Russian Ships Near Data Cables Are Too Close for U.S. Comfort

/1 Comment/in , /by

Russian submarines and spy ships are aggressively operating near the vital undersea cables that carry almost all global Internet communications, raising concerns among some American military and intelligence officials that the Russians might be planning to attack those lines in times of tension or conflict.

The issue goes beyond old worries during the Cold War that the Russians would tap into the cables — a task American intelligence agencies also mastered decades ago. The alarm today is deeper: The ultimate Russian hack on the United States could involve severing the fiber-optic cables at some of their hardest-to-access locations to halt the instant communications on which the West’s governments, economies and citizens have grown dependent.

While there is no evidence yet of any cable cutting, the concern is part of a growing wariness among senior American and allied military and intelligence officials over the accelerated activity by Russian armed forces around the globe. At the same time, the internal debate in Washington illustrates how the United States is increasingly viewing every Russian move through a lens of deep distrust, reminiscent of relations during the Cold War.

Inside the Pentagon and the nation’s spy agencies, the assessments of Russia’s growing naval activities are highly classified and not publicly discussed in detail. American officials are secretive about what they are doing both to monitor the activity and to find ways to recover quickly if cables are cut. But more than a dozen officials confirmed in broad terms that it had become the source of significant attention in the Pentagon. (Read more from “Russian Ships Near Data Cables Are Too Close for U.S. Comfort” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Pope, Ending Synod, Excoriates Bishops With ‘Closed Hearts’

/6 Comments/in , /by

Pope Francis, ending a contentious bishops’ meeting on family issues, on Saturday excoriated immovable Church leaders who “bury their heads in the sand” and hide behind rigid doctrine while families suffer.

The pope spoke at the end of a three-week gathering, known as a synod, where the bishops agreed to a qualified opening toward divorcees who have remarried outside the Church but rejected calls for more welcoming language toward homosexuals.

It was the latest in a series of admonitions to bishops by the pontiff, who has stressed since his election in 2013 that the 1.2 billion-member Church should be open to change, side with the poor and rid itself of the pomp and stuffiness that has alienated so many Catholics.

In his final address, the pope appeared to criticize ultra-conservatives, saying Church leaders should confront difficult issues “fearlessly, without burying our heads in the sand.”

He said the synod had “laid bare the closed hearts which frequently hide even behind the Church’s teachings or good intentions, in order to sit in the chair of Moses and judge, sometimes with superiority and superficiality, difficult cases and wounded families”. (Read more from “Pope, Ending Synod, Excoriates Bishops With ‘Closed Hearts'” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Taiwanese Woman Gives Birth on Plane Diverted to Alaska – Here’s the Possible Reason Why

/4 Comments/in , /by

A Taiwanese woman who gave birth on a flight to the U.S. in what may have been an attempt to give her baby American citizenship could face a hefty bill for forcing the plane to divert to Alaska.

The insurance firm of China Airlines will decide whether to ask the unnamed passenger to cover the cost of the stopover to ensure the health of her baby, airline media affairs staffer Weni Lee said Friday. The flight made an emergency landing en route from Taipei to Los Angeles on Oct. 8.

Taiwanese media have estimated the bill at $33,000, although the airline said its insurer is still calculating the cost.

The local media have widely reported that the woman evidently wanted to give the child American citizenship. Taiwan’s China Times newspaper’s website said that, before giving birth, she repeatedly asked the cabin crew, “Are we in U.S. air space?” . . .

Alaska state officials say the baby is eligible for U.S. citizenship. A baby born in flight has the right to be a U.S. citizen if that is where the child first arrives, even if born in international air space, said Susan Morgan, spokeswoman for the Alaska Department of Social Services. (Read more from “Taiwanese Woman Gives Birth on Plane Diverted to Alaska – Here’s the Possible Reason Why” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

British Expert: Cyber Hackers Are GREATER Threat to Security Than Nuclear Weapons

/0 Comments/in , /by

Dr Sally Leivesley, a former Home Office scientific adviser, said rogue states such as North Korea are already developing technology that can infiltrate defense systems and shut down power grids.

Her warning follows the huge data hack on TalkTalk that has hit four million customers who face having their bank accounts drained and personal details stolen.

Russian “cyberjihadists” have claimed responsibility for the attack although the true perpetrators remain unknown.

