baavgai | Apr. 6th, 2007

As an employee of the State of New Jersey, I get every vacation day allowable by law ( codes 36:1-1,1.2). Yeah, there's actually holiday legalese, this translates to a respectably long list: New Year's Day; Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday; Washington's Birthday; Lincoln's Birthday; Good Friday; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Columbus Day; Veterans Day; Thanksgiving; Christmas; any general election day.

Two president's birthdays is what usually makes people roll their eyes at me. Or the relative new comer, Martin's bday. But there's a pretty good reason, or at least historical precedence, for all of them. Well, save one.

Today is Good Friday. It's not observed nationally in the US, but by a number of States. It is the only completely non secular holiday on the calendar. You could call Christmas a religious holiday, but the reality is that the observance has become seasonal catchall anything you please; Winter Solstice celebrations for everyone.

I like having today off, can't complain there. But I find it's observation troubling. Not troubling enough to get worked up about. Still, in the back of my mind today, there will be a mild little First Amendment itch that will beg to be scratched. Ah... better.

Happy Jesus on a Stick Day, everyone!

I know, I made a Good Friday post already, but I wanted to share while I was thinking of it...

Terrorism is the modern exception to civil rights, much as the "Red Menace" was to earlier generations. Previous crackpots protecting us at the loss of our freedom only rose as high as the Senate level. Today the Commander and Chief protects us from "evil." One result of our current police state is that stories that really should be plastered about with incensed outcry are left to fade, the fourth estate being distracted by safer, meaningless topics.

What prompts this? Well, someone was describing to me a particularly paranoid person. They were going on about how "they" can snoop on any suspect via their cell phone. I was looked to for confirmation that this was paranoid fantasy. Sadly, I knew for a fact it wasn't.

It took some digging to find the story. The FBI appears to have begun using a novel form of electronic surveillance in criminal investigations: remotely activating a mobile phone's microphone and using it to eavesdrop on nearby conversations. It took me a while to find this, that bothered me more than even the story itself.

Other stories fade, too. Why isn't Bush answering for his snooping? Where did that story go? If you pay attention, you'll notice the laws that he should be answering for breaking are being quietly rewritten. Or, more interestingly, begin ignored.

For your perusal and paranoia, I offer the following FBI stories on evidence acquisition: