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Thursday, 31 October 2013

Hillary, the President and Benghazi: Politically Incorrect Cartoon and NSFW!...from TPC

A political incorrect and NSFW cartoon that includes the President, Hillary, Benghazi and sex.

At The Political Commentator here.



Tricky Treat

News..................

Spying Is a Fact of Life Between Friends and Foes

The Mendacious Mr. Obama

America’s default on its debt is inevitable

Voter fraud scandal in New Haven

France's comedy of taxational errors continues as French revolt against eco-tax

Victoria’s Secret founding: Roy Raymond had a great idea, but Les Wexner was the one to see it through

NSA smiley face: MUSCULAR spying on Google, Yahoo speaks volumes about agency's attitude

Rusafa Courthouse Handed Over During Ceremony

‘Cool’ invention wins first place at MADMEC

Let there be light! Thanks to large mirrors, winter sun finally shines on Norwegian town

Fall Moments - Yosemite Nature Notes

Thursday Totty................

Screw the Obamacare lies, here's an Obamacare true story!...from TPC


My sympathy for American over the implementation of Obamacare is reserved for those of us who knew that there is never something for nothing and that the government, particularly under this President, can do nothing right.

Never-the-less, we will have been sucked into this medical misery right along with the Obamabots while their King and his Court have exempted themselves from the same fate! 

This article presents a story written by a mother about her family's painful plight under Obamacare.

Halloween Hotties Amanda Cerny and Raquel Pomplun!

Wow!

Simple, Free Image and File Hosting at MediaFire
These babes are smokin'!

See, "Playmates Amanda Cerny and Raquel Pomplun Body Painted for Playboy Halloween Party."

Man, those ladies are gonna pull some tricks for your treats, lol.

Fabulous bazongas and ta-tas.

Wednesday, 30 October 2013

Victoria's Secret Very Sexy Online Commercial (Holiday 2013)

Gee, "lucky" me REDUX..........................from Rico

I voiced some displeasure yesterday at the 2014 18% health care insurance premium increase (for the same coverage and policy) as I had in 2013...all thanks to that stinking, steaming pile of socialist crap known as ObamaCare.

- Instead of just sitting on my ass and 'stewing' about it, I made like an old-time bread truck and hauled buns.

In the original 'spirit' of the first Boston Tea Party, and today's Taxed Enough Already patriots, here is my small effort to "resist"...

On my own, without the useless Healthcare.gov website or the equally useless gooberment (pardn the redundancy), I found an insurance policy for 2014 that meets the 'standards' required by the new 'tax law' (aka ObamaCare) for 4% LESS than my 2013 policy cost, and...21% LESS than my projected 2014 post-ObamaCare cost from my original insurer.

$ince the only vote that seems to count these days is the 'wallet vote' and since ObamaCare has been ruled a 'tax' this is my form of 'tax resistance'...and I'm willing to bet it's also an unintended consequence these socialist clowns did not foresee.

- Oh. Have I forgotten to say to them "kiss my rebel ass" and "f*ck all y'awl?"



Bedtime Totty...............

Late News..................

Baby Killers Go Free, Bureaucrats Get Rewarded - British Justice In The Post Democratic Age

The Trojan horse of British secularism

City: Odor from Sriracha chili plant a nuisance

The Arithmetic Absurdity of Obamacare

CIA's Morell 'Scrubs' His Legacy on 60 Minutes

WaPo: "Obama's inattentio​n to detail" threatens to derail his legacy, or something

Breastfeed​ing Mo. mom facing penalties for bringing son who doesn't take bottle to jury duty

Mississipp​i Police Want to Arrest the Satanists Who Turn Dead People Gay

Lockheed contracts Raytheon for electronic warfare system

Fed keeps easy money flowing

Exclusive: Army halts training program that labeled Christians as extremists

CDR Salamander​: Skunk at the Big-Z Party

Miami Dolphins cheerleade​rs website hacked, pointed to porn site

Thomas Sowell: 'Extortion​' Shows Need to Dismantle Permanent Political Class

Survey: How many admit to having sex while driving?

