Orwellian

European Court Backs Journalist Harassed Over Speed Camera Criticism

"Ilze Nagla's prime-time Sunday television news program infuriated the Ministry of the Interior with coverage of the bungled photo enforcement procurement that became a national scandal. The government wanted details of the contract to operate 160 speed cameras to be kept secret. The deal was handed to the German firm Vitronic, which would take a 35 percent cut of the tickets. At 9:30pm on May 11, 2010, Nagla's home was ransacked by a plain-clothes police officer who pushed his way through her door. Two other officers joined in the search of her residence, taking her laptop, hard drives, memory cards and flash drives." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingEuropean Court Backs Journalist Harassed Over Speed Camera Criticism

Ex-Obama Aide (Stupidly) Dismisses Glenn Greenwald as a Fake Journalist

"Steven Rattner, a former member of Barack Obama's Treasury Department, appeared on the news show Morning Joe on Monday offering an opinion about The Guardian's Glenn Greenwald, the journalist who broke the story about NSA spying. Rattner's opinion? Greenwald isn't a journalist. This is apparently because Rattner may not have seen how Greenwald's reporting has shifted public opinion and moved public policy. Rattner may actually be unaware of what journalists do. Perhaps this blind spot is because the journalists he hangs out with work for Morning Joe." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingEx-Obama Aide (Stupidly) Dismisses Glenn Greenwald as a Fake Journalist

Democratic establishment unmasked: prime defenders of NSA bulk spying

"Now, a bill to ban the government from collecting the telephone records of all Americans, while expressly allowing it to collect the records of anyone for whom there is evidence of wrongdoing, is - in the language of the House Democratic Leadership - a bill to Protect The Terrorists. This is the same Nancy Pelosi who spent years during the Bush administration pretending to be a vehement opponent of the illegal Bush NSA warrantless eavesdropping program after it was revealed by the New York Times, even though (just as was true of the Bush torture program) she was secretly briefed on it many years earlier when it was first implemented." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDemocratic establishment unmasked: prime defenders of NSA bulk spying

Dr. Joseph Bonneau Wins NSA Award, Calls For NSA To Be Abolished

"Engineers and researchers like Bonneau have a unique and important role to play in fighting back against NSA oversteps. As Michael Hirsh noted in the Atlantic last month, tech companies have contributed enormously to wiring up Big Brother -- companies like Palantir Technologies, Eagle Alliance (of Computer Sciences Corp. and Northrup Grumman) and Booz Allen Hamilton. The only way the government gets to spy on everyone is when people who are intelligent and innovative enough to build scalable surveillance technologies decide to help them. Hopefully Bonneau’s example will inspire more cryptographers and security engineers to speak out." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDr. Joseph Bonneau Wins NSA Award, Calls For NSA To Be Abolished

Snowden’s father criticizes Congress, Obama over spy programs

"Lonnie Snowden, in an interview with NBC's 'Today' show, said lawmakers were 'complicit or negligent' in allowing the National Security Agency's massive electronic surveillance program to continue. 'I am extremely disappointed and angry,' he said. 'The American people - at this point, they don't know the full truth, but the truth is coming.' Lonnie Snowden told NBC he was confident in his son's actions. 'I believe that my son, when he takes his final breath whether it's today or 100 years from now, he will be comfortable with what he did because he did what he knew was right.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSnowden’s father criticizes Congress, Obama over spy programs

New Zealand military told to soften manual that equates media with extremist groups

"Opposition defence spokesman Phil Goff said it was 'utterly wrong and intolerable' for the military’s top brass to display such paranoia about journalists, showing they did not understand the media’s role in a democratic society. Goff said the situation raised further doubts about moves to expand the power of intelligence services so they can spy on New Zealanders, particularly after it was revealed that Internet mogul Kim Dotcom was illegally snooped upon before his arrest in January last year. The expanded powers, backed by Prime Minister John Key, are due to go to parliament this week and are expected to be passed by a narrow majority." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNew Zealand military told to soften manual that equates media with extremist groups

Alabama Gov. orders investigation after DNA, blood samples collected at roadblocks

"Alabama Governor Robert Bentley's office reacted Tuesday to news that roadblocks were setup in two counties at which point commuters were offered compensation for saliva and blood samples. Drivers in St. Clair and Bibb counties were stopped at roadblocks in the area and were asked to give DNA and blood samples as part of a study. Officials say giving samples was voluntary and participants were paid $10 for mouth swabs and $50 for blood samples. Governor Robert Bentley is ordering an investigation in to the roadblocks." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAlabama Gov. orders investigation after DNA, blood samples collected at roadblocks

36-Year Old Hacker Who Made ATMs Spit Out Cash Dies in San Francisco; Hastings Connection?

"This is a guy who had demonstrated the year before how he could wirelessly direct an implantable insulin pump to deliver a lethal dose. The year before that, he hacked an ATM to make it spray out bills like a slot machine. But trouble-making is what he’s paid to do at IOActive, and in that role he has developed a particular respect for the looming power of smartphones. What about the firm he was working for, IOActive? The video I put up on Thursday included two specialists who demonstrated how to takeover a car remotely. One of the specialists worked for IOActive. The last tweet by Barnaby Jack, before he died, was to feature an IOActive tweet about the video." Continue reading →

Continue Reading36-Year Old Hacker Who Made ATMs Spit Out Cash Dies in San Francisco; Hastings Connection?

FBI admits to flying drones over US without warrants

"The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) says it has used drones for domestic surveillance purposes in the United States at least ten times without obtaining warrants. In three additional cases, drones were authorized but 'not actually used.' The bureau said that it would only be required to obtain a warrant to use a drone in cases for which a person 'would have a reasonable expectation of privacy.' The FBI stated that it has not yet needed to ask for a warrant, but that all requests for drone use must be reviewed by an agency lawyer and approved by a senior management official." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFBI admits to flying drones over US without warrants

Russia won’t extradite Snowden to US – Kremlin

"Moscow says security agency FSB is in talks with the FBI over Snowden. But the whistleblower will not be extradited to the US, a Kremlin spokesman said, adding he's sure the fugitive NSA contractor will stop harming Washington if granted asylum in Russia. 'Russia has never extradited anyone, and will not extradite,' said Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Meanwhile, the US Senate threatened Thursday that it might impose sanctions against any country that provides asylum to Snowden, including revocation or suspension of trade privileges and preferences." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRussia won’t extradite Snowden to US – Kremlin