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Researchers: U.S. escalated drone strikes in Pakistan in recent weeks

February 2, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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STORY HIGHLIGHTS * New America Foundation: 64 drone strikes have occurred during the Obama administration * 45 unmanned drone attacks took place under President George W. Bush, group says * "There was a revenge factor," says editor of The Long War journal * Seven people died in a December 30 suicide attack at a CIA base in Afghanistan (CNN) -- The United States has escalated its unmanned aircraft strikes at militant targets in Pakistan since seven Americans were killed in a December 30 suicide attack at a CIA base in eastern Afghanistan, statistics from two informed research outlets show. And analysts believe "revenge" could be a top motivator. A forthcoming study from the New America Foundation, a public policy institute, said there have been 64 strikes since President Obama took office, 51 in 2009 and 13 in 2010. Fourteen of them occurred since the late December CIA suicide attack, it said. There were 45 such attacks during the Bush administration, with most occurring since August 2008, said Peter Bergen, a fellow at the foundation and CNN terror analyst, and Katherine Tiedemann, a foundation policy analyst. Bergen cannot say definitively why the drone attacks have increased, but he cites a revenge factor, saying that U.S. forces are upset and want retribution for the brazen bombing and have cranked up strikes on military targets in the tribal regions of Pakistan. "The people who died in this suicide attack were involved in targeting people on the other side of the border," said Bergen. The Long War Journal, an online publication that charts data for U.S. airstrikes against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Pakistan, released similar statistics as well on its Web site. And Bill Roggio, editor of the journal, told CNN he also believes "there was a revenge factor." "What we saw after December 30 was really unprecedented," Roggio said. "They had to do two things. They had to show that the attack didn't hurt their ability to target [militants] and that they still had the capacity to do so." The journal says the air campaign "remains the cornerstone of the effort to root out and decapitate the senior leadership of al Qaeda, the Taliban, and other allied terror groups, and to disrupt both al Qaeda's global and local operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan." RELATED TOPICS * Pakistan * Afghanistan War * The Taliban * Central Intelligence Agency The U.S. military routinely offers no comment on reported attacks by the pilotless aircraft, but officials say the airstrikes are conducted by Americans. The United States is the only country operating in the region known to have the ability to launch missiles from remote-controlled aircraft. Strikes have been launched from both Afghanistan and Pakistan, Bergen and Tiedemann said. The latest such strikes occurred on Tuesday, when unmanned aircraft struck four villages and killed at least 29 people in North Waziristan. The December 30 suicide bomber, a Jordanian, killed seven … [Read more...]

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Analysis: Free Speech Coalition Answers Government's Motion to Dismiss Suit

February 2, 2010 By 2 Comments
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Whether under strict or intermediate scrutiny, the government's arguments fail PHILADELPHIA—Free Speech Coalition, the trade organization of the adult entertainment industry, yesterday filed its response to the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) Motion to Dismiss FSC's lawsuit against the federal recordkeeping and labeling law, 18 U.S.C. §2257. The reply brief, filed by FSC attorneys J. Michael Murray and Lorraine Baumgardner, first tackles the government's claim that 2257 helps control child pornography, which FSC agrees is a valid governmental purpose, but argues that 2257 and its attendant regulations are valueless in accomplishing—and that the regulations are a content-based form of censorship of sexual speech. Normally, content-based speech regulation is subjected to strict scrutiny by the courts, meaning that in order to survive challenge, the government must show that the law serves a compelling government interest—which fighting child porn surely does—but also that the law is narrowly tailored to accomplish that task and that it is the least-restrictive means by which to do so. However, the government has argued that the law should be subject only to intermediate scrutiny; in other words, that the statute in question furthers an important government interest and that the law is substantially related to accomplishing that interest. Throughout the FSC brief, however, while reserving their right to argue that strict scrutiny is the applicable level of inquiry, Murray and Baumgardner demonstrate that even under intermediate scrutiny, 2257 fails to meet its burden. "That inquiry [intermediate scrutiny] requires an assessment of: (1) the seriousness and extent of the problem that the regulation was designed to address, and (2) the efficacy of the means chosen to address the identified problem," the plaintiffs argue. "Plaintiffs contend (and will present evidence demonstrating) that the problem identified by the government—the inadvertent use of underage performers in adult productions—is non-existent and has always been so." [Citations removed here and below] Plaintiffs go on to note that there has been only one "well-publicized instance of an underage performer appearing in an adult film": Traci Lords, who used "a sophisticated ruse employing artifice and fraud which would not have been prevented by the most punctilious compliance with either 18 U.S.C. §2257 or 18 U.S.C. §2257A." Indeed, neither statute requires that adult producers actually be able to distinguish a real photo ID presented by a performer from a well-crafted fake, thereby rendering both statutes ineffective in preventing minors from acting in adult productions. "The government’s contention that the record keeping requirements are a necessary means to assure that underage performers do not appear in adult films fails to take into account two important facts," plaintiffs argue. "(1) commercial producers of adult films have always checked identification to … [Read more...]