More police agencies trying out electric motorcycle​s

Rioting black youths stun Austin, Texas

F-16 jet delivery to Iraq on track for next fall

Factcheck.​org: We told you so

Texas Tech to wear uniforms honoring slain SEALs

Senate Committee to Vote on Anti-Gun Judge, Robert Wilkins for Nation's 2nd-Highes​t Court

Man Wears Obama Costume To Work Halloween Party, Company Orders All 750 Employees To Attend “Diversity Training”…

Obama Has “Complete Confidence” in Sebelius

Russia Conducts Surprise Nuclear Readiness Drill

Five Things We Learned from Today's Obamacare Hearing

Getting Kate Upton hooked on golf by Arnold Palmer

America's Second Biggest Lie - Wild Bill

The second biggest lie in America is that the federal government needs more money and Americans don't pay enough in taxes. Its time to defeat the big lies.

Pic Dump...............

The Biggest Lie of All......................



H/T Shelly

The Corps Report Ep. 25 -- Update on Females at Infantry Training

When 'free' isn't........................from Rico

I think some would call this "karma" and some would call this "I was for it, until I was against it"...

The LA Times quoted a Californian (Ms. Kehaly) who was just notified of a 50% increase in her health insurance premium as saying "I was all for ObamaCare untl I found out I was paying for it."

The "progressive" dipsticks and "Obamunist" numb nuts are just now staring to figure-out what conservatives have been saying for years: 'this will NOT be free.'

It was a "like totally awesome idea, dude" when they thought their boy Barry or some capitalist pig was going to pay for ObamaCare.

- The reality turns out to be that they are not only paying for their own healthcare, but the health care of millions of Americans who...until their [pick one: (a) generosity, (b) stupidity]...would have had to cover their own expenses out of their own pockets.

Makes one want to ask all these liberal retards "How's that socialist "spreading the wealth around" working out for you now?'



Liberal Fascism on the March on Campus....................from Dan Friedman

[Q. Why didn't school officials eject the disruptive students instead of canceling the entire event? df]
 
WSJ, Oct. 29, 2013
By Pervaiz Shallwani

The #VRWC Report: Trick or Treat for UNICEF's elite

UN Auditor: UNICEF keeps up to 61 cents of every dollar for "administration." Those ubiquitous orange boxes help feed fat cat bureaucrats, not poor Third World kids.

Obamacare is contagious: Britain's NHS can't get their socialized medicine website to work right either.

Gator Doug wants someone to give Sean Penn his address. Please. Hilarity will ensue.

Not racism: Virginia Democrats white-face a black man.

Today's Pro-Choice Poster Girl is brought to you by Lower Saucon Township, Pennsylvania.

If you like your current health plan -- get over it.

If you enroll in Medicaid via Healthcare.gov you can't get out of it. Ever.

If you like your cancellation letter, you can keep it

"Hello, Obamacare hotline, this is Peggy."

Texas GOP Poll: "Generic" Tea Party challenger beats Senator John Cornyn 46% to 33%.

3D printed zombies!

 The cookie-cutter curriculum that is Common Core.

Retro advertising, I'm pretty sure we're buying what she's selling!

The Obamacare postage stamp. Yes, it's a Forever Stamp.

Sebelius and the November 30th deadline!...from TPC


Sebelius Congressional testimony: The question from a Democrat this morning was 'Madam Secretary are you confident that the website will be fixed by November 30th?'

Bonus Totty...............

News................

Looting The Public Purse Is Now An Epidemic - No Cure In Sight

Obamacare FAQs . . . Answered by Mr. Smartypants

C​onfederate flag banned at university fuels controvers​y

Stewart: Say, is Obama in any loops at all?

