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[Informational|Capital|Judicial|Security] Controls
Though certainly a kind of libertarian streak exists here at Zero Hedge we try not to make a habit of covering purely civil liberties issues on what is, after all, at its core a financial publication. Sometimes, however, events relevant to online publications with a contrarian (or, if you prefer, anti-authoritarian) bent expose such profound incompetence and overreaching on the part of the powers that be that we simply would be remiss not to review them here.
You may (or may not) be familiar with the recent antics of TSA Special Agent John Enright, who recently found fame through his noted lifetime intimidation accomplishments with respect to the TSA investigation of two bloggers, Steven Frischling and Christopher Elliott who write for KLM Airlines and the Washington Post/MSNBC respectively. It seems that Frischling and Elliott had the audacity to publish an unclassified TSA document (TSA Security Directive SD-1544-09-06) that had already been sent to more than ten thousand people internationally including sites in Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Islamabad, and found publication on a number of airline sites and other blogs. This, it seems, was too much for a recently-wounded-by-the-cold-lance-of-complete-and-abject-failure Department of Homeland Security to bear and the TSA immediately launched an investigation into the source of the document which eventually led to a pair of TSA agents threatening a father holding his children with search warrants, arrest, vague security blacklists that would get him fired from his job and make him unhireable (shades of the Hollywood blacklist are probably excessive to cite, but only just) and other disasters if he didn't reveal his sources, turn over his harddrive, blackberry or other technology (even though they had no search warrant) and shut the fuck up about it already.
This is probably bad enough on its own, but add to this the little twist that one of the TSA agents then apparently left behind his super-secret notebook containing his investigative notes and, well, we can add incompetence of a level that would make Barney Fife look like a crack investigator.
We initially took a lot of heat for moving offshore, it being a sort of "long paranoia" trade for us. But given the recent experience of Frischling and Elliott along with, for instance, Bronte Capital, it is obvious that this trade continues to give us the best ROI in the Zero Hedge portfolio.
The reality is that individuals don't seem to matter much anymore to the United States. Politically favored "groups" hold sway now. That's a very dangerous development, even before you populate the command-control apparatus that increasingly runs the country with Agent Enrights.
We have spent the last many months begging, nay, pleading for signs that somehow American empire (or at least American sustainability) is not in the last minutes of sunset (capital controls to follow, and we hate to say it but, we told you so). None have been forthcoming.
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@Marla
This post I like. Get long paranoia. Very Long. As I tell people these days, you're not thinking unless you've got your tin foil hat firmly on. :-D
Thank you Marla,and ZH.
great post.
NEVER talk to the police or any govt investigator!!!!!
law professor tells why;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wXkI4t7nuc
My 9th grade civics teacher taught us this: "If a policeman wants to know your name, he doesn't generally want it to protect your self interests." (This was around 1967 or so, the "he" was still valid back then...)
I'm long Zero Hedge, computer programmers, linguists and/or symbologists, and canned goods.
Is it possible that we could get TSA Special Agent John Enright personal home address in order to discuss his tactics? I am concerned by this activity and believe the best way to understand this person's actions is to discuss his reasoning with him in a comfortable non-threatening situation.
Nope.
please!
There is no way such contact could be deemed non-threatening.
Janet Napolitano is on the lookout for anyone she can peg as a "right-wing lunatic." Avoid becoming such a person.
This entire regime is on the "lookout" (re: witch hunt) for anyone they can peg as an any-wing-but-theirs "lunatic".
I am not right wing, but I sure as hell ain't in their wing- whatever you want to call it.
Left wing lunatics is what you call it.
Maybe, a law suit for civil rights violation will be a good test to see if the judicial is still working.
Your thoughts
Doubt it. Based on the recent SCOTUS opinion which let stand a DC Circuit Court ruling that the Feds have the right to put anyone on a terrorist watch list, including US Citizens, and thereby label them, "enemy combatants" and deprive them of all rights, I sincerely doubt the courts would uphold a civil rights lawsuit against the TSA.
ACLU, where are you? (Crickets chirping)
Oh, my bad....never mind. (Don't taze me dude)
Nice post.
Sad state of affairs.
ditto, silver.
(And, no, Rush doesn't own rights to it...)
Great work.
Exemplary use of hyphenation.
For a complete examination of an advanced surveillance/control state/economy, look to the madmen across the water in UK. U.S. is not far behind.
Let's party like it's 1984!
Marla:
I know this is a bit OT but I sense a developing story not previously covered in ZH.
A pension fund collapse in Australia in which an advisory firm run by Joe Biden's brother and son may be involved.
