Independence means that the nation is free from any imposed political domination, citizens are sovereign and are masters of their own destiny. For that to be true, they must at least be able to think freely, express and exchange opinion, and, obtain and disseminate information without fear or favour.

As we celebrate the 51^st anniversary of our Merdeka tomorrow and the 45^th anniversary of Malaysia’s establishment in two weeks’ time, we should be celebrating our political adulthood. We should be proud that as citizens, we are a truly sovereign people, ruled by nothing more than the collective free will of our citizenship. We invite all Malaysians to ponder before lighting fireworks and joining the parade: Are we truly free? Are we truly sovereign?

Read the full message here.

[audio=http://blacketernal.wordpress.com/files/2008/08/morningstar.pdf]

So curse the tyrant, curse the light,
for we are free here in the (endless) night.
How free we could be in the night...
So embrace the sorrow, kiss the tears...
follow the wind to erase your fears,
Follow the wind, follow the sign...
for the fires burn bright, the fires of blue,
and in the end they will burn in all of you.

All 14-year-old children and future generations in England will have their personal details and exam results placed on a compulsory electronic database for life under a plan announced in February by government officials.

Colleges and prospective employers will be able to access students’ records online to check on their qualifications. Under the terms of the scheme all children will keep their individual number throughout their adult lives. The database will include details of exclusions and expulsions.

Officials claim that the introduction of the unique learner number (ULN) is not a step towards a national identity card. But it will be seen as the latest step in the Government’s broader efforts to computerise personal records.

Teachers’ leaders, parents’ organisations, opposition MPs and human rights campaigners have questioned whether this Big Brother approach is necessary and have said that it could compromise the personal security of millions of teenagers.

The new database — which will store a “tamper-proof CV” — will be known as MIAP (managing Information Across Partners). To be registered on the new database every 14-year-old will be issued with a unique learner number. Unlike the current unique pupil number now given to children in school but destroyed when they leave, the ULN will be used by government agencies to track individuals until they retire. Ultimately, it will create a numbered database for every citizen aged 14-plus in the UK.

The MIAP is part of a push for more government departments to share information on ordinary citizens with each other. The new Education and Skills Bill to raise the education leaving age from 16 to 18, for example, contains sweeping powers for local authorities to access information from schools, health agencies and social services to track young people between the ages of 16 and 18.

Margaret Morrisey, of the National Association of Parent Teacher Associations, said that plans for MIAP, which will be compulsory for all 14-year-olds throughout the UK, would fill parents with horror.

“I suspect there will not be more than two parents in the land who would have faith in the Government that this information will be secure,” she said.

A spokeswoman for MIAP, which will come under the auspices of the Learning and Skills Council, said that the database had the support of more than 40 “stakeholder organisations” from across the education sector.

Original plans for MIAP drawn up by the Government in 2003 suggested that the database could be linked to identity cards, raising the prospect that once pupils were in the system they might be forced into accepting an ID card.

The spokeswoman said that this plan had been shelved for the time being. “At the moment there are no plans for the Unique Learner Number to be used by the ID Card system,” she said. She added that the purpose of the system was to support the education, training and careers guidance of the learner, “not security, taxation or access to government services”.

The database would enable students to build a lifelong record of their educational participation and achievements that can be accessed through the internet. The system would be password protected and would have two points of entry. Students could look up their full records and personal details by using one password. They could then give another password to employers to give them access to a restricted view of the information online.

John Dunford, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “Given the track record of government IT disasters and the possibility that all these children’s records will end up in Iowa, this is a worry.” While accepting that it would be helpful to keep centralised records of pupil achievement, he questioned the need to put it online.

Michael Gove, the Shadow Schools Secretary, said: “The government has a terrible track record in managing complex IT programmes. Recent events have shown that sensitive personal data is not safe in ministers’ hands. There must be profound worries not just in terms of civil liberties, but also in terms of the security of young people with a project like this”.

He added that it was a “classic ministerial muddle” to press head with the new database while awaiting the outcome of a security review into a separate planned database, known as ContactPoint, containing personal details of all 11 million children in England, including names, addresses, schools, GPs and, where applicable, social worker. The ContactPoint review was ordered last year after HM Revenue and Customs lost two computer discs containing the banking and personal details of 25 million people. This was followed by the disappearance in Iowa of three million UK learner driver details, and the theft of a laptop containing personal details of 600,000 people who considered a career in the forces.

However, Richard Thomas, the Information Commissioner, is said to be satisfied with the security arrangements made for the new database, which is expected to go online this September.

