The girlfriend of the former CIA employee who lifted the lid on the US governments top-secret surveillance programmes has blogged about her heartbreak after he fled to Hong Kong.
Lindsay Mills, 28, said she had been lost at sea without a compass since Edward Snowden, 29, left their home in Hawaii last month without telling her first.
Posted by: Au Auric ||
06/12/2013 00:00 ||
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#1
Ah, sad, where are gone the Snowdens of yesteryear?
#6
Yeah, and are we absolutely certain there wasn't some Chinese girl/honeypot who lured him into this whole deal? Too bad Lindsay but some of those Asian girls are hot.
#1
"... A National Council for Women member, Nohad Abu al-Qomsan, told NOW that these procedures have been on the rise since the revolution began. One can say that all the efforts to ban this harmful custom have been in vain due to the fatwas and opinions of uneducated sheikhs and to the states turning a blind eye to these crimes. It's as if they were giving them a green light. Al-Qomsan asked, How can the state fight a negative phenomenon if those in power adopt it and believe it to be a necessity?..."
but NOW indicated that it would continue prioritizing forcing Catholic hospitals to allow abortions because... well just because
Posted by: lord garth ||
06/12/2013 8:38 Comments ||
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#2
The National Orgasm of Cushy American Women see no votes or Gov't cash here so let's move back to the "glass ceiling".
Posted by: Jack Salami ||
06/12/2013 12:02 Comments ||
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#3
Even when that "glass ceiling" has been shown to be a "choose to have a baby instead of a career ceiling" instead.
#1
A region steeped in both history and heroes. From Ashton, take the M60 southbound to the M62, south again toward Warrington. You'll find what remains of RAF Burtonwood. A better time, a better place when attacks of this sort would have resulted in very real consequences.
[An Nahar] Russia on Tuesday passed a bill imposing jail terms of up to three years on those who offend religious believers after an anti-Vladimir Putin ...Second and fourth President of the Russian Federation and the first to remain sober. Putin is credited with bringing political stability and re-establishing something like the rule of law, which occasionally results in somebody dropping dead from polonium poisoning. Under Putin, a new group of business magnates controlling significant swathes of Russia's economy has emerged, all of whom have close personal ties to Putin. The old bunch, without close personal ties to Putin, are in jail or in exile or dead... stunt by punk band Pussy Riot in a church polarized the predominantly Orthodox country last year.
According to the bill passed in a 308-to-2 final vote, "public actions expressing clear disrespect for society and committed with the goal of offending religious feelings of the faithful" would be punishable with jail terms of up to one year in prison and fines of up to 300,000 rubles ($9,200).
The same actions committed in churches and other places of worship would be punishable by up to three years in prison and a fine of up to 500,000 rubles.
Among other forms of punishment to be meted out for the transgressions are compulsory community service and forced labor.
The controversial bill was proposed after several members of rock band Pussy Riot belted out a "punk prayer" against strongman Putin in a landmark Orthodox cathedral last year.
Two Pussy Riot members, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina, are serving two years in prison after being convicted last August on charges of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/12/2013 00:00 ||
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#1
Well so far, we've limited our actions to refusal for non-profit status and multiple IRS audit. However, the Fed AG in Tennessee seems to be working towards this angle as well.
#4
As I understand it from the Russian point of view, the P R girls got in trouble, not for calling Putin mean names, but for holding their protests in an Orthodox church and disrupting services.
"Over the last few years American intelligence agencies have discovered that the Chinese space program involves more than the peaceful use of space. The Chinese are apparently working hard on jamming satellite signals and using lasers to damage satellites. This is in addition to Chinese work on tracking satellites, a prerequisite for damaging or destroying them.
It was impossible to hide the 2007 Killsat test and that was the main point of carrying it out. The protests from other satellite owning nations were ignored, but appreciated because it made everyone believe that China was serious about KillSats. What China was actually doing was hiding their jamming and blinding activities and not encouraging satellite owners from protecting their birds from this sort of attack." Didja' have a nice t/walk in the desert Mr. Obama...?
#1
See also CHINESE MILITARY FORUM > YANK PROPOSAL [TO AVOID BUDGET CUTS OR CHINA'S NEW DESIGN FOR STEALTH BOMBER [or X-large Stealth = "Orbital" Fighter/Fighter-Bomber?] | [Foreign Policy] IS THIS CHINA'S DESIGN FOR A STEALTH BOMBER? THE MODEL AIRPLANES THAT COULD ONE DAY CHANGE THE GLOBAL BALANCE OF POWER.
The ongoing US Sequester versus the Chinese super-version of Clint Eastwood's FIREFOX.
