Friday, September 27, 2013

Continuity of Military Agenda: Syria Catastrophe Engineered Under Bush, Executed Verbatim Under Obama

hehe  ALL you's republipubes & dummycocks ....what's  the difference between   em ?                    not a fucking thing !!!           what do ass pipes ..produce ....     even you's kooky ,nattery  goofy   "voters"  of the lesser of 2 evils  .....should finally b able to figure it out ?       . um ah oh yea ..maybe after you's "vote"  the   "rod" in    or "the rods"   chip off the old ass pipe  in ?         hey wait ta the "ass~slam~our~assess~care"   kicks in  maybe then hummmm ?        nope  you's kooks will "vote"  a lil     bush~pipe in  :O  

Continuity of Military Agenda: Syria Catastrophe Engineered Under Bush, Executed Verbatim Under Obama


bushobama
The rise of Al Qaeda in Syria and the predictable bloodbath that followed is the documented work of US, Israel, & Saudi Arabia.
Tens of thousands of deaths, devastated cities, and the scattering of terrified Syrian minorities add up to a catastrophe that has unfolded in Syria over the last 2 years. International organizations including the UN call it the worst humanitarian catastrophe of the 21st century, and despite this, have put little effort into tracking down the actual genesis of the conflict, the key players perpetuating the violence, and in prescribing the obvious solutions to this conflict. With a recent initiative by Russia and Syria blunting the West’s pro-war drive, Western propagandists have attempted to reassert their crumbling narrative regarding the conflict, past, present, and future.
The Genesis of Syria’s Conflict
We are told by Western politicians and Western media houses that the conflict in Syria began with a spontaneous “peaceful,” “pro-democracy” uprising influenced by similar demonstrations in Tunisia and Egypt. We are told that these peaceful protests were brutally crushed by the Syrian government and resulted in the militarization of the so-called “opposition.”
This is a verified lie.
In an April 2011 AFP report, Michael Posner, the assistant US Secretary of State for Human Rights and Labor, admitted that [emphasis added]:
“US government has budgeted $50 million in the last two years [starting in 2009] to develop new technologies to help activists protect themselves from arrest and prosecution by authoritarian governments.”The report went on to admit that the US (emphasis added) “organized training sessions for 5,000 activists in different parts of the world. A session held in the Middle East about six weeks ago gathered activists from Tunisia, Egypt, Syria and Lebanon who returned to their countries with the aim of training their colleagues there.” Posner would add, “They went back and there’s a ripple effect.”
Not only were the protests in Syria planned, funded, and directed by the US State Department, years before the so-called “Arab Spring” began, but so were the alleged protests that “triggered” events in Syria – namely similarly engineered protests in Tunisia, Egypt, and the violent US-led subversion carried out in Libya.
What’s more disturbing is that the US-engineered “protests” were not designed to overthrow targeted governments, but instead to serve as a smokescreen for similarly pre-planned armed subversion. As early as 2007, under then President George Bush, the arming, funding, and otherwise supporting of sectarian extremists across the Middle East to undermine Lebanon, Syria, and Iran was put into motion.
Admissions by administration officials, intelligence agents, and the very militant groups the US was funding and preparing for armed subversion in 2007 were documented in Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh’s New Yorker extensive 9-page report,  ”The Redirection: Is the Administration’s new policy benefiting our enemies in the war on terrorism?” In it he would state clearly that:
“To undermine Iran, which is predominantly Shiite, the Bush Administration has decided, in effect, to reconfigure its priorities in the Middle East. In Lebanon, the Administration has coƶperated with Saudi Arabia’s government, which is Sunni, in clandestine operations that are intended to weaken Hezbollah, the Shiite organization that is backed by Iran. The U.S. has also taken part in clandestine operations aimed at Iran and its ally Syria. A by-product of these activities has been the bolstering of Sunni extremist groups that espouse a militant vision of Islam and are hostile to America and sympathetic to Al Qaeda.”
Six years later, it could not be more obvious that indeed, militants aligned to Al Qaeda have been armed, equipped, and unleashed in an unprecedented wave of US-Saudi-Israeli state-sponsored terrorism against Syria and neighboring Lebanon. With safe havens in NATO-member Turkey, US-occupied Jordan, and pouring in from Saudi-friendly regions of Lebanon, it could not be clearer who is behind the rise and perpetuation of Al Qaeda in Syria.
And even in Hersh’s 2007 report, “The Redirection,” it is made clear that the US, Israel, and Saudi Arabia had already begun financing and preparing the sectarian extremist “Muslim Brotherhood” in Syria for the upcoming sectarian bloodbath the West had on the drawing board. Hersh would report:
“[Walid] Jumblatt then told me that he had met with Vice-President Cheney in Washington last fall to discuss, among other issues, the possibility of undermining Assad. He and his colleagues advised Cheney that, if the United States does try to move against Syria, members of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood would be “the ones to talk to,” Jumblatt said.”
The article would continue by explaining how already in 2007 US and Saudi backing had begun benefiting the Brotherhood:
“There is evidence that the Administration’s redirection strategy has already benefitted the Brotherhood. The Syrian National Salvation Front is a coalition of opposition groups whose principal members are a faction led by Abdul Halim Khaddam, a former Syrian Vice-President who defected in 2005, and the Brotherhood. A former high-ranking C.I.A. officer told me, “The Americans have provided both political and financial support. The Saudis are taking the lead with financial support, but there is American involvement.” He said that Khaddam, who now lives in Paris, was getting money from Saudi Arabia, with the knowledge of the White House. (In 2005, a delegation of the Front’s members met with officials from the National Security Council, according to press reports.) A former White House official told me that the Saudis had provided members of the Front with travel documents.”
And yet today, the West feigns ignorance to what they claim is the inexplicable, unfortunate, “unforeseeable” rise and perpetuation of Al Qaeda and their defacto political arm, the sectarian Muslim Brotherhood.
Who’s Behind Al Qaeda in SyriaAl Qaeda in Syria constitutes the summation of the so-called “opposition.” Despite rhetoric of the contrary, all credible reports actually citing evidence, including sources from across the West, have determined that Al Qaeda is the “opposition.”
The New York Times would literally proclaim in their April 2013 article, “Islamist Rebels Create Dilemma on Syria Policy,” that:
Nowhere in rebel-controlled Syria is there a secular fighting force to speak of.
The West has admitted throughout the conflict that it, along with its regional axis, including Turkey, Jordan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, have been funneling in hundreds of millions of dollars, equipment, and thousands of tons of arms at a time to militants operating in and along Syria’s borders.
In the Telegraph’s March 2013 article titled, “US and Europe in ‘major airlift of arms to Syrian rebels through Zagreb’,” it is reported:
It claimed 3,000 tons of weapons dating back to the former Yugoslavia have been sent in 75 planeloads from Zagreb airport to the rebels, largely via Jordan since November
The story confirmed the origins of ex-Yugoslav weapons seen in growing numbers in rebel hands in online videos, as described last month by The Daily Telegraph and other newspapers, but suggests far bigger quantities than previously suspected.
The shipments were allegedly paid for by Saudi Arabia at the bidding of the United States, with assistance on supplying the weapons organised through Turkey and Jordan, Syria’s neighbours. But the report added that as well as from Croatia, weapons came “from several other European countries including Britain”, without specifying if they were British-supplied or British-procured arms.
British military advisers however are known to be operating in countries bordering Syria alongside French and Americans, offering training to rebel leaders and former Syrian army officers. The Americans are also believed to be providing training on securing chemical weapons sites inside Syria.
The New York Times in their March 2013 article titled, “Arms Airlift to Syria Rebels Expands, With C.I.A. Aid,” admits that:
With help from the C.I.A., Arab governments and Turkey have sharply increased their military aid to Syria’s opposition fighters in recent months, expanding a secret airlift of arms and equipment for the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, according to air traffic data, interviews with officials in several countries and the accounts of rebel commanders.
The airlift, which began on a small scale in early 2012 and continued intermittently through last fall, expanded into a steady and much heavier flow late last year, the data shows. It has grown to include more than 160 military cargo flights by Jordanian, Saudi and Qatari military-style cargo planes landing at Esenboga Airport near Ankara, and, to a lesser degree, at other Turkish and Jordanian airports.
And now, the US fully admits that the CIA and US State Department are openly arming, funding, and equipping fighters in Syria. The Washington Post’s September 2013 article, “U.S. weapons reaching Syrian rebels,” admits:
The CIA has begun delivering weapons to rebels in Syria, ending months of delay in lethal aid that had been promised by the Obama administration, according to U.S. officials and Syrian figures. The shipments began streaming into the country over the past two weeks, along with separate deliveries by the State Department of vehicles and other gear — a flow of material that marks a major escalation of the U.S. role in Syria’s civil war.
Clearly, based on previous admissions, claiming this is a “major escalation” is a verifiable lie. The US has already sent the total summation of material support to terrorists operating in Syria over the past 2-3 years it could possibly muster – recent admissions are solely for public consumption. The failure of this material support to turn the tide in the fighting is precisely what triggered the recent fabrications of chemical weapons use in Syria and the subsequent, Iraq-esque attempt to justify direct US military intervention.
One must wonder, how if the US has been funding “moderate rebel groups,” to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars, and arming them with thousands of tons of weaponry at a time, has Al Qaeda still emerged as the prominent militant group inside Syria? How has Al Qaeda managed to raise the funds and execute this unprecedented logistical feat of a multinational invasion of Syria if the US, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Jordan, and Qatar are solely funding “moderates?” Bake sales and carpooling?
Clearly there were never any “moderates.” And just as was plotted under Bush in 2007, extremists – Al Qaeda extremists – were intentionally armed, funded, and funneled into Syria to destabilize the nation through a sectarian bloodbath starting in 2011 under the Obama administration and callously portrayed as a “pro-democracy” uprising “brutally crushed” by the “evil Assad regime.”
The US’ direct, premeditated support of sectarian extremists starting in 2007 and continuing up to and including today, not only solves the “mystery” of Al Qaeda’s perpetuation in Syria, it also exposes the fraud of Western democracy – where two diametrically opposed presidents carried out a singular geopolitical agenda, merely behind the cover of their respective rhetorical right/left political platforms. The American people were never really given a choice despite the illusion of “elections” and “political representation.”
Israel’s Role: The Silent Accomplice and Unilateral Warmonger
Perhaps the most dangerous, and yet-to-be-played card in the West’s hand, is Israel. Israel poses as a silent observer of the Syrian conflict - taking military action unilaterally in what it tenuously claims is preemptive “self-defense.” In reality, it is part of a joint US-Saudi-Israeli axis that has sought to undermine and overthrow Syria and Iran since at least 2007.
Israel is playing a very specific role to keep it isolated from the West and its Arab partners in the region for as long as possible – both to lend extremist forces operating in and around Syria legitimacy they otherwise would not have with overt Israeli backing, as well as to portray Israel as the “victim” of staged or intentionally provoked attacks from within Syria, Lebanon and even Iran. Such “victimization” would allow Israel to retaliate and give Western nations desperately needed justification to also intervene and save their failed proxy war.
This is not mere speculation, but rather a conclusion based on documented policy papers produced by the Fortune 500-funded Brookings Institution, one of many think-tanks engineering US-Saudi-Israeli policy.
One such policy paper, the 2009 Brookings ”Which Path to Persia?“ report, explicitly states the compartmentalized role Israel would serve in planned subversion and aggression versus Iran and how Israel could offer the West a “foot in the door” to wider military intervention in the region. It states [emphasis added]:
“…it would be far more preferable if the United States could cite an Iranian provocation as justification for the airstrikes before launching them. Clearly, the more outrageous, the more deadly, and the more unprovoked the Iranian action, the better off the United States would be. Of course, it would be very difficult for the United States to goad Iran into such a provocation without the rest of the world recognizing this game, which would then undermine it. (One method that would have some possibility of success would be to ratchet up covert regime change efforts in the hope that Tehran would retaliate overtly, or even semi-overtly, which could then be portrayed as an unprovoked act of Iranian aggression.) ” -page 84-85, Which Path to Perisa?, Brookings Institution.
And:
“Israel appears to have done extensive planning and practice for such a strike already, and its aircraft are probably already based as close to Iran as possible. as such, Israel might be able to launch the strike in a matter of weeks or even days, depending on what weather and intelligence conditions it felt it needed.  Moreover, since Israel would have much less of a need (or even interest)  in securing regional support for the operation, Jerusalem probably would feel less motivated to wait for an Iranian provocation before attacking. In short, Israel could move very fast to implement this option if both Israeli and American leaders wanted it to happen.
However, as noted in the previous chapter, the airstrikes themselves are really just the start of this policy. Again, the Iranians would doubtless rebuild their nuclear sites. They would probably retaliate against Israel, and they might retaliate against the United States, too (which might create a pretext for American airstrikes or even an invasion).” -page 91, Which Path to Perisa?, Brookings Institution.
Similar calls to use Israel, and its regional partner, NATO-member Turkey, to conduct similar provocations versus Syria have been made by Brookings more recently in a report titled, “Assessing Options for Regime Change, Brookings Institution.”
In the report, Brookings describes how Israeli efforts in the south of Syria, combined with Turkey’s aligning of vast amounts of weapons and troops along its border to the north, could help effect violent regime change in Syria:
“In addition, Israel’s intelligence services have a strong knowledge of Syria, as well as assets within the Syrian regime that could be used to subvert the regime’s power base and press for Asad’s removal. Israel could posture forces on or near the Golan Heights and, in so doing, might divert regime forces from suppressing the opposition. This posture may conjure fears in the Asad regime of a multi-front war, particularly if Turkey is willing to do the same on its border and if the Syrian opposition is being fed a steady diet of arms and training. Such a mobilization could perhaps persuade Syria’s military leadership to oust Asad in order to preserve itself. Advocates argue this additional pressure could tip the balance against Asad inside Syria, if other forces were aligned properly.” -page 6, Assessing Options for Regime Change, Brookings Institution.
Israel then, still maintaining this posture and attempting to distance itself from the current political struggle over Syria may still be planning intentional or even staged provocations. A recent warning from Russia involving a false flag attack carried out by terrorists inside Syria against Israel provides a very plausible scenario that would give Israel rhetorical justification to strike Syria in hopes of starting a wider war involving pre-positioned Western forces now on standby.American “Exceptionalism:” The rotting fruits of dead empires, Hitler’s Germany, and racist British imperialism
In a recent speech made by US President Barack Obama, he claimed that the United States was “exceptional,” echoing the delusions of grandeur of corporate-financier interests and the think-tank policy makers in their orbit. “American Exceptionalism,” proclaims that the US is somehow different than all other nations, and by inference, better. It gives the United States the ability to circumvent international law it itself has contrived, to do as it wills both within and beyond its borders, because it “knows better” than the rest of the world.
Its standing alone on the issue of Syria, with even the American public rejecting wholly the concept of another war based on clearly fabricated evidence, shows just where the wellspring of “American Exceptionalism” lies – among the corporate financier elite who invented it.
It is a revolting concept that echos the racist imperialism of Britannia and the unhinged belligerence of Nazi Germany, used to justify the violation of human rights through the subjugation by invasion, occupation and wholesale exploitation of other nations. It seeks to justify what evidence, reason, logic, and global consensus has otherwise opposed, and is the last rhetorical resort for a crumbling empire unable to justify its actions any other way.
A nation basing its actions upon the world stage through such justifications is a dangerous one that depends on the illusion of its superiority. As that illusion crumbles, it will seek to reassert it through increasingly desperate and abhorrent mechanisms. This includes false flag attacks to trigger wars where it can justify the flexing of its military might, and thus scare the international community back in line.
With the West pledging to continue the arming and funding of terrorists in Syria, thus jeopardizing the safety of UN inspectors who will eventually attempt to survey, secure, and neutralize Syria’s chemical weapons, we can see there is no genuine intent to end the violence in Syria with anything less than regime change in favor of Western interests.
The goal was never humanitarian in nature, only the propaganda used to perpetuate the conflict was “humanitarian.” A nation that would intentionally create a humanitarian catastrophe to then use as a pretext for further war is a nation exceptional only in regards to the depths of its own depravity. Like their historical predecessors citing “superiority” and “exceptionalism,” the interests driving America now are destined for their own ignominious place upon the scrap heap of history. The question is, how much damage will they cause between now and then?

