signs of the times

Psalm 119:17 Be kind to me so that I may live and hold on to your word. 18 Uncover my eyes so that I may see the miraculous things in your teachings. 19 I am a foreigner in this world. Do not hide your commandments from me. 20 My soul is overwhelmed with endless longing for your regulations. 21 You threaten arrogant people, who are condemned and wander away from your commandments. 22 Remove the insults and contempt that have fallen on me because I have obeyed your written instructions. 23 Even though influential people plot against me, I reflect on your laws. 24 Indeed, your written instructions make me happy. They are my best friends. 25 I am close to death. Give me a new life as you promised. 26 I told you what I have done, and you answered me. Teach me your laws. 27 Help me understand your guiding principles so that I may reflect on your miracles. 28 I am drowning in tears. Strengthen me as you promised. 29 Turn me away from a life of lies. Graciously provide me with your teachings. 30 I have chosen a life of faithfulness. I have set your regulations in front of me. 31 I have clung tightly to your written instructions. O LORD, do not let me be put to shame. 32 I will eagerly pursue your commandments because you continue to increase my understanding. ++++++++++++++++++++++ "We Americans view religion as a proxy for morality. What we really want to know is whether our president is a good, decent, moral, trustworthy person, and the only way we know how to frame the question is, 'Do you go to church and where?' - WASHINGTON TIMES **************** U.S. Congressman Chris Cox introduced legislation called the Global Internet Freedom Act. The bill contains some revolutionary concepts which the U.S. seeks to invoke on the rest of the world, but which have never actually been employed here in the United States. For example, the bill states flat out that, "all peoples have the right to communicate freely with others, and to have unrestricted access to news and information, including on the Internet." HUMAN RIGHTS **************** WASHINGTON — The Pentagon spent more than $100-million (U.S.) in the last six months responding to and repairing damage from cyberattacks and other computer network problems, military leaders said Tuesday. Air Force General Kevin Chilton, who heads U.S. Strategic Command, said the military is only beginning to track the costs, which are triggered by constant daily attacks against military networks ranging from the Pentagon to bases around the country. "The important thing is that we recognize that we are under assault from the least sophisticated — what I would say the bored teenager — all the way up to the sophisticated nation-state, with some pretty criminal elements sandwiched in-between," said Gen. Chilton, adding that the motivations include everything from vandalism to espionage. "This is indeed our big challenge, as we think about how to defend it." Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press April 7, 2009 **************** A new bill would give the President emergency authority to halt web traffic and access private data. Should President Obama have the power to shut down domestic Internet traffic during a state of emergency? Senators John Rockefeller (D-W. Va.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) think so. On Wednesday they introduced a bill to establish the Office of the National Cybersecurity Advisor—an arm of the executive branch that would have vast power to monitor and control Internet traffic to protect against threats to critical cyber infrastructure. That broad power is rattling some civil libertarians. The Cybersecurity Act of 2009 (PDF) gives the president the ability to "declare a cybersecurity emergency" and shut down or limit Internet traffic in any "critical" information network "in the interest of national security." The bill does not define a critical information network or a cybersecurity emergency. That definition would be left to the president. Steve Aquino, Mother Jones April 2, 2009