They have been digging again on the right-of-way across the street from my house. I assumed it had something to do with the new gas line they just put in, so I haven’t been paying too much attention. Then, this afternoon they put in a white post with orange top. I don’t have to cross the street to know what it says -‘Caution Buried Fiber Optic Cable’.

This is the second time they have done this. They have now have two bloody conduits, so the first one must have been filled, and now they are filling another, and I’m still stuck with twisted pair copper.

ARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

I’m not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV or the Internet, but the Hong Kong legal system is based on English common law, and charging Edward Snowden with theft is going to be a bit of a problem. I realize they did it to get the Hong Kong authorities to arrest Mr Snowden, but the facts don’t support their charge.

To support a charge of larceny/theft something of value must be taken. Snowden made copies, he didn’t take anything. The originals from which the copies were made are still there. You don’t charge someone with theft of the Washington Monument if they take a picture of it.

Talk about ‘stealing’ music or videos is not accurate. No one steals them, they violate the copyright. Even that isn’t possible with what Mr Snowden copied, because, although it might be classified, it cannot be copyrighted – products of the US government are in the public domain.

Hauling out the benighted Espionage Law of 1917 is an admission of failure. Some court should show mercy and put a stake through the heart of that beast. It was a pitiful mutant when it was passed, and it is still a monstrosity.

The only real charge is passing classified information to people without the clearance necessary to see it. Even that has a problem, as Bruce Schneier noted. Snowden’s legal team can argue that the government must show the legality and Constitutionality of the programs before prosecuting Snowden for revealing them. There are rules about what can be classified, and crimes or embarrassing information don’t make the cut.

They weren’t kidding about the moon being supercharged tonight. For the moment the clouds have cleared out, and even with the light pollution from the street lights, it appears to be a third larger than normal and putting out enough light to block out the stars in the sky to the southeast.