has given Britain:
As he looked into it, he found that the UK, once a bastion of freedom and civil liberties, is now one of the most advanced surveillance societies in the world, ranked third after Russia and China. The average UK adult is now registered on more than 700 databases and is caught many times each day by nearly five million CCTV cameras. Increasingly monitored, citizens are being turned into suspects. Within 100 yards of Bond’s home, he discovered, there were no fewer than 200 cameras.
...
Before going on the run, he made 80 formal requests to government and commercial organisations for the information they held on him. He piled the replies on his floor, appalled by the level of detail. The owners of the databases knew who his friends were, which websites he’d been looking at, and where he had driven his car. One commercial organisation was even able to inform him that, on a particular day in November 2006, he had “sounded angry”. It was more than he knew himself.
Many people believe that, if you have nothing to hide, there is nothing to fear from all this scrutiny. But if you resist the urge to pick your nose while others are present, or close the door when you go to the toilet, you are a privacy advocate. “When you realise that your whole life is under view,” says the Tory MP David Davis, “it’s inhibiting.”
And what if the information about us is wrong? Bond found that the DVLA still keeps on record a youthful driving offence that should have been expunged years ago. He waved it grimly at his uncomprehending daughter: “This is Daddy’s drink-driving record.” Worse was the case of a woman he met, falsely identified by the Criminal Records Bureau as a convicted shoplifter, who’d taken a year to prove her innocence. Or the man who, after someone pinched his credit card details and used them to pay for porn, was arrested, then sacked without notice; when Bond met him, he still hadn’t been able to clear his name.
...
They also worked out where she was due to give birth and phoned the hospital, pretending to be Bond, to get details of her appointments.
(think about that: no ID, no nothing, and the hospital and NHS gave them what they asked for...)
...
The National Health Service is unrolling a multibillion-pound IT project that will upload millions of patients’ medical records on to a database, freely accessed by 250,000 NHS staff and, to a lesser degree, by private health companies, council workers, commercial researchers and ambulance staff. Letters are going out now, strongly urging us all to allow this and making it as hard as possible to opt out.
...
In the film, Gowlett demonstrated how easy it already was to pretend to be Bond and get information about Katie’s antenatal arrangements. For Katie, this totally overturned her previous complacency. “I was a bit freaked out that the NHS gave away our appointments,” she says. “I know what David meant about being data-raped.”
And with NYEffin'C acting like the answer to terrorists is more cameras, other cities working on it and Obamacare and so forth, we're on the same damned road.
Saturday, May 08, 2010
Boot Camp
Trainee has settled in well, and I caught him involved with Sec. Staff(Sr.) in close combat training
at which he seems to show talent
And he's working on his attitude
"Are you supposed to be taking pictures here?"
at which he seems to show talent
And he's working on his attitude
"Are you supposed to be taking pictures here?"
I would like to point out- again- that Rep. Barney Frank(Socialist Dirtbag-MA)
is either a effing liar or a fool. Quite possibly both.
...
It’s no wonder that even after the total collapse of Fannie and Freddie in 2008, at an ultimate cost to tax payers which could exceed $400B, Barney Frank is still adamantly opposed to legislation which would prevent any further federal bailouts of the GSE’s. For Democrats like Frank, continued control over Fannie and Freddie represents the effective nationalization of the entire mortgage industry. It’s a dream come true for those who wish to use the power of the federal government to implement their desired social and redistributive policies.
“This is an important point that has to be repeated – as Fannie and Freddie operate today, going forward, there is no loss,” Frank wrote.These statements by Frank came one day before Freddie Mac requested an additional government bailout of $10.6 billion to cover losses incurred in the first quarter.
...
It’s no wonder that even after the total collapse of Fannie and Freddie in 2008, at an ultimate cost to tax payers which could exceed $400B, Barney Frank is still adamantly opposed to legislation which would prevent any further federal bailouts of the GSE’s. For Democrats like Frank, continued control over Fannie and Freddie represents the effective nationalization of the entire mortgage industry. It’s a dream come true for those who wish to use the power of the federal government to implement their desired social and redistributive policies.
So UCLA has a racist communist professor Updated
calling for- would it be revolution or attack?- against the United States.
