I'm swamped. Nothing from me today.

Open Thread.

Rough day at the dentist today. When I left with a prescription for pain medication, it came with a separate notice from the dentist, addressed to me, at my home address, advising me that when I fill the prescription, it will be entered in a state database accessible to law enforcement and doctors. 37 states are now enrolled in the prescription monitoring program. They are even working on an interstate version, having states share the information about your prescriptions with other states.

There's something wrong with this picture. Why should the private, personal medical information of millions of people be subjected to state surveillance and made accessible to law enforcement and thousands of pharmacists and health care providers, just so the Government can stop a few lawbreakers?

What if the database is breached or hacked, as happened in Virginia, exposing the medical information of 5 million people? The hackers demanded a $10 million ransom to return the information.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

I've updated my post on the Megaload hosting companies and potential data destruction.

I think it's time for Chuck Schumer to retire. Here's his latest: $140 million for research on how to test drivers for drug use.

The Obama DOJ has cited the NDAA in a brief opposing habeas for a Guantanamo detainee. Here's the Government's brief and the detainee's cert petition.

I'd rather watch The Bachelor than talk more about Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney and Florida, but if you have more to say, here's an open thread, have at it.

All other topics are also welcome.

Update: Shaun White makes the history books. On his third run, when he already had the Gold, he steps up his game and gets the first ever perfect score of 100 from the Judges. Really amazing runs, and considering two days ago he was hobbled by an ankle injury, truly a feat. He is just incredible.

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Shaun White hurt his ankle Thursday but still qualified in first place and will compete tonight in the Men's SuperPipe finals at the X Games in Aspen. He's great, no question, but I'm rooting for Louie Vito. Big changes for Louie this year, no drinking and he's signed with Red Bull. Here are the finalists. You can watch live at 9pm ET on ESPN, TV or online. [More..]

Nearly 400 arrests yesterday at Occupy Oakland.

More of the same stories about Republican primary candidates. I'm back to "Who cares?"

An op-ed in the New York Times highlights Justice Sotomayor's concurring opinion in the warrantless GPS case of U.S. v. Jones, decided last week. (Opinion here) [More...]

The media says Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich are "trading jabs" with Mitt Romney hoping for a "knockout." The idea of either one of these guys in a boxing ring is pretty comical.

Update: Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times poll just released: Curtains for Newt? He's trailing Mitt by 11 points, and the paper says Mitt's lead looks "insurmountable", especially since it cuts across "geographic, ethnic and gender lines." Why did Herman Cain board a sinking ship?

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Newt Gingrich's poll numbers drop.

Do we really need to hear the 911 Demi Moore call? Why are they even public records when no crime is involved? How many people are less likely to call for help if they know their call will be spread over the internet by the local fire or sheriff's dept?

Yesterday it was Google, the day before Facebook and today it's Twitter on the hot seat. Seems Twitter is going to start censoring tweets in countries that ban publishing on certain topics when they receive a takedown request. Examples: France and Germany restrict pro-Nazi content. [More...]

TalkLeft was down this morning, our hosting company had issues. It's fixed now. Here's an open thread, all topics welcome. Thanks to those of you who emailed me to let me know.

BTD -Still a very busy time for me. Maybe post tomorrow.

American Idol airs auditions in Aspen, CO tonight. Steven Tyler calls it "G-ds' Paintbrush."

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Is it time to close your Google account? Here's how.

MegaUpload read for today: MegaUpload Meet Morrison. More here. The media has gone wild with its coverage of Kim DotCom's personal life, I'm only interested in the legal aspects of the case. MegaUpload lawyer Ira Rothken is interviewed here.

I've got court today, so here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

In other news, Google announced changes to privacy, and you can't opt out.

Google said Tuesday it will require users to allow the company to follow their activities across e-mail, search, YouTube and other services, a radical shift in strategy that is expected to invite greater scrutiny of its privacy and competitive practices.

The information will enable Google to develop a fuller picture of how people use its growing empire of Web sites. Consumers will have no choice but to accept the changes.

A federal judge in Colorado has ruled that the 5th Amendment doesn't protect a defendant from being compelled to unencrypt the data on her hard drive and provide it to the FBI which had gotten a search warrant. (Background here.) [More...]

Former CIA officer John Kiriakou has been charged in federal court in Virginia with leaking information, perhaps pertaining to waterboarding, the capture of Abu Zubaydah and the interrogation of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

The Justice Department also said that the information Kiriakou supplied to journalists also contributed to a subsequent security breach at the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay. Kiriakou’s disclosures, according to the Justice Department, enabled defense attorneys to obtain photographs of CIA operatives suspected of being involved in controversial interrogations, pictures that were subsequently discovered in prisoners’ cells.

Mexico strikes again at the Sinaloa Cartel, killing Luis Alberto Cabrera-Sarabia, who was appointed to take over for his brother Felipe Cabrera Sarabria, after his arrest last month. 10 or 11 others were arrested and presented to the media.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.