Google report reveals a sharp increase in government requests for private data
The email accounts of Generals David Petraeus and John Allen aren’t the only ones being targeted by the feds. Google has released its bi-annual transparency report and says that the government’s demands for personal data is at an all-time high.
Internet giant Google published statistics from their latest analysis of requests from governments around the globe this week, and the findings show that it is hardly just the inboxes of the Pentagon’s top-brass that are being put under the microscope. Details pertaining to nearly 8,000 Google and Gmail accounts have been ordered by Uncle Sam during just the first six months of the year, and figures from the periods before suggest that things aren’t about to get any better for those wishing to protect their privacy.
“This is the sixth time we’ve released this data, and one trend has become clear: Government surveillance is on the rise,” Google acknowledges in a blog post published Tuesday, November 13.
From January through June, the US government filed more than 16,000 requests for user data from Google on as many as 7,969 individual accounts, the report shows.
John Mcafee (Screenshot from youtube.com @reporternewspaper)
Once the toast of the antivirus software world, John McAfee’s life has spiraled into a world of zombifying drugs, Belizean gangsters, illegal firearms and run-ins with authorities. He’s now on the run after being charged with murdering his neighbor.
John McAfee, 67, is thought to be hiding somewhere in Belize as evidence continues to implicate him in a homicide. He is the prime suspect in a murder discovered Sunday morning in the Latin American country. The victim was McAfee’s neighbor, Gregory Faull, a 52-year old American expatriate. Faull was found in his home lying face up in a pool of blood and a single gunshot wound to the back of the head.
As soon as McAfee heard about the murder he went into hiding, allegedly fearing for his own life. He believes he could be killed if taken into custody for questioning, according to Wired magazine.
His current whereabouts are unknown, but he has been in contact with a reporter at Wired on several occasions via telephone. The millionaire entrepreneur believes that whoever shot Faull may in fact be gunning for him.
“I thought maybe they were coming for me. They mistook him for me. They got the wrong house,” he told Wired. “He’s dead. They killed him. It spooked me out.”
But initial evidence doesn’t bode well for the antivirus guru-cum-yoga master. According to reports, a 9mm Luger shell was found at the scene of the crime. McAfee was seen with two Luger pistols during his interview with Wired magazine back in summer 2012. He insists they were confiscated during a police raid in April while he was living with his 17-year-old Belizean girlfriend.
On 11/05/2012, the first victim located an ad on Craigslist regarding a 2000 BMW 328I for sale. The contact information located in the ad was the email address of DevinJones925@yahoo. The victim communicated back and forth with the suspect, which eventually led to the victim bringing $3,250 in cash to purchase the BMW to 12550 Miracle Hill, in the City of Desert Hot Springs at approximately 1 p.m. on Tuesday 11/6/12. The victim parked behind the apartment complex as directed and waited. Soon after, the suspect appeared wearing a beanie covering his face. The suspect pointed a handgun at him and demanded the money. The victim managed to escape the suspect without turning over his money.
On 11/07/2012, a second victim located the same ad with the same email address. He also communicated back and forth with the suspect and they agreed to meet at the same location later that day. The victim saw two Black males talking with each other. One walked past him and the other approached with a beanie over his face and started yelling at the victim to hand over the money. When the victim refused, the suspect pulled out a handgun and tried to open the victim’s door. The suspect was also trying to shoot the victim but the gun appeared to malfunction. The victim fled the scene without handing over the money and called 911.
Soon thereafter, officers from the DHS PD SET (Special Enforcement Team) initiated an investigation and began an attempt to locate the suspect. As a result of an extensive three day investigation, the officers believed they had the suspect identified as Darius Griffin. Further investigation led them to believe Darius Griffin would be attempting another robbery based on the same Craigslist ad he used previously.
On Saturday November 10th, the SET officers, with the assistance of patrol officers and detectives began their surveillance of the area. At approximately 5 p.m., officers saw Griffin leave his residence and began to walk towards the Miracle Hill location. When officers saw him put the beanie over his head they attempted to take him into custody. Griffin tried to run but was quickly captured.
As he ran he threw a loaded handgun and the beanie to the ground. Officers retrieved the gun and the beanie. The gun was loaded. A search warrant was then served at his residence. Further evidence was recovered including stolen property that he had been using for communication purposes during these incidents. It was also revealed that he used a neighbor’s unlocked wireless system to both conceal and enhance his communication capabilities.
Griffin has a lengthy criminal history and was on probation for other felonies. He was transported to DHS PD, interviewed, then taken to the Riverside County Jail in Banning to be booked on the above charges.