“We are revolutionary Mexican organization here. We understand that this is not just about Mexico. It’s about a global struggle against imperialism and capitalism… At the forefront of this revolutionary movement is La Raza. We will no longer fall for these lies called borders. We see America as a northern front of a revolutionary movement… Our enemy is capitalism and imperialism.”
I wonder if 'race cowards' Holder will charge this clown with sedition? I wonder if the major media will bother to mention this?
And I wonder, do these bastards think that stuff like this will make places like Arizona and Texas and New Mexico- and a lot of people in Californicated- less likely to demand a illegal immigration-immigrants clampdown?
Update: according to this, he's a high-school teacher
“We are revolutionary Mexican organization here. We understand that this is not just about Mexico. It’s about a global struggle against imperialism and capitalism… At the forefront of this revolutionary movement is La Raza. We will no longer fall for these lies called borders. We see America as a northern front of a revolutionary movement… Our enemy is capitalism and imperialism.”
I wonder if 'race cowards' Holder will charge this clown with sedition? I wonder if the major media will bother to mention this?
And I wonder, do these bastards think that stuff like this will make places like Arizona and Texas and New Mexico- and a lot of people in Californicated- less likely to demand a illegal immigration-immigrants clampdown?
Update: according to this, he's a high-school teacher
'of the Year' or not, it's a damn good line
"Do we really want to live in a country where when someone busts into your house at night you're supposed to assume they might be cops?"
Pointed to by Insty, who has this to say:
I’d rather live in a country where you get a bounty for shooting people who bust into your house illegally — one that’s doubled if they’re cops. Apparently, though, I’m more likely to get the former. And to those who want to criticize my approach to illegal breakins: Why are you so soft on criminals?
UPDATE: Reader J.A. Lyons thinks a bounty is rather drastic. Well, yes. I’d be happy with stripping official immunity in no-knock raids, so that police — and, more significantly, supervising officials — would become liable for anything that goes wrong. No-knock raids should be extraordinary measures, only used when there is imminent threat of death or great bodily harm. That’s not the case in the vast, vast majority of no-knock raids. And illegal breakins are . . . illegal. They don’t become less so, somehow, when engaged in by those sworn to uphold the law.
Pointed to by Insty, who has this to say:
I’d rather live in a country where you get a bounty for shooting people who bust into your house illegally — one that’s doubled if they’re cops. Apparently, though, I’m more likely to get the former. And to those who want to criticize my approach to illegal breakins: Why are you so soft on criminals?
UPDATE: Reader J.A. Lyons thinks a bounty is rather drastic. Well, yes. I’d be happy with stripping official immunity in no-knock raids, so that police — and, more significantly, supervising officials — would become liable for anything that goes wrong. No-knock raids should be extraordinary measures, only used when there is imminent threat of death or great bodily harm. That’s not the case in the vast, vast majority of no-knock raids. And illegal breakins are . . . illegal. They don’t become less so, somehow, when engaged in by those sworn to uphold the law.
Two feel-good moments from Sondra
First, on Ma'am Boxer:
But the newspaper’s decision to sit on the sidelines for the Boxer race could prove to be the most damaging of all, given the newspaper’s criticism of the three-term senator.
“On the Democratic side, we find that we’re no fans of incumbent Barbara Boxer,” the newspaper said in an editorial Friday. “She displays less intellectual firepower or leadership than she could.”
The Boxer campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
Now THAT left a mark. And it only took them how many years to figure this out?
Second, you want to see an illustration of a dead-cat bounce?
But the newspaper’s decision to sit on the sidelines for the Boxer race could prove to be the most damaging of all, given the newspaper’s criticism of the three-term senator.
“On the Democratic side, we find that we’re no fans of incumbent Barbara Boxer,” the newspaper said in an editorial Friday. “She displays less intellectual firepower or leadership than she could.”
The Boxer campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
Now THAT left a mark. And it only took them how many years to figure this out?
Second, you want to see an illustration of a dead-cat bounce?
Oh, to put his name to these words must have just about given the President
hemorrhoids...
Children, especially, are spending less time outside running and playing, fishing and hunting, and connecting to the outdoors just down the street or outside of town.
Now, he DID say this as part of a "We need a new Federal Program to deal with this" mess, which his base will love, but those words... the animal rights weenies and anti-gun & -archery clowns must've had collective fits when they heard this.
