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Steve Gilliard, 1964-2007

It is with tremendous sadness that we must convey the news that Steve Gilliard, editor and publisher of The News Blog, passed away June 2, 2007. He was 42.

To those who have come to trust The News Blog and its insightful, brash and unapologetic editorial tone, we have Steve to thank from the bottom of our hearts. Steve helped lead many discussions that mattered to all of us, and he tackled subjects and interest categories where others feared to tread.

Please keep Steve's friends and family in your thoughts and prayers.

Steve meant so much to us.

We will miss him terribly.

photo by lindsay beyerstein

 

Not a single freaking guy


I just watched the Frontline special Spying on the Homefront. It seems to me that first off the President and the Attorney General are liars. But thats besides the point. I watched that ridiculous data gathering operation they pulled in Vegas. I was not surprised, but there is a posit in all this that is complete bullshit.

Their premise is that we need to invade everyones' privacy in order to prevent another 9/11 attack. Well, correct me if i am wrong but we had data on all these guys. We had plenty of data and indications. Both internal information on lapsed visa's, money transfers, flight training and other communications. We also had a significant array of data coming in from overseas. It made former CIA Director George Tenet freak out. Lots and lots of signals. There was no lack of Intelligence, just a lack of action.

The fact is the failure was in leadership. Tenet, Bush, Cheney, and Rice. A failure in follow-up by the FBI and the NSA, and the CIA. The basic idea that if we only were able gather more information or ALL the information we would spot another attack. We didnt need to gather a single byte more of information about 9/11 to stop it. Bush just needed to act it, any of it.

Thing is they are clearly conducting limitless searching, spying and data gathering on every single American and they havent been able to prosecute a single fucking guy in years. Think about that.

Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety - Ben Franklin.