Phi Beta Iota: This is a NEW seminar that can be commissioned for face to face or remote video presentation. It is world-class and absolutely essential to any professionals who are now dependent on Google for open source searches. The ideal arrangement involving travel would establish three audiences for the same trip: government, commerce, and academic. Communicate directly with Mr. Arnold at sa [at] arnoldit [dot] com.
Beyond Google: What to Do When Google Does Not Answer Your Questions in a Useful Way
The purpose of this seminar is to provide facts, demonstrations, tips, tactics, and recommendationsfor specific online search tactics tailored to law enforcement and intelligence professionals. In sessuib, Stephen E Arnold will discuss four specific situations in which free online services can handle the types of questions investigators and analysts often have.
In the course of the review of the four cases (case studies), two alternative systems will be profiled and three supplemental resources will be mentioned. Many of these sources are operated by various government and non-commercial entities. A number of services are owned by non U.S. companies.
In addition, each webinar participant will receive a link to a private Web page which lists the resources mentioned. Many of the resources are of high value but not widely used within the United States; for example, the Russian language version of the Yandex search system, the Switzerland-based service eTools.ch, and Criminalrecords.info site, among 30 others.
NOTE: The movie “Hackers” was based on HOPE co-founder and spiritual leader Emmanuel Goldstein (not his real name) and his various Pheaker (phone hacks) and Hacker (computer hacks) colleagues. There is no other event on the planet quite like this, at least in the English language. Robert Steele moves heaven and earth to be there (it takes place every two years). In passing, you can leave HOPE a certified lock picker, fully equipped. Hackers are like astronauts, full of the right stuff, pushing the edge of the envelope in whatever domain they choose (not just software).
CLOSE AIR SUPPORT WITH AND WITHOUT THE A-10 — WILL US TROOPS GET THE HELP THEY NEED?
A Seminar on Supporting US Ground Forces in Combat, Fighting Effectively in Future Wars, and Acquiring Effective Hardware at Affordable Prices
Sponsored by the Straus Military Reform Project and the Project On Government Oversight
Time: Friday, November 22, 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Location: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Root Room
1779 Massachusetts Ave., NW,Washington DC
Please RSVP to winslowwheeler@msn.com or erosenkranz@pogo.org; seating may be limited.
„Knowledge is power“ is the credo of enlightened modernism. However, Michel Foucault proclaims that whoever is in power determines which knowledge prevails in society, and ultimately this is the only knowledge that we have access to. It is certain that knowledge and power are closely interrelated, and that power relations in a society heavily depend on who has access to which knowledge, and on who defines which knowledge is „right“. New media technologies, however, offer new possibilities, not only to make information accessible to the public at large, but also to allow many people to participate in the generation of knowledge, for example through Wikipedia.
Responsible, independent media and an education system that does not breed people as consumers but teaches them to evaluate information and to participate responsibly in the provision of knowledge, are essential for democracy. In politics secrecy is becoming more difficult because responsible citizens want to know what their governments are doing. Disclosure? – Provided by Wikileaks, if necessary. Since Edward Snowden's leaks, intelligence agencies have to publicly justify themselves as well: Should they be abolished, or incorporated as “Open Source Intelligence Agencies” in our interaction-driven information society?
Offshore Leaks has released secret tax haven bank account details, WikiLeaks was responsible for the disclosure of politically explosive classified documents, while Edward Snowden exposed intelligence agencies and private businesses that were spying extensively on respectable citizens. These are all vivid examples of the ambivalence of new technologies. On the one hand they can ensure transparency of financial flows and power relations, as well as facilitate new forms of democracy, while on the other hand they can be exploited for total surveillance, which would bring an end to the human right to privacy. This ambivalence also applies to Open Hardware blueprints, Open Materials and 3D printing for material production, with the help of which components and machines of all kinds can be self-built – including weapons.
Free software was the beginning of the ‘open movement'. The founder of the Free Software Foundation, Richard Stallman, realized early, that whoever has dominion over software can exercise control over the dissemination of information, and impede technical innovation; in short, gain enormous power. He therefore concluded that all software source-codes must be free and open to allow all people to adapt programs to specific needs, and to ensure quick detection of bugs and rapid interception of espionage operations. From this insight, the step to Open Hardware was not far. Blueprints for the construction of equipment and machinery are becoming freely accessible so that anyone could recreate them without too much effort. In the future, 3D-printing will probably become available for an increasing number of people, thus fostering resource-saving, need-oriented production.
The spectrum of Open-initiatives is growing steadily: OpenStreetMap is working on a free world map. Open Government Data allows comprehensive public scrutiny of governments. Open Democracy projects are working on ways to realise direct participation of the public in political decision-making. With the help of Open Media and Open Spectrum, information can be disseminated worldwide and in real time, independently of the established mass media. Open Science advocates for the disclosure of research processes and outcomes to promote scientific and technological innovation. Creative Commons licenses are being considered for seed, to allow people to feed themselves with self-determination – also in view of climate change and Peak Everything – through the preservation of crop diversity and the development of ‘new' heirloom varieties – liberties that go against the interests of big business. All of these fields of the “Open” philosophy have one idea in common: that the wisdom of the many would lead to better results than those achieved by experts and governments. In addition, the new technologies also facilitate new forms of collaboration and co-creation beyond economic market and wage labor, which could be the beginning of a new economic system. Over and above, all of these developments challenge the foundations of existing power structures.
In contrast to all of this stands the fact that policy-making processes are increasingly closed to the public, and many of the key decisions are made in committees that are not democratically elected. Business and official secrecy prevents public scrutiny. At the same time, our private lives are increasingly under surveillance. For governments and corporations transparency means mass surveillance. Their own activities are supposed to be secret, while ours are intended to be monitored and recorded as accurately as possible, to facilitate control over the public and to turn our data into money. The same technologies, therefore, enable either self-empowerment, solidarity and democracy, or total control, exploitation and oppression. The Elevate Festival sets out to explore this ambiguous terrain of Openness, and investigates how society might be affected, should Open Everything become a reality.
Million Mask March is a world event held every year on November 5th. Increasing in number, this year there are over 350 worldwide locations including Washington, DC, London, Sydney and many, many more. In the spirit of Anonymous, Occupy and WikiLeaks, it is a call to unite whistleblowers, hacktivists, marchers and occupiers to defend humanity from political corruption.
International Business Times calls it the largest protest in the history of mankind.
If you're passionate about free software, the Free Software Foundation wants you to be a part of LibrePlanet 2014.
We're excited to announce three new ways to get involved in next year's conference: answer our Call for Sessions, apply to join our Exhibit Hall, or join our new Volunteer Committee. We are now accepting applications for each one of these exciting ways to be a part of this annual gathering for free software advocates, contributors, and users.
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LibrePlanet is the annual conference of the Free Software Foundation and will be held in March 2014 in Cambridge, MA. This year, the theme of LibrePlanet is “Free Software, Free Society.” How can free software protect journalists, whistleblowers, activists, and regular computer users from government and corporate surveillance? How can free software, or free software values like copyleft, community development, and transparency, be used by people fighting to create free societies around the world? What challenges are standing between us and our goal of free software ubiquity? With your help, we'll tackle these questions and more at LibrePlanet 2014.
All associate members of the FSF may attend LibrePlanet gratis. Be sure to join our announcement list to be the first to know when the conference dates and venue are officially announced!