Children, especially, are spending less time outside running and playing, fishing and hunting, and connecting to the outdoors just down the street or outside of town.
Now, he DID say this as part of a "We need a new Federal Program to deal with this" mess, which his base will love, but those words... the animal rights weenies and anti-gun & -archery clowns must've had collective fits when they heard this.
A bit more on the case against the Hutaree
In a development described as "unprecedented," a federal court official in Detroit filed an affidavit today with the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, saying he wanted to correct claims made by prosecutors in the Hutaree militia case."This affidavit is being submitted to correct the record, and any misunderstanding (Assistant U.S. Attorney) Mr. (Ronald) Waterstreet had about our conversation," Chief Pretrial Services Officer Alan Murray said in a court filing.
Damn. So a federal court official is filing to correct 'errors'- which in some cases appear to be outright lies- in the papers filed by the federal prosecutor.
Michael Rataj, an attorney for Hutaree defendant Tina Stone, said Murray's action is unprecedented. "Obviously, Waterstreet has completely misrepresented what was discussed with pretrial services," he said.
Damn. So a federal court official is filing to correct 'errors'- which in some cases appear to be outright lies- in the papers filed by the federal prosecutor.
Michael Rataj, an attorney for Hutaree defendant Tina Stone, said Murray's action is unprecedented. "Obviously, Waterstreet has completely misrepresented what was discussed with pretrial services," he said.
So either Waterstreet wasn't paying attention, or threw a bunch of crap in to try to steamroll the judge and get what he wanted, from the sound of it. And- I'm guessing- the judge is pissed or Murray knows the judge WILL be pissed and is trying to correct this before it screws things up too badly. I admit to no great knowledge of court works, I do know that for one federal official to try to correct the screwups of another in a case like this, in an official filing, says bad things about the original official's actions and words.
Over at Big Government is this piece on the case. One part:
Judge Roberts, however, pointed out that ” the government may not merely come before the trial court, present its indictment, and thereby send the defendant off to jail, foreclosing any further discussion. Rather the defendant . . . must be afforded the opportunity for a hearing at which he may come forward with evidence to meet his burden of production, leaving on the government the ultimate burden of persuasion.” Order, page 7, citing United States v. Hurtado, 779 F.2d 1467, 1478 (11th Cir. 1985). So the court-appointed federal public defenders submitted their arguments to the court on behalf of the Hutaree, with results that have apparently stunned the prosecutors.
This case is looking more and more like "These guys said nasty things, and we can make an example of them!" as opposed to "These people actually violated the law, and here's the evidence." May not be the case; we'll see.Over at Big Government is this piece on the case. One part:
Judge Roberts, however, pointed out that ” the government may not merely come before the trial court, present its indictment, and thereby send the defendant off to jail, foreclosing any further discussion. Rather the defendant . . . must be afforded the opportunity for a hearing at which he may come forward with evidence to meet his burden of production, leaving on the government the ultimate burden of persuasion.” Order, page 7, citing United States v. Hurtado, 779 F.2d 1467, 1478 (11th Cir. 1985). So the court-appointed federal public defenders submitted their arguments to the court on behalf of the Hutaree, with results that have apparently stunned the prosecutors.
“Defendants believe that because the weight of the evidence is insubstantial, the Court should have serious reservations about denying them bail… the Government failed to persuade the Court that Defendants must be held until trial.”
In essence, the court has smacked the prosecutors in the face by saying that there is so very little weight to the evidence in their case that, even though two of the charges are extremely serious, the defendants cannot be held without bail pending trial:
Nonetheless, the weight of the evidence the Government has against Defendants is an important consideration. In fact, the seriousness of the charged offenses, the weight of the evidence, and whether the Defendants are a danger to the community, are inextricably intertwined; the Court’s own Pretrial Services Agency, which makes bond recommendations, concluded that but for the seriousness of the offenses charged, the Defendants are all people it would normally recommend for release on bond.
Allow me to translate this for you: the evidence was thin enough that the Court would not normally hold these men without bail. However, because two of the charges are so serious, they have been held without bail until now.
