Posts by Idiot Savant

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  • Hard News: Interview: Glenn Greenwald, in reply to Peter Green,

    Sir Bruce Ferguson was fairly clear on Radio NZ that something is only legally "interception" if it's targeted. Therefore "indiscriminate interception" is technically an oxymoron in GCSB doublespeak.

    He needs to read the law.

    Legally its "intercepted" if it is acquired or recorded, or if its "substance, meaning, or sense" is. So, if the GCSB puts it into a database but doesn't look at it, that's interception, as is looking at a summary prepared by a foreign partner. And both are absolutely illegal if done to the communications of a New Zealander for intelligence purposes.

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report

  • Hard News: Interview: Glenn Greenwald, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Note that the PM can limit IGIS's access to information

    http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1996/0047/latest/DLM392545.html?search=ta_act_I_ac%40ainf%40anif_an%40bn%40rn_200_a&p=1

    So if the GCSB or their Minister don't want the watchdog to bark, they can blind it.

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report

  • Hard News: Interview: Glenn Greenwald,

    We're definitely working on reporting about the money that changes hands between GCSB and NSA. I think the reporting will reveal that it goes both ways. The GCSB purchases rather expensive equipment and other capabilities from the NSA and the NSA also funds various activities here in New Zealand.

    I wonder how that fits with the Public Finance Act? At first glance, its illegal for the GCSB to spend NSA money unless its been appropriated for them by Parliament or authorised under another enactment...

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report

  • Southerly: Sign this Petition,

    Public Address gets results. When I looked at this petition last night, it had ~200 signatures. Now it has 1100. They're raised ~$2500 to pay for the ad. Now they've got $4400. Good on you all.

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report

  • Hard News: Privacy and the Public Interest, in reply to Aidan,

    This is only peripherally related, but I downloaded my overseas voting papers (I usually don't vote as I don't want to tell you people how to live your lives, but sometimes an exception has to be made ....) and they seemed odd to me. NZF was all alone up the top, with a gap between it and the rest.

    Look at the electorate section, and it will become apparent: electorate candidates are ordered alphabetically. Parties are ordered by their electorate candidate to make it easy to give two ticks, with those without a candidate in that electorate listed alphabetically below.

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report

  • Hard News: Dirty Politics, in reply to nzlemming,

    And he’s back at @whaledump2 which I/S reports has been verified by Nippert.

    Actually I verified it myself using the PGP signature. But Stuff says that Nippert has also verified it based on content (rather than encryption).

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report

  • Speaker: On the upland road,

    Meanwhile over on Pundit, Law Commissioner Wayne Mapp is saying

    Can society really afford to have the blogosphere limited only by the criminal law and the law of defamation?

    The Law Commission’s report into new media is increasingly looking like unfinished business.

    Which can only be taken as a threat.

    This isn't to deny the clear ethical problems displayed by Slater and DPF. But I'm not sure that a government crackdown on what has become a vital democratic forum is tha answer here.

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report

  • Hard News: UPDATED: Media Take: Election…, in reply to Russell Brown,

    The same would not, however, apply if James' post were to be published as a newspaper column. This is strange.

    Surely PA of all places is a "news media Internet site"?

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report

  • Hard News: UPDATED: Media Take: Election…, in reply to Marcelo Rodriguez Ferrere,

    And in any case, Jono and Ben spoof is absolutely fantastic: this sort of satire should only be encouraged, surely!

    Yes - but what politician will vote to repeal a ban on satirising politicians?

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report

  • Hard News: UPDATED: Media Take: Election…, in reply to Hilary Stace,

    What about the cover of the rugby magazine with John Key pretending to be an All Black? It is in every book and magazine shop and dairy across NZ. Surely that is an election advertisement. Much more so than a song or a former MP's dresses.

    That's "news".

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report

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