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Regulators Gone Wild: Porn Surfing’s Up at the SEC

February 2, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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WASHINGTON, D.C.—While to most Americans it might seem that the SEC has been asleep at the wheel for the last, oh, 8 years, it turns out that several of the federal regulators were indeed awake, though otherwise engaged with porn. The Washington Times has the details, which are not quite as salacious as one might hope given the national coverage the story is getting or the alarming nature of the paper’s lede. “In the case of the regional supervisor,” writes Jim McElhatton, “the inspector general found that during a 17-day period, he received about 1,880 ‘access denials,’ wherein the computer system blocked his attempts to view websites that were deemed pornographic.” Farther down in the story, McElhatton explains that access denials “are just one of several indicators of abuse that don’t reflect the actual number of times an individual seeks to view inappropriate sites. “"In fact,” the paper quotes an unidentified person named Nestor as saying, “a single click onto one website that itself may not be blocked can trigger up to dozens of 'access denial' hits, one for each banner or ad on the Web page that might be blocked by our software, even if the individual has not clicked on to any of the banners or ads on that page." Still, the regional supervisor was not the only one blowing off steam at the SEC. “More than two dozen SEC employees and contractors over roughly the past two years have faced internal investigations after they were caught viewing pornography on their government computers, according to records obtained through the Freedom of Information Act and other public documents,” reports the Times. Despite recommendations by the inspector general that included dismissal of some of the offenders, no one has apparently been fired, though several have been suspended, and others resigned before they were disciplined. … [Read more...]

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Groundhog Day & Punxsutawney Phil: Facts Behind Forecast

February 2, 2010 By 2 Comments
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It's that time of year again: Groundhog Day, when thousands of revelers converge on the small Pennsylvania town of Punxsutawney to hear an overweight groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil predict the weather. (Related: "Groundhog Sees More Winter Ahead" [2006].) "Groundhog Day is a lot like a rock concert but the people are better behaved and there's a groundhog involved," said Tom Chapin, editor of the Punxsutawney Spirit newspaper. "There's music and entertainment, spoofs of game shows, and people shooting t-shirts and Beanie Babies" into the crowd, he said. Tradition has it that if Punxsutawney Phil emerges from his temporary burrow—a simulated tree stump at the rural site of Gobbler's Knob—on February 2 and sees his shadow, winter weather will continue for six more weeks across the United States. But if Phil doesn't see his shadow, then spring temperatures are just around the corner. (See "No Winter by 2105? Study Offers Grim Forecast for U.S.") Regardless of the weather prediction, on Groundhog Day, Phil "speaks" to his human caretakers, known as the Inner Circle, in Groundhogese and tells them his forecast. The Inner Circle then translates Phil's words for the world to hear—or so they say. Whatever he says on February 2, "immortal" Punxsutawney Phil—supposedly born no later than the 19th century—will get his 2010 message out in some decidedly 21st-century ways, by texting his forecast for the first time (to sign up, text "groundhog" to 247365) and, of course, updating his Facebook status. Video: Wild Groundhog in "Action" Groundhog Day Origins According to the official Punxsutawney Phil Groundhog Day Web site, Groundhog Day is the result of a blend of ancient Christian and Roman customs that came together in Germany. In the early days of Christianity in Europe, clergy would distribute blessed candles to the faithful on February 2 in honor of Candlemas, a holiday celebrating the Virgin Mary's presentation of Jesus at the Temple in Jerusalem 40 days after his birth. Along the way, February 2 also became associated with weather prediction, perhaps due to its proximity to the pagan Celtic festival of Imbolc—also a time of meteorological superstition—which falls on February 1. Tradition held that the weather on Candlemas was important: clear skies meant an extended winter. Legend has it that the Romans also believed that conditions during the first days of February were good predictors of future weather, but the empire looked to hedgehogs for their forecasts. These two traditions melded in Germany, and was brought over to the United States by German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania. Lacking hedgehogs, the German settlers substituted native groundhogs in the ritual, and Groundhog Day was born. Punxsutawney Phil. Will. Not. Die. In 1887 a group of groundhog hunters from Punxsutawney (map) dubbed themselves the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club and declared their furry oracle, Punxsutawney Phil, the one and only "official" … [Read more...]

