Saturday, May 20, 2006

The Eternal Value of Privacy Bruce Schneier (via Wired): "The most common retort against privacy advocates -- by those in favor of ID checks, cameras, databases, data mining and other wholesale surveillance measures -- is this line: 'If you aren't doing anything wrong, what do you have to hide?' "Some clever answers: 'If I'm not doing anything wrong, then you have no cause to watch me.'Because the government gets to define what's wrong, and they keep changing the definition.' 'Because you might do something wrong with my information.' My problem with quips like these -- as right as they are -- is that they accept the premise that privacy is about hiding a wrong. It's not. Privacy is an inherent human right, and a requirement for maintaining the human condition with dignity and respect. "Two proverbs say it best: Quis custodiet custodes ipsos? ('Who watches the watchers?') and 'Absolute power corrupts absolutely.' "Cardinal Richelieu understood the value of surveillance when he famously said, "If one would give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest man, I would find something in them to have him hanged.' Watch someone long enough, and you'll find something to arrest -- or just blackmail -- with. Privacy is important because without it, surveillance information will be abused: to peep, to sell to marketers and to spy on political enemies -- whoever they happen to be at the time. "Privacy protects us from abuses by those in power, even if we're doing nothing wrong at the time of surveillance. "We do nothing wrong when we make love or go to the bathroom. We are not deliberately hiding anything when we seek out private places for reflection or conversation. We keep private journals, sing in the privacy of the shower, and write letters to secret lovers and then burn them. Privacy is a basic human need." "2008 pres" 8:37:18 AM

Iraq launches its first popularly elected government Captain's Quarters: "Iraq officially launched its first popularly elected government this morning after its National Assembly swore in the ministers of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's Cabinet. Two key security posts remain unfilled while negotiations continue, but the governance of Iraq has now passed to a permanent set of democratic institutions for the first time." "2008 pres" 8:26:35 AM

Fall ballot issues Peter Blake has some background on fall ballot issues in his column in today's Rocky Mountain News. From the article, "Seven initiatives and referendums have already qualified for the November ballot. Another eight are well on their way. If they all make it, Coloradans will face the longest ballot in almost 100 years. "First to qualify, months ago, was Amendment 38, which would extend and make numerous changes to the petition process. But it's likely to get lost in the money and publicity surrounding the marriage amendment, domestic partner benefits, prohibition on state services to illegal immigrants and the Referendum C rollback. Of the seven issues on the ballot, five are referendums. The legislature has asked the people to approve domestic partner benefits, modify recall election laws, extend the senior homestead tax exemption to disabled veterans and, a hardy perennial, repeal obsolete statutes and constitutional provisions. The fifth referendum seems designed to confuse voters contemplating the other initiative already on the ballot. Both require school districts to spend 65 percent of their operating budget on classroom instruction, but Amendment 39 seems more serious than Referendum G... "Virtually certain to make the ballot soon, according to Reiter, is the marriage amendment ('a union between a man and a woman') and the prohibition on providing state services to illegals (even though the sponsors admit it's more symbolic than real). Also rolling along are proposals to increase the state minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $6.85; limit growth in metro counties and to mandate more 'affordable' housing; Jon Caldara's attempt to provide refunds to taxpayers by limiting Referendum C revenues; and former Senate President John Andrews' attempt to require more frequent public review of appellate judges and to term-limit them to 12 years. Colorado Springs conservative Will Perkins' attempt to prohibit state and local governments from providing same-sex couples with the same benefits married couples get is farther back. But if his makes the ballot, he'll be matched by gay activist Tim Gill's counterproposal. An initiative to legalize marijuana is rumored to be running out of the money needed to pay circulators. It might need an influx of cash to make the ballot." Category: Denver November 2006 Election 8:08:49 AM

