[quote]Reporter in jail - Public is the loser in fight over sources

Is America slowly goosestepping into the future?

What has Goosestepping (Refering to Hitler) have to do with this DB?

Are we slowly losing our rights in the name of a greater agenda?

There were many investigations in recent years that proved that some reporters were making up anonymous sources, making up news stories and in general, not doing their job by following up on leads to verify if the lead was legitimate or not in their zealousness to get the story first (regardless of verification of facts). While I maintain that the press should be able to retain anonymous sources, they also have shown they abuse the ability of having them. In some cases, it may do a reporter well to get in trouble over it. It should be up to the courts to decide if a situation warrants revealing the anonymous source and if the court decides is it, then do it. The media has lost a lot of respect in the US for many and I for one question any story where it uses an "anonymous source" these days.

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To truly explore, one must keep an open mind...

It's really pretty simple: reporters should only be allowed to promise their sources confidentiality on the condition that revealing the information is not itself a crime. If the source is breaking some law (national security, SEC rules, etc.) by giving the tip, then a decision would have to be made whether or not to give the information or risk being exposed. In the case of "Deep Throat" giving the information was not itself breaking a law (though one might argue that the source was breaking an FBI oath to support the Constitution, revealing criminal acts by a sitting president does not violate that oath).

John and/or Jane Q. Citizen have no right to refuse to testify when they have evidence of a crime (unless they are the alleged suspects), so why should John or Jane Reporter have such a right? If a reporter gives a limited promise of confidentiality, it may help prevent the kind of criminal act being investigated now--that is, revealing the name of a CIA operative.

Woodward and Bernstein would have ended up in a Federal Prison,
and Deep Throat ( a high ranking FBI offical) would never have spilled
the beans. Think about it.

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Account frozen...

Woodward and Bernstein would have ended up in a Federal Prison,
and Deep Throat ( a high ranking FBI offical) would never have spilled
the beans. Think about it.

Maybe I wasn't clear: Woodward (not Bernstein anyway) would not have ended up in prison because Deep Throat was not breaking the law releasing the information. All I'm saying is that a reporter can maintain confidentiality with a simple warning that if giving the information is itself a crime, or evidence that the source has comitted a crime, the promise is off. If a nuclear scientist gave classified plans for a bomb to a reporter, shouldn't the reporter have to reveal who broke the law (compromised national security)? Think about it.

>>>>John and/or Jane Q. Citizen have no right to refuse to testify when they have evidence of a crime (unless they are the alleged suspects),...

This sounds so wrong to me

If a cop wants to know if I saw that dope deal
Or if a captain bucking for chief asks if I saw his boss
Sucking some chippies earlobe

Must I risk, at least, my tires; Or at worst, my throat
Getting slashed

Or a ticket on the windshield
Everywhere I park?...

For the foward march of justice? ...cc

sorry doble

>>>>John and/or Jane Q. Citizen have no right to refuse to testify when they have evidence of a crime (unless they are the alleged suspects),...

This sounds so wrong to me

If a cop wants to know if I saw that dope deal
Or if a captain bucking for chief asks if I saw his boss
Sucking some chippies earlobe

Must I risk, at least, my tires; Or at worst, my throat
Getting slashed

Or a ticket on the windshield
Everywhere I park?...

For the foward march of justice? ...cc

Yes.

[Edit]: If you are subpoenaed to testify in court or before a grand jury because you have evidence of a crime, then you have no legal right to refuse (unless doing so violates your Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination). It's called being a good citizen, it means doing your civic duty . . . I'm not surprised you don't understand it.

They scrubbed the flight today.

They scrubbed the flight today.

I had a feeling it wouldn't launch....

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CAPT Siran d'Vel'nahr - L L & P _\\//
Winders 11 OS? "What a piece of junk!" - L. Skywalker
"Logic is the cement of our civilization with which we ascend from chaos using reason as our guide." - T'Plana-hath

Recently i offended a memebr of our federal parliment when whilst in a pub (and very drunk) i told him any person who didnt realise we were living in a socialist state was a delusional infant.

Not the nicest thing to say to a hard line liberal, but when he was silly enough to ask for proof i gave it to him by reminding him that our prime minister his party leader, is trying to revoke the tax free status of charities that do not publicly tote the current government line (aka the salvation army not agreeing with their policy on un-employment).

This man then stood up and left with a worried look on his face.

I am left with only one conclusion from this and many other encounters that all pollies are truely ignorant of the effect their policies have on the world so who cares who you vote for,

Disention is the best policy and the only vote that counts.

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Recently i offended a memebr of our federal parliment when whilst in a pub (and very drunk) i told him any person who didnt realise we were living in a socialist state was a delusional infant.

Not the nicest thing to say to a hard line liberal, but when he was silly enough to ask for proof i gave it to him by reminding him that our prime minister his party leader, is trying to revoke the tax free status of charities that do not publicly tote the current government line (aka the salvation army not agreeing with their policy on un-employment).

This man then stood up and left with a worried look on his face.

I am left with only one conclusion from this and many other encounters that all pollies are truely ignorant of the effect their policies have on the world so who cares who you vote for,

Disention is the best policy and the only vote that counts.

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Disention is the best policy and the only vote that counts.

Hey PanMan You feel better Now that you have said that?
Hey PanMan You feel better Now that you have said that?

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Sorry you've been dismissed
For your comment
Regarding your personal experience

So offhand

But here, if your opinion is unwanted
Ridicule & mockery
Are par for the course

Carry on....cc

Sorry you've been dismissed
For your comment
Regarding your personal experience

So offhand

But here, if your opinion is unwanted
Ridicule & mockery
Are par for the course

Carry on....cc

Carl I wasn't dimissing his comments
and as PanMan stated Twice He was Drunk.

His story and Statement Speaks for itself.

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Sorry you've been dismissed
For your comment
Regarding your personal experience

So offhand

But here, if your opinion is unwanted
Ridicule & mockery
Are par for the course

Carry on....cc

Feeling a little picked on, Carl?

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Gruesse vom Saenger

For questions about Boinc look in the BOINC-Wiki

Personally I think PanMan makes a good a point. In this day and age you sometimes need to have a beer to get up the courage to say it.

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