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Hissyspit

Hissyspit's Journal
Hissyspit's Journal
May 30, 2014

NSA, Snowden Clash Over 2013 Internal Email Release

Source: Reuters

NSA, Snowden clash over 2013 internal email release

By Warren Strobel

WASHINGTON | Thu May 29, 2014 9:21pm EDT

By Warren Strobel

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An email exchange released on Thursday shows Edward Snowden questioned the U.S. National Security Agency's legal training programs, but provides no evidence the former contractor complained internally about vast NSA surveillance programs that he later leaked to the media.

Snowden responded in an email to the Washington Post that the release by U.S. officials "is incomplete."

- snip -

"Many, many of these individuals were shocked by these programs," Snowden said, adding that he was advised: "If you say something about this, they're going to destroy you."

The emails were first released by the office of Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

- snip -

Snowden told the Post there were other emails "and not just on this topic. I’m glad they’ve shown they have access to records they claimed just a few months ago did not exist, and I hope we’ll see the rest of them very soon." The email exchange appears to be the first internal communication by Snowden, while he was working for the NSA, to be released publicly.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN0E92DK20140530

May 29, 2014

Obama Defends Controversial Policy Of Not Invading Countries For No Reason

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/borowitzreport/2014/05/obama-defends-controversial-policy-of-not-invading-countries-for-no-reason.html

OBAMA DEFENDS CONTROVERSIAL POLICY OF NOT INVADING COUNTRIES FOR NO REASON

May 28, 2014
OBAMA DEFENDS CONTROVERSIAL POLICY OF NOT INVADING COUNTRIES FOR NO REASON

Posted By Andy Borowitz

WEST POINT (The Borowitz Report)—President Obama raised eyebrows with his West Point commencement address Wednesday by offering a defense of his controversial foreign-policy doctrine of not invading countries for no reason.

Conservative critics were taken aback by Obama’s speech, which was riddled with incendiary remarks about only using military force for a clearly identified and rational purpose.

Obama did not shy away from employing polarizing rhetoric, often using words such as “responsible” and “sensible” to underscore his message.

Harland Dorrinson, a fellow at the conservative think tank the Center for Global Intervention, said that he was “stunned” to see Obama “defend his failure to engage the United States in impulsive and random military adventures.”

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May 28, 2014

Official: Pings Not From FL 370's Black Boxes

Source: CNN

CNN Breaking News - Pings at center of Flight 370 search no longer thought to have come from black boxes, U.S. Navy official says.

Official: pings not from FL 370's black boxes

updated 6:28 PM EDT 05.28.14

By Rene Marsh and Mike M. Ahlers, CNN

MH370 search goes back to square one

(CNN) - The four acoustic pings at the center of the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 for the past seven weeks are no longer believed to have come from the plane's black boxes, a U.S. Navy official told CNN.


The acknowledgment came Wednesday as searchers wrapped up the first phase of their effort, having scanned 329 square miles of southern Indian Ocean floor without finding any wreckage from the Boeing 777-200.

Authorities now almost universally believe the pings did not come from the onboard data or cockpit voice recorders, but instead came from some other man-made source unrelated to the jetliner that disappeared on March 8, according to Michael Dean, the Navy's deputy director of ocean engineering.

If the pings had come from the recorders, searchers would have found them, he said.

Dean said "yes" when asked if other countries involved in the search had reached the same conclusions.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/28/world/asia/malaysia-airlines-pinging/

May 26, 2014

Breaking: Nigeria Army 'Knows Where Boko Haram Are Holding Girls'

Source: BBC News

@AP: BREAKING: Nigerian defense chief says military has located abducted girls but cannot go in with force.

@BreakingNews: Nigerian military say they know where schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram in April are but cannot make it public - @BBCBreaking, @AP

Nigeria army 'knows where Boko Haram are holding girls'

8 minutes ago

The Nigerian military say they know where the girls kidnapped by Boko Haram are but they will not attempt a rescue.

Nigeria's Chief of Defence Staff said it was "good news for the parents," although he admitted the military would not risk "going there with force."

- snip -

Earlier, the BBC learned that a deal to release some of the girls was close but was called off by the government.

The BBC's Will Ross in Abuja says an intermediary met leaders of the Islamist group and visited the place where they were being held.

Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-27582873#TWEET1139617

May 24, 2014

7 Dead in Drive-By Shooting Near UC Santa Barbara

Source: Associated Press

@AP: BREAKING: Santa Barbara sheriff: 7 killed, including attacker, in shooting rampage near college campus

7 DEAD IN DRIVE-BY SHOOTING NEAR UC SANTA BARBARA

May. 24, 2014 6:39 AM EDT

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) — Authorities say seven people are dead and seven wounded in a drive-by shooting in a student enclave next to the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown said the dead in Friday night's rampage in the Isla Vista neighborhood included the suspected attacker who was driving a black BMW. Brown had earlier said the suspect exchanged gunfire with deputies before crashing into a parked car.

