If you look at history and geography you will have to conclude that the Iraq war is more important to the long term safety of America and her allies than Afghanistan. We should put 200,000 more troops in Iraq and detour the advances of the Iranians and the Hezbollah in Lebanon. Our allies need us and we can not allow Iraq to come apart. Look at a map. And yes, think about oil at $400.00. If you listen closely you pick up tidbits that ad up to the end game. Check it out. Stay Sharp!!!

Can't believe my alma mater actually made the news globally, lol.

Actually I'm quite displeased, as an alumni I may actually call them up and complain about the way they've handled this. It's an extremely hostile gesture to be this litigious as I could see them extending this to students who post unfavorable reviews of professors or the campus or institution itself.

I loved my time there, but York is known well for not handling issues like this properly. There are numerous riots and protests that could have easily been quelled peacefully, but instead they redacted to calling in the police or security for needless violence.

If you read the wikipedia page for York, you'll see that lots of things are being white-washed like prominent incidents involving protests within the main quad (Vari Hall I think it's called). It's even more upsetting not that they're actually requesting such information, but that the Canadian Courts actually granted permission for this. I can't believe Google would so readily give up that information, they should wipe it clean and say they don't have access or something.

Privacy apparently means nothing to Google, with all the resources they have they could have battled or appealed this one.

Master Shake, Many programmers were hired during the Bush years to track everything going on on the web, this has been going on for at least 7 years.

Libel isn't protected by the first amendment. My child was bullied when younger, I've always been glad the web wasn't as popular back then. Children and some whacked out parents can make the victims life a nightmare, I'm in favor of prosecution.

This isn't about YOU. This is about setting precedents. In a nation such as the United States where there are already very vague legal definitions for what is a "suspected of supporting terrorism", and legislation that enables you to be arrested and held indefinitely without a trial, having the ability to immediately identify what anyone wrote (even out of context) and act on it, is the modern day equivalent of Soviet Russia's KGB operations. People never think it can happen to them, until it is too late to complain about it without becoming a victim of that system. Try asking yourself why so many other nations DO protect the anonymous standing of online users? Because those nations DO have freedom of speech. America only has the slogan - not the legislation that backs it up. I used to believe in the American propaganda, too. Then I traveled to other nations and saw what freedom REALLY means.

And if someone questioned your credentials or libeled you otherwise, resulting in another's unfavorable handling of your situation, you would just let this pass? We're not just talking about calling someone a jerk or saying you think they're stupid. This professor had his job threatened. If someone posts threats, do you not think they should be tracked down? As the article states, there's a line between freedom of speech and libel. General rule for posting (and life) is that if you wouldn't say or do something in public, it probably isn't that great an idea. And please use your common sense on that one.

You are correct Bill I can not believe the hatred and jealousy that Americans have to one another, I fear this country is getting closer and closer to colapsing, A nation divded will surely fall, and all great nations have fallen, we maybe next, we are no long a nation under god, but politicans and greed.

The thing is more and more is geting reported and so-called news is on the phony stations such as pmsnbc/nbc/abc etc. They report stuff like that to show supposedly who has the power and you better not call-out or show your first ammendment actions against someone better than you. I have a statement to 90% of the ding-dongs and the #1 liar -BARRY--kiss my but--this is lyndal in Destrehan come see me--traders-unamerican carpetbaggers

the hatred that people display on the internet is just a reminder of humanitys true nature. we lie daily and the internet is what a lot of potential serial killers might use as an outlet and just might be the very thing that prevents another death! there are negative sides but ultimately the internet is all about freedom to speak your mind without the vast amount of social restriction that comes with real world encounters. i say that if you dont like what you see on the internet you should just not look at all! its like running for president, you get some friends and enemies. you dont just start saying its illegal to have enemies all because one group of people got their feelings hurt. celebreties should especially expect this kind of stuff to happen and agknowledge the fact that they put themselves in a position to both be loved more than others or hated more than others. its a two way street. some censorship should be used for websites that are of a much higher class although when you see a rude comment coming from a blog that someone posted randomly in a manner similar to scribling in your diary, then you should let them vent and go about your day knowing that you still have your extra friends as well as your foes. if i had the chance of making more friends because i was a celebrety i would take that as well as the enemies that come along with it and just enjoy what i have. im ranting a little myself which is not suprising. i havent writen anything in a while so forgive me if my comment seems poorly presented or anything like that. i hope i got someone to understand at least a portion of my point of view.

I have no respect for people who don't stand behind their comments. As long as this is done via the court system I have no problem. No self respecting individual would need to worry about this anyway. Only criminals and evil doers need worry about being exposed.

Sounds like you wouldn't mind having all your correspondence censored. It's not the matter of whether you are saying something true or not, it's that the government wants to know everything regardless of intent. This happens in prisons, with dictatorships, with fascist governments. If you wish to be a subservient subject, I suggest you move to China or North Korea --- you will fit right in.

Actually this question has already been answered by the courts and the law. We each have the right to face our accusers. So in order to uphold one right we have to make nil another? The answer is simple and it takes away no freedoms, screen names should be public. Your in the phone book aren't you? This would save us all from the unethical assassination from ambush that this man is going through. He many be all that they accuse and he may not. Shouldn't they have the chance to prove their point and he his chance to prove his innocence?

I would love to say what I think to their face. The problem is I'm not wealthy enough to get a meeting with the powers that be.

Cyndi--

Sometimes the reprisals for telling the truth are horrific. I'm not understating that. I've (unwittingly) worked for some really bad (and ignorant) people who were doing things that endangered their employees. Believe me, there seem to be no shortage of people who do that (in a recession, especially) and you can't necessarily rely on the appropriate agencies to follow up. Sometimes "anonymous" ensures that something is said about it.