Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes?

... not them. [A]

While the international media shows headlines like these:

Indian Govt's Phone, Internet Monitoring System is Chilling, Says Human Rights Watch
India Today Online. New Delhi, June 7, 2013 (See here)

Canada Says it Monitors Foreign Phone, Internet Traffic
David Ljunggren (Reuters). June 11, 2013 (See here)

German Spy Service Plans 'More Online Surveillance'
Yahoo News. AFP. June 16, 2013 (See here)

GCHQ 'Spied' on G20 Delegates
Google News. AFP. June 17, 2013 (See here)


In Australia, at one hand, we have:

Federal Police Spying on Phone and Internet Records

"Federal police are obtaining Australians' phone and internet records without warrants nearly 1000 times a week, it has emerged as controversy rages over a vast US surveillance program.
"Revelations in a recent Senate estimates hearing also include efforts by Australian Federal Police to access Facebook and Google data of the kind gathered under the US National Security Agency's controversial Prism program". David Wroe (Defence Correspondent, SMH). June 11, 2013 (See here)

And, at the other hand:

AFP Failed to Probe BHP Bribery Claims

"Federal police made a 'critical decision' not to investigate criminal allegations that Australians working for BHP Billiton had bribed officials in Cambodia, China and Western Australia and instead handballed the case to the corporate regulator [i.e. ASIC], which also ran no probe". Nick McKenzie and Richard Baker (SMH). June 17, 2013 (See here).

So, my question is who are those guys actually investigating?

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More local news:

Big Names Revealed in Offshore Tax Sweep

"A number of prominent Australians including captains of industry, politicians, philanthropists, developers, lawyers, accountants, criminals and entrepreneurs are set to become embroiled in one of the nation's most explosive tax investigations into offshore structures.
"This follows the leaking of a cache of data to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists in Washington. Its stories have had worldwide ramifications and embarrassed business leaders and politicians across the globe. Now, a Fairfax investigation can reveal that more than 500 Australians feature in the 2.5 million documents". Kate McClymont, Linton Besser and James Robertson (SMH). June 16, 2013 (See here and also here)

Readers may remember that the Australian Taxation Office could be the subject of parliamentary probing in the incoming Coalition Government (see here).

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As, when it comes to investigation, our taxpayer-funded authorities seem to be busily pursuing their own priorities, maybe readers with some information should instead contact journalists.

Do you know more? Do you have a tip?

investigations@smh.com.au

Image Credits:
[A] Author: Frederic Guimont. Free Art License (Copyright © Frederic Guimont) Original text was: rilasciata sotto Free Art license. Wikipedia.

Minitrue News Report.

Oceania achieved a glorious victory against a plusungood terrorist cell in Greece. The self-denominated Enemy Radical Terrorists (or ERT) was sabotaging the expansive fiscal contraction policies recommended by the Troika in its heroic efforts to aid the Greek people.

By disseminating duckspeak, the ERT was responsible for years of economic depression, deliberately targeting the Greek people.

Although it was not possible to contact Big Sister Merkel, who is busily devising ways to enhance the living conditions of her Greek subjects, we are pleased to congratulate her for this historical victory.

A few terrorists still offer some resistance from their secret bunkers. 

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Minitrue, Minipax and the Thought Police may be launching similar actions against terrorist organizations in Australia (ABC) and the UK (BBC).

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Paul Sheehan (Oceania Minitrue) courageously denounces ungood Edward Snowden, the traitor pursued by Thought Police for crimethought on behalf of Emmanuel Goldstein.

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War is peace.
Freedom is slavery.
Ignorance is strength.
Misery is wealth.
Lie is truth.

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Survivalism, from Nine Inch Nails' Year Zero album:

1984.

If you watch only one movie this year, you have no choice: watch "1984", directed by Michael Radford, with John Hurt (in the role of Winston Smith), Suzanna Hamilton (as Julia) and Richard Burton (as O'Brien).

Its official trailer:

The Thirtieth of May, 2013.

205 years ago, almost to the day, the Spanish people rebelled in Calle Alcalá, near the Puerta del Sol, in Madrid.

"The Second of May 1808",
by Francisco de Goya (1814) [A]

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Spain was of strategic value to the French emperor Napoleon. Taking advantage of the personal conflict between the Spanish king Carlos IV of the house of Bourbon and his heir, Fernando, Napoleon proposed a French-Spanish alliance against Portugal and Britain.

To gain the acquiescence of the Spanish prime minister, Manuel Rajoy de Godoy, the French and Fernando, who were in cahoots, promised him he would act as figurehead in a future pro-French Portuguese puppet government.

During November 1807, under the guise of reinforcing their Spanish "allies" and with Carlos' reluctant consent, a French army, under the command of Marshal Joachim Murat, crossed the border. Although Godoy was ecstatic, the measure proved highly unpopular with the Spanish people.

To make good his side of the bargain, and mounting on the opposition bandwagon, Fernando instigated the March 17th anti-Godoy riots in the town of Aranjuez, 50 km south of Madrid, forcing Carlos to dismiss Godoy. A few days later Carlos himself had to abdicate, leaving the throne to Fernando.

Fernando, however, did not count on the French having different ideas: Murat refused to recognize him.

Both Carlos and Fernando fled to France, to appeal to Bonaparte. To their surprise, Bonaparte decided to declare the Bourbon dynasty deposed and install his own brother, Joseph, as new Spanish king.

Faced with the news, the Spanish people took to the streets of Madrid on the Second of May, 1808, against the North African mercenary troops, known as Mamelukes, working for the French. The scene was represented by Goya in the painting above.

The following day, the French unleashed brutal and generalized repression against the Spanish people:

"The Third of May 1808",
by Francisco de Goya (1814) [B]

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The video below shows Troika mercenary occupation troops, also known as Mossos, charging on the 30th of May, 2013, against Spanish firefighters, protesting in Barcelona against the Troika puppet government of Mariano Rajoy/Artur Mas. (See here, in Spanish)

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The war in the Peninsula ended in 1814, with Napoleon's defeat.


Image Credits:
[A] "The Second of May 1808: The Charge of the Mamelukes", by Francisco de Goya (1814). Wikipedia. Source: Museo de El Prado.
[B] "The Third of May 1808: the shootings in Prince Pious' mountain", by Francisco de Goya (1814). Wikipedia. Source: Museo de El Prado.