Wednesday, October 31, 2012

today a tiny story and a question...

No Wednesday In Japan or Wednesday with Waldie
but a story and a question today.
Regular programming is interrupted for today...


what she sayin' ?
yert !

 I am a nerd, love science fiction, history, maps, clouds and most of all mysteries.

When I was younger my Mum and I would watch and read all sorts of mysteries together.
One of my earliest mystery remembrance was watching The 39 Steps, by Alfred Hitchcock with Mum late one night, I think I was first year in High School at the time
Later when at University and  I got home late from working at my job after classes, we would sit there and watch what ever mystery was on the Tucson Saturday Night Show.

Fast forward to today and I still love to watch the mysteries on TV from Murder She Wrote, Law and Order, to my UK favorites, Rosemary and Thyme, Midsomer Murders, Inspector Morse, Inspector Lewis, anything by Agatha Christie and my new favorite Murder In Suburbia.
Love the theme song, the two main actress have  good fun playing off each other. The mysteries can be figured out fairly easy but it is a fun watch.
Law and Order UK is interesting because of the different court system. Plus the Judges and Lawyers all wear the great robes and wigs so you think "Oh My Goodness" they are so intelligent. Must be the accent to my American ears.
But then I did watch Rumpol of the Bailey so maybe not.

But then the UK blew up my Law and Order dream world last week  !
Yes, I know TV is different from real life especially shows about the law but just go with me for a moment.

I have the BBC World News on my computer.
Any news I have read about this story came from the BBC.
The US papers are not following this story or not the papers I read.
Here is my question or confusion. 

Last week on BBC it was all about British computer hacker Gary McKinnon not being extradited to the US.

Last week, Home Sectary Teresa May announced that extradition would breech his human rights. She said "Mr McKinnon is accused of serious crimes but there is no doubt he is serious ill.
Now remember this comment for later....
Quick re-cap
Ten years ago Gary McKinnon  who has Asperger's syndrome and depressive illness,  was 36 when he hacked into several American East Coast military bases. He stole and wiped out codes, stole information and generally when on a search and destroy. His excuse was he was looking for UFO's.
WTF !
He has been fighting extradition for ten years. 
He didn't break into any UK military bases and god knows the UK have so much more UFO's  and aliens than America. With the crop circles and  Stonehenge alone but he chose East Coast America Military bases to look for UFO"S

Now we all know if your are looking for UFO's that you would check out Area 51 and the military bases near the Mohave Desert.... Not the East Coast of America.
 UFOs ? 

But what really tops this all off was the BBC article I read quoting his Mother. She said this ten year battle to keep her son from horrible America has been hard, as a Mum I do agree and  sympathize with her. What a hard ten years.
But then she goes on to say.... he hasn't had a holiday in ten years.
Oh the horror, no holidays for ten year all because he hacked into Military Bases in America ?

If he is so ill as Teresa May stated why is he out and about and in one BBC story I read using the computer.
God, I hope I read that wrong !
Now I wonder how this would have played out if he had hacked into UK's military bases, destroyed codes, mucking about plus cost the government massive amounts of money.
The security of the nation comprised.

Just think if McKinnom had hacked into China's military computers ! 
This could have been a scary possibility.

Why would you let a "serious ill"  Teresa May's words, hacker go free ?
Where was his Mother, if he was so "serious ill" ten years ago ?
Why was she not monitoring his actions?

 If McKinnon is really this "seriously ill" and really can't be extradited to the US to stand trial... he should be tried in The World Court and Interpol should red flag him.
 He needs to be sent to a some sort of facility/hospital where he can get treatment for his depression and his Asperger's be monitored  and NEVER again be allowed to use a computer, iphone, tablet or internet ever again.

Much of this UK's decision falls on America and other nations, computers need to be safeguarded but  hackers are hackers.
The UK just extradited Abu Hamzabut not McKinnon ?
probably the correct decision but... 
What constitutes mental health or intent ? This is indeed a very slippery slope.

What interested me is why did he just hack America military bases ?
Why not the UK's or France, China or Russia ?