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China warns Obama not to meet Dalai Lama

February 2, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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China accuses the Dalai Lama of being a troublemaker China has warned that ties with the US would be undermined if US President Barack Obama met the Dalai Lama. There is speculation that Mr Obama will meet the Tibetan spiritual leader in Washington later this month, but no date has been confirmed. Communist Party official Zhu Weiqun said such a meeting would "threaten trust and co-operation" between Beijing and Washington. The dispute is the latest of several strains on the countries' relations. Foreign interference? China, which took over Tibet in 1950, considers the Dalai Lama a separatist and tries to isolate the spiritual leader by asking foreign leaders not to see him. Last year Mr Obama passed up the opportunity to see the Dalai Lama when he visited the US, but a White House spokesman said last month the two men intended to meet when the Tibetan monk visited Washington later in February. US-CHINA TENSIONS Google - China denies being behind an alleged cyber attack on the US search engine Taiwan - a US sale of $6.4bn (£4bn) of defensive arms to Taiwan has angered Beijing Tibet - China says a US meeting with the Dalai Lama would "undermine relations" Trade - rows over imports and exports of meat, media, car tyres and raw materials Iran - the US fears China will not back tougher sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear programme Climate - the US is disappointed at China's tough position at the Copenhagen Summit Relations hit a bad patch The US-China power balance "If the US leader chooses to meet with the Dalai Lama at this time, it will certainly threaten trust and co-operation between China and the United States," said Mr Zhu, executive deputy minister of the Chinese Communist Party's United Front Work Department. He said that if a meeting did take place, China would "take corresponding action to make relevant countries see their mistakes". "We oppose any attempt by foreign forces to interfere in China's internal affairs using the Dalai Lama as an excuse," he said. "If they [the US] don't recognise that Tibet is part of China, it will seriously undermine the political foundation of Sino-US relations." The Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule. 'Baseless accusations' Mr Zhu was speaking at a press conference to discuss the recent five-day visit to China by the Dalai Lama's representatives. Zhu Weiqun has just been meeting the Dalai Lama's representatives It was the ninth time the two sides have met since 2002, but Mr Zhu said the positions of both sides remained "sharply divided" - a situation which had "become a norm rather than an exception". According to China, at this latest round of meetings the Tibetans again reiterated their hopes for the introduction of greater autonomy in the Himalayan region. But Mr Zhu said there was no possibility of the "slightest compromise" on the issue of sovereignty in Tibet. He also attacked the Dalai Lama, whom he said was a troublemaker. "He should … [Read more...]

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Pentagon may ease ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’

February 2, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Could reduce expulsions of gay service members; Some in Congress want to keep existing rules WASHINGTON - Pentagon officials are expected to announce today that they will significantly relax enforcement of the ban on gays serving openly in the military, according to sources inside and outside the military who have been briefed on the plan. The move, independent of Congress, comes a week after President Obama called on lawmakers to repeal the controversial “don’t ask, don’t tell’’ law. Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates and Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, are expected to announce at least two specific policy shifts: No longer will a “third party,’’ such as a spouse or informant outside the military, be able to prompt investigations of service members by saying they are gay; and only generals and admirals will be authorized to decide whether someone should be discharged for being gay. Such decisions are now often made lower in the chain of command. By barring third-party testimony from initiating investigations of service members’ sexual orientation, the Pentagon could cut down on the “witch hunts’’ that gay rights advocates say have resulted in the ouster of soldiers who have followed the policy by keeping their private lives private. Meanwhile, requiring more-senior officers to review proposed discharges would probably mean that fewer discharge cases - only those in which soldiers have flagrantly violated the policy - would be brought forward, according to specialists. While expected to generate criticism in Congress and among conservative groups, the revisions could accelerate an evolving change in attitudes at the Pentagon. Already, the number of gays and lesbians expelled from the military is dropping; last year’s total was the lowest on record, plunging by a third, and specialists said the new policies will drive those rates even lower. “The executive action taken . . . could be seismic,’’ said Aaron Belkin, director of the Palm Center, a think tank at the University of California, Santa Barbara, that has long advocated for repeal of the gay ban. “Don’t ask, don’t tell has rested on the belief that the presence of openly gay service members is always bad for the military.’’ The new approach, he added, “would mean a shift in the military’s focus toward keeping gay troops, reflecting the military’s belief that they are as essential as their heterosexual peers.’’ The latest figures on discharges, obtained by the Globe yesterday, show that in fiscal year 2009, 428 service members were kicked out of the military under the terms of the 1993 so-called “don’t ask, don’t tell’’ law, which requires gay military members to keep their sexual orientation secret or risk expulsion. The number of discharges last year was the lowest since the Pentagon began tabulating the annual data in 1996. The peak number of expulsions was 1,227 in 2001. Some believe … [Read more...]

