NYT reports today on the administration's proposal to allow more TLA access to medical records (as Attila earlier noted). A last minute addition to the proposal was to allow "intelligence agencies" to access the files. See the report at: http://www.hhs.gov A second report is on the return of Sun's supercomputer by the Chinese after protest by the USG, as represented by Domstic Export Czar Reinsch. Although Sun is reported to have quickly provided the gov information to trace the machine, it may be that the hit of refunding the purchase price is what Elvis cost, and a warning to all other exporters who don't toe the line. What is happening is that borderless government is developing in step with the borderless political and economic and legal and technological enterprise. Distinctions between domestic and foreign are quickly disappearing in all fields, but especially in law enforcement and intelligence. Export controls will shortly be indistinguishable form domestic controls -- in all nations now acting in unison to protect their ... take you picks of legacy of protected interests. Misbehave in any arena, and if you can't be punished as a threat to domestic tranquillity, then the international enforcers will whack you -- no place to hide, they hope, and pray, and dig deeper into data mines. Congressional briefings by TLAs surely include a sample of what's in the dark holes of congressional members, if not with specifics, then by insinuation. As all the world's previous Hoovers dared to threaten the folks at home with enemies within, enemeies subject to control by international forces -- commie, capital, anarch, western, eastern, black, white, green. Only the secret files know who's what flavor of the black budgetary year.