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

Mon May 7 10:20:03 EDT 2012

Yes it happens.  Unfortunately the US Government refuses to give statistics on how often it happens.

There was a well publicized case a year or so ago where they made someone turn on his computer to "prove it worked" then found out he had an encrypted area on it.   The court later in a total BS ruling said he MUST provide his password for the encrypted area because the fact he turned it on for them showed he was "willing" to let them access it.   Of course they ignore the fact that many people have said their laptops have been confiscated coming through the borders with no seeming rhyme or reason.   Imagine how quickly they would confiscate if you refused to turn it on in the first place.  It was the article I read about this that indicated this has been happening quite a bit.

It's been a while since I flew but every time I ever did they made me turn on the computer to verify it was actually a computer.  Given the above case I don't know that I'd be so ready to do so now.

-----Original Message-----
From: ale-bounces at ale.org [mailto:ale-bounces at ale.org] On Behalf Of Damon L. Chesser
Sent: Monday, May 07, 2012 10:10 AM
To: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts
Subject: Re: [ale] Fwd: Jim - cannot post this message to ALE, please post for me

On Mon, 2012-05-07 at 10:06 -0400, H P Ladds wrote:
> Is this a joke?

No joke since 911.  You can enter Canada easily enough, but coming back,
you need a passport and you are subject to search and seizer. Yes it
happens.

>
> 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
> >
>
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--
Damon
damon at damtek.com

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