Monthly Archives: July 2013

Hey, kids – let’s talk about heroin!

"In Switzerland, they took a different approach — give it away for free. Yes, they gave away free, controlled, safe doses of heroin to addicts in a clean clinic with doctors and social workers. They did a study in conjunction with this program and found a 94% reduction in criminal activity by those in the program; addicts were living longer; once stabilized they had an easier time kicking the drug; and… they made it unprofitable to be a criminal heroin dealer, so fewer young people were starting! Changing our drug laws will save lives." Continue reading →

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Police corporal jailed after assaulting, illegally arresting pedestrian

"A pedestrian walking by was called over by Palermo and asked why she was walking by his traffic stop. He then asked for the woman’s identification. When the woman insisted she had done nothing wrong Palermo slammed her against the Prius; then onto the concrete driveway near his patrol car. Palermo arrested the woman for obstruction. Upon further investigation supervisors found the woman had lost two teeth and suffered a concussion during the illegal arrest. Palermo was arrested for aggravated assault by a public servant. The woman is currently being treated for her injuries and could require further surgery, according to the affidavit." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPolice corporal jailed after assaulting, illegally arresting pedestrian

Lawmaker wants to make it legal to record conversations with the feds

"Citing recent scandals across the federal government, a Republican lawmaker is pushing a new bill that would make it legal for Americans to record most conversations they have with employees of federal agencies. Under current law, people are only able to lawfully record certain in-person conversations with IRS officials. But under Jenkins proposal, that law would be expanded to allow people to record both in-person and phone conversations with most agencies in the executive branch. It would also require these government officials to tell people they have the right to record these conversations." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingLawmaker wants to make it legal to record conversations with the feds

NDAA Indefinite Detention Reinstated by Appeals Court

"The U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the government Wednesday in vacating a permanent injunction sought by several prominent journalists and activists barring the enforcement of a provision of the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). In a 60-page decision, the court ruled against such an injunction additionally arguing that the case’s plaintiffs, which include Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Chris Hedges, Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg and renowned linguist Noam Chomsky, among four others (collectively nicknamed 'The Magnificent Seven'), do not have standing." Continue reading →

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Terminator to the rescue? Watch the most advanced humanoid robot in action

"It’s the stuff of science-fiction movies: A six-foot-two, 330-pound humanoid robot that is agile enough to climb using its hands and feet. And it is what DARPA, a research arm of the U.S. Department of Defense, hopes one of seven teams will be able to turn into an life-saving emergency responder in disasters. ATLAS is one of the most advanced humanoid robots ever built, according to DARPA. The robot has two sets of hands, 28 hydraulic joints, stereo cameras and a laser range finder. It was created by Boston Dynamics." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTerminator to the rescue? Watch the most advanced humanoid robot in action

Lindsey Graham: Boycott the Soviets Again!

"In his hyperventilated desperation to punish Russia for not sending NSA leaker Edward Snowden back to face life in the American gulag system (another irony) he wants to go back to 1979 and boycott the Soviet Olympics! Out of any ammunition or even logic, Graham is all bluster: 'At the end of the day, if they grant this guy asylum, it’s a breach of the rule of law as we know it and is a slap in the face to the United States.' How dare Russia not follow our laws! What a slap in our face! More ironies drip from the Graham Plan, however, as the original US boycott was meant to embarrass the Soviet Union for its 1979 invasion of Afghanistan." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingLindsey Graham: Boycott the Soviets Again!

NSA is more than just a spy network, it’s global fascism

"Putting the overall theme of government abuse of power into perspective, this week provided a solid example of what should happen in an advanced civilized democracy. Luxembourg’s long-serving Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker announced his resignation this week over a spying scandal involving illegal phone-taps, alongside a number other highly corrupt activities. In normal times, what happened in Luxembourg should also happen in other countries like the US, or Great Britain - but these are far from normal times. What passes for normal in this bizarre epoch is anyone’s guess, and the same goes for what is deemed to be ‘legal’." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNSA is more than just a spy network, it’s global fascism

ACLU Report Exposes Extent Of License Plate Surveillance

"The ACLU documents show the devices also give police the ability to look back in the past and perform a 'convoy' search to find vehicles that frequently travel together. A 'cross search' allows officers to create a list of vehicles that drove past a set of particular locations and times. This would, for example, isolate individuals that may be regular attendees at a political rallies or meetings. The ACLU report warned that this powerful tracking ability opens the door to abuse. The report found that US law enforcement agencies rarely place any limits on the use of ALPR. A New York police department says the use 'is only limited by the officer's imagination.'" Continue reading →

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New evidence gold on Earth created by ancient collision of dead stars in outer space

"About a decade ago, a team from Europe using supercomputers suggested that gold, platinum and other heavy metals could be formed when two exotic stars — neutron stars — crash and merge. Neutron stars are essentially stellar relics — collapsed cores of massive stars. Now telescopes have detected such an explosion, and the observation bolsters the notion that gold in our jewelry was made in such rare and violent collisions long before the birth of the solar system about 4½ billion years ago. People 'walk around with a little tiny piece of the universe,' said lead researcher Edo Berger of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNew evidence gold on Earth created by ancient collision of dead stars in outer space

Housing’s Mini-Bubble Has Popped.

"Mortgage rates are up. Mortgage applications are down. New home permits are down. New home construction is down. Not a little down. 'Falling off the burning trestle' down. Bernanke did it. Let us not forget this after he retires next February. Bernanke did it. When the bad news on housing is on the evening news, recall once again: Bernanke did it. With QE3 pouring $40 billion of newly counterfeited money a month into Fannie/Freddie, and mortgage rates rising from 3.35% to 4.6% in two months, let us sing the chorus: Bernanke did it." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHousing’s Mini-Bubble Has Popped.