Friday 29 July 2011
Found? The Last Bugs of the Nixon White House
Someone, it seemed, was eavesdropping on the top brass.
Mann was no stranger to bugs. It was a busy time for eavesdroppers and bug-finders, starting with the constant Spy vs. Spy games with Russian spies. But the Nixon years, he and everyone else would soon discover, had extended such clandestine ops into new territory: bugging not just the Democrats, but people within its own ranks. Eventually, most of the Watergate-era eavesdropping schemes were revealed to the public, including the bombshell that Nixon was bugging himself. But the bugs Dave Mann discovered in the E-Ring in March 1971 — and another batch like it — have remained buried all these years. Until now.
To understand how crazed this era really was, it helps to remember that the Nixon White House was obsessed with not just secrecy, but skullduggery. Only months into the new administration, in 1969, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was so freaked out by the back-alley dealings of Henry Kissinger that he put a spy in the White House to steal documents from his briefcase. Kissinger in turn was bugging his own staff and other officials, including one in the office of the Secretary of Defense...
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Jeff Stein @'Wired'
ioerror Jacob Appelbaum
Gosh, what a surprise! Child abuse filters abused to block usenet website: theregister.co.uk/2011/07/28/sit… Who would have thought that would happen? ha!
News of the World targeted phone of Sarah Payne's mother
Sara Payne, whose eight-year-old daughter Sarah was abducted and murdered in July 2000, has been told by Scotland Yard that they have found evidence to suggest she was targeted by the News of the World's investigator Glenn Mulcaire, who specialised in hacking voicemail.
Police had earlier told her correctly that her name was not among those recorded in Mulcaire's notes, but on Tuesday officers from Operation Weeting told her they had found her personal details among the investigator's notes. These had previously been thought to refer to a different target.
Friends of Payne have told the Guardian that she is "absolutely devastated and deeply disappointed" at the disclosure. Her cause had been championed by the News of the World, and in particular by its former editor, Rebekah Brooks. Believing that she had not been a target for hacking, Payne wrote a farewell column for the paper's final edition on 10 July, referring to its staff as "my good and trusted friends".
The evidence that police have found in Mulcaire's notes is believed to relate to a phone given to Payne by Brooks to help her stay in touch with her supporters.
On Thursday night Brooks insisted the phone had not been a personal gift but had been provided to Payne by the News of the World "for the benefit of the campaign for Sarah's law".
In a statement, Brooks said the latest allegations were "abhorrent" and "particularly upsetting" because Sara Payne was a "dear friend".
Responding earlier to news that Payne's details had been found in Mulcaire's notes, one of Payne's close colleagues said: "We are all appalled and disgusted. Sara is in bits about it." It is not known whether any messages for Payne were successfully hacked by Mulcaire.
Coming after the disclosure that the News of the World hacked and deleted the voicemail of the murdered Surrey schoolgirl Milly Dowler, the news will raise further questions about whether News Corporation is "fit and proper" to own TV licences and its 39% share of BSkyB.
It will also revive speculation about any possible role in phone hacking of Brooks, who was personally very closely involved in covering the aftermath of Sarah Payne's murder and has always denied any knowledge of voicemail interception. On 15 July Brooks resigned as chief executive of News International and was arrested and interviewed by police.
The Labour MP Tom Watson, who has been an outspoken critic of News International, said of the Payne allegation: "This is a new low. The last edition of the News of the World made great play of the paper's relationship with the Payne family. Brooks talked about it at the committee inquiry. Now this. I have nothing but contempt for the people that did this."
Friends of Payne said she had accepted the News of the World as a friend and ally. Journalists from the paper attended the funerals of her mother and father and visited her sick bed after she suffered a severe stroke in December 2009.
In the wake of the Guardian's disclosure on 4 July of the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone, there were rumours that Payne also might have been a victim. Police from Operation Weeting, which has been investigating the News of the World's phone hacking since January, checked the names of Payne and her closest associates against its database of all the information contained in the notebooks, computer records and audio tapes seized from Glenn Mulcaire in August 2006. They found nothing.