Top Dem Admits: 'We Knew'

Iran Nuclear Program Immune to Air Strikes Once Arak Reactor Starts Up

Iran Passes the Point of Nuclear No Return

SOWELL: The race-hustl​ers among us

The Ten Dumbest Fan Bases in America: #1 The Alabama Crimson Tide

World Running Short on Wine - Production can't keep up with demand on a global level

172 Crash At Nashville Airport Unnoticed For Hours

PCU Zumwalt (DDG 1000) – Water Under The Keel

Spoil-Watc​hing: A better way to keep up with Catfish, True Blood, Once Upon a Time, and other decent TV

Obama's Favorite 'Conservat​ive' Columnist: 'People Don't Know What's Best For Them'

Woman with ‘Syndrome X’ dies at 20 but still looks like a toddler

Costa Concordia trial: Captain's lover was on bridge

Jon Stewart Treats Obama Like a Buffoon

Cairo bids for brand-new Russian SS-25 ballistic missiles in major arms transaction with Moscow

France: Anti-Semitism Now Mainstream

Abbas's "Diplomatic Intifada" Against Israel

China’s Venezuela Exposure

Mystery Solved! The case of Obamacare and OPM*! (Poster)...from TPC



The problem with Obamacare, as socialists around the world and the woman in the poster in this article have found out the hard way, is that eventually there is no more money available because the people who were 'the haves' have been sucked dry.

See what she has to say at The Political Commentator here.

On Iran, Obama Draws His Line in the Sand...........................from Dan Freidman

[I hope Netanyahu & Co. have finally caught on. Obama's message could not be clearer: “Jews, you’re on your own. More than that, persist with your “fear tactics” and you could face my active interference.”
 
We have never known a president like this one. Hope we’ll never have one like him again. But if Israel wants to avert a calamity in the here and now, it’s time for her to shed all illusions, shut down the phone lines to the White House, State Dept. and the CIA, and rev up its engines and take care of #1. Now an aside to Bibi. Is all the gold in the world enough for you to commit the sin of the spies and accept the title of “history’s greatest betrayer of the Jewish people?” df]
 
 
JPOST.COM, 10/29/2013
 
 
US Secretary of State defends Washington's decision to pursue diplomatic avenue with Tehran over its nuclear program.

Obamacare......................from Rico

Aesop would say "When you're screwed by your government, you are truly screwed."


Wednesday Wenches.................

Tuesday, 29 October 2013

Russell Brand Doesn't Care About Politics. (Nudge, Nudge, Wink Wink.)

In Russell Brand's fairyland, he's come up with a brilliant idea that nobody else has ever tried:
redistribution of wealth. He thinks the reason there's economic disparity is because we've never tried
his brilliant idea and have only tried capitalism, and everybody has always been able to enjoy their
evil profits unabated. Hear more in this ZoNation.

Bedtime Totty..............

The Long Overdue Late News...............

‘Iran two weeks away from weapons-grade uranium’

Islam In England - Watching The Abuse Of A Much Loved Friend

EagleSpeak​: Somali Pirates: Iran says, "Iran Navy saves cargo ship attacked by pirates"

Russian Judge Probed for Awarding Damages to Chernobyl Vets

Just back from a sojourn at the ocean .... random thoughts ....

Joe Scarborough: President is asleep at the keyboard

Livni's political strategy by Caroline Glick

Department of Homeland Security is quietly considerin​g lifting ban on Libyans coming to US

More on the IPCC Summary for Policy Makers: multiple retreats disguised and spun for PR at the expense of science

Global warming gets nearly twice as much taxpayer money as border security

US Navy considers extending F/A-18 procuremen​t into fiscal year 2015

Putin's Spokesman Denies Media Reports of Spying on G20 Powers

Yes, men really do ogle women's bodies

Matthews: Say, why didn't we respond to Benghazi attack?

Best Country for Women Is ... - Iceland, again

More whites murdered by blacks in 8 years than blacks lynched in 86 years

Fascist Government Arrest Man for Box of Ammunition

EagleSpeak​: Sunday Ship History: Small Ship Fire Power

Why Ronald Reagan's liberal daughter should have listened to her father

Questions Rarely Asked—and Never Answered by VDH

Valerie Jarrett: Obamacare doesn't force you off your plan; your insurance company does, by complying with Obamacare!

