- cypherpunks-legacy - lists.cpunks.org

Kerik, Homeland Security Czar - Scathing article from The Register
by Bill Stewart 06 Dec '04

06 Dec '04

The Register has a really friendly article about Kerik, Giuliani's buddy who's proposed for Homeland Security Czar. (El Reg is primarily an online technology newswire, but they do comment on other issues, especially if they have technical aspects - they especially rag on the UK's Home Secretary Blunkett's National ID Card proposals.) http://www.theregister.com/2004/12/06/kerik_homeland_security_secretary/ High-school drop-out to become Homeland Security Czar By Thomas C Greene Published Monday 6th December 2004 11:07 GMT President George W. Bush has nominated former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik to replace Tom Ridge as Homeland Security Secretary, marking a significant departure from his tendency to choose educated, Patrician types for his Cabinet. Kerik, a high-school drop-out abandoned at age four by his prostitute mother in the gritty town of Patterson, New Jersey, served as an Army MP in South Korea, and later worked in private international security rackets, most interestingly in Saudi Arabia. He joined the New York City Police Department in 1985. He followed that with a stint as Warden of the Passaic County Jail in New Jersey, and became the Training Officer and Commander of the Special Weapons and Operations Units. In 1998 he was named New York Corrections Commissioner, and established an ironclad, head-cracking discipline in the City's notorious detention facilities. A favorite of former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Kerik had the honor of seeing the Manhattan Detention Complex, known to locals as "the Tombs," re-named the Bernard B. Kerik Complex by then-mayor Giuliani. Kerik left a minor cloud of corruption behind, with allegations that one of his lieutenants used correctional staff to work illegally in Republican campaigns. In 2000, Giuliani named Kerik Police Commissioner, to assist him in a vast anti-crime crackdown, where the chief tactic was for police to pounce aggressively on even the most chickenshit offences, such as spitting on the sidewalk. Upon his retirement from City politics, Giuliani decided to cash in on post-9/11 security hysteria by founding his own security outfit, Giuliani Partners LLC. Kerik has served as senior vice president at Giuliani Partners, and CEO of Giuliani-Kerik LLC, a vendor of law-enforcement "performance systems". Meanwhile, Giuliani has founded several spin-offs, such as Giuliani Capital Advisors LLC, and the Rudolph W. Giuliani Advanced Security Centers (ASC), a cyber-security outfit formed in connection with Ernst & Young. Recently, Kerik shipped out to Iraq to train the local policemen who are routinely blown to pieces by insurgents and terrorists. There, he enjoyed the snappy titles of Interim Minister of the Interior, and Senior Policy Advisor to the US Presidential Envoy to Iraq's Coalition Provisional Authority. Kerik lasted only four months, and the Iraqi police are still as incompetent, weak, and corrupt as when he arrived in country. Kerik began making his transition from local to national politics by campaigning for President Bush's re-election, alongside his political patron and business partner, Rudy Giuliani. Kerik has been a devoted booster of the so-called Patriot Act, having given several speeches in its support while campaigning for Bush. In anticipation of his rise to national office, Kerik recently sold his $5.8m in shares of Taser International, makers of absolutely safe police stun guns that are now routinely used against old women and children. He is expected to be confirmed by the Senate without difficulty. .