[An Nahar] Spanish police tossed in the slammer ... anything you say can and will be used against you, whether you say it or not... two suspected ETA commandos in a pre-dawn raid Tuesday, striking a new blow against the already-weakened network of the armed Basque group, the government said.
The pair -- Jon Lizarribar Lasarte, born 1976, and Ruben Gelbentzu Gonzalez, born 1974 -- are accused of taking part in four attacks in 2002, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.
The attacks were directed against the University of Navarra, the department store El Corte Ingles of Zaragoza and two companies from the neighboring province of Navarra, it said.
Spanish police struck at about 3am (0100 GMT), acting on intelligence gathered from documents seized in La Belle France from members of the ETA leadership, the Spanish authorities said.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/12/2013 00:00 ||
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[Nice graphic]
Definitions: Top-secret: the most sensitive intelligence. Material, if made publicly available, would cause "exceptionally grave danger" to national security.
Confidential/secret: material, if made publicly available, would be "prejudicial" to or cause "serious damage" to national security
Numbers:
Overall, 5 million hold either a top secret or confidential/secret clearance. Of these 3.6 million are federal employees, 1.1 million are private contractors, and 0.3 million have an indeterminate status.
1.4 million total hold a clearance to handle top secret material. Of these, 800,000 are federal employees, 500,000 are private contractors, and 100,000 had a status the government couldn't confirm.
3.6 million hold a confidential/secret clearance. Of these, 2.8 million are federal employees, 600,000 are private contractors, and 0.2 million have indeterminate status.
#4
The classification isn't nearly as important as the compartment and other caveats with the classification.
And FYI, this guy was subject to a "Full Scope" (lifestyle) polygraph. Fat lot of good that did the government.
I'm debriefed and out of that sort of thing for good now so no big deal, I dont face another poly or BI ever again. I dont have a need to know anymore, and further, given how things aree going, I 'm pretty sure I dont want the need to know. However ...
(Rant coming on, feel free to skip it)
I've had SSBI with the periodic reinvestigations and accompanying full scope polygraphs. And in all honesty, you can beat a poly - either training, or else be pathological enough that you believe your own lies. Even though I've passed all of my full scope polygraphs over the years, I've always hated them, and pretty much discount anything about them. They are crap, producing false positives and false negatives. Its pseudoscience and garbage. I know of at least one person who failed her poly and it cost her the job, yet absolutely no way it should have happened (hint: it was about sexual stuff, and she was a victim of childhood sexual abuse, so she triggered hard on some of the questions).
Whats as bad as false positives is that the polygraph give a false sense of security, which means there is less and less of the more expensive old-fashioned counterespionage, and preventative measures - those are things that really work.
And FYI, I have "beat" a polygraph (after a bit of training from a retired spook friend of my father) just to demonstrate to a friend of mine in CI that it could be done. I fooled his associate on an issue that I had already been truthful about on my real polygraphs regarding "recreational" marijuana use (which occurred well back in the previous century). And this wasn't some dime-store setup, it was at an offsite "contractor" office that does work for the military and three letter agencies, a few years ago - nice setup, all the feeds into a computer, and they even had the "butt pad" that detects people doing the old "sphincter clench" trick. I answered directly and clearly with a complete lie "No,, I have never smoked marijuana". "No I have never used marijuana" "No I have never tried marijuana", "No I have never experimented with marijuana", "No, I have never seen marijuana being used" ... no hedging, etc.. complete and utter lies, yet they never detected them. For the record, I did smoke pot back in college a few times, found it boring, and it just made me hungry and want to go to sleep, never did see what the big attraction was. And they did detect a lie that was a false positive because I projected one for them on a question of my own choosing, spontaneously diring the interview. "No I have never been arrested for a felony" (I never have, yet I was able to make it look like I was lying - something that would cost a person thier clearance). The poly is a complete and utter sham, designed to coerce you into confession, nothing more or less. The fact that it takes a "skilled" polygrapher to "detect" a lie shows that its pretty much not scientific, otherwise you could have a computer flag it.
OK, I just put the Rant into Rantburg with that one... to hell with polygraphs, do proper security work and put in proper counterespionage precautions instead.
#6
I did moke pot back in college a few times, found it boring, and it just made me hungry and want to go to sleep, never did see what the big attraction was
Heh, yep.
#7
It's just ridiculous that one and a half million have "top" secret clearances. There are too damn many quote "secrets" and too many people with access.
It's a way to keep the sausage-making away from those without the need to know. i.e. the citizens.
What's not mentioned are the "name" clearances, where the real stuff lives.
As with grade inflation, top secret doesn't mean much anymore, I guess.
Sunset the whole "security" system and the Patriot Act, and start from scratch.
Detroit -- A federal judge has decided to allow to move forward a discrimination case charging Muslims were unfairly detained while traveling to and from Canada.
