Foreign Lobbyist Data Can't Be Released Due to Computer Crash Possibility (!)

Does this win a prize for lamest excuse ever? The Bush Administration has stated that they can't release data on foreign lobbyists because copying the data would- get this- cause their computer systems to crash! I think they need to hire someone new to make excuses for them... or get new computers fast!

Justice: Can't Share Foreign Lobby Data

By TED BRIDIS, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration is offering a novel reason for denying a request seeking the Justice Department (news - web sites)'s database on foreign lobbyists: Copying the information would bring down the computer system.

"Implementing such a request risks a crash that cannot be fixed and could result in a major loss of data, which would be devastating," wrote Thomas J. McIntyre, chief in the Justice Department's office for information requests.

Rest of article at:

story.news.yahoo.com... tory&cid=542&e=2&u=/ap/20040629/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/foreign_lobbying

-koji K.



[edit on 29-6-2004 by koji_K]

Thats 100% utter bull#...thats one of the stupidest reasons iv ever heard. All they have to do is copy it.

i mean, for crying out loud... if they can SEE the info on their screens, they can just pay some intern to copy it down with a pencil!

-koji K.

They should switch to Red Hat!

I love The Register for tech news. They have a wonderfully sharp, humorous style of writing. Today they did a great feature on this topic: Your query will destroy our database - DoJ

The Justice Department has come up with the bureaucratic equivalent of "the cat ate my homework". The DoJ has told watchdog the Center for Public Integrity, which has submitted a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request on foreign lobbyists that its own computers will crash and lose the data if it tries to comply.

*Be sure to follow the link to the speculation about the real reason Microsoft couldn't comply with a similar request during its trial.

Either they can't afford to hire a programmer to write a tokenizer/parser to break up the database's output into small pieces and just copy the resultant blocks, which is bs, since I know of some who do it for next to nothing or they just flat out don't want to turn it over and want to try to rely on peep's ignorance and apathy to get by this matter. Sadly, the later is more probable.
Afterthought:If they can't copy it in any way, be it by bytes, blocks/tokens, or entire partitions, how on earth did they get the database in there in the first place?

[edit on 30-6-2004 by Crysstaafur]

Originally posted by Crysstaafur
Afterthought:If they can't copy it in any way, be it by bytes, blocks/tokens, or entire partitions, how on earth did they get the database in there in the first place?

It's just they want to increase size of bureaucrasy machine... and maybe doing that database was easiest way to justify budget increase.

"Implementing such a request risks a crash that cannot be fixed and could result in a major loss of data, which would be devastating," wrote Thomas McIntyre, chief in the justice department�s office for information requests.

This man, Thomas McIntyre, is Lying!! That or he is Completely Incompetent and has NO Knowledge of the Department and how it functions. In either case he needs to be TERMINATED IMMEDIATELY!!

"What they�re asking for is a lot, and it�s not something at this particular point in time we have the technical ability to do," justice department spokesman Bryan Sierra said yesterday.

This man, Bryan Sierra also, is Lying or Incompetent for his position and should be TERMINATED IMMEDIATELY!!

McIntyre explained in a May 24 letter that the computer system "was not designed for mass export of all stored images"

B.S.!!!! First of all I have no doubt their 'System' is quite capable of 'Printing' documents. If not, then the ENTIRE IT Dept. should be TERMINATED as well. Second, let's say they can't 'Print' some documents, fine. Just Copy or Image over the Raw Data and take it to f*cking Kinkos then!! Or don't print it at all. Simply pull it up on some other computer.

They say 'Copying Data will Crash the Systems and Cause Data Loss'. That is a lie. I could cut the power cables to computer, tear open the entire machine and yank the Drives out that are holding the information and it would still be there. Hell I could Format and Repartition the drive and still get the data off it even if it came to that.

and said the system experiences "substantial problems."

Yeah, the 'problem' is the LYING, CRIMINAL, INCOMPETENT PEOPLE WITHIN THE SYSTEM ITSELF!!! It's not the computers or anything else.

Here is your answer why they won't release any information:

Attorney General John Ashcroft ordered federal agencies in October 2001 to review more closely which documents they release. Ashcroft�s policy lets officials withhold information on any "sound legal basis." Under looser policies issued in 1993, agencies could hold back information to prevent "foreseeable harm."

Everyone involved in this 'COVER-UP', and that is Exactly what it is, should be brought up on Criminal Charges as well as being Replaced by Competent Personnel NOW!!

God, give me one lawyer who wants to do something Positive in the pursuit of Justice, basic access to these 'Systems' to 'Investigate these Fabricated Claims' and a Fair Trial and I could 'Clean up' at least one small area of this Pathetic, Criminal Government.

This is such a weak claim on their behalf that your typical PC Repair Guy, first month on the job, would have an easy time shooting holes in their argument. This is such f*cking B.S. I can't believe people continue to go along with crap like this!! Hell, I'll Investigate it, Testify in Court, Prepare the Evidence, etc. for Nothing. I'll do it simply to solve just one single problem within this Dysfunctional System of Government. But, nobody cares. I question myself everyday just why it is that I do!! 'Going Postal' is beginning to look like the only sane choice left anymore!! After all, once the structure has been eaten away by the infestation, the only thing to do is to burn it down to the ground, otherwise it just collapses on top of you.

[edit on 1-7-2004 by mOjOm]

this would make a great kinko's ad, wouldn't it?

"I almost had to put up with an incompetent government which routinely lies to its people, but thanks to Kinko's, I could print my documents in time!"

-koji K.

It is already obvious that there is more than one way to recover/copy this data. It is also standard practice to make backup copies of critical information. How hard would it be to grab a few blocks(or bytes) of this database, post them, allow the system to 'rest', then pump out a few more blocks of database. It would be like a WIP style that many programmers use. (WIP=Work in Progress builds). This definately reeks of bueracracy!

This has to be one of the funniest excuses around. These people don't even bother to come up with a reasonable lie, and people just sit by and let them pass another whopper.
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