1 0

Michael Riconosciuto, PROMIS
by Nomen Nescio 06 Dec '04

06 Dec '04

I read a few old email messages I had and stumbled over some interesting material relating to NSA, CIA and one Michael Riconosciuto among other things. I followed up on the info and did some surfing on the subject and got quite interested. I also did some searches in my cypherpunk mail folder and got no hits. Surely this must have been up in the list? Can someone give me some links please? There were also some talk about some PROMIS software somewhere and modifications being made to illegally obtained copies of proprietary software. This software was then sold by the US gov to be able to spy on Canadian authoritites. Is this also true? I found the below text saved here locally, if I'm correctly informed Mr. Michael Riconosciuto went to jail for this affidavit. Can someone verify if this really is true. (It sounds bizarre but maybe this can happen in Amerika?) I am told that Michael Riconosciuto has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and many delays in diagnosis and treatment have occurred and people say it's becaus the US gov wants him dead because he knows too much. It's also rumoured that he never received a fair trial and that two of his lawyers were murdered. Because the US government does not admit anything about PROMIS he has been relegated as a nut and serious efforts to isolate him have been going on for more than a decade. A friend of mine sent me this info on the case: > Michael Riconosciuto was asked by Bill Hamilton, the proprietor of > Promis, to sign an affidavit about his alterations to the > software. A week before he signed, Michael was threatened. There > had already been deaths around him and Michael informed his family > that he was about to be murdered or jailed and that whatever the > family was going to be told about him, it wasn't true, he was being > framed for telling the truth. A week after signing the affidavit, > Michael ended up in jail on fraudulent charges of running a drug > lab. Can someone give me some more info on this? Thank you AFFIDAVIT OF MICHAEL J. RICONOSCIUTO The INSLAW CASE: AFFIDAVIT OF MICHAEL J. RICONOSCIUTO UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA In Re: INSLAW, INC., Debtor. CASE NO. 85-00070 (Chapter 11) ________________________________ INSLAW, INC., Plaintiff v. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and the UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, Defendants. CASE NO. 85-00070 Adversary Proceeding NO. 86-0069 AFFIDAVIT OF MICHAEL J. RICONOSCIUTO STATE OF WASHINGTON) I, MICHAEL J. RICONOSCIUTO, being duly sworn, do hereby state as follows: 1. During the early 1980's, I served as the Director of Research for a joint venture between the Wackenhut Corporation of Coral Gables, Florida, and the Cabazon Band of Indians in Indio, California. The joint venture was located on the Cabazon reservation. 2. The Wackenhut-Cabazon joint venture sought to develop and/or manufacture certain materials that are used in military and national security operations, including night vision goggles, machine guns, fuel-air explosives, and biological and chemical warfare weapons. EXHIBIT 1 3. The Cabazon Band of Indians are a sovereign nation. The sovereign immunity that is accorded the Cabazons as a consequence of this fact made it feasible to pursue on the reservation the development and/or manufacture of materials whose development or manufacture would be subject to stringent controls off the reservation. As a minority group, the Cabazon Indians also provided the Wackenhut Corporation with an enhanced ability to obtain federal contracts through the 8A Set Aside Program, and in connection with Government-owned contractor-operated (GOCO) facilities. 4. The Wackenhut-Cabazon joint venture was intended to support the needs of a number of foreign governments and forces, including forces and governments in Central America and the Middle East. The Contras in Nicaragua represented one of the most important priorities for the joint venture. 5. The Wackenhut-Cabazon joint venture maintained close liaison with certain elements of the United States Government, including representatives of intelligence, military and law enforcement agencies. 6. Among the frequent visitors to the Wackenhut-Cabazon joint venture were Peter Videnieks of the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., and a close associate of Videnieks by the name of Earl W. Brian. Brian is a private businessman who lives in Maryland and who has maintained close business ties with the U.S. intelligence community for many years. 7. In connection with my work for Wackenhut, I engaged in some software development and modification work in 1983 and 1984 on the proprietary PROMIS computer software product. The copy of PROMIS on which I worked came from the Department of Justice. Earl W. Brian made it available to me through Wackenhut after acquiring it from Peter Videnieks, who was then a Department of Justice contracting official with responsibility for the PROMIS software. I performed the modifications to PROMIS in Indio, California; Silver Spring, Maryland; and Miami, Florida. 8. The purpose of the PROMIS software modifications that I made in 1983 and 1984 was to support a plan for the implementation of PROMIS in law enforcement and intelligence agencies worldwide. Earl W. Brian was spearheading the plan for this worldwide use of the PROMIS computer software. 9. Some of the modifications that I made were specifically designed to facilitate the implementation of PROMIS within two agencies of the Government of Canada: the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canadian Security and Intelligence Service (CSIS). Earl W. Brian would check with me from time to time to make certain that the work would be completed in time to satisfy the schedule for the RCMP and CSIS implementations of PROMIS. 10. The proprietary versions of PROMIS, as modified by me, was, in fact, implemented in both the RCMP and the CSIS in Canada. It was my understanding that Earl W. Brian had sold this version of PROMIS to the Government of Canada. 11. In February 1991, I had a telephone conversation with Peter Videnieks, then still employed by the U.S. Department of Justice. Videnieks attempted during this telephone conversation to persuade me not to cooperate with an independent investigation of the government's piracy of INSLAW's proprietary PROMIS software being conducted by the Committee on the Judiciary of the U.S. House of Representatives. 12. Videnieks stated that I would be rewarded for a decision not to cooperate with the House Judiciary Committee investigation. Videnieks forecasted an immediate and favorable resolution of a protracted child custody dispute being prosecuted against my wife by her former husband, if I were to decide not to cooperate with the House Judiciary Committee investigation. 13. Videnieks also outlined specific punishments that I could expect to receive from the U.S. Department of Justice if I cooperate with the House Judiciary Committee's investigation. 14. One punishment that Videnieks outlined was the future inclusion of me and my father in a criminal prosecution of certain business associates of mine in Orange County, California, in connection with the operation of a savings and loan institution in Orange County. By way of underscoring his power to influence such decisions at the U.S. Department of Justice, Videnieks informed me of the indictment of these business associates prior to the time when that indictment was unsealed and made public. 15. Another punishment that Videnieks threatened against me if I cooperate with the House Judiciary Commitee [sic] is prosecution by the U.S. Department of Justice for perjury. Videnieks warned me that credible witnesses would come forward to contradict any damaging claims that I made in testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, and that I would subsequently be prosecuted for perjury by the U.S. Department of Justice for my testimony before the House Judiciary Committee. FURTHER AFFIANT SAYETH NOT. [Signed]: Michael J. Riconosciuto Signed and sworn to before me this 21st day of March, 1991. John M. Rosellini Notary Public My Commission Expires: Sept 19, 1993

