Sam Adams Award 365


I am in Berlin for the annual Sam Adams Award – this time to William Binney, formerly Technical Director of the NSA. There will be an address by Edward Snowden (and a short contribution from me). It really is a tremendous event, with some very senior former intelligence professionals making revelations about the extent to which the security state is out of control, a tool of immoral governments dominated by corporate interests.

The event is at the Berlin-Moscow Venue, 52 Unter Den Linden, and starts at 7pm (6pm UK time). It will be livestreamed on the Sam Adams website.

7:00-7:05 Wilkommen by Joerg Dreger, Managing Partner, Dreger Group
7:05-7:12 Ray McGovern, veteran CIA senior intelligence officer (27 years) and presidential briefer; SAA cofounder and Master of Ceremonies: Moment of Silence for Ambassador Robert White; acknowledgement of David MacMichael, retired Senior Estimates Officer in National Intelligence Council; Overview of history/purpose of Sam Adams Award
7:12-7:15 Annie Machon, former M15 intelligence officer (speech + introduction of Katharine and Craig)
7:15-7:20 Katharine Gun*, former GCHQ intelligence officer
7:20-7:25 Craig Murray*, former British ambassador to Uzbekistan
7:25-7:28 Coleen Rowley*, former FBI Special Agent and Minneapolis Chief Division Counsel (brief remarks +introduction of Todd P., Jesselyn & Tom)
7:28-7:33 Jesselyn Radack*, former ethics adviser, US Department of Justice and National Security; Human Rights Adviser, Government Accountability Project (GAP)
7:33-7:37 Todd Pierce, Major, US Army Judge Advocate (ret.); Guantanamo Military Commissions Defense Counsel
7:37-7:45 Thomas Drake*, former senior intelligence service executive, National Security Agency (NSA) – (speech + introduction of Ed Snowden)
7:45-8:00 Edward Snowden* (by video link), former NSA contractor; former CIA systems administrator
8:00-8:05 Ray McGovern segue to SAA Award Announcement; Reading of SAAII citation by Annie M. & Elizabeth M.(English and German versions, respectively); conferral by Thomas Drake of Sam Adams Integrity in Intelligence Corner-Brightener Candlestick to William Binney, former National Security Agency (NSA) Technical Director, World Geopolitical and Military Analysis, NSA, and co-founder, Signals Intelligence Automation Research Center
8:05-8:20 Acceptance speech by William Binney, former Technical Director, World Geopolitical and Military Analysis, NSA, and co-founder, Signals Intelligence Automation Research Center; Q & A
8:20-8:25 Wrap-up by Ray McGovern
8:25-8:30 Closing remarks by Joerg Dreger
8:30-9:00 Reception
*denotes former Sam Adams Award recipient


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365 thoughts on “Sam Adams Award

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  • Habbabkuk (la vita è bella)

    Glenn

    Sorry, I forgot. Yet some one else said that if the authorities had knowledge of everything one has been up to “electronically” (eg, credit card purchases, online purchases, etc, etc)they would be able to “blackmail” people. What is your take on that and how in your opinion could the knowledge that I might have bought D

  • Habbabkuk (la vita è bella)

    Glenn

    Sorry, I forgot. Yet some one else said that if the authorities had knowledge of everything one has been up to “electronically” (eg, credit card purchases, online purchases, etc, etc)they would be able to “blackmail” people. What is your take on that and how in your opinion could the knowledge that I might have bought Das Kapital online or visited Milan for a weekend break (for example) be used to blackmail me?

  • Mark Golding

    Our economic model is based on infinite growth and consumption. Without growth we are in recession and even low growth is very bad. Austerity has been designed designed to make us think that way!

    It appears disastrously and regrettably the only solution for the worlds elite to prosper is, gravely….war.

    This film, video, clip is a frame of reference; it must be part of a mindset that can understand and use intention. That is intention can only succeed by revealing truth and that means overcoming an internal psychological barrier to very disturbing manifestations prior to acceptance of what is real and true.

    Clearly related to our human proclivity to trust the influential “early adopters” is our proclivity to trust authority. Researcher Stanley Milgram’s startling studies of the early 1960s found that humans tend to readily obey orders from a respected authority, even when doing so violates their deepest moral beliefs.

    I hope this clip will hand the balm needed to those trapped within the confines of cognitive dissonance.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1Qt6a-vaNM#t=930

  • Habbabkuk (la vita è bella)

    Dreoilin

    I didn’t mean to suggest that you were doing the hailing – but you will admit that the result has been heavily hailed (can one say that?) by some not only as historic but also as salvation for the Greek people.

