American Power

Yes, Publishing #NSA Secrets Is a Crime

2013-06-17T18:50:00.000-07:00

From Marc Thiessen, at the Washington Post:

Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) sparked a firestorm last week with his suggestion that Glenn Greenwald, the Guardian reporter who exposed the National Security Agency’s terrorist surveillance activities, ought to be arrested before he can publish more U.S. secrets.

Greenwald responded that King wanted to prosecute him for “the crime of doing journalism.” Wrong. Greenwald’s crime is violating 18 USC § 798, which makes it a criminal act to publish classified information revealing government cryptography or communications intelligence.

The law is absolutely clear. It states: “Whoever knowingly and willfully communicates, furnishes, transmits, or otherwise makes available to an unauthorized person, or publishes, or uses in any manner prejudicial to the safety or interest of the United States or for the benefit of any foreign government to the detriment of the United States any classified information— (1) concerning the nature, preparation, or use of any code, cipher, or cryptographic system of the United States or any foreign government; or (2) concerning the design, construction, use, maintenance, or repair of any device, apparatus, or appliance used or prepared or planned for use by the United States or any foreign government for cryptographic or communication intelligence purposes; or (3) concerning the communication intelligence activities of the United States or any foreign government; or (4) obtained by the processes of communication intelligence from the communications of any foreign government, knowing the same to have been obtained by such processes— Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.”

Note that emphasis, which I added: The law specifically states that publishing, not just divulging, such information is a federal crime. Greenwald clearly violated this law (as did The Post, for that matter, when it published classified details of the NSA’s PRISM program).

As a matter of prosecutorial discretion, the Justice Department may choose not to charge The Post or Greenwald for these criminal acts. But it is neither outrageous nor incorrect for Peter King to state that they are criminal acts. Nor is it unreasonable for a federal lawmaker to argue that federal law should be enforced.

Continue reading.

I'm sure Greenwald's getting a good laugh out of this, but still, the law's the law. Maybe he should come back to the U.S. and take his chances?

'He messed with the wrong witch...'

2013-06-17T18:43:00.001-07:00

This story's something else, at London's Daily Mail, "Texas mother-of-six Dorothy Baker punches carjacker in the face and then RUNS HIM OVER."

Phenomenal New Kelly Brook Sunbathing Pics From Cancun

2013-06-17T18:30:00.001-07:00

I saw the cover of today's Sun on Twitter last night:

TODAY'S front page of THE SUN pic.twitter.com/8a9rVab4iW
— The Sun Newspaper (@TheSunNewspaper) June 17, 2013

But boy, I wasn't quite ready for this, man. See, "Kelly Mex waves."

London's Daily Mail did a whole lot of pixelating, "There's nothing she won't do for an all over tan! Kelly Brook goes topless as she soaks up the sun in Mexico."

And Egotastic!, well, not so much, "Kelly Brook Bikini Pictures! Full Frontal Cancun Heaping Goodness!"

Why Johnathon Carrington Fears Georgetown University

2013-06-17T18:10:00.000-07:00

This beautiful young man was valedictorian at his D.C. high school, Dunbar High, and he's afraid that as well as he's done, he could struggle when he starts at the university in the fall.

I read this story earlier on my iPhone. It's not just kids like this. I'm sure just about any decent kid who's done well in school is going to have some issues, but I can't help thinking about my students in Long Beach, many of whom have no clue what it takes to really excel at the university level.

At the Washington Post, "Graduates from low-performing D.C. schools face tough college road" (via Memeorandum):

Johnathon Carrington grew up on the sixth floor of a low-income D.C. apartment complex, a building most recently in the news for a drive-by shooting that injured 13.

His parents told him early on that education could be his escape, and Carrington took them at their word. He graduated Friday as the valedictorian of his neighborhood school, Dunbar High, and against all odds is headed to Georgetown University.

But Carrington, 17, is nervous, and so are his parents. What if Dunbar — where truancy is chronic and fewer than one-third of students are proficient in reading — didn’t prepare him for the rigors of college? What if he isn’t ready?

“I don’t think I’m going to fail everything,” Carrington said. “But I think I’m going to be a bit behind.”

It’s a valid concern. Past valedictorians of low-performing District high schools say their own transitions to college were eye-opening and at times ego-shattering, filled with revelations that — despite taking their public schools’ most difficult classes and acing them — they were not equipped to excel at the nation’s top colleges.

When these students arrived on campuses filled with students from high-flying suburban public schools and posh privates, they found a world vastly different from the one they knew in their urban high schools.