There is a suspicion the Russian government sponsored the attack on telecoms giant TalkTalk and stolen data has been passed on for espionage use.

Dr Leivesley wants to see a team of international observers set up to monitor cyber technology in the same way they monitor nuclear armaments. (Read more from “Cyber Hackers Are GREATER Threat to UK Security Than Nuclear Weapons” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

ISIS Beware: Game Changer ‘Insect’ Drone Will Spy on ISIS – for 90 Days Straight

/1 Comment/in , /by

The Zephyr UAV will eventually stay airborne for 90 days.

It has been described as a potential “game changer” in the battle against extremists in Iraq and Syria.

Makers of The Zephyr, Airbus, claim it “endures like a satellite, focuses like an aircraft and is cheaper than both of them”.

A model was on show at the Defence and Security Equipment International show at ExCel in London and members of the Royal Corps of Signals have put it through its paces.

An early version has already stayed airborne for a record 14 days. (Read more from “ISIS Beware: Game Changer ‘Insect’ Drone Allows MoD to Spy on ISIS – for 90 Days Straight” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

NYC Police Union Calls for Tarantino Boycott After Anti-Cop Rally

/2 Comments/in , /by

The city’s police union is calling for a boycott of Quentin Tarantino films after the “Pulp Fiction’’ director took part in an anti-cop rally less than a week after an officer was killed on the job.

“When I see murders, I do not stand by . . . I have to call the murderers the murderers,” the director — notorious for his violent movies — told a crowd of protesters in Washington Square Park on Saturday, adding that cops are too often “murderers.”

Patrick Lynch, president of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, lashed out against the “Reservoir Dogs” auteur Sunday.

“It’s no surprise that someone who makes a living glorifying crime and violence is a cop-hater, too,” Lynch said in a statement.

“The police officers that Quentin Tarantino calls ‘murderers’ aren’t living in one of his depraved big-screen fantasies — they’re risking and sometimes sacrificing their lives to protect communities from real crime and mayhem. (Read more from “NYC Police Union Calls for Tarantino Boycott After Anti-Cop Rally” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Quarterback Flagged for Praising Jesus After Touchdown

/2 Comments/in , /by

Late in the first half of Mexico Central Academy’s regular-season football finale at Vernon-Verona-Sherrill on Saturday, Tigers’ quarterback Dante Turo took a snap from center and bolted 73 yards for a touchdown.

As he crossed the goal line well ahead of any V-V-S defenders, Turo, a devout Christian, raised his right arm and pointed skyward. He also held the football up with his left hand.

“I was just trying to give glory to God,” Turo said Tuesday.

Instead of signalling a touchdown, an official standing on the goal line reached into his back pocket and tossed up a yellow penalty flag.

The call: Turo was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, for taunting, said Mexico head coach Tee Murabito, who questioned the call. (Read more from “Quarterback Flagged for Praising Jesus After Touchdown” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Where Is the Left’s Outrage? Obama Kills Bill to Save Battle Hero Dogs

/12 Comments/in , /by

Seven award-winning service, police, and military dogs descended upon Capitol Hill to lobby Congress in support of the National Defense Authorization Act this week.

The dogs, who had all recently been honored at the American Humane Association’s (AHA) Hero Dog Awards, appeared before an overflow crowd that included congressmen from both parties at the Cannon House office building. Their owners and handlers spoke on their behalf, advocating for a number of issues including adoption of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The act, which includes a provision ensuring military dogs are returned to the United States at the end of their service, was vetoed by President Obama over funding concerns.

The bill was passed with large bipartisan majorities in both houses of Congress. The vote was 270-156 in the House of Representatives and 70-27 in the Senate. If those numbers hold, the Senate would be able to override the veto, but the numbers in the House would require representatives to switch their vote.

AHA said they were targeting 12 congressmen in particular.

“We’re down to 12 members in the House to override the veto threat that President Obama has made,” AHA president Robin Ganzert said. “So if we can get to those 12 members and make sure they support the NDAA with the possible veto threat then our military dog legislation we have been fighting for more than a year will become reality.” (Read more from “Where Is the Left’s Outrage? Obama Kills Bill to Save Battle Hero Dogs” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Benghazi Hero’s Dad Reveals Bombshell Document That Could PROVE Hillary Lied [+video]

/12 Comments/in , /by

By F. Peter Brown. New records made public indicate that Hillary Clinton said privately from the start that Benghazi was not caused by the obscure anti-Islamic film she talked about publicly.