Original Source: The Times

See Stop The Big Brother State

Let's take a look at my Moon. Moon in Cancer in the 6th house. Already we know it is going to be considerably strong being that the Moon is in the sign that it rules. The Moon is one hour away from an applying perfection of opposition with my Sun being in Capricorn (that isn't very strong being in the 12th). A waxing Moon gives strength, as does the opposition, being that it is a full Moon. The only "negative" aspect to the Moon is from Jupiter (tsquared) but Jupiter is exalted in Cancer... so not too strong a "negative". The Moon is in Jupiter's term and Venus's face. My Moon is in a Feminine house which gives some dignity. We can look at the Draconian chart and find the Moon in Pisces (a trine/triplicity). Taking the Pullen ranking, the Moon is strong and the co despositer of the chart. The Moon is also involved in a YOD to Venus. Looking at the Decant, it is in the first, ruled by Cancer. The Dwadashamsha is Virgo. The Moon is conjunct the fixed star Mirzam, which is very fortunate and expressed like the nature of Venus. Being a full Moon the NN is conjunt and the Part of Fortune in Cancer.

Okay, that is one strong Moon.... think we can safely say that my life is filled with baking pies, working on cross-stitch while watching Matlock... making baby booties and a vocabulary littered with words like, snuggle and cozy. I should be content with a gingham kitchen to match the little statuette farm geese motif.... Eeeerrrrrrrrkkk... put on the brakes. You MUST be talking about someone else.... that is not a description of me that is anywhere near accurate. Instead of running out and burning your collection of astrology books, lets dig a bit further.

The antiscion of my Moon is 23 degrees Gemini. I mention the degree because we will see it again. We know the Moon is a co depositer in my chart... who is the other one? Uranus. The YOD? Uranus is involved in that too (actually Uranus is also the apex of another YOD in the chart). How do the Moon and Uranus get along in the chart? A sextile. The Moon Persona chart has the Moon's ascendant in Gemini and the Moon in Aquarius. The Persona tells us how the Moon is colored...and it is with detached, mental action signs. In that same Persona Chart, we find Venus (Also involved in both YODs) in 23 degrees of Gemini.

So we have a very strong Moon that appears to not only get along well with Uranus, but seems to share many of the same qualities.

I am still a nurturing person, but it is more on a mentorship level and with education and the passing of ideas. There is this Universal Love streak that is very prominent in me. I may bake a pie...but more likely for a cause than just for the sake of baking. Am I emotional, as the Cancer Moon would suggest? Well yeah, but I quickly will logically evaluate the situations...come to terms with understanding...then maybe cry or laugh (you never know with someone born during a full Moon).

How is this applied to Synastry. Well, we have to get to know the other person's planets like we did above with my Moon. Be sure to look for midpoints that not only hit the Cancer Moon, but also strong Gemini or Aquarius applying to the Persona Chart of the Moon. Off the cuff, I can say that I would be looking for someone with strong Air signs and/or a strong Mercury or Uranus, because that is where the Moon is the most comfortable.

Birthday present? Yeah, I would still love a basket full of bath products and a yummy batch of cookies...and I would be just as thrilled with techno toys.

Menteri Perdana dan Menteri Dalam Negeri sama subahat dan dalam kes ini - tangan keduanya berlumuran darah - YA DARAH - Darah dan airmata rakyat yang tidak berdosa.  Malunya menjadi Menteri Dalam Negeri yang kehulu dan kehilir bercakap pasal DNA Anwar tetapi terlupa kereasahan umum rakyat tidak pernah terjawab oleh beliau.

Roy Rasul
Wed | Jul 09, 08 | Aina Mardiah Shahrial, 17, yang menghembus nafasnya tanpa kehadiran orang yang dirindui di sisi, melahirkan rasa marah dan kecewa beberapa pihak apabila pihak polis dilihat melengah-lengahkan pelepasan sementara ayahnya yang ditahan tanpa bicara di Kem Tahanan Kamunting, Perak.

Anak sulung kepada salah seorang tahanan di bawah Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA), Shahrial Sirin ternyata dinafikan haknya sekalipun beliau dalam keadaan nazak, ayahnya langsung tidak dapat bersama-samanya di saat-saat akhir beliau dirawat di Hospital Kajang, Selangor pada petang Khamis, 3 Julai lalu.

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Biarpun pelbagai usaha dilakukan keluarga, rakan-rakan serta aktivis Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA (GMI) untuk membawa keluar ayahnya dari Kem Kamunting, Taiping, Perak, tetapi usaha itu gagal kerana ayahnya sampai setelah hampir empat jam Aina meninggal dunia.(Aina paling kanan bersama rakan sekolahnya.)

Pengerusi GMI, Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh berkata, beliau berasa sangat sedih kerana Aina meninggal dalam keadaan ayahnya tiada di sisi.

Beliau berkata, ketidaksempatan ayahnya ziarahi beliau yang dalam keadaan koma disebabkan tidak ada kesungguhan polis untuk menyegerakan membawa ayahnya bertemu Aina.