    You know, the position Greece got itself into is the end result of a complete breakdown over many years of the contract that should exist between state and people. The state feels minimal obligation to the people and the people feel no responsibility to the state and by extension, to anyone outside their immediate family. This is why states like Greece fail and why the Scandinavian countries are, in many ways, models of a good society. I should put the UK off-centre but tending towards the Scandinavian side in the spectrum.

  • Habbabkuk (la vita è bella)

    Mary

    Yes, 13 posts in the last couple of hours – thought I’d save you the trouble of counting them for yourself!

    BTW I note that you and others refer to me as “it” or not at all (choosing, instead, some euphemism). Is that to get round Habbabreak and ensure that Baal-Komodo reads what you have to say?

  • @homeneara*

    “From memory and without the benefit of re-reading your explanation, you seem to be saying that the data is not read in real time but is just stored and could be used as evidence at a later date against persons charged with criminal activity? If that is the case, where is the problem?”

    Because collecting evidence on innocent people is immoral, illegal, corrosive to society in the most damning way, Because government are also criminals, Because they can’t and won’t keep this safe. Because all this information is in the worse hands possible. Worse than any organised criminals who will also get it, or will be given to them to further persecute people.

    Just as you Habbabkuk use any scrap you think you have on someone to attack them in the most gross a fucking disgusting way.

    Because it ends any effective democracy..

    The list is endless. To be under suspicion is abuse.

    How about I give you an email and you put all you info and passwords, you whole life history for me to go through? I’ll keep it safe.

  • RobG

    @Mary

    This is Eton calling.This is Eton calling… brrzzz… pop… shurezzz… brzzz… this is Eton calling… new cufflinks, don’t you know; and I shay, all this Russian lingo is really not cricket. The plebs are owned by us, and not shome foreign Johnny… brrrzzz, crackle, crackle… I shay, I seem to have wetted myself again… nurse? nurse!

    The above is a trans-script of Leon Brittan’s last visit to the Elm Guest House in south west London, where Brittan sexually abused underage children, some as toung as seven. Brittan was made Home Secretary under Thatcher, a Prime Minister who was well aware of what was going on in her government.

    To this day, Cameron, Clegg, Milliband and all the rest are well aware of the child abuse stuff, and have done their upmost to block any imquiries into it.

    These are the vermin you elect into Parliament, don’t you know.

  • Habbabkuk (la vita è bella)

    HomeAloneara

    “Because collecting evidence on innocent people is immoral, illegal, corrosive to society in the most damning way, Because government are also criminals, Because they can’t and won’t keep this safe. Because all this information is in the worse hands possible…..Because it ends any effective democracy.. ”
    __________________

    Those are grave charges indeed, but they lack a little substance at this stage. Would you care to tease them out a little for us and provide some reasoned back-up?

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    “How about I give you an email and you put all you info and passwords, you whole life history for me to go through? I’ll keep it safe.”
    _________________

    I think this is meant to illustrate your assertion that personal date is not “safe” in the govt’s hands?

    If I’m right, could you provide some reasoned back-up and evidence for the assertion that personal data is not “safe” in the govts’s hands? What exactly do you mean by “not safe”?

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  • Habbabkuk (la vita è bella)

    Mary

    “9.36 pm I try to avoid mentioning you.”
    _______________

    while at the same time ensuring that Baal-Komodo reads you?

    Are you trying to impress him?

  • Dreoilin

    @Habbabkuk

    “You know, the position Greece got itself into is the end result of a complete breakdown over many years of the contract that should exist between state and people.”

    Didn’t Greece join the EU under false pretenses? And what did Goldman Sachs have to do with it??

    “Goldman Secret Greece Loan Shows Two Sinners as Client Unravels”

    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-06/goldman-secret-greece-loan-shows-two-sinners-as-client-unravels.html

    “Like the municipalities, Greece is just another example of a poorly governed client that got taken apart,” Satyajit Das, a risk consultant and author of “Extreme Money: Masters of the Universe and the Cult of Risk,” said in a phone interview. “These trades are structured not to be unwound, and Goldman is ruthless about ensuring that its interests aren’t compromised — it’s part of the DNA of that organization.”

    I’ve seen the so-called explanation that Greece’s position is all down to Greek citizens not paying their taxes, and I don’t buy it. (But economics is not my subject – never was.)