Now, the father of a former Navy SEAL who died defending the complex has proof that Clinton lied to victims’ families in the wake of the attack.

Charles Woods, father of former Navy SEAL Ty Woods, shared with Fox News the diary notes he took after the September 14, 2012 ceremony when the bodies of the four Americans killed in the attack were flown back to the United States.

The entry reads: “I gave Hillary a hug and shook her hand. And she said we are going to have the film maker arrested who was responsible for the death of my son” . . .

Woods told Fox News: “She said — the filmmaker who was responsible for the death of your son.”

He then stated: “She wasn’t saying the failed foreign policy that I was responsible for. It wasn’t her taking the blame for it. It says we are going to place the responsibility on the death of your son on the filmmaker.” (Read more from “Benghazi Hero’s Dad Reveals Bombshell Document That Could PROVE Hillary Lied” HERE)

________________________________

Mother of Benghazi Victim BLASTS Hillary Clinton on CNN

By Onan Coca. In a heart-wrenching segment on CNN Wednesday Patricia Smith, the mother of the slain Benghazi consulate employee Sean Smith, appeared on CNN’s Newsroom to discuss Hillary Clinton’s impending testimony before Congress. The first question that CNN’s Carol Costello asked set the tone of Smith’s interview. Costello wondered what Smith was hoping to hear from Clinton on Thursday.

“Answers. Why did my son die? Why did Hillary choose what she chose? How come she made such bad decisions that my son and the ambassador and the other two guys got killed? There’s a whole bunch of questions I have. I need her to make some answers.”

The interview quickly recedes downhill as Smith reveals the fact that over the last three years all she has heard from Clinton or the State Department have been lies and misinformation and she is tried of it. Smith offers her deepest condemnation of Clinton after Costello played a clip of Hillary Clinton angrily defying Congress and asking “What difference at this point does it make?” . . .

Smith’s obviously heartbroken response?

“She’s lying! She’s absolutely lying! She told me something entirely different at the casket ceremony. She said it was because of the video and that she would get back to me and tell me what happened with my son.”

(Read more from “Mother of Benghazi Victim BLASTS Hillary Clinton on CNN” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

A New Material Promises NSA-Proof Wallpaper

/0 Comments/in , /by

Your next tinfoil hat will won’t be made of tinfoil. A small company called Conductive Composites out of Utah has developed a flexible material — thin and tough enough for wallpaper or woven fabric — that can keep electronic emissions in and electromagnetic pulses out.

There are a few ways to snoop on electronic communications. You can hack into a network or you can sniff out radio emissions. If you want to defend against the latter, you can enclose your electronic device or devices within a structure of electrically conductive, (probably metallic) material. The result is something like a force field. The conductive material distributes the electromagnetic energy away from the target in every direction — think of the *splat* you get when you hurl a tomato at a wall. These enclosures are sometimes called Faraday cages after the 18th-century British scientist who discovered electrolysis.

Today, Faraday cages are all over the place. In 2013, as the College of Cardinals convened to elect a new Pope, the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel was converted into a Faraday cage so that news of the election couldn’t leak out, no matter how hard the paparazzi tried, and how eager the cardinals were to tweet the proceedings. The military also uses Faraday cages for secure communications: Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities or SCIFs are Faraday cages. You’ll need to be in one to access the Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communication System, or JWICS, the Defense Department’s top-secret internet . . .

The material also holds promise for a scalable defense against an electromagnetic pulse weapon. EMPs are a rising concern for the national security community, but not a new one. Soviet research into electromagnetic pulse weapons goes back to 1949, and active experimentation back to the 1970s. EMPs entered the public eye via the 2005 James Bond movie GoldenEye, in which an EMP caused massive blackouts and widespread fried electronics. Two years later, Army Lt. Gen. Robert Schweitzer testified before the House Joint Economic Committee that such weapons might help fulfill Sun Tzu’s dictum to conquer an enemy without fighting. “If you can take out the civilian economic infrastructure of a nation, then that nation, in addition to not being able to function internally, cannot deploy its military by air or sea, or supply them with any real effectiveness,” he said. Translation: EMPs offer all the victory at a fraction of the cost. (Read more from “A New Material Promises NSA-Proof Wallpaper” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.