[ale] Fwd: Jim - cannot post this message to ALE, please post for me

[H P Ladds]

Is this a joke?

The US/Canadian border remains one of the least fortified in the
world. Doesn't the idea of Canadian Customs officials confiscating the
hard drives of common tourists seem almost comical or urban mythic?
Does this really happen?

Having grown-up on the US/Canadian border near Niagara Falls, this
scenario seems extremely improbable. Only the highest provocation
would result in this type of action, and it would probably require the
authorization of some fairly high-ranking officials and US cooperation
-- confiscating hard drives is not tantamount to confiscating some
suspect produce or plants.

So I guess, if you've really pissed-off the US government, you might
leave the computer at home. (and consider fleeing to Brazil instead of
Toronto.)


On Fri, May 4, 2012 at 4:55 PM, Jim Kinney <jim.kinney at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Ron Frazier (ALE) <atllinuxenthinfo at techstarship.com>
> Date: Fri, May 4, 2012 at 3:09 PM
> Subject: Jim - cannot post this message to ALE, please post for me
> To: Jim Kinney <jim.kinney at gmail.com>
> Cc: Ron Frazier <rwfrazier at techstarship.com>
>
>
> Jim,
>
> I've tried several times to post this message to ALE, and it won't post.
>  I've posted other messages today, so I don't know what's up.  Can you
> please post it (below) for me?  Thanks.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Ron
>
> -------------------------
>
> subject: ot computer precautions needed while traveling to canada
>
> Hi all,
>
> My wife and I are considering a road trip up to Toronto ON through Niagra
> Falls.  Having heard / read a number of horror stories about agents
> confiscating / searching computers (which I do have) and smart phones (which
> I don't have), I'm wondering if it's worth the trouble to take a laptop.
>  Everything on my PC is legal, but I do have links, emails, contacts for
> alternative energy, alternative health, political topics, and ripped music,
> which I own the CD's for, and heretical things like https://www.eff.org/.
>  These things might raise flags.  I'm considering just taking an old hard
> drive and wiping it and installing nothing but Ubuntu.  They can't read what
> isn't there.  Then, I don't have to worry about encryption, plausible
> deniability, etc.
>
> Once I get there, I might need to know how to use my Hotspot VPN account
> with Linux.  Thus far, I've only ever used it with Windows.
>
> Any thoughts?  Thanks in advance.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Ron
>
>
> --
>
> (To whom it may concern.  My email address has changed.  Replying to former
> messages prior to 03/31/12 with my personal address will go to the wrong
> address.  Please send all personal correspondence to the new address.)
>
> (PS - If you email me and don't get a quick response, you might want to
> call on the phone.  I get about 300 emails per day from alternate energy
> mailing lists and such.  I don't always see new messages very quickly.)
>
> Ron Frazier
>
> 770-205-9422 (O)   Leave a message.
> linuxdude AT techstarship.com
>
>
>
>
> --
> --
> James P. Kinney III
>
> As long as the general population is passive, apathetic, diverted to
> consumerism or hatred of the vulnerable, then the powerful can do as they
> please, and those who survive will be left to contemplate the outcome.
> - 2011 Noam Chomsky
>
> http://heretothereideas.blogspot.com/
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Ale mailing list
> Ale at ale.org
> http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
> See JOBS, ANNOUNCE and SCHOOLS lists at
> http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo
>