Fed meets with 'taper' plan likely on hold

Tweeting Bra: Sends Tweets Every Time It's Unclasped

Jack Cashill's If I Had a Son

State Dept Claims No Warning of 'Imminent' Attack in Benghazi

Sen. Coburn (R-OK): Reid an 'Absolute A--hole'

Memo From Obama: The Nine Things I Didn’t Know

China’s Pivot West

Why Don’t Allies Trust the US?

The Environmental Enemies of Energy

 

By Alan Caruba

While Americans grapple with the Obamacare debacle and 90 million are officially unemployed according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is another threat to our future as environmental groups like the Sierra Club and Friends of the Earth continue their assault on the provision of electrical energy, the lifeblood of the nation’s economy and our ability to function at home and on the job.

Recently, Sierra Club members were told that they, “supporters, partners, and allies have worked tirelessly to retire 150 coal-fired power plants since January 2010—a significant number in the campaign to move the country beyond dirty and outdated fossil fuels.”  

Coal, oil and natural gas are labeled “dirty” for propaganda purposes, but what the Sierra Club and others do not tell you and will never tell you is that they account for most of the electricity generated in America, along with nuclear and hydropower. Wind and solar power provide approximately 3% of the electricity and require government subsidies and mandates to exist. Their required use drives up the cost of electricity to consumers.

Among the many ongoing lawsuits that the Sierra Club is pursuing is one against Navajo coal mining, the Keystone XL pipeline, one seeking penalties for “ongoing violations” at Montana’s Colstrip power plant. They filed a suit against the power rate increase for Mississippi’s Kemper County coal plant.

In early October, The Wall Street Journal published an article, “Mississippi Plant Shows the Cost of ‘Clean Coal’.” It is testimony to the nonsense about “clean coal.” The plant, the reporters note, was meant to demonstrate that Mississippi Power Company’s Kemper County plant was “meant to showcase technology for generating clean energy from low-quality coal” but it “ranks as one of the most expensive U.S. fossil fuel projects ever—at $4.7 billion and rising.”

“Mississippi Power’s 186,000 customers, who live in one of the poorest region of the country, are reeling from double-digit rate increases,” adding that “the plant hasn’t generated a single kilowatt for customers…”

Seven power plants in Pennsylvania are under attack by the Sierra Club and EarthJustice which have filed a federal lawsuit. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has exposed this common practice by environmental groups to “sue and settle.”

“It works like this. Environmental and consumer advocacy groups file a lawsuit claiming that the federal government has failed to meet a deadline or has not satisfied some regulatory requirement. The agency can then either choose to defend itself against the lawsuit or settle it. Often times, it settles by putting in place a ‘court-ordered’ regulation desired by the advocacy group, thus circumventing the proper rulemaking channels and basic transparency and accountability standards.”

High on the list of government agencies that engage in this is the Environmental Protection Agency, but others include Transportation, Agriculture, and Defense, along with the Fish & Wildlife Service, and the Army Corps of Engineers. One recent victory touted by Friends of the Earth is an EPA air pollution regulation is one that affects ships navigating along the coasts of the United States and Canada, out to 200 nautical miles, to “significantly reduce their emissions.”

Like the touted benefits of wind and solar power, “clean coal” is another environmental myth that is costing billions. Recently, the Global Warming Foundation reported that “The world invested almost a billion dollars a day in limiting global warming last year, but the total figure--$359 billion—was slightly down on last year, and barely half the $700 billion per year that the World Economic Forum has said is needed to tackle climate change.” The report cited was generated by the Climate Policy Initiative.

The problem with this is that there is NO global warming. The Earth is in a perfectly natural cooling cycle and has been for 15 to 16 years at this point. The notion of spending any money on “climate change” is insanity. The climate is largely determined by the Sun and other natural factors over which mankind has no control. The claim that carbon dioxide is a contributing factor to climate has been decisively debunked despite the years of lies emanating from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Indeed, during the current cooling cycle, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has risen!

For all their caterwauling about fossil fuels, environmental groups have resisted the expansion of the use of nuclear power that emits no so-called “greenhouse gas” emissions. The Friends of the Earth recently declared that “The quickest way to end our costly fossil fuel dependency is through energy efficiency and renewable power, not new (nuclear) reactors that will suck up precious investment and take years to complete.”