Preferred Options Storage Plan Legislation for the Preferred Options Storage Plan is not moving ahead, according to the Pueblo Chieftain. From the article, "Legislation to study water storage options in the Arkansas Valley is stalled again, as Colorado Springs and the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District remain miles apart in negotiations. A committee that has been working on legislation for the Preferred Storage Options Plan withdrew its most recent draft Thursday at the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District meeting. Issues surrounding Lake County, the Lower Ark District and Colorado Springs have mired the legislation, said Harold Miskel, chairman of the PSOP committee... "...deeper problems are surfacing from an apparent rift in PSOP negotiations between Colorado Springs and the Lower Ark District. Negotiations began about 16 months ago, and both sides say progress is slow, and another meeting is scheduled next month. Wednesday, the Lower Ark board voted to notify Congress it won't take a position on PSOP until negotiations are complete... "The Lower Ark district is stressing water quality, a water management program that would unite ditch companies and issues relating to Fountain Creek. 'They realize the water management program is their future water supply, but it's also the future of the valley,' [Lower Ark Executive Director Jay Winner] said. The plan would allow municipal water leases on parcels of land that would rotate throughout the valley. Valley ditch companies have not signed off on the deal, but have been contacted by the Lower Ark District. Last week, Lower Ark President John Singletary said the announced plans of Thornton water developers Pure Cycle Inc. to build a pipeline to Arapahoe County from the Fort Lyon Canal illustrates the urgency of the plan. 'I think they took a real step backward when they didn't help us on HB1352,' Winner said, referring to state Rep. Buffie McFadyen's defeated water quality bill. 'There won't be a deal until we have a deal on everything,' Winner said... "Colorado Springs said the negotiations are going slowly, but should not even be included in the legislation, water resource planning supervisor Brett Gracely said. The legislation should, instead, concentrate solely on studying the main tenets of PSOP whether Lake Pueblo can be safely enlarged and what priorities will be used to store water in the future... "Colorado Springs is particularly concerned about a 'Phase II' portion of the most recent version of the bill that would authorize study of cumulative socioeconomic and environmental impacts dating back to 1975, including a concept known as environmental justice. Much of the wording of that portion of the bill was added at the request of U.S. Rep. John Salazar, D-Colo. 'It sets a precedent with the federal government on items that have been a state issue,' Gracely said. 'We're resistant to federal involvement in state water rights, it sets a bad statewide precedent.'" Category: Colorado Water 7:52:15 AM

Water summit Thursday at Northeastern Junior College Sterling Journal Advocate: "Progressive 15 will be hosting a water summit Thursday at Northeastern Junior College... "The water summit will cover topics including legislation, updates from interbasin compacts and water conservancy districts, funding for water projects, economic impact of water study and examples of partnerships with Front Range communities. There will be an opportunity to share ideas on possible solutions to the water crisis that will help in long-range planning... "Progressive 15 events are open to the public and the organization encourages participation in the summit. Advance registration is required. Information: www.progressive15.org or (970) 867-9167." Category: Colorado Water 7:39:45 AM

Farm disaster on the South Platte Rocky Mountain News: "Water from the Western Slope began flowing to parched Eastern Plains farmers Friday night, but there was no guarantee it would save crops hit hard by a state-ordered irrigation well shutdown... "Friday night, 10,000 acre feet from the Windy Gap Project near Granby began flowing. 'We turned on the pumps tonight,' said Brian Werner, spokesman for Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District. That water will help those farmers who can can take delivery from the river and apply it straight to their fields. But farmers who rely solely on irrigation wells will get no relief because the state, three Front Range cities and some surface-water farmers have not signed off on an overall agreement. Their wells cannot start pumping again without the approval of the main objectors, including Boulder, Sterling and Highlands Ranch... "Reached late Friday, Carol Ellinghouse, Boulder's water resources coordinator, said it was news to her that the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District was turning on the water. Ellinghouse reiterated that Boulder and 35 other objectors still are reviewing the overall water supply proposal.Boulder has done its preliminary analysis of the plan, but needs more information, Ellinghouse said. 'They didn't give us enough information to evaluate it,' she said. 'Things like which particular wells are going to be turned on and which will be left off. They said some will be on and some will be off, so it's pretty basic information like that that was missing.' Category: Colorado Water 7:26:47 AM

Don Ament: We need moisture There's nothing like the return of drought to help farmers and officials find religion. Here's an article about the need for rainfall in Colorado from the AP via the Casper Star Tribune. They quote Colorado Agriculture Commissioner, Don Ament, as saying, "We need moisture and we need it over most of the state, including Denver. That's the prayer for this week." From the article, "Warm weather and decreased snowpack in much of Colorado mirror conditions found in 2002's drought and could hurt farmers and ranchers across Colorado, state Agriculture Commissioner Don Ament said. Alfalfa farmers in southern Colorado's San Luis Valley stand to lose much of their alfalfa crop this year and wheat farmers on the Eastern Plains are worried their crop could dry up unless rain falls on their fields soon, he said... "The Pueblo Chieftain reported Thursday that the San Luis Valley could lose $60 million because of the alfalfa losses. That includes the loss of this year's crop, damage to subsequent harvests and the drop in farmers' income, according to Merlin Dillon, a Colorado State University agronomist, who discussed the situation with the Alamosa County commissioners this week. Commission Chairman Darius Allen, who lost just about all the 1,000 acres of alfalfa he raised with two partners, said that crop insurance will only cover a small amount of the losses for farmers, the Chieftain reported. He said U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar and Rep. John Salazar, both D-Colo., have been asked to help get emergency funds to help the farmers... "In southeastern Colorado, at least one auction barn has been busier than normal this week as some ranchers start to sell calves because they fear there won't be enough grass to support all their cattle. Don Honey of La Junta Livestock Auction Co. said some ranchers are selling calves at 250 lbs. rather than waiting until the fall when they would bring in more money at between 500 and 600 lbs." Category: Colorado Water 7:17:08 AM

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