Orwellian

NSA, the secret AT&T spy room, and 2 Israeli companies

"In James Bamford’s 2008 interview, he mentions two Israeli companies, Narus and Verint, that almost nobody knew about. They played a key role in developing and selling the technology that allowed NSA to deploy its PRISM spying program. It’s obvious that these two Israeli companies, Narus and Verint, working for NSA, have been able to divert duplicate mega-tons of data to Israeli intelligence. The government-corporate juggernaut moves ahead. Their rationale—catching terrorists—is, in great part, a cover story to obscure the fact that the State wants control over the lives of all citizens, as it ratchets up the very conditions that provoke rebellion." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNSA, the secret AT&T spy room, and 2 Israeli companies

Internet Fascism and the Surveillance State

"This has been a common historical pattern in the rise of totalitarian States, which have often sought to incorporate large business concerns into their network of power. Indeed, the very notion of 'public-private partnerships' in this sector readily brings to mind the worst aspects of fascist economic systems that have historically existed. The actions of US companies that have cooperated in the NSA’s mass surveillance operations calls into question the 'private' status of these companies. In many ways these companies have acted as an extension of the US government, providing information illegally, in exchange for privileges and intelligence." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingInternet Fascism and the Surveillance State

White House gives Homeland Security control of all communication systems

"When President Obama inked his name to the executive order on July 6, he authorized Homeland Security to take control of the country’s wired and wireless communications — including the Internet — in instances of emergency. The signing was accompanied with little to no acknowledgment outside of the White House, but initial reports on the order quickly caused the public to speak out over what some equated to creating an Oval Office kill switch for the Web. Now the Obama administration is addressing those complaints by calling the Executive Order a necessary implement for America’s national security." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWhite House gives Homeland Security control of all communication systems

Justin Raimondo: Snowden a Hero to Americans

"American voters say 55 – 34 percent that Edward Snowden is a whistle-blower, rather than a traitor, according to a Quinnipiac University national poll released today. In a massive shift in attitudes, voters say 45 – 40 percent the government’s anti-terrorism efforts go too far restricting civil liberties, a reversal from a January 14, 2010, survey by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University when voters said 63 – 25 percent that such activities didn’t go far enough to adequately protect the country. Almost every party, gender, income, education, age and income group regards Snowden as a whistle-blower rather than a traitor." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJustin Raimondo: Snowden a Hero to Americans

Snowden reportedly has ‘blueprint’ on how NSA operates

"Snowden has 'literally thousands of documents' that constitute 'basically the instruction manual for how the NSA is built' that could aid in duplicating or evading NSA surveillance tactics, The Guardian's Glenn Greenwald told the news agency on Sunday. Greenwald said the NSA 'blueprints' don't represent a threat to U.S. national security, but could be embarrassing to the government. 'I think it would be harmful to the U.S. government, as they perceive their own interests, if the details of those programs were revealed,' Greenwald told the AP." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSnowden reportedly has ‘blueprint’ on how NSA operates

Customs & Border Protection Logged Eight-Fold Increase in Drone Surveillance for Other Agencies

"Daily flight logs from Customs & Border Protection (CPB) show the agency has sharply increased the number of missions its 10 Predator drones have flown on behalf of state, local and non-CPB federal agencies. Yet, despite this increase—eight-fold between 2010 and 2012—CBP has failed to explain how it’s protecting our privacy from unwarranted drone surveillance. CBP already appears to be flying drones well within the Southern and Northern US borders, and for a wide variety of non-border patrol reasons. The agency is planning to increase its Predator drone fleet to 24 and its drone surveillance to 24 hours per day / 7 days per week by 2016." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCustoms & Border Protection Logged Eight-Fold Increase in Drone Surveillance for Other Agencies

A ‘disposition matrix’ system is now generating Obama’s secret kill list

"Since the Obama administration largely shut down the CIA’s rendition programme, choosing instead to dispose of its enemies in drone attacks, those individuals who are being nominated for killing have been discussed at a weekly counter-terrorism meeting at the White House situation room that has become known as Terror Tuesday. Barack Obama, in the chair and wishing to be seen as a restraining influence, agrees the final schedule of names. Once details of these meetings began to emerge it was not long before the media began talking of 'kill lists'. Before long the term disposition matrix was born." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingA ‘disposition matrix’ system is now generating Obama’s secret kill list

Maryland County Eyes Drone Ban: ‘This Is Not The Soviet Union’

"Commissioner Robin Frazier intends to draft a resolution about drone usage in Carroll County following a drone discussion by the Board of County Commissioners in open session Thursday. Frazier said she was concerned about drone use as it relates to citizens’ 4th Amendment protections against unwarranted search and seizures. Specifically she referred to the use of drones to enforce environmental regulations on farmers. Sara Love, Public Policy Director for the Maryland ACLU, said the ACLU is concerned about the FAA being allowed to change airspace rules to make it easier for police agencies to use drones for surveillance." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMaryland County Eyes Drone Ban: ‘This Is Not The Soviet Union’

CIA Allowed To Sustain Cover-Up of Bay Of Pigs History; Reclassification Denied

"More than year after the National Security Archive sued the CIA to declassify the full 'Official History of the Bay of Pigs Operation,' a U.S. District Court judge today sided with the Agency's efforts to keep the last volume of the report secret in perpetuity. In her ruling, Judge Gladys Kessler accepted the CIA's legal arguments that, because Volume V was a 'draft' and never officially approved for inclusion in the Agency's official history, it was exempt from declassification under the 'deliberative process privilege' despite having been written over 30 years ago. The National Security Archive called the decision 'a regrettable blow to the right-to-know'." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCIA Allowed To Sustain Cover-Up of Bay Of Pigs History; Reclassification Denied

Pixar inspires graphic comment on NSA surveillance

"Living in the emotional Switzerland of my blissful neutrality, as I do, it's warming when people are inspired to create art to express dissent. So here is a very simple piece of animation, designed to emote a certain frustration with goings-on in the secret areas of government. It was delivered to me in an anonymous e-mail -- address snowdenhatesrussianfood@gmail.com -- that seemed to have been encrypted by goats. However, I understand it was first posted to Reddit and has now taken on a life of its very public own, with almost 1 million views on YouTube. It depicts the alleged regress of morning in America to night." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPixar inspires graphic comment on NSA surveillance