I'm digging into this for my own blog as a developing story but the REAL news is is that Bronte Capital, who "broke" the story, had his blog suppressed by Google as a result.
The suppression was noticed by Felix Salmon, Yves Smith,businessinsider, and others.
The story is here : http://brontecapital.blogspot.com/2010/01/dark-privatised-social-securit...
Pursuing the financial aspects of this in more granularity should be right up ZH's alley.
I'm looking specifically at the political relationships (as in campaign donations) of the parties named, and I fully expect to find a money trail.
Thanks
KptLt. laughing swordfish
9er Unterseeboote Flotille
Did you even read the piece above?
Yes I did - yours and Bronte's.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw3046N4HTA
He Biden more than he can chew?
I would say that individuals lost sway to politically favored "groups" several generations ago. However, the pendulum continues to swing farther from the center, and shows obvious signs of picking up speed.
SWR, good to see you!
You too, bro. The continued swing continues to knock more and more people off the fence. I continue to be amazed at the UK and their apparent willingness to tolerate the advancing control state. I noted to myself during the late years of the Soviet Union that an important lesson was being learnt there by governments: as long as people are reasonably well fed, warm, and "busy", there will be no open rebellion against obvious oppression. A total economic collapse was needed. I've restated this thus: revolution occurs when the perceived pain of revolution is less than the perceived pain of remaining loyal to the currency system.
This explains the constant lying about the state of the economy. Others have noted how the Depression bread lines are really there, just out of sight in the form of unemployment checks. Thoughts?
Disagree, well, sort of. UI is not "depression bread lines." Food stamps may be the equivalent of the bread lines, but the closest thing I can think of are the food pantries that people go to which are similar to grocery stores but you don't pay as you leave.
Not unemployment checks, food stamps. There was an article a few days ago about how for some people, food stamps are their ONLY source of income (NO unemployment, NO welfare, nothing but food stamps).
This is the Greater Depression, and the Admin is just hoping they can borrow enough to keep the masses fed, warm, and busy.
@SWR,
Bread and Circuses, brother! Ironically, Tyler's lecture to Jack after Jack's apartment blew up pretty much encapsulates our entire culture in a nutshell. Never mind the reckless government spending, the currency debasement, or blatant totalitarian measures; Americans are focused on whether the performances on this coming season of American Idol surpasses those of the previous season. They have no idea what their apathy has cost them, and this is just the beginning.
And the worst part of what is happening in London: CCTV does very little to solve crime.
These are very strange days, friend... Time for a backup plan. Sprechen Sie Deutsch?
@ghostface,
Got this (and this) from a friend a few days back. Pure genius. With the Chihuahua we could overhaul welfare, social security, AND health care.
This is a Border policy with "huge" upside.
... all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.
***
We're accustomed alright; boy are we ever. The entire game hinges on how much further free people can be pushed into servitude. If the silent majority starts to dig in its heels, Leviathan may begin to sense it can no longer run roughshod over inalienable rights.
Political sentiment is the turning point, or tell, for which I'm keeping a vigilant look out. Once the Fed's ability to perform gross monetization is curtailed, the long awaited, but greatly delayed, debt-deflation tsunami will begin to crest.
It seems that other governments, are either pooling similar tricks or they will be forced by the US to do so.
How about some agri-land in S. America? It is still America after all.
This morning I woke up in a curfew;
O god, I was a prisoner, too - yeah!
Could not recognize the faces standing over me;
They were all dressed in uniforms of brutality. eh!
How many rivers do we have to cross,
Before we can talk to the boss? eh!
All that we got, it seems we have lost;
We must have really paid the cost.
Just to comment that I think you are striking an excellent balance. A few pieces have seemed off-topic (the one on defense procurement systems, for instance) but pieces like this and "Week in Mayhem" do seem extremely relevant even if not purely financial.
As governments and their legislations increasingly pick winners and loosers, any political developments have financial implications.
I think that we should welcome all ZH selected topics. keep them coming please.
We've already visited the subject of the connection twixt economics and politics, both really being merely different manifestations of the same forces. In the face of current events, anyone who still believes him or herself to be an apolitical economic player is a fool. Lack of government intervention is a political statement, as is government intervention. Oracle is exactly right.
Paranoia is the new common sense.
I am not Chumbawamba but I wish I was...
Marla, Moving offshore was a smart move all around.
A bit off tangent but related, What is this country coming to? There are 6 million Muslims in the US, I can't believe this is even discussed,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXfnjkxBTrk
Good move going offshore, problem is we're not offshore. Anyone know a good proxy? Anyone?
Individual rights versus the collective, where have I heard this before.
