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Wikileaks vs. Gitmo Security Phreaks

This is my new favorite story. It seems that the folks at Wikileaks—"an uncensorable Wikipedia for untraceable mass document leaking and analysis"—have busted the "mass communications specialists" at Guantanamo for, wait for it,

"conducting covert propaganda attacks on the internet. The attacks include deleting detainee ID numbers from Wikipedia last month, the systematic posting of unattributed "self praise" comments on news organization web sites in response to negative press, boosting pro-Guantanamo stories on the internet news site Digg and even modifying Fidel Castro's encyclopedia article to describe the Cuban president as "an admitted transexual" [sic]."

Following the trail of IP addresses and "traceroutes," Wikileaks states that most of these changes were made by Guantanamo "mass communications specialist" Richard M. Wolff, who also goes by usnavymc1 on Digg.

Wikileaks has quite a bit of fun at Wolff's expense, including posting his query to a muscle fitness group at Yahoo:

Hi all! I am new to the group and in need of some help. I am in the military, did 9 years active-duty, then for the past 5 years I've been in the reserve. When I left AD, I got a little lazy and gained a few pounds, ok more than a few... lol. Anyhow, I've lost most of the fat I gained before, but I also lost a lot of muscle. I've tried combinations of weight gain and intense workouts, even some ripped
fuel, I do a good amount of cardio as well. Does the cardio hurt me from gaining muscle max? Would I be better off just lifting?

I've been in this routine of getting back in shape for about a year now and I'm looking much better than I did, but I feel I'll never get back into that really ripped form I used to have. I am 5'6", 165lbs, 34 years old. Of course my age might have something to do with it since my metabolism might not be as good as it used to be, but I try to eat healthy and things that digest easily. Should I be eating more red meat? I don't at the moment at all, but I do take a multivitamin everyday so I do get all my vitamins.

Any advice would be great! Also, if anyone knows if I should take something besides ripped fuel to help me gain mass more please let me know. Also, what more can I do (like in the other post) to get rid of the little layer of fat over my abs? They're defines pretty good but can't be seen through that damn little layer of flub. Thanks! Rich

We've all been there Rich. Anyway, if you want to geek out on how Wikileaks tracked Wolff to his meatless, sweaty lair, enjoy. And while you're at it read up on the project, which "was founded by Chinese dissidents, journalists, mathematicians and startup company technologists....Our primary interest is in exposing oppressive regimes in Asia, the former Soviet bloc, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, but we also expect to be of assistance to people of all regions who wish to reveal unethical behavior in their governments and corporations."

Mission accomplished.

Update: Dave had a great post that lists some of Wikileaks' other greatest hits.

Comments

Should forty-year-old lady bloggers be catty about other the efforts of others to stay in shape?

Just asking.

Posted by: jkp on 12/14/07 at 8:29 AM Respond

If they have rock hard abs they can be

Posted by: Clara Jeffery on 12/14/07 at 10:15 AM Respond

"If they have rock hard abs they can be"

The abs are a plus but not necessary - you wrote a good piece.

Thanks

Posted by: capt on 12/14/07 at 11:26 AM Respond

"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof."

-- Carl Sagan

Posted by: jkp on 12/14/07 at 1:15 PM Respond

What does it matter whether the blogger is a "lady"?

If I weren't so charitable toward my fellow humans, I'd detect a note of "uppity woman dares to say WHAT to her male military betters?!"

Besides, this Navy guy doesn't sound interested in merely "stay[ing] in shape." He's interested in something far more "aesthetic."

Posted by: Mike on 12/14/07 at 3:08 PM Respond

Side note.

In looking at the GITMO Welcome Packet (http://tinyurl.com/2r4zpy), noted the Navy has contracted with Phoenix Cable to provide individual internet connections to military people at the rip-off price of $59.95/month with a $100 installation fee.

High speed connections throughout the Caribbean range from $24.95 - $29.95 per month with no connection fee so this outfit is really gouging our service personnel.

Posted by: Sam Thornton on 12/14/07 at 10:54 PM Respond

Mike:

In many Human societies, the males seek female companionship based in part on the female's physical attractiveness. As a result, pure physical attractiveness for a woman is considered to be somewhat more important to women, especially as -- given the predominant attitudes in many cultures including our own -- it is often said that female attractiveness declines in old age.

"Lady", according to Merriam-Webster, is "a woman of refinement and gentle manners". I was using it as a term of respect for Ms. Jeffrey. I am sorry if you feel that this respect isn't deserved, but I feel inclined to give her the benefit of the doubt -- even if her blog comment above indicates otherwise.

Certainly, Ms. Jeffrey does not seem to have any problems finding trivial personal information about some person I've never heard of. I suppose that the point of her post was some variation on: "wow! Look how clever I am! Here's someone I think is a jerk -- I can find stuff he's posted online and popularize it and make him look like a fool while I look all cool! Yay!"

In my judgment, this sort of immature attitude would demean even the average blogger -- much less one trusted with serious editorial duties. It was the intent of my earlier post to make this clear, in language similar to that used by Ms. Jeffrey.

In short: people who live in glass houses oughtn't throw stones. Especially those with glass jaws.

Posted by: jkp on 12/15/07 at 6:44 PM Respond