The News of the World's sister paper, the Sun, was quick to report on its website, on 8 July, that Payne had been told there was no evidence to support the rumours. The next day the Sun quoted her paying tribute to the News of the World, whose closure had been announced by News International. "It's like a friend died. I'm so shocked," she told them.
In the paper's final edition on Sunday 10 July, Payne registered her own anger at the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone: "We have all seen the news this week and the terrible things that have happened, and I have no wish to sweep it under the carpet. Indeed, there were rumours - which turned out to be untrue - that I and my fellow Phoenix charity chiefs had our phones hacked. But today is a day to reflect, to look back and remember the passing of an old friend, the News of the World."
Since then, detectives from Weeting have searched the Mulcaire database for any reference to mobile phone numbers used by Sara Payne or her closest associates or any other personal details. They are believed to have uncovered notes made by Mulcaire which include some of these details but which had previously been thought to refer to a different target of his hacking. Police have some 11,000 pages of notes which Mulcaire made in the course of intercepting the voicemail of targets chosen by the News of the World.
Friends of Sara Payne said that she had made no decision about whether to sue the paper and that she wanted the police to be able to finish their work before she decided.
Operation Weeting is reviewing all high-profile cases involving the murder, abduction or assault of any child since 2001 in an attempt to find out if any of those involved was the target of phone hacking.
In her statement, Brooks said: "The idea that anyone on the newspaper knew that Sara or the campaign team were targeted by Mr Mulcaire is unthinkable. The idea of her being targeted is beyond my comprehension.
"It is imperative for Sara and the other victims of crime that these allegations are investigated and those culpable brought to justice."
The revelations came as it was announced that James Murdoch had received a ringing endorsement from directors of satellite group BSkyB.
A lengthy board meeting on Thursday at BSkyB ended with unanimous support for Rupert Murdoch's youngest son to continue as chairman of the group following the collapse of his family firm's bid for the 61% of the satellite business it does not already own.
The Hacked Off campaign, which represents phone-hacking victims and is calling for a full public inquiry into the matter, said the Payne allegations indicated "breathtaking hypocrisy and a complete lack of moral sense" on the part of the News of the World.
The Phoenix Chief Advocates, co-run by Payne, said in a statement: "Whilst it was previously confirmed by Operation Weeting that Sara Payne's name was not on private investigator Glenn Mulcaire's list, it has now been confirmed by Operation Weeting that Sara's details are on his list.
"Sara is absolutely devastated by this news, we're all deeply disappointed and are just working to get her through it.
"Sara will continue to work with the proper authorities regarding this matter."
Nick Davies and Amelia Hill @'The Guardian'
Police had earlier told her correctly that her name was not among those recorded in Mulcaire's notes, but on Tuesday officers from Operation Weeting told her they had found her personal details among the investigator's notes. These had previously been thought to refer to a different target.
Friends of Payne have told the Guardian that she is "absolutely devastated and deeply disappointed" at the disclosure. Her cause had been championed by the News of the World, and in particular by its former editor, Rebekah Brooks. Believing that she had not been a target for hacking, Payne wrote a farewell column for the paper's final edition on 10 July, referring to its staff as "my good and trusted friends".
The evidence that police have found in Mulcaire's notes is believed to relate to a phone given to Payne by Brooks to help her stay in touch with her supporters.
On Thursday night Brooks insisted the phone had not been a personal gift but had been provided to Payne by the News of the World "for the benefit of the campaign for Sarah's law".
In a statement, Brooks said the latest allegations were "abhorrent" and "particularly upsetting" because Sara Payne was a "dear friend".
Responding earlier to news that Payne's details had been found in Mulcaire's notes, one of Payne's close colleagues said: "We are all appalled and disgusted. Sara is in bits about it." It is not known whether any messages for Payne were successfully hacked by Mulcaire.
Coming after the disclosure that the News of the World hacked and deleted the voicemail of the murdered Surrey schoolgirl Milly Dowler, the news will raise further questions about whether News Corporation is "fit and proper" to own TV licences and its 39% share of BSkyB.
