Blogger gets visit from cops for Googling “pressure cookers” and “backpacks?”

THIS IS A WARNING TO US ALL!

This story got a lot of buzz on the Internets today, as it seemed to suggest that the dragnetting of America’s phone metadata and browsing habits via Prism by NSA might be resulting in young couples with simultaneous interests in new pressure cookers and backpacking were being raided by armed law enforcement.

The blogger in question is Michele Catalano, who some of you may remember from her blog, “A Small Victory,” on which she wrote during the mid-2000s. As the story evolved throughout the day, police released a statement clarifying that it wasn’t NSA’s dragnetting that got her family ensnared but the “see something say something” impulse of an employer on whose computer the above Googling occurred.

Here is Catalano’s account of her experience, which she theorized had something to do with her family’s Googling habits, based on the questioning her husband got. Read the whole thing because she’s a good writer:

What happened was this: At about 9:00 am, my husband, who happened to be home yesterday, was sitting in the living room with our two dogs when he heard a couple of cars pull up outside. He looked out the window and saw three black SUVs in front of our house; two at the curb in front and one pulled up behind my husband’s Jeep in the driveway, as if to block him from leaving.

Six gentleman in casual clothes emerged from the vehicles and spread out as they walked toward the house, two toward the backyard on one side, two on the other side, two toward the front door.

A million things went through my husband’s head. None of which were right. He walked outside and the men greeted him by flashing badges. He could see they all had guns holstered in their waistbands.

“Are you [name redacted]?” one asked while glancing at a clipboard. He affirmed that was indeed him, and was asked if they could come in. Sure, he said.

They asked if they could search the house, though it turned out to be just a cursory search. They walked around the living room, studied the books on the shelf (nope, no bomb making books, no Anarchist Cookbook), looked at all our pictures, glanced into our bedroom, pet our dogs. They asked if they could go in my son’s bedroom but when my husband said my son was sleeping in there, they let it be.

Meanwhile, they were peppering my husband with questions. Where is he from? Where are his parents from? They asked about me, where was I, where do I work, where do my parents live. Do you have any bombs, they asked. Do you own a pressure cooker? My husband said no, but we have a rice cooker. Can you make a bomb with that? My husband said no, my wife uses it to make quinoa. What the hell is quinoa, they asked.

They searched the backyard. They walked around the garage, as much as one could walk around a garage strewn with yardworking equipment and various junk. They went back in the house and asked more questions.

Have you ever looked up how to make a pressure cooker bomb? My husband, ever the oppositional kind, asked them if they themselves weren’t curious as to how a pressure cooker bomb works, if they ever looked it up. Two of them admitted they did.

So more freedoms are being taken, people google certain words and phrases and the cops are at the door. Does this make you feel safe as it may have been a terrorist or unsafe as you ALL KNOW now you are being spied on. Is it time to leave Google and search here? https://ixquick.com/ There is nothing we can do. This is an issue here in the UK as well as the USA also. Another article I did will show this. I will ask “What happened to our World?” I want the old one back where it us safe and free. Was the person on Google black, Muslin, North African? Was it a race issue? I am only asking

Thatcherism lives on as the Royal Mail to be Privatised

What now for all our postmen and woman? 

Royal Mail Privatisation Plans To Be Unveiled

The Government is to set out one of the biggest privatisation plans in decades, valuing the company at an estimated £2.5bn.

