Subpoena Response

There are certain weeks in our lives that push us to our limits and really show us what we're made of. This week will be one of them as I have 3 tests and Texas Revue practice every single day (the audition is on Saturday). It will all be worth it if I ace the tests and we make the cut. In any case, I'm going to go through this post as fast as I can to get back to studying. Moving along: Google posted the letter that they sent to the U.S. Department of Justice in response to their demands for two months' worth of search data to be used as evidence in a pornography case. As I've stated before, I completely agree with Google's position as not only would it compromise their trade secrets but it would lead to a slippery slope of privacy violations. Is this information really necessary enough to warrant a possible thread of demands from search engines catalyzed by this one case? If they can't accrue evidence against child pornographers on their own, then isn't that kind of sad? I don't think the search records of all should be compromised for the sickness of a few. What if all our homes had surveillance equipment just because some jerks hit their wives? There's no doubt that it sucks, but does it sound reasonable to monitor everyone because of a small minority? The ACLU is actually offering to analyze the data and then hand it over to the DoJ so as to protect Google's trade secrets, but that really doesn't sound a whole lot better. Now we just wait and see how the government responds.

While I'm on the subject of privacy violations, I should bring up that Sony is actually requiring you to either provide some personal information or pay $2 to play Fight Night Round 2 online on your PSP. If they're going to have a fee it should be required for everyone through the initial price tag, not an ultimatum for not getting spammed. Shame on you, Sony. Google may be planning to add voicemail and Evite integration to Gmail in the near future as speculated upon by web developers who analyzed the Javascript. Both would make a lot of sense, and these people predicted the addition of offering Gmail as part of your domain's e-mail service, so these extensions are pretty likely to happen. Apple may be slated to release something pretty soon themselves: a 17-inch MacBook Pro. The current hold-up is predictably the challenge of squeezing a SuperDrive in there, though I think they could probably have it read by their 30th anniversary. Lastly, one PCWorld writer thought up ten reasons why you should buy Windows Vista when it comes out, and while half of them are current Mac OS X features, I do have to cede that the peer-to-peer collaboration and parental control functionalities are pretty neat.

The only noteworthy item in movie news is the box office report, in which the documentary Eight Below reigned in the #1 spot with just below $20 million. Date Movie followed close behind, which I thought would actually win, but I was surprised that no romantic comedies came out recently (in light of V-day and all). The other big surprise was that The Pink Panther managed to clutch the #3 spot with only a 15% drop in ticket sales despite bad reviews. Maybe it isn't so bad if everyone keeps seeing it! Oh, if you care, the HD-DVD format may make its March target release, but likely without all the bells and whistles.

We went on a scavenger hunt for ACM yesterday, so I might as well post a fun picture from that (you wouldn't get any of the scandalous ones, most likely):



Now for some Unconscious Mutterings:

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Right time::Right place


2. Funeral::Arcade Fire


3. Calculate::Math


4. Believe me::Cher


5. Chat::Room


6. Anniversary::1st


7. Let you down::Never


8. Shout::Scream


9. Sweatsock::Jogging


10. Prayer::Church