#Intelligence services

[georgefairbrother]

On July 1st, 1963, the BBC reported that Harold ‘Kim’ Philby had been finally identified as ‘the third man’ of the Cambridge Spy Ring, which also included Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean. Philby had been working for the Soviets during his entire time with the British Foreign Office, which included an assignment at the British Embassy in Washington, liaising with the CIA. Ironically, in the late 1940s, Philby had worked as Britain’s head of Anti-Communist Counterespionage.

Lord Privy Seal, Edward Heath, told the Commons that while working for MI6 in Washington (around 1950-51), Philby had used his inside knowledge to warn Burgess and Mclean that they had been rumbled, allowing them time to escape to the Soviet Union. At that time Philby’s involvement was suspected, although not proven, but he was ousted from the Foreign Office on the orders of then Foreign Secretary, Anthony Eden, and the investigation remained open.

According to BBC reporting in July 1963;

"…British authorities had always suspected there was a "third man"…Mr Philby, often known as Kim, had been working as a journalist in Beirut when he disappeared four months ago…"

Philby subsequently turned up in Moscow, from where he denied that he had tipped off Burgess and Mclean, and said that Maclean had actually been alerted to the fact that the security services were onto him when the M15 agents tailing him got a little carried away and accidently bumped into his car.

Philby became a Russian citizen, a KGB General, and was awarded the Order of Lenin. He died in 1988 and was buried with Soviet military honours.

The Cambridge Spy Ring consisted of a group of 1930s university students who were recruited by Soviet agents. The motivation, according to the BBC, was ideological rather than financial, prompted by the belief that capitalism was corrupt and life beyond the Iron Curtain offered a ‘better model for society’.

“…The Cambridge spy ring was informally led by Harold 'Kim' Philby. He and his friends later moved into jobs in British Intelligence and the Foreign Office where they had access to top secret information. They spent their working lives passing valuable information to the Soviet Union…”

The identities of the fourth and fifth Cambridge Spies were not revealed until much later. Anthony Blunt was named in 1979, and John Cairncross in 1990. Cairncross had tipped off the Soviets in time for them to change their codes before Bletchley Park had cracked them, and it was believed the information he passed on about British and US atomic weapons programmes laid the foundations for the Soviets' nuclear capabilities.

There’s a little more on the Cambridge Spies in this 1999 BBC Report ( a classic piece of vintage internet);

[higherentity]

[feckcops]

Stop sexing up the spy cops scandal, say victims

“When Everard was murdered, groups like Sisters Uncut forced a connection between her murder and the misogynistic, racist institution of policing. This connection, and a sense that police power was spiralling out of control, were reinforced by the tabling of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts bill just days before the news broke about Everard. The spy cops scandal, on the other hand, has been framed as discontinuous with the Met’s politics and past – an unexpectedly compelling episode of an otherwise two-star cop drama.

“Indeed, the media’s centering of the grim salaciousness of undercover cops impregnating unsuspecting young women and stealing dead children’s identities to do it – think of Donna McLean’s memoir Small Town Girl: Love, Lies and the Undercover Police, or the Telegraph’s Bed of Lies podcast – has eclipsed the story of the state trying to annihilate the organised left.

“Over 1,000 groups were spied on by police between 1968 and at least 2010, and almost all of these were leftwing. In the interim report, Mitting explains that no undercover officer was deployed into far-right groups between 1977 and 1982, because ‘Special Branch already had excellent sources within the extreme right’, and because they were worried the fash would beat them up.

“On Thursday, Met commander Jon Savell apologised ‘to women deceived by officers into sexual relationships, to the families of deceased children whose identities were used by officers...’, highlighting two groups whose plight has become synonymous with the spy cops. It’s unlikely we’ll ever hear an apology to the one group almost all of their victims belonged to: the left.”

[historydailyfrancischappellblack]

Andrée De Jongh - To Fight Without Killing

Subscriber Content Add content here that will only be visible to your subscribers. Payment With Brussels now liberated, we look back at a woman who played a role in resisting the German occupation and helping downed Allied airmen. Andrée was born in 1916 in Schaerbeek, a suburb of Brussels in German occupied Belgium. When Belgium capitulated on 28 May 1940, she volunteered to work in a Bruges…

[bfpnola]

UPDATE! REBLOG THIS VERSION!

[immaculatasknight]

Nazis in your neighborhood?

[aquapede]

i remember pre-downpour there were people (or maybe it was only one person?) that drew a kind of modern au where moon was in a wheelchair and i still love that idea to bits...they have service animals now too :)

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Amazon's bestselling "bitter lemon" energy drink was bottled delivery driver piss

Today (Oct 20), I'm in Charleston, WV at Charleston's Taylor Books from 12h-14h.