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Strange Sexual Disorders

February 2, 2010 By 1 Comment
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Male sexual disorders are common fodder for today’s sitcoms and late-night talk shows, and by now everyone’s familiar with the “little blue pill," thanks to Viagra having been praised by celebrities like Hugh Hefner and Bob Dole. Less often publicized, however, are the more unusual disorders that can interfere with a sex life just as quickly, and sometimes more profoundly… sexual problems that can render ejaculation impossible, prevent intercourse altogether or even require emergency medical attention, lest permanent penile damage occur. Read on to learn more about these strange sexual disorders and the methods used to treat them. Retrograde ejaculation What happens: You reach orgasm but only ejaculate a very small quantity of semen, if anything. This happens because the bladder’s sphincter is not functioning properly, causing semen to be redirected inward, instead of outward. What causes it: Antidepressant and anti-psychotic medications can be the culprits, and this can also be caused by complications from diabetes or surgical procedures involving the urethra or prostate. Treatment: With retrograde ejaculation, treatment often isn’t medically necessary unless fertility is an issue. If so, your doctor may recommend medications like pseudoephedrine to counter the problem. It’s often effective, but as it can lead to erectile dysfunction, you may prefer to go untreated. Sexsomnia What happens: You carry out sex acts during your sleep, fully unaware that you are doing so. The behavior may be limited to your own bedroom, or you might actually leave your home, sleepwalk to your girlfriend’s house and have a night of wild sex that you won’t remember in the morning. What causes it: Also known as “arousal parasomnia,” sexsomnia is a legitimate sleep disorder, and many people suffering from it have a history of sleepwalking as well. These disorders are caused by a miscommunication between the body and mind during the fourth and fifth stages of REM sleep. Treatment: Fortunately, it’s relatively easy to treat sexsomnia. After being properly diagnosed by a physician, they will most likely prescribe a common sleep aid, such as Valium. This will keep you physically immobilized during those sleep stages where the body was previously acting out dreams. Male orgasmic disorder What happens: You experience normal excitement and arousal stages, but are unable to orgasm, even after more-than-adequate amounts of stimulation. What causes it: Male orgasmic disorder can be caused by many things. It could be psychological, resulting from stress, performance anxiety and things of that nature. It could also be a side effect of some medications, antidepressants in particular. Or, it could be the result of surgery, such as prostatectomy. Treatment: Counseling can often resolve the disorder if the root cause is psychological. If it’s a medical complication, the issue is often corrected by a simple change in medication or the prescription of something … [Read more...]

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Her Daddy Issues

February 2, 2010 By 1 Comment
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You’ve heard of the Oedipus complex, right? According to Freud, it is the theory that every man secretly wants to kill his dad and have sex with his mom. (We know. That’s totally creepy behavior.) But perhaps you haven’t heard of the Electra complex. It’s a psychological term developed by Freud’s colleague Carl Jung. For Jung, the Electra complex denotes a woman’s sexual attachment to her father and a corresponding competitive hostility toward her mother. It’s from Jung’s Electra complex that we’ve derived the modern concept of “daddy issues.” These days, people say a woman has daddy issues when she appears to be seeking attention from men in order to compensate for the attention she may not have received from her father. When we talk about her daddy issues, we’re generally talking about things like aggressive flirtation, promiscuity, a tendency toward exhibitionism, and certain emotional hang-ups. Whether her daddy issues are actually the result of her relationship with her father or whether “daddy issues” is just the label society has chosen to attach to this kind of behavior, it is a set of characteristics you might encounter in a woman. Consequently, you need to know how to recognize her daddy issues and how to handle them. Sexual aggressiveness Most guys delight at the idea of a sexually aggressive woman. But if a woman is grinding up against you on a dance floor, initiating public groping and dragging you into her bedroom on the first date, it might be a sign of her daddy issues. If you’re up for a one-night stand, there’s probably nothing you need to do except enjoy the ride. But if you’re interested in a relationship with this girl, your strategy should be to take things slow. If her sexy signals are overly aggressive, tell her you want to slow down and get to know her before doing the deed. Make plans for a future date instead of stripping each other’s clothes off. Show her you’re interested in more than just sex and she won’t feel quite as desperate to impress you with her sexual prowess. Excessive flirting It’s a stereotype that girls with daddy issues flirt a lot. And maybe it was even her flirting that got your attention in the first place. Once she’s your girlfriend, though, flirting with strange men is not going to fly. It’s important to recognize that not all women flirt because they’re interested in the guy they’re talking to. Your girlfriend may be flirting because she craves attention and enjoys the rush of developing sexual tension with a stranger. The best way to deal with this manifestation of her daddy issues is to confront her about it. Tell her you’re not OK with it. The extra attention from you will likely offset the attention she’s been seeking from random guys. More details on her daddy issues… Clinginess We typically apply the “daddy issues” label to women who seem to crave male attention -- and ploys for male attention can take many forms, including clinginess. … [Read more...]