As Davis Rivkin said "Under  this logic anyone can claim some kind of physical or mental problem to commit crimes with impunity and get away with it.
From what I have read in the BBC's reporting it is tiny little David standing up to the horrible abusive Goliath America. 

I personally don't want him locked away in jail if he is indeed "serious ill" but he can't be left on his own and someone  must take responsibility for his actions if he can not.

His Mother and Teresa May might be a good starting point here.
Repercussions.

Now excuse me, I need watch another Mrs, Marple and enjoy the English countryside, ride a bike, have lunch with the vicar and walk some tree line lanes for a hour.
Oh yes, and solve that mystery and murder with a charming detective.
I will be having some tea and crumpets with clotted cream and jam, maybe some tiny sandwiches and ummmmmmmmmm please add some little cakes too !

Back to regular programing on Friday.

surprised. . . parsnip
music,  OST Murder In Suburbia
Posted by Picasa

10 comments:

  1. Okay...I thought the UK was the US's staunchest ally. It seems his hacking of our military bases would be a very big deal to them. I'm pretty sure previous British Prime Ministers would have thought so....

    ReplyDelete
  2. I understand the Aspergers part of this equation, if he is seriously ill, their words not mine, he is someone who need to be closely monitored. He is diffidently a lose cannon.
    From what little I know about Aspergers, one has a heighten sense of self, control issues and what is right and wrong.
    Many of the stories keep say how monstrous America is behaving. And how it was good for tiny UK to stand up to the behemoth that is America.
    Shami Chakrabarti of the civil rights group Liberty mentions... This is a great day right, freedoms and justice in the UK along with the home secretary has saved a vulnerable man the cruelty of being sent to the US and accepted Liberty's long standing argument for change to our rotten extradition laws.
    Can't wait to see what he says when missiles start dropping on London because of McKinnon.

    whatever.

    ReplyDelete
  3. At the very least, this man must be denied any access to any computer, for the rest of his life.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Quick read, so the concern was over his health initially, but now the imbalance of the extradition treaty between the UK and America is the driving force? thanks for bringing it up. xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm not sure...
      From all I read that is the main excuse is because he has Aspergers and depression. That is always brought up. But whatever illnesses he does have does it make him any less responsible for his actions ? and if not how was he put in this position, so then who is responsible for him.
      If you put a blind man in a car and then said drive and several people where hit and killed is who is responsible ? The blind driver, the person who put him there or the car ?
      Many people in government, singers and actors have sign on as against his being sent to America. I think many of these people just hate America and this could be the platform to attack America. This is only a guess but it seems to come across in many of the comments and articles I have read.
      Turn this around if someone from America hacked into the UK defense system, destroyed codes and generally muck up programs, how would the UK courts react ?


      Delete
  5. That is a terrible story. We treat our prisoners here too well, in my opinion.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I think the motives to keep him in the UK were both political and based on compassion.
    Whether or not they are accurate the reports of the penal system in the US indicate that it is very different to ours.
    I think Japolina would not agree. I think what Savannah says its quite relevant. I can understand your outrage.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Don't know if it is outrage but my lack of understanding....
      hacking is hacking
      Is he a child in a mans body or a man who understood what he did and wanted to do it any ways. UFO's is not a defense.
      Why was he so sick and no one saw it
      why was he not monitored

      A mental illness or intent it is a very slippery slope.

      Why did he only hack into Americas defense system and only America's

      I think the US is now the worlds whipping boy and we are easy to hate.
      But the reality everyone dumped their problems on us and now they are having problems with that. I think this is just a way to hate the US and several comments inferred as much.
      As I said I wrote you a much longer e-mail...
      The thing is I just don't understand why he is free to use computers again. Why he is not placed some where where he can never do this again.
      Just think if he hacked into the UK computers... bombs dropping on China next ? where would Teresa May or Sting be then ?

      I appreciate the UK perspective,
      Thanks for commenting

      Delete
  7. Parsnip don't look on my comment as the UK perspective. I talked to MTL about it tonight and he is inclined to agree with you.

    ReplyDelete