Without "God given rights" in a world dominated by evolutionary theory, the strongest survive without any moral requirement and at any cost - in this world perspective where law and morality do not apply, what is the source of human rights? The answer is that they do not exist in this environment, and it becomes the Lord of the Flies with every man, woman, and child fighting for themselves.
For individuals to hold any power, it requires principles requiring a fundamental belief in the dignity of each individual human being followed closely by the right to individual property. The collective can vote to steal/tax the property of the individual and transfer that wealth to themselves, from those less organized.
Politics is a strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage. Those without morals can excel beyond those with morals because they take short cuts to get what they want - until the moral hazard becomes apparent and a crisis of conscience turns into a crisis of confidence.
Regarding the capital control comment, the ruse of "threat of global terrorism" has been used in anticipation of the further deterioration in further growth within the US. The terrorism treaties that were signed with Switzerland were used to turn over banking information for situations that I am sure have nothing to do with terrorism, but taxes. In addition, events like the "Christmas day plane underwear slider attack" will be used to justify body scanning equipment in airports - this will be used to see cash or gold that individuals might want to move offshore.
IRS=Bankers=Government. Don't let the shell game of organizations or agencies confuse.
“Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms (of government) those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny” -Thomas Jefferson
In addition, events like the "Christmas day plane underwear slider attack" will be used to justify body scanning equipment in airports - this will be used to see cash or gold that individuals might want to move offshore.
Damn, I knew there was an angle to this but I couldn't figure it out. It's so simple in hindsight! Thanks, AN.
I am Chumbawamba.
Amen AN.
"Events like the "Christmas day plane underwear slider attack" [may have been engineered and] will be used to justify body scanning equipment in airports - this will be used to see cash or gold that individuals might want to move offshore.
They don't need body scanners to do this. They have metal detectors and x-rays for your hand luggage which is the only other place to put it. I had a few ounce coins in my bag and they asked what they were. I just said coins and they left it at that.
The want body scanners as its simply more control, thats all this is about. Little by little your freedom is taken away, each little bit is wrapped in a subtle threat of danger or even worse of character assassination if you are intelligent enough to be disgusted by it.
Imagine $130 billion in bearer bonds - customs
"Little by little your freedom is taken away, each little bit is wrapped in a subtle threat of danger or even worse of character assassination if you are intelligent enough to be disgusted by it."
I couldn't agree more.
Example: Remember a couple of months back Charlie Sheen penned an open letter to the President requesting/demanding a new 9/11 commission? I'm am sure quite a few were wondering, like I was at that time, exactly how long it would take for Charlie to be DUIed, caught with cocaine, arrested for one thing or another in order to publicly assassinate/discredit his character. You know, something to create a reaction like, "Honey, remember that letter crazy Charlie Sheen wrote to the President?"
It didn't take long, did it?
Wow. Did you read that note pad? It looks like my maid leaving me a note for more 409.
On a related note, was the Executive Order on giving Interpol full US immunity discussed?
http://biggovernment.com/2010/01/01/executive-order-international-police...
I have not heard a peep about it in any media (shocking, I know).
Wise move to set up shop outside of Dodge.
This allows the US Gov/MIL/etc to hide documents so that Freedom Of Information lawsuits are then rendered useless.
BTW, just last week or so if you are CONSIDERED AN ENEMY COMBATANT for any reason you than have zero rights as a human being and subject to torture and indefinite containment (jail). The US Supreme Court has spoken.
To bad Frischling didn't go get a recorder and start asking questions of Enright, such as was the document classified, and if not, why wasn't it if it was such a security risk, under what law was he being arrested, etc., ala Steve Bierfeldt. These kinds of gov't tactics need to be exposed and prosecuted. Worse than a creeping nanny state is a creeping police state. I'm normally an optimist, but between the Bierfeldt story, this one, Nifong, and a host of federal convictions that have been reversed over the past couple of years due to prosecutorial misconduct, one gets the sense that the respect for individual rights is under attack on multiple governmental fronts, if you were not already of that opinion. My owns observations of TSA conduct during travels over the past year gave me pause on several occassions.
The Fall of Babylon 18:1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory. 2 And he called out with a mighty voice, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast. 3 For all nations have drunk [1] the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.”
Dude, that's just a stupid passage to quote. After all, the savior this time around is supposed to be El'Berith, prophet of the Tribe of Dan, 13th tribe of Israel, Son of Man, marked with the sign of the buyer and seller and a Sun worshipper. It is he/she who is unclean who learns the name of the God of the Hebrew nation and when the name is spoken, it shall be the signal.