Since the charges are so serious, the judge has to be pretty convinced that the government’s case is very weak before she will let the men out on bail. Here is the key to the entire case:
The United States is correct that it need not wait until people are killed before it arrests conspirators. But, the Defendants are also correct: their right to engage in hatefilled, venomous speech, is a right that deserves First Amendment protection. Because speech is so much a part of the Government’s case, Defendants urge the Court to look carefully at the evidence in making its bond decision. Defendants believe that because the weight of the evidence is insubstantial, the Court should have serious reservations about denying them bail. Due to the complexity of the case, and the number of Defendants, Defendants say they could be in jail for a long time, awaiting trial."
Friday, May 07, 2010
A bit of a collection this evening
A therapist in Denmark puts down what he learned while dealing with moslems, inmates and others. Among other things,
The Islamic expression of "holy anger" is therefore completely contradictory to any Western understanding. Those two words in the same sentence sound contradictory to us. The terror-threatening and violent reaction of Muslims to the Danish Mohammed cartoons showing their prophet as a man willing to use violence to spread his message, is seen from our Western eyes as ironic. Muslims’ aggressive reaction to a picture showing their prophet as aggressive, completely confirms the truth of the statement made by Kurt Westergaard in his satiric drawing.
This cultural difference is exceedingly important when dealing with Muslim regimes and organizations. Our way of handling political disagreement goes through diplomatic dialogue, and calls on Muslim leaders to use compassion, compromise and common sense. This peaceful approach is seen by Muslims as an expression of weakness and lack of courage. Thus avoiding the risks of a real fight is seen by them as weakness; when experienced in Muslim culture, it is an invitation to exploitation.
...
The locus of control is central to our understanding of problems and their solutions. If we are raised in a culture where we learn that "…I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul," as William Ernest Henley wrote in his famous poem Invictus in 1875; we will, in case of personal problems, look at ourselves and ask: "…What did I do wrong?" and "…What can I do to change the situation?" People who have been taught throughout their entire lives that outer rules and traditions are more important than individual freedom and self reflection, will ask: "Who did this to me?" and "Who has to do something for me?"
An interesting piece of work.
The Soviet Union nearly lost the war in 1941 and suffered from poor planning, according to Marshal Georgy Zhukov in the frank television interview that has been banned since it was recorded in 1966.
Zhukov, the most decorated general in the history of both Russia and the Soviet Union, admitted that Soviet generals were not confident that they could hold the German forces at the Mozhaisk defence line outside Moscow.
...
After arriving at the front, Zhukov found that the defences in place were "absolutely insufficient".
"It was an extremely dangerous situation. In essence, all the approaches to Moscow were open," he said. "Our troops on the Mozhaisk defence line could not have stopped the enemy if he moved on Moscow."
"I telephoned Stalin. I said the most urgent thing is to occupy the Mozhaisk defence line as in parts of the Western front in essence there are no (Soviet) troops.
Shortly afterwards, Stalin phoned Zhukov back to inform him he had been made commander of the Western Front.
The article says this interview was ordered destroyed, but one copy was missed- or hidden- in an archive.
You are a contemptible lot, over yonder. Some of you are Commissioners, and some Lieutenant-Governors, and some have the V. C., and a few are privileged to walk about the Mall arm in arm with the Viceroy; but I have seen Mark Twain this golden morning, have shaken his hand, and smoked a cigar— no, two cigars— with him, and talked with him for more than two hours! Understand clearly that I do not despise you; indeed, I don’t. I am only very sorry for you, from the Viceroy downward. To soothe your envy and to prove that I still regard you as my equals, I will tell you all about it.
From an interview of Twain by Rudyard Kipling.
Remember those new scanners, that we're not supposed to be bothered by? Nothing too intrusive of privacy or modesty or anything? Great Big Fail. Combined with an idiot-level TSA supervisor, and other TSA versions of a retarded Officer Fife. Which caused Tam to point us to this marvelous piece of work on the subject, from which I will ste- borrow a bit:
There is so much fail expressed there by Willard Shepard and Brian Hamacher that it makes me want to punch kittens and swear at boobies. “Oh, gosh, it sure is funny that these bumbling fucksticks who can’t even make it through THEIR OWN FUCKING TRAINING with any sort of professionalism, dignity, or impulse control suitable to avoid going to jail will be looking at the genitals of everybody trying to get on an airplane! That’s right comedic right there!”
You really should read it all.
And now, I think I shall, first, go out and play with the dogs, and then load some .45 ammo to replace what I shot up today.