7 11

RE: "Word" Of the Subgenius...
by Trei, Peter 06 Dec '04

06 Dec '04

> -----Original Message----- > From: owner-cypherpunks(a)minder.net > [mailto:owner-cypherpunks@minder.net]On Behalf Of Neil Johnson > Sent: Sunday, December 05, 2004 9:06 AM > To: R.W. (Bob) Erickson > Cc: Steve Furlong; cypherpunks(a)al-qaeda.net > Subject: Re: "Word" Of the Subgenius... > > > On Sun, 2004-12-05 at 08:46 -0500, R.W. (Bob) Erickson wrote: > > > To be bobbed is never the goal, > > but bobless fear steers the undifferentiated bob > > along conventional paths, > > to the abattoir > > > Where is Tim May when when you need him? :-) > Try scruz.general. Peter

1 0

Re: "Word" Of the Subgenius...
by John Kelsey 06 Dec '04

06 Dec '04

>From: Tyler Durden <camera_lumina(a)hotmail.com> >Sent: Dec 4, 2004 8:33 PM >To: cypherpunks(a)al-qaeda.net >Subject: "Word" Of the Subgenius... >I thought JR "Bob" Dobbs got beamed up to that comet with those LA Koolaid >kooks... No, but I do believe the comet kooks engaged in bobbitization (or perhaps, merely "bobbing"). >-TD --John

2 1

Re: Michael Riconosciuto, PROMIS
by Nomen Nescio 06 Dec '04

06 Dec '04

Bill Stewart shrieb: > There are several different issues related to PROMIS Thanks for your comments. But what about the person Michael Riconosciuto? I did some searches online and I got the feeling that a lot people see him as an extremely intelligent person, a one-in-a-million type of person, being involved and on the front line with such diverse areas as human intelligence, weapons, electronics, computers, cryptography, bio-warfare etc. It's stated online that he has warned US about several terrorist attacks before they ocurred, including but not limited to the al-qaeda attacks. Is this somewhat related to him being jailed? Can he verify that US didn't act on alerts in ways so sensitive that the government simply cannot afford to let him speak up? Does he know things relating to US wanting some wars that the public simply cannot be told? I think I read somewhere that people from NSA or CIA thought of him as simply put a genius. Is it likely that he as such a genius is simply too dangerous for his own good when he decided to speak the truth and that the government is actively trying to shut him down and indirectly speed up his death by denying him medical care for his illness? Why did he come "clean" and sign the affidavit? He himself stated that he though he risked being killed or harmed in various ways if he went through with it. And indeed, just a week or two afterwards he got arrested! Smells like a government retaliation, set-up and cover-up if I ever saw one! This is almost to good for even Hollywood! There are many interesting questions here. Keep in mind that not all of us were around and active with intelligence/computers/cryptography 10-20 years ago. John Young: Does Cryptome hold any interesting documents involving this case?

1 0

Tor 0.0.9rc6 is out (fwd from arma@mit.edu)
by Eugen Leitl 06 Dec '04

06 Dec '04

----- Forwarded message from Roger Dingledine <arma(a)mit.edu> -----

1 0

Unintended Consequences
by Major Variola (ret) 05 Dec '04

05 Dec '04

At 04:44 AM 12/2/04 -0500, R.A. Hettinga wrote: >John Ross' "Unintended Consequences" is a classic of the, um, gun culture, >:-) and a great read. Made me want to name my first mulatto "Gonorreah" fer sure :-)

4 4

Immediate Exception
by R.W. (Bob) Erickson 04 Dec '04

04 Dec '04

Observe the subtle balance of the moment Be aware of danger in short term bias, hyberbolic discounting and cognitive priming. Understand that each and every thing we know is framed by others expectations and fears We are, each of us,in our diversity and self doubts only stuff that matters. Our view from the nexus of personal tangles and the social alienation in which we become ourselves cannot be generalized away.There is no average, no scalar at all We are all, each single one of us, much more than words and more many, than one Be kind to yourself, but never forget you're kind Other people are the only reason for anything So give not into the temptation of abstract authority For the rule following consequence is misery and death Cooperation is always needful work For as surly as civilization trumps ideology, the top down view is mortally flawed Not only is the illusion deceiving it degrades us all Always know when to resort to chaos To keep the rules dynamic Our competency is orthodox But our freedom is escape >From the tyranny of rules Methodology enables Analysis Abstractions enable Truth But the beauty of life Is the immediate exception

