In The News
Spies In The Ointment —-For US Ports by Bill Garrett5 January 2006
Funny how the debate over the United Arab Emirates management takeover of US port facilities fails to focus on spying as a major concern. Nothing less than the security of the Ports of New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, Miami and even New Orleans, a major choke point of America’s oil supplies, is at stake. Enough has been written about how petrodollar flows find their way into the hands of militant Islamists and finance the forces of world terrorism to establish it as fact. These money transfers make it clear that any Middle East oil producing nation is subject to powerful influences from Alqaeda and other such groups. As long as the money flows, the Middle East oil fields will be safe from violent interruptions; it’s a global-scale version of mafia protection rackets: you pay, your store’s O.K.; you don’t pay, your dead! Information can also flow as a result of the same threats and pressures that deliver petro-dollars to those seeking the demise of our country. Putting the government of an oil producing nation that is subject to such pressures in charge of managing US port facilities creates a pipeline of information to those who have sworn to destroy us and gives them a road map to our domestic weak points, an early warning system on military operations and presents opportunities for sabotage and attack on a grand scale. Ports have always been a focal point for spying–and for good reasons: the lifeblood of war, commerce, industry, and economic prosperity flows through them and tells its secrets to well-trained watchers. The presence of credentialed spies in our ports could provide all this information to terrorists at the speed of the internet. Managing even portions of a major port provides continued access to port facilities and requires knowledge of the port’s systems, security, geography, and operations. Daily presence in a port provides knowledge of security systems, credentials (That can then be reproduced) and knowledge of the levels of security they represent. More sensitive information on how containers are selected for inspections— or no inspections, emergency response or security systems and how to disable them can easily be found once experienced spies are inside the fence and managing our ports. No nation or company can be certain to keep spies and undercover terrorists off their staffs and, in the UAE case, out of our ports. Our own CIA has had counter spies working undetected for years. It’s the nature of the beast and it can’t be avoided no matter how much counter-spin the administration puts out. With UAE the potential for infiltration is much greater due to domestic pressure from militants. With spies inside our ports there will be little port security. The hows, whys and intricacies of port operations will soon be in the hands of those who have sworn to destroy us. From there it is only a matter of time until our enemies find the key to unlock and penetrate port security with impunity. The danger is real. Much of the military hardware and supplies bound for the Middle East flow through the east coast ports UAE desires to manage. New Orleans is a central choke point for a major portion of America’s oil supplies. We have men and women working and fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our government has an obligation to protect their safety to the greatest extent possible. Failing to protect information concerning the type of equipment, the volume of military supplies, the ships on which they travel, etc. provides advance notice of our plans and endangers rather than protects our troops. On the domestic front, imagine a spy or terrorist with credentials allowing unrestricted movement inside the Port of New Orleans. He or she could find the points at which to best choke off 20% or more of America’s oil supplies violently or through more subtle sabotage. Further imagine such a person duplicating his or her authentic credentials and leading bombers or other destructive forces to the choke points. Or imagine a top manager pressured into turning his head to passage of dangerous cargoes into America. The potential risks are incalculable; but very real. I am amazed that our government thinks that letting Americans know that their government is spying on them without warrants is a serious breech of national security; but can turn over management of our ports and the information they contain to a foreign power subject to severe pressures from our sworn enemies. Worse yet, we’ll pay them to do it! The Bush Administration claims that UAE is an important ally in the war against terror and somehow that erases the increased risks of allowing them to manage our port facilities. Well, it doesn’t! In light of 911, UAE leaders must understand our concerns about increasing the risk of further attacks or crippling sabotage; if they do not, then they are not as strong an ally as the administration thinks. United Arab Emirates, US ports, New York Ports, Miami Ports Read Comments (0)
Protest the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act before your rights are gone!5 January 2006
The Internet Gambling Prohibition Act (IGPA) was defeated in the US Senate in 1999 amid some controversy. But, it’s back. If you are looking to protect your rights in online gambling, whether it be through online casinos where you can play in the popular Texas Hold ‘em poker tournaments, or just buying state lottery tickets online, then continue reading. The bill intends to amend the Wire Act, whose language isn’t suited for the WWW world. Currently, as determined by the US courts, Internet gambling is not illegal if the servers are located off-shore. The amendent will prohibit all Internet gambling regardless of the location of the servers. It also aims to change the language to include things like poker. This is because the US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals determined that the Wire Act only pertained to online sports betting and not other gambling types like Poker, Blackjack, or even buying lottery tickets. That’s right, lottery tickets. The Internet Gambling Prohibition Act specifically bans the ability to purchase state lottery tickets online (includes the purchase of a chance or opportunity to win a lottery)…because that’s much worse than walking to the corner store? Is this even necessary? Arguments Against the Bill Goodlatte’s site, in regards to Internet gambling, states These activities suck billions of dollars per year out of the U.S. economy, serve as a vehicle for money laundering, undermine families, and threaten the ability of states to enact and enforce their own laws. Yet doesn’t examine why the “activities” suck billions of dollars out of the economy. Could it be because the U.S. government will not allow us to gamble online with U.S. companies with U.S. servers that are, um…in the U.S.? Could it be because our government cannot tax the “activities”? If the concern is the U.S. economy, then why not allow U.S. citizens, who are proud of their freedoms, to gamble online on servers that are in the United States? Tax the activity, and now not only is the U.S. economy not losing, but actually gaining. Goodlatte’s second-round of justifications for the bill include money laundering, family values, and threats to state laws. So let’s consider these.