It will also revive speculation about any possible role in phone hacking of Brooks, who was personally very closely involved in covering the aftermath of Sarah Payne's murder and has always denied any knowledge of voicemail interception. On 15 July Brooks resigned as chief executive of News International and was arrested and interviewed by police.
The Labour MP Tom Watson, who has been an outspoken critic of News International, said of the Payne allegation: "This is a new low. The last edition of the News of the World made great play of the paper's relationship with the Payne family. Brooks talked about it at the committee inquiry. Now this. I have nothing but contempt for the people that did this."
Friends of Payne said she had accepted the News of the World as a friend and ally. Journalists from the paper attended the funerals of her mother and father and visited her sick bed after she suffered a severe stroke in December 2009.
In the wake of the Guardian's disclosure on 4 July of the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone, there were rumours that Payne also might have been a victim. Police from Operation Weeting, which has been investigating the News of the World's phone hacking since January, checked the names of Payne and her closest associates against its database of all the information contained in the notebooks, computer records and audio tapes seized from Glenn Mulcaire in August 2006. They found nothing.
The News of the World's sister paper, the Sun, was quick to report on its website, on 8 July, that Payne had been told there was no evidence to support the rumours. The next day the Sun quoted her paying tribute to the News of the World, whose closure had been announced by News International. "It's like a friend died. I'm so shocked," she told them.
In the paper's final edition on Sunday 10 July, Payne registered her own anger at the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone: "We have all seen the news this week and the terrible things that have happened, and I have no wish to sweep it under the carpet. Indeed, there were rumours - which turned out to be untrue - that I and my fellow Phoenix charity chiefs had our phones hacked. But today is a day to reflect, to look back and remember the passing of an old friend, the News of the World."
Since then, detectives from Weeting have searched the Mulcaire database for any reference to mobile phone numbers used by Sara Payne or her closest associates or any other personal details. They are believed to have uncovered notes made by Mulcaire which include some of these details but which had previously been thought to refer to a different target of his hacking. Police have some 11,000 pages of notes which Mulcaire made in the course of intercepting the voicemail of targets chosen by the News of the World.
Friends of Sara Payne said that she had made no decision about whether to sue the paper and that she wanted the police to be able to finish their work before she decided.
Operation Weeting is reviewing all high-profile cases involving the murder, abduction or assault of any child since 2001 in an attempt to find out if any of those involved was the target of phone hacking.
In her statement, Brooks said: "The idea that anyone on the newspaper knew that Sara or the campaign team were targeted by Mr Mulcaire is unthinkable. The idea of her being targeted is beyond my comprehension.
"It is imperative for Sara and the other victims of crime that these allegations are investigated and those culpable brought to justice."
The revelations came as it was announced that James Murdoch had received a ringing endorsement from directors of satellite group BSkyB.
A lengthy board meeting on Thursday at BSkyB ended with unanimous support for Rupert Murdoch's youngest son to continue as chairman of the group following the collapse of his family firm's bid for the 61% of the satellite business it does not already own.
The Hacked Off campaign, which represents phone-hacking victims and is calling for a full public inquiry into the matter, said the Payne allegations indicated "breathtaking hypocrisy and a complete lack of moral sense" on the part of the News of the World.
The Phoenix Chief Advocates, co-run by Payne, said in a statement: "Whilst it was previously confirmed by Operation Weeting that Sara Payne's name was not on private investigator Glenn Mulcaire's list, it has now been confirmed by Operation Weeting that Sara's details are on his list.
"Sara is absolutely devastated by this news, we're all deeply disappointed and are just working to get her through it.
"Sara will continue to work with the proper authorities regarding this matter."
Nick Davies and Amelia Hill @'The Guardian'
Thursday 28 July 2011
Pole – dublab dj session (10.13.00)
Listen & download
HERE
The Narrative of Victor Karloch
'The Narrative of Victor Karloch' - A Victorian Ghost Story Puppet Play. Created by Kevin McTurk. Presented by The Jim Henson Foundation (Recipient of 2010 Seed Grant, 2011 Project Grant).