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FSC Seeks Feedback From New Opinion Survey

February 2, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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CANOGA PARK, Calif. — The Free Speech Coalition, the industry’s trade association, reaches out to the community with an upgraded website and new online survey. By recently revamping its website, the FSC can now post simple surveys and polls. The current survey seeks feedback from adult businesses and industry professionals on what they think are the most important issues facing the adult entertainment industry today and what the FSC can do to better serve the industry. “It all starts with communication, and I think that people in the industry have not had an opportunity to be in direct contact with FSC, so we want to make a big effort at outreach,” FSC membership director Joanne Cachapero told XBIZ. “Feedback from industry members is the best way to understand how FSC can better serve the industry by providing relevant services and resources. Positive, negative or simply informational feedback is what we need in order to start a dialogue with our members. As we bring greater awareness and relevance to the FSC, hopefully non members will see the benefits of participation in the association," she said. Cachapero added that because of rapidly changing technologies and economic factors, there are very different concerns for the industry than there were five years ago. “It’s difficult to be everything to everybody and the issues that face various industry sectors are diverse," Cachapero said. "But FSC would like to create a hub, for activity and resources that help industry businesses implement better business practices. "Whether this will be through developing standards and practices; or presenting a pro-adult voice to media; or promoting adult products through special events and consumer education; or providing programs to help businesses protect their ability to do good business," she added. FSC members include a broad range of adult businesses from producers to retailers. The FSC provides business resources to its members, and serves as a watchdog and voice for the adult entertainment industry. To participate in the survey click here. The FSC also has a Facebook page, but you must be an active FSC member to get friended. … [Read more...]

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Are ISPs Becoming the Internet’s Cops… or Keystone Kops?

February 2, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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When it comes to bringing the hammer down on suspected content thieves, internet service providers are doing Hollywood’s bidding—even when it’s wrong HOLLYWOOD—In the brave new world that is the 21st century, The Man is no longer just the cops. With respect to your online behavior, security, privacy and basic rights, companies are now taking the place of law enforcement, and it isn’t always pretty. A recent article on CNET tells the story of Cathi "Cat" Paradiso, a Colorado-based grandmother and technical recruiter who recently found her internet service suspended amid accusations from the provider that she had illegally downloaded several mainstream movies and television shows. A Qwest Communications customer service rep gave her the bad news. Her internet service was suspended after Hollywood studios had contacted them and told them that Paradiso had illegally downloaded 18 films and TV shows, including Zombieland, Harry Potter and South Park. She was warned that if she was accused of copyright infringement one more time, her account would be terminated and other ISPs in the area would be notified, with the result that she would have a hard—if not impossible—time finding new service. The problem, according to Paradiso, was that she was innocent of the charges. Adding insult to injury, she had been accused and convicted without being given the opportunity to defend herself. She decided to not accept the verdict. "Take me off your hit list," she wrote in a Jan. 15 email plea to some of the studios who had accused her. "I have never downloaded a movie. Period. ... You'll need to admit you made a mistake and move on to the correct perpetrator. ... I am saying this once more: My computer is not a toy. My livelihood depends on my ISP's reliability. Look for the perpetrator and leave my service alone." According to CNET, she was eventually cleared, but only after they interceded on her behalf. “Last week,” wrote Greg Sandoval, “Qwest had a technician investigate—after CNET began making inquiries—and he discovered that her network had been compromised, according to Monica Martinez, a Qwest spokeswoman. So Paradiso is off the hook, but she wants to know what would have happened had she not gone to the media. There was no independent third party to hear her complaint. There was no one to advocate for her.” According to Fred von Lohmann, senior staff attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, this case highlights the problems inherent in corporate entities doing the jobs of law enforcement or the courts, without proper procedures in place. "If you're going to kick somebody off the Internet, [there are] a lot of procedures that need to be put in place to protect the innocent. It doesn't look like those were in place here," he told CNET. As it stands now, however, there are no industry standards in place that determine how paying customers accused of copyright infringement should be treated. Instead, it’s every company … [Read more...]

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