As of January 1, 2005, the Dutch will have to carry ID. Or rather, they will have to produce some ID if a law enforcement officer demands that. Hiram started a campaign on his weblog Ipse Dixit, resulting in a web site named Gelijk oversteken! (Tit for tat). The campaign's main message: If an officer of the law asks for your ID papers, just answer:"Tit for tat!"

I endorse this campaign, mainly because I fear that the ID thing will lead to an increase in the harrassement of Brown People. It's not that I do not trust officers of the law. Hey, my best friend is a copper, sort of. But simply because the instrument is available, it will be used, and it will be used against the weakest segment of the population.

The British have a similar sitiuation, although their ID Cards Bill is still in Parliament. Their government is planning to establish a vast, complex and far-reaching system that will involve an unprecedented use of personal information. There will be an expensive ID card, with biometric data on a chip, backed by a huge central database. The Bill is now being rushed through Parliament, because Mr Blair is planning to hold a General Election within the next six months. NO2ID is the site of the campaign opposing this Bill.

There is a difference between Dutch en British developments, but both will lead to an increase in government control over it's citizens. Blame the EU, blame the terrorists, blame the Illuminaty. But remember: Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you...

An FBI email refers to a presidential order authorizing inhumane interrogation techniques, says the American Civil Liberties Union in a press release. The ACLU is urging the White House to confirm or deny the existence of such an order and immediately to release the order if it exists.

Say what you will about America, some institutions are still functioning. The ACLU and other organisations are obtaining loads of government documents through the courts, including the above mentioned email.

You can read the email and other FBI emails about torture in Abu Ghraib and Camp X-Ray on the ACLU site. All documents are heavily redacted, but lead to carefully worded observations like

The legible portions of the document appear to describe an account given to the FBI’s Sacramento Field Office by an FBI agent who had "observed numerous physical abuse incidents of Iraqi civilian detainees," including "strangulation, beatings, [and] placement of lit cigarettes into the detainees ear openings." The document states that "[redacted] was providing this account to the FBI based on his knowledge that [redacted] were engaged in a cover-up of these abuses."

I saw Steeph's post and I just had to take some pictures of Poempa sleeping in the tiniest box that he could find. The flash woke him up, of course.

In the first two decades of the 20th Century, an unprecedented development of massive industrial structures changed the face of Detroit and heralded a second industrial revolution.

Today all of those structures are in ruins, abandoned, decayed or destroyed.

Visit DetroitYES and take the classic tour. There will be express routes, detours, an occasional cul-de-sac. And once you're hooked you can take new tours and Webisodes.