AARON ALEXIS AND THE VLF SHOTGUN

Posted by George Freund on September 26, 2013 at 9:55 AM

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I know my guns. I know the lies. I see another whopper unleashed on the unsuspecting public. This is a Remington Model 870 shotgun. It has been a staple in Law Enforcement and security and the sporting field. We always carried one in the money ambulance when I worked in the armored car industry. I wielded one quite well. It  was my life preserver in an ambush by crazed robbers. I used one hunting. I shot my deer between the eyes with one at 70ish yards. We are very familiar with this type of gun. However, mine wasn't an ELF weapon as described by the etchings on the receiver of the suspect weapon.
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It appears our shotgun is close to thirty inches long in this evidence photo.
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It is alleged by 'investigators' that this is the backpack Aaron Alexis wore into the Naval Yard. Of course the ruler is absent because you'd notice at a glance it is much smaller. No offence propaganda masters, but the end of the barrel would stick out quite a bit. I hike too, so I know how big a backpack is. It doesn't hold a Model 870 shotgun even with the stock cut off. We are being lied to again. It is a post 9/11 world where the laws of science, logic and reason have been suspended under The Patriot Act.
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Aaron left us some messages. I believe he was a Manchurian mind control victim. He reported to the police that he was hearing voices a classic symptom of a mind control operation done by VLF Very Low Frequency waves. In the message above, he is telling us it's not what is said. You can tell by the grammar he was a prime candidate to work for a government contractor like Raytheon.
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The primary message the one on the left side of the receiver. "Better off this way! My ELF Weapon!" Aaron was stating the mind control torture was worse than death so he would prefer to die. He describes his shotgun as an ELF weapon which is what the programmers may have told him. It isn't much of a message. He seemed to understand that any other message would be covered up or destroyed. He therefore chose to put it on something that had to survive as evidence the murder weapon. Other Manchurian assassins have left messages through time. They are not broadly understood. The FBI investigators didn't know what ELF meant for several days. Even with that knowledge now, they couldn't open the doors to the national security establishment. They will be ordered to write a sympathetic report and return to their duties.
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The message left after the Jack the Ripper murders in Whitechapel. You see the similarity over a century later it's not what they say. The message was removed by a policeman. It was retold by witnesses. Aaron did a better job etching the shotgun. It is old hat to specialists in the trade of investigation of Manchurian assassins. We read the messages well and see them for what they are.
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This photo looks like it was staged most likely before the event when the building was closed. It has no date time stamp which all surveillance video has imprinted upon it. It is fundamental because these images are generally recorded for legal proceedings. The camera also must have an identification as to location. I've never seen one without. Either a number or abbreviated location would be imprinted on the images even in the video tape era.
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Arriving at work? There are no identification features imprinted on the image. It could be anywhere anytime.
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Off to the mission entering the building. Again there is no imprint on the image which is the most essential feature of video recordings. This image could have been recorded any time. The essential element of an offence is the time, date and place. It must be imprinted on the image. We have nothing again.
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Of course the only thing that seems to be missing in this image is the shotgun. There is no identification marks on the video here either.
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This image was taken the day before it has been alleged. Aaron looks rather happy. He is not alone. Someone took the picture. Was it his MK Ultra handler? The controller gets you to make a sign showing you are active in the mind control program. An innocuous hand sign is preferred. Touching your forehead with your fingertip was too commonly portrayed.
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Online at home a typical young man with interests in sports and a sense of humor. What damage those voices did.
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Here is a Remington 870 shotgun broken down and inserted in my backpack. It is much larger than the one Aaron is using. As a father I had to carry more things on a hike because I had children to provide for. I purposely preferred a larger backpack. The top of my backpack is square and doesn't taper like Aaron's. The deer barrel is probably three inches longer. I could close my backpack on the shorter one. You can see the stock protrudes quite a bit. Aaron's was cut at the end of the grip which reaches the top of the chair. That portion wouldn't fit it either. Aaron's backpack reaches the crease in mine. It is quite a bit shorter. Of course real, professional journalists of the type to be protected in Diane Feinstein's Media Shield Law haven't noticed many discrepancies with this story or any others. Like Joseph Goebbels they turn the circle into a square because you believe everything they say. Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me. Take back the power. Change the channel. It's the only chance you've got.
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The evidence has to fit the crime. You can't force it or you don't have a case. They don't have a case.