The Obama administration’s record of bad loans to companies providing renewable power—wind and solar—is testimony to the waste of billions of taxpayer dollars. In September, the Department of Energy made $66 million in green-energy subsidies to 33 companies, half of it to companies by a single venture capital firm with close ties to the White House.

The continued loss of coal-fired plants has reduced their provision of electricity from over 50% to around 47%. The resistance to the construction of nuclear facilities slows the replacement of their loss, but plants utilizing natural gas have benefitted greatly from the discovery of billions of cubic feet through the use of hydraulic fracking technology holds the promise of maintaining the nation’s needs. Need it be said that “fracking” has become a target of environmental organizations?

Environmental organizations are the enemies of energy in America and worldwide. Without its provision third world nations cannot develop and the ability to provide the energy America needs is put in jeopardy.

© Alan Caruba, 2013

Gee, "lucky" me.......................from Rico

I got a love note in the mail today from my insurer.

- Unlike the millions being 'dropped' thanks to the 'UnAffordable Care Act'...UnPopularly known as 'ObamaCare' I get to keep my perfectly adequate, and affordable, health insurance...

BUT at an 18% increase in the premium which I presume to be (1) a combination of the administrative cost of additional multiple layers 'streamlining' [read: of useless and needless government 'red tape'], plus (2) a little 'wetting the beak' for the insurers who most certainly wrote this steaming pile of legislation FOR the thieves in Congress.

- And a special "thank you" Justice John Roberts for clarifying that this outright theft directly from my pocket is a "tax" and therefore perfectly proper...you Quisling assh*le.

Which segues nicely to a historic group of assh*les collectively known as Democrats (C) along wth the RINO's [read: undocumented Democrats (C)] who voted this unlawful legislation into what many now consider to be an unlawful law...especially you Nasty Pelosi, and Hairy Reid, you disgusting dirtbags!

Which in turn segues neatly into a reference to the leading assh*le of the land, the Won (and let's hope the only) Marxist-Muslim-Metrosexual liar and fraud, Valerie Jarrett's personal sock-puppet, Barry Whatever-his-real-name-is who signed this 'signature' legislative turd in a punchbowl.

In my least respectful but most disdainful drawl, I say "f*ck all y'awl!"



What is Bitcoin? (Video)...from TPC

Bitcoin is a method of payment that it not currency in the traditional sense and that is not controlled by governments or central banks, a fact which might be as good a reason for it to succeed as any other.

Watch at The Political Commentator here.

Typical..........................from Rico

I kid you not.

- Yesterday I noted in my calendar that another typical 'paper raid' in the precious metals was to be expected around the typical 2-day FOMC non-event.

Voila!

Here we are this morning with:

- Typical 'dumping' in the markets at a normally quiet time when the Wall Street traders haven't yet abandoned their soiled Justin Bieber dolls to go to the office.

- The SEC and CFTC won't be roused from their typical 'zizz' and will later collect their donuts at the office before napping some more.

- Meanwhile, the FED is expected to do the typical 'nothing' (it has no choice, really, but to extend and pretend).

- This typical market manipulation is intended to defend a flatlining Dollar and sinking economy for a little while longer, buying some time at the investor's expense.



The Tea Teams Obama Statue - Wild Bill

Wild Bill plans a statue to reflect the Obama presidency.


Bonus Totty.............

NewsBusted 10/29/13

The Tea Party Conspiracy.........................from Rico


This must be what Hitlery 'meant' when she alluded to a Vast Right Wing Conspiracy (VRWC), and the "progressives" have taken up her battle standard.

I can imagine that noting scares the bejeesus out of these meddling busy-body, do-gooder, kontrol-freaks than the idea of leaving people alone!

- To badly quote the Marlon Brando character Col. Kurz in "Apocaplypse Now"....."The horror. The horror."





