I'm a big fan of Ennio Morricone. Go way back to The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly then fast forward to The Legend of 1900. There other geniuses like Hans Zimmer and Jerry Goldsmith. I enjoyed Daft Punk's soundtrack to the Tron movie a couple of years ago as well.

Either it's official or non-official. There isn't much gray area here. Pay the expenses or answer the questions.

Oh, and get that Belgian Trade Commissioner to do a seminar at the IRS on how to keep costs down when attending "trade" events.

Yeah, I think we both misunderstood. The records are held by the phone company regardless of whether there is a FISA order to turn the data over.

I'm not sure how the government could mine the data if it remained in the possession of the phone company, though that is where I think I misunderstood your point. I thought you meant the data wasn't being passed on.

My understanding was the 4th Amendment didn't apply because they weren't gathering the content of the calls. The records are not held by the phone company.

I understand it. There is no argument I want to make in support of it. As I said, I'm willing to put up with scrutiny if I do something that triggers it. I am not willing to accept any word from the government that the information they are gathering will not be abused.

If a program to weed out terrorist activity starts with surveillance of every mobile phone and Internet user, then it is already wildly inefficient. How do they find someone if they don't start with all of us? It's simple: modify the order so that the phone companies send only the information that fits the profile the agencies are looking for. Let the phone company apply the first filters instead of the government.

At least I can decide which phone company I trust to be responsible with my data.

Eric's post made me a bit paranoid, so a bit of clarification to my earlier post:

A (perhaps gross) simplification of the conflict is this: the program as it exists presumes the guilt of every actor and it is only our actions or inaction that the computer algorithms determine whether we fall under suspicion.

Transactions are one thing. Legally, I concede, that each phone call made on a commercially-purchased electronic signal could be construed as a transaction. When I call Mom and Dad, for broad purposes of Mr. Yoo's arguments, it could be considered a transaction.

That is not what is argued. The examples are transactions of equipment that could be used for lethal purpose. Here again, though it is not specified in the paper, a mobile phone could fit the definition.

The paper addresses communications to foreign numbers. I am all for warrant-less taps and tracking of numbers found in terrorist cell phones. I don't mind scrutiny if I call overseas. That does not address the issue we discuss today: the blanket surveillance of all communication.

If I'm honest, I likely have a different view without recent IRS abuses.

East-central Indiana: crawdads, but it was always understood they were really called crayfish.

My grandma always said "pecan" like "peekin'" as in peekin' pie. I always said it "peh-KAHN." Or should I say "Khan!!"

The problem is it is a blanket surveillance. Warrant-less surveillance is one thing on a phone line where some reason for suspicion is present. There is a "time is of the essence" issue. There are profiles to consider, for example, I don't have a problem with watching numbers assigned to pre-paid phones.

Constant recording of call numbers and duration of those calls? What justifies this sweeping order? Has this had a demonstrable benefit? No one says whether it has been useful. The records exist at the carriers if an agency finds reason to "mine" data from specific phone numbers and obtains a warrant.

Couple this with the discriminatory acts of the IRS and it is here and now an unacceptable use of government authority. Constitutional? Semantics. Like Eric Holder's testimony about the use of drones in acts targeting American citizens: technically and hypothetically speaking, he thought it would be okay.

Here we can only speak about technicalities because it is not a hypothetical. If nothing else, this administration has proved beyond a measure of doubt it cannot be trusted with its existing executive powers. The FISA blanket warrant should be rescinded and a better method found.

Well, one thing I did right that I would still pass on to my 20-something self is, "Wait for the right person." Didn't take the plunge until 35, which is why someone's comment threw me that the most important decision you make in your 20's is who to marry. 'No one' may be the correct answer in your 20's.

As for something I didn't know, it would be this: it isn't you. The key to promotion, in many, many cases, is saying 'yes.' Good managers are rare. And if you are a yes person, it won't matter if you make bad decisions day after day after day because you'll be protected. No, it isn't you, that is the way it too often happens. It's not about you.

I was never good at saying 'yes' when the answer that made sense was 'no.' I wouldn't change what I did, I would just want my 20-something self to get over that frustration and be more confident.

Write.

We published two illustrated children's books and have a third in development.

I've written six chapters of a mystery for older kids, scheduled for September publication. So far, the kids' reviews are "I can't wait to read the rest!"

We have a marketing company that I do all the writing for. The best piece of writing I've ever done was just 35 words long.

I beg to differ there is no money in dreams. You can let things happen to you, as I did for a long time, or you can make things happen. It took a while, but my wife and I figured it out and we're not looking back.

2. Who knows what could happen ten years from now? Maybe they'll be allowed to fail and someone will buy out the brand and start making good cars.

Until then, I have an eye on Ford for our next one, though I'll go back to VW when the empty nest thing comes. They're manufactured in Tennessee, after all.

Charlotte, thinking of "the stump and the steer," your lyrics fit!

Lol. Good question. Perhaps he started with an enticing hypothetical: "If you were president, and didn't have to worry about the media coming down on you, in what unconstitutional way(s) would you use your authority?"

I can't see 1L's being concerned about plugging leaks, but who knows?

Then there's the recess appointments without a recess.

The appointment of "czars" with no congressional oversight.

By the way, why do we still spell it that way? I thought the accepted spelling was "tsars." Oh, well...

Absolutamente. Thanks for posting.

Bebel Gilberto. Any song.

I used to go out sailing in the early evening with Neil Young Unplugged on the headphones. That was always a peaceful sail, especially the tracks starting from "Harvest Moon" through the end of the album.

Sigh...

George all the way. Someone asked so it must be said that he wrote "Taxman" as well as a number of what I consider the Beatles' best songs, including "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Old Brown Shoe" with John playing a mean slide guitar on that and on George's "For You Blue". The latter, I think, really showed how those guys were very talented musicians apart from their songwriting ability.

That said, Zeppelin all the way.