Obamacare: At Least Dems Are Willing to Fight for It

Obamacare: At Least Dems Are Willing to Fight for It

From the front lines of medicine, disillusioned nurse reveals why America's health care system is imploding

From the front lines of medicine, disillusioned nurse reveals why America's health care system is imploding

Golden rice exposed as fraud: Genetically engineered crop nothing more than biotech battering ram to crush GMO regulations

Golden rice exposed as fraud: Genetically engineered crop nothing more than biotech battering ram to crush GMO regulations

Cyber attack warning: Banks beginning to delay payrolls and have extended electronic outages

Cyber attack warning: Banks beginning to delay payrolls and have extended electronic outages
  
On Sept. 16, a former head trader with the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) issued a new warning that a cyber attack on the banking system is a real and probably threat in light of the many recent electronic outages and delays in payroll processing.  Known under the pseudonyms V and the Guerrilla Economist, this high level insider has warned of  impending cyber attacks meant to mask liquidity and financial problems that threaten the entire banking system.
Bank Risk
For many months I have been warning that there will be a banking/financial cyber attack that will put the economy on it’s back. This was one of the scenarios that the banksters have been wargaming/simulating for years.
I became privy to it once it was revealed to me that not only are the banks open to it, but that they are doing nothing to prevent it.
Over the last few weeks we have seen massive interruptions from online banking to exchanges shutting down for hours at time. This is not just a mere coincidence, when one takes into account the large scale of these disruptions. It becomes clear that something is fundamentally wrong.
From payroll problems in the private sector to now the very same issues affecting the public/federal sector. This problem seems to be mounting and I believe the culprits are two fold. – V, the Guerrilla Economist, Steve Quayle Q Alerts
Over the past week, two specific events have occurred which are validating V’s information that liquidity in the financial and banking systems is causing delays, and perhaps even ‘forced outages’ to prevent outgoing cash from leaving banks in a timely manner.  A recent letter from the Federal payroll office (Comptroller General) was issued specifying that payroll for the week ending Sept. 7 is delayed until Sept. 17, citing a ‘worm virus’ as the reason for the delay.  Additionally, the state of California was found to have kept unemployment payments from up to 600000 recipients through an investigation done this week by a local television station.
For the government, there is little more than a month before the debt ceiling is once again reached, and Congress will need to vote on whether increasing the national debt is a viable option.  Coupled with this are the current discussions taking place at today’s FMOC meeting on whether to taper back bond buying and money printing QE programs, and it is likely that any slowdown in credit and liquidity to the financial system will trigger irrevocable consequences.
The Guerrilla Economist has a long track record of accurate information and forecasting, going back to calls made on the Japanese Bond market, and fragility within Deutsche Bank.  And with exterior events beginning to accumulate in the banking system that show warning signs of another liquidity crisis, the clear potential of a real or false flag cyber attack on the banks to shut them down, and keep them from collapsing, is a very real possibility.
You can find more financial updates by the Guerrilla Economist at Steve Quayle’s website under the Q Alerts section, and periodically on the Hagmann and Hagmann Report.
Kenneth Schortgen Jr is a writer for Secretsofthefed.comExaminer.com, and hosts the popular web blog, The Daily Economist. Ken can also be heard Friday evenings giving an weekly economic report on the Angel Clark radio show.

Spot The Wealth Effect

hows it going America ! those welcome to wal~mart motherfuckers "jobs"  & JUST wait to the "new" ass~slam~our ~asses ~care kicks in ..... we'll ALL being "sneaking"  across the mexicany border  ..looking fer an 25,000.000,000,000.00   ? peso's job ....whats that about 1.17 hr :0   hehe lol or we'll ALL be working the "phones"  fer India/China       or  how bout "working" the streets of South America :o   gotta love you's kooky dummycocks & republipubes  ... it wasn't ME ...i "voted"  the lesser of 2 evils ! 

Spot The Wealth Effect

Tyler Durden's picture


http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-09-26/spot-wealth-effect
 
Things are getting better; the nice man on the TV said so...


(h/t @Not_Jim_Cramer)

Of course, this brings to mind CNBC's Rick Santelli critical (rhetorical) question that everyone should ask: "[What the Fed minutes said] is, listen, we have to wait for bigger confirmation that the economy is doing better; and for that, we're going to look at the employment side. [At the same time] we have the fewest people working that can work in 30 years, and all-time-record-high profits for corporations. Now, does that strategy sound rational to you?" It seems, now that Bernanke has seemingly promised that it will really never end, that Santelli's question will become increasingly critical in this country.



“Now You See Me”: A Movie About the Illuminati Entertainment Industry?

Sep 26th, 2013 | http://vigilantcitizen.com/moviesandtv/now-see-illuminati-entertainment-industry/
“Now You See Me” is about big-time magicians doing incredible magic tricks … and some kind of a bank heist. But mostly, “Now You See Me” is about a shady organization named “The Eye” that controls these entertainers. While most viewers are dizzied with the senseless action of the movie, an important message is being communicated: The occult elite controls the entertainment business … Do you see it?

leadnowyouseeme2
Warning: Gigantic spoilers ahead!
Most critics had the same complaint about Now You See Me: The story makes absolutely no sense and is completely illogical. I wholeheartedly agree with them. Almost everything that happens during the entire movie is implausible. Even the mind-blowing overarching “master plan” of the movie actually depends on so many variables that could go wrong that it is, in fact, a horrible plan.
While most viewers will try to make sense of the action in Now You See Me, the movie simply keeps repeating to the viewers “The closer you look, the less you see”. It also constantly repeats that magicians always do something to distract the audience while the real magic happens elsewhere. Does this apply in the movie itself? Of course it does. The police chase, the bank heist plot, the explosions are there to keep the viewers’ eyes occupied while the real underlying story unfolds: It is about the entertainment industry, the forces that rule it and those that are used by it. It is also about the audience, the masses that are being fooled by master illusionists. The first lines of the movie say it all:
“Come in close. Closer. Because the more you think you see, the easier it’ll be to fool you. Because what is seeing? You’re looking, but what you’re really doing is filtering, interpreting, searching for meaning. My job? To take that most of gifts you give me, your attention, and use it against you.”
These lines, said while a magic card trick is being performed, sum up the true role of mass media and the entertainment industry. The rest of the movie aptly describes who rules the industry and even the methods it uses. The magicians are recruited by a secret society named “The Eye” (this might ring a bell for readers of this site) that uses the entertainers to further its agenda and make its symbolism a part of popular culture. Take a step back and realize this: The movie IS the magician. Let’s take a look at the themes of Now You See me.