For Sache Collier, it meant writing her first research paper. For Darryl Robinson, it meant realizing that professors expected original ideas, not just regurgitated facts. For Angelica Wardell, who grew up going to school almost exclusively with African American students, it meant taking classes with whites and Asians.

And for many top D.C. graduates, it meant discarding the idea that school is easy...

Continue reading.

This last semester I had a woman email me after final grades were posted trying to argue that she deserved an "A-" for the class. She hadn't done well at all, but just being there counted for something, it turns out (and my paper assignment is a gimme, so she mistakenly thought that her grade on that was representative and should put her over the top). I'm not sure exactly where students get that mentality, although I know there's a lot of social promotion and grade inflation. It's sad too, since I've dumbed down my examinations after years of saying to myself that I wouldn't. And this young lady still couldn't pass my exams. But hey, she deserved an "A-" because she simply said she'd learned a lot. Wow. I gotta get out of this business soon.

Sharyl Attkisson Discusses Computer Privacy Breach on 'CBS This Morning'

2013-06-17T16:35:00.000-07:00

The background is here, "Forensic Analysis Confirms Sharyl Attkisson Computer Hacked."

Added: At I'm 41, "Sharyl Attkisson on O’Reilly: I Know Who Hacked Into My Computers – (June 17, 2013)."

Catching Up on the Guardian's #Snowden Reporting

2013-06-17T16:30:00.000-07:00

There's a lot of news today, and good bet none of it's hurting the Guardian's bottom line.

From the main edition this morning, "GCHQ intercepted foreign politicians' communications at G20 summits."

Also, "Edward Snowden says US government has destroyed his chance of a fair trial," and "Edward Snowden Q&A: Dick Cheney traitor charge is 'the highest honor'."

I'll have more...

Belfast Teenager Hannah Nelson Upstages President Obama at G-8 Summit

2013-06-17T13:00:00.000-07:00

Good for her.

At Metro UK, "G8: Schoolgirl Hannah Nelson steals show before Barack Obama speech."

Megyn Kelly, Michelle Malkin Slam Idiot CBS News Anchor Scott Pelley

2013-06-17T12:40:00.000-07:00

At Liberty Unyielding, "CBS News’s Scott Pelley ludicrously asserts Fox News has 200K to 300K viewers."

Also at Deadline, "‘CBS Evening News’ Anchor Scott Pelley On Making Mistakes And Why Cable News Doesn’t Matter As Much As We Think."

And here's Megyn and Michelle, which I saw live this morning:

Everybody's Laughing at Miss Utah Marissa Powell

2013-06-17T12:25:00.003-07:00

And the Other McCain has it.

See, "If We ‘Create Education Better,’ People Might Learn the Wage Gap Is a Myth."

Actually, I was pulling for the eventual winner Miss Connecticut. And Politico has that, "Miss USA Erin Brady talks SCOTUS ruling to take crown."

And LAT snarks on it, "Miss Utah flub steals spotlight from Miss USA winner Erin Brady."

Bonus bikinis for you here:

Nicole Neal for Front Magazine

2013-06-17T12:15:00.000-07:00

Via Twitter:

I think I have should have shares in @OceanBeachIbiza the amount of times I'm been there this year 😂 pic.twitter.com/aAMi4x4M4i
— Nicole Neal (@MissNicoleNeal) June 13, 2013

And at Front, "IT’S A BIRD! IT’S A PLANE! IT’S FRONT 182!"

Also at Egotastic!, "Nicole Neal Supergirl Pictures Continue to Fly In."

Idiot Pam Spaulding Shuts Down 'House Blend' After Nine Years of Inane, Homo-Obsessed Rantings

2013-06-17T07:00:00.000-07:00

Epic fail-blogger Pam Spaulding has thrown in the towel. The whiny LBGT bitch couldn't even make it after Jane Hamsher generously took her under her wings, providing free hosting and support.

And now Spaulding just blabbers on like a beached whale about how impossible it would be for her to continue. Cry me a freakin' river.

See, "Goodbye Pam’s House Blend: after nine years, closing the coffeehouse July 1."

Disgusting Troll Rights Harassment Blogger Continues Lying About Years-Long Campaign of Intimidation

2013-06-17T01:00:00.000-07:00

Walter James Casper III is an ultimate hate troll and a liar.