What is Thatcherism you ask? What started all this we ask? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thatcherism

I would never mock the dead, nor do the pictures below represent my own views, but I woke up after going to bed and Cuddling into Dawn watching a Movie, then was awoken with one of my daughters lying asleep  on my head and my knee locked and in pain, I thought,  “Cup of tea, some medication, then back to bed” Then I see this BULLSHIT on my RSS Sky news feed on my Desktop. A British institution over 300 years old is being privatised. This means a superb British Institution, the same as the Buses, Trains, I could go on, in the Royal Main, the post man, who delivers our mail every morning at about 10am latest will be in the hands of greedy shareholders who are looking for profit. This all started with Margaret Thatcher, a woman who divided a nation, but it wasn’t half, people can come and say it is all day, it was 80/20 for hate. I was probably too young to remember the damage she did the UK but I am old enough not to see every nuclear weapon in my Country, Scotland along with all the main Armed forces bases, she made Scotland the Target in any War. She was a bitch to many, and when she died, parties were had, I will post some below, here is the article about her old party the Conservatives doing exactly as she did, sell the UK to the highest bidder. What next? The NHS, if that happens, “Anarchy in the UK” as the song went wasn’t it?

For any doubters, from foreign soil, you have to have lived here, you have to live here NOW to understand the dislike of the Tories. They are groomed for power by the rich! http://prayingforoneday.wordpress.com/2013/01/09/groomed-for-power-check-this-picture-from-a-few-years-back-re-the-uk-politics-and-banking/

The Business Secretary will announce plans for one of the biggest UK privatisations in decades when he makes a statement on the future of the Royal Mail later.

Vince Cable will tell the House of Commons how the Government plans to sell off the 375-year-old postal operator.

It wants to sell stock in the company to market investors, which could see the company valued at around £2.5bn.

Moya Greene, chief executive of Royal Mail, has held talks with scores of potential investors in recent months in an attempt to persuade them to back the plans.

Many Royal Mail staff will be offered free shares in the company

She faces opposition from unions and many employees, who fear privatisation will lead to a shake-up of services and cuts.

Steve Butts, a Royal Mail staff member for the past 32 years, told Sky News: “I think privatisation will only bring a race to the bottom for employees.

“Any private investor would always want to make money and the way they are going to do that is to drive down our terms and conditions.”

Mr Cable’s announcement comes after Sky News revealed many of the Royal Mail’s 150,000 staff will receive free shares worth as much as £300m as part of the privatisation.

The share sale would raise hundreds of millions of pounds that experts say could help modernise the mail system in Britain.

Robert Hammond, director of post and market analysis at Consumer Focus, told Sky News: “I would hope that a privatised Royal Mail would be looking to expand on their products and services, and to make those services ready for 21st century consumers.”

Mr Cable is expected to deliver his statement after Prime Minister’s Questions.

Anyone with eyes and ears could hear the rejoice at the death of a Woman who almost killed my Gran by taking half her pension and privatizing the Electricity and Gas companies so the prices went up and pensioners were dying all over the UK and kids were living in poverty as the rich got richer. When she died, even the politicians of the UK were appalled at the £10 Million spent on her Funeral, and so was I, especially as other disabled people like me (I don’t get benefits) are getting benefits taken off them and thrown on the street. This Scottish man is not for turning on this subject, here is the respect the UK parliament had for her

NOBODY WANTED TORIE RULE!

£10 Million could have been better spent.

As I say I am not one to mock the dead, but  I dislike her even now, but what she did was sell my country to the highest bidder, she killed her own people through starvation and freezing to death through harsh Winters, I for one thing the decision to sell The Royal Mail will make the service worse that it has gotten over the years. Who will deliver our mail, who will care, who will they employ? People who enter the UK and are willing to work for £2 below the minimum wage? This is what is happening today in Britain, immigrant workers getting jobs because they will work for less leaving British born people losing houses, and marriages breaking up.