For a brief time this year, the bestselling "bitter lemon drink" on Amazon was "Release Energy," which consisted of the harvested urine of Amazon delivery drivers, rebottled for sale by Catfish UK prankster Oobah Butler in a stunt for a new Channel 4 doc, "The Great Amazon Heist":

https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-great-amazon-heist

Collecting driver piss is surprisingly easy. Amazon, you see, puts its drivers on a quota that makes it impossible for them to drive safely, park conscientiously, or, indeed, fulfill their basic human biological needs. Amazon has long waged war on its employees' kidneys, marking down warehouse workers for "time off task" when they visit the toilets.

As tales of drivers pissing – and shitting! – in their vans multiplied, Amazon took decisive action. The company enacted a strict zero tolerance policy for drivers returning to the depot with bottles of piss in their vans.

That's where Butler comes in: the roads leading to Amazon delivery depots are lined with bottles of piss thrown out of delivery vans by drivers who don't want to lose their jobs, which made harvesting the raw material for "Release Energy" a straightforward matter.

Butler was worried that he wouldn't be able to list his product on Amazon because he didn't have the requisite "food and drinks licensing" certificates, so he listed his drink in Amazon's refillable pump dispenser category. But Amazon's systems detected the mismatch and automatically shifted the product into the drinks section.

Butler enlisted some confederates to place orders for his drink, and it quickly rocketed to the top of Amazon's listings for the category, which led to Amazon's recommendation engine pushing the item on people who weren't in on the gag. When these orders came in, Butler pulled the plug, but not before an Amazon rep telephoned him to pitch him turning packaging, shipping and fulfillment over to Amazon:

https://www.wired.com/story/amazon-let-its-drivers-urine-be-sold-as-an-energy-drink/

The Release Energy prank was just one stunt Butler pulled for his doc; he also went undercover at an Amazon warehouse, during a period when Amazon hired an extra 1,000 workers for its warehouses in Coventry, UK, in a successful bid to dilute pro-union sentiment in his workforce in advance of a key union vote:

https://jacobin.com/2023/10/the-great-amazon-heist-oobah-butler-review

Butler's stint as an Amazon warehouse worker only lasted a couple of days, ending when Amazon recognized him and fired him.

The contrast between Amazon's ability to detect an undercover reporter and its inability to spot bottles of piss being marketed as bitter lemon energy drink says it all, really. Corporations like Amazon hire vast armies of "threat intelligence" creeps who LARP at being CIA superspies, subjecting employees and activists to intense and often illegal surveillance.

But while Amazon's defensive might is laser-focused on the threat of labor organizers and documentarians, the company can't figure out that one of its bestselling products is bottles of its tormented drivers' own urine.

In the USA, the FTC is suing Amazon for its monopolistic tactics, arguing that the company has found ways to raise prices and reduce quality by trapping manufacturers and sellers with its logistics operation, taking $0.45-$0.51 out of every dollar they earn and forcing them to raise prices at all retailers:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/25/greedflation/#commissar-bezos

The Release Energy stunt shows where Amazon's priorities are. Not only did Release Energy get listed on Amazon without any quality checks, the company actually nudged it into a category where it was more likely to be consumed by a person. The only notice the company took of Release Energy was in its logistics and manufacturing department – the part of the business that extracts the monopoly rents at issue in the FTC case – which tracked Butler down in order to sell him these services.

The drivers whose piss Butler collected don't work directly for Amazon, they work for a Delivery Service Partner. These DSPs are victims of a pyramid scheme that Amazon set up. DSP operators lease vans and pay to have them skinned in Amazon livery and studded with Amazon sensors. They take out long-term leases on depots, and hire drivers who dress in Amazon uniforms. Their drivers are minutely monitored by Amazon, down to the movements of their eyeballs.

But none of this is "Amazon" – it's all run by an "entrepreneur," whom Amazon can cut loose without notice, leaving them with unfairly terminated employees, outstanding workers' comp claims, a fleet of Amazon-skinned vehicles and unbreakable facilities leases:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/04/17/revenge-of-the-chickenized-reverse-centaurs/

Speaking to Wired, Amazon denied that it forces its drivers to piss in bottles, but Butler clearly catches a DSP dispatcher telling drivers "If you pee in a bottle and leave it [in the vehicle], you will get a point for that" – that is, the part you get punished for isn't the peeing, it's the leaving.