He said he didn't know whether the suspect was shot by deputies, or if his wound was self-inflicted.

The circumstances surrounding the shootings were under investigation.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/3-dead-drive-shooting-near-uc-santa-barbara

May 24, 2014

Court Documents: Steubenville Superintendent Wiped Hard Drives, Lied to Investigators

Source: Associated Press

@AP: Court documents say Steubenville superintendent wiped hard drives, lied to investigators about rape allegations: http://t.co/32v8ecVZbq

OHIO SCHOOLS CHIEF ACCUSED OF DESTROYING EVIDENCE

By MARK GILLISPIE
— May. 23, 2014 7:44 PM EDT

CLEVELAND (AP) — The superintendent of the eastern Ohio district where two high school football players were found guilty of rape in a high-profile case last year wiped computer hard drives, erased emails and lied to investigators about his knowledge of the allegations against the boys, newly released court documents say.

The filing Thursday came in the case against Steubenville superintendent Michael McVey, 51, who has pleaded not guilty to felony counts of tampering with evidence and obstructing justice, and misdemeanor counts of falsification and obstructing official business.

The charges stem from an investigation of McVey's actions after he learned of the allegations in 2012 made by a 16-year-old West Virginia girl against the two members of the storied Steubenville High football team, one of whom was the team's quarterback. The teens eventually were found guilty in juvenile court and were sent to youth detention centers and classified as sex offenders.

The case drew national attention in part because of the role of texting and social media in exposing the attack, which led to allegations that authorities were covering up the actions of football players.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ohio-schools-chief-accused-destroying-evidence

May 21, 2014

Pennsylvania Won't Appeal Same-Sex Marriage Case

Source: Associated Press

PENNSYLVANIA WON'T APPEAL SAME-SEX MARRIAGE CASE

By MARC LEVY
— May. 21, 2014 3:14 PM EDT

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Same-sex marriage won a second victory in two days in Pennsylvania, as the governor said Wednesday that he will not appeal a court decision that struck down the state's ban.

Gov. Tom Corbett's decision Wednesday means that same-sex marriage will remain legal in Pennsylvania, without the threat that a higher court will reinstate the ban.

"The case is extremely unlikely to succeed on appeal," Corbett said in a statement. "Therefore, after review of the opinion and on the advice of my commonwealth legal team, I have decided not to appeal."

On Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge John Jones III struck down Pennsylvania's 1996 law banning recognition of gay marriage, calling it unconstitutional. One widow, 11 couples and one couple's teenage daughters had sued.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/pennsylvania-wont-appeal-same-sex-marriage-case

May 21, 2014

Obama: 80 US Troops in Chad Seeking Abducted Girls

Source: Associated Press

@Reuters: The White House says U.S. deployed 80 armed forces personnel to Chad in search for missing Nigerian girls. #breaking

#BREAKING 80 US Marines deploy to Chad in hunt for Nigerian girls
3:19pm - 21 May 14

OBAMA: 80 US TROOPS IN CHAD SEEKING ABDUCTED GIRLS
May. 21, 2014 3:45 PM EDT
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Home » United States government » Obama: 80 US troops in Chad seeking abducted girls

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States has deployed 80 military personnel to Chad to help locate the nearly 300 girls kidnapped in Nigeria last month, President Barack Obama said Wednesday.

Obama, in a letter to House Speaker John Boehner and the Senate, notified lawmakers about the latest steps underway to assist in the return of the abducted girls.

Obama said the service members will help with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft for missions over northern Nigeria. He says the force will stay in Chad until its support is no longer necessary.

Chad shares a portion of its western border with northeastern Nigeria.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/obama-80-us-troops-chad-seeking-abducted-girls

May 21, 2014

Tea Party Support Hits New Lows: Poll

Source: CBS News

Tea party support hits new lows: Poll

CBS NEWS
May 21, 2014 7:00 AM EDT

By Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Anthony Salvanto and Fred Backus

The tea party was an important factor in the 2010 elections, but their support may be waning, according to a new CBS News poll. Today, just 15 percent of Americans say they are supporters of the tea party movement - the lowest since CBS News began asking about the tea party in February 2010. The tea party reached its highest level of support (31 percent) in November 2010, soon after the midterm elections.

The movement may be losing some of its core constituency -- Republicans. 32 percent of self-identified Republicans now consider themselves supporters of the tea party - down 10 points from February and a decline of 23 points from July 2010, the summer before the Republican Party took control of the House of Representatives. The percentage of Republicans who identify as tea party supporters is now among the lowest in CBS News Polls.

More than five months ahead of the midterm elections, there is a sense of disillusionment among the American public. Forty-five percent of Americans -- a record high in CBS News polls -- now say they agree with the statement "It makes no real difference which party controls Congress, things go on just as they did before." Still, a slim majority (53 percent) thinks it matters which party controls Congress.

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/tea-party-support-hits-new-lows-poll

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