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Lebanese musician arrested over song
Lebanese musician Zeid Hamdan was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly defaming President Michel Suleiman in a song. If convicted, he could be jailed for up to two years.
Most Arab countries have laws against insulting – or, in some cases, merely criticising – the head of state. In Egypt, for example, an amateur poet was jailed two years ago for writing verses which were said to have insulted President Mubarak but such cases have generally been rare in Lebanon. In the region's new political climate Hamdan's arrest is being widely viewed as an attack on freedom of speech, and a worrying sign.
Last year, three people were detained in Lebanon for using allegedly slandering the president on Facebook, AFP says, though they were released without charge after 11 days.
According to AFP, Lebanese law requires the general prosecutor to take action over any case of defamation against the president or any "sister state" regardless of whether anyone complains.
Writing in the Daily Star, Emma Gatten says the case was instigated by interior minister Marwan Charbel "after Lebanon's General Security viewed the video of the song ... and determined that it caused offence to the president".
Hamdan was reported to have been released on Wednesday evening and it is unclear if the case will be pursued through the courts.
The song itself (see video above), which has been on YouTube for about 18 months, complains about militias, warlords and corruption but does not appear to insult President Suleiman. It thanks him for his efforts but ends by telling him to "go home".
in an interview last year, Handan said:
in an interview last year, Handan said:
"I'm not attacking General Sleiman in particular, on the contrary, at the time I wrote the song, he represented real political neutrality. The only sarcastic thing I suggested in my song is about his effective role, a way of saying 'thank you, you did the job, you can go home now'. He was praised by all when they needed him and today he is attacked, like in the song."
Hamdan, described as the godfather of Lebanese trip-hop, performed at Shubbak, the Arab cultural festival in London, earlier this month.
Brian Whitaker @'al-bab'
New Study Links Penis Size to Economic Growth
I asked a friend of mine a few months ago how I would know when I had crossed the line with my economic analysis of sex and love to which she responded “Oh, honey...you crossed that line a long time ago.” Maybe she was right. But if she wasn’t, today is probably the day. Today we ask the question: Does penis length contribute to economic growth?
First of all, did you know there was a global penile length distribution map? I certainly didn’t, nor did I realize the enormous variation in average, erect penis size between nations. The Koreas, both South and North, have the dubious pleasure of having the smallest penis size in the world with an average length of 3.8 inches (9.66 cms). On the other end of the spectrum, the average penis size in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is 7.1 inches (17.6 cms). [One note here before anyone starts checking out flights to Kinshasa--the guys in the Congo are self-reporting their penis size so there could be a significant level of mismeasurement there]
Economists love it when there are big variations between countries in pretty much anything that can be measured. So you can hardly blame the doctoral student at the University of Helsinki who, upon discovering the global penile length data, started looking around for a model to stick it into. He chose a common variation on the Solow model of economic growth and finds that penis size can explain 15% of the global variation in national incomes.*
It appears that there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between penis length and economic growth: slow growing countries (i.e. less developed today) have on average both the smallest and the largest penis sizes while fast growing countries are centered in the penis length distribution. The results are driven largely by the fact that the two poorest regions of the world, Asia and Africa, dominate the tails of the distribution of penis size.
The author determines that the size of men’s penises has the same magnitude of influence on economic growth as a country’s political regime and makes the following assessment of the welfare effects:
What does this tell us about economic growth? Well it tells what we already know; you can stick pretty much anything into the Solow model and get a decent result regardless of whether or not the factor contributes to economic growth in any way, shape or form.
Finally proving, for once and for all, that it isn’t size that matters...it’s how you use it.
* Westling, Tatu (July 2011). “Male Organ and Economic Growth: Does Size Matter?” Helsinki Center of Economic Research Discussion Paper No. 335.
