International Politics: Do Russian spies still exist?
Our government states three Russian spies were seeking information on the energy industry and about US sanctions in response to the annexation of Crimea and military entrance into Ukraine. “Buryakov posed as an employee at a Manhattan bank and would meet Sporyshev, an official Russian trade representative, at outdoor locations to avoid detection, where he’d pass him ‘a bag, magazine, or slip of paper.’ Sporyshev and Podobnyy would then analyze the information and transmit it back to Moscow headquarters of the Russian Intelligence Service (SVR). The documents were referred to as a ‘list,’ ‘ticket,’ ‘book,’ ‘umbrella,’ or ‘hat’ in phone calls that preceded the meetings, the FBI said.”
Evgeny Buryakov, known as Zhenya, was arrested Monday in the Bronx, prosecutors stated, while his two other undercover agents, Igor Sporyshev and Victor Podobnyy, have fled the country and remain at-large. The secret agent ring is thought to have originated up from a bigger espionage operation known as “The Illegals.”
Straight from a undercover Mission Impossible movie, we all think of spies with their fun gadgets and fast cars, and yet the truth is that these spies openly discussed how boring “real” spy life was for them. “At one point, the FBI overheard them complaining about their unglamorous assignments. They didn’t even get new identities or new passports, like in James Bond…. ‘Of course I wouldn’t fly helicopters, but pretend to be someone else at a minimum.’” I guess you cannot always believe what you see in the movies …but you best be sure that spies seem to exist. The only thing I have left to say is to keep your friends close, and your enemies even closer!!
Cold War Echoes in a New Russian Spy Ring by Russell Berman. The Atlantic.
Business & Tech Politics: Attacks on our freedoms continue… Stay awake & aware!
Three cheers for the FCC: “For he’s a jolly good fellow…!” Interestingly and thankfully, I’m finding news articles these days when government agencies actual do what’s right for the people, and of course I’m still finding those that do not –when agencies are sticking to a seemingly self-serving agenda. However, this story reveals that the FCC got this one right!! Thank you, FCC, for looking out for “Joe & Jane Public.”
Marriott hotels were given a stern warning regarding the free public access to radio waves, such as wi-fi. “The Communications Act prohibits anyone from … interfering with authorized radio communications, including Wi-Fi,” said FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler in a statement. “Marriott’s request seeking the FCC’s blessing to block guests’ use of non-Marriott networks is contrary to this basic principle.” Wheeler then noted the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau fined said hotel $600,000 for blocking wi-fi, and reported that FCC will continue to impose such fines shall others try blocking public access to radio communications.
Marriott petitioned the FCC to change the Communications Act, based on the rationale that conference attendees could launch cyberattacks, ultimately disrupting service during conferences or other guests. “Many customers were outraged by the petition, claiming that Marriott’s request for a conference center Wi-Fi ban was a veiled attempt to ban access in hotel rooms and lobbies as well. Google, Microsoft, the wireless industry lobby, and other wireless providers were among those that asked the FCC to deny Marriott’s request. After a social media firestorm that turned into a PR nightmare, Marriott backed down from that request earlier this month.” In the end, Marriott conceded stating that it will try to find market solutions that did not involve blocking wi-fi.
Way to come to your senses, Marriott! I am finding it quite fascinating how so many companies, individual people, and even government agencies recently are constantly pushing the boundaries …just seeing how much they can get away with. We clearly need to stay hypervigilant of the numerous ways and from the numerous directions upon which are fundamental rights are being assaulted.
FCC to Marriott: Never Try to Block Wi-Fi Again by David Goldman. Money.
Economics & Ethics: Some pitfalls of a for-profit industry, such as the NFL, which has tax exempt status
“’The city of Glendale is the poster child for what can go wrong’ when a city invests heavily in sports, said Kevin McCarthy, the president of the Arizona Tax Research Association. ‘You don’t want to be building stadiums and not be able to hire police officers.’ Glendale [AZ] is by no means the first city to have sports facilities turn into albatrosses. Cincinnati and Miami, to name just two, built stadiums for wealthy owners in deals that backfired. More than 40 percent of the city’s debt is dedicated to paying off sports complexes.”
Further trouble for smaller towns hosting such big events as the Super Bowl results from 1. hotels trying to gouge fans when arriving in town needing accommodations; 2. city problems with parking and over-crowdedness; and 3. the city reneging on much needed stadium improvements.
“For all it has done to attract business, Glendale expects to spend about $2.1 million on security during Super Bowl week. [Glendale mayor Jerry] Weiers said he hoped that the state would reimburse the city for that cost, but a bill introduced in the State Legislature last year went nowhere. ‘I’m not anti-Super Bowl or anti-N.F.L.; I just want to make sure my [local families and businesses get compensated for all they’ve done to pull this huge event off],’ Weiers said. …But that did not leaven his disdain for the highhanded way he was treated by the N.F.L. and the Super Bowl organizers. His town’s firefighters, he said, spent thousands of dollars on food for other public service workers, yet the league did not even make a donation to the department.”
And the worst part of all this, in my humble opinion, is that the NFL is tax exempt! This is a multi-billion dollar industry and they do not have the common courtesy, respect, nor professionalism to “toss ’em bone,” much less actually pay for all the services they use –sad. I have an idea: Take all the money that should be spent on taxes and pay the townspeople who host the Super Bowl!! “Win-win”: People get to see that the NFL is not being given special privileges, while locals actually get paid for all their services –not to mention the headache and mess that comes with thousands of (drunken) people storming your neighbor for 24 hours.
Even though sports industries are huge and a wonderful staple of international culture, nothing that is out of integrity will remain in Nova Earth. I’m not hoping that sports around the world falls –no, don’t be silly! I’m simply highlighting that people and organizations that are not honest and honorable will not survive in the Higher Realms, which is where our world is headed. So they simply need to get with the program, and start cleaning up how they treat people and how they do business. Oh yeah, one last thing: Make the NFL pay taxes –geez… or make the entire world tax exempt! We must all be treated equality.
Albatross of Debt Weighs on Super Bowl City by Ken Belson. New York Times.
If your current life situation is heavy, then please know that this too shall pass!
We Are All One
Gavin