Amazon's defense against the FTC is that it spares no effort to keep its marketplace safe. As Amazon spokesperson James Drummond says, they use "industry-leading tools to prevent genuinely unsafe products being listed." But the only industry-leading tools in evidence are tools to bust unions and screw suppliers.

In her landmark Yale Law Review paper, "Amazon's Antitrust Paradox," FTC Chair Lina Khan makes a brilliant argument that Amazon's alleged benefits to "consumers" are temporary at best, illusory at worst:

https://www.yalelawjournal.org/note/amazons-antitrust-paradox

In Butler's documentary, Khan's hypothesis is thoroughly validated: here's a company extracting hundreds of billions from merchants who raise prices to compensate, and those monopoly rents are "invested" in union-busting and countermeasures against investigative journalists, while the tools to keep you from accidentally getting a bottle of piss in the mail are laughably primitive.

Truly, Amazon is the apex predator of the platform era:

https://pluralistic.net/ApexPredator

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/20/release-energy/#the-bitterest-lemon

My next novel is The Lost Cause, a hopeful novel of the climate emergency. Amazon won't sell the audiobook, so I made my own and I'm pre-selling it on Kickstarter!

[kentrix]

Top 5 Business Intelligence Companies in Mumbai for Data-Driven Success

In this blog, we’ll explore the Top business intelligence companies in Mumbai that can help businesses harness the power of data for informed decision-making.

Mumbai, the bustling business hub of India, is home to numerous companies offering exceptional business intelligence services. These companies specialize in harnessing the power of data to provide valuable insights and drive informed decision-making. 

In the fast-paced world of business, making data-driven decisions is crucial for sustainable growth and success. If you’re looking for reliable business intelligence solutions in Mumbai, here are the Top companies to consider:

Kentrix

2. GEOMARKETER – LOCAL INTELLIGENCE MICRO-MARKET SEGMENTATION

3. SEGURA – CUSTOMER RISK IDENTIFICATION

4. PERSONA 360 – IMPROVE YOUR DIGITAL TARGETING

About KENTRIX 

Kentrix is an advanced business intelligence platform From One of the top business intelligence companies in Mumbai, that offers comprehensive solutions to assist businesses in making well-informed decisions and extracting valuable insights from their data. By leveraging its cutting-edge analytics and reporting capabilities, Kentrix enables organizations to fully utilize their data, thereby driving growth and efficiency.

With Kentrix’s sophisticated analytics capabilities, users can engage in complex data modeling, predictive analytics, and statistical analysis. This empowers businesses to unlock the true potential of their data and make informed decisions based on thorough analysis.

Kentrix stands as a robust business intelligence platform, empowering organizations to harness the power of their data. With its wide range of features, user-friendly interface, advanced analytics, and unwavering focus on data security, Kentrix equips businesses with the tools necessary to make data-driven decisions, uncover valuable insights, and thrive in today’s fiercely competitive market.

intellicus

BI & Analytics

About  intellicus

Intellicus is a robust business intelligence platform from the list of top business intelligence companies in Mumbai that empowers organizations to derive meaningful insights from their data.

With its comprehensive suite of analytics and reporting capabilities, Intellicus enables businesses to make data-driven decisions and gain a competitive edge in the market.

Sap India Private Limited

Data Collection, Enterprise Application, Web Services, Sap Solution

About Sap India Private Limited

SAP India provides a comprehensive suite of software applications that cover various business functions. These include customer relationship management (CRM), human capital management (HCM), business intelligence (BI), supply chain management (SCM), and enterprise performance management (EPM). 

These solutions help organizations manage their operations efficiently, improve customer engagement, and drive growth.

StrataHive

Advanced Analytics Solutions

About StrataHive

At the core of StrataHive services is the delivery of innovative solutions that align with your specific business goals. StrataHive offers consulting services in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, specializing in building customized AI models in areas such as Machine Learning, Computer Vision, and Natural Language Processing. 

Leveraging state-of-the-art tools and technologies, they have created tailored solutions to meet your unique needs.

vPhrase Analytics Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

Phrazor

About vPhrase Analytics Solutions Pvt. Ltd

vPhrase Analytics Solutions Pvt. Ltd. is a global technology company from one of the top business intelligence companies in Mumbai, that specializes in AI-powered business intelligence solutions. Leveraging the capabilities of Machine Learning and Natural Language Generation technology.

vPhrase Analytics Solutions Pvt. Ltd. empowers organizations to make informed decisions based on accurate and easily understandable insights derived from complex datasets.

FAQs:

Q1. What is business intelligence?

 Business intelligence refers to the strategies, technologies, and tools used to collect, analyze, and present business data for improved decision-making.

Q2. How can business intelligence companies benefit my business?

