CQ coverage on Kirk’s progress seemed to indicate a week ago it would happen, but what I see is sameOld Republican delay tactics to slow the process of transition to the newly elected government now four months since the election. At most recent glance, Specter was soul[1] searching regarding the solicitor general nominee. There are three others the Republicans are delaying, as well, some discussed in recent threads hereabouts.

It seems Kirk awarded speech honoraria to Austin College, instead of accepting them into his own income, but the certified public accountant entered the data on the wrong line in the tax forms, only amending the filing later, and Kyl was only moderately grumpy about that technicality, now that it is settled. The Baucus announcement has a technically broken link in one footnote, however.[2]
—-
[1]One of the things in Specter’s reverie is concern the nominee might approach capital punishment in a way different than is commonplace in TX, e.g. Though I need to check the committee website to see if the transcript is available yet.
[2]The Baucus press announcement Acrobat livelink evokes a Senate404, not the actual interrogatories.

The secrecy implies that there is another overriding purpose in play.

In a brief filed Thursday evening, Obama Justice Department lawyers extended many of the same arguments made by Bush attorneys – that top government officials have qualified immunity from prosecution and that Guantanamo detainees do not have constitutional rights to due process.

Also, I worked for a fine little software company that hit the skids due to rampant piracy from the Far East, so I see this topic from a number of perspectives (including lost revenue, which thoroughly pisses me off).

I’m not convinced the right hand lives in the same universe as the left hand on some of the IP and trade issues. Plus, its an arena that — from what little I’ve seen — is really a big can of worms because if you don’t have a superb translator who takes a lot of time to clarify that ‘a’ means ‘a’ to people Z, Y, and X, you are in for tons of expensive wasted time, billable by the minute.

My personal avenue to sanity is the Open Source movement, and Lawrence Lessig has more credibility with me than anyone on topics related to IP. Open Source simplifies a whole host of issues.

But I realize that Open Source doesn’t apply to all technologies.

Fundamentally, I think Rayne’s point really needs to be underscored: in a shrinking world, ’social capital’ becomes ever more valuable. People who might not steal from someone they believe treats them fairly will probably have no qualms about stealing from someone they view as ‘a torturer’ or ‘a warmonger’. So the issues of social capital and IP are related.

Boxturtle (Wonders if Cheney will have the guts to travel outside the US without a diplomatic passport)

The circle of guilt on this is so large – so many forces working to keep the secrets.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/poli…..net-office