It'll come to you on the bus home ... :)

Ah Ah Ah...

I said my posting LEVEL was constant...

Not my POSTING....

In other words, *I* haven't changed my posting level whatsoever.

Since my posting LEVEL is constant, you can't say that my increased postings are causing people to stay away..

So, what HAS changed in the last couple weeks???

Well, Obama has been getting his ass kicked by scandal after scandal after scandal..

And something else I have noticed as well. On the commentaries where CW has taken Obama or his administration to task for this or that, Weigantians are scarce...

It is only when CW jumps on the Republicans, do Weigantians poke their heads out of their shells..

So, what's the ONLY logical conclusion??

No one here wants talk about things when Obama is doing wrong..

And no one wants to concede that I have been dead on ballz accurate about most everything to do with Obama and his scandals. Starting back with Benghazi...

When I am wrong, we can't shut ya'all up... :D

So, when ya'all are silent, the only conclusion is that ya'all are conceding the point..

"Simple logic"
-Admiral James T Kirk, STAR TREK III, The Search For Spock

:D

Michale

How can it be so quiet around here because of my postings when my posting level has been constant??

You just answered your own question!

It'll come to you on the bus home ... :)

Actually, the silence here has been my own. Because I've been working so hard on the weekends, I have let commenting on FTP columns slip. But there is indeed a light at the end of this tunnel, and I should be a lot more active here on the site in the coming weeks.

Anyway, just wanted to say sorry for letting these Friday comments go unremarked-upon, and to let people know things will be improving very shortly.

-CW

It would depend on a lot of factors.

What's going on in my life, if anything REALLY game changing happens, if CW makes an FTP commentary that is REALLY provocative.. :D

So, while I won't make any promises beyond that, I will promise to let the small stuff slide... :D

Michale

If what you say is true, if my excessive posting is the problem, then a week without Michale should be a posting bonanza here. There SHOULD be dozens and dozens and dozens of postings...We'll see who, exactly, is to blame for the silence around here...

I'll be back on the next FTP and we can take stock.. :D

I have a small favour to ask, Michale ... could you continue your break through the next FTP and then be back on next Monday's column? I think we'd be better able to take stock AFTER a Michale-free FTP, if you wouldn't mind too much.

What d'ya say?

Heck yeah. D'you?

I am somewhat ambivalent about it..

On the one hand it totally destroys and decimates the argument that Obama is actually better than Bush when it comes to CT policies... It makes my case for me by laying out the facts so completely that NO ONE can ever hope to make the case that Obama is not Bush Jr....

But I don't believe that winning an online debate is worth the damage that such revelations does to the safety and security of this country..

So, I am going to stay out of the "Is Bowden a traitor or a hero" debate as I think there are good arguments for both...

Personally, I find many of Bowden's statements to be very suspect, based on my own personal knowledge and experience in the field..

It would not shock me to learn that this is a giant False Flag op... However, I just don't see what the motive or endgame would be..

Michale

Heck yeah. D'you?

-David

^^^^^ THAT is exactly why it's so quiet around here, Liz...

Because I am right and ya'all just can't STAND it...

When I am wrong (which DOES happen) Weigantians come out of the woodwork and delight in showing me that I am wrong..

But when I am dead on ballz right?? Weigantians all of the sudden have better things to do..

So you simply can't put the blame on me for the silence around here...

And, I'll prove it.. AGAIN..

I have a lot of projects going on this week.. So, I'll bow out of any discussions here on CW.COM..

If what you say is true, if my excessive posting is the problem, then a week without Michale should be a posting bonanza here. There SHOULD be dozens and dozens and dozens of postings...

We'll see who, exactly, is to blame for the silence around here...

I'll be back on the next FTP and we can take stock.. :D

Michale

Where did you ever get such an idea that I was waiting for that??

I simply ask for the exact same courtesy that I extend to everyone here..

When any one of you is correct, I acknowledge it..

With a couple notable exceptions, not one of ya'all had extended me that same courtesy?

But I don't whine and cry about how many times ya'all point out that Obama is a god's gift to America...

It just would be nice for ya'all to acknowledge what everyone NOW knows..

When it comes to counter-terrorism, Obama is no different than Bush or Cheney or any other Righty that ya'all TO THIS DAY incessantly demonize...

As far as Zimmerman?? Do you have ANY evidence to indicate that there was ANYTHING about race in this incident. One SHRED, one SINGLE IOTA, ONE MINISCULE piece of evidence??

No, you do not...

NONE... ZERO... ZILCH... NADA

So, WHO is the "true believer" and who is the one ruled by facts and reality in this case, Kevin???

I think the answer is self-evident...

At least, it would be to anyone not ruled by the almighty '-D'....

Michale

Considering where the Obama Administration IS right now, ANYTHING would have to be an improvement.. :D

But I do have to give Biden credit..

At least he was smart enough to get out of Dodge before the feces hit the rotating cooling device.... :D

Michale

If you recall, I backed Biden. And, he's anything but lame. In fact, I shudder to think where the Obama administration would be without Vice President Biden, Secretary Geithner notwithstanding.

