Mainstream News

Bruce Schneier: The Public-Private Surveillance Partnership

"The primary business model of the Internet is built on mass surveillance, and our government’s intelligence-gathering agencies have become addicted to that data. The NSA is also in the business of spying on everyone, and it has realized it’s far easier to collect all the data from these corporations rather than from us directly. In some cases, the NSA asks for this data nicely. In other cases, it makes use of subtle threats or overt pressure. If that doesn’t work, it uses tools like national security letters. The result is a corporate-government surveillance partnership, one that allows both the government and corporations to get away with things they couldn’t otherwise." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBruce Schneier: The Public-Private Surveillance Partnership

Glenn Greenwald: Members of Congress denied access to basic information about NSA

"It is not merely that members of Congress are unaware of the very existence of these programs, let alone their capabilities. Beyond that, members who seek out basic information - including about NSA programs they are required to vote on and FISA court (FISC) rulings on the legality of those programs - find that they are unable to obtain it. Two House members, GOP Rep. Morgan Griffith of Virginia and Democratic Rep. Alan Grayson of Florida, have provided the Guardian with numerous letters and emails documenting their persistent, and unsuccessful, efforts to learn about NSA programs and relevant FISA court rulings." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGlenn Greenwald: Members of Congress denied access to basic information about NSA

8 Cities Where 911 Systems Recently Failed

"A watchdog agency has launched an official investigation into the system, which cost $88 million and has only been operational since May. In July, the New York Post reported that the system had crashed at least nine times in a single week. It's also drawn blame for leaving a crash victim unaided on a highway for almost two hours, and marooning a paramedic with a dead body. Made by a company called Intergraph Government Solutions—whose board is well stocked with former security officials from the George W. Bush administration—the software will soon be coming to Boston, which plans to spend $15 million on its contract." Continue reading →

Continue Reading8 Cities Where 911 Systems Recently Failed

U.S. officials say global terror threat is ‘very specific’

"U.S. officials are warning that a global terror threat from al Qaeda is ‘very specific’ and could last through August, as at least 22 embassies and consulates across the world prepared to shut down Sunday in fear of a possible attack. The U.S. issued a global travel alert for American travelers on Friday after intercepting electronic communication among top al Qaeda operatives in Yemen regarding an attack in its final planning stages. If traveling outside the U.S., King said: ‘I would let the American embassy know where you are. Basically check in and where you are and how long you plan to stay there and what your itinerary is.’" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingU.S. officials say global terror threat is ‘very specific’

FBI allowed informants to commit 5,600 crimes in one year

"The FBI gave its informants permission to break the law at least 5,658 times in a single year. Agents authorized 15 crimes a day, on average, including everything from buying and selling illegal drugs to bribing government officials and plotting robberies. FBI officials have said in the past that permitting their informants — who are often criminals themselves — to break the law is an indispensable, if sometimes distasteful, part of investigating criminal organizations. USA TODAY asked the FBI for all of the reports it had prepared since 2006, but FBI officials said they could locate only one, which they released after redacting nearly all of the details." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFBI allowed informants to commit 5,600 crimes in one year

Irish man facing U.S. extradition for hosting largest child porn network on the planet

"If extradited to the US, Marques faces four charges relating to images hosted on the Freedom Hosting network, including images of the torture and rape of children. He could be sentenced to 30 years in prison. Freedom Hosting hosted sites on the The Onion Router (Tor) network, which anonymises and encrypts traffic, masking the identity of users. Users on the Tor sub-Reddit were suspicious about the news, dissecting the details of the vulnerability and pointing to a previous case where the FBI had taken over and maintained a site hosting child abuse material for two weeks in order to identify users." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIrish man facing U.S. extradition for hosting largest child porn network on the planet

California governor Jerry Brown intervenes to delay threatened BART strike

"Brown’s letter said he took the action 'because the strike will significantly disrupt public transportation services and will endanger the public’s health, safety, and welfare.' San Francisco area residents had been bracing for a strike even as 11th-hour talks continued, with some sleeping at friends’ and relatives’ homes to be closer to jobs and making alternative travel arrangements. The unions gave a 72-hour notice on Thursday night of a possible strike by 2,400 workers on a rail system that carries 400,000 passengers a day and serves as a critical link in the San Francisco area’s transportation system." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCalifornia governor Jerry Brown intervenes to delay threatened BART strike

It looks like the inside of a private jet but this is actually the inside of a humble Mercedes van

"A luxury car customising company has unveiled its latest creation - a van which has been turned into a five-star hotel-style suite. Lexani Motorcars has created the Reale which is an armoured Mercedes-Benz B6 Sprinter. The company based in Corona, California, calls it the 'ultimate' in personal security. The stunning inside area is dripping in the finest fixtures and fittings to make it the ultimate mobile home from home. It is lined with Alcantara suede and features handcrafted fine leather seats, a galley kitchen, luxury lavatory with ceramic toilet and gold-plated sink, marble floors, and even a hidden coat rack." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIt looks like the inside of a private jet but this is actually the inside of a humble Mercedes van

Swiss solar aircraft returns from cross-US flight

"Crowds of spectators welcomed the solar-powered aircraft Solar Impulse on Monday as it returned to Switzerland onboard a jumbo jet following its successful trans-American flight. A Boeing 747 jumbo carrying the prototype aircraft of aviation pioneer Bertrand Piccard landed at Dübendorf airfield in the canton of Zurich just after 7am, the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper reported. Pilots Piccard and André Borschberg completed the historic flight from San Francisco in early July. The world’s first solar aircraft able to fly both day and night powered solely by the sun flew 5,650 kilometres across the United States." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSwiss solar aircraft returns from cross-US flight

Space cadets gather in D.C. for one-way ticket to Mars

"Around 40 volunteers from thousands who applied for a one-way ticket to Mars gathered in the US capital Saturday to hear from the man behind plans to colonize the Red Planet. Bas Lansdorp, a Dutch entrepreneur, plans to establish a permanent base on Mars in a mission he hopes will take off in 2022 if he can find the necessary $6 billion. Would-be travellers on the mission — named Mars One — would never return to Earth. In April, Mars-One said that the first four volunteers should land on Mars in 2023 after a seven-month journey. New crews would be sent every two years, according to Lansdorp." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSpace cadets gather in D.C. for one-way ticket to Mars