BREAKING: The NSA surveillance whistleblower has come forward. His name is Edward Snowden and he is a 29-year-old former technical assistant for the CIA and a current employee for defense contractor Booz Allen Hamilton. He has been working at the NSA for the last four years as an employee for various contractors, the Guardian reports. In a note accompanying the first set of … [Read more...] about NSA Surveillance Whistleblower, Edward Snowden, Comes Forward, Works as Contractor for Booz Allen at NSA
McCain: Senators Should Have Known About Government Snooping
One strand is now emerging in the chain of revelations about government snooping: some politicians may wish to pretend it ain't so, but members of Congress from both parties were apparently aware of the programs. These weren't procedures secretly put into place and never revealed to politicos. The latest person to make this assertion: Senator John McCain: Lawmakers who are … [Read more...] about McCain: Senators Should Have Known About Government Snooping
Army Special Forces Veteran Accidently Shot by 4 Year Old Son
There are many tragic stories -- and this is one of the more heartbreaking oness. When Justin Stanfield Thomas, 35, of Phoenix visited his former roommate in Prescott Valley, Ariz., with his son, his son found a gun, picked it up, went to show it to his dad -- and it went off and killed his father. And that's just the first part of the tragedy: An Army Special Forces … [Read more...] about Army Special Forces Veteran Accidently Shot by 4 Year Old Son
Steven Seagal Does Chechen Dancing (VIDEO)
Not only can he fight, not only can he act like a diplomat, not only can he act, but Steven Seagal is also an impressive dancer. Watch him on this video doing Chechen dancing while on a trip to the region: Still, some other "big" celebrities have done dancing better: … [Read more...] about Steven Seagal Does Chechen Dancing (VIDEO)
Steven Seagal: International man of mystery
Steven Seagal: International man of mystery (via GlobalPost) Steven Seagal is the new face of the Russian arms industry. But that's not all he's doing out in the world. Emily Lodish The fact that Steven Seagal is the new face of the Russian weapons industry raises many questions, among them: why is he doing this? Sure, he's been buddies with Putin for a while… … [Read more...] about Steven Seagal: International man of mystery
DNI Fact Sheet on the Collection of Intelligence
The “Fact Sheet” published today by the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) on Collection of Intelligence Pursuant to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is rather long. The fact sheet can be read here. • PRISM is not an undisclosed collection or data mining program. It is an internal government computer system used to facilitate the … [Read more...] about DNI Fact Sheet on the Collection of Intelligence
Statement by DNI on U.S. Surveillance Activities
American Forces Press Service, June 8, 2013 – Despite what some media outlets are reporting, surveillance activities carried out by the U.S. government under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act are lawful, James R. Clapper, the director of national intelligence, said in a statement issued today. Clapper’s statement reads as follows: DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL … [Read more...] about Statement by DNI on U.S. Surveillance Activities
NASA’s Beautiful Animation of Hurricane Sandy’s Winds
NASA’s Beautiful Animation of Hurricane Sandy’s Winds (via Climate Central) By Andrew Freedman Follow @afreedma NASA never fails to capture dazzling images of our home planet, and on Thursday it released an animation of 2012's Hurricane Sandy that almost — almost — makes you forget how devastating that storm actually was. It's a stunningly beautiful 43-second … [Read more...] about NASA’s Beautiful Animation of Hurricane Sandy’s Winds
Nixon Faced Two Republican Congressman In ’72 Primaries
"If you can't take their money and vote against them, you shouldn't be in this business." California House Speaker Jesse Unruh In the 1972 Presidential primaries, much of the attention was on the cacophonous Democratic field. But Richard Nixon was facing two challengers within his own party, one from the left, and one from the right. Paul McCloskey and John Ashbrook were … [Read more...] about Nixon Faced Two Republican Congressman In ’72 Primaries
Exposed: Spy Powers that Obama Shouldn’t Use (Suedostschweiz, Switzerland)
Now that we know beyond doubt how The Patriot Act and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act are being used to collect every type of data on innocent citizens, what should be done? For Switzerland's Suedostschweiz, columnist Thomas J. Spang has a suggestion for president Obama: stop using them. For Suedostschweiz, Thomas J. Spang starts off this way: A secret court … [Read more...] about Exposed: Spy Powers that Obama Shouldn’t Use (Suedostschweiz, Switzerland)
Arguably, this is Espionage
Glenn Greenwald is an extremist. He believes that the individual is sovereign, probably believes, as do most post-Enlightenment Founding Father groupies, in "social contracts," which was once likened to a "gentleman's club" from which, some gentlemen being upset at the prospect of hostile rules could justifiably withdraw. This was the South's position in the Civil War 150 … [Read more...] about Arguably, this is Espionage
It’s official: Cory Booker announces candidacy in New Jersey U.S. Senate Race
It's official: Cory Booker announces candidacy for U.S. Senate (via NJ.com) NEWARK — Cory Booker this morning officially declared his candidacy for U.S. Senate. The Newark mayor put an end to days of speculation that he would enter a growing field of Democrats running in an August special primary election to fill the seat left vacant by the death on Monday of U.S. Sen. … [Read more...] about It’s official: Cory Booker announces candidacy in New Jersey U.S. Senate Race
Signs of Recovery, Home Sales Paint a Better Fiscal Picture in the U.S.
