U.S. Military To Patrol The Internet

  Some of us already knew that this was coming, so we aren't a bit surprised at this latest development, what with the reading of our emails and the listening in on our phone chats, among other things.

  What is surprising about this development is that the Pentagon is going to contract this work out.

  What the contractor will do is to patrol the Internet looking of signs of an upcoming terrorist attack or some other kind of hostile web activity. This part of the deal is what has me concerned as our government can classify all sorts of activity as hostile. Free speech is one which comes to mind right off hand.

  U.P.I.

In a solicitation posted on the Web last week, the command said it was looking for a contractor to provide "Internet awareness services" to support "force protection" -- the term of art for the security of U.S. military installations and personnel.
"The purpose of the services will be to identify and assess stated and implied threat, antipathy, unrest and other contextual data relating to selected Internet domains," says the solicitation.

Hembrook was tight-lipped about the proposal. "The more we talk about it, the less effective it will be," he said. "If we didn't have to put it out in public (to make the contract award), we wouldn't have."

  Here comes the best part of this job.

The solicitation says the successful contractor will "analyze various Web pages, chat rooms, blogs and other Internet domains to aggregate and assess data of interest," adding, "The contractor will prioritize foreign-language domains that relate to specific areas of concern … (and) will also identify new Internet domains" that might relate to "specific local requirements" of the command.
Officials were keen to stress the contract covered only information that could be found by anyone with a computer and Internet connection.

   I seriously doubt that last comment.  I may just apply for the job myself since I spend time all over the Internet. Wonder if I could get the contract under a " no-bid " deal like the rest of Bush's cohorts?

Technorati Tags: Pentagon,Internet,U.S. Military,terrorist,4th Amendment

Those Damned Republicans

  First they have been living in the " State of Denial " and it would seem that now they have created their own new state, the " State of Disarray." I like them in this state.

  Richard Viguerie says that the GOP is preparing for the worst in November.

   Hotline On Call

"You even have some conservatives who are considering voting for Barack Obama, because they fear McCain as president would destroy what's left of the Republican brand and would finish off the conservative movement," said Viguerie. "Their mood is that of the fatally ill patient who says 'Let's get this over with.'"

"Senator McCain has never been a conservative, is not one now, and will not govern as one. From McCain-Feingold to cap-and-trade, he is a supporter of one Big Government scheme after another. History shows that, in the Oval Office, where almost all the political pressure comes from supporters of Big Government, he would only get worse."

Viguerie has also called for the resignation of the Republican leadership in Congress.

"After this year's expected blood bath in the November elections, the voters will bring about a massive housecleaning of GOP leaders in favor of principled conservatives," he said.

Freedom Fest, at which Viguerie spoke, is a gathering of prominent advocates for free markets. Other speakers this year include Steve Forbes, George Gilder, Bob Barr, Dinesh D'Souza, Christopher Hitchens, and Congressman Ron Paul.

Source: ConservativeHQ.com

Wexler had this to say

"Who would want to join a failed party? And that's what the Republican Party is today, a failed party," said U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, D- Delray Beach, co-chairman of Obama's Florida campaign.

  And John McCain is certainly no help for the GOP Brand after his week of stupid stupid statements.

Technorati Tags: John McCain,Republicans,GOP,Robert Wexler,elections