Kevin,

Don't be such a stranger around here, okay? :)

You have been watching WAY too much Yosemite Sam.. :D

Self awareness...you should try it sometime.

Not sure what ya mean by that.. *I* am not the one who lurks in the shadows afraid of a little confrontation and discussion.. :D

The simple fact is, everyone here is always ready to do some mental fencing when their guy, Obama is up..

But when he's getting his arse kicked six ways from Sunday.....????

{{chirrrrpppp}} {{{cchhhiiiiiirrrrrrrpppppp}}}

So, maybe it's not me that needs a little inward introspection, eh? :D

I'm just sayin'...

But hay... If ya'all want to make everything about me....????

Who am I to argue... :D

Michale

The facts are so blatantly obvious that there should never have even been an arrest and it was only done to appease a racist/political agenda.....

I mean, it would be too damn easy.. Like dynamiting fish in a barrel..

So, no Zimmerman discussion from me.. :D

Michale

Yea, it's tough on ya'all when that Leftist agenda that violates everything Americans stand for gets pummeled and tattered to shreds...

But hay, I understand.. There ain't any problem with dishing it out.. But when it's time to take it?? :D

Like I said.. I understand. Completely...

Michale

Put it another way..

How can it be so quiet around here because of my postings when my posting level has been constant??

The one thing that HAS changed is the number and severity of scandals hitting The Great And Powerful Obama..

So, if one looks at things logically and rationally, really the ONLY conclusion that makes ANY kind of sense is that everyone else is tired of defending the indefensible. Tired of complimenting what fine livery the POTUS has on when it's blatantly obvious to even the most dullard of observers that Obama isn't wearing anything...

And, rather than do the PROPER thing and agree and acknowledge that I have been right all along, everyone is simply remaining quiet and hoping Obama's fortunes will rise again, so that they can once again sing the praises of the Great And Powerful Obama...

Don't blame me because the horse ya'all backed is lame...

I tried to tell ya'all... :D

Michale

Yea, I saw that...

Did ya sign it?? :D

Michale

Oh, I know exactly why it's so silent around here..

Obama is getting pummeled by scandals and public opinion and even his own supporters..

Regardless of whether I post or not, everyone around here is chatty Kathy when Obama is up..

But when Obama is down, down and going further down, no one wants to discuss jack....

No one likes to be on the receiving end of what you incessantly have to give here.

Just as I don't like being on the receiving end when it's all "OBAMA is great!!!" and "Obama is awesome!!!" and "Obama walks on water!!!"

AND I don't like being on the receiving end of "Bush is satan!!" and "Bush is a war criminal!!" and "BUSH is a terrorist!!"...

Yet, I DO it because it's the FAIR thing to do...

You see, I am ALWAYS willing to discuss things whether MY position is dead on ballz accurate (as it is now) or whether ya'all are right..

Ya'all only seem to want to debate when your position is defensible..

If it isn't (as it is now) no one wants to say "boo"...

Ya can't blame that on me... :D I won't let ya :D

Michale

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/pardon-edward-snowden/Dp03vGYD

You might want to ask yourself why it has been so silent around here. And, while you're asking yourself, be sure that you're looking in the mirror.

No one likes to be on the receiving end of what you incessantly have to give here. I mean, you are dealing with people here who would like to engage with you - some of us even enjoy it, from time to time - but one can only take so much of this ... well, kind of "discussion".

If this had been a GOP Administration, the entire Left would be carrying around this Snowden guy on their shoulders and singing his praises to the high heavens..

But, because it's OBAMA, the Left (*AND* Weigantia) is largely silent... Hell, some Leftist Pundits are actually DEFENDING the activities *AND* attacking Snowden!!! They are calling him a traitor and a liar!! They are saying, "Ya know, this stuff isn't REALLY spying! It's not REALLY violating anyone's privacy!!"

It's enough to make Karl Rove and Dick Cheney well up with pride!!

I am constantly amazed at the power that that one little letter has over people...

If you have a -D you are the cat's meow, no matter WHAT you do wrong!!!

If you have an -R you are the spawn of Lucifer, no matter WHAT you do right!!

It's gabberflasting... :D

Michale

YOU TAKE THAT BACK!!!! :D

I have been saying that there is no difference between Right & Left since CW.COM started.

If THAT is the mantra of the Occupy Movement, then I invented the movement back in 2006!! :D

Michale

Welcome to the Occupy movement Michale!

-David

"We can't discount one possible explanation just because we don't happen to like it."
-Martin Sheen, THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

:D

Michale

Or, another possible explanation is that many MANY Americans understand that the reasons for upholding the 2nd and extenuating the 4th are part and parcel to the same reason..

Self-Defense..

As CW points out, the US Constitution is not a suicide pact..

It must be viewed thru the eyes of common sense and an acknowledgement of the realities of the here and now.

Michale

The big difference is that 2nd has a huge marketing and lobbying organization sponsored by the gun industry.