Marina Adshade @'big think'
First of all, did you know there was a global penile length distribution map? I certainly didn’t, nor did I realize the enormous variation in average, erect penis size between nations. The Koreas, both South and North, have the dubious pleasure of having the smallest penis size in the world with an average length of 3.8 inches (9.66 cms). On the other end of the spectrum, the average penis size in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is 7.1 inches (17.6 cms). [One note here before anyone starts checking out flights to Kinshasa--the guys in the Congo are self-reporting their penis size so there could be a significant level of mismeasurement there]
Economists love it when there are big variations between countries in pretty much anything that can be measured. So you can hardly blame the doctoral student at the University of Helsinki who, upon discovering the global penile length data, started looking around for a model to stick it into. He chose a common variation on the Solow model of economic growth and finds that penis size can explain 15% of the global variation in national incomes.*
It appears that there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between penis length and economic growth: slow growing countries (i.e. less developed today) have on average both the smallest and the largest penis sizes while fast growing countries are centered in the penis length distribution. The results are driven largely by the fact that the two poorest regions of the world, Asia and Africa, dominate the tails of the distribution of penis size.
The author determines that the size of men’s penises has the same magnitude of influence on economic growth as a country’s political regime and makes the following assessment of the welfare effects:
To illustrate the significance, if France with its average size of 16.1 centimetres [6.3 inches] had male organs on par with United Kingdom's 13.9 centimetres [5.5 inches], French GDP would have ceteris paribus expanded by around 15% more between 1960 and 1985 – a significant welfare effect by any standards.You know, I have to say that I doubt the French would agree that a reduction in average penis size is welfare improvement by any standard.
What does this tell us about economic growth? Well it tells what we already know; you can stick pretty much anything into the Solow model and get a decent result regardless of whether or not the factor contributes to economic growth in any way, shape or form.
Finally proving, for once and for all, that it isn’t size that matters...it’s how you use it.
* Westling, Tatu (July 2011). “Male Organ and Economic Growth: Does Size Matter?” Helsinki Center of Economic Research Discussion Paper No. 335.
Marina Adshade @'big think'
Anti-gay heavy metal preacher files lawsuit against Rachel Maddow
Attorney Larry Klayman, the founder of Judicial Watch and Freedom Watch, has filed a lawsuit against NBC, MSNBC, Rachel Maddow and The Minnesota Independent on behalf of Bradlee Dean, head of the religious ministry You Can Run But You Cannot Hide International.
"This case is filed as a matter of principle," Klayman said. "We need more Bradlee Deans in the world and hateful left wing television commentators must be made to respect not only his mission but the law."
The lawsuit seeks in excess of $50 million in damages for false accusations and defamation. It claims that Maddow falsely accused Dean on her MSNBC show of supporting the killing of homosexuals, which harmed the "fine reputation" of himself and his ministry. The lawsuit also seeks damages from The Minnesota Independent for reporting on Dean's statements.
Dean's ministry is based in Annandale, Minnesota and centered around the Christian heavy metal band Junkyard Prophet. He had hosted a show on AM 1280 The Patriot, but the station later fired him after he aired in a six-minute song mocking African Americans and then likened President Obama to Osama bin Laden.
MSNBC and Maddow attacked Dean, according to the lawsuit, because they were trying to "destroy" Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-MN), "a Christian conservative presidential candidate who they despise and hate for her religious and political beliefs."
Bachmann has helped raise money for Dean’s youth ministry and Dean, in turn, has helped Bachmann's campaign fundraising efforts.
"Defendents NBC and MSNBC pride themselves on their marketing of anti-religious beliefs and their disparagement of people of faith, as they have sought to woo secular, atheist, leftist oriented viewer markets, given Fox News' domination of the politically conservative/libertarian/religious markets which they have had difficulty cultivating," the lawsuit states.
On her show in August 2010, Maddow played a clip of Dean saying Muslim nations that execute gays are more moral than American Christians.
"Muslims are calling for the executions of homosexuals in America," he said on AM 1280 the Patriot. "This just shows you they themselves are upholding the laws that are even in the Bible of the Judeo-Christian God, but they seem to be more moral than even the American Christians do, because these people are livid about enforcing their laws. They know homosexuality is an abomination."
