Monthly Archives: March 2013

Americans – Like Nazi Germans – Don’t Notice that All of Our Rights Are Slipping Away

"More and more commonly, the government prosecutes cases based upon 'secret evidence' that they don’t show to the defendant … or sometimes even the judge hearing the case. The government uses 'secret evidence' to spy on Americans, prosecute leaking or terrorism charges (even against U.S. soldiers) and even assassinate people. And see this and this. Secret witnesses are being used in some cases. And sometimes lawyers are not even allowed to read their own briefs. Indeed, even the laws themselves are now starting to be kept secret. And it’s about to get a lot worse." Continue reading →

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Nigel Farage’s ‘Fruitcakes, Loonies & Closet Racists’ Libertarian UKIP knocks down Tories into third

"The British Conservative party has for the first time been pushed into third place in a by-election in the town of Eastleigh, by a party David Cameron dubbed 'fruitcakes and loonies and closet racists.' The UKIP (the UK Independence Party) strongly opposes immigration, and advocates for the UK to leave the European Union. In the Eastleigh vote, the Lib Dem Party polled at 13,342 votes, UKIP at 11,571, the Conservatives at 10,559 and Labour at 4,088. UKIP took almost 28 percent of the vote, one of their best-ever results in a British parliamentary election." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNigel Farage’s ‘Fruitcakes, Loonies & Closet Racists’ Libertarian UKIP knocks down Tories into third

British vigilantes fighting revenue-driven traffic enforcement

"Meet the NoTo Mob, a group dedicated to fighting what they see as unfair parking tickets and charges. During the week they're normal blokes (and the odd woman). But on Saturdays they come together for a common cause. They follow council CCTV cars, or 'spy cars', then stand nearby holding signs to warn drivers about the presence of a CCTV vehicle and potential fine if they break the rules. It's opposed to what it sees an unfair parking enforcement. The group targets 'honey pots' – high-ticket areas with confusing road markings or unclear signs where the CCTV cars are most likely to operate." Continue reading →

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More Redflex Executives Fall Over Red Light Camera Bribery Scandal

"According to the inquiry conducted by the law firm Sidley Austin, a consultant was paid $2 million between 2003 and 2012 for his work in landing the nation's most lucrative photo ticketing contract. Redflex sent a city contracting official on 17 different trips between 2003 and 2010, paying for everything including hotels, flights, car rentals, golfing, meals and a computer worth a total of $20,000. So far, the company has also spent $1.2 million in legal fees related to the Chicago scandal. When Chicago's red light camera contract expires, Redflex will lose another 13.6 percent of its income. The company also warns of the possibility of bribery revelations in other cities." Continue reading →

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“The TSA Blues”

"It seems Eric Clapton is as disgusted with the sexual assault and irradiation at the airports as the rest of us. He announced plans to boycott aviation in an interview with Rolling Stone and specifically blamed the TSA's 'security' sham: '...for me, the struggle is the travel. And the only way you can beat that is by throwing so much money at it that you make a loss. So ... [w]hen I'm 70, I'll stop. I won't stop playing or doing one-offs, but I'll stop touring, I think. ... And security. I never get it right. I forget to take off my belt, or I have change in my pocket. Next thing I know, 'Can you come over here please?' I just don't want to do that anymore.'" Continue reading →

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Wendy McElroy: Only Places Have Rights?

"The queue of 'rights that depend on geography' is growing. Texting while walking has become the new social sin. Portland, Oregon just made it illegal for a man to whistle on public streets unless he keeps walking and, so, distributes the noise pollution. Bloomberg's ban on donations of food to homeless shelters because the city could not guarantee the salt, fat and fiber content. Bureaucrats want to yank rights out from under individuals and make them a matter of place, not people. All you need to do is be in the wrong place, and you have no rights. Speak out, drink a large soda, hand out literature, walk your dog, or whistle too long in one place…crime is everywhere." Continue reading →

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Removal of Berlin Wall temporarily halted due to protests

"A property developer in Germany at the centre of running protests over part of the once-detested Berlin Wall being knocked down said on Monday that the dismantling had been temporarily halted. While dozens of protestors again gathered at the Wall’s longest surviving stretch, Maik Uwe Hinkel, the head of the company Living Bauhaus, said in a German newspaper that he was open to compromise. Since 1990, the outdoor gallery has been covered in brightly coloured graffiti murals, including the famous 'Fraternal Kiss' depicting Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev and his East German counterpart Erich Honecker." Continue reading →

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Homeland Security Purchases 2,700 Light-Armored Tanks to Go With Their 1.6 Billion Bullet Stockpile

"According to one estimate, since last year the Department of Homeland Security has stockpiled more than 1.6 billion bullets, mainly .40 caliber and 9mm. DHS also purchased 2,700 Mine Resistant Armor Protected Vehicles (MRAP)." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHomeland Security Purchases 2,700 Light-Armored Tanks to Go With Their 1.6 Billion Bullet Stockpile

NYPD lied under oath to prosecute Occupy activist

"An Occupy Wall Street activist was acquitted Thursday after jurors were presented with video evidence that directly contradicted the NYPD’s story. Prosecutors working on behalf of the NYPD have insisted that Premo tackled an NYPD officer and broke a bone during a protest. This week, Premo’s attorney presented a video that showed officers charging into the defendant unprovoked. The video shows a NYPD officer was filming the arrest as well, but prosecutors told Premo’s attorney that no such footage existed. The Manhattan District Attorney's office had presented Premo with a deal that would have let him off the hook by pleading guilty to lesser charges." Continue reading →

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