Approached

At first, we see the four magicians doing their own little thing separately. They are all trying to make a living doing their magic tricks. They are however far from being big-time celebrities. They are watched and followed by a hooded figure who leaves an invitation in the form of a tarot card.
In the back of the card is the symbol of the All-Seeing Eye with invitation information. In this particular shot, the card is hiding one of Merritt McKinney's eyes (played by Woody Harrelson), hinting that he's about to be part of the occult elite's entertainment industry.
On the back of the invitation card is the symbol of the All-Seeing Eye. In this particular shot, the card is held above a photo of one of the magicians and hides one of its eyes – hinting that he’s about to be part of the occult elite’s entertainment industry. The fact that one eye is replaced by the all-seeing eye also implies that he is about to lose a whole lot sight … and freedom.
The four magicians are selected because they excel in their particular field of magic and, mostly, because they sometimes appear to be using real, occult magic.
From left to right: Henley Reeves is an escapist and has been given the High Priestess card; J. Daniel Atlas is an illusionist and was given the Lovers card; Merritt McKinney is a mentalist and given The Hermit Card; Jack Wilder is a sleight of hand illusionist and was given the Death card.
From left to right: Henley Reeves is an escapist (High Priestess tarot card); J. Daniel Atlas is an illusionist (Lovers card); Merritt McKinney is a mentalist (Hermit card); Jack Wilder is a sleight-of-hand illusionist (Death card).

Jack Wilder, the youngest of the crew received the death card for a reason: it foreshadows his upcoming ritual sacrifice.
Jack Wilder, the youngest of the crew received the Death card for a reason: It foreshadows his upcoming ritual sacrifice.
The magicians are invited to a strange apartment with strange contraptions in it. After figuring out the riddles that were placed there (an initiation process), they see the elite’s plans laid out for them. Then, just like magic, they become big-time entertainers.

Puppets of Their Rulers

After joining The Eye, the magicians are in Las Vegas, surrounding by a roaring crowd while we hear big boisterous music that basically screams “This is showbiz, baby!”. The four magicians, who were four solo, independent acts, have now joined into a group to become the Four Horsemen. This name is taken the Bible’s Book of Revelation, where the Four Horsemen are harbingers of the Apocalypse and the tribulations that come with it. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are often said to be associated with pestilence, war, famine and death. This is a rather grim name for a bunch of magicians, but it makes sense when we know that they are working for the occult elite. The Book of Revelation is of great importance in secret societies as it is believed to conceal an occult meaning to be only deciphered by the initiates. A lot of their symbolism derives from it and this is no exception.
Not unlike “real” performers in the entertainment industry, the Four Horsemen are only there to obey orders coming from The Eye. Everything about them relates to the secret society that controls them.
This scale model of the stage on which the Four Horesemen perform is one giant eye.
The stage on which the Horsemen perform is a giant eye. That’s a scale model of the stage.
The logo of the Four Horsemen is quite enigmatic.
The logo of the Four Horsemen is quite enigmatic.
In one scene however, in the Horsemen's backstage room, we see a strange decoration that says "Eye". It appears to be made of a the combination of two 3D versions of the Horsemen logo. In short, the logo is another hidden way of hiding the Eye symbolism in plain sight.
In one scene however, we see a strange decoration that says “Eye”. It appears consist of a combination of two 3D versions of the Horsemen logo. In short, the logo is another hidden way of hiding Eye symbolism in plain sight.
When the group completes its most spectacular magic trick, the symbol of the Eye flashes on Times Square, hinting that performers are used to associate symbols of the occult elite with popular culture and mass media.
When the group completes its most spectacular magic trick, the symbol of the Eye flashes on Times Square. While most people believe that The Eye is a myth, its symbolism is everywhere … just like in real life.
Everything about the Four Horsemen is therefore stamped with the seal of the Eye.
It is interesting to note that the people behind the movie did not create a fictional symbol to represent the secret society. They used the most important symbol of today’s occult elite – one the most important symbols of various powerful secret societies. As we often see on this site, this symbol is also already used all around mass media. Why is that? Is it because the movie plays the role of the Four Horsemen – a vehicle for the symbolism of the occult elite?

The Eye – Based on the Actual Secret Society that Runs Hollywood?

As the movie progresses, we discover some information The Eye and its history. Everything about it closely resembles an actual secret society that is powerful in Hollywood: the OTO, a self-described “magickal Order”.
In the movie, the Eye is:
“keepers of real magic and protectors of those who practice it. Candidates for initiation must follow a series of commands with blind obedience”.
It is clearly stated that the symbol of the Eye originates from the Ancient Egyptian symbol of the Eye of Horus.
During the movie we see a documentary about The Eye which states that it originates from Ancient Egypt.
A documentary on the Eye shows its occult origin.
The researcher investigating the origins of the Four Horsemen and the Eye drew this in her notepad and wrote above it "Eye of Horus".
This is a page of the notepad of the researcher investigating the Four Horsemen. They Eye of Horus is one of the most important symbols of the Freemasons, OTO and the Illuminati. The use of this symbol in this movie was not random.
The characteristics of the Eye closely resemble the OTO.
The OTO is based on Aleister Crowley’s Thelema  – a philosophy that was “communicated” to him while inside an Egyptian pyramid. Like The Eye, the OTO primarily focuses on “real” magick and its near-scientific application. Crowley added the letter “k” at the end of magick to distinguish it from stage magic. Therefore, like The Eye, the OTO considers itself “keepers of real magic”.
The symbol of the Eye of Horus is of the extreme importance for the OTO because the OTO is all about bringing about the Aeon of Horus – an era ruled by the Thelema. Is it surprising to see that, in this Aeon of Horus, mass media is literally flooded with the symbol of the Eye of Horus?
In the movie, one of the book used to research The Eye is called "The Guardians of Horus".
In the movie, one of the book used to research The Eye is called “The Guardians of Horus”.
The layout of the cover closely resembles the cover of actual OTO litterature, complete with rectangular borders and golden text written in gold.
The layout of its cover closely resembles the cover of actual OTO books, complete with rectangular borders and a title in golden, embedded, capitalized letters.
Just like The Eye, the OTO exerts a great influence in Hollywood. One of its mission statements is to bring about Thelema and the Aeon of Horus to the masses. What better tool than mass media to do so?