The 4th amendment has few corporate defenders. It's far more likely, in fact, that the military lobby would oppose the 4th amendment.

This likely explains at least some of the difference.

-David

The 29-year-old source behind the biggest intelligence leak in the NSA's history explains his motives, his uncertain future and why he never intended on hiding in the shadows
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/09/edward-snowden-nsa-whistleblower-surveillance

WOW....

Just..... WOW..

Michale

That's a very profound observation.. I bet shrinks would have a field day with that, eh!?? :D

- if i were a terrorist nowadays, i wouldn't even bother using the internet, i'd shift back to lower-tech forms of communication. i bet that's what they're doing even now.

A terrorist is only as effective as their lines of communication..

Non-electronic means of interception are actually easier to do because of the fallibility of human beings..

I am considered "old skool" in the CT field..

Give me a good old-fashioned greedy or weak human any day of the week... :D

Michale

But this probable cause only exists because the evidence has already been collected. "I need a search warrant to seize information I already have," to put it another way.

i would say it's more like, "we have this diary, this is why we took it, and we need the court's permission to open it." still not a great argument, but i don't see it as circular reasoning. the sad thing is it will probably end up being futile - if i were a terrorist nowadays, i wouldn't even bother using the internet, i'd shift back to lower-tech forms of communication. i bet that's what they're doing even now.

I am constrained to point out that, at least in the case of the Verizon Data Mining, the metadata collected has been consistently ruled by State & Federal courts as to be information gathering not under the protections of the 4th Amendment...

Michale

Personally and professionally, I don't have a problem with this sort of data mining albeit for different reasons..

Personally I do not feel that my privacy is worth innocent people's lives.. If the government has to suck up all the phone calls in order to stop terrorist attacks, I am all for it.. Any rational person would feel like utter shit if they had taken a stand for their privacy and that stand resulted in a successful terrorist attack that killed innocent men, women and children. The best truism of this is, "If you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be worried about who is listening end."

Now, granted, what the government DOES with this information is the determining factor.. If a government agency uses this information to stop a terrorist attack, then who in their right mind would complain??

On the other hand, if a government agency .... oh... I dunno.. released private information of one political group to an opposition political group, then who in their right mind would find that acceptable???

So, until their is evidence to the contrary ( {{{cough}}} {{cough}} IRS {{cough}} ) that this data mining is being used contrary to the benefit of society as a whole, I do not have a problem with it..

Professionally I don't have a problem with it because it works.. Granted, my expertise in the field is dated. Back in my day, we didn't have the tools that agencies have today. Well, not as effective tools anyways. I could tell you horror stories that ya'all would flip out over...

But I can give you a perfect illustration as to why tools of MY day were used.. I'll quote from CW's HAL 9000 commentary in August of 2007..

I was asked on another forum to watch some PBS (or A&E, I don't recall) specials about issues such as this, especially the "Las Vegas Incident"..

So, this begs the question. If people do no have a problem with this so-called "violation of privacy" AFTER the fact, *why is it a problem BEFORE the fact??* People are saying that they don't mind the so-called invasion of privacy to INVESTIGATE the brutal murder of hundreds of innocent men, women and children. But they get all indignant and scream "GESTAPO!!!" if it is done to SAVE the lives of hundreds of innocent men, women and children..

It's a dangerous world we live in. An EXTRAORDINARILY dangerous world.

As such, extraordinary measures are required...

db,

Michale is right, I was incensed that the Bush Administration was gathering such private information.

I heard "Michale is right" and then what?? :D

But I came to realize that all the information I would consider private is already being collected & collated in the name of selling me more successful advertising.

Ahhhh, but THAT information usage was (and is) by and large authorized.. Buried deep inside "User Agreement" are authorizations for just about anything under the sun. You walk into a store, you see signs about being monitored 24/7. You sign a cell phone contract and you sign authorization for companies to do this and do that.

You sign up for yahoo or gmail or facebook, you authorize to have your data used in any way they see fit..

Any advertising you are bombarded with has, at one time or another, been authorized by you.

I am certain that if I had access to everything you have ever said and done and had the inclination to actually search thru it all, I could find where you have authorized every bit and piece of advertising that you have ever been targeted with...

Advertising-wise, our Brave New World will be exactly like MINORITY REPORT..

Michale

Michale is right, I was incensed that the Bush Administration was gathering such private information. But I came to realize that all the information I would consider private is already being collected & collated in the name of selling me more successful advertising. "After all, it might help some theoretical future terrorism case if the government had data on every credit card transaction in America. Or every bank transaction -- there's no need for a warrant". Maybe not, but the putative terrorists would be receiving ads for "Bombs4U" & offers for subscriptions to "Jihad Monthly" & offers to meet Muslim Singles in your area. Privacy is a battle we lost without knowing we were in the fight.

I think I disagree with your conclusion, "Our hearts were in the right place as we eagerly joined together to kill it. We really had only the best of intentions for doing so.". I see it more that the 4th Amendment was taken over in a leveraged buyout. It's now a division of Skynet.