Fenway Erupts to Honor “BOSTON STRONG”

Perhaps we should start by teaching that our freedoms make us exceptional, and instead of being ashamed of our exceptionalism, let us stand proud! May we always remember the way we felt on 9/12/01 and how proud we are today. Today, this day, we are all “BOSTON STRONG!!!”

Drones & Homeland Security: This is Why Rand Paul’s Questions Are So Important.

from Brietbart:

Recently uncovered government documents reveal that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) unmanned Predator B drone fleet has been custom designed to identify civilians carrying guns and track cell phone signals.

 

“I am very concerned that this technology will be used against law-abiding American firearms owners,” said founder and executive vice president of the Second Amendment Foundation, Alan Gottlieb. “This could violate Fourth Amendment rights as well as Second Amendment rights.”

 

The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) obtained a partially redacted copy of Homeland Security’s drone requirements through a Freedom of Information Act request; CNET uncovered an unredacted copy.

 

Homeland Security design requirements specify that its Predator B drones “shall be capable of identifying a standing human being at night as likely armed or not” and must be equipped with “interception” systems capable of reading cell phone signals.

 

The first known domestic use of a drone to arrest a U.S. citizen occurred last year in the small town of Lakota, North Dakota when rancher Rodney Brossart was arrested for refusing to return six of his neighbor’s cows that had wandered on to his property. Critics say the fact that domestic drones are being used in such minor matters raises serious concerns about civil liberties and government overreach.

for full article: http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/03/05/Homeland-Security-Drones-Designed-To-Identify-Civilians-Carrying-Guns

You Don’t Have a Facebook Account: Our Government thinks You’re “Suspicious”

from Forbes:

“I am writing with some words of caution. I used to say that “if
you’re not on Facebook, it’s possible you don’t actually exist.” I think
it’s time to update that, courtesy of Slashdot: Facebook
abstainers will be labeled suspicious.”

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2012/08/06/beware-tech-abandoners-people-without-facebook-accounts-are-suspicious/

Let me be clear, from the very start, I thought the idea of Facebook was a “Very Bad Idea”, and I do not have one. Of course, I keep gettingtold that I should put this blog to a Facebook link, but I am still resisting.

TSA “Holds” Sen. Rand Paul @ Nashville Airport after He Refused Gov’t-Sanctioned Groping

…… OK, Patdown…………….

Sen. Rand Paul told his communications director this morning he was being detained by TSA at the Nashville airport.

The Twitter account associated with Paul staffer Moira Bagley, @moirabagley, tweeted around 10 a.m., ET, “Just got a call from @senrandpaul. He’s currently being detained by TSA in Nashville.”

A TSA spokesman disputed that Paul was ever “detained.” But he was not granted access to the secure area of the airport when he tried to board a flight Monday morning.

The standoff was short-lived. By late morning, according to TSA, Paul had been booked on another flight and made it through the screening process.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/01/rand-paul-in-pat-down-standoff-with-tsa-in-nashville/

Note: The Senator has since said that the TSA Agent “warned” him that if he attempted to “use his cellphone” they would give him the aforementioned patdown!

 

FBI: Domestic Investigations and Operations Guide (Updated)

WASHINGTON — The FBI is giving significant new powers to its roughly 14,000 agents — allowing them more leeway to search databases, go through household trash or use surveillance teams to scrutinize the lives of people who have attracted their attention. (Emphasis added)

The FBI soon plans to issue a new edition of its manual, called the Domestic Investigations and Operations Guide, according to an official who has worked on the draft document and several others who have been briefed on its contents. The new rules add to several measures taken over the past decade to give agents more latitude as they search for signs of criminal or terrorist activity.

The FBI recently briefed several privacy advocates about the coming changes. Among them, Michael German, a former FBI agent who is now an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, argued it was unwise to further ease restrictions on agents’ power to use potentially intrusive techniques, especially if they lacked a firm reason to suspect someone of wrongdoing.

“Claiming additional authorities to investigate people only further raises the potential for abuse,” German said, pointing to complaints about the bureau’s surveillance of domestic political advocacy groups and mosques and to an inspector general’s findings in 2007 that the FBI had improperly used “national security letters” to obtain information like people’s phone bills.

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_18260259?source=rss&nclick_check=1

No Problems with “Opt Out” Today at the Airports: Of Course Not- The Body Scans Were OFF at Numerous Airports!!