After launching an attack blog close to five years ago ("American Nihilist") he assembled a team of hard left online stalkers to foment a campaign of intimidation and harassment. This included Casper personally allowing my workplace contact information to be posted at his blog, with exhortations for radicals to contact my employer in attempts so harass, interfere with, and terminate my employment at the college. Casper himself was told to cease and desist from commenting at this blog Apr 23, 2010. He himself announced that he would never abide by my wishes as long as I was writing about him. That is, he claimed a "right" to comment on someone else's blog without permission. The courts in Maryland have just ruled that Kimberlin-associated harassment troll Bill Schmalfeldt is prohibited from contacting blogger John Hoge in any form of communication, online or in person. Walter James Casper III is essentially a brother-from-another-mother to Bill Schmalfeldt. For some deranged reason he continues to claim that he has a right to comment on this blog. But as John Hoge has shown, once a person has demanded an antagonist to cease and desist continued communications are subject to criminal liability.

On April 23, 2010, I wrote, "Repsac3 Banned from American Power":

I rarely ban radical leftist commentators from American Power. Mostly, I'll moderate or disable comments if I don't feel like dealing with their stupidity (James B. Webb is a case in point). Mostly, I have fun with them for the sheer hilarity of it, and for the epistemological heuristic utility of obliterating the mindless left-wing/socialist ideological claptrap. And as we see time and again, leftists never seriously engage on point, but rather demonize, ridicule, and attack as racist as part of their ongoing program of intolerance and radical totalitarianism. I will continue to debunk and deflect all of this, since that's what I do. And I'll also continue the periodic back-and-forth blog wars as long as there's some fun or learning in it. But Repsac3's nothing more than the devil's frontman, and I've had enough. He's welcomed here no longer.

Obsessed hate troll Repsac3 then immediately wrote a blog post announcing:

As long as Donald Douglas is posting a public blog that accepts comments, I'm going to continue to comment on what he posts, whenever and wherever I choose.

And to this day he continues to claim a right to comment on this blog. He is an ultimate troll-rights harassment freak.

Harassment laws vary by state, but harassment is universally defined as continued unwanted communications and contacts "after the harasser has been told to cease." I wrote about this in February 2012, "Intent to Annoy and the Fascist Hate-Blogging Campaign of Walter James Casper III."

Hate-blogger and troll rights harasser Walter James Casper III has been told repeatedly and unequivocally to stop commenting at this blog; to stop contacting me personally by email; and to stop contacting my employer through his blog's postings with the intent to cause the termination of my employment.

Repsac3 continues to run his hate-blog even after virtually all his hate-henchmen have been beaten back and exposed as homosexuals, perverts, and criminal harassers.

Repsac3 is a loser. He and Bill Schmalfeldt are perfect no neckline fat-ass brothers-from-different-mothers.

Get a life asshole.

You are banned and your continued harassment is criminally prohibited.

Janet Napolitano Denies Existence of 'Orwellian State'

2013-06-17T00:45:00.000-07:00

At Daley Gator, "Janet Napolitano: You have nothing to fear over the government spying on you?"

Budget-Strapped University of California Squanders Millions on Mindless Diversity Programs

2013-06-17T00:30:00.000-07:00

From Heather Mac Donald, at City Journal, "Multiculti U.":

It’s impossible to overstate the extent to which the diversity ideology has encroached upon UC’s collective psyche and mission. No administrator, no regent, no academic dean or chair can open his mouth for long without professing fealty to diversity. It is the one constant in every university endeavor; it impinges on hiring, distorts the curriculum, and sucks up vast amounts of faculty time and taxpayer resources. The university’s budget problems have not touched it. In September 2012, for instance, as the university system faced the threat of another $250 million in state funding cuts on top of the $1 billion lost since 2007, UC San Diego hired its first vice chancellor for equity, diversity, and inclusion. This new diversocrat would pull in a starting salary of $250,000, plus a relocation allowance of $60,000, a temporary housing allowance of $13,500, and the reimbursement of all moving expenses. (A pricey but appropriately “diverse” female-owned executive search firm had found this latest diversity accretion.) In May 2011, UCLA named a professional bureaucrat with a master’s degree in student-affairs administration as its first assistant dean for “campus climate,” tasked with “maintaining the campus as a safe, welcoming, respectful place,” in the words of UCLA’s assistant vice chancellor and dean of students. In December 2010, UC San Francisco appointed its first vice chancellor of diversity and outreach—with a starting salary of $270,000—to create a “diverse and inclusive environment,” announced UC San Francisco chancellor Susan Desmond-Hellmann. Each of these new posts is wildly redundant with the armies of diversity functionaries already larding UC’s bloated bureaucracy.

RTWT.

Black Sabbath Tops Album Charts With '13'

2013-06-17T00:15:00.001-07:00

At Telegraph UK, "Black Sabbath score first number one in 43 years":

They have waited nearly half a century for their big comeback but rock band Black Sabbath have shown musical “craft” can still beat “manufactured” pop.

