Are we seeing ‘…the evolution of a style of music (and musicians) once beloved for its outsider ethos and “authenticity” into something that has been characterized as, variously, “dad rock,” “for sale next to the register at Starbucks” or, even… “NPR Muzak”…? (via The Record : NPR).

“…But “Occupy” is anything but a protest movement. That’s why it has been so hard for news agencies to express or even discern the “demands” of the growing legions of Occupy participants around the nation, and even the world. Just like pretty much everyone else on the planet, occupiers may want many things to happen and other things to stop, but the occupation is not about making demands. They don’t want anything from you, and there is nothing you can do to make them stop. That’s what makes Occupy so very scary and so very promising. It is not a protest, but a prototype for a new way of living….” — Douglas Rushkoff (via Boing Boing).

‘Only recently have scientists accorded chimpanzees, so closely related to humans we can share blood transfusions, the dignity of having a mind. But now, increasingly, researchers who study octopuses are convinced that these boneless, alien animals—creatures whose ancestors diverged from the lineage that would lead to ours roughly 500 to 700 million years ago—have developed intelligence, emotions, and individual personalities. Their findings are challenging our understanding of consciousness itself.’ (via Orion Magazine).

A decade after Bush’s signature, information is sketchy about how the law is being used in practice: ‘…despite its namesake of “Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism,” the law seemingly is being invoked far more to target domestic crime than for fighting terrorism.

The act, which has remained largely the same since President George W. Bush signed the legislation six weeks after 9/11, among other things gives the government powers to acquire phone, banking and other records via the power of a so-called “national security letter,” which does not require a court warrant.

National security letters, perhaps the most invasive facet of the law, are written demands from the FBI that compel internet service providers, financial institutions and others to hand over confidential records about their customers, such as subscriber information, phone numbers and e-mail addresses, and arguably websites you have visited.

The FBI need merely assert, in writing, that the information is “relevant” to an ongoing terrorism or national security investigation. Nearly everyone who gets a national security letter is prohibited from even disclosing that they’ve received one (the automatic gag order provision was struck down in a rare legal loss for the Patriot Act, but they persist in practice). More than 200,000 letters have been issued by the FBI.

Amendments requiring that the letters seek data relevant to a “terror” investigation have failed.’ (via Wired.com).

‘Remember that Target commercial last year that poked fun at homemade Halloween costumes? Some people, including me, were not too fond of the message it sent. This year at New York Comic Con, the GeekDads and GeekMoms hosted a discussion panel and my topic was “five reasons you should build your kid’s costume.”  ‘ (via Wired.com).