3 3

Liquidnet: "Anonymous" institutional transactions
by R.A. Hettinga 04 Dec '04

04 Dec '04

<http://www.liquidnet.com/company/> The Company Why Use Liquidnet Membership News and Stats Careers Contact Us About Liquidnet :: Senior Management :: Board of Directors :: Liquidnet Europe Liquidnet is successfully redefining institutional trading. Launched in April 2001, Liquidnet was built exclusively for institutional trading. After only three years, we are now ranked as one of the top 14 largest NYSE institutional brokers and the 15th largest NASDAQ broker* respectively. The Liquidnet global community has grown to represent more than $6.8 trillion in equity assets under management. Liquidnet's unique model brings natural buyers and sellers together and enables them to anonymously negotiate trades among each other, without intermediaries or information leaks. Liquidnet's institutional Members trade large blocks of small-, mid- and large-cap stocks easily, efficiently and with little to no market impact costs. The result is the industry-leading average execution size of more than 42,000 shares since inception, with 50% of all executions done at the mid-point and 92% done within the spread. Liquidnet, Inc. is a registered broker/dealer, headquartered in New York City. Liquidnet Europe Limited is regulated by the Financial Services Authority and is headquartered in London. * Based on Plexus Group analysis (03Q3 - 04Q2) November 29, 1999 Liquidnet Holdings, Inc. founded January 10, 2000 Liquidnet, Inc. founded April 10, 2001 Liquidnet launches in the United States with 38 Member firms April 16, 2001 Liquidnet completes first week of trading with an average execution size of 86,000 shares June 12, 2001 Liquidnet Europe Ltd. founded October 23, 2001 Liquidnet executes its 500-millionth share March 8, 2002 Liquidnet signs first European Member April 4, 2002 Liquidnet executes its one-billionth share June 3, 2002 100th Member firm goes live August 2002 Liquidnet recognized by Plexus Group as one of the largest institutional brokers for NYSE-listed stocks November 2002 Liquidnet recognized by Plexus Group as one of the largest institutional brokers for NASDAQ stocks November 20, 2002 Liquidnet Europe launches, providing fund managers with access to six global markets - UK, French, German, Swiss, Dutch and US December 31, 2002 Liquidnet ends year with 136 live Members and completes strongest quarter to date, executing 426 million shares January 30, 2003 Liquidnet executes its two-billionth share October 14, 2003 Liquidnet executes its largest single US equities trade to date -- 2.83 million shares. November, 2003 Liquidnet ranked as the 5th and 10th least expensive trading venue for NYSE and Nasdaq stocks, respectively, by Elkins/McSherry. December 16, 2003 Value traded in Liquidnet since inception reaches $100 billion. December 22, 2003 Liquidnet breaks its single day record for US volume, executing nearly 29.5 million shares. January, 2004 Liquidnet ranked as one of the Top 20 largest NYSE brokers in the Plexus Group universe of 1,500 brokers. January 21, 2004 July 29, 2004 October 21, 2004 Liquidnet breaks its single day record for US volume, executing more than 30 million shares. Liquidnet brings anonymous block trading to Canada Liquidnet Honored as the 5th Fastest Growing Private Company in America by INC. MAGAZINE and THE fastest growing private Financial Services company. -- ----------------- R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah(a)ibuc.com> The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/> 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA "... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity, [predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'

2 1

Aide takes blame for tax return provision
by R.A. Hettinga 03 Dec '04

03 Dec '04

<http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20041203-124037-3201r.htm> The Washington Times Aide takes blame for tax return provision Washington, DC, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- Language in the omnibus spending bill giving congressional staff access to U.S. tax returns was inserted by a mid-level aide, not a member of Congress. Richard Efford, a 19-year veteran of the House Appropriations Committee staff, said he was responsible for the controversial provision, which critics characterized as an invasion of privacy. Efford said he did not consult with Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Ernest Istook, R-Okla., before including the language, which he said was simply an attempt to give committee staff the authority to enter Internal Revenue Service facilities to inspect how taxpayer funds were being used. He said the genesis of the provision was the IRS' objection to his request to visit a tax return processing facility. "They said if someone's return was up on a computer screen and you glanced at it there would be a release of taxpayer information," a breach of privacy laws the IRS could not accept, Efford told the Washington Post. The provision's existence became known just hours before a vote on the spending package. It set off an uproar that led congressional leaders to hold off on sending the bill to the president's desk until the provision could be struck from the bill. -- ----------------- R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah(a)ibuc.com> The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/> 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA "... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity, [predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'

1 0