H/T DJ Elliott

"Israel Doesn’t Need America on D-Day".......................from Dan Friedman

[In Israel “ex-intelligence man” is meant to be taken literally - an erstwhile Israeli spook who’s now taken leave of his intelligence. Here in a long and telling interview, one such man seems to have (partially, at least) come back to his senses. Funny how some people will change their perspective when looking down the barrel of a gun. df]
 
 
The New Republic, October 23, 2013
 
 
A leading voice of restraint is starting to worry about Iran
 
by Ben Birnbaum   
 




Broken News - And A Hope n' Change Puzzle!

Israel Warns Iran Over Nuclear Bomb Report.....................from Dan Friedman

[Things would be much simpler if only we could take Israeli politicians at their word. Then I’d conclude they’ve passed the point of no return (rhetorically, at least) and are fully invested in attacking Iran’s nuclear program alone, if need be. But only time will tell if Netanyahu & Co. actually mean what they say. Walking the walk is not his forte. Patience, patience. We’ll have our answer soon enough. df]
 
FoxNews.com,October 26, 2013

Tuesday Totty................

Senator Ron Johnson: “If You Like Your Health Plan, You Can Keep It Act”...from TPC


Senator Ron Johnson will propose the 'If You Like Your Health Plan, You Can Keep It Act' that will actually do what Obama had said that Obamacare would do that instead turned out to be a load of crap!

At The Political Commentator here.

Monday, 28 October 2013

The End of Oslo? The End of Bibi?.....................from Dan Friedman

[From what I am hearing from Israel, some of Netanyahu’s harshest critics come from his own party, and many Israelis have had it up to here with both Netanyahu and his designated “peace” negotiator, the lovely and clueless Tzipi Livni.
Bibi’s acid test will come when he does, or doesn’t, physically confront Iran. In the meantime, protesters are now flocking to a demo at the Ofer Prison, site of the next terrorist release. No wonder Israel’s peaceniks are so hysterical. They say the window of opportunity is closing. It is. That’s why the peace conspiracy is pushing so hard for a deal with the Arabs ASAP. If Iran gets the bomb or becomes bomb-ready, Netanyahu’s political career will be its first casualty and the faux “peace process” will quickly follow. df]
 
Deputy Minister Tzipi Hotovely challenges Netanyahu's leadership over terrorist release.
By Gil Ronen

Lou Reed, Mensch.........................from Dan Friedman

Lou Reed, the archetypal NYC troubadour, passed away yesterday. And today I was trying to think what I should say about the man, his music and their place in my life. But it was all coming out too personal and mushy. Then along comes Tom Gross who pointed me to his piece on Reed in today's National Review Online. I'll let Tom speak in my place - with the following proviso: Reed's greatest song is Sweet Jane, covered beautifully by Cowboy Junkies.
Thanks for the good times, Lou. RIP, man.
###

Meet the NYT's New House Muslim..........................from Dan Friedman

[Going, going, gone. From “All the News That’s Fit to Print” to "Allahu Akbar"! df] 
Pamela Geller has the story at Atlas Shrugs:
 
President Obama is prevented from “go[ing] against Israel’s desire” by a “massive Zionist organization” that “rules America.” -- NY Times columnist Alaa Al-Aswany

Good News Bedtime Totty.............

I have finally moved house so normal service will be resumed in the next 48 hours, I would like to thank everyone for their patience over the last week or two where things have been a bit sketchy.


Rules for Spies

 

NSA Headquarters

By Alan Caruba

With all the dramatics by Germany, Argentina, and the leaders of other nations protesting that the National Security Agency is spying on them, the experts on espionage have been patiently pointing out that all nations spy on one another and always have. Two thousand years ago Sun Tzu, a Chinese general, wrote “The Art of War” and devoted a chapter to “The Use of Spies” in which he said, “Be subtle! Be subtle! And use your spies for every kind of business.”

I often visit “Stormbringer”, a blog by a former U.S. soldier with an extensive special operations background, and he recently published “Rules for Spies” by John Schindler, “a National Security Agency veteran and now a professor at the Naval War College.” Schindler spent ten years at the NSA as an analyst and counterintelligence officer.

