Main news and opinions, selected, compiled, and occasionally commented on by Mike Nova
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Legal Victory for N.S.A., Justin Bieber's New Movie; The Year in Drones - NYT
» Legal Victory for N.S.A., Justin Bieber's New Movie; The Year in Drones
27/12/13 19:23 from Uploads by TheNewYorkTimes
Legal Victory for N.S.A., Justin Bieber's New Movie; The Year in Drones Also on the Minute, Justin Bieber's new movie and looking back at drones in 2013. http://www.nytimes.com/video/2013/12/27/multimedia/100000002623471/times-mi...
Published on Dec 27, 2013
Also on the Minute, Justin Bieber's new movie and looking back at drones in 2013.
http://www.nytimes.com/video/2013/12/...
http://www.nytimes.com/video/2013/12/...
Friday, December 27, 2013
Venezuela's Homicide Rate Quadruples In Fifteen Years, NGO Reports
Venezuela's Homicide Rate Quadruples In Fifteen Years, NGO Reports
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — A non-governmental group that tracks violent crime in Venezuela says the country's homicide rate has risen again in 2013 and has quadrupled over the past 15 years.
The Venezuelan Violence Observatory estimates that 24,763 killings occurred this year, pushing up the homicide rate to 79 per 100,000 inhabitants. It was 73 per 100,000 people in 2012. In 1998, the rate was 19.
Venezuela's government has gradually blocked access to murder statistics as violent crime has worsened the past decade. The report published Thursday was compiled by researchers based on press reports, victim surveys and comments by officials.
Interior Minister Miguel Rodriguez Torres said last week that the homicide rate has fallen this year from 50 to 39 per 100,000 inhabitants. But he declined to provide details.
Recent News - December 2013
- A Mental-Health Overhaul - WSJ.com
- Technology Fuels New Police Cruiser - WSJ.com
- Merry Christmas from the Obamas - The Washington Post
- The International New York Times - Editorials and Opinion - The New York Times
- Deep Russia-Germany Ties Behind a Prisoner’s Release - NYTimes.com
- Mikhail Kalashnikov, Creator of AK-47, Dies at 94 - NYTimes.com
- U.S. GDP Increases 4.1% in Third Quarter; Biggest Gain Since 2011 - WSJ.com
- Fed's Mortgage Role Expands - WSJ.com
- SEC Asks Ex-Goldman Trader to Pay More Than $1 Million - WSJ.com
- Ceiling at Theater in London Collapses on Audience - NYTimes.com
- Apollo Theatre: Investigators probe roof collapse in London - CNN.com
- Safety checks at London's historic theatres after ceiling collapse | Reuters
- Growth Spurt Creates Alarm Over the House of (Many) Lords - NYTimes.com
- F.D.A. Questions Safety of Antibacterial Soaps - NYTimes.com
- Glaxo Says It Will Stop Paying Doctors to Promote Drugs - NYTimes.com
- A Look at Emperor Augustus and Roman Classical Style - NYTimes.com
- Whole Roasted Fish With Mushrooms - Video - NYTimes.com
- Al Goldstein, a Publisher Who Took the Romance Out of Sex, Dies at 77 - NYTimes.com
- Uganda Parliament Passes Anti-Homosexuality Bill
- Uganda passes law meaning life in prison for some homosexual acts | Reuters
- ICC prosecutor: Evidence insufficient to try Kenya's Uhuru Kenyatta - CNN.com
- Human Rights Watch: Saudi activists face harassment, jail - CNN.com
- Russia Says Arafat Died of Natural Causes - NYTimes.com
- Harold Meyerson: Pat Buchanan, Vladimir Putin and strange bedfellows - The Washington Post
World News - 12.25.13
- More Hunger for the Poorest Americans - NYTimes.com
- Pope Nods to Atheists in Christmas Message of Peace - NYTimes.com
- Taliban Rockets Hit U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan - WSJ.com
- Pentagon Probes Firm for Violation of Iran Rules - WSJ.com
- Demand for food stamps soars as cuts sink in and shelves empty | World news | The Guardian
- Robert Grady: Obama's Misguided Obsession With Inequality - WSJ.com
- Alan Turing, Enigma Code-Breaker and Computer Pioneer, Wins Royal Pardon - NYTimes.com
- Alan Turing pardoned posthumously, at last - The Washington Post
- Queen pardons Alan Turing, code-breaker castrated for homosexuality - CNN.com
- Lobotomy For World War II Veterans: Psychiatric Care by U.S. Government - WSJ.com
Recent Events - 2013
- How John McCain Turned His Clichés Into Meaning - NYTimes.com
Surveillance Issues - December 2013
- Michael B. Mukasey: The Air of Unreality in NSA Reform - WSJ.com
- Snowden says spying worse than Orwellian - The Washington Post
- 5 takeaways from Edward Snowden's Washington Post interview - CNN.com
- US Lawmaker Blasts Snowden's 'Mission Accomplished' Comment
- Snowden to Deliver 'Alternative Christmas Message' in UK
