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Posts Tagged ‘NSA’

A friend was sharing where he lives on Google Maps and I wanted to see if they had flown over our home lately.

We had our driveway resealed in the Spring, so it was my reference point. I was walking through the house doing this and that, and the blue beacon was following my iPhone. Dang!

I suppose we’re just a flea on a camel’s ass so no reason to flyover very often- other than to see if we’re wearing our tinfoil hats! Needless to say, there are no new pictures from up there. The driveway remains unsealed on Maps.

Some incredible technology out and up there. Suppose I could turn location services off when not using maps. My luck I’d loose the phone and Apple couldn’t find it for me.

Also, if you’re interested, streaming LIVE on C-SPAN2: Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, Morning Hearing
hearings today. Aka, NSA snooping.

Listen

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BTW, numerous elections taking place this week, remember to VOTE. Under Pres O- Benghazi, Fast & Furious, IRS Targeting, Obamacare, Gun Rights, doubles debt, shutsdown government, etc.

Via iPhone. November 4, 2013.
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We just wanted to say good day to all the government agencies that may be reading this. Have a good weekend, may God bless you and The United States of America.

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leaving america

For counter-terrorism and other purposes such as border security and fraud prevention, U.S. Citizens are required to have Passports.  Summer vacation travel is just ahead, and no doubt Immigration and Customs Enforcement will keep track of your comings and goings, primarily swiping the bar code.  On my last visit to Canada, no one bothered to place a governmental stamp on our Passports; much to my children’s chagrin, who wanted proof that they were there.

According to a Fox report today, in June RFID -Radio Frequency Identifications will be in use at the Canadian border for frequently border crossings under a program called eGo starting June 1st.  RFID windscreen sticker tags and driver identification cards, as well as installing inspection booth reader equipment have been in the works since 2003 for  99 FAST( Free and Secure Trade) lanes across 22 border crossings.  http://www.usingrfid.com/news/read.asp?lc=m12627kx53zz

Customs Border Patrol agents must be heaving a sigh of relief  as The FAST system forms an intelligent border crossing system that enhances trade flow and security along the borders. 

In a separate computer system, The State Department maintains a huge data base of  Passport Records including documents, photographs and information attached to passport applications and renewals.  Records like your “application for a passport and copies of any supporting documents like birth or marriage certificates. That application has your address, Social Security number, phone number, the name and number of your emergency contact and your photograph…. A search by name or passport number can also dredge up other items that have been attached to the file, such as court orders, arrest warrants, financial reports and even medical reports, according to the public State Department records.” http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1724759,00.html

No big deal until one realizes that the huge separate database ran by the Bureau of Consular Affairs also allows the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National Counter-Terrorism Center, “foreign governments, and entities such as Interpol” to link into the same system. I do not believe The Privacy Act extends beyond our borders.   Passport identification and authentication systems should be held securely by the government which issues the documentation.  What happened to the Bill of Rights? 

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Without warrant, your data is available for the world and all its hackers and identity thieves.  It would appear that no U.S. Government Agency or foreign need to seek permission to access or distribute your personal information. The more the access, the more risk to vulnerability. Civil society would dictate you own your own data and that you take reasonable steps to keep things like your social security number private.  While many citizens think securities necessary, do the provisions of The Bill of Rights and The Constitution still apply?  Are Americans are becoming far too accustomed to having their privacy violated?  Are are borders really Constitution Free Zones as suggested by the ACLU?  Does your name appear on the 1.2 million person Terrorist Watch List along with Nelson Mandella, or U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy? http://www.aclu.org/privacy/spying/watchlistcounter.html   

Too bad all this databasing wasn’t available when Obama travelled to Jakarta and Karachi. A British Passport?  An Indonesian Passport?  An American Passport? His official birth certificate by all accounts should still be on file if he was issued a U.S. Passport.

In the UK Biometrics identification and national I.D. cards will be potentially operated by the Post Office and drug stores. The program allows people to scan fingerprints and facial photographs for storage on the cards and in a central database. http://news.zdnet.co.uk/security/0,1000000189,39649181,00.htm

In The U.S., Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, as governor of Arizona, opposed REAL ID, even as a draft bill known as the PASS ID Act is floating around Congress. http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columns/jamescarafano/A-REAL-homeland-security-test-44704387.html

“On your journeys- May passion be your wind, that leads you through the days, and may conviction keep you strong, Guide you on your way,  May there be moments that make your life so sweet, Oh- but more than memories. “http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/m/mark_harris/find_your_wings.html

Looking for places to visit? The official site of 1000 places to see before you die is full of great ideas. http://www.1000beforeyoudie.com/SearchMap.aspx

photo props to http://www.flickr.com/photos/carnivillain/2830583713/

 related post at- https://ahrcanum.wordpress.com/2008/11/16/defending-borders-and-privacy-laws-under-obama/

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constfree

The U.S. Constitution has apparently been suspended in parts of America in an effort to protect its borders from everything from illegal immigration to terrorists.  Rightful to protect its border, except that the border has been seemingly redefined to include a 100 mile wide strip that goes around the entire “external boundary” of the entire United States.