Most of us will never know what really goes on in the NSA and that’s the way it’s supposed to be, but I will raise a personal objection to its use to spy on Americans. As I understand it, the NSA is authorized solely to spy on foreign subjects, as is the CIA. Domestic surveillance is the job of the FBI. Clearly the lines of legal authority have been breached. One can only hope that congressional oversight will correct this problem.

In the meantime, here is a selection from Rules for Spies that will provide some insight regarding the way espionage and counter-intelligence should be conducted:

“All important intelligence methods have already been perfected by the Russians. We need to figure out how to do them nicely.”

“It’s not what you know. It’s not who you know. It’s what you know about who you know. If you don’t understand that, in intelligence, your job is based on breaking other people’s laws, get out now.”

“U.S. intelligence is the world’s BIG DAWG, especially in SIGNINT (signals intelligence) and IMINT (image intelligence, i.e, that gathered by satellites and other means) but the bureaucracy is so vast as to undercut too much of that.”

“SIGNINT is the golden source, but if the enemy doesn’t understand his own system, neither will you. If you don’t understand the other side’s collection and what he’s doing to mess up your collection, you’re clueless too.”

“The bigger your bureaucracy, the less effective your intelligence system is. No exceptions.”

“You can learn tradecraft. You can’t learn common sense. Nor can you get ‘up to speed’ on a problem in a couple of weeks.”

“Intelligence services are accurate reflections of their societies. It’s not always a pretty picture.”

“The best way to protect your secrets is to steal the other side’s.”

“If you don’t own the street, the other side will. And soon they will steal your lunch.”

Schindler’s reflections on bureaucracy and the way it can undermine or misinterpret intelligence are of particular importance in the present time. The U.S. not only has the largest intelligence gathering operation on planet Earth, but its size can contribute to failures to analyze and act on it.

Examples of this would include, of course, the 9/11 attack that transformed America in major ways. Despite a huge Homeland Security Department, created in the wake of 9/11, and the existence of the FBI, NSA and the CIA, none of that vast structure deterred the Boston Marathon massacre last year, despite intelligence passed along by the Russians regarding the brothers who perpetrated it.

Examples of this would include, of course, the 9/11 attack that transformed America in major ways. Despite a huge Homeland Security Department, created in the wake of 9/11, and the existence of the FBI, NSA and the CIA, none of that vast structure deterred the Boston Marathon massacre last year, despite intelligence passed along by the Russians regarding the brothers who perpetrated it.

The most worrisome aspect of all the intelligence gathering is the capacity of a those in positions of leadership in America to use it against Americans who are simply exercising their First Amendment rights.

Recently, as reported in The Washington Times, “Maryland State Police and federal agents used a search warrant in an unrelated criminal investigation to seize the private reporting files of an award-winning former investigated journalist”, Audrey Hudson, “who had exposed problems in the Homeland Security Department’s federal air marshal service.” The documents revealed her sources within the department. The Times is “preparing legal action to fight what it called an unwarranted intrusion on the First Amendment.” The seizure is consistent with the Obama administration’s campaign to identify “leaks” to journalists. 

Stop Watching Us is a collective of 100 public advocacy groups, among them the American Civil Liberties Union, Freedom Works, as well as individuals like Chinese artist/activist Ai Weiwei and Glenn Greenwald, the journalist who worked with Edward Snowden to expose many of the NSA’s surveillance procedures. Snowden, however, is in my opinion a traitor.

Philosophically, I am in agreement with Stop Watching Us, but I have no problem with spying on others, allies and enemies alike.

© Alan Caruba, 2013

Depths of the Internet: Slow Motion Bouncing Boobs! (Video)...from TPC


Just when you thought society was getting close to hitting bottom based on the mindless and idiotic things that go on around us daily, a new internet channel featuring slow motion bouncing boobs has arrived and is apparently a sensation!

Is Democrat Joe Manchin finally finding religion on Obamacare! (Video)...from TPC



Are Senator Joe Manchin's comments in this video a sign that sanity may be returned to the world and Obamacare will be repealed, or is it a harbinger for the real goal of Democrats which is single-payer?

Aston Martin CC100 Concept - Jay Leno's Garage