In otherwords, the anti-christ is the savior and he/she is sexually immoral as well. Just dumb to quote a sexual reference when there are more poignant references to the housing crisis that was suffered with the fall of the original Babylon.
good luck in eternity.
God, do you even read the ignorant shit you spout? Re-read your bible, did you even know that Christianity forbad Usury (AKA INTEREST) for over 1,500 years? But I guess the newer versions have it more right since they have better editors.
Sheesh, ignorance like yours is what gives morality a bad name. Guess what, according to older versions of the New Testament's (like the septuagint) if you charge interest when the book of life is opened, the word "thief" will be beside your name.
http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/
Read the 1545 Martin Luther version (in German - if you're not that literate [and somehow I highly doubt you are] use Google Translate)
And people say I'm the religious freak, and just so you know, I would rather spend an eternity in hell caring for my downtrodden brother than praise a god who would favor the rich and corrupt.
32 For the simple are killed by their turning away,
and the complacency of fools destroys them;
42. What was the question again?
lol, I love the inane arguments I find sometimes :)
here's a present for you... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBhqrtMqrv8
Wow.... you really need help man. But thanks for the video :) But ummm I'm good with god :)
You still haven't answered, did you know Christianity forbad interest for over 1500 years?
And why are you talking about sexual morality when you have a half naked chick for your icon? lol
Martin Luther was a dangerous bigot.
Not a person I would consider a moral authority on anything.
Of course, some folks may think genocide is cool here..dunno.
"I imagine... that right now you are feeling a bit like Alice. Tumbling down the rabbit-hole. Hmm?"
Not the biggest fan of the Matrix, but the blue-pill / red-pill scene, as has been noted on this site and elsewhere, seems a bit eerie these days.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=te6qG4yn-Ps
The sad irony to me is that the one hope for bypassing normal propaganda channels and making the red pill available to the masses - the internet and sites like ZH and posts like this - is also the one tool which will provide the powers-that-be with a convenient, databased map which leads directly to all those who have taken the red pill when TSHTF.
Step carefully.
Marla, I appreciate your efforts in setting up such a great example, and your opening comments are right on the mark. Though some may cringe at the thought beacuse of their perceived 2-party biases, Americans who have taken their freedoms for granted-- and don't like what is going on now-- should be more "libertarian".
Why? Because our economic and civli liberties are being taken away right before our very eyes. We see the former almost each and every day through this site. And I'm sure there are a thousand of other blogging posts covering the latter on politico sites. I'm glad you covered the civil liberties part, though, because people need to realize this is a COMPLETE takeover-- and BOTH MAJOR PARTIES are responsible.
I'm praying for a complete overhaul in the political map in 2010 and 2012. I'm not sure we will see a viable 3rd party emerge so soon, but there needs to be serious turnover. If there is, indeed, increasing anger about what is being done in this country, I sure hope any political movement centers on improving economic and civil liberties.
Even paranoids have enemies.
The article (and Assetman's comment above) are appreciated, well-written, and relevant.
"Just because you are paranoid, doesn't mean they are not out to get you".
Just sayin'.
All we can hope is those who would seek to harm our beautiful and free democracy are as incompetent as those we employ to protect it!
They're the same people.
One of the issues that isn't discussed much is
how to inform those in uniform. After all, they are
sheeple too! A recognition of the betrayal at the
top by a majority of cops and military is probably
better protection for your future than PM.
Actually if you were more aware of the changes in
police training(brainwashing) and tactics since 9-11,
you would be a LOT more paranoid. Cops that think
off duty are fired. Training tactics are straight out of
Neuro Linguistic Programming. They have no civil
liberties, so they think, why should you?( I base this on
what a retired Federal
Agent, who is a relative, has told me)
IMHO our safety may depend on factional infighting. If
they turn on each other, they may more or less leave
the populace alone
http://oathkeepers.org/oath/
Zero chance of it making sense to anyone at TSA though. TSA has always been a huge mistake.
Any agency or organization that has a license to steal is run by the mafia, for the mafia. TSA fits this to a T.
I've had numerous electronic items stolen out of my checked baggage -- the one thing in common was a white TSA searched notice.
No retort, all written and filed claims denied.
WHAT A FUCKING CROCK OF SHIT THE THIEVES RUN!
I no longer fly - FUCK THEM, FUCK THEM ALL!
Sounds like desperation to me. The fall approaches...
...threatening a father holding his children with search warrants, arrest, vague security blacklists that would get him fired from his job and make him unhireable (shades of the Hollywood blacklist are probably excessive to cite, but only just)...