A hearing was held late last month in front of U.S. District Judge Avern Cohn to address whether the lawsuit brought last year by the Council on American-Islamic Relations would move proceed. The suit was filed on behalf of several Muslims who said they were targeted.
CAIR, which fights discrimination against Muslims, charged U.S. Border Patrol agents were unfairly detaining Muslims -- sometimes for several hours -- and asking intrusive questions about how many times a day they prayed as well as whether they pray in a mosque or who else prays there.
Silly Border Patrol -- just tap their phone records...
Although saying the government may "come forward with a permissable reason for profiling plaintiffs for secondary inspection and questioning them extensively about their religious practices and beliefs," Cohn wrote the CAIR group members "have sufficiently alleged that such policy, practice and custom targets a suspect class and has no rational basis."
"We are pleased that this important case will move forward and those who faced unlawful government questioning about their religious beliefs will continue to have their day in court," said Gadeir Abbas, an attorney with CAIR, who is based in Washington and was present last month to help argue the case.
#1
Given the location and the questions, I bet it turns out the Border Patrol Agents were themselves Muslims and were making sure the travelers were Sufficiently Muslim.
Once CAIR realizes this, the lawsuit will go away.
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
06/12/2013 9:18 Comments ||
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The religion of the 95 people in prison in March 2012 for terrorist offence was:
Anglican 1
Roman Catholic 2
Buddhist 1
other religious groups 1
no religion 3
Muslim 87
[Dawn] Enraged relatives of a patient, who died while undergoing surgery at the District Headquarters Hospital, attacked the doctors, tore their clothes off and smashed the windowpanes of the operation theater.
The surgeon and his colleagues saved themselves by locking the doors of the operation theater (OT), but the livid relatives smashed the windows in an attempt to enter the OT.
However, some people cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go... the hospital administration called the police which arrived to control the situation.
Police said the victim of a roadside accident, Amir Rukhsar, had been brought to the hospital on Sunday in a critical condition and the doctors had advised surgery.
The patient had then been shifted to the operation theater, where Dr Ammad and his team carried out the surgery, but the patient could not survive. When the doctors pronounced the victim dead, his relatives got angry and attacked the doctors.
Dr Irfan Khilji, the deputy medical superintendent of the hospital, said the victim had already been in a critical condition and could not survive the operation.
He said after the patient's death, his relatives got violent and beat the doctors, resulting in bruises and minor injuries. However, some people cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go... police intervention helped the hospital administration control the enraged people.
Later a criminal case was registered against the relatives of the dear departed, but no arrest was made since the family was busy in the funeral ceremony.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/12/2013 00:00 ||
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And here I thought these folks welcomed death (Vergin' Horrorhaus in the Sky and all that) and said Allan was in charge of all events...
[Bangla Daily Star]Lal Krishna Advani, one of the founders of India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), yesterday agreed to withdraw his resignation, a day after he quit the key forums of the party.
He had resigned apparently in protest at the appointment of controversial politician Narendra Modi as the chief of the party's campaign committee for the next general elections.
BJP chief Rajnath Singh told the media here that Advani would accept the parliamentary party's decision late on Monday, rejecting the 85-year-old's resignation.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/12/2013 00:00 ||
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[BETA.DAWN] Even in death, the Ahmadiyya community is discriminated against.
Jadeed Qabristan (graveyard) is located near Murree Road in the heart of the garrison city of Rawalpindi.
A signboard dangling outside the house of the gravedigger reads: "It's prohibited to bury Mirzais here." 'Mirzai' and 'Qadiyani' are derogatory terms used against the Ahmadiyya community in Pakistain. While taking a photo of the sign, one is greeted with suspicious stares.
For decades, Ahmadis have faced persecution at the hands of religious forces of Evil and right wing forces. The state jumped into the fray in 1974, when the then Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto introduced a constitutional amendment declaring them non-Musselmen to ward off pressure from right-wing forces.
Before the May 11 general elections, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) labeled Pakistain as a country where religious freedom has been extremely limited.
The subjugation of Ahmadis started soon after Independence in 1947. Led by Jamaat-e-Islami ...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores... , right-wing groups spearheaded anti-Ahmadi campaigns. The first such violent movement erupted in Punjab, in 1953, leading to the imposition of martial law in the province.
In 2010, in Lahore, 86 Ahmadi worshippers were brutally murdered by the Punjabi Taliban. Over the years, speaking out on 'sensitive' issues such as religious discrimination has become increasingly dangerous -- highlighted by the murder of the then Punjab Governor, Salmaan Taseer.
