The Spirit of the Fourth Amendment—and the NSA’s Disregard for It

If we go back to the understanding of why we declared independence from Great Britain, it stemmed from worries about excessive surveillance. James Otis in 1761 was denouncing general writs of assistance, general search warrants, as being totally inimical to freedom and independence …. It empowered every petty official to go examine people’s homes and businesses, to determine whether they had any smuggled goods. There was no probable cause.

… This opposition triggered, in John Adams’s words, the spark that led to the American revolution …. The spirit of the Fourth Amendment, the spirit of the country, was captured in William Pitt the Elder’s address to the British parliament in 1763, when he was opposing excise taxes, which also would be enforced by these general writs of assistance. And what he said rang throughout the colonies: The poorest man in his cottage may bid defiance to all the forces of the crown. He may be frail. The roof may shake. The winds may blow through it. Storms may enter. Rain may enter. But the King of England cannot enter. All his forces dare not cross the threshold of the ruined tenement.”

That, ladies and gentlemen, was the spirit of the Fourth Amendment. It was later described by Justice Louis Brandeis in Olmstead v. the United States as the right to be let alone—the most cherished right among civilized people. And he understood that our right to that liberty, it applies because we’re human beings and individuals. We don’t have to justify the right to be let alone.

If you haven’t seen the John Adams miniseries, I suggest you add it to your playlist.

#politics

Expert: Personal social media posts can help, hurt a career

Kimberly Bean with Robert Half Technology said what happens on social media can easily affect a career.

“Seventy-six percent of (human resource) professionals said it affects your career,” she said of one’s social media posts. “Not only during your career, but also while trying to get a job.”

Way to take a stand.

#socialmedia

Me: Maggie, my leg is so sore from my run.

Maggie: Okay.

#maggie

This is from one of Maggie’s school papers…

“Today’s the day. Ugh! Ding! 3:15 time to get up. Can’t see anything. Pitch black. 4 hours until a space shuttle goes into the sky. Near the launchpad, we put on our suits, get information and eat breakfast…”

#photos #education #maggie

‘XXX Freak Fest’ at Airbnb rental a lesson in online dealings

Airbnb, the company that lets users rent their apartments and homes to others, found itself working overtime this weekend to help a New York man whose apartment ended up being used for an adult party.

Ari Teman, who identifies himself as a comedian on Twitter, messaged the company through Twitter on Saturday after discovering that the person he had rented his Manhattan apartment to had used it for an “XXX Freak Fest.”

As recounted by a blog posted on Tumblr and a report by Gawker, Teman agreed to rent his apartment to a man who has been identified only as “David.” Teman went out for dinner and returned to his building to pick up a suitcase before leaving the city for the weekend.

Upon returning, Teman found David in the building lobby and heard him telling others “they’re shutting us down.” Teman quickly began investigating the Gmail address and phone number David had provided and found that the number was associated with tweets that had been sent promoting an “XXX Freak Fest” at his apartment.

At least it wasn’t a XXX Donkey Fest.

#meanwhile

There are great many things that should be universal. Example: windshield wipers.

#random

My mind is filled with ghosts
They’re more than most of all my loves gone wrong

My mind should be the way
Most people say that I should just move on

My mind is focused on
Things past and gone when I have no control

I can’t forget there used to be
I used to see but now no more

Think I’m living in a past life…
In a past life, too,
it’s a kind of thing that
Catches up to you
I guess I just believe that
It’s the thing to do
So here’s a little feedback
You gotta wear those shoes

No one said it would be easy
Sometimes it is hard to do
It isn’t like the TV
You see the cold hard truth
And the things you see in movies
Just don’t come true
So here’s a little feedback
You gotta wear your shoes

I will live a half-life
It’ll have to do
Now you can have a love life
You have loved me, too
You can see me in the evening
When the weather’s cool
But here’s a little feedback
You gotta wear the shoes

Non-live version without video - Sweany is my guitar hero.

When I was younger I pictured myself ending up like this, not driving a desk.

#musicvideos

I do this all the time.

#animatedGIFs

New Pygmy Tyrannosaur Found, Roamed the Arctic

At 20 feet long, the polar-dwelling Nanuqsaurus hoglundi measured about half the size of T. rex, a new study says.

A great discovery came in a small package for paleontologists who’ve unearthed a new species of tiny tyrannosaur in northern Alaska.

I was thinking “how adorable, a pygmy dino” until I read that it was still 20 feet long.

stolen painted the half-bath with chalkboard paint just over a year ago and it’s mad genius.

The great and powerful M. drew the one below:

I wrote this gem but’s not an original quote:

Here’s something I drew not long after the paint dried:

#photos #homeimprovement