Although a large percentage of these types of ads are legitimate, we would strongly urge the public to take some simple precautions when attempting a transaction from any type of advertisement involving private parties and large amounts of money. The most simple and safest method is to use a very public and well lit location for these transactions. If the seller balks at this request, or if you witness behavior that you believe to be suspicious in any way, abandon the effort and re-evaluate your options. Further, this case would not have been solved had it not been for the victims notifying us of the crimes against them. It is critical that if you are victimized in such a way that you call us immediately. It will prevent additional victims. Websites such as Craigslist also post informative notices warning of fraudulent ads.
The DHS PD assembled this Special Enforcement Team (SET) to investigate, locate and apprehend the worst of our criminal element so they can no longer victimize innocent members of our’s, and other communities. This case was a perfect example of the types of cases they are capable of handling as part of our team including the detectives and patrol officers.
Anyone with any information regarding this incident should also contact the Desert Hot Springs Police Department. Dispatch Tel: (760) 329-2904
The fallout from former CIA head David Petraeus’ resignation might be more significant than first thought: as all eyes turn to the ex-intelligence chief’s mistress, it’s apparent that she may have been privy to what really happened in Benghazi.
Two months after the storming of an US consulate in Benghazi, questions remain largely unanswered about both how and why insurgents entered the facility on September 11 and executed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans. The discussion became a heated issue on the campaign trail leading up to Election Day, and conflicting accounts from the White House, State Department and Congress all led to a mess of confusion that has only further spun out of control following the unexpected stepping down of Petraeus on Friday.
In the immediate aftermath of the CIA chief’s resignation, skeptics quickly suggested that there was more to the story, especially given Petraeus’ role as head of the country’s intelligence agency and the relatively unscathing extramarital affair that he rightfully admitted to in citing his departure from office. As journalists and investigators tried to dig deep for info on the alleged mistress, Petraeus biographer Paula Broadwell, as expected the story took a drastic turn by Sunday when it was revealed that she may have been briefed on the truth of the Benghazi scandal while the rest of the country claws for answers.
A speech given by Broadwell only last month at her Alma matter suggests that she was given information about the terrorist attack that never made it to the American public.
“Now I don’t know if a lot of you heard this, but the CIA annex had actually had taken a couple of Libya militia members prisoner,” Broadwell told a crowd at the University of Denver alumni symposium on October 26. “And they think that the attack on the consulate was an effort to try to get these prisoners back. So that’s still being vetted.”
Desert Hot Springs, CA.– Our veterans were honored at a special memorial celebration in Desert Hot Springs on Sunday, November 11, 2012 at Veterans’ Park. The prelude was provided by the Desert Hot Springs High School “Symphonic Winds” under the direction of Dr. Brian McDaniel. The program itself began with a welcome by George Fisher. Posting of colors was performed by the Elks Lodge #2639. Kelly McDaniel sang the national anthem and led the Desert Hot Springs Youth Choir in their debut performance as they sang “God Bless the USA.”
Marna Van Horn of the Elks Club gave the inspirational thought, and Carl Gorham, Corporal USMC Retired spoke on “What Veterans’ Day Means to Me.” Guest speaker was Bill Cook, United States Air Force Reserves. The Symphonic Winds played the theme songs of the various branches of service as members of those branches stood and were recognized by the large crowd present.
After taps refreshments were provided by the Soroptomist Club.
Gary Costa, former executive assistant to John O’Connor, has been appointed as the Interim Executive Director for The LGBT Community Center of the Desert, while the Board of Directors conducts a nation-wide search for a permanent Executive Director, The Center announced yesterday. O’Connor resigned several weeks ago to become the Director of Equality California in Los Angeles
“I have full confidence in Gary Costa to carry on the mission of the organization and our continued incredible success” stated Board Chairman Randy Lowe.
Costa joined The Center in early 2012 as Executive Assistant to the Executive Director. In that role, he supported a major expansion of programs and services that had been underway at The Center for the last year. He has been responsible for coordinating the various developments and fundraising activities at the center including grant writing and special events.
Costa has a wealth of experience in working with not-for-profit and LGBT organizations, beginning in 1987 as the Program Director at The Center OC and as Executive Director of Being Alive, Los Angeles. Prior to coming to The Center, he was the Resource Coordinator for the Coachella Valley Autism Society and prior to that, worked for 10 years as Associate Director at Dartmouth College, where he worked on their $1.5 billion capital campaign and coordinated major gifts and pledges for the entire Western Region.
Over the years, he has served on at least a dozen non-profit boards and County and State Commissions and was elected Co-Chair of the LA County HIV Planning Commission in 1996.
Costa has been a part-time resident of Palm Springs since 2004 – dividing his time between Los Angeles and Las Vegas where he maintains a second home with his partner Stephen and Alton, their 1-year-old terrier mix recently rescued from a local shelter. They returned full-time to Palm Springs in 2010.
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