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International Travelers to and from the US, Your Privacy at Risk

Read this today:

US Customs and Border Protection issued a notice in the Federal Register yesterday which detailed the agency’s massive database that keeps risk assessments on every traveler entering or leaving the country.

…The system in question is the Automated Targeting System, which is associated with the previously-existing Treasury Enforcement Communications System.

If you leave the country, the government will suddenly know a lot about you. The Passenger Name Record alone contains names, addresses, telephone numbers, itineraries, frequent-flier information, e-mail addresses — even the name of your travel agent.

That’s a lot of people who could be looking at your information and your government-designed risk assessment. The one person who won’t be looking at that information is you. The entire system is exempt from inspection and correction under provision 552a (j)(2) and (k)(2) of US Code Title 5, which allows such exemptions when the data in question involves law enforcement or intelligence information.

This means you can’t review your data for accuracy, and you can’t correct any errors.?

It seems that there are more and more of these stories coming out (post 9/11). It is scary and ineffective.

Beauty on My Front Step

After working all day and weekend I decided to step outside and get some fresh air. Those are the best moments…a glass of wine and other vices make the stresses of life seem distant and minuscule.

I saw this tree right outside of my door and thought how beautiful the leaves are. Right at the end of it’s life it is at it’s most peaceful and stunning state. Then you think about those leaves and how they were last spring..

You realize how much those leaves have seen in their short life and how despite the hardships it ends in serenity. Yes, I am talking like my hippie self but life is short and I appreciate each moment. You should too.
No matter what the stresses we all end up where we are supposed to be in the end – this picture doesn’t do justice to what my eyes saw.

…three little birds outside my doorstep, singing sweet songs, of melodies pure and true…

I think we all need that, especially this weekend. Pass on the sentiment tout le monde.

Nice is Nice :D

…yes, that’s right… Nice, France is NiCE 😀 i was in Nice all of last week and i LOVED it. being able to practice my french was definitely a plus, but even my friends who speak no french whatsoever loved Nice. you get the best of both worlds in Nice; the Mediterranean as well as city life. at any time during the day (or night), the city was alive (unlike Lugano). there were, of course, plenty of bars, clubs, and karaoke bars!! our 6 days in Nice was my favorite part of academic travel. it’s only about a 5 hour drive from Lugano, so hopefully i can get there again 😀 i seriously think i could live there.
if you ever end up going to Nice (you better!!!):

–have “une salade Nicoise” which is a salad consisting of lettuce, tomatoes, olives, all that salady stuff, tuna, and really good dressing that tasted almost like ceasar dressing.

–get some friends, some alcohol, and go sit by the sea ’til late hours of the night just laughing and having a good time

–GO SHOPPING

–at least TRY to speak french… the french get a kick out of it 🙂

–go visit the Parfumerie in Grasse (the perfume capital of the world) and make your own fragrance! (i did i did!!)

ahh there’s so much to do 😀 c’etait magnifique 🙂

Borat Opening Night

There are a few movies and actors that I’m willing to make an opening night show for. Borat is certainly a show I had to see on day 1.

I had very high expectations before going, and I have to say that I laughed almost the entire 84 minutes and so did every one else in the theater. No not chuckles, but laughing so hard I almost vomitted my dinner.

Waa waa Wee waa!

We got to Coastal Flats at 7pm and there were no tickets until 11:45pm so we had to keep busy somehow.

V-Diddy was out of time for a while…

On our way to see Borat we met Napoleon Dynamite

GOSH! 😡

You can see all of the pictures by clicking right here.

About Anil Polat

foxnomad aboutHi, I'm Anil. foXnoMad is where I combine travel and tech to help you travel smarter. I'm on a journey to every country in the world and you're invited to join the adventure! Read More

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