Archive for the 'War' Category
How Police Departments Use Civil Forfeiture to Collect Billions
March 15th, 2017Whenever you hear about tips to the police from confidential informants or “concerned citizens,” etc. keep this in mind: U.S. Communications Intelligence Secretly Shared with Law Enforcement for Use Against Americans in Criminal Investigations. So, mass surveillance and civil forfeiture: Is there a link? “It is the height of naivete to think that once collected […]
NSA Routinely Monitors Americans’ Communications Without Warrants
March 15th, 2017Are They building electronic dossiers on as many of us as they can? I don’t know, but it sure looks that way. —Cryptogon, 2007: NSA, AT&T and the NarusInsight Intercept Suite In Open Thread: Trump Wiretap Claims, I wrote: Where is the uproar over the spook’s data center in Utah? Man, if you think that […]
Thousands of Upcoming Nuclear Weapons Shipments During $1 Trillion Nuclear Arsenal Upgrade
March 12th, 2017Via: Los Angeles Times: The unmarked 18-wheelers ply the nation’s interstates and two-lane highways, logging 3 million miles a year hauling the most lethal cargo there is: nuclear bombs. The covert fleet, which shuttles warheads from missile silos, bomber bases and submarine docks to nuclear weapons labs across the country, is operated by the Office […]
Vault 7: CIA Hacking Tools Revealed
March 7th, 2017If you have an active U.S. Government security clearance, you probably shouldn’t click on this. Via: Wikileaks: Today, Tuesday 7 March 2017, WikiLeaks begins its new series of leaks on the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. Code-named “Vault 7” by WikiLeaks, it is the largest ever publication of confidential documents on the agency. The first full […]
Lithium Ion Like Battery with 3X the Energy Density, Sodium Glass Electrolyte
March 1st, 2017Disclosure: I sell solar power systems in New Zealand. — I’ll reiterate the usual warning when posting about battery technology “breakthroughs.” Laboratory experiments have virtually nothing to do with finished products that you and I can buy. Indeed, DO NOT hold your breath waiting for this. That said, it’s VERY interesting, if you’re like me […]
Congress Told to Brace for ‘Robotic Soldiers’
March 1st, 2017In other news: Via: The Hill: House lawmakers were warned Wednesday that artificial intelligence could soon be used by potential adversaries in military operations. Jason Healey, a senior fellow on the Atlantic Council’s Cyber Statecraft Initiative, told members of a House panel with oversight of the Pentagon that he expects the capabilities to be developed […]
Trump Open to Legal Status for Some Undocumented Immigrants in Sharp Departure from Campaign Stance
February 28th, 2017Just after the election, I wrote, “What’s he going to do? Deploy the U.S. Marines to places like Santa Ana and wide swaths of Los Angeles County? Good luck with that.” Maybe someone finally convinced him that mass roundups would go very badly. Via: CNBC: President Donald Trump said Tuesday he is open to legal […]
Trump Seeks U.S. Military Spending Boost, Domestic Cuts
February 27th, 2017Mmm hmm. Via: Reuters: President Donald Trump is seeking what he called a “historic” increase in defense spending, but ran into immediate opposition from Republicans in Congress who must approve his plan and said it was not enough to meet the military’s needs. The proposed rise in the Pentagon budget to $603 billion comes as […]
French Military Trains Eagles to Hunt Drones
February 22nd, 2017Via: Reuters: In a battle between ancient arts and modern technology, France’s army is teaching birds of prey to bring down remote-controlled drones when they enter no-go urban airspace. Four golden eagles are getting military training for combat against battery-charged drones that just about anybody can buy in a local store, and fly into security-sensitive […]
Robots Poised to Take Over Wide Range of Military Jobs
February 21st, 2017Via: San Diego Union Tribune: The wave of automation that swept away tens of thousands of American manufacturing and office jobs during the past two decades is now washing over the armed forces, putting both rear-echelon and front-line positions in jeopardy. “Just as in the civilian economy, automation will likely have a big impact on […]