Whoever was fucking stupid enough to vote for the Conservative party I not hope you are happy, they didn’t win the Election, they didn’t win power, and they took on board the Liberal Democrats who historically disliked the Tories and sides with Labour. So this Coalition government is just a painted over Thatcherite reincarnation of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer, when will we learn. They won’t be in power after the next election, Labour will, I bet £10,000 on it, but by then Scotland  will be independent and we will go it alone. For anyone who things I am talking rubbish here, I leave you with the UTTER REJOICE  about 80% of Britain felt when she died, and I can’t and don’t blame them, she was a Bastard of a woman, and I make no apology for that, she almost killed people I love so her rich friends could live better, here is what Britain said when she died, and yet her legacy lives on in the policies of the Tories she serves even today, they are making the poor poorer and the rich richer, this can’t be allowed to happen. I can see another bad demonstration coming from this, in Britain, mainly London, England they don’t mess about, if they are unhappy, they march all over the city and make sure they are heard, this is OUR way, we don’t sit back and allow the people WE  voted in to fuck us over, we demand better and we let them know. We must not allow this to happen. The UK has no Money, so as Thatcher did after Black Wednesday http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Wednesday they are doing it again, same political party same old routines, this MUST be stopped, as the NHS will be next

This blog I did when I started blogging here for real is true, Groomed for Power http://prayingforoneday.wordpress.com/2013/01/09/groomed-for-power-check-this-picture-from-a-few-years-back-re-the-uk-politics-and-banking/

UNDERSTATEMENT OF THE CENTURY! And the paper asks the question also

HUGE Parties all over the UK

The young and old partied when she died

This is what lines the streets at her Funeral!

Could not have said it better myself!

Etonite Cameron is just as hated, posh boy groomed for power!

LETS NEVER FORGET!

This is why every night I got to my Bed, I have a quick prayers and always ask that in 2014, Scotland flies alone, we leave this shithole Britain and prosper ourselves as we march into a brave new world alone, we can do it, the numbers add up. It won’t be perfect, but it won’t be the above either. Any clever Scottish person HAS to vote yes. I don’t give a shit if you have any feelings for Westminster, because it is Thatcherism or Freedom, this is the choice, vote with your head not your heart and it will be YES, lets get Scotland out of this

AYE!

AYE!

AYE!

AYE!

AYE!

AYE!

Oh Aye!

Lets walk to a better Scotland

Bit over the top, but AYE!

if there is a God, they will disband! AYE!

IF JAMES BOND SAYS YES, ITS A SIGN FOR AYE!

And I have to, I must, it is Law! lol

Saorsa don Alba 2014 – Freedom for Scotland

 

 

 

 

In 2014 the people of Scotland get a chance to get independence from the UK, as things stand it is 50/50, British Unionists and people who have real feelings to be part of the Union I respect, I am one of these people who does not respect others values and opinions, I do. I know many English people, people I love and call friends, but this is not my issue, Westminster is, where the Laws are made

I urge all Scottish people to vote YES and finally break this rule. As a nation we give £3B a year to Westminster and get £1B back. There is also the argument that freedom would make Scotland like what Northern Ireland was back at its worse, and this was my fear for a while. But should the vote be yes, Scotland keeps the Royal Family, so I hope this does enough to please the people who want to stay in the union

Throughout History England, the rulers, NOT THE PEOPLE, have killed my people, twice. I say twice as I am half Irish, half my family come from Eire (Southern Ireland) They also got killed and raped and displaced by the English Lawmakers, people in Scotland have a very short memory, once many years ago our Bagpipes were not to be played “Outlawed tunes in Outlawed pipes” The people of Ireland were the same, the English built a World empire using these exact same ways, how do you think the commonwealth came to be? Through peaceful dialog with all the counties the English stole, rapes, and killed in? No, it was done by these means; they killed, raped and displaced people, and stole the land. Here we are in 2013, what has changed? We only need look at the Middle East where they are doing it again, only this time, Scottish Men and Woman are involved. This is their decision, but as a man who had both sides of his family historically killed, raped and treated with brutality, now is the time to break free

But through Music the Scottish people tried to win our freedom, and as things stand we have our own Parliament, but that is it, we still are told what to do, think and say by the English rulers. I for one want a free Scotland. Some say the worst thing to happen was the movie Braveheart, and I can see their point, it brings feelings of patriotism to us, the vote will take place next year on an anniversary, Battle of Bannockburn in 24 June 1314, so on June 24^th 2014, 700 years from the day of our enslavement, I urge people to think again, and to do the right thing, no longer shall we be kept by a nation who’s will is to invade and kill, I want my Freedom