While the community faces violence and discrimination on a daily basis, few people remember that the sole Noble laureate from Pakistain, Dr Abdul Salam, belonged to the Ahmadiyya community.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/12/2013 00:00 ||
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[BETA.DAWN] The Military Intelligence (MI) said in the Supreme Court on Tuesday that an army man and a subject under the Army Act 1952 could not be investigated by any court, even the apex court, or police.
In its reply to an application filed by one Abida Malik requesting the Supreme Court to order production of her husband Tasif Ali alias Danish, the MI stated that neither the court or police had the jurisdiction to interfere in the matter and, therefore, the application should be dismissed.
Tasif Ali, who went missing on Nov 23, 2011, was allegedly picked up by Major Haider of the MI. The matter was reported to the Sadiqabad cop shoppe on Dec 5 last year. The Lahore High Court heard the case on March 19 this year, but dismissed it.
The MI reply filed by Advocate Raja Mohammad Ibrahim Satti rejected the allegations and said Tasif had neither been apprehended nor held by the MI. Major Haider was neither posted to the place concerned nor had any role in Tasif's abduction.
At the last hearing on May 20, the Supreme Court had ordered police to produce Tasif Ali, especially when the Sadiqabad police had also started the paperwork but haven't done much else on May 7 on the statement of Abida Malik.
The court had on May 29 also ordered former attorney general Irfan Qadir to get a report from the defence ministry and record the statement of Major Haider in one week.
Subsequently, a team of Sadiqabad police led by SHO Tanveer Javed Warraich visited Mirpur in Azad Kashmire to arrest and record the statement of Major Haider. The commander of the unit concerned called the Superintendent Police Rawalpindi in the presence of the police team and informed him that no person with the name of Major Haider had ever been posted at the set-up (MI post) and that it had no link with the abduction of Tasif Ali.
The SP was asked to approach through proper channel so that their queries could be addressed accordingly.
The MI reply said the army act was a protected law under Article 8(3 a) of the constitution and none of its provisions could be declared void being inconsistent with or in derogation of the fundamental rights.
"Therefore the application filed by Abida Malik is not maintainable under Article 184(3) of the constitution," it argued.
The reply cited a number of sections of the army act and said section 24 dealt with the offences committed by a person subject to the army act and section 59 dealt with the civil offences. Sections 73 to 76 envisage procedure regarding investigation, arrest, inquiry and proceedings before trial.
Likewise chapter IX of the army act deals with the jurisdiction and power of the court martial whereas section 99 explains about the appellate revision power.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/12/2013 00:00 ||
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#1
The HELL they can't.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
06/12/2013 23:05 Comments ||
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Tribal elders in northwestern Pakistan are taking desperate measures in an effort to bring electricity to their area, saying that as long as they have no electricity they won't vaccinate their children against polio. Several hundred residents from villages in Lakki Marwat district staged a demonstration on June 10 and turned away polio-eradication teams.
Village elder Zaitullah Betanai said, "There is an electricity supply line but no electricity, and there is no electricity transformer in the area. We have no mosquito kits and no spray against mosquitoes is arranged so far. Also, there is no ambulance in the area. We want the government to address the four demands immediately."
I know this might seem like a real off-the-wall idea...
buying those things for the village.
I know it's easier to let the government harvest those things from the state orchard of magic money trees but the econofrost has ruined the amounts of west-saps that can be harvested.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
...Second and fourth President of the Russian Federation and the first to remain sober. Putin is credited with bringing political stability and re-establishing something like the rule of law, which occasionally results in somebody dropping dead from polonium poisoning. Under Putin, a new group of business magnates controlling significant swathes of Russia's economy has emerged, all of whom have close personal ties to Putin. The old bunch, without close personal ties to Putin, are in jail or in exile or dead...
...the creepy-looking former dictator of Pakistain. Zia was an Islamic nutball who imposed his nutballery on the rest of the country with the enthusiastic assistance of the nation's religious parties, which are populated by other nutballs. He was appointed Chief of Army Staff in 1976 by Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, whom he hanged when he seized power. His time in office was a period of repression, with hundreds of thousands of political rivals, minorities, and journalists executed or tortured, including senior general officers convicted in coup-d'état plots, who would normally be above the law. As part of his alliance with the religious parties, his government helped run the war against the Soviets in Afghanistan, providing safe havens, American equipiment, Saudi money, and Pak handlers to selected mujaheddin. Zia died along with several of his top generals and admirals and the then United States Ambassador to Pakistain Arnold Lewis Raphel when he was assassinated in a suspicious air crash near Bahawalpur in 1988...
Tribal elders in northwestern Pakistan are taking desperate measures in an effort to bring electricity to their area, saying that as long as they have no electricity they won't vaccinate their children against polio. Several hundred residents from villages in Lakki Marwat district staged a demonstration on June 10 and turned away polio-eradication teams.