Signs of Recovery, Home Sales Paint a Better Fiscal Picture in the U.S. (via PBS News Hour) GWEN IFILL: The U.S. economy is showing unexpected signs of strength this spring and prompting new optimism. The most significant development? The accelerating recovery in many regions of the housing market. Home prices in 20 cities rose by an average of nearly 11 percent in March … [Read more...] about Signs of Recovery, Home Sales Paint a Better Fiscal Picture in the U.S.
Jon Stewart Goes to Summer Camp
Memories are stirred up by Jon Stewart’s summer departure from the Daily Show to, of all places, the Middle East to direct a movie-—parental angst over an absence coupled with hope for an enriching experience. With John Oliver replacing him, the house won’t be empty late evenings, but the tone will change from Yiddish to British as our inner child reacts to the insanity of … [Read more...] about Jon Stewart Goes to Summer Camp
Green-on-Blue Attack Kills 3 More US Troops in Afghanistan
[See "edit" below] It is like a deadly Groundhog day all over again. Once more our troops have been “mowed down by the same Afghan military and security forces who we are helping, training, fighting alongside and preparing to ‘stand on their own’ in dastardly ‘green-on-blue’ or ‘insider’ attacks.” The Stars and Stripes reports: A man in an Afghan army uniform … [Read more...] about Green-on-Blue Attack Kills 3 More US Troops in Afghanistan
Domestic Violence Revelations 3
Join us TODAY (Saturday, 8 June 2013) at 4:00pm London time, 11am Eastern US time, for the next episode of Domestic Violence Revelations with Erin Pizzey. Episode 3 we will feature readings by American Phetote Mshairi, English legend ManWomanMyth, ideological bullying of men in Domestic Violence advocacy communities like Linkedin, men's own tendency to view other men's pain as … [Read more...] about Domestic Violence Revelations 3
Claims and Counter-claims: Has PRISM Really Done Anything?
In a different kind of revolving door, a former FBI official who is now a CBS senior correspondent is defending PRISM. Former FBI official and CBS senior correspondent John Miller said the program that relies on Internet data, known as PRISM, helped break up a 2009 plot to attack the subway system in New York City. In that case, he said, the intelligence community was … [Read more...] about Claims and Counter-claims: Has PRISM Really Done Anything?
At least 6 dead in Santa Monica rampage by black-clad gunman
At least 6 dead in US rampage by black-clad gunman (via AFP) At least six people were killed in a shooting rampage in California before police shot and killed the black-clad gunman in a college library, police said. Wearing a ballistic vest, the suspect began by burning down a house before a series of "random" shootings and carjackings in Santa Monica -- only… … [Read more...] about At least 6 dead in Santa Monica rampage by black-clad gunman
Obama’s Listening (Cartoon)
See great cartoons by all the top political cartoonists at http://cagle.com. To license this cartoon for your own site, visit http://politicalcartoons.com … [Read more...] about Obama’s Listening (Cartoon)
Invisibility Cloak Hides Data in a Hole in Time
Invisibility Cloak Hides Data in a Hole in Time (via slashdot) A research team at Purdue has demonstrated a way to make data traveling via fiber-optic lines invisible using time travel. Yes, that’s right—invisibility and time travel. Superhero stuff. In a letter published in Nature, researchers described using lasers to create a hole in time through which… … [Read more...] about Invisibility Cloak Hides Data in a Hole in Time