Tedger.com

Not really a huge substantive addition to tedger.com but kind of a fun one.  I’ve previously mentioned  my recent adoption of some Web 2.0 services and I’ve furthered the integration of those services into tedger.com.  You can already get to my Tumblr at http://tumblr.tedger.com and now you can see my Twitter updates left here on Tedger.com!  Look to your left in the side bar, it’s alright, I’ll wait….. Kind of cool? Maybe?  Ok not that cool, but I generally update twitter and tumblr more frequently then I update here on the main blog so it’s one more update avenue, and that’s the goal of a website.  So enjoy.

So I was reading the news before I headed to bed tonight and came across this headline: “Rocket Attacks Kill 2 Soldiers In Green Zone, 1 on U.S. Base”  Unfortunately this type of headline isn’t as uncommon as it should be, nor is it particularly new.  However it did produce a thought that focused around the first word “rocket.”  Rockets, self propelled, typically ballistic (otherwise they’re described as missiles), relatively complicated weapons.  Rockets.  60 years ago rocket attacks were the works of governments.  So significant of a financial outlay building rockets could only be sponsored by a rich government.  Mind you the rockets mentioned in the article are significantly smaller then the V2s that I’m referencing here but my point remains the same, things have changed, and a lot.  Even 15 years ago I think the idea of portable rockets in the hands of anyone not being sponsored by a government in some way was unknown.  Sure, non-state actors such as the Taliban used more significant technology against the Soviets in Afghanistan, but that technology was both bankrolled and developed by the United States.

We’re talking about non-state sponsored (Iran may be an issue here but it’s just as likely they aren’t) group possessing rockets, significant technology, I think is pretty incredible.  Incredible in a completely non-value-judgment sort of way.  It’s kind of a sad situation that this is the case, but that doesn’t change how significant this is.

Just a little epiphany I had and I thought I’d share.

It’s my brother’s birthday.  He’s 18…. yikes that’s a scary concept.

Unfortunately it’s highly unlikely that they are.  I am referring to a recent administration memo stating the opinion that “the Fourth Amendment had no application to domestic military operations.” The emphasis  is mine.

a) You’re kiddng right?

b) No seriously, you’re FUCKING kidding me right?

c) YOU ARE FUCKING KIDDING ME!

Excuse the language however the suggestion that a part of the United States government, military (the NSA is a Department of Defense agency, and thus military) or civilian,  is exempt from the checks that the Fourth Amendment places on overreaching government is so abhorrent that I find it appalling beyond the usual tromping on the Constitution found in the current administraton.  The absolute gall to suggest that the Constituton does not apply shows more disrespect for our republic on a level that I find so repulsive the words I just used aren’t even close to expressing my anger.  The current executive has made appaling claims of authorization of wiretapping by mostly unrelated legislation but to suggest that their own arguments are irelevant because they don’t need to pay attention to the Constituton is orders of magnitude greater on my repuslive-o-ness meter.  In fact I think I might need a new one because this one was just broken.

 Information on the memo and it’s possible implications.