"Tunggu punya tunggu sampailah anaknya pergi menghadap tuhan tanpa melihat ayahnya yang sudah tujuh tahun di penjara," katanya turut berada di hospital ketika Aina kembali ke Rahmatullah.

Katanya, apa yang dikesalkan ialah berita mengenai ketenatan Aina diberitahu kepada pihak berkuasa sejak malam dia dimasukkan ke hospital lagi.

"Ini satu penyeksaan dan bukan sifat kemanusiaan dan sepatutnya pihak berkuasa membenarkannya keluar lebih awal untuk memberi kesempatan kepada seorang ayah untuk menziarah anaknya yang kritikal," katanya.

Katanya, sesungguhnya rasa sedih beliau tidak mungkin sama dengan rasa yang dihadapi keluarga tersebut lebih-lebihnya ibunya, Siti Fatma Masrum yang begitu berharap suaminya tiba pada petang itu.

Beliau berkata sebagai manusia yang mempunyai sifat keinsanan pihak berkuasa sepatutnya merasai keluh kesah keluarga tahanan ISA.

Oleh kerana itu, tidak ada lain cara untuk atasi halangan tersebut melainkan kerajaan membebaskan segera tahanan ISA termasuk Shahrial bagi mengembalikan hak mereka ke pangkuan keluarga.

Malah katanya, peristiwa seperti itu sudah kerap diucapkan dan kerana itu katanya kerajaan harus bertanggungjawab penuh ke atas mereka.

"Ini satu perkara asas tetapi apabila ia dikaburi dengan alasan keselamatan negara yang dianggap lebih besar isu kemanusiaan mnejadi kecil dan remeh," katanya.

Sementara itu,Ketua Penerangan Pemuda PAS Selangor, Mohd Sani Hamzan menyifatkan kematian tersebut sebagai satu kemalangan kepada sistem demokrasi dalam negara ini.

Katanya, ini jelas apabila, ayah adik Aina dinafikan haknya untuk datang melawatnya sehingga pesakit meninggal dunia.

"Saya kira ini merupakan satu malapetaka dan gerak gempur kepada amalan demokrasi yang menampakkan kerajaan Barisan Nasional hilang sifat keperimanusiaan kepada perkara-perkara yang melibatkan kematian dan kehidupan rakyat Malaysia," katanya yang datang menziarah Aina di hospital pada Khamis lalu.

Dalam pada itu, Pengerusi Pusat Sokongan Keluarga Gerakan Mansuh ISA (GMI), Norlaila Osman berkata, peristiwa kematian Aina Madiah merupakan satu bukti terbaru mengenai kezaliman kerajaan yang berkuasa untuk percepatkan lawatan seorang tahanan ISA, Sahrial Sirin untuk melihat anaknya yang sedang tenat di hospital.

Katanya,walaupun beliau bersama-sama kaum keluara dan rakan-rakan menghubungi kem Kamunting sejak malam lagi sama ada melalui telefon dan faks untuk tahanan dibenarkan keluar dari kem tahanan.

Lebih menyayatkan hati katanya, Aina disahkan doktor yang memaklumkan bahawa beliau sedang bertarung nyawa dan bergantung kepada mesin jangka hayat.

Beliau yang turut menemani Aina di hospital mendakwa, pihak berwajib terutamanya anggota SB dilihat sewenang-wenangnya menggunakan kuasa mereka untuk mencabul hak tahanan walaupun hanya untuk melawat anak yang kritikal.

"Bagi saya tiada maaf di atas peristiwa seperti itu dan sebenarnya satu penegasan yang datang daripada mereka yang hatinya kering dan begitu sombong.

"Peristiwa ini juga menguatkan azam saya untuk terus berjuang memastikan ISA terkubur dari bumi Malaysia," tegasnya. - mks._ ]]> http://reikahaiducci.wordpress.com/?p=406 Fri, 04 Jul 2008 17:49:49 +0000 Reika Haiducci http://reikahaiducci.wordpress.com/?p=406 Nota: Los enlaces son de prueba. Si no tienes el original, deberás borrarlo a las 24 horas de la descarga

 

Tracklist

1. She Dies
2. Through Infectious Waters (A Sickness Elegy)
3. The Dying
4. Serenade Of Sorrow
5. The Morningstar
6. The Gothic Embrace
7. On Sunday They Will Kill The World
8. Forever My Queen

DOWNLOAD

Bulcha Demeksa, leader of the opposition Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement described the new media law as "draconian".

"I consider the day on which this law was enacted as a dark day in the annals of Ethiopian history," he said.

Recently it is reported that International Press Institute aknowledges the lack of press freedom in Ethiopia. One would expect the government would try to improve this bad reputation by implementing the already existing laws but what we are witnessing is even more restrict media law that drew more criticism.

For more on this story, visit Reuters.

Ask yourself Why Is That?