After playing the clip Maddow noted that Dean "later clarified that he didn't really mean to sanction murder of gay people, he said, quote, 'We have never and will never call for the execution of homosexuals."
The lawsuit against Maddow claims she "begrudgingly mentioned" the disclaimer in a way that suggested it was disingenuous and insincere.
She also played a clip of Dean saying on the radio that, "On average, they [homosexuals] molest 117 people before they’re found out."
Eric W. Dolan @'Raw Story'
Via
"This case is filed as a matter of principle," Klayman said. "We need more Bradlee Deans in the world and hateful left wing television commentators must be made to respect not only his mission but the law."
The lawsuit seeks in excess of $50 million in damages for false accusations and defamation. It claims that Maddow falsely accused Dean on her MSNBC show of supporting the killing of homosexuals, which harmed the "fine reputation" of himself and his ministry. The lawsuit also seeks damages from The Minnesota Independent for reporting on Dean's statements.
Dean's ministry is based in Annandale, Minnesota and centered around the Christian heavy metal band Junkyard Prophet. He had hosted a show on AM 1280 The Patriot, but the station later fired him after he aired in a six-minute song mocking African Americans and then likened President Obama to Osama bin Laden.
MSNBC and Maddow attacked Dean, according to the lawsuit, because they were trying to "destroy" Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-MN), "a Christian conservative presidential candidate who they despise and hate for her religious and political beliefs."
Bachmann has helped raise money for Dean’s youth ministry and Dean, in turn, has helped Bachmann's campaign fundraising efforts.
"Defendents NBC and MSNBC pride themselves on their marketing of anti-religious beliefs and their disparagement of people of faith, as they have sought to woo secular, atheist, leftist oriented viewer markets, given Fox News' domination of the politically conservative/libertarian/religious markets which they have had difficulty cultivating," the lawsuit states.
On her show in August 2010, Maddow played a clip of Dean saying Muslim nations that execute gays are more moral than American Christians.
"Muslims are calling for the executions of homosexuals in America," he said on AM 1280 the Patriot. "This just shows you they themselves are upholding the laws that are even in the Bible of the Judeo-Christian God, but they seem to be more moral than even the American Christians do, because these people are livid about enforcing their laws. They know homosexuality is an abomination."
After playing the clip Maddow noted that Dean "later clarified that he didn't really mean to sanction murder of gay people, he said, quote, 'We have never and will never call for the execution of homosexuals."
The lawsuit against Maddow claims she "begrudgingly mentioned" the disclaimer in a way that suggested it was disingenuous and insincere.
She also played a clip of Dean saying on the radio that, "On average, they [homosexuals] molest 117 people before they’re found out."
Eric W. Dolan @'Raw Story'
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Clear & Lucid & Natural & Simple
Free Download
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'Cicada'
While documenting a production staged by a theatre company comprised of recently released offenders (Plan B), Amiel Courtin-Wilson was struck by the presence and natural story telling ability of Daniel P Jones whom he met on the day he was released from prison.
Over a 5 year period a unique artistic collaboration evolved which found initial expression in the short film 'Cicada' (selected to be screened in the prestigious directors fortnight program at Cannes Film Festival in 2009) which went on to win and be nominated for several major awards in Australia.
'Hail' is the exciting necessary next step in this extremely fruitful creative relationship.
For more information about the film
hailmovie.com
facebook.com/hailmovie?ref=ts
'Hail' has been selected for the
Amiel Courtin-Wilson and Daniel P. Jones Interview
Bonus: Interview with Amiel Courtin-Wilson after the jump...
LindaBarlow Linda Barlow
Aaron Swartz faces 35 yrs for hacking JSTOR is.gd/1FD1Pt while #Breivik faces just 30 yrs for killing 76. is.gd/QndfuJ
#FAIL
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The Real Sabu
@th3j35t3r At the end of the day not you or ANYONE besides Ryan who probably snitched on Topiary know he was in scotland.
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