Fracking's Health Calamities Left to Fester

"Only a large-scale popular movement toward decentralization and self-help can arrest the present tendency toward statism... A really efficient totalitarian state would be one in which the all-powerful executive of political bosses and their army of managers control a population of slaves who do not have to be coerced, because they love their servitude. To make them love it is the task assigned, in present-day totalitarian states, to ministries of propaganda, newspaper editors and schoolteachers." - Aldous Huxley - (1894-1963) Author - Source: Forward to 'Brave New World', 1932

"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.": Johann Wolfgang von Goethe - (1749-1832)

The Mother Of All Worst-case Assumptions About Iran

By Stephen M. Walt

The U.S. national security community forgets that similarly dire warnings were uttered before many of these others states got the bomb, yet none of these fearsome forecasts took place.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article33196.htm

Israel Seizes $120m in Palestinian Tax Revenue Over UN Vote

By Harriet Sherwood

Israel has seized more than $120m (£75m)in tax revenues it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority in response to last week's overwhelming vote at the UN general assembly to recognise the state of Palestine.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article33199.htm

Bipartisan Group in US Congress Promotes Drone Killings

By Patrick Martin

More than $8 million in campaign contributions from drone manufacturers and operators has flowed into the coffers of the 60 members of the House Unmanned Systems Caucus.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article33202.htm

CIA's Benghazi Role

By Philip Giraldi

Benghazi has been described as a U.S. consulate, but it was not.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article33195.htm

The Government Can Still Black Bag Any American

By Travis Holte

Why are Americans who are traveling, working, living abroad left out of this legislation?
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article33203.htm

NSA Whistleblower:
Everyone in US Under Virtual Surveillance, All Info Stored.

By RT

RT talks to William Binney, whistleblower and former NSA crypto-mathematician who served in the agency for decades.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article33200.htm

Bradley Manning: Prisoners of Conscience
NYT and AP Launch Operation Amnesia

By Chris Floyd

Manning is a whiner who made America look bad, and in doing so, he helped a website that made America look bad. That's all that really matters.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article33192.htm

Bradley Manning: A Tale Of Liberty Lost In America

By Glenn Greenwald

The US does nothing to punish those guilty of war crimes or Wall Street fraud, yet demonises the whistleblower.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article33193.htm

Fact, Fiction Or Propaganda?
US Official Signals Future End to War Against "Al-Qaeda"

By: AFP

The United States must prepare for a time when it no longer is at war with Al-Qaeda, and when sweeping federal powers ushered in after the September 11, 2001 attacks come to an end, the Pentagon's top lawyer said.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article33194.htm

Our Collapsing Economy and Currency

By Paul Craig Roberts

Is the "fiscal cliff" real or just another hoax?
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article33198.htm

Study: American Households Hit 43-Year Low In Net Worth

By CBS

From 1983 to 2010 the share of total wealth held by the richest 10 percent of American households increased from 68.2 percent to 76.7 percent. Meanwhile, all the rest of Americans lost financial ground.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article33197.htm

The End Of Britain:

By MoneyWeek

WARNING: What You Are About to read is controversial, and may be alarming to some audiences. Reader Discretion is advised.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article33201.htm

  Hard News  

   

26 "Taliban militants" killed in Afghan operations:
The source further added Afghan police forces conducted at least 7 joint military operations in conjunction with the Afghan army, Afghan intelligence and coalition security forces during the past 24 hours.
http://is.gd/gkkUMG

14 killed in Taliban attack on U.S.-Afghan base: Taliban suicide bombers attacked a joint U.S.-Afghan air base in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, detonating explosives at the gate and sparking a gun battle that lasted at least two hours with American helicopters firing down at militants before the attackers were defeated.
http://is.gd/T1BkM7

Germany To Withdraw 1,000 Troops From Afghanistan:
The decision has been taken by German cabinet; while the NATO-led force would complete its pullout by the end of 2014.
http://is.gd/J0L57Y

US Attack Kills 4 people in Pakistan: Four militants, including a senior al-Qaeda cadre, were killed and three others injured when a US drone targeted a compound in the South Waziristan tribal region of Pakistan today.
http://is.gd/FByitE

Syria: At least 10 people killed as blasts hit upscale Homs area: Sunday's blasts occurred in al-Malaab neighbourhood, an upscale government-controlled area in the centre of Homs. Security forces surrounded the area and state-sponsored television arrived to film the scene.
http://is.gd/246XRX

Two killed, 15 injured in Damascus explosion : One child and a woman were killed, and at least 15 others were injured in a car bomb explosion in Esh Al-Woro in Barzah area in Damascus on Saturday.
http://is.gd/2tYvql

