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Comment brains, dna, antimatter, and dark matter (Score 0) 113

It's all around us and has far more to do with consciousness than any most scientists and theologians can fathom. http://tgd.wippiespace.com/public_html/genememe/asymmetries.pdf one important thing to note in that paper is "Note that matter antimatter asymmetry in the scale of entire genome has largest positive value for human genome and negative value only for yeast genome: this case the magnitude of the asymmetry is largest." and it's no coincidence that this coincides with http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-11-scientists-fountain-youth-yeast.html announced yesterday "Collaborations between Johns Hopkins and National Taiwan University researchers have successfully manipulated the life span of common, single-celled yeast organisms by figuring out how to remove and restore protein functions related to yeast aging." Also see http://tgd.wippiespace.com/public_html/articles/newcosmo.pdf

Comment yogis, swamis, gurus, monks, and such (Score 1) 438

Not to mention the obvious way this singles out folks who glance at attractive women a little "too long" or have developmental handicaps.. how will it single out "non-standard" folks like yogis, swamis, gurus, monks, and the like? "unusual breathing pattern detected" in the sense that unusual would be consciously breathing since the norm is to unconsciously breath! Or enlightened folks who have personal reasons for establishing patterns of eye contact, etc, I can't begin to describe how fool-hearty this en-devour is... these lazy bastards want to do everything from the comfort of a remote terminal or hope an algorithm does it for them. Maybe the DHS already has a category for these folk and will simply place them in it, but the very act of categorizing has unknown effects itself! Also, algorithms and pre-cogs might not be so separate as one would naively think. See http://tgd.wippiespace.com/public_html/pdfpool/timesc.pdf and if you don't read anything else in the paper, at least check the references, and before you say it, no, I am not interested in discussing the "speculative" nature of the contents of the paper or discussing any aspect of the author of the paper, that is all, have a nice day ya'll :)

Comment A lie. plain and simple. (Score 1) 519

Debunking the Carter/Clinton Myth
by georgia10
Wed Dec 21, 2005 at 06:15:07 AM PDT

You know the shit is about the hit the fan when the wingers turn to Clinton to try and excuse King George's behavior. We saw it with the illegal invasion of Iraq ("but..but...CLINTON said Saddam has WMD!") and with the nuclear option ("but...but...you hated the filibuster when the Clenis was in power!"). But no distortion is more blatant, I think, than the one being circulated now that both Clinton and Carter authorized warrantless searches.

Think Progress does a quick and painless job of eviscerating the myth. Let's take a closer look and put this lie to rest. Yes, both Clinton and Carter issued executive orders pertaining to foreign intelligence surveillance. But neither of these even remotely authorized warrantless searches of American citizens, as Bush's order does.

CLINTON DID NOT ORDER WARRANTLESS SEARCHES OF AMERICAN CITIZENS
Here's what Clinton signed:

        Section 1. Pursuant to section 302(a)(1) [50 U.S.C. 1822(a)] of the [Foreign Intelligence Surveillance] Act, the Attorney General is authorized to approve physical searches, without a court order, to acquire foreign intelligence information for periods of up to one year, if the Attorney General makes the certifications required by that section.

You don't have to be a lawyer to understand that Clinton allowed warrantless searches if and only if the AG followed section 302(a)(1). What does section 1822(a) require?

        * the "physical search is solely directed at premises, information, material, or property used exclusively by, or under the open and exclusive control of, a foreign power or powers." Translation: You can't search American citizens.
        * and there is "no substantial likelihood that the physical search will involve the premises, information, material, or property of a United States person." Translation: You can't search American citizens.

Moreover, Clinton's warrant waiver consistent with FISA refers only to physical searches. "Physical searches," as defined by 1821(5), exclude electronic surveillance.

CARTER DID NOT AUTHORIZE WARRANTLESS SEARCHES OF AMERICAN CITIZENS
And now, Carter's turn:

        1-101. Pursuant to Section 102(a)(1) of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1802(a)), the Attorney General is authorized to approve electronic surveillance to acquire foreign intelligence information without a court order, but only if the Attorney General makes the certifications required by that Section.

Here, Carter refers to "electronic surveillance," rather than "physical searches" like Clinton. But again, Carter limits the warrantless surveillance to the requirements of Section 1802(a). That section requires:

        * the electronic surveillance is solely directed at communications exclusively between or among foreign powers. Translation: You can't spy on American citizens.
        * there is no substantial likelihood that the surveillance will acquire the contents of any communication to which a United States person is a party. Translation: You can't spy on American citizens.

Section 1803(a)(2) requires that the Attorney General report to Congress (specifically, the House and Senate Intelligence Committees) about whether any American citizens were involved, what minimization procedures were undertaken to avoid it and protect their identities, and whether his actions comply with the law. Hot damn, that sounds like a check and balance to me!

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