The band has broken the record for the longest gap between number ones in the UK charts, as their album 13 reached the top this weekend.

It is their first studio album in 35 years, reaching number one an unprecedented 43 years after their last hit.

Ozzy Osbourne, the band’s singer now known for his reality TV show, has hailed the unexpected success and hinted it was an indictment of the industry today.

Saying the band “know our craft”, he condemned modern music as “all manufactured b------“.

“I'm in shock,” he said. “The success of this album has blown me off my feet. We've never had a record climb the charts so fast."

Continue reading.

Also at WaPo, "Black Sabbath to release new album, embark on world tour."

And at Rolling Stone, "Album Review: Black Sabbath, '13'."

The Other McCain Has Now Banned Bill Schmalfeldt From Posting

2013-06-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

That's at Hogewash, "Is #BillSchmalfeldt Appealing?"

And linked there is R.S. McCain, "Imaginary ‘Rights’ You Don’t Have, You Sad and Disgusting Troll, Bill Schmalfeldt."

Yeah, don't let those f-kers use your own comments to harass you.

Asshole leftist trolls.

PREVIOUSLY: "Freedom to Blog Update: June 15, 2013."

Nigella Lawson Attacked by Husband Charles Saatchi at Scott's Restaurant in Mayfair

2013-06-16T21:00:00.000-07:00

Here's the report at the Mirror UK, "Nigella Lawson 'attacked' by husband: See shocking pictures of Charles Saatchi repeatedly squeezing TV chef's throat."

She is the nicest lady. I can't believe she was even with a man like that. She obviously doesn't need him. More here, "Nigella Lawson and Charles Saatchi: Fan fury at shock pictures of terrifying meal bust-up."

And at Metro UK, "Nigella Lawson ‘moves out over Charles Saatchi attack’."

Plus, at London's Daily Mail, "The torment of Nigella: Police probe after husband 'attacks' her in restaurant."

And at Telegraph UK, "Nigella 'assault’ sparks domestic violence debate."

Sunday Cartoons

2013-06-16T16:10:00.003-07:00

At Flopping Aces, "Sunday Funnies."

Also at Reaganite, "Reaganite's SUNDAY FUNNIES," and Theo Spark, "Happy Father's Day."

And at Randy's Roundtable, "Friday Nite Funnies."

Plus, at Legal Insurrection, "Branco Cartoon – Don’t Be Evil."

Cartoon Credit: William Warren.

Dabbling in Syria

2013-06-16T15:30:00.000-07:00

At the Wall Street Journal, "Obama arms the rebels, but not enough to defeat Assad and his patrons" (via Google):

It took two years, 93,000 casualties, the use of chemical weapons, and the growing prospect of victory by strongman Bashar Assad and his Iranian patrons, but President Obama has finally decided to arm the Syrian rebels. We'd say better late than never, but the question now is whether Mr. Obama is going to do just enough to prevent a rebel defeat but not nearly enough to help them win.

The official justification for the policy switch is the Administration's new confidence that Assad's forces have used sarin gas against the rebels. "The President has said that the use of chemical weapons would change his calculus, and it has," said deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes on Thursday evening.

This epiphany was also long in coming, following solid intelligence findings weeks ago from Britain and France. The White House now says U.S. intelligence has confirmed that Syrian forces used the nerve agent sarin "on a small scale" but "multiple times in the last year," according to Mr. Rhodes. Sarin has killed an estimated 100 to 150 people, including an attack in the Aleppo suburb of Khan al-Assal on March 19, and as recently as May 23 in Adra in eastern Damascus.

This puts Assad in some rare and despicable historical company for having used chemicals in warfare, including his old Baath Party comrade Saddam Hussein in Iraq against the Kurds. This also fingers Assad's main benefactors, Russia and Iran, as abettors of the world's latest user of WMD.

The Kremlin responded on Friday by calling the U.S. evidence "unconvincing," but that is a non-denial denial. Like Iran, Russia is providing Syria with weapons, military advisers and diplomatic cover at the United Nations, and it can't have been blind to reports of sarin use. We trust Mr. Obama will bring the point up when he meets one-on-one with Vladimir Putin at next week's G-8 summit. If he doesn't, Mr. Putin won't take him seriously.

Mr. Obama's sudden policy change was also no doubt driven by the fact that Assad's forces have the rebels on the run. Thousands of Hezbollah fighters crossed the border from Lebanon, at Iran's request, to help the Syrian military take back the strategic town of Qusayr last week. Their sights are now on rebel-held Aleppo, Syria's commercial capital.