EROWID.COM

from the Newsletter of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies
MAPS - Volume 4 Number 2 Summer 1993

Update on the LSD carrier weight issue
Rick Doblin, MAPS President

Past issues of the MAPS newsletter have reported on the U.S. Sentencing Commission's discussions concerning one of the main aspects of the criminalization of LSD, namely how the weight of any seized LSD is to be calculated. This issue is of critical importance in determining the length of jail sentences imposed on convicted LSD sellers. Since the current laws against LSD are tragically punitive, a good portion of many peoples lives is at stake in this definitional question. Dennis Cauchon, a reporter for USA Today, estimates that there are about 500 people in Federal prisons for LSD offenses (5% for three years, 30% for 5 years, 50% for 10 years, 15% for 20 years), and about 1500 people in State systems, for an average of three years.

One of the sadder aspects of working for MAPS is reading the many letters from people in jail for LSD asking for help in mitigating what they see as their unduly harsh sentences. Unfortunately, there is little that can be done in the short run. MAPS' long-range strategy is to conduct scientific research into the beneficial uses of LSD (such as LSD's efficacy in treating drug abuse and in enhancing psychotherapy), in order to provide the public with accurate evidence about the actual (rather than mythological) benefits and risks of LSD. If the public be provided with access to honest information, it is possible to hope that panic-generated penalties will be reconsidered, and reduced or eliminated. For now, however, people convicted of LSD offenses can only petition the Sentencing Commission for changes in the carrier weight.

Currently, the weight of LSD is determined by combining the actual number of doses of LSD seized (each dose arbitrarily considered to weigh 50 micrograms) with the weight of whatever carrier medium is used to distribute the LSD. For example, one dose of LSD on blotter paper is considered for sentencing purposes to be less LSD than one dose of LSD on a sugar cube, which weighs considerably more.

The US Sentencing Commission has held hearings on this matter and found some merit in the argument that sentences were often disproportionate to the actual amount of LSD involved. The Commission recommended that Congress change the process by which LSD is weighed and proposed a compromise position between continuing to weigh the carrier or completely removing the carrier weight from the LSD. The Commission's recommendation was that each dose arbitrarily be considered to weigh 400 milligrams, roughly combining 50 micrograms for the LSD and adding an additional 350 micrograms for the carrier weight (even though standard blotter paper actually weighs about 5 to 10 milligrams per dose. This recommendation will result in lower sentences for people convicted of selling LSD.

In addition to changing the way future LSD offenses will be calculated, the Sentencing Commission has proposed that the new way to calculate the amount of LSD be made retroactive to people previously convicted of selling LSD. Both of these recommendations will be voted on by Congress at then end of 1993. Both like very likely to pass.

To express your personal opinion on this matter to Attorney General Janet Reno, please call the Department of Justice at (202) 514-2001 and ask for their public comment line. You will be connected to a tape machine which will record your comments. You might also wish to comment on reducing or removing minimum mandatory sentences, prioritizing violent crimes rather than drug offenses, and treating drug problems as public health issue rather than a criminal justice issue.

From cnet.com:

Legislation introduced in Canadian Parliament on Thursday would fine consumers about $500 in Canadian dollars for owning bootleg copies of digital music and up to $20,000 for posting copyrighted music to the Internet or giving away an iPod with music on it.

Additionally, from AFP:

Under the current law, individuals found guilty of illegally downloading copyrighted music or video files from the Internet for private use could be liable for up to 20,000 dollars in damages for each breach.

The government's draft legislation would reduce penalties for individuals to 500 dollars for all infringements.

However, if a person hacks a digital lock or distributes copyrighted files online without permission, uploading them to a website or using peer-to-peer software, for example, they could still face up to 20,000 dollars in statutory damages.

The new act also allows individuals to transfer legally-obtained copyrighted materials to an unlimited number of formats, such as MP3 players, DVDs or computers, as long as the device is one's own.

Five Hundred Bucks? That's the cost of 500 songs on iTunes, for having ONE 'bootleg' copy of a song. And even if all the music on your MP3 player was bought legally, this law states that if you had to circumvent any type of DRM to copy the files, you're still liable for up to 20 grand anyways! $20,000 for giving away an iPod pre-loaded with music on it? So, if I buy my Mom an Ipod, put a couple CD's I have on it that I think she would like, buy a couple albums off iTunes or amazon with MY credit card - therefore making me and only me the sole 'owner' of said digital music - and load those on there, then give it to her as a gift, I am now a criminal? Is she one too? Lawsuits like those seen in the aftermath of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act being instituted in the U.S. in 1998 could flood Canadian courts if this law is passed. It seems that many share these fears as well, including some of the artists these laws claim to "protect".

From The Ottawa Citizen:

... the Canadian Music Creators Coalition slammed the bill, characterizing it as "an American-style approach to copyright. It's all locks and lawsuits," according to Safwan Javed, coalition member and drummer for Wide Mouth Mason.