  • Anon

    RobG

    “where Brittan sexually abused underage children, some as toung as seven”

    Did you say that when he was alive?

  • Dreoilin

    “Is that to get round Habbabreak and ensure that Baal-Komodo reads what you have to say?”

    Funny, that occurred to me the other day. Ever since it became known that one could not only block Habbabkuk himself, but could block replies to him also, I notice Mary (and possibly a couple of others) not replying to him by name. I thought the most obvious reason was so that their own comments wouldn’t be blanked by Habbabreak.

  • Resident Dissident

    Peacewisher

    If a lie is being told about the attacks on Mariupol it is by the OSCE – see my earlier link.

  • Peacewisher

    Re storage of peoples personal data… it’s the principle, stupid! Isn’t it Holocaust Day? If GCHQ really think people not committing a criminal offence don’t have a right to privacy they are taking the first steps in a particular direction. If we let them, we are complicit. Habby, wake up man!

  • @homeneara*

    Habbabkuk, I don’t think you get it. We are not having a conversation, and i’d care to do nothing for you. Especially when I feel like i’m talking to someone with the historical knowledge of a child, who asks the most stupid questions about obvious things. And seems a real cunt to boot.

    I think you know your being a cunt also. You may get spoken to now and again but that’s all you can expect from me.

  • Macky

    Dreoilin; “And what did Goldman Sachs have to do with it??”

    It was they that “cooked the books” to allow Greece to meet requirements to join the Eurozone; it’s suspected that big back handers were involved as their fees were massive; when this fraud was found out a few years later, it lead directly to lenders demanding crippling high interest payments, putting Greece into its present spiral of debt.

    On this inspiring historic day, where Greece leads the fight back, here’s this;

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AStrn7jDqtE&x-yt-ts=1421914688&x-yt-cl=84503534#t=45

    and this;

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-ts=1421914688&v=ktHQ8OXNv94&x-yt-cl=84503534

  • Dreoilin

    “It was they that “cooked the books” to allow Greece to meet requirements to join the Eurozone; it’s suspected that big back handers were involved as their fees were massive; when this fraud was found out a few years later, it lead directly to lenders demanding crippling high interest payments, putting Greece into its present spiral of debt.”

    I provided a link, Macky. My question was rhetorical.

    “Goldman Secret Greece Loan Shows Two Sinners as Client Unravels”

    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-06/goldman-secret-greece-loan-shows-two-sinners-as-client-unravels.html

  • Mary

    Nothing to do with Baal silly. I do not mention or refer because I want NO contact. I should think that was obvious.

  • @homeneara*

    To be fair, even without knowledge of history, just basics of political and social life? totally void in some people. It makes me think of David Cameron, all singing from the same hymn sheet so it’s no shock.

  • RobG

    Anon
    25 Jan, 2015 – 9:58 pm

    “RobG

    “where Brittan sexually abused underage children, some as young as seven”

    Did you say that when he was alive?”

    Yes I did. Go look at my blog.

    I was one of a few who spoke out against pervo feckers like Brittan ((no Russian this time), despite the fact that Brittan was well known for sueing the arse off anyone who mentioned child abuse stuff.

    The problemm with you loons from GCHQ is that you find yourself defending the impossible.

    Snort another line of coke, stare at the flickering screen and nelieve that you are defending Britain.

    You are all completely mad, of course.

    But always interesting to talk to the Cheltenham brigade.

  • Dreoilin

    “I do not mention or refer because I want NO contact. I should think that was obvious.”

    That’s plainly rubbish. You reply to him regularly, referring to him as “the poster at 4.45” or something equally daft.
    Sometimes you reply using no name or no “poster at 3.21”, you just throw it out into thin air and expect everyone to know who you’re talking to. Which for the most part, we do. And still you carry on with this fiction that you “don’t reply to trolls” and you want “NO contact”.

  • Herbie

    “If I’m right, could you provide some reasoned back-up and evidence for the assertion that personal data is not “safe” in the govts’s hands? What exactly do you mean by “not safe”?”

    There are three positions on that.

    1. They keep losing it. So it’s not safe.

    2. Knowing that large amounts of personal data are held about you undermines the integrity of the individual, creates conformity and undermines diversity and competition. So, it’s not safe in that Stasi way everyone investigated in the early 90s.

    3. It’s not safe to trust govt. That’s fundamental to our supposed ethos over the past few hundred years.

    When did we start thinking that they were our best mates and would always be looking out for our interests.

    Where in history do we see that. Why are we expecting it now.

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