The Islamic expression of "holy anger" is therefore completely contradictory to any Western understanding. Those two words in the same sentence sound contradictory to us. The terror-threatening and violent reaction of Muslims to the Danish Mohammed cartoons showing their prophet as a man willing to use violence to spread his message, is seen from our Western eyes as ironic. Muslims’ aggressive reaction to a picture showing their prophet as aggressive, completely confirms the truth of the statement made by Kurt Westergaard in his satiric drawing.
This cultural difference is exceedingly important when dealing with Muslim regimes and organizations. Our way of handling political disagreement goes through diplomatic dialogue, and calls on Muslim leaders to use compassion, compromise and common sense. This peaceful approach is seen by Muslims as an expression of weakness and lack of courage. Thus avoiding the risks of a real fight is seen by them as weakness; when experienced in Muslim culture, it is an invitation to exploitation.
...
The locus of control is central to our understanding of problems and their solutions. If we are raised in a culture where we learn that "…I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul," as William Ernest Henley wrote in his famous poem Invictus in 1875; we will, in case of personal problems, look at ourselves and ask: "…What did I do wrong?" and "…What can I do to change the situation?" People who have been taught throughout their entire lives that outer rules and traditions are more important than individual freedom and self reflection, will ask: "Who did this to me?" and "Who has to do something for me?"
An interesting piece of work.
The Soviet Union nearly lost the war in 1941 and suffered from poor planning, according to Marshal Georgy Zhukov in the frank television interview that has been banned since it was recorded in 1966.
Zhukov, the most decorated general in the history of both Russia and the Soviet Union, admitted that Soviet generals were not confident that they could hold the German forces at the Mozhaisk defence line outside Moscow.
...
After arriving at the front, Zhukov found that the defences in place were "absolutely insufficient".
"It was an extremely dangerous situation. In essence, all the approaches to Moscow were open," he said. "Our troops on the Mozhaisk defence line could not have stopped the enemy if he moved on Moscow."
"I telephoned Stalin. I said the most urgent thing is to occupy the Mozhaisk defence line as in parts of the Western front in essence there are no (Soviet) troops.
Shortly afterwards, Stalin phoned Zhukov back to inform him he had been made commander of the Western Front.
The article says this interview was ordered destroyed, but one copy was missed- or hidden- in an archive.
You are a contemptible lot, over yonder. Some of you are Commissioners, and some Lieutenant-Governors, and some have the V. C., and a few are privileged to walk about the Mall arm in arm with the Viceroy; but I have seen Mark Twain this golden morning, have shaken his hand, and smoked a cigar— no, two cigars— with him, and talked with him for more than two hours! Understand clearly that I do not despise you; indeed, I don’t. I am only very sorry for you, from the Viceroy downward. To soothe your envy and to prove that I still regard you as my equals, I will tell you all about it.
From an interview of Twain by Rudyard Kipling.
Remember those new scanners, that we're not supposed to be bothered by? Nothing too intrusive of privacy or modesty or anything? Great Big Fail. Combined with an idiot-level TSA supervisor, and other TSA versions of a retarded Officer Fife. Which caused Tam to point us to this marvelous piece of work on the subject, from which I will ste- borrow a bit:
There is so much fail expressed there by Willard Shepard and Brian Hamacher that it makes me want to punch kittens and swear at boobies. “Oh, gosh, it sure is funny that these bumbling fucksticks who can’t even make it through THEIR OWN FUCKING TRAINING with any sort of professionalism, dignity, or impulse control suitable to avoid going to jail will be looking at the genitals of everybody trying to get on an airplane! That’s right comedic right there!”
You really should read it all.
And now, I think I shall, first, go out and play with the dogs, and then load some .45 ammo to replace what I shot up today.
Unexpected result at the range
Being sick of the news, and it being a good morning, I hied myself off to the Place of Happy Loud Noises to make holes in some targets. Mostly general practice, but while there wanted to try something.
