Clipmarks | clipiversity's 'terrorism' clips

Inmates File Suit After Prisons Ban Some Religious Books Over Terrorism Fears

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 03:50:30 GMT

clipped by: cpltaiji
clipper's remarks: "Bookburning" is not going to solve the root problem here. The change needs to come from within. When change comes from within, books don't matter!

Clip Source: www.foxnews.com

NEW YORK — Inmates at the federal prison camp in Otisville, N.Y., were stunned by what they saw at the chapel library on Memorial Day — hundreds of books had disappeared from the shelves.

The removal of the books is occurring nationwide, part of a long-delayed, post-Sept. 11 federal directive intended to prevent radical religious texts, specifically Islamic ones, from falling into the hands of violent inmates.

Three inmates at Otisville filed a lawsuit over the policy, saying their Constitutional rights were violated. They say all religions were affected.

"The set of books that have been taken out have been ones that we used to minister to new converts when they come in here," inmate John Okon, speaking on behalf of the prison's Christian population, told a judge last week.

Okon said it was unfortunate because "I have really seen religion turn around the life of some of these men, especially in the Christian community."

Tags: law, general interest, crime, bizarre, books, civil rights

Attack-proof power line to be installed under New York.

Mon, 21 May 2007 20:34:27 GMT

clipped by: BitDrifter
clipper's remarks: A super conducting power-line at that.

Clip Source: www.reuters.com

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Consolidated Edison, Inc and American Superconductor Corporation have agreed to put a superconducting power line under midtown New York that should lead to a sturdier power grid able to withstand extreme weather and attacks.

The Department of Homeland Security will fund up to $25 million for the nearly $40 million superconductor cable, it calls "Project Hydra," after the mythical Greek monster that grew back multiple heads when one was severed.

High temperature superconducting cables made with ceramic materials can carry 10 times more power than traditional cables, but are costly and face technological challenges.

Superconducting cable must be cooled with liquid nitrogen to -382 degrees Fahrenheit (-230 Celsius). At that point, conductivity resistance falls, allowing the cables to carry the extra power.

The New York project will be carried out in two stages with deployment of the cable by 2010, a spokesman for American Superconductor said.

Tags: power, energy, new york, terrorism, attacks, weather, blackout, business, security, technology

Internet Terrorism Judge, "What's a Website?"

Fri, 18 May 2007 00:03:29 GMT

clipped by: BobbyRutan
clipper's remarks: Reminds me of when they gave the Texas State Legislature laptops but hardly any of them could use them.

Clip Source: www.reuters.com

"Web site" baffles Internet terrorism trial judge

A British judge admitted on Wednesday he was struggling to cope with basic terms like "Web site" in the trial of three men accused of inciting terrorism via the Internet.

The trouble is I don't understand the language. I don't really understand what a Web site is," he told a London court during the trial of three men charged under anti-terrorism laws.

Prosecutor Mark Ellison briefly set aside his questioning to explain the terms "Web site" and "forum." An exchange followed in which the 59-year-old judge acknowledged: "I haven't quite grasped the concepts.

Concluding Wednesday's session and looking ahead to testimony Thursday by a computer expert, the judge told Ellison: "Will you ask him to keep it simple, we've got to start from basics."

Tags: internet, law, trial, al qaeda, bush, conservative, democrat, terrorism, politics, republican