"Rather than building a made-in-Canada proposal to help musicians get paid, the government has chosen to import American-style legislation that says the solution to the music industry's problems is suing our fans," Mr. Javed said.

The coalition of nearly 200 Canadian acts includes household names Avril Lavigne, Sarah McLachlan, Broken Social Scene, Matthew Good, Billy Talent, Sloan, Chantal Kreviazuk, Sum 41 and Sam Roberts.

The very artists that make the music, coming out against the law. You think Avril Lavigne doesn't like money? Of course she does, but she, like a lot of other smart folks, know that suing your fans is not the way to do it. The recording industry at large is desperately clinging to an outdated business model that has been incredibly lucrative and successful for them in the past, but is increasingly at odds with the times and current trends in society. This is obvious to anyone not within the industry itself, but here we are, with Canada now bowing to the pressure from the U.S./RIAA to implement Draconian-like laws incredibly similar to its own. They called it a "made-in-Canada" approach to tackling copyright infringement, only it copies the DMCA so much that it's hard to tell what exactly was made in Canada.

One of the biggest questions I have with this whole mess is this: who's gonna have the final judgment on these matters. Who determines if the song I have on my iPod is a 'bootleg' copy or legitimate? What if I recorded it myself at a concert of a band who supports 'bootleg' recording (like say, The Tragically Hip)? What if I rip a CD I legally bought, only to later sell it or lose it, are those files now illegal? What if I crack or break the CD after I've ripped it, do I have to buy the disc again for the files on my MP3 player to be considered legitimate? What if I ripped a CD that I had to disable the DRM on to do so, only to have that CD now re-issued DRM-free, are the files I originally ripped still illegal? So much confusion, so many gray areas. So illogical and un-enforceable. So many holes in this plan. So embarrassing to have it called "Made-In-Canada".

I will be following this story closely, and likely posting much about it in the future. It's just so ridiculous.

-Kimo

Well, he has blundered through the first hurdle in his bid to move UK law to the top of the draconian measures league table.  But in truth it is a pyrrhic victory.  So misbegotten is the concept that he has been forced to bully and bribe his Parliamentary colleagues to get it through.  Following the £2.7 billion compensation package for the abolition of the 10p Tax Rate, he has been open to charges of bribing the electorate.  To add the charge of bribing the DUP with £1.2billion in order to push this legislation forward to its inevitable failure in the second chamber is mind-bogglingly incompetent.

Brown was faced with a choice: back down and say you have listened to advice and are acting upon it, or press ahead at any cost.  He chose to win the battle and lose the war.  Whatever the qualms about his time as Chancellor (and I happen to prefer splashing out in an attempt to improve the lives of the vast majority to squirrelling away money to boost Corporate giants faced with a profit reduction when the wheel turns) no-one can be in any doubt now that he was far better suited to that than to strategic political leadership. 

Doing just enough to avoid losing your job as you limp along toward an inevitable electoral massacre isn't in the interests of the Labour Party Gordon.  But it's clear that the interests of the Labour Party or the people that they purport to represent stopped being a concern for you quite some time ago.

concerned. The Swedish gothic-doom-death metal merchants Draconian are back with their 4th release, the powerful and dramatic Turning Season Within. If you've followed the career of this band, even back to their days as Kerberos in the early 90's, this latest is really going to bring a smile to your face. With all the acts that have a bit of gothic touch to their music, it's perhaps Draconian who offer something a tad different, their ability to mix doom & death metal styles into their music, as well as symphonic rock, really works wonders, and the meshing of gorgeous female vocals with brutal death metal growls & grunts is highly effective. With nine songs clocking in at over 50 minutes, there are plenty of lengthy numbers here that are epic in both scope and sound. You can't go wrong with massive sounding pieces such as "When I Wake", "Earthbound", and the moody & atmospheric crusher "Morphine Cloud". The use of keyboards and acoustic passages only adds to the dramatic effect here, providing plenty of atmosphere within these otherwise heavy tracks. Perhaps no song encompasses all these elements more than "The Empty Stare", a song with huge guitar riffs, angelic female vocals, Anders Jacobsson's monstrous growls, and waves of keyboards.

It's majestic, it's classy, but most of all it's damn heavy & crushing. Turning Season Within is ultimately another winner for Draconian-check it out.

Track Listing
1. Seasons Apart 06:31
2. When I Wake 05:49
3. Earthbound 08:10
4. Not Breathing 05:38
5. The Failure Epiphany 06:20
6. Morphine Cloud 07:32
7. Bloodflower 05:31
8. The Empty Stare 05:46
9. September Ashes 01:10
Total playing time 52:31

Overall Rating: Great workaround with atmospheric and ambient metal with angelic melodies. Brutal harsh vocals add to the ebb and flow to the songs. A must hear!