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bannockburn 

We must look back to what our ancestors went through and battled for when we vote. English people can and will still live in Scotland if it is free; I ask “Why not” if anyone leaves my shores if Scotland becomes independent. Why would you leave Scotland if you love it so? If you are not from my Country, and the vote is yes, and you leave, why? Simple question really.  Again, I have no disliking of the English people. 3 of the last 4 Prime Ministers in the UK were Scottish Born, so this is a futile debate to throw back, they were rich men in suits part of a War Machine that went to Iraq on a lie and killed Children in cold blood, I ask again, what has changed? Back in the day of  William Wallace we had Scottish men t0o scared to defend and fight they sided with the English

I don’t want conflict, I don’t want War, I blog about it all the time, this is why I blog for Bloggers for Peace and Master Peace. I want a county free from Bloodshed

Saorsa don Alba 

The Nation Anthem of my Country speaks of what I say, we sing it, loud and proud, so where is the argument? 

Sung by THOUSANDS! 

The Lone Piper – Bagpipes

Albu Gu Bra

 

On a day where London spends £2M on a funeral for the “Butcher of Scotland” I pay homage to my country, and our freedom, Albu Gu Bra 

Na dèan dearmad gu bràth.  “never forget”

“

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Albu Gu Bra , Scotland until Judgement”.Meaning “Scotland Forever”.

 

 

Being Scottish..A blog made out of words from an American girl

Many want “Yes” but many want to stay with the Union

 

In autumn 2014 us Scot’s will be asked in a referendum whether Scotland should be independent. This is an exciting and historic opportunity for our nation. We can choose a different and better path.

The reason for being independent is a simple one. It is fundamentally better for all of us if decisions about Scotland’s future are taken by the people who care most about Scotland – that is by the people of Scotland. It is the people who live here who will do the best job of making our nation a fairer, greener and more successful place.

On these pages we provide information about what Scotland will look like on day one as an independent country, based on the Scottish Government’s proposals for an independent Scotland. You can find out how Scotland will become independent and how we can build from firm financial foundations, and also read about some of the benefits of being an independent country.

Below Edinburgh Caste demo, we want Yes

 

Above is a piece of scripture from the “Yes” camp in this referendum in 2014. And the push to make Scotland independent is strong. Every fibre of my being says “Yes” but if we were to become independent, could we end up like Northern Ireland? This is a really something we have to think about, as in Scotland we have many who want to be part of the Union or the Crown, whatever you want to call it. I call it Britain.

I don’t hate anyone English, never. But I hate being ruled by Westminster in London. Scotland has a brilliant source of our own money, fiscally we could stand on our own two feet, but this is not the only question and reason to vote yes. There are a thousand reasons we will have in 2014 when we vote. Many hate the first minister of Scotland Alex Salmond, but he can drive us there, then we can be lead by another?  This is my take on the argument

Many I speak to here have links to Scotland, going back many generations, my family started one half in Ireland and the other in Scotland, and so my family is awash with “Yes” people. The Irish side of my family were part of the Irish who left Ireland when England stole it, they came over, 10s of thousands of them, many to settle here in Scotland, they were welcomed by some, but not by all.