History of the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act The Internet Gambling Prohibition Act first showed its ugly head in 1999 as a bill in the U.S. Senate. The bill was largely back by conservative groups like the Christian Coalition and Moral Majority. To counter these groups, Jack Abramoff was hired (by eLottery, inc) as a lobbyist to help block the bill. Abramoff caused some controversy in how he handled his lobbying efforts. He brought in Louis Sheldon, of Traditional Values Coalition, and Ralph Reed. He funneled payments to each of these men’s organizations (Reed’s Faith and Family Alliance, and Sheldon’s Traditional Values Coalition) by sending checks to others, and having them write checks to the organizations. Reed and Sheldon claimed to be in the dark about the ultimate source of the funds (eLottery, Inc.). Because of the shady past in how the bill was previously defeated, a concern is that it will pass as a sort of reactionary move. It’s important that we remain focused on the bill itself, and not the interesting strategy Abramoff utilized in having it defeated the first time. IGPA and the WTO It’s not just fun with acronyms. The Internet Gambling Prohibition Act sets its sights on more than just the American users, it actual seeks to punish the off-shore companies that market to its citizens. In the latter half of 2005 the World Trade Organization that the U.S. could not block gambling web sites that are not within U.S. borders. The IGPA would prevent the overseas companies from being able to legally process any credit cards, check, or wire transfers. The World Trade Organization has given the United States until April, 2006, to adjust its legislation. If it fails to do so the U.S. will face sanctions, which it may choose over actual change. How to Help Block the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act You can help block the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act by contacting your congressman. You can find your congressman easily through the House of Representatives web site. Tell your Congressperson that you are against the IGPA. Tell him or her that this is an issue that is important to you. Secondly, sign our petition against the IGPA. Tell your friends to sign it. Send it to everyone you know. The petition is here: http://www.igpa.info/phpPETITION/index.php You can also help simply by spreading the word. Not everyone who enjoys the freedom of being able to gamble online knows that the passing of this bill will end his or her’s opportunity to do so. Pass this web site on. If this bill does end up passing, we will have to mobilize to ensure it does not make it through the Senate. Internet Gambling Prohibition Act, online gambling, online casinos Read Comments (0)
Cheney: Accidental Shooting Or… by Eldon Burr5 January 2006
One thing is certain. He has lied. He claimed to have been at 90 feet when he fired his weapon. Ballistics would reveal that only a few BBs would have penetrated the victim (VERY shallow penetration= minor injuries). By the severity of the wounds you can reliably figure that Cheney was from 15-18 feet from the victim when he shot this man in the woods. This would mean that Cheney perhaps tripped and misfired his weapon- OR, if you want to go toward a more sinister route, he may have intended to shoot this 78 year old lawyer. Again, at the very least he lied about being far away. Any hunter could tell you that bird shot fired at 90 feet would not do much and would have a very wide spread(few penetrations- if any). There is also concern about the fact that police were kept at bay for many hours after the shooting- something which would land any regular citizen in jail at least for a while. This would indicate that the Vice President believes himself to be above the law. Only bad guys think things like that. If he did lie then the manly thing to do would be to admit that he lied and tell the entire truth so that he might not go to prison for as long as he should. This bothers me much more than the fact that he lied- he has no remorse for his lies. Maybe he is covering for someone else that was there and caused the accident. However noble that may be, I think honesty is pobably one of the most important attributes in a leader. About the AuthorAmateur Blogger. Go to my blog at: http://e-manzallpupose.blogspot.com To find a place to discuss whatever you like! Read Comments (0)
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