Executive Order 12958 declared that in 2000, every classified document 25 years of age or older would be automatically declassified unless the classifying agency had already sought and received that document's exemption (anything that could cause an "identifiable" risk to national security, would violate a person's privacy or involves more than one agency is exempt). After two three-year extensions granted by the Bush administration in response to cries from the CIA, FBI, NSA and other agencies that they didn't have the manpower to review all of their papers in time, the final deadline has arrived. And President Bush is enforcing it.

Howstuffworks: U.S. to declassify massive amounts of information

Sometimes I get the sense that the ledes are already written, just waiting for an excuse to get printed to paper.

If you don't already realize it, the news media is blowing this Vista privledge escallation POC way out of proportion. Its a local escallation issue, not a remote attack, and I haven't looked in detail but I'm not aware that exploitation has actually been demonstrated on Vista. The idea that this would percipitate a "crisis in confidence" in Vista Security is a figment of some editor's imagination.

Vista has exploit protection technology that is currently viewed as pretty tough by computer security researchers. No one is saying its insurmountable, but it definately raises the bar. This news doesn't change a thing in that regard. Wake me up when MetaSploit publishes a working remote module. (That WILL happen eventually, mind you, but I don't currently think that it will be as easy to turn bugs into sploits in this OS as in previous ones, and only time will demonstrate if I'm right.)

Vista flaw exaggerated

Welcome to WiiLi, a GNU/Linux port for the Nintendo Wii.

A treasure trove of information on Wii hacking.

WiiLi.org Wii Linux - Main Page

Another response to the WSJ editorial...

Day by Day Cartoon by Chris Muir

I don't think Rago has spent much time on blogs or he'd know that several specialize in, and are very good at, taking on complex topics that the mainstream media barely skim.

A response to the WSJ editorial.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Rich Miller :: Pundits lose grip on reality when dealing with the Internet

The trailers for the Transformers movie are surprisingly creepy.

Transformers Movie - Official Site of Transformers: The Movie

Here's a Santa's-eye view of Denver International Airport,

This is quite surreal...

Boing Boing: Snowed-in Denver airport viewed from above (photo)

I love It's a Wonderful Life because it teaches us that family, friendship, and virtue are the true definitions of wealth. In 1947, however, the FBI considered this anti-consummerist message as subsersive Communist propaganda (read original FBI memo).

FBI Considered 'It's a Wonderful Life' Communist Propaganda

Singer James Brown, known as the "Godfather of Soul", has died at the age of 73, his agent has said.

What terrible news for Christmas Morning...

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Soul star James Brown dies at 73

BIGOTRY COMES in various guises -- some coded, some closeted, some colossally stupid. The bigotry displayed recently by Rep. Virgil H. Goode Jr., a Republican who represents a patch of south-central Virginia, falls squarely in the third category.

The letter from Goode seems to be blowing up. The WaPo editorial linked here echos my exact wording. This Boston Herald editorial has an entertaining title, and uncompromising content:

If Virginia voters don’t give the inaptly-named Rep. Virgil H. Goode Jr. the bum’s rush in the next election they’ll have embarrassed themselves on a national scale.

Goode is already a national embarrassment.

A Bigot in Congress - washingtonpost.com