Randy Barnhart

Patterns of Misconduct: FBI Intelligence Violations from 2001 - 2008

In a review of nearly 2,500 pages of documents released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a result of litigation under the Freedom of Information Act, EFF uncovered alarming trends in the Bureau’s intelligence investigation practices. The documents consist of reports made by the FBI to the Intelligence Oversight Board of violations committed during intelligence investigations from 2001 to 2008. The documents suggest that FBI intelligence investigations have compromised the civil liberties of American citizens far more frequently, and to a greater extent, than was previously assumed.

via www.eff.org

We have met the enemy, and it's our guys ....

X-File: Amazing Stuff (very real, not Friday the 13th)

The Air Force, with local partner, Lockheed-Martin, will launch this bird tomorrow:

According to the brochure published by Lockheed, in gov-speak, "Advanced EHF is a protected system designed to provide significant performance enhancements over legacy systems in a broad set of mission areas, including land, air, naval, special operations, strategic nuclear, strategic defense, theater missile defense, space, and intelligence operations.

AEHF provides assured, protected, and survivable SATCOM to the US Government and international partners, including the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Canada. As the backbone of US MILSATCOM, AEHF satellites are being combined with complementary efforts and programs including a mission control segment, a mission planning element, and a capability insertion program. These improvements will provide the greatest operational flexibility.

The mission planning element is combined for MILSTAR and AEHF and provides efficient network and resource allocation across both constellations. Starting with the first space vehicle launch in 2010, AEHF will provide near-global 24-hour coverage for a wide array of warfighter applications, including broadcasting, data networking, voice conferencing, and strategic reportback."

(No, you can't get the Broncos games from this thing.)