Monitor the monitors ----------------------- Once in a while your average Joe might feel that someone is illegally tapping his 'phone or opening his mail. But, no matter how many clicks on the line or badly-gummed letters, if he raises the matter he's going to get one answer:- "You're just being paranoid" And your average Joe has no way of proving otherwise. For, even if the monitoring is illegal (ie. he's not a criminal or a terrorist), there is always going to be denial from those who _should_ be protecting citizens from illegal monitoring. Since they _do_ commit illegal snooping from time to time, they can't admit that anyone is doing it - at any time. But the `Intelligence' (I) boys cracked that problem a long time ago. How's it done? - `Targetted Misinformation' Example? - from "Perceptions" ed's own personal history [ just go << world1.html happy? >> in Google or Yahoo ] Working in E Mediterranean country (doing lots of friendly and peaceful stuff), "Perceptions" editor (let's say `ed') expected to be under general surveillance, as he'd often been, when working alone, & in isolated situations (end of Cold War period - and `ed.' worked for N.A.T.O att). His girlfriend's lately returned to USA to vist her folks so he's living quiet. However, observers would know to find him two or three times a week at a central cafe, relaxing with a late coffee at an outside table before long drive home. Saturday night, about 11 pm, he's just arrived, asked for an iced coffee and got a complementary `digestivo' - the waiter's a pal - when a dispute / argument blows up at next table. A strikingly attractive girl - twenty-ish, long raven-black hair, delicate pale features - fluently cursing out a flashy dressed mid-thirties male, a Lothario who _had_ seemed to be her escort. The `bella signorina' told Lothario in local lingo to stop bothering her - she doesn't even like him - etc. etc. After noisy exchange Lothario stalks off but the girl seems upset. After a minute or so she turns a serious - but still beautiful - face to `ed' and plaintively asks if she might sit at his table - for un minuto only - in case Lothario comes back. He was too `aggressivo' she said. "Certo" says `ed' They talk - and the inevitable happens. After a drink, they leave together. ---------------- (note) `Ed' got fairly regular briefings from the I people as part of that job ( He didn't report on his friends, colleagues, not even on casual acquaintances, he wasn't that sort ). But he had a duty (partly self-protection) to mention any threats or compromises he might come across. This brief encounter, pleasant though it was, had hallmarks of an attempted compromise. Luckily `ed' had developed the I habit of tagging & compartmentalizing his info / behavior. It's not hard to do, especially if you're used to being under observation in alien surroundings. Why? - So when a piece of tagged misinformation comes back to you - you'll know _where_ it came from. And from _who_ ---------------- Well, `ed' had behaved warmly and appreciatively with the bella signorina but neither his language nor his modus operandi would have been recognized by his elegant (and democratic), absent trans-Atlantic girlfriend. Why? Because the I briefing could eventually tell him if an agency was collecting / circulating pieces of spicy info related by the bella signorina - if the info was spicy enough ( So you could say `ed' had changed his normal approach to life and love `in the line of duty' - maybe.) Well, it transpired that the very attractive young woman was _not_ a local, or even a national of neighboring countries. She actually belonged to a southern mid-European country, noted for spies (& assassins). ---- Still, `ed' affectionately remembers that particular `agent' & hopes she also thinks of him kindly. ---------------- That's how it's done. Plant routine `misinfo' in your information channels, even those to your nearest and dearest. If / when it comes back - you'll maybe know the guilty parties. ************** [ Like, if you think your phone's tapped, mention an up-coming mystery deal. Checking who comes on to you in next few days - police, bureaucrat, politician, mafia, or banker - you'll get to know two things :- 1) that your phone _is_ bugged 2) who's got control of the drug trade in your area see- http://www.perceptions.couk.com/laworjustice.html#police http://www.perceptions.couk.com/paranoid.html#conspiracies Hey, don't do this if you actually _are_ in drug-trade ] ************** So someone passing over that `misinfo' is condemned out of their own mouths (or tape recorders). If you live in a `democracy' - see http://www.perceptions.couk.com/demrace-bbc.html there could be checks, and criminal charges to follow. So we don't go into detail. [ Probable guilty parties:- corrupt local gov't official / corrupt police / corrupt magistrate, judge / corrupt politician / "honest" mafia ] -------------------------------------------- FURTHER REFERENCES GO - "search perceptions" - in SEARCH-ENGINE file-ID www.perceptions.couk.com/brief.txt