Are public workers' emails private

The Florida Supreme Court ruled last week that private emails sent to and received by State employees do not have to be turned over to the public. The St. Petersberg Times covered that issue in an article titled State: Workers' private e-mail is just that.

Secretary of State's Husband dies

Following a tragic traffic accident, Richard L Windsor died this morning at Christiana Hospital. A friend of Governor Minner, and husband to Harriet Smith Windsor, Mr. Windsor was employed by Delaware Technical and Community College.

burgers aren't fat-free, but are suit-free

A N.Y. federal District Judge just put the final word on an ill-conceived suit against McDonalds

lost and found $24 million

State finds $24 million for budget. Wouldn't it be nice to find $24M on your way to work? Would that change your plans? Well the State of Delaware apparently forgot that a recent corporate tax rate hike is retroactive to January 1.

For other lost and found searching, you may want to try State Escheat pages like... Delaware's Escheat Page. It's not cheating, it is escheat. This is the way that unclaimed property gets turned over to the State. So you may want to check it out periodically to see if you lost, or forgot something.

But don't expect a timely response. You will probably get an auto response e-mail and nothing else. So if you find something, send a real letter and follow up with a phone call.

homes of the stars

The California Coastal Records Project is a labor of love with its aerial photos of the California coastline used by schools, the government, and environmental groups.

The project has run into a number of bumps along the path. One was the military. An even bigger impediment was Barbara Streisand. As interesting a project as I think this is, I'd be a little upset if they photographed my house and labeled it. Ms. Streisand was. But $50 million in claimed damages?

The Coastal Records Project pages examine their side of the dispute in vivid detail, including links to the Streisand-filed court complaint and other filed documents case.

But also make sure that you see the June 13, 2003, post from Barbara Streisand's web site, including a quote from Don Henley related to the Coast Records Project.

what is the cost of privacy?

How much is your privacy worth? How cheaply would you sell it? It appears that it's quite possible that you social security number could be had on the web for as little as $26, even if you might be the the Head of the CIA.

virus liability

Who should take responsibility for the damage caused by viruses? What about when a company transmits a virus and they know that their systems are infected? Or when a company neglects to use up-to-date antivirus software? The Economist takes a look at the state of viruses, and makes in prediction in their latest article on Computer viruses:

However, his [Harvard Law School's Berkman Centre for Internet and Society] colleague John Palfrey says that it would not surprise him if a lawsuit were brought against an organisation which unknowingly but negligently transmitted a virus. And if you think virus writers are scary, you have clearly never met a tort lawyer.