No doubt it was a coincidence, but on Thursday morning Bill Clinton was quoted by Politico as saying in a private meeting that Mr. Obama risked looking like a "wuss" and a "fool" for failing to act in Syria and then saying public opinion wouldn't have supported U.S. intervention. Mr. Obama may want to avoid involvement in Syria, but he also wants to avoid responsibility for the slaughter of the rebels and a strategic victory for Iran, Russia, Assad and Hezbollah. So just as he intervened in Libya only as Gadhafi's forces descended on Benghazi, so he turned at the last minute here...

RTWT.

Man, this president is the f-king worst.

PREVIOUSLY: "Mideast Escalation: Iran to Send 4,000 Revolutionary Guards to Bolster Assad in Syria."

Activist or Journalist? Glenn Greenwald Defends His Role in Snowden Surveillance Leaks

2013-06-16T14:25:00.000-07:00

I only applaud Greenwald for his consistency. He's generally vile otherwise.

Mostly, though, I love how he's putting a spotlight on the radical left's hypocrisy.

See NewsBusters, "Greenwald Slams Media for Backing Obama's Domestic Surveillance When They Opposed Bush's."

Bob Schieffer: Edward Snowden 'Is No Hero...'

2013-06-16T14:00:00.000-07:00

Yeah, time to face the music for the little freakin' traitor boy.

Bob Schieffer has little patience:

Crackdown in Istanbul

2013-06-16T13:15:00.000-07:00

At the Wall Street Journal, "Crackdown to Clear Istanbul Park."

And at Telegraph UK, "Turkish police clear park as protesters regroup."

And check Claire Berlinski on Twitter for updates.

ADDED: William Jacbonson has an excellent post, "Turkish protests — Erdogan supporters joyously bused in, opponents gassed and beaten."

Rule 5 Father's Day

2013-06-16T12:30:00.000-07:00

I left off Proof Positive from my roundup yesterday, so let's get this party started with some of Proof's links.

See, "Best of the Web* Linkaround," and "Friday Night Babe – Shannon Richardson."

And see 90Miles From Tyranny, "Girls With Guns," and "Late Night Ladies."

And at Knuckledraggin', "Your Good Morning Girl," and "For Irish."

Now, from Bob Belvedere, "Rule 5 Saturday: Dalia Dayze."

Also, from Gator Doug, "DaleyGator DaleyBabe Bre Tiesi."

Pirate's Cove has his "Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup," and "If All You See……is horrible CO2 infused beer causing the Antarctic to get colder which causes the planet to boil, you might just be a Warmist."

Soylent Green has hot "Afternooner: Ashley," and "Afternooner Twofer."

And check A View from the Beach, "Rule 5 Saturday - Rebecca Romijn."

Also at Reaganite, "Guess Who Contacted Me re. That Recent 'Miss Honduras - Jennifer Andrade' Post?"

Check The Last Tradition, "Rule 5 Saturday: Lauren Bacall."

More at Drunken Stepfather, "FORMER MISS USA WINNERS NAKED FOR PETA OF THE DAY."

And at Egotastic!, "Vanessa Hudgens Ever So Sweetly Black and White Hot in Bra and Panties."

And at Animal Magnetism, "Why A Man Should Never Bet on a Pool Game When He’s Playing Against a Hot Redhead," and "Saturday Asian Invasion."

Also from EBL, "Paige Butcher Rule 5."

And at Barking Moonbat EWS, "ATTENTION GETTER."

At First Street Journal, "Rule 5 Blogging: United States Marines."

And at Good Stuff, "GOODSTUFF'S BLOGGING MAGAZINE (106th Issue)."

One more time with Woodersterman's, "Being Blonder ~ OR ~ Rule 5 Woodsterman Style."

Okay, that was one hella roundup.

If you're not linked drop your babes in the comments and I'll update ASAP.

Have a Happy Father's Day, tweeps!

Sarah Palin's Speech to Faith and Freedom Coalition

2013-06-16T10:50:00.000-07:00

At the Washington Post, "Sarah Palin at Faith and Freedom conference: 'Let Allah sort it out' in Syria, Middle East."

Former Vice President Dick Cheney Slams #NSA Leaker Edward Snowden as a 'Traitor'

2013-06-16T10:25:00.000-07:00

Well, count on old Dick to lay it out there the way it is...

At the Hill, "Cheney calls Snowden a ‘traitor,’ defends NSA surveillance programs." (Via Memeorandum.)