Even today there is a split so strong between the Irish Catholics and the Nationals. I can show you some pictures of this hatred, but this is not what this blog is about, or not what I want it to become, there is no hatred in this blog, and none there shall be, but hatred, that is all I see, I know the agenda, I know the poison, but there is no need for this, it is 2013, just Google this hatred and be prepared to be sick. Much of the hatred sadly comes through in Soccer (Football) here, between two clubs, Glasgow Celtic and Glasgow Rangers. The picture below is a Rangers fan urinating on a Catholic symbol, a Glasgow Celtic shirt, the hatred is in the West of Scotland, and I am 100 miles away in the East, so wasn’t brought up with it, but it came to my face over the last year, and I walked away from it. If you are born into hatred, to hate others, then it is all you know, you are in a “Hate Bubble” We call the west of Scotland (South only) A goldfish bowl, and I guess you have to be in it, to understand it. I seen it, and was part of it for a year, I couldn’t get away fast enough. So if it is a Yes vote, would this hatred spill over, would it get worse? This is the main question for me. I just don’t like hatred in any form or shape.

The first picture is from a Soccer game in Glasgow (The West) by a Unionist thinker to the Irish. But the reality is, there is hatred on both sides, the Irish side to tent to sing songs, songs about love and history and why the Irish came to Scotland, to the hatred of the Nationals.  This blog is going to the world, not Scotland. And it SHAMES me to show this below, this message was for the Scottish Irish to “Go Home”

This isn’t sick, it is not human

This is tame, I could show you worse

 

BUT……….

The Reality for the rest of us, we don’t hate

 

 

Looking at these pictures of hatred,  I worry for my country will suffer the same and it is a worry for many, and a reason many may vote no. But again this isn’t the only reason, fiscal (Money) reasons are also deeply rooted in the vote. So below, I show you why I think we could stand on our own two feet, Scotland gives more to the UK than it gets back, the argument is also about Scotlands oil, who would get that? As a free country, with our own oil, we would be a rick country, but who knows where new borders would start and end

Who would own our Oil?

 

I could be here all day with pro and con arguments, and the politics of it all bores me to sleep. I just want a free Scotland. Not just for me, but for my ascenstors who shed blood, were killed and raped and worse in the name of “The Crown” Outlawed tunes on outlawed pipes they once said when the English banned the playing of bagpipes. Our national anthen played on bagpipes stirs something in us TRUE Scottish people

The lone piper

The same song with lyrics

 

Even our National anthem to this day talks and speaks about our fight against Proud Edwards army from England and how we “Sent them homewards to think again”

Being Scottish is not just about castles and bagpipes, no, it goes deeper than that, it penetrates our souls and stirs rebellious feelings, but we don’t fight with swords we fight with music and culture

I love being Scottish, knowing I have Irish roots, we share the same values the same treatment from the crown many generations ago. We need to let the hatred go and allow our Scottishness to come forward and allow the lone piper to play the tunes on his pipes. Our destiny is in our hands, but if do it through hate, like above, we will get nowhere, my worry is, no matter the outcome, religion will still come to the fore and ruin it all. For anyone offended by this, please do some of your own research on the Religious tensions in the West of my country. Both sides are involved. If you fight hatred with hatred, this makes you no better; it makes you the God Dawn Same! Many need to realise this. If I did a blog like this when I done Soccer Blogs I would have got HAMMERED for it, I may still. If I do, I am only showing you the truth, so if hatred enters this blog from either side of the divide, I am right, they are still wrong

So we leave all that to one side and just say “Can Scotland go it alone” I hope we can. I hope we do, but at what price and by who’s blood.

Leave hatred alone, this is Scotland from coast to coast from North to South, it wasn’t always, we fought for this freedom we have, we have a small fight left, let’s do it right

 

This I love

 

One reason I want to be free of the Crown

Maybe one day, maybe

But we need to put this where it belongs, it is a SPORT! Not a breading ground for hatred, many outside Glasgow want this gone from Scotland

Celtic Vs Rangers

 

 

 Fàilte gu Alba

Freedom!

Just to add, I see Scotland as a Scotsman, nothing more, nothing less. I don’t hate, should any person want to be whatever they want to be, they have that right. Allowing opinions is something we need to learn in this country, and through education, we can make it. Scottish Parliament needs to do more, or all this is a waste, we only create more hate.

lol