Inside the Industry

As we witness the Four Horsemen rise to fame, we also see how the entertainment industry functions. For instance, there are a few allusions to the usage of mind control on various people.
This French guy, who is supposed to be a randomly selected member of the audience for a magic trick is actually someone who was targeted and programmed to do whatever they want him to do.
This supposedly “randomly selected member of the audience” for a magic trick is actually a mind-control slave.
Thaddeus (the guy who attempts to debunk the Horsemen and the Eye) describes how this guy ended up on stage:
“He was selected. Programmed his mind to make it to Las Vegas. And then they kept reinforcing it until he did. They trailed him. They studied him. Nothing was left to chance. He had no idea he was their target. And they simply activated him in Las Vegas.”

This FBI agent (played by Common) starts playing an air violin after he hears the word "bullshit", letting us know that even people in law enforcement can be mind controlled in order for the elite to get its plans done.
This FBI agent (played by Common) starts playing an air violin after he hears the word “bullshit”. We later learn that he was programmed by the magicians and that the word “bullshit” triggers him into playing air violin. This is a way of letting us know that law enforcement can also be programmed by the elite.
Another key aspect of the Illuminati industry is the use of ritual sacrifices in order to bring about transformation. The illusionist Jack Wilder was given the tarot card of Death at the beginning of the movie because he was chosen for a ritual sacrifice.
Jack, one of the Four Horsemen, dies in a car crash - an event that is broadcast on live TV.
Jack, one of the Four Horsemen, dies (kind of) in a car crash – an event that is broadcast on live TV.
The event causes shock and brings sympathy towards the elite-backed magicians. We later discover that the car crash was a set up and that Jack is still alive – but the public doesn’t know that. The event is an example of a ritual sacrifice played out on a mass scale by the occult elite. It was also a diversion.
The movie also shows what happens to those who fall out of the elite’s good graces. Thaddeus, an ex-magician, now makes a career out of creating DVDs “debunking” magicians. When he goes against the elite-backed Horsemen, things do not end well for him.
Thaddeus is framed by The Eye and thrown in jail.
Thaddeus is framed by The Eye and thrown in jail.
When asking the police officer (who turns out to be part of The Eye) why this is happening to him, here’s the reply.
“The legend is that The Eye is everywhere. Waiting for the truly great magicians to distinguish themselves from the mediocre ones. Maybe that was you. Deep down inside you wanted nothing more than be part of The Eye, but you were never invited.”

Duped?

As the movie progresses, it becomes obvious that the members of the Four Horsemen have no idea what’s really going on. Like real life artists in the industry, they are mere puppets trying to fulfill the tasks given to them. They however know one thing for sure: They desperately want to be part of The Eye.
Once they complete their entire mission, the Horsemen meet up in Central Park.
The magicians are greeted by the very guy that was trying to arrest them during the entire movie. Does this make sense? No. But it does convey the meaning that The Eye own mass media AND law enforcement.
The magicians are greeted by Dylan Rhodes, the FBI agent that was trying to arrest them during the entire movie … *cough*… While this plot twist makes little to no sense, it does convey the meaning that The Eye own mass media AND law enforcement.
Rhodes tells the magicians “Welcome to The Eye” and brings them to a carousel that starts turning. The magicians mount on a little horsie and start spinning around. This leads us to think: Were the magician taken for a literal ride during the whole time? Does The Eye even exist?
Judging by the magnitude of the schemes the Horsemen were involved in, there is no doubt that a VERY powerful entity was behind them. However, like in real life, outsiders can never be part of the “inner-circle”. While the Horsemen did everything required from them, they will never be part of the elite. This fact is reinforced in a semi-hidden scene at the end of the movie.
A few minutes after the credits roll out, there’s a scene that I’m sure many people missed. It shows the ultimate fate of entertainers used by the occult elite.
The Horsemen are told to go to a place in the desert where old Las Vegas signs are thrown away. This neon sign graveyard pretty much represents their own career.
The Horsemen are told to go to a place in the desert where old Las Vegas signs are thrown away. This neon sign graveyard pretty much represents their own career.
They then go get equipment for their new magic show.
The magicians realizes that the boxes stamped with the sign of The Eye are locked. The Horsemen do not have access to Eye-related privileges anymore.
The magicians realize that the boxes stamped with the sign of The Eye are locked. The Horsemen do not have access to Eye-related privileges anymore.
Thinking that maybe their magical tarot cards might be able to unlock their crates, the magicians look in their pockets. Their tarot cards are gone. The Eye does not need these performers anymore so their pass was revoked. They were used and now they were thrown away in the desert amongst discarded neon signs.
So to answer questions many ask me: Are artists like Jay-Z actually part of the Illuminati? There’s your answer.

The Big Picture

Throughout the movie, investigators ask themselves “Why do they go through all of this trouble”? Why do the magicians and, by extension The Eye construct these elaborate schemes? It makes no sense. And, to many viewers, the movie doesn’t make sense. Most of the action is based around moronic police officers running around, pointing their guns, trying to catch smug-faced magicians. However, behind the action scenes and the loud music, there’s a message there. The movie itself repeatedly tells the viewers: “The closer you look, the less you see”. The closer you try to understand and make sense of the action going on screen, the less you see the “big picture”.
Now You See Me is definitely not about a bank heist. It is about the “magic” of the entertainment industry. Crowley defined magick as “the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will”. The goal of the entertainment industry is to cause change. But that change takes time … years, decades and generations. The movie describes the process in a very metaphorical matter.
The interpol agent researching The Eye describes the most famous trick of a magician named Lionel Shrike
“When he was 14, he saw a hole in a tree in Central Park. He had a guy, who worked at the carousel, sign a card for what looked like a routine little trick. At the guy’s retirement, 18 years later, Shrike performs, has the guy sign a card and presto! The card is in the tree. It was in the tree for 18 years.
The trick was not to look closely. It was to look so far that you see 20 years into the past.”
After the Horsemen completed all of their tasks, they were asked to meet at Shrikes' tree. The card inside the tree can represent the transformative "magic" that occurs in people and society over the years through exposure to mass media and the entertainment industry.
After the Horsemen completed all of their tasks, they were asked to meet at Shrike’s tree because it represent what the Eye is all about. Just like the card inside the tree trick, the elite’s transformative “magic” is about the long-term big picture.
At one point, Thaddeus says:
“This is a magic trick played out on the global scale. And you are the abracadabra, the distraction”.
While the viewers are hypnotized with explosions and car chases, they are missing the real magic: The elite transforming society to fit its needs through mass media.
Most of the "magic" we see during the movie is  CGI. The entertainment industry is the real master of illusion.
Most of the “magic” we see during the movie is CGI. The entertainment industry is the real master of illusion.
The movie ends with a call from the Illuminati to the public, letting them know that they are the ones being duped by the real magicians.
“Come in close. Closer. Because now you know our secret. We could be anywhere. Watching you. We’re looking for someone to help us with our next trick. On the count of three, open your eyes and tell me what you see. One. Two …”
Fade to black…