Remember the Aguila Super Sniper Subsonic .22 ammo? If you're not familiar with it, it's a short .22 case holding a long 60-grain bullet loaded to subsonic velocity. It's a very 'iffy' ammo with most guns; the rifling pitch of a lot of barrels will not stabilize that long a projectile, and accuracy sucks. Some shoot it quite well; the only way to find out is to try it. The first 15-22 wouldn't shoot it well, so wanted to try it in this one. Results:
The top-left diamond is that ammo. Top-right is Federal Champion, bottom-left Champion, bottom-right some old Remington Golden Bullet. The Federal has shot well in almost everything I've ever tried it in; the exception is some .22 pistols, just not quite enough power to cycle the action. The newer Remington GB won't work worth a damn in this 15-22(just fine in everything else, including the conversion for my .45), but this older stuff did. I was really surprised at that group from the Aguila; that's eleven rounds at thirty yards. Not the most steady of rests*; next time I can get to the outdoor range with a bench and rests I'll see what it does at 50 yards. I've read of some guns giving very tight groups at 25, then opening up a lot at 50; we'll see how this one does.
*I was trying a lot harder on this one to keep everything right, which may explain the wider groups with the Federal. The tall rings really help with the scope on this rifle.
Remember the Aguila Super Sniper Subsonic .22 ammo? If you're not familiar with it, it's a short .22 case holding a long 60-grain bullet loaded to subsonic velocity. It's a very 'iffy' ammo with most guns; the rifling pitch of a lot of barrels will not stabilize that long a projectile, and accuracy sucks. Some shoot it quite well; the only way to find out is to try it. The first 15-22 wouldn't shoot it well, so wanted to try it in this one. Results:
The top-left diamond is that ammo. Top-right is Federal Champion, bottom-left Champion, bottom-right some old Remington Golden Bullet. The Federal has shot well in almost everything I've ever tried it in; the exception is some .22 pistols, just not quite enough power to cycle the action. The newer Remington GB won't work worth a damn in this 15-22(just fine in everything else, including the conversion for my .45), but this older stuff did. I was really surprised at that group from the Aguila; that's eleven rounds at thirty yards. Not the most steady of rests*; next time I can get to the outdoor range with a bench and rests I'll see what it does at 50 yards. I've read of some guns giving very tight groups at 25, then opening up a lot at 50; we'll see how this one does.*I was trying a lot harder on this one to keep everything right, which may explain the wider groups with the Federal. The tall rings really help with the scope on this rifle.
BobG brought up another Will Rogers saying:
"Stupidity got us into this mess, then why can't it get us out?"
Unfortunately, as this Mr. Rogers was very aware, stupidity generally doesn't work in GOOD directions.
He also found one hell of a reason to stay out of the water in some places.
Unfortunately, as this Mr. Rogers was very aware, stupidity generally doesn't work in GOOD directions.
He also found one hell of a reason to stay out of the water in some places.
There've been thoughts about sabotage of the oil platform mentioned,
but this is the first I'd heard of this theory.
Suspicions that the Gulf of Mexico oil spill was a deliberate act gained strength with news that North Korea may have played a role in it. Reports that North Korea torpedoed the Deepwater Horizon oil rig by many outlets include reports of a government-ordered a news blackout concerning details. If the oil disaster was caused by an intentional act, the dispatch of SWAT teams to the Gulf by the Obama regime makes sense.
Well, not really; if you suspected the Norks of using minisubs or something to attack a platform, what's a SWAT team going to do? On the other hand, if you suspected someone in a small boat, there you might have a chance at stopping something. IF you had some idea which rigs they might target, etc.
Suspicions that the Gulf of Mexico oil spill was a deliberate act gained strength with news that North Korea may have played a role in it. Reports that North Korea torpedoed the Deepwater Horizon oil rig by many outlets include reports of a government-ordered a news blackout concerning details. If the oil disaster was caused by an intentional act, the dispatch of SWAT teams to the Gulf by the Obama regime makes sense.
Well, not really; if you suspected the Norks of using minisubs or something to attack a platform, what's a SWAT team going to do? On the other hand, if you suspected someone in a small boat, there you might have a chance at stopping something. IF you had some idea which rigs they might target, etc.
Combination here: Idiots With Badges and Journalists Without Conscience
[W]hat hasn’t been apparent until now is how news coverage of this story fundamentally changed the investigation. Law enforcement officials usually say they can't talk to reporters about an ongoing investigation, but there were leaks in this case from the beginning — partly because of the dynamic between two powerful law enforcement forces in New York City....