- Angela Merkel wiretapped by Russian intelligence services – Media – InSerbia News
- France Expands Internet, Phone Monitoring Powers
- ▶ President Obama Holds a News Conference - YouTube
- NSA surveillance issue is being taken ‘very seriously’, says Obama - video | World news | theguardian.com
- Surveillance - Cozy or Chilling? - NYTimes.com
- NSA Phone Spying 'Almost Certainly' Unconstitutional, Judge Says - WSJ.com
- Judge Questions Legality of N.S.A. Phone Records - NYTimes.com
- Panel Recommends Limits on NSA Spying
- Has Snowden Been Vindicated? - Room for Debate - NYTimes.com
- How Sotomayor undermined Obama's NSA | MSNBC
- U.S. reasserts need to keep domestic surveillance secret - The Washington Post
- Americans uneasy about surveillance but often use snooping tools, Post poll finds - The Washington Post
Security Issues - 2013
- Intelligence Committee Officials: America’s Terror Threat Higher Than Two Years Ago
- Keating wants more Marathon bombing answers from FBI - Opinion - The Boston Globe
- House Judiciary Committee Called Upon to Address Any Abuses to Asylum System while Protecting Refugees | Human Rights First
- Schneier on Security: The FBI Might Do More Domestic Surveillance than the NSA
- NSA deputy director skeptical on sharing data with FBI and others | World news | theguardian.com
- A Disappearing Spy, and a Scandal at the C.I.A. - NYTimes.com
- Obama Pressured To Locate Missing CIA Contractor In Iran
- Senate Asks C.I.A. to Share Its Report on Interrogations - NYTimes.com
- U.S. Convicts Viktor Bout Associate
- U.S.-Germany Intelligence Partnership Falters Over Spying - NYTimes.com
- The Cubanization of Venezuela: Drug Trafficking with Terrorist Organizations | Babalú Blog
Foreign Affairs
- Hagel: China Acted 'Irresponsibly' in Stand-Off With US Naval Vessel
- Iran Looks to Deepen Ties to Afghanistan
Foreign policy of the Barack Obama administration - Wikipedia
- Russia–United States relations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- European foreign policy of the Barack Obama administration - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- European foreign policy of the Barack Obama administration - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Foreign policy of the Barack Obama administration - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
U.S. Military - December 2013
- Senate Sends Defense Bill to White House
- Obama orders one-year review of sexual assault problem in military | Reuters
- Obama tells military they have a year to curb sex assaults - UPI.com
- U.S. general in charge of missiles fired for drinking, carousing -investigation | Reuters
- News Reviews and Opinions: U.S. general in charge of missiles fired for drinking, carousing -investigation Friday December 20th, 2013 at 2:48 PM Reuters: U.S. WASHINGTON
- Fired Air Force General Engaged In 'Inappropriate' Drunken Behavior In Russia: Report
- Drinking General 'Unbecoming' On Russia Trip
- Contracting Overhaul Is Promised for Navy - NYTimes.com
- In Navy Billing Scandal, a Third Company Puts an Executive on Leave - NYTimes.com
- Navy Secretary Expands Review of Supply Contracts - NYTimes.com
- Judge Assails Military in Rejecting Count Against Ex-Marine - NYTimes.com
- Obama Changes Direction Of US Military Command, Fires 9th General In His Purge - Downtrend.com
- President Obama Transforms Military In His Image By Firing 197 Officers - Investors.com
- Top generals: Obama is ‘purging the military’
- President Obama Asking Military Leaders if They Will Fire on U.S. Citizens- Unproven!
- Chuck Hagel: All states issuing ID cards for same-sex spouses | Politics Northwest | Seattle Times
- NATO starts own talks with Afghanistan on post-2014 mission pact | Reuters
- Navy Secretary Mabus expects bribery scandal to widen - The Washington Post
Gay marriage in America - 2014-13
Economy - 2014-13
NYC
- From crime to cigarettes, Bloomberg leaves his mark on New York | Reuters
- Bloomberg Reshaped the City - WSJ.com
Books
- Judge's Timing For Immigrant Detention Data Request Is 'Not Feasible,' Prosecutors Say
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Merry Christmas from the Obamas - The Washington Post | Obama thanks troops in Christmas message 26/12/13 01:23 from Uploads by AFP
Merry Christmas from the Obamas - The Washington Post
» Obama thanks troops in Christmas message
26/12/13 01:23 from Uploads by AFP
Obama thanks troops in Christmas message US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle give a special thanks to US troops in their annual Christmas message. Duration: 00:35. From: AFP news agency Views: 0 0 ratings Time: 00:35 More in ...