Al-Qaeda affiliate playing larger role in Syria rebellion:
Syrian opposition leaders report an alarming growth within their ranks of fighters from Jabhat al-Nusra, an extremist group linked to al-Qaeda.
http://is.gd/B8Xqix

Grisly video allegedly shows rebels murder unarmed, terrified loyalists in Syria: Video - Gruesome footage has emerged apparently showing Syrian rebels executing loyalists while their victims pleaded for their lives. One of the gunmen is heard referencing an al-Qaeda-linked group behind several terrorist attacks in Syria.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvL9IuuFkac

FSA in Northern Syria Devoid Of Structure, Authority: Though Syrian National Council President George Sabra started his tenure by requesting arms on three occasions, and while the head of the opposition National Coalition Moaz al-Khatib continues to demand military support, it seems that, at least in some areas of northern Syria, calls like these are no longer given much consideration.
http://is.gd/VIpLSz

U.S. Weighs Bolder Effort to Intervene in Syria's Conflict: The Obama administration, hoping that the conflict in Syria has reached a turning point, is considering deeper intervention to help push President Bashar al-Assad from power, according to government officials involved in the discussions.
http://is.gd/UY368b

Report: Jordan's Intelligence Service Helping Rebels Smuggle Arms into Syria: A report by Lebanese al-Manar TV website quoted informed sources as saying that Jordan is replacing Turkey in the Syrian crisis and has declared its Northern border areas as a closed military zone.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=9107123264

Iraq's prime minister condemns arming Syrian rebels: "I call on them [foreign countries] not to support the opposition in Syria by qualitative weapons, some of which began to flow to Iraq," al-Maleki said in a news conference on Saturday.
http://is.gd/Yv7smh

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov: 'West's policy of iron and blood doesn't work': "In most cases it produces the opposite reaction" and leads to "the strengthening of extremists and repressive forces, decreasing the chances of real democratic change," Lavrov said at a foreign policy council meeting.
http://rt.com/politics/lavrov-policy-iron-blood-052/

US Senate set to ban deals with Russian arms exporter over Syria: The US Senate has approved a measure to prohibit the Pentagon from purchasing from Russia's main arms exporter Rosoboronexport. The US's stance that the company is supplying Syria with weapons was the reason for its decision.
http://rt.com/news/us-ban-russian-arms-039/

Internet and telephone services have been restored across much of Syria : Renesys, a US-based network monitoring firm that studies internet disruptions, said that service went back up around 4.30pm local time in Syria, describing it as a "largely complete restoration of the Syrian internet".
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/361885

Brahimi Warns against "Failed State" in Syria: UN Chief Ban Ki-moon said the ongoing crisis in Syria has now reached "new and appalling heights of brutality and violence".
http://is.gd/7IStiD

Fact, fiction or propaganda?
 US 'approaching tipping point when military conflict with al-Qaeda should end': In a speech to the Oxford Union on Friday night, Jeh Johnson predicted that the terror network would become so "effectively destroyed" that it would no longer have any capacity to be able to launch another attack on America.
http://is.gd/sSTwML

Israel breaks cease-fire:
Palestinian killed by IOF in Gaza : A Palestinian medical official said that Mahmud Jarghun, 21, died early on Saturday morning at a hospital near the town of Rafah, of a gunshot wound to the pelvis. Palestinians said he was one of several men injured by Israeli fire in farmland close to the border fence with occupied territories, east of Rafah.
http://is.gd/l7jiCl

Empty words:
Britain and US "condemn" Israel's Jewish settlement plan: Foreign secretary William Hague expresses 'extreme concern', while US state department says actions are counterproductive
http://is.gd/975Fqn

More $ for Israel:
Obama administration pledges more funding for Israel's Iron Dome: "This spring, we announced that we would provide $70 million in fiscal 2012 on top of the $205 million previously appropriated Leon Panetta said. Panetta presented Ehud Barak, with the Defense Department's highest civilian honor -- one traditionally given to U.S. presidents when they leave office -- the Distinguished Public Servant Award.
http://is.gd/5ydcf5

Why Is The US Building A Secret $100 Million Underground Facility Outside Tel Aviv?: Leave it to legendary Walter Pincus from the Washington Post to flesh out a Request for Proposal construction project planned for Israel called Site 911.
http://is.gd/W51JDr

'Canada will not let the Jews or Israel stand alone': Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird, who delivered a supportive speech of Israel at the UN before its vote Thursday on the Palestinian statehood, said Friday "the bottom line is we will not let the Jewish people and the State of Israel stand alone when the going gets tough."
http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=294114