Details about the Times Square investigation were all over the local newspapers, even as authorities were still trying to puzzle out who was responsible. Any element of surprise that law enforcement might have had was evaporating. To be fair, law enforcement was partly to blame. In many cases, it was the source of the information and leaks. But there seemed to be an extra level of frustration about the leaks in this case. As one law enforcement official told NPR, "Our operational plans were being driven by the media, instead of the other way around. And that's not good."
...
On Monday afternoon, basically a day-and-a-half after the attack, a news organization reported that law enforcement officials were looking for an American citizen of Pakistani descent from Shelton, Conn. (NPR also had the information but didn't report it out of concern that it would affect the investigation before Shahzad's arrest.) Shahzad mentioned that news report after he was in police custody, according to two law enforcement officials familiar with the case. He told the arresting officers that the moment he read it was the moment he knew it was only a matter of time before authorities would close in on him. He also assumed from the report that he was under surveillance. That's an important detail, because surveillance is only effective if people don't know they are being watched. "It was like watching an episode of 24 in real time," a law enforcement official said. The only problem was that Shahzad was able to watch it, too.
...
Then it got worse: Reporters started showing up at Shahzad's house in Shelton, waiting for the arrest to happen. Shahzad was actually up the road at a ramshackle apartment he had rented in Bridgeport. That's where officers were watching him — but apparently that also was leaked. A TV reporter showed up there and waited.
So. Idiots leaking to the media, and idiots in media publishing crap they shouldn't. I wonder if it occurred to either of these idiot groups that with the guy being given damn-near real time information on the investigation he could have set an ambush? Or did they think of it, and it didn't matter to the bastards?
As Insty says, "The country is in the best of hands..."
Details about the Times Square investigation were all over the local newspapers, even as authorities were still trying to puzzle out who was responsible. Any element of surprise that law enforcement might have had was evaporating. To be fair, law enforcement was partly to blame. In many cases, it was the source of the information and leaks. But there seemed to be an extra level of frustration about the leaks in this case. As one law enforcement official told NPR, "Our operational plans were being driven by the media, instead of the other way around. And that's not good."
...
On Monday afternoon, basically a day-and-a-half after the attack, a news organization reported that law enforcement officials were looking for an American citizen of Pakistani descent from Shelton, Conn. (NPR also had the information but didn't report it out of concern that it would affect the investigation before Shahzad's arrest.) Shahzad mentioned that news report after he was in police custody, according to two law enforcement officials familiar with the case. He told the arresting officers that the moment he read it was the moment he knew it was only a matter of time before authorities would close in on him. He also assumed from the report that he was under surveillance. That's an important detail, because surveillance is only effective if people don't know they are being watched. "It was like watching an episode of 24 in real time," a law enforcement official said. The only problem was that Shahzad was able to watch it, too.
...
Then it got worse: Reporters started showing up at Shahzad's house in Shelton, waiting for the arrest to happen. Shahzad was actually up the road at a ramshackle apartment he had rented in Bridgeport. That's where officers were watching him — but apparently that also was leaked. A TV reporter showed up there and waited.
So. Idiots leaking to the media, and idiots in media publishing crap they shouldn't. I wonder if it occurred to either of these idiot groups that with the guy being given damn-near real time information on the investigation he could have set an ambush? Or did they think of it, and it didn't matter to the bastards?
As Insty says, "The country is in the best of hands..."
Hung Parliament, hung Congress...
if only it were literal.
This from Keith in comments the other day:
It is difficult to see how this is going to resolve itself in a good way. I don't think any of them want to tackle the overgrown state sector, and they'll be as unpopular as hell for taxing fuck out of everyone to preserve it.
A coalition of the 3 major parties could share the blame for reform, but the state sector is such a juicy source of captive votes, I don't see any appetite for destroying it, from any of them.
Same problem with unions over here; a lot of politicians understand just what the problem is, but they'd rather let it continue to fester than deal with "The union won't push members to vote for me if I try to fix this."
Because, all too often, the politicians care more about keeping their fat ass in that office than about that 'public service' stuff they're supposed to be there for.
This from Keith in comments the other day:
It is difficult to see how this is going to resolve itself in a good way. I don't think any of them want to tackle the overgrown state sector, and they'll be as unpopular as hell for taxing fuck out of everyone to preserve it.