“The extraordinary authority that the U.S. government possesses at its borders is spilling into regular American streets, affecting large populations of its citizens. Nearly two-thirds of the entire population of the country now lives within 100 miles of the U.S. land and coastal borders, an area that has been designated by the government as a “Constitution Free Zone”.  http://www.naturalnews.com/024734.html  and posted similarly at  http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/10/22/163652/37/734/638977

Could all liberties are put aside if you are rightly or wrongly id’s as having done something wrong?  Would there will be no guarantee of The Bill of Rights protection, no referring to case law and no lawyers to argue on your behalf? 

The ACLU lays claim that “Border Patrol agents are not remaining confined to a border security purpose.”  http://www.aclu.org/privacy/37293res20081022.html and it’s blog http://blog.aclu.org/?s=constitution+free+zone says that “U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is allowed to exercise extraordinary authority that would not normally be permitted under the Constitution.

(ATS) traveler risk assessment program, identity and tracking systems such as electronic (RFID) passports, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI),  Secure Border Initiative Network (SBINet) or “virtual border fence” and unmanned aerial vehicles (aka “drone aircraft”) all monitor movement.   

The Department of Homeland Security is in itself, necessary.  Agents of the FBI, CIA, NSA must cooperate to protect the homeland, but using the word ‘homeland’ outside of a historical discussion of Germany has allowed law enforcement authorities access to broad powers and is just a creepy reminder of Gestapo tactics.  To assume an abuse of power is fear mongering, but fair minded caution must be exercised.  The Patriot Act, Military Commissions Act, and FISA-Protect America Act were enacted post 9-11 for good reason and have been tweaked numerous times to keep America Safe with as little intrusion as possible.

It becomes paramount that we question how secure the technology is in foreign countries and in our own country.  http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9930.shtml  The Shadow Factory: The Ultra-Secret NSA from 9/11 to the Eavesdropping on America author James Bamford writes about how spying on American citizens has been outsourced to companies closely linked to Israel’s intelligence services. “With unrivaled access to sources and documents, Bamford details how the agency has conducted domestic surveillance without court approval, and he frames it in the context of the NSA’s ongoing hunt for information about today’s elusive enemies. http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Factory-Ultra-Secret-Eavesdropping-America/dp/0385521324

The Department of Homeland Security “claims that data gathered for law enforcement purposes will be “in compliance with privacy and civil liberties laws and policies of the United States,” the GAO found that “by broadly sharing information with non-federal users, who are not bound by the Privacy Act, personal information could be at risk of being used in ways not specified when it was originally collected.” Considering that some 70% of U.S. intelligence assets are employees of private security and defense contractors, NAO is a civil liberties disaster waiting to happen.” http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=BUR20081109&articleId=10864

The far side would have us believe that we have a ruling oligarchy that professes an agenda of militarism, corporatism, and socialism that encroaches itself upon citizens at the expense of the general population with more domestic control and intimidation.  Maybe the far isn’t so far off? Obama has proposed a mandatory civilian force http://www.rightpundits.com/?p=2318 with equal funding to the military which is already on active duty on our soil http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/09/army_homeland_090708w/, Charles Rangle has a Draft Bill just lying in wait http://www.talkleft.com/story/2006/11/19/152217/04  , “The Bailout” has the government owning banks and Obama’s policies in waiting have been compared to Marxism. http://louisproyect.wordpress.com/2008/10/01/are-bailouts-marxist/

For now, we will wait to see what decisions Obama makes to shield our country from danger and protect her citizens.  “Let’s be clear here and shed whatever illusions one may have about the outcome of last Tuesday’s election. Despite the overwhelming rejection of the Bush administration and their surrogates by the American people, the incoming Obama administration will pay lip-service to civil liberties and the rule of law. This however, will amount to no more than a better public relations campaign, image management and product roll-out. America rebranded.” wrote Tom Burghardt  http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=BUR20081109&articleId=10864  His blog can be found at http://antifascist-calling.blogspot.com/

For now though our Bill of Rights are safe.  In an all too plausible court case, The Supreme Court in a 5-4 decision narrowly “ruled to uphold the Bill of Rights, the very tenets upon which American society is based. “After carefully considering the relevance of the 10 inviolable rights that comprise the ideological foundation on which our nation is built, the court finds that these basic freedoms remain important for the time being, and should not be overturned,” read the majority opinion authored by Justice Anthony Kennedy, who cast the tie-breaking vote. “Until such time as it can be definitively proven that citizens no longer require the protections provided by the Bill of Rights, it shall remain the principal legal guidance for the United States of America.” The Supreme Court’s latest decision comes on the heels of last month’s 6-3 ruling to abolish the pursuit of happiness from the three inalienable rights guaranteed by the Declaration of Independence. http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/supreme_court_upholds_bill?utm_source=onion_rss_daily   Kudos to Justice Anthony Kennedy for saving The Bill of Rights and shame, shame, shame on those Justices who sought not to protect the Bill of Rights and who did solemnly swear to uphold those rights. From Wiki-  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oath_of_office#Federal_judicial_oaths