Yeah, there are no problems today because backscatter machines are TURNED OFF at many airports and they are doing normal security procedures. Interesting that they’d rather risk people’s safety than endure a PR disaster. By not giving people the chance to opt-out, they effectively take control of the story. Of course, by their logic, if there was such a heightened risk, then these machines should be used all the time (especially on a day when so many people are going to be flying). A move like this demonstrates that safety isn’t their foremost concern; they just don’t want to lose a big gov’t contract. And of course, if there was some sort of attack today because the backscatters were turned off, then it’s “See? We TOLD you so.”

See Gizmodo for more: http://gizmodo.com/comment/33032822

TSA and the Speedo Protester: Big Sis Is Watching!!

Someone Please Explain WHY this is Necessary?

http://www.hapblog.com/2010/11/latest-outrage-tsa-does-pat-down-on-3.html

Man Arrested for Stripping to his Briefs for TSA Search

“This time the defendant, Sam Wolanyk says he was asked to pass through the 3-D x-ray machine. When Wolanyk refused, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel told him he would have to be patted down before he could pass through and board his airplane.”

“Wolanyk said he knew what was coming and took off his pants and shirt, leaving him in Calvin Klein bike undergarments.”

http://gatewaypundit.rightnetwork.com/2010/11/it-begins-us-passenger-arrested-for-refusing-tsa-screening-process-then-paraded-through-airport-in-his-underwear/

I think we should get dressed for our flights AFTER we have had our government sanctioned groping by TSA…. imagine the time saved!

Memo to TSA: This is ILLEGAL Everywhere Else!!

Strip searching children:

Is there anyone else in America outraged by this?

From the video:

Lets get the facts straight first. Before the video started the boy went through a metal detector and didn’t set it off but was selected for a pat down. The boy was shy so the TSA couldn’t complete the full pat on the young boy. The father tried several times to just hold the boys arms out for the TSA agent but i guess it didn’t end up being enough for the guy. I was about 30 ft away so i couldn’t hear their conversation if there was any. The enraged father pulled his son shirt off and gave it to the TSA agent to search, thats when this video begins.

Just last week TSA administrator John Pistole told a Senate committee that the Transportation Security Administration that children under 12 would not be subject to enhanced pat downs.
Yahoo reported:

Pistole announced there would be some method of screening in place that allows air crews to move quickly through checkpoints. Children under age 12 are not subject to enhanced pat downs.

But he didn’t say anything about strip searching children.

Update: The father of this young boy has come out to say that the TSA officer was trying to do a pat down on his son, and his son was not finding it easy to maintain his arms for the search. The father, in annoyance at the TSA inspection, took the  boy’s shirt off to show the TSA officer that the boy had nothing on him. Regardless of how or why the boy’s shirt was removed, the BOY SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SUBJECT TO THE PAT DOWN INSPECTION AT ALL!!!

Previously:
** Awful… 3 Year-Old Girl Accosted By TSA Airport Screeners (Video)
** Oceanside Man Ejected from Airport: “You Touch My Junk & I’m Going to Have You Arrested”
** TSA: Anyone Who Denies Groin Check Could Be “Subject to Civil Penalties”
** TSA OPENS INVESTIGATION – Groin Check Resister May Face $10,000 Fine (Video)
** TSA Agents Now Sticking Hands Down Your Pants
** Former Top TSA Official: “Nobody Likes Having Their 4th Amendment Rights Violated… We’re Going to Have to Do It” (Video)
** UNBELIEVABLE!… Senator Claire McCaskill Defends TSA Groping as “Love Pats”
** CNN Employee On TSA ‘Love Pats’: “I Felt Helpless, Violated and Humiliated”
** US Pilot on Intrusive TSA Procedures: “They Want to See My Penis” (Video)
** Ohio Woman With Baby Describes Sexual Assault By TSA Agent (Video)
** TSA AGENT ARRESTED ON SEXUAL ASSAULT & RAPE CHARGES (Video)
** Woman With 2 Artificial Knees Describes Sexual Assault By TSA: “I Was Shaking & Crying… I Likened it to Being Raped” (Video)
** Rough TSA Skirt Check Leaves Passenger in Tears
** TSA Forces 12 Year-Old Girl Traveling Without Parents Through Naked Scanner
** Passengers Face $11,000 Fine For Refusing TSA Gropings
** Retired Teacher & Cancer Survivor Left Covered in Urine After TSA Patdown

http://gatewaypundit.rightnetwork.com/2010/11/enough-is-enough-little-boy-strip-searched-by-tsa-video/