justices, I'm guessing that folks might learn that Justices Roberts and Kagan have a little something in common. Please let this be worth the wait.

Update: Anonymous has hacked the US sentencing site again: Anonymous re-hacks US Sentencing site into video game Asteroids. My gut says there is a bit more going on than just the fuck you that comes with the second hack. Does anyone know which media outlet they contacted with information about the nine files mentioned above?

The kids are alright:

Tony Blair jeered by UCL students before speech. The former prime minister is greeted with chants of "war criminal" as he arrives at the London university. Monsters like Blair and Clinton hate to be identified as monsters. They want the inclusion by the rich evil "elite" and to be loved by the masses. Not working any more. Hope Clinton is next (both of them).

Looks like the land of some of my people is moving forward:

Gay marriage to be introduced in Scotland. Naturally, this march towards enlightenment is being "strongly opposed" by the Church of Scotland and, get this, the catholic church. Said some asshole catholic spokeswhore:

The Scottish government is embarking on a dangerous social experiment on a massive scale.

We strongly suspect that time will show the Church to have been completely correct in explaining that same-sex sexual relationships are detrimental to any love expressed within profound friendships.

You mean in the same way that the church was completely correct to hide pedophiles, motherfucker? Honestly, whenever the catholic church makes an objection about anything on moral grounds, the statement should be accompanied by a laugh track.

I'm sure she'll make lots of new friends in prison:

Rebekah Brooks to be charged with perverting the course of justice. Apparently this is the kind of crime that can bring real time in jail in the UK--I believe it is a destruction of evidence charge. I recall reading that her husband, also charged, was seen trying to dispose of a briefcase in a dumpster (getting rid of hard drives, I believe). Oh dear. Courts hate that sort of thing. And yes, I am as happy as a lark, but not nearly as happy as I will be when she is given a harsh sentence. The only way to slow down the future sociopaths is by punishing the current ones severely.

Update: I was right: Perversion charge related to a bag Brooks' husband attempted to reclaim. The Christian Science Monitor reported that the incident involved a "bag was discovered in a garage dumpster under a gated community where Brooks owns an apartment. After community security handed the bag over to police, Brooks's husband attempted to reclaim the bag, saying that it had been mistakenly thrown away by cleaners." Yes, cleaners mistaken threw away a bag containing "a laptop computer, mobile phone and private papers." I assume Rebekah was relunctant to dispose of the incriminating evidence earlier, just in case Rupert was able to stave off justice and she needed weapons to use against future victims. I hope her fall from grace is complete and she is soon joined by the Murdochs, father and son.

More of this, please:

Citigroup Shareholders Reject Executive Pay Plan. Since our socialist president won't have his AG investigate and prosecute his early money contributors, I guess the people are going to have to use other means to reel in the filthy fucking criminal bankers. We need much more shareholder activism.

Why the protesters in Zucotti Park should win:

Because they aren't just committed, they are also smart and creative. Need money to start a newspaper for the protesters and supporters? Go to Kickstarter. Need a way to gather those funds? Use WePay. In short, these "hippies" seem to have gotten their house in order in a very short time, and they've garnered tremendous support even with the main stream media actively ignoring them for weeks. That is, with little money of their own and no leader, this small group of strangers have managed to create something that isn't just surviving, it's thriving. I've read that there are over 150 Occupy demonstrations going on across the country, and hundreds more have been formed or are being formed worldwide. They win.

Anonymous takes care of asshole cop who should be fired:

Anonymous Leaks Personal Details of Cop Who Pepper-Sprayed Wall Street Protesters. If you check out the video of the lieutenant asshole who went up and sprayed the young women when they were being kettled (I think that's the term) and posed no threat or risk, then you will understand why I hope his career is destroyed. No doubt Bloomberg will give him a medal for giving his Wall Street buddies a laugh. Not the thing to do as the seething anger grows. Just saying.

Thanks to Jim for the link.

The kids are still there. And appreciative supporters are making sure they are being fed:

How a Pizza Joint Became the Official Caterer of the Revolution. I think it is pretty cool that people from around the world are sending pizzas to the kids occupying Zucotti Park in the Financial District of NYC (I used to work a block away but have been exiled to a building near the Staten Island ferry terminal building--not a perk).

What makes things even more swell is that a small mom and pop business is kept busy and rises to the occasion (going to have to try an Occu-pie). That said, my friend Max stopped by to chat with the protesters at lunch and they need blankets. Thanks to global climate change, NYC is wetter and colder this September. I don't know how people not in the City can help get blankets to the protesters, but I'll see if I can find a link to a donation site. If anyone knows, please put the info in a comment.

The kids are alright:

Wall Street protesters: over-educated, under-employed and angry. And young. There is a donation site so that you can donate money for food--sadly, I can't find the link (I'll figure it out--I donated to it yesterday). Anyhow, I may stop by tomorrow to see what they need and bring some treats. Good for them. Not the 20,000 the organizers hoped for, but enough to get some notice.