ADL says Europe capitulated in Palestine UN vote: The Anti-Defamation League accused European countries of "capitulating to Arab intimidation" in voting to recognize Palestine as a non-member state at the United Nations. "They have acted without courage and capitulated to Arab intimidation and pressure," ADL National Director Abraham H. Foxman said in a statement.
http://is.gd/6mM8YW

Fact, fiction or propaganda?
White House opposed new Iran sanctions: The White House announced its opposition to a new round of Iran sanctions that the Senate unanimously approved Friday, in the latest instance of Congress pushing for more aggressive punitive measures on Iran than the administration deems prudent.
http://is.gd/T93fbs

Morsi calls constitution referendum on Dec 15 as rifts widen: Morsi made the announcement following a ceremony where he received a copy of the charter from the head of the Islamist-dominated constituent assembly, boycotted by liberals and Christians, that adopted it the day before.
http://is.gd/w4RVtz

Egypt's constitutional court puts off ruling on Assembly legitimacy surrounded by pro-Morsi protesters: "The Supreme Constitutional Court judges now have no choice but to declare the suspension of the hearing until they can continue their session and rulings without any psychological and material pressures,"
http://rt.com/news/egypt-constitutional-assembly-ruling-delayed-080/

Massive protests staged in Cairo: Tens of thousands rallied on Saturday in support of President Mohamed Mursi's new expanded powers and the drafting of a contested charter, highlighting Egypt's widening polarisation.
http://is.gd/TUsCfB

Mursi supporters and opponents clash in Alexandria: Video - The two groups were filmed hurling rocks at each other as they faced off in Alexandria's streets.
http://is.gd/n3pUMW

Orange march: Thousands join in Kuwaiti opposition demo as election looms: Tens of thousands of protesters have joined a Kuwaiti opposition march on the eve of the parliamentary election. The people are calling for a boycott of Saturday's vote, outraged at the recent electoral law change.
http://rt.com/news/kuwaiti-protests-opposition-march-012/

Julian Assange: Entire nations intercepted online, key turned to totalitarian rule: 'It is cheaper to intercept every individual rather that it is to pick particular people to spy upon'
http://rt.com/news/assange-internet-control-totalitarian-943/

Anti-drone protesters knocked off course by broad restraining order: Demonstrators who have gathered at New York air base for years say their constitutional right to protest has been compromised after colonel granted strict order of protection.
http://is.gd/heXkXd

Camera drone to keep eye on crowds at Newport News festival: Anyone looking up in the area will be able to see a 15-foot-wide helium balloon about 400 feet high. They may not be able to see that it carries a camera capable of recording with a 360-degree view for a three-mile radius.
http://is.gd/hAMw85

DIA sending hundreds more spies overseas: The Pentagon will send hundreds of additional spies overseas as part of an ambitious plan to assemble an espionage network that rivals the CIA in size, U.S. officials said.
http://is.gd/r7VhCb

Congo rebels complete pullout from eastern capital less than 2 weeks after taking control: The retreat, however, may be tentative after a leader for the M23 rebels said they now wanted to negotiate with the government within 48 hours.
http://is.gd/mexKfD

Dominique Strauss-Kahn denies £3.7m deal with maid who accused him of raping her: "Media reports that Dominique Strauss-Kahn has agreed to pay $6 million to settle the civil case are flatly false," the attorneys said. "The parties have discussed a resolution but there has been no settlement. Mr. Strauss-Kahn will continue to defend the charges if no resolution can be reached."
http://is.gd/q1jFJ0

Fracking's Health Calamities Left to Fester: OP-Ed - Unless you've been living on a desert island for the last couple of years, you've probably heard of "fracking," or hydraulic fracturing, and you may well have seen dramatic footage of tap water being ignited.
http://www.ontheissuesmagazine.com/2012fall/2012fall_Goodwin.php

Cost to the U.S. Treasury from Tax Cuts for the Wealthiest Five Percent: With the help of Citizens for Tax Justice, National Priorities Project is tracking every dollar the U.S. Treasury loses from tax breaks for the wealthiest 5 percent-American families and individuals who in 2011 made at least $176,000 and on average $477,453.
http://is.gd/BdxXnK

*** Security News ***

Malware slurps rocket data from Japanese space agency
Secrets of Epsilon go out the door
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/30/jaxa_data_loss/

Your smartphone browser: A ZOMBIE in password-crunching botnet
It could happen: Comp sci boffins on how to abuse cloud-based web
browsers
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/30/cloud_based_web_browser_exploits/