In Conclusion

While there is absolutely nothing “realistic” about Now You See Me, it does aptly describe what actually happens in the entertainment industry. The magicians in the movie represent the various artists and performers that are recruited by the elite to advance its agenda. The Eye is based on actual secret societies that exert influence in Hollywood. While these facts might be crystal clear to some, most viewers probably miss these messages as they try to understand what the hell is going on.
In fact, during the entire time, the movie kind of laughs at the audience. At one point, a member of the Horsemen says: “The magician must be the most intelligent person in the room”. The movie is so Hollywood that it is almost a parody of it. It is almost telling the viewers: “Look at the moronic stuff you’re consuming to be entertained”. But, behind it all, there’s a powerful message coming straight from The Eye. Either you see it … or you don’t.

Meet the machines that steal your phone’s data

Keeping tabs on civilian phones? There's more than one way to skin that cat.

Aurich Lawson / HBO
The National Security Agency’s spying tactics are being intensely scrutinized following the recent leaks of secret documents. However, the NSA isn't the only US government agency using controversial surveillance methods.
Monitoring citizens' cell phones without their knowledge is a booming business. From Arizona to California, Florida to Texas, state and federal authorities have been quietly investing millions of dollars acquiring clandestine mobile phone surveillance equipment in the past decade.
Earlier this year, a covert tool called the “Stingray” that can gather data from hundreds of phones over targeted areas attracted international attention. Rights groups alleged that its use could be unlawful. But the same company that exclusively manufacturers the Stingray—Florida-based Harris Corporation—has for years been selling government agencies an entire range of secretive mobile phone surveillance technologies from a catalogue that it conceals from the public on national security grounds.
Details about the devices are not disclosed on the Harris website, and marketing materials come with a warning that anyone distributing them outside law enforcement agencies or telecom firms could be committing a crime punishable by up to five years in jail.
These little-known cousins of the Stingray cannot only track movements—they can also perform denial-of-service attacks on phones and intercept conversations. Since 2004, Harris has earned more than $40 million from spy technology contracts with city, state, and federal authorities in the US, according to procurement records.
In an effort to inform the debate around controversial covert government tactics, Ars has compiled a list of this equipment by scrutinizing publicly available purchasing contracts published on government websites and marketing materials obtained through equipment resellers. Disclosed, in some cases for the first time, are photographs of the Harris spy tools, their cost, names, capabilities, and the agencies known to have purchased them.
What follows is the most comprehensive picture to date of the mobile phone surveillance technology that has been deployed in the US over the past decade.

“Stingray”

The Stingray has become the most widely known and contentious spy tool used by government agencies to track mobile phones, in part due to an Arizona court case that called the legality of its use into question. It’s a box-shaped portable device, sometimes described as an “IMSI catcher,” that gathers information from phones by sending out a signal that tricks them into connecting to it. The Stingray can be covertly set up virtually anywhere—in the back of a vehicle, for instance—and can be used over a targeted radius to collect hundreds of unique phone identifying codes, such as the International Mobile Subscriber Number (IMSI) and the Electronic Serial Number (ESM). The authorities can then hone in on specific phones of interest to monitor the location of the user in real time or use the spy tool to log a record of all phones in a targeted area at a particular time. The FBI uses the Stingray to track suspects and says that it does not use the tool to intercept the content of communications. However, this capability does exist. Procurement documents indicate that the Stingray can also be used with software called “FishHawk,” (PDF) which boosts the device’s capabilities by allowing authorities to eavesdrop on conversations. Other similar Harris software includes “Porpoise,” which is sold on a USB drive and is designed to be installed on a laptop and used in conjunction with transceivers—possibly including the Stingray—for surveillance of text messages.
Similar devices are sold by other government spy technology suppliers, but US authorities appear to use Harris equipment exclusively. They've awarded the company “sole source” contracts because its spy tools provide capabilities that authorities claim other companies do not offer. The Stingray has become so popular, in fact, that “Stingray” has become a generic name used informally to describe all kinds of IMSI catcher-style devices.
First used: Trademark records show that a registration for the Stingray was first filed in August 2001. Earlier versions of the technology—sometimes described as “digital analyzers” or “cell site simulators” by the FBI—were being deployed in the mid-1990s. An upgraded version of the Stingray, named the “Stingray II,” was introduced to the spy tech market by Harris Corp. between 2007 and 2008. Photographs filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office depict the Stingray II as a more sophisticated device, with many additional USB inputs and a switch for a “GPS antenna,” which is likely used to assist in location tracking.
Cost: $68,479 for the original Stingray; $134,952 for Stingray II.
Agencies: Federal authorities have spent more than $30 million on Stingrays and related equipment and training since 2004, according to procurement records. Purchasing agencies include the FBI, DEA, Secret Service, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Internal Revenue Service, the Army, and the Navy. Cops in Arizona, Maryland, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, and California have also either purchased or considered purchasing the devices, according to public records. In one case, procurement records (PDF) show cops in Miami obtained a Stingray to monitor phones at a free trade conference held in Miami in 2003.

“Gossamer”

The Gossamer is a small portable device that can be used to secretly gather data on mobile phones operating in a target area. It sends out a covert signal that tricks phones into handing over their unique codes—such as the IMSI and TMSI—which can be used to identify users and home in on specific devices of interest. What makes it different from the Stingray? Not only is the Gossamer much smaller, but it can also be used to perform a denial-of-service attack on phone users, blocking targeted people from making or receiving calls, according to marketing materials (PDF) published by a Brazilian reseller of the Harris equipment. The Gossamer has the appearance of a clunky-looking handheld transceiver. One photograph filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office shows it displaying an option for "mobile interrogation" on its small LCD screen, which sits above a telephone-style keypad.
First used: Trademark records show that a registration for the Gossamer was first filed in October 2001.
Cost: $19,696.
Agencies: Between 2005 and 2009, the FBI, Special Operations Command, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement spent more than $1.3 million purchasing Harris’ Gossamer technology and upgrading existing Gossamer units, according to procurement records. Most of the $1.3 million was spent by the FBI as part of a large contract in 2005.
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“Triggerfish”

The Triggerfish is an eavesdropping device. It allows authorities to covertly intercept mobile phone conversations in real time. This sets it apart from the original version of the Stingray, which marketing documents suggest was designed mainly for location monitoring and gathering metadata (though software can allow the Stingray to eavesdrop). The Triggerfish, which looks similar in size to the Stingray, can also be used to identify the location from which a phone call is being made. It can gather large amounts of data on users over a targeted area, allowing authorities to view identifying codes of up to 60,000 different phones at one time, according to marketing materials. First used: Trademark records show that a registration for the Triggerfish was filed in July 2001, though its “first use anywhere” is listed as November 1997. It is not clear whether the Triggerfish is still for sale or whether its name has recently changed, as the trademark on the device was canceled in 2008, and it does not appear on Harris’ current federal price lists.
Cost: Between $90,000 and $102,000.
Agencies: The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the DEA; and county cops in Miami-Dade invested in Triggerfish technology prior to 2004, according to procurement records. However, the procurement records (PDF) also show that the Miami-Dade authorities complained that the device "provided access" only to Cingular and AT&T wireless network carriers. (This was before the two companies merged.) To remedy that, the force complemented the Triggerfish tool with additional Harris technology, including the Stingray and Amberjack, which enabled monitoring of Metro PCS, Sprint, and Verizon. This gave the cops "the ability to track approximately ninety percent of the wireless industry," the procurement documents state.