» Spy Agency Struggles to Make Sense of Data Flood
26/12/13 00:51 from WSJ.com: World News
The NSA is drowning in useless data, which harms its ability to conduct legitimate surveillance, claims a former employee who created some of the computer code used to snoop on Internet traffic.
» Obama thanks troops in Christmas message
26/12/13 01:23 from Uploads by AFP
Obama thanks troops in Christmas message US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle give a special thanks to US troops in their annual Christmas message. Duration: 00:35. From: AFP news agency Views: 0 0 ratings Time: 00:35 More in ...
» Spy Agency Struggles to Make Sense of Data Flood
26/12/13 00:51 from WSJ.com: World News
The NSA is drowning in useless data, which harms its ability to conduct legitimate surveillance, claims a former employee who created some of the computer code used to snoop on Internet traffic.
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
M.N.: RT is unduly and somewhat strangely (is this just hypocrisy, pointed propaganda or something deeper?) concerned about NSA integrity and questions if the heads should roll
M.N.: RT is unduly and somewhat strangely (is this just hypocrisy, pointed propaganda or something deeper?) concerned about NSA integrity and questions if the heads should roll:
Why are there no charges against the NSA crew: Clapper, Alexander and Obama? — RT Op-Edge
Why are there no charges against the NSA crew: Clapper, Alexander and Obama? — RT Op-Edge
More bombing questions for FBI
More bombing questions for FBI
WE MAY never know exactly why young men like Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev might decide to plant two bombs at the Boston Marathon finish line.
But we should be able to find out exactly what law enforcement authorities did well before and after the attack — and what they could have done better. That’s what Representative William R. Keating has been trying to find out.
A recent Globe investigation painted a picture of the two bombing suspects as the product of a dysfunctional immigrant family. But Keating cares less about the dysfunctional Tsarnaev family and more about the possibility of a dysfunctional system of government information sharing. Government dysfunction, he still fears, might have allowed the brothers to slip through the cracks and execute a deadly plan. And it might allow another tragedy to occur if it is not properly addressed.
Keating, a former prosecutor who sits on the Homeland Security Committee, has been asking such questions since the bombs went off. Last July 31, he sent a letter to newly appointed FBI director James Comey, seeking specific information about what the agency knew about the alleged bombers before the attack and what was shared with local police. In no apparent rush to respond, the FBI got back to the Democratic Bay State congressman on Nov. 22.
Related
The FBI’s letter basically reiterated the agency’s past contention — that local police had access to everything they needed to know through a computer system called “Guardian.” The letter also mentioned the need to protect “civil liberties and privacy” while investigating crime, terrorism, and threats to national security — a curious consideration, given recent headlines about the extensive government-sanctioned data collection program that routinely violates the civil liberties and privacy of millions of American citizens who have no connection to crime, terrorism, or threats to national security.
It helps to understand any breakdown in law enforcement’s ability to identify threats. It’s not about blame; it’s about prevention.
The FBI’s response left Keating still questioning the quality of information-sharing between law enforcement authorities. Searching the Guardian database, he said, is like looking for “a needle in a haystack.” He predicts the Homeland Security Committee’s upcoming report on the Marathon bombings — expected in early 2014 — will address those concerns and recommend procedural changes.
Keating is also looking forward to an upcoming report from a Florida prosecutor about the FBI’s shooting of Ibragim Todashev, who was being questioned about a triple slaying in Waltham, which might be somehow tied to Tamerlan Tsarnaev. The circumstances of Todashev’s death are mysterious and raise questions about the actions of the FBI, as well as about Massachusetts state troopers who participated in the Todashev investigation.
“I just wonder this out loud,” said Keating. “I’ll be curious to see what this investigation entailed. How much of it is original? How much of it was given by the FBI? Will it really be an independent review by Florida?”
It helps to understand the “why” behind the actions the Tsarnaev brothers are believed to have taken. It’s not about sympathizing with killers; it’s about sensitizing us to people who are so desperate and unhappy they turn to violence. What we learn about the Tsarnaev brothers could help us see danger signs in others and stop them before they act.
But it helps even more to understand any breakdowns in law enforcement’s ability to identify threats and act on them. It’s not about blame; it’s about prevention. Keating finds the bureaucratic obstacles frustrating, and they should be to the rest of us, too.
There has already been a lot of turnover at agencies involved in the Marathon investigation.
Robert S. Mueller departed as FBI director in June. So did Richard DesLauriers, the head of the Boston FBI office. Janet Napolitano, the Homeland Security secretary, resigned in July. In September, Edward Davis announced his resignation as Boston police commissioner.
In his testimony before Congress, Davis said the FBI should share more information about potential terror threats with local police. Those concerns shouldn’t disappear with the leaders who left their posts.
Accountability should be more than one city’s concern, but Boston has a special interest in learning the whole story. If “Boston strong” means resilience, “Boston smart” should mean asking tough questions and demanding complete answers — no ducking allowed. We owe that much to the victims.
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