A coalition of the 3 major parties could share the blame for reform, but the state sector is such a juicy source of captive votes, I don't see any appetite for destroying it, from any of them.
Same problem with unions over here; a lot of politicians understand just what the problem is, but they'd rather let it continue to fester than deal with "The union won't push members to vote for me if I try to fix this."
Because, all too often, the politicians care more about keeping their fat ass in that office than about that 'public service' stuff they're supposed to be there for.
Thursday, May 06, 2010
Well well, Gordon Brown(Socialist Bastard) just got his ass kicked
in fine fashion. Along with, from the sound of it, most of the god-cursed communistsLabour Party
La Raza is nothing but a bunch of racists who the terminally
politically correct won't talk about.
...legendary homeland of the Aztecas... my ass; it's a nice convenient piece of bullshit 'legend' they're using to make a claim on territory the Aztecs, murdering little shits they were, never got near.
If the little racists really wanted to help the Mexican people, they'd be down in Mexico doing something about the cartels and the corruption.
...legendary homeland of the Aztecas... my ass; it's a nice convenient piece of bullshit 'legend' they're using to make a claim on territory the Aztecs, murdering little shits they were, never got near.
If the little racists really wanted to help the Mexican people, they'd be down in Mexico doing something about the cartels and the corruption.
Today was one of those days it was proving that
that 'wind sweeping down the plain' line is serious. Being out in that sucks moisture out of you, and does just about the same for energy. Got a lot done, but pretty much worn down.
Which doesn't prevent this from being very good news:
Navy SEAL Officer 2nd Class Matthew McCabe was found not guilty Thursday evening on charges of assaulting detained terrorist Ahmed Hashim Abed, dereliction of duty, and impeding an investigation based on a false statement.A seven member military jury deliberated for an hour and forty minutes before reaching a verdict. For a verdict to be reached, two-thirds of the jury had to agree on each charge.
This case was bullshit from the beginning, and I'll borrow this from Insty on the matter:
“Pretty amazing that they brought this to trial with little more than Demartino and a jihadi attesting that it happened, but then the point here was always political. They wanted to show that they take detainee abuse seriously and were hoping the accused would accept some sort of deal. No dice. How’d that work out for them?” They were betting on Navy SEALs wimping out. How smart was that? And now we know to regard future charges with skepticism.
We know about the problem of innocent people being screwed over by a prosecutor wanting to burnish their image, or suck up to a politician; this is the other side of the problem caused, we know to regard future charges with skepticism. Any time a prosecutor brings such a case, everyone is going to remember this bullshit, which means even if there were a real case to be brought, every damn word will be doubted.
Speaking of dealing with terrorists, take a look at this: possible use of a military SIGINT aircraft to track the terrorist. All kinds of possible fallout from this.
Which doesn't prevent this from being very good news:
Navy SEAL Officer 2nd Class Matthew McCabe was found not guilty Thursday evening on charges of assaulting detained terrorist Ahmed Hashim Abed, dereliction of duty, and impeding an investigation based on a false statement.A seven member military jury deliberated for an hour and forty minutes before reaching a verdict. For a verdict to be reached, two-thirds of the jury had to agree on each charge.
This case was bullshit from the beginning, and I'll borrow this from Insty on the matter:
“Pretty amazing that they brought this to trial with little more than Demartino and a jihadi attesting that it happened, but then the point here was always political. They wanted to show that they take detainee abuse seriously and were hoping the accused would accept some sort of deal. No dice. How’d that work out for them?” They were betting on Navy SEALs wimping out. How smart was that? And now we know to regard future charges with skepticism.
We know about the problem of innocent people being screwed over by a prosecutor wanting to burnish their image, or suck up to a politician; this is the other side of the problem caused, we know to regard future charges with skepticism. Any time a prosecutor brings such a case, everyone is going to remember this bullshit, which means even if there were a real case to be brought, every damn word will be doubted.
Speaking of dealing with terrorists, take a look at this: possible use of a military SIGINT aircraft to track the terrorist. All kinds of possible fallout from this.
Right now, a bunch of birds in the holly tree outside the window
are making enough noise to almost hurt your ears about something.
And did you know that a bunch of them deciding to hop around on the carport, when it's cloudy, can make you think it started hailing?
And did you know that a bunch of them deciding to hop around on the carport, when it's cloudy, can make you think it started hailing?
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