Bill Keller Blames Leak Arrests that Preceded WikiLeaks on WikiLeaks
Bill Keller has another narcissistic column attacking Julian Assange. The whole thing is rubbish not worth your time, but I did want to unpack the complaint with which Keller ends his column.
“A lot of attention has been focused on WikiLeaks…
The Government Doesn't Want to Talk about Collecting Domestic Communications under FAA
On Friday, the government appealed the 2nd Circuit's decision that Amnesty International and other NGOs and individuals have standing to challenge the FISA Amendments Act. I'll have a post on the implications of their substantive argument shortly.…
"Terror" by Scare Quote
Ten invented or scare quotes. That's what the NY Post employs in an effort to discredit the AP's latest report on the CIA-on-the-Hudson, this time describing surveillance of Muslim college students extending across the Northeast:
“civil rights”
“gotcha”
“workplace…
Rohrabacher's Balochistan Resolution Provokes Massive Anti-US Demonstrations in Pakistan
At a time when US relations with Pakistan were already on edge but potentially moving back toward cooperation on pursuit of terrorists and transport of NATO military supplies, Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) on February 8 dished out…
Reading, Writing, and Real World Skills
There's a bit of a debate on why Harvard sends so many of its grads to become assholes on Wall Street (as opposed to exciting point guards in the NBA?). Ezra Klein argues it's because Wall Street (and Teach for America) model their hiring processes…
The SCOTUS Merrygoround: Is Ginsburg Shuffle Coming?
The UPI has an article up with the startling headline "Ruth Bader Ginsburg stepping down in 2015". The article, which is really more of a pondering question, is bylined today by Michael Kirkland and paints the scenario of a Ruth Bader Ginsburg…
Do We Really Want a Unipolar Middle East?
As we've all been reading tea leaves about whether and when Israel will attack Iran, I've come to suspect we're ignoring an equally important story. That is, to what degree is our post-Arab Spring policy in the Middle East serving Saudi Arabia's…
Science Wins Out: Bird Flu Virus Experiments Will Be Published Without Redactions Despite Continued US Fear Mongering
Back in December, the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) asked that two papers pending publication on scientific research into deadly forms of the H5N1 bird flu virus be redacted when published. This was a bad decision for…
Jamie Dimon: A $50,000 ATM Is a Big Risk
Jamie Dimon's got his whine on again (or should I say "still"), wishing we all could just move on from the catastrophe Dimon and his buddy banksters caused.
Dimon's strategy here is rather amusing. He twice suggests that the media and the…
Another Empty Suicide Vest
The name of the latest FBI-produced terrorist is Amine el-Khalifi. He is 29 and from Morocco. He was arrested today outside of the Labor Department in DC.
As is usual with most of FBI's terrorist arrests of late, the FBI provided the suspect…
Carnage in Pakistan's Tribal Region Continues: US Drones Kill 21 Thurs., Suicide Bomber Kills 26 Fri.
Despite some prospects on negotiations toward peace looking better in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the carnage in Pakistan's tribal areas continues at a rapid pace. Two separate US drone attacks in North Waziristan on Thursday killed 21 people…
Israel: All Magnet Bombs Must Have the Same Culprit
Israel has successfully gotten most major news outlets in the last few days to repeat their argument that because the bombs in Tbilisi, Delhi, and Bangkok are almost the same kind of bomb, they must have the same culprit.
Israeli officials…
Bishop Lori Took the Pig Right Out of Eric Cantor's Mouth
Along with the ridiculous visuals, one of the most amazing parts of today's hearing in which a bunch of men explained why birth control was a threat to their First Amendment rights was the statement of Bishop William Lori.
In it, he drew…
Treasury Accuses Iran of Hacking
The Treasury Department just added the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) to the other Iranian entities listed as Specially Designated National (other entities already covered include Quds Force and the National Police and…
DOJ Once Again Succeeds Where DOD Has Failed
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab?
Going to prison for life--Florence SuperMax in CO, which is a much tougher prison than Gitmo.
He has been in custody for 2 years and 53 days.
Abd al Rahim al-Nashiri? He has been in custody for roughly 9 years,…
Foster Friess, Anachronistic Dumb Ass
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Rick Santorum's sugar daddy Foster Friess (b. 1940) lectured Andrea Mitchell (b. 1946) today about how girls back in his day avoided getting pregnant, as if social norms changed dramatically in the six years…
Time to Institute the Random Penis Swabs
This is the panel Darrell Issa had today on whether women should have access to birth control as part of their health care.
Five penis creatures testifying about whether vagina monsters should be able to control their own vaginas.
Issa…
Peace Talks Breaking Out All Over
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal (behind a paywall, so no link!) Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said that Afghanistan has joined the "secret" talks that have been underway for some time now between the US and the Taliban. From…
Rick Snyder: "Look at Me!!! And, Oh, BTW, Mitt Was Born in MI"
I was pretty gleeful when Romney's folks hinted yesterday that Rick Snyder was going to endorse today. While Snyder's approval levels are improving from abysmal levels, he's still unpopular. Plus, he's a rich man from liberal Ann Arbor; Snyder's…
The Drone Lobby Admits It Has a Cybersecurity Problem
Or should I say "challenge"?
Lee Fang hits on the most important parts of this presentation the drone lobby made last year, most notably the way they admitted they needed global conflict as a selling point for their drones.
Drone lobbyists…