A massive government database holding details of every phone call, e-mail and time spent on the internet by the public is being planned as part of the fight against crime and terrorism. Internet service providers (ISPs) and telecoms companies would hand over the records to the Home Office under plans put forward by officials.

The information would be held for at least 12 months and the police and security services would be able to access it if given permission from the courts.

The proposal will raise further alarm about a “Big Brother” society, as it follows plans for vast databases for the ID cards scheme and NHS patients. There will also be concern about the ability of the Government to manage a system holding billions of records. About 57 billion text messages were sent in Britain last year, while an estimated 3 billion e-mails are sent every day.

Home Office officials have discussed the option of the national database with telecommunications companies and ISPs as part of preparations for a data communications Bill to be in November’s Queen’s Speech. But the plan has not been sent to ministers yet.

Industry sources gave warning that a single database would be at greater risk of attack and abuse.

Jonathan Bamford, the assistant Information Commissioner, said: “This would give us serious concerns and may well be a step too far. We are not aware of any justification for the State to hold every UK citizen’s phone and internet records. We have real doubts that such a measure can be justified, or is proportionate or desirable. We have warned before that we are sleepwalking into a surveillance society. Holding large collections of data is always risky - the more data that is collected and stored, the bigger the problem when the data is lost, traded or stolen.”

David Davis, the Shadow Home Secretary, said: “Given [ministers’] appalling record at maintaining the integrity of databases holding people’s sensitive data, this could well be more of a threat to our security, than a support.”

The proposal has emerged as part of plans to implement an EU directive developed after the July 7 bombings to bring uniformity of record-keeping. Since last October telecoms companies have been required to keep records of phone calls and text messages for 12 months. That requirement is to be extended to internet, e-mail and voice-over-internet use and included in a Communications Data Bill.

Police and the security services can access the records with a warrant issued by the courts. Rather than individual companies holding the information, Home Office officials are suggesting the records be handed over to the Government and stored on a huge database.

One of the arguments being put forward in favour of the plan is that it would make it simpler and swifter for law enforcement agencies to retrieve the information instead of having to approach hundreds of service providers. Opponents say that the scope for abuse will be greater if the records are held on one database.

A Home Office spokesman said the Bill was needed to reflect changes in communication that would “increasingly undermine our current capabilities to obtain communications data and use it to protect the public”.

Source: The Times

See: Every Child In Schools To Be Numbered For Life

and Stop the Big Brother State

Os ALESTORM e os DRACONIAN desbravam novos caminhos e oferecem aos seus fãs singles exclusivos para download. Ambas as músicas, "Heavy Metal Pirates" dos ALESTORM e "No Greater Sorrow" dos DRACONIAN são downloads exclusivos e não vão ser lançados nos próximos álbuns das bandas. Os que estiverem interessados, devem visitar o iTunes, eMusic, etc.

Después de varias actuaciones con esta primera formación, se produce unos cambios con el abandono del puesto de Antonio que fue sustituido por Guillermo (que posteriormente se convertirá en bajista y cantante en los malagueños Draconian). Después de muchos seguidores y dos maquetas graban su primer Cd, “Legend” en la discográfica, Arise Records, todo esto después de que Guillermo dejara la banda.

“Legend” fue concebido por José Carlos en la batería, Edu y José Miguel en las guitarras y José Antonio a la voz y el bajo, llevándose a cabo en los Estudios Dune de Alhaurín de la Torre, dándose a la luz en noviembre de 1998, presentándose a través de conciertos por todo el territorio nacional. Donde Carlos Gómez se estrena como nuevo bajista (más adelante ocuparía el puesto de guitarrista) para así liberar a José Antonio de la ardua tarea de cantar y tocar el bajo a la vez. Con resultados igualmente de positivos fuera del territorio nacional.