“Kingfish”

The Kingfish is a surveillance transceiver that allows authorities to track and mine information from mobile phones over a targeted area. The device does not appear to enable interception of communications; instead, it can covertly gather unique identity codes and show connections between phones and numbers being dialed. It is smaller than the Stingray, black and gray in color, and can be controlled wirelessly by a conventional notebook PC using Bluetooth. You can even conceal it in a discreet-looking briefcase, according to marketing brochures. First used: Trademark records show that a registration for the Kingfish was filed in August 2001. Its “first use anywhere” is listed in records as December 2003.
Cost: $25,349.
Agencies: Government agencies have spent about $13 million on Kingfish technology since 2006, sometimes as part of what is described in procurement documents as a “vehicular package” deal that includes a Stingray. The US Marshals Service; Secret Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Army; Air Force; state cops in Florida; county cops in Maricopa, Arizona; and Special Operations Command have all purchased a Kingfish in recent years.

“Amberjack”

The Amberjack is an antenna that is used to help track and locate mobile phones. It is designed to be used in conjunction with the Stingray, Gossamer, and Kingfish as a “direction-finding system” (PDF) that monitors the signal strength of the targeted phone in order to home in on the suspect’s location in real time. The device comes inbuilt with magnets so it can be attached to the roof of a police vehicle, and it has been designed to have a “low profile” for covert purposes. A photograph of the Amberjack filed with a trademark application reveals that the device, which is metallic and circular in shape, comes with a “tie-down kit” to prevent it from falling off the roof of a vehicle that is being driven at “highway speeds.” First used: Trademark records show that a registration for the Amberjack was filed in August 2001 at the same time as the Stingray. Its “first use anywhere” is listed in records as October 2002.
Cost: $35,015
Agencies: The DEA; FBI; Special Operations Command; Secret Service; the Navy; the US Marshals Service; and cops in North Carolina, Florida, and Texas have all purchased Amberjack technology, according to procurement records.

“Harpoon”

The Harpoon is an "amplifier" (PDF) that can boost the signal of a Stingray or Kingfish device, allowing it to project its surveillance signal farther or from a greater distance depending on the location of the targets. A photograph filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office shows that the device has two handles for carrying and a silver, metallic front with a series of inputs that allow it to be connected to other mobile phone spy devices. First used: Trademark records show that a filing for the Harpoon was filed in June 2008.
Cost: $16,000 to $19,000.
Agencies: The DEA; state cops in Florida; city cops in Tempe, Arizona; the Army; and the Navy are among those to have purchased Harpoons since 2009.

“Hailstorm”

The Hailstorm is the latest in the line of mobile phone tracking tools that Harris Corp. is offering authorities. However, few details about it have trickled into the public domain. It can be purchased as a standalone unit or as an upgrade to the Stingray or Kingfish, which suggests that it has the same functionality as these devices but has been tweaked with new or more advanced capabilities. Procurement documents (PDF) show that Harris Corp. has, in at least one case, recommended that authorities use the Hailstorm in conjunction with software made by Nebraska-based surveillance company Pen-Link. The Pen-Link software appears to enable authorities deploying the Hailstorm to directly communicate with cell phone carriers over an Internet connection, possibly to help coordinate the surveillance of targeted individuals.
First used: Unknown.
Cost: $169,602 as a standalone unit. The price is reduced when purchased as an upgrade.
Agencies: Public records show that earlier this year, the Baltimore Police Department, county cops in Oakland County, Michigan, and city cops in Phoenix, Arizona, each separately entered the procurement process to obtain the Hailstorm equipment. The Baltimore and Phoenix forces each set aside about $100,000 for the device, and they purchased it as an upgrade to Stingray II mobile phone spy technology. The Phoenix cops spent an additional $10,000 on Hailstorm training sessions conducted by Harris Corp. in Melbourne, Florida, and Oakland County authorities said they obtained a grant from the Department of Homeland Security to help finance the procurement of the Hailstorm tool. The Oakland authorities noted that the device was needed for “pinpoint tracking of criminal activity.” It is highly likely that other authorities—particularly federal agencies—will invest in the Hailstorm too, with procurement records eventually surfacing later this year or into 2014.

No one’s talking

Ars contacted the agencies most frequently referenced above, including the FBI; the DEA; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Secret Service; and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Our requests for comment were either not returned or rebuffed on the grounds that the topic is "law enforcement sensitive." Harris Corp. also turned down an interview request and declined to answer any questions for this story.
The FBI has previously stated in response to questions about the Stingray device that it "strives to protect our country and its people using every available tool" and that location data in particular is a "vital component" of investigations. But when it comes to discussing specific surveillance equipment, it is common for the authorities to remain tight-lipped because they don’t want to reveal tactics to criminals.
The code of silence shrouding the above tools, however, is highly contentious. Their use by law enforcement agencies is in a legal gray zone, particularly because interference with communications signals is supposed to be prohibited under the federal Communications Act. In May, an Arizona court ruled that the FBI's use of a Stingray was lawful in a case involving conspiracy, wire fraud, and identity theft. But according to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), when seeking authorization for the use of the Stingray tool, the feds have sometimes unlawfully withheld information from judges about the full scope of its capabilities. This means that judges across the country are potentially authorizing the use of the technology without even knowing what it actually does.
That's not all. There is another significant issue raised by the Harris spy devices: security. According to Christopher Soghoian, chief technologist at the ACLU, similar covert surveillance technology is being manufactured by a host of companies in other countries like China and Russia. He believes the US government’s “state secrecy” on the subject is putting Americans at risk.
"Our government is sitting on a security flaw that impacts every phone in the country," Soghoian says. "If we don't talk about Stingray-style tools and the flaws that they exploit, we can't defend ourselves against foreign governments and criminals using this equipment, too."