Overstepping

In recent weeks, there has been an interesting exchange.

The NSA has been caught spying on US citizens.  Their mission statement:

The National Security Agency/Central Security Service (NSA/CSS) leads the U.S. Government in cryptology that encompasses both Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) and Information Assurance (IA) products and services, and enables Computer Network Operations (CNO) in order to gain a decision advantage for the Nation and our allies under all circumstances.

and original charter:

The COMINT mission of the National Security Agency (NSA) shall be to provide an effective, unified organization and control of the communications intelligence activities of the United States conducted against foreign governments, to provide for integrated operational policies and procedures pertaining thereto. As used in this directive, the terms "communications intelligence" or "COMINT" shall be construed to mean all procedures and methods used in the interception of communications other than foreign press and propaganda broadcasts and the obtaining of information from such communications by other than intended recipients, but shall exclude censorship and the production and dissemination of finished intelligence.

both fail to mention "collection of data on US citizens on US soil."

So this guy decides to out the NSA for doing things outside of its given purview.  Good for him.  This is why we have whistle blower laws.

And if we could have just stopped there, I'd have been happy.  Well, not with the NSA, but with Snowden.

Instead, he then went and did this.

Guess what, Mr. Snowden, spying on the Chinese is the NSA's job.  What part of "conducted against foreign governments" did you not understand?

So, to recap for the NSA:

Spying on foreign governments:  Good

Spying on your own countrymen:  Bad

And for Mr. Snowden:

Ratting out illegal spying:  Patriotism

Ratting out legal spying:  Treason.

Of course, the root of the issue is this (also from the original charter):

The special nature of COMINT actives requires that they be treated in all respects as being outside the framework of other or general intelligence activities. Order, directives, policies, or recommendations of any authority of the Executive Branch relating to the collection, production, security, handling, dissemination, or utilization of intelligence, and/or classified material, shall not be applicable to COMINT actives, unless specifically so stated and issued by competent departmental of agency authority represented on the Board. Other National Security Council Intelligence Directive to the Director of Central Intelligence and related implementing directives issued by the Director of Central Intelligence shall be construed as non-applicable to COMINT activities, unless the National Security Council has made its directive specifically applicable to COMINT.

Yes, with one stroke of a pen, Harry S Truman managed to create a government agency with almost zero formal oversight.  One more thing to put on his list of bad ideas.

City planning

There's a joke in the world of laboratories that you know a microbiologist because he washes his hands before and after.

Which is why this sort of headline makes no sense to me in light of this sort of headline.

Notice that the second headline is from February of this year.  Four months ago, epidemiologists estimated a 46% increase in deaths this year than last from food borne illnesses.  And yet, Los Angeles thinks that doing the same thing will have different results.

It will.

San Fransisco Population: 812,000.

Los Angeles Population: 3,820,000.

I'm no mathematician, but it seems pretty reasonable that if there are 5 extra unnecessary deaths in a city of .8 million, there will be a correspondingly increased number of extra unnecessary deaths in a city of 3.8 million.

Especially since LA's waste management has never been regarded as exemplary, and isn't getting any better.

So, to recap, San Fransisco's planners trade 5 people's lives for a 0.6% decrease in litter, and now we all get to hope that Los Angeles is making a better deal.

V for Shenanigans

In college, the TTU RUF went to see the opening night of V for Vendetta. 

**Spoiler alert**

At the end of the movie, the protagonist has built up so much support that the thousands  turn out in support.

Flash mob!!!

Facing off against them is the UK ground forces.

Yes, the future British army issues off-the-rack paintball masks.  Budget cuts, what can you do?

Despite the dystopian start of the movie, the soldiers are unable to pull the trigger on the brave, unarmed civilians.  Everyone walks out of the theater feeling happy.

Except me.  I felt insulted.  Because I am an armchair historian, and the showdown depicted isn't a theoretical future conflict.  Oh, no, it has happened over and over again throughout history.  And guess what?  The soldiers always pull the trigger.

Yesterday marked the 24^th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre. Starting in April, thousands and thousands of pro-democracy protesters occupied the square for a month and a half.  Estimates are that by the end, one million people were in the square.

The photo above was circulated around the world.  The entire Western world was rooting for them.  But then, something happened.

The cameras went away.

Once the Chinese government had suppressed international media access, the soldiers arrived.  300,000 of them.

Now, I make no secret that I hate hippies.  "Student protester" automatically makes me think, "Get a job."  But there's a difference between the gutsy protesters of Tiananmen Square and the Occupiers of Wall Street.  Zuccotti Park was covered in trash at the end.

Tiananmen Square was covered in bodies.

Over a thousand demonstrators were gunned down over the course of two days.  More would be hunted down in the days to follow.

No one knows what happened to the man who stared down the tank.

This blog post will not be available in China.  Not that anyone actually reads this, least of all in China, but the inclusion of the picture above will make it filtered out by the Chinese government's search filters.  The cameras left in 1989, and they're still not allowed.  

The US State Department issued the following statement:

"We renew our call for the Chinese government to end harassment of those who participated in the protests and fully account for those killed, detained or missing."

The Chinese replied:

Foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the US should "stop interfering in China's internal affairs"

There’s no doubt that a demand by a US government agency to explain Tianamen is just as offensive as an equivalent Chinese agency taking the US to task for the Trail of Tears.  Or the Philippines.  Or Hoover's bonus army.  The US State Department has no business decrying another country's internal decisions and just needs to shut up.

But, the people of the world do need to remember.

Confession time:  I just now got around to watching Scream.  For a horror buff, that's pathetic.  However, it got me to thinking about the possibility of my daughters babysitting some day.

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Me:  "Okay, The Dot, big day.  Your first baby-sitting gig.  You ready?"

The Dot:  "Yes, Daddy."

Me:  "You sure?  You have everything?"

The Dot:  "Yes, Daddy."

Me:  "Cell phone?"

The Dot:  "Check."

Me:  "First aid kit?"

The Dot:  "Check."

Me:  "AED?"

The Dot:  "Check."

Me:  "Fire extinguisher?

The Dot:  "Check."

Me:  "Shotgun?"

The Dot:  "Check."

Me:  "Slugs and buck?"

The Dot:  "Check."

Me:  "Silver crucifix?"

The Dot:  "Check."

Me:  "Ash stakes?"

The Dot:  "Ash stakes, mirror, Molatovs, chainsaw, and Kevlar.  Check, check, check, check, and check."

Me:  "Trauma plates in that vest?"

The Dot:  "Daaaddddyyyyy."

Me:  "Okay, now remember what we went over."

The Dot (rolling eyes and sighing):  "No drinking, no boyfriend, zombie in the brain, vampire in the heart."

Me:  "And?"

The Dot:  "And if the slasher goes down, press the attack."

Me:  "And no matter what shows up?"

The Dot:  "Perforate, decapitate, and incinerate."

Me (kissing her forehead): "Good girl.  Have fun!"