Monday, May 25, 2020

German intelligence can no longer freely spy on the world’s Internet traffic, top court rules

Responding to COVID-19 A guide for senior executives - Deloitte: “Five fundamental qualities of resilient leadership distinguish successful CEOs as they guide their enterprises through the COVID-19 crisis. Learn specific steps that can help blunt the crisis’s impact—and enable your organization to emerge stronger.


How Australia's Mullum pub 'fake genuine Russian choir' Dustyesky ... - ABC

The choir performs Russian Red Army and traditional folk songs in four-part harmonies

Dustyesky

These bearded blokes from Mullumbimby, NSW, make up the "Southern Hemisphere's best fake genuine Russian folk choir" Dustyesky. The group is finding new ways to entertain audiences during COVID-19 restrictions by taking their act online.

Mullum's 'fake genuine' Russian choir on national TV ...



Crocodile rumored to have been Hitler's dies in Moscow


Putin Is Well on His Way to Stealing the Next Election


THE KING OF GERMANY WILL ACCEPT YOUR BANK DEPOSITS NOW: Who Is Germany’s Self-Proclaimed King Peter Fitzek?



How politicians talk about coronavirus in Germany, where war metaphors are avoided

WE MENTIONED IT: In Germany, the coronavirus is a ‘situation’, an ‘historical task’, and a ‘great challenge’ ahead.


They’re not all knukcle-dragging proto fascists

It is often easy to imagine that all Americans are unhinged, gun-toting, Bible bashing, conspiracy believers, LBQT+ haters and Trump supporters. Continue reading 

The New York Times: “When you finally return to work after the lockdown, coronavirus might not be the only illness you need to worry about contracting at the office. Office buildings once filled with employees emptied out in many cities and states as shelter-in-place orders were issued. 


German intelligence can no longer freely spy on the world’s Internet traffic, top court rules - Fortune – “In the world of online spying, great power lies with those who can get their hands on the data flowing through the world’s Internet infrastructure. So the fact that Germany is home to one of the world’s biggest Internet exchange points—where data crosses between the networks that make up the Internet—has given a lot of power to the country’s equivalent of the U.S. National Security Agency. The Bundesnachrichtendienst, or BND, gets to freely sift through all the foreign traffic passing through that exchange junction in search of nuggets that can be shared with overseas partners such as the NSA. But now that power is in jeopardy, thanks to a Tuesday ruling from Germany’s constitutional court. The case was brought about by journalists who report on human rights in conflict zones. They don’t want German spies potentially identifying their sources there and sharing that information with other countries. Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court ruled that foreigners also benefit from privacy protections under Germany’s constitution, so the surveillance conducted on them by Germany’s spy agency needs to respect their rights…”

Like my mate Vladimir Putin, I NEED ONE OF THESE TO SOCIALLY ISOLATE ON:  This 160-Foot All-Carbon Superyacht Is Like a Bond Villain Lair That Floats



Pangaea is a supercontinent that formed on Earth about 335 million years ago and began to break up about 175 million years ago, eventually forming the familiar continents of today. Massimo Pietrobon made a map that shows where our modern country borders would appear on PangaeaCheck out the full-size version here.
See also Locate Modern Addresses on Earth 240 Million Years Ago






How Is Covid-19 Impacting Federal Criminal Enforcement?

“Law enforcement agencies across the country have been referring fewer criminal cases to federal prosecutors since the coronavirus pandemic began. While weekly referrals for federal prosecution during February and the first half of March averaged around 4,500 per week, referrals fell to only 1,800 during the last week of March. Each weekday, U.S. Attorney offices from around the country typically receive hundreds of referrals. Most of these came from federal investigative agencies. Some originate from local and state law enforcement. Each referral is typically assigned to an assistant U.S. attorney who       determines whether or not to charge the suspect with committing one or more federal crimes. According to comparisons of case-by-case Department of Justice records obtained by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) at Syracuse University after litigation under the Freedom of Information Act, five federal law enforcement agencies were the source of over four out of every five referrals (81%) to federal prosecutors thus far in FY 2020. These agencies, in descending order of referrals were: Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Some differences were found in how specific law enforcement agencies adjusted their activities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. FBI, CBP, ICE and DEA referrals to federal prosecutors all showed a drop off in March. ATF was the lone exception where little change was evident. In addition, the number of referrals from CBP and ICE declined more sharply than did others. In fact, actual declines in ICE’s referrals appear to have begun earlier – in early rather than mid-March…”