laws vs. physics, again

[Anonymous <nobody@replay.com>]

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/tc/story.html?s=v/nm/19990226/tc/cellph
one_2.htmlHouse Passes Cellphone Privacy Act
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The House Thursday passed by a 403-3 vote a bill
that would make it illegal to intentionally intercept, or disclose, any
cellular phone conversation or other wireless communication.

The House passed a nearly identical bill last year but the Senate never
acted on it.

The bill updates the 1934 Communications Act to cover modern wireless
technology, and imposes a penalty of a $2,000 fine, six months in jail, or
both.

It also bans modification of scanners that are now on the market that can
easily pick up calls made on cell phones, and prevents a market for new
scanners that can intercept digital communication.

It also orders the Federal Communications Commission to consider whether
scanners should have labels to warn consumers that intentionally
intercepting or divulging wireless communication is illegal. Cellphone
eavesdropping became an issue in the House after a Florida couple taped a
December 1996 conversation between then House Speaker Newt Gingrich and one
of his top deputies, who was speaking on a cellular phone in his wife's
car. A copy of the tape was eventually leaked to the New York Times. 

"Lying is legal when a government employee does it." -JG