Last chance to vote for new sheriffs of security town
CISSP tin star elections close today
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/30/isc2_election/

Crooks inject malicious Java applet into FOREX trading website
VXers wouldn't give a XXXX for anything else
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/30/forex_trading_website_hack/

Microsoft Security Essentials loses AV-TEST certification
German lab downgrades Redmond after zero-day detection rates slide
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/30/microsoft_security_essentials_loses_av_test_certification/

Google tools gaffe let ZOMBIE web admins feast on websites
Dead accounts resurrected to cause merry hell
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/29/google_webmaster_tools_snafu/

Microsoft STALKS YOU even more than supermarkets do, says dev
Hey, get your tracker kit out of my trouser browser
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/29/web_tracking/

Data cop slap for Brit text pests
IMPORTANT: You may be entitled to pay us £440k
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/29/text_spam_megafine/

Antivirus biz's founder unmasked as noted Chinese hacker
Blackhat once attacked US Department of Defense
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/29/anvisoft_chinese_intrigue/

Beware the malware-tipped SPEAR TRAP in your inbox
That person who knows all about you? Not your friend
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/29/spear_phishing/

US software firm hacked for years after suing China
Solid Oak nearly went under after three years of persistent attack
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/29/solid_oak_china_hacked_three_years/

Australian cops bust Romanian credit card thieves
Wrestler questioned after RDP SNAFU and two vulns lead to 500k card
heist
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/29/australian_federal_police_bust_romanian_credit_card_fraudsters/

Anti-Israel hackers leak nuclear watchdog email addresses
Demand investigation of Israeli nuke site, or else
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/28/anti_israel_hackers_leak_addresses/

DNS servers filled with wrong Kool-Aid, big names waylaid in Romania
Microsoft, Yahoo!, Google, PayPal all graffiti'd
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/28/google_romania_dns_hack/

Latest scam spam ploy: Bogus pay-by-phone London parking receipts
Mundane cloak hides malware dagger
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/28/pay_by_phone_parking_receipt_malware/

Companies House website security 'a bit of a mess'
Nerve centre of British business open to scams
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/28/companies_house_website_security/

VPN ban makes for nervy times behind Great Firewall
'Internet Monitoring Team' threatens disconnection for accessing
'prohibited sites'
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/28/china_vpn_great_firewall_censorship_blocked/

Samsung printers have secret admin account
Patch primed to prevent printer p0wnage
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/28/samsung_printers_have_backdoor_admin_account/

Hotel blames burglaries on hacked Onity card locks
Black Hat demo exploited in the wild
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/27/hotel_onity_locks_hacked/

Bradley Manning to speak in public for first time in two years
Army private and alleged Wikileaker called as witness
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/27/bradley_manning_witness/

Conmen swipe 100,000 Brits' sensitive info in UK.gov fraud bid
Cops probe database ransack, attempted Treasury raid
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/27/sports_council_data_theft_government_fraud/

Power station, airport SCADA defences 'dead as a dodo'
Security bod promises to help fix holes rather than flog exploits
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/27/scada_vulns/

Data cops: Facebook privacy plans must be 'modified'
We don't need your consent ... bitch
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/27/privacy_groups_raise_alarm_over_facebook_ad_improvement_plans/

Yahoo! email! hijack! exploit!... Yours! for! $700!
Cybercrook: It's a bargain, guys... They usually cost way more
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/27/yahoo_email_hijack/

BT.com blats small privacy bug, ignores GAPING HOLE
Allow anyone to hike your bill? Yes, that's what we call customer
convenience
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/27/bt_phone_call_plan_privacy/

‘Anonymous’ takes down Texan RFID-tracking school
Hacktivists toying with school district’s site
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/27/annymous_takes_down_northside_independent_school_district_as_revenge_for_rfid_tracking/

Defence Signals Directorate offers BYOD advice
Motherhood statements for public consumption, detail behind regwall
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/26/dsd_byod_advice/

New table-munching worm ravages Iranian biz databases
Iranian CERT: It's really no biggie
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/26/database_thrashing_malware/

ICO: Anonymised data doesn't HAVE to guarantee your privacy
German watchdog: Sure, but let's be careful, ja?
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/26/anonymising_data_does_not_guarantee_privacy/


*** Whitepaper ***

Operationalizing Information Security
eBook provides guidance to operationalize security and put the top 10 best SIEM practices to work.
http://whitepapers.theregister.co.uk/d/a18/872cf/520/559368bd?td=week_sec_e