Después de un año de gran importancia por su actividad sobre diferentes escenarios, Twilight decide volver a un local con la principal tarea de centrarse en componer un nuevo material que formará parte de un segundo álbum. En el 2000 a punto de entrar en estudio para comenzar las grabaciones, el cantante, José Antonio, abandona el grupo, pero por suerte para la banda no tardaron mucho tiempo para encontrar un nuevo vocalista, el Gran Fran Da Conceiçao, Vocalista con amplia experiencia como cantante en otros grupos de heavy metal de la provincia. Con esta nueva formación, el grupo vuelve a los escenarios presentando sus nuevos temas dando algunos conciertos por la provincia con resultados muy satisfactorios, grabando anteriormente una maqueta incluyendo el nuevo tema “Land of Dreamlike Visions” en los Estudios Dune, con un sonido bastante más perfeccionado que en su anterior Cd, maqueta que usaron como Promo y que enviaron a distintos sitios, además de ser regalada en bastantes conciertos a todos los asistentes. Por desgracia un nuevo cambio se produce en la banda, puesto que se marcha José Miguel que fue sustituido por el bajista Carlos Gómez, terminando de grabar las guitarras del CD en el que estaban trabajando. Esto hace retrasar la grabación de “Born Undivine” sobre Marzo-Abril del 2003, en los Estudios Ecoson de Málaga, con una formación que aun no sería la definitiva. La grabación fue finalmente autofinanciada, ya que después de los múltiples reveses que motivaron el largo intervalo de “inactividad” relativa desde la salida de “Legend”, el grupo se quedo sin compañía y tampoco tuvo un apoyo real y efectivo de ninguno de los sellos con los que se llegó a entrar en contacto durante e incluso tras el proceso de grabación. Plenamente satisfechos con el resultado del CD en términos de producción, ejecución, etc., el grupo se decide al fin en octubre de 2005 a lanzar el nuevo trabajo, “Born Undivine”, cuya distribución, edición,… es inicialmente dirigida por el propio grupo a la espera de posibles novedades al respecto. La última incorporación fue la del bajista Carlos Lamarca, así como la inesperada marcha de Carlos Gómez del grupo en octubre del 2004, sustituido más tarde por Alberto Manceras, completando la formación; con ella tendrá lugar los próximos conciertos de la gira “Tour Undivine”, que comenzarán muy pronto para seguir mostrando al publico todo lo que guarda su nuevo trabajo, así como lavando un poco la cara a los temas más emblemáticos de su primer CD, “Legend”. Actualmente la banda busca un nuevo bajista, de la provincia de Málaga, España, así que si te interesa entra en su página oficial (http://www.twilight-metal.com ) y déjales un mensaje, os dejo a continuación un video clip, espero que os gusten saludos.

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Twilight - "Land Of Dreamlike Visions"

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On my winged horse defying the sun, above vast lands of colossal beings,

I left behind my fears.
Red sunrise spills blood on the green bizarre valley of Nar-Tha- Ahman,

where dead knights croon dreadful tears.

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Unknown grounds, you´ll cross their lines,
amazed at sounds of joy and death from ancient days.
Night will fall and then you´ll know the darkest secret
hidden beyond reigns of mist, of imagery.

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In the Land of Dreamlike Visions I believe
( Follow me !!! )

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Among threatening skies, avoiding the storm,

we now descend on quicksand terrains to sate my hunger for danger.

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Elves and Giants I must force back to enter the frozen monolith´s domain,

to face the Plumed Serpent anger.

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Tell me, how could I conquer the Rainbow?;

through the trends of mind I sleep to reach all of my real fantasies.
Tell me how could I conquer the Rainbow; through the trends of my mind I´ll dream to make all my worlds emerge.

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When the gentle rays of morning bring you back,

out from your sleep; when the Dawn takes away your visions,

don´t worry...

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When you think your worlds have fade away,
don´t look for them with your eyes,
cause they are inside - YOUR MIND ! ! !

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When the blinding white light comes into sight, are you really dying?, ( x 2 )

or are you just travelling?!!.

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Tell me, how could I conquer the Rainbow?;

through the trends of mind I sleep to reach all of my real fantasies.
Tell me how could I conquer the Rainbow;

through the trends of my mind I´ll dream I won´t come back to the worldly sea.

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Blogalaxia Tags: Mr.Rockmantico, Mr.R, Mister, Twilight, Málaga, España, Rock, Metal, Eduardo, Jose Carlos,José Miguel, guitarrista, Antonio, Bajista, Draconian, Legend, Arise Records, Estudios Dune, Alhaurín Torre,Fran Conceiçao, Vovalista, Land Dreamlike Visions, Letras, Videos, YouTube, Promo, Born Undivine, CarlosLamarca, Buscan Bajista

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Bitacoras Tags: Mr.Rockmantico, Mr.R, Mister, Twilight, Málaga, España, Rock, Metal, Eduardo, Jose Carlos, José Miguel, guitarrista, Antonio, Bajista, Draconian, Legend, Arise Records, Estudios Dune, Alhaurín de la Torre, Fran Da Conceiçao, Vovalista, Land of Dreamlike Visions, Letras, Videos, YouTube, Promo, Born Undivine, Carlos Lamarca, Buscan Bajista

Then, a few weeks ago, I stumbled across something really funny. Whilst looking for new phones on the AT&T site (http://www.att.com) I found it very informative to read the user reviews. I thought I should leave a review of the iPhone - some good, some bad. Wait, where is the "post a review" link for the iPhone??? There's no reviews for iPhone? I thought I was missing something but then I scrolled down and realized you could read/write reviews for every other phone that at&t sold, but not the iPhone. See for yourself, visit AT&T Smart Phones . Maybe this is the doing of at&t? So, I checked Apple's online store here: Apple Online Store and sure enough, you can read/write reviews on every other item they sell, just not the iPhone.