For readers are not familiar with The Onion, the Supreme Court Ruling is a satire and did not occur.  No Court has had issue with the Constitution Free Zone, yet.  When standing behind, beside or in front of the ACLU, keep in mind it may not stand up to protect all of The Bill of Rights either, “ACLU doesn’t mean all of the original 10 amendments because its policy No. 47 says, “Except for lawful police and military purposes, the possession of weapons by individuals is not constitutionally protected,” thereby ignoring the Second Amendment.”  http://www.stoptheaclu.com/archives/2008/09/06/aclu-very-selective-in-upholding-bill-of-rights/

Defending our borders, The U.S. Constitution and our privacy laws is a balancing act that will require Obama’s political vision be clear and forthright through out his entire Presidency.   Good luck with that theory of  a President being forthright though. Obama himself has barred the public from seeing his birth certificate, college transcripts, medical background, etc., so I’d say Obama’s privacy has been protected pretty dang well here in America.

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Obama running mate Joe Biden is sounding the alarm bells that we are going to have an international crisis.  “Mark my words,” the Democratic vice presidential nominee warned at the second of his two Seattle fundraisers Sunday. “It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy. The world is looking. We’re about to elect a brilliant 47-year-old senator president of the United States of America. Remember I said it standing here if you don’t remember anything else I said. Watch, we’re gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy. I can give you at least four or five scenarios from where it might originate,” Biden said to Emerald City supporters, mentioning the Middle East and Russia as possibilities. 

What is apparent, is that Obama is unprepared and untested to defend or respond to any kind of threat to America.  We are reminded at http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/10/time_for_a_gut_check_america.html 

“If Obama is elected, the Democrats will have not only the Presidency, but almost certainly massive, veto-proof majorities in both Houses of Congress as well. They will be able to do anything they want. Absolutely anything. Are you comfortable with that, America? Do you know and trust Barack Obama well enough to give him power on a level never before possessed by any previous US President?”

Project a world-wide image of timidity and self-doubt that will only encourage our enemies, as Joe Biden said, to “test” our weak president, thereby increasing the probability of  attacks on America and our allies, all of which makes war more, not less, likely under an Obama  Presidency.

Aside from changing everything from abortion laws, marriage laws for homosexuals, to tax laws in a socialist redistribution of wealth, an Obama Presidency is going to increase the probability of attacks on America.  It won’t matter what legislation Obama enacts if our country is burning in the face of terrorism on US Soil.  Dead people can not vote nor do they care much about paying taxes- except for the death tax which under Obama will be collected.  Survivors of dead Americans will be the ones left questioning Obama just as they questioned President Clinton’s actions in how 9-11 could have been prevented.

Only one year ago, October 27, 2007- “At a White House press conference last week, just in case you haven’t heard, Presidnet Bush informed the American people that he had told world leaders “if you’re interested in avoiding World War III, it seems like you ought to be interested in preventing [Iran] from having the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon.” World War III.  Pundits have raised their eyebrows and comics are busy writing jokes, but the president’s reference to Armageddon, no matter how cavalierly uttered and subsequently brushed away, suggests an alarming context.” http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20071022_on_the_eve_of_destruction/ 

No matter your support of the Bush doctrine, no large scale terrorist act has been committed inside the borders of America under his administration since September 11.

Americans need to come to grip that threat levels remains extremely high. October 28, 2008 – The United States government’s national threat level is Elevated, or Yellow. For all domestic and international flights, the U.S. threat level is High, or Orange. http://www.dhs.gov/xinfoshare/programs/Copy_of_press_release_0046.shtm

Many Americans can not fathom the destruction that terrorist would like to carry out, nor comprehend a massive loss of life.  The Pentagon requested an assessment of risk by a group called Forecasting International and it becomes clear we need to be wary.

This analysis of several possible prime targets of terrorism is based on a new study that Cetron’s Forecasting International carried out for the Pentagon. None of this information is classified. Although the oft-mentioned threat of a “suitcase” nuclear weapon or a dirty bomb has been discussed widely, and is a possibility, the consequences of attacking lesser, non-nuclear threats can be dire. Members of the armed forces, the CIA, the FBI, the National Security Agency, and many other agencies agree that the question isn’t whether America will be attacked on its own soil again. It’s only a question of when.

The Report outlines outlines in chilling details ten different scenarios that would wreak financial and psychological havoc in the United States.  http://newsmax.com/newsfront/targets_of_terrorism/2008/09/10/129637.html

While not predictive in nature, the report outlines scenarios like an attack on US oil refineries, bringing down high tension wires, coordinated shootings at major tourist destinations, destroy the Tennessee Valley Authority Dams, to detonating EMP (electromagnetic pulse) bombs to destroy the INTERNET. 

The Implications are clear from this study and in the very words of Biden, we are at risk. Do you know and trust Barry Baraq Mohammad Hussein Dunham Sottero Obama?  Do you know and trust him with total control of the United States of America?  The potential for threat requires a candidate with the skills necessary to keep our nation secure.  America needs John McCain now more than ever.  The World needs John McCain.

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