 Business intelligence companies help businesses gather, analyze, and interpret data to gain valuable insights, identify trends, optimize operations, and make informed decisions for growth and profitability.

Q3. What factors should I consider when choosing a business intelligence company?

When choosing a business intelligence company, consider their expertise, experience, track record, range of services, scalability, and customer reviews/testimonials.

Conclusion

Harnessing the power of data is no longer a luxury but a necessity for businesses aiming to stay competitive in today’s dynamic market. The top business intelligence companies in Mumbai listed above offer a range of services to help you leverage data for enhanced decision-making and sustainable growth. 

Choose the right partner that aligns with your business objectives and unlocks the true potential of your data. Contact them today to embark on your data-driven journey toward success.

[mi6-usa]

The Burlington Files - Real Espionage

Interested in real raw intelligence or espionage, Churchill, Gordievsky, Monty, Ungentlemanly Warfare, John le Carré, the SAS and Philby's interest therein? Do read the epic fact based spy thriller, Bill Fairclough's Beyond Enkription, the first stand-alone novel of six in TheBurlingtonFiles series. He was one of Pemberton’s People in MI6.

Beyond Enkription is a fact based book which follows the real life of a real spy, Bill Fairclough (MI6 codename JJ) aka Edward Burlington who worked for British Intelligence, the CIA et al. It’s the stuff memorable spy films are made of, raw, realistic yet punchy, pacy and provocative; a super read as long as you don’t expect John le Carré’s delicate diction, sophisticated syntax and placid plots.

For the synopsis of Beyond Enkription see TheBurlingtonFiles website. This thriller is like nothing we have ever come across before. Indeed, we wonder what The Burlington Files would have been like if David Cornwell aka John le Carré had collaborated with Bill Fairclough. They did consider it and even though they didn’t collaborate, Beyond Enkription is still described as ”up there with My Silent War by Kim Philby and No Other Choice by George Blake”.

As for Bill Fairclough, he has even been described as a real life posh Harry Palmer; there are many intriguing bios of him on the web. As for Beyond Enkription, it’s a must read for espionage cognoscenti. To relish in this totally different non-fiction espionage thriller best do some research first. Try reading two brief news articles published on TheBurlingtonFiles website. One is about characters' identities (September 2021) and the other about Pemberton's People (October 2022). You’ll soon be immersed in a whole new world! As for TheBurlingtonFiles website, it is like a living espionage museum and as breathtaking as a compelling thriller in its own right.

[feckcops]

‘I feel I was raped’: six women in Barcelona seek justice after relationship with ‘spy cop’

“Friendly, funny and flirtatious, he introduced himself as Dani ... he became a fixture on the city’s vibrant anarchist scene; facing down police at protests and anti-eviction blockades, dropping by a popular plaza for hours of beer-fuelled conversations and striking up intimate relations with at least eight women.

“That is, until the man with the mohawk, collection of antifascist T-shirts and a chaos symbol tattooed on one knee was alleged to be an undercover police officer ...

“I feel I was raped,” one of the women told La Directa, the Barcelona-based newspaper that first published the allegations. ‘I’ve been with someone who I now realise I didn’t know and that makes me genuinely afraid.’

“She first crossed paths with Dani in late 2020, when a group gathered at La Cinètika to work on a guide aimed at preventing and confronting patriarchal violence. The two hit it off quickly, going on to date for nearly a year.

“The allegations, revealed more than a year after he abruptly broke off the relationship, left her fending off a mix of anxiety, disgust and powerlessness. ‘If I had known he was a cop, I would have never had a relationship with him. I wasn’t able to make that decision,’ she said.”

[williamkergroach55]

North Africa, History and Society, by William Kergroach

History of Egypt History of Libya History of Tunisia History of Algeria History of Morocco History of Mauritania The Berbers of North Africa The Arab revolutions Relations with the rest of Africa The question of migration The status of women Ethnic minorities Modern world Culture in the Maghreb Islamic radicalism

Available at https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B07BR6V6D9

[thetiredstuff]

Had another class about intelligence services and gathering and my professor told us that the intelligence services of the Netherlands worked out a great legal framework for working with intelligence services of another country. It’s basically a checklist to deem other countries’ intelligence services good enough to trust and share intelligence. That means that that country has to respect human rights and cannot torture people etc.

So I asked well how do they justify working the US when they violate human rights and are known to have tortured people for information?

To which my professor said that it was a huge point of contention when establishing that legal framework because the US is too vital as an intelligence partner to not work with them BUT that if the Netherlands used their legal framework checklist, the US violated too many things to work with them. So they apparently had a lot of negotiations about it with the US.