Luckily, Apple doesn't control the whole internet yet, so if you want to read some user reviews, check out CNET iPhone User's Reviews

What does it say about your product when you don't allow the users to leave reviews? Also strange that you can add insurance to any phone except the iPhone.

Bleh, I used to be an apple fan. Never again will I buy one of their products.

In my earlier post about the "Draconian Laws of the Old Testament", I failed to address Robert's (not Richard - my apologies again) real question. It was my fault as I was addressing his concerns, instead of his question. So I think this is really his question(s):

Robert wrote:

"What is the method for determining whether particular scriptural commands are abrogated? Can you answer this question...."

Finally, and most important, we still have no good method by which to determine what OT commandments apply, and which do not. Does “living in grace” mean we can chuck the whole OT? Do all Ten Commandments still apply today, or just a few of them? How does the Christian determine which parts of the OT to obey? Only the ones they like, rejecting those which are unpalatable or offend modern culture? Either adhere to all of the OT, or none of it. If I was God, picking and choosing which of My commandments to follow would offend Me mightily.

Definitions:

abrogate:

1. to abolish by formal or official means; annul by an authoritative act; repeal: to abrogate a law.
2. to put aside; put an end to.

THE PROBLEM:

There is at least one presupposition at work here, or an argument based on a presupposition that may or may not be Robert's.

Presupposition #1:

That some OT Commandments do not apply after the new covenant with Christ

Presuppostion #2:

That we have a clear understanding of the law in the OT

DISCLAIMER:

I am going to answer this as I am being led, because there is probably someone out there that could explain this better.

THE SOLUTION:

Answer for Presupposition #1:

I don't believe any of the commandments are abrogated, but they are fulfilled, but they do not go away, they are not nullified.

Christ clearly tells us that:

Matthew 5:17-19 (NASB)

17"Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.
18"For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
19"Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Here we see that the law is not abolished but fulfilled. (Notice that even those that annul or teach others to do the same are still in the kingdom)

And this:

Luke 16:16-17 (NASB)

16"The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John; since that time the gospel of the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.
17"But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail.

Again, we see that the law cannot fail.

So, what does the law depend on?

Matthew 22:36-40 (NASB)

36"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?"
37And He said to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'
38"This is the great and foremost commandment.
39"The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'
40"On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."

The WHOLE Law depends on LOVE. The LOVE of God. And LOVING GOD. As does the Prophets. What is this LOVE? It is the willingness to put up with us and our disobedience. Our UN-godliness. It is the willingness to LOVE us, regardless of how abhorrent we are to a Holy God.

So is the law abrogated? No. So what changed?

God did not change. The law did not change. What happened? Two things:

1.) God gave the sacrifice for us. Christ became our sacrifice for sinful/willing disobedience. Notice that there are clear cut penalties for those that sin ignorantly and break the law, versus those that sin willfully and break the law.

2.) Spiritual death was abrogated for the born-again Christian. The ultimate due was paid in our place. For those that had already died, and for those that die today, and for those that will die in the future.

Answer for Presupposition #2:

You do NOT have a clear understanding of OT Law. Probably none of us do have a full understanding. We are much like the Sadducees when Christ says:

Matthew 22:29 (NASB)

29But Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God.

Robert, you read the OT Law and you see the PENALTY. You do NOT see the instruction and the exhortation to LOVE GOD. You do NOT see the command BEFORE the penalty that points us back to LOVING GOD.

THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION TO THE QUESTION:

How do you "LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND."?

You OBEY HIM. How do we OBEY HIM? By loving "YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF".

If we LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR AS OURSELF, we OBEY HIM, and by OBEYING HIM, we LOVE HIM. By LOVING HIM, we obey all the LAWS of the OT & the NT automatically! (INSERT "WOW!" MOMENT HERE! - for me anyway)

Does that mean we do not sin? ABSOLUTELY NOT. We still have flesh right? As long as we have flesh we have the ability to sin either willfully, or ignorantly. And for the born-again Christian, there is no fear of death and judgment, but a promise of forgiveness.

PRAYER:

Father, I thank you for revealing this great truth to us. That by loving our neighbor as ourself, that we obey you, and by obeying you, we love you and honor you. Father, I thank you for the things you teach us and show us daily. Father, now I ask you, I beg you! Help us love our neighbor. Help us to see the people around us as our neighbors and recognize them as our neighbors. Help us to love them as much as we love ourselves. Thank you for your grace and forgiveness, for we shall surely need them.

AMEN

Draconian - On Sunday They Will Kill The World ["The Burning Halo" --- 2006].

On a Sunday they will kill the world
And on Monday they will cry and shout
Then on Tuesday they will just try out
What will happen to the burning crowd

'Eighty killed' in Tibetan unrest.

Cum ziceam, cîntec de duminică.