The Morning Roar: Greenwald Says New NSA Leak "Imminent," IRS Chief Branded a Liar, and Chicago Lightposts Getting "Big Brother" Sensors
Happy Tuesday, which is one day better than Monday. Your Tuesday Morning Roar:Glenn Greenwald Says New Snowden Leak on NSA is "Imminent" My favorite journalist of all time (for obvious reasons), Glenn Greenwald, told MSNBC that a new revelation about the NSA would be coming imminently and that it was "one of the most important of the archive," if not the most important. According to Greenwald, this document would detail exactly what types of Americans are targeted for the most intrusive, rights-infringing surveillance. The full MSNBC interview is below. With much trepidation, I look forward to finding out exactly what Greenwald and Snowden have in store.Rep. Issa Brands IRS Chief As A Liar During Congressional Hearing It's a bad day for the IRS, which means it's a good day for the rest of us! Specifically, IRS Chief John Kosiken has been getting raked over the coals for his blatantly lying under oath during an earlier Congressional hearing regarding emails from Lois Lerner, the top IRS stooge who was involved in targeting conservative political groups. From WND:
In his opening statement, Issa flatly told Koskinen he had given false testimony by promising to provide all emails of former IRS tax-exempt division chief Lois Lerner, while knowing two years of those emails were actually missing.Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, made an even more pointed remark, subtly suggesting during a heated exchange that Koskinen himself might come under investigation at some point.Noting that the IRS learned about the loss of nearly two year’s worth of Lerner’s emails back in February, but had not informed Congress until ten days ago, Jordan wondered out loud, “At one point does it become obstruct of justice?”
The IRS wields a disgusting amount of power, which is easily abused, and it's no surprise that the head of that organization would lie to protect the fiscal fortress. But wait, there's more! Through further questioning, Issa also uncovers a deep well of incompetence and illogical procedures, including the IRS' stated policy of only keeping 6 months worth of email records for its staff. Meanwhile, US citizens are required to keep seven years worth of financial records. It's a long, but good read/watch. Full article here. New Sensors Will Track Big Data on Chicagoans In a move that eerily echoes the creepy Spy-Fi moves of the Seattle Police Department, Chicago will install new sensors on lampposts on Michigan Avenue, which will track wind, temperature...and also people...via their cell phones. Via the Chicago Trib:
The smooth, perforated sheaths of metal are decorative, but their job is to protect and conceal a system of data-collection sensors that will measure air quality, light intensity, sound volume, heat, precipitation and wind. The sensors will also count people by measuring wireless signals on mobile devices.Some experts caution that efforts like the one launching here to collect data from people and their surroundings pose concerns of a Big Brother intrusion into personal privacy.In particular, sensors collecting cellphone data make privacy proponents nervous. But computer scientist Charlie Catlett said the planners have taken precautions to design their sensors to observe mobile devices and count contact with the signal rather than record the digital address of each device.
That's all well and good in theory, and for a publicly-facing statement. Good public relations. However, Seattle's system was also not supposed to be tracking citizens, and the tracking was all one big "accident."
SPD maintains it has not been actively using the network — it was operational without being operated, having been turned on for DHS grant-mandated testing and then never turned off — so shutting it down won’t hamper any current SPD activities.
Anything with the ability to track cell phone data in any way is a threat to privacy and should be viewed with a strong caution. I have a feeling this won't be the last we hear about this story.Read The Morning Roar every weekday Monday-Friday!The Lions of Liberty are on Twitter, Facebook & Google+Receive access to ALL of our EXCLUSIVE bonus audio content – including “Conspiracy Corner”, “Degenerate Gamblers” and the “League of Liberty Podcast” by joining the Lions of Liberty Pride and supporting us on Patreon!