This seems oddly similar to the PATCO stuff Reagan did, but there won't be a Clinton to pardon this guy. I would not be surprised if he's made worse off than the long-term unemployed just to make a point.
Would these security blacklists be the same thing or shades thereof?
The problem is that They are attempting to sustain The Empire and the People believe that this is good, necessary and important. The experiment that is the American Federal Democratic Republic was not founded on the principles of empire building. It's time to rebel but with reason and freedom as our guides.
The instant formal government is abolished, society begins to act. A general association takes place, and common interest produces common security.
--Thomas Paine
I think moving offshore was incredibly intelligent, if not incredibly sad that the need was there.
America 10 years ago was still a great nation, but the long campaign of corrupt imperialism has its decennial anniversary this month (perhaps it was started before, but it got kicked into overdrive then). Sieg Heil GWB, Jr!
TSA is incompetent.
Just take a look at who screens you at airports - it's an affirmative action program. They aren't hiring or training for competence, all it is is another appear-to-be-on-top-of-things jobs program.
Every failure is an excuse to set themselves up for more failure
If so, it's one of the few places with jobs not being sent offshore. Other industries are selling the US short, mostly by spite when they could get along perfectly with staying in the US and going with the Midwest.
Spot on Marla! The lights in the US are indeed dim and growing darker.
There is a nice web site in the Buddhist world called 'Access to Insight' with translations of all of the Buddhist stuff.
http://accesstoinsight.org
They have a topic index. If you go to the topic index and click on the letter S then you can find some nice thoughts about Speech that bloggers might be interested in reading.
Here are a couple of quote examples :
"This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: "For the person who transgresses in one thing, I tell you, there is no evil deed that is not to be done. Which one thing? This: telling a deliberate lie."
and...
"Monks, a statement endowed with five factors is well-spoken, not ill-spoken. It is blameless & unfaulted by knowledgeable people. Which five?
"It is spoken at the right time. It is spoken in truth. It is spoken affectionately. It is spoken beneficially. It is spoken with a mind of good-will.
"A statement endowed with these five factors is well-spoken, not ill-spoken. It is blameless & unfaulted by knowledgeable people."
Keep in mind : crazy people are afraid of the above. For instance, there were 3 documented attempts to kill the Buddha.
Hopefully, this is a bit of inspiring stuff in dark times. BTW : my web site is no longer available. Speaking at the right time, knowing when to shut up ('Noble Silence' sounds better than 'shutting up'...little pun there), etc.
The Blogger's Curse (ht Chinese Curse) : May you be an interesting person in interesting times...
May all beneficial wishes come true in beneficial ways!
Namke von Federlein
Thanks ZeroHedge
I feel surrounded by good peeps here.
What of us here that support something that curtails offshore outsourcing? Those of us that are part of the U-6 aren't exactly for something that only has benefits in the very long term.
...or is this towards more mobile forms of capital that don't have as much trouble crossing borders?
Since this is a thread of a more civil libertarian theme, see if this blows your skirt up a little.
http://www.examiner.com/x-3704-Columbia-Conservative-Examiner~y2009m12d2...
In the dead of night on December 17, 2009, President Barack Hussein Obama placed the United States of America under the authority of the international police organization known as INTERPOL, granting the organization full immunity to operate within the United States........
Anyone care to speculate on the story of the guy who caused the Newark airport terminal to lock down by walking thru security the wrong way? And how he left shortly thereafter, whereabouts unknown? Wonder how that could happen.
Marla,
It may (or not) interest you to know that Bernie Goldberg, in between slamming the "lame stream media" as he calls it, was commenting on the TSA on the Fox News Channel- and used the same "Barney Fife" analogy that you used above;
In light of the fact that he rejects the "LSM", I think it may be possible that he occasions this site...
"The people rising up?" Isn't that the thesis behind communism?
The problem with libertarianism is that autonomous individuals lack the power of the group to effect change.
"The good old days before corporations and the government controlled everything" is about when Andy Jackson was prez, not when you were kids back in the sixties/seventies/eighties.
The fact is that "life's a bitch and then you die." The people in charge are conspiring against each other as much as they are against "the little guy."
There is no ideal state, or golden age from which we fell. We are rising up out of the muck and frequently fall back in. Go read your God Damn history books. This is just the the beginning of the usual chaos, war, rape, pillaging, etc. After everyone gets tired or dead, the ones left will go back to their villages and have more babies for the next time. Sorry for the rant, but this government doesn't have the balls to really crack down. It's too busy passing out as much paper money as possible. It's the ones who come along to crack heads "in the name of the people" you really have to worry about.
Marla, What country did you move off shore too?