Monthly Archives: July 2013

Mission Creep: When Everything Is Terrorism

"One of the assurances I keep hearing about the U.S. government's spying on American citizens is that it's only used in cases of terrorism. Terrorism is, of course, an extraordinary crime, and its horrific nature is supposed to justify permitting all sorts of excesses to prevent it. But there's a problem with this line of reasoning: mission creep. The definitions of 'terrorism' and 'weapon of mass destruction' are broadening, and these extraordinary powers are being used, and will continue to be used, for crimes other than terrorism. Even as the definition of terrorism broadens, we have to ask how far we will extend that arbitrary line." Continue reading →

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Gold Is the Most Hated Investment You Might Want to Love

"Just as gold was about to peak at $1,923.70 per ounce in August 2011, speculative positioning in the gold futures market was at a record high, and the so-called smart money institutional investors held a record net long. With 20/20 hindsight, it’s obvious that wasn’t a good time to be going long gold. Measuring market sentiment, or the madness of crowds, can provide important clues at key turning points in securities prices. When sentiment moves from good to bad, to totally bleak, ignore the rampant pessimism and watch for incremental improvement. But one thing’s for sure: I don’t want to get caught up in the overcrowded short trade in precious metals right now." Continue reading →

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San Antonio Public School Officials End RFID Tracking Program

"After a drawn-out battle waged in court and within the community, school officials with the Northside Independent School District have announced their decision to stop using a student tracking program that relied on RFID tracking badges containing tiny chips that produce a radio signal, enabling school officials to track students’ location on school property. Students who refused to take part in the ID program were not able to access essential services like the cafeteria and library, nor would they be able to purchase tickets to extracurricular activities. According to Hernandez, teachers were even requiring students to wear the IDs to use the bathroom." Continue reading →

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Were Snowden’s Actions Justified? Ellsberg, Mukasey Debate

"When Edward Snowden exposed the existence of some of the National Security Agency's intelligence gathering operations, did he help or harm America? Jeffrey Brown gets debate from Daniel Ellsberg, co-author of the famous internal Defense Department study 'The Pentagon Papers,' and former Attorney General Michael Mukasey." Continue reading →

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Government Attempts to Dismiss Lawsuit Over Wrongful Arrest, Psych Ward Detention of Facebook Marine

"'It’s bad enough that the government is targeting military veterans for expressing their discontent over America’s rapid transition to a police state, but for any government official to suggest that they shouldn’t be held accountable for violating a citizen’s rights on the grounds that they were unaware of the Constitution’s prohibitions makes a mockery of our so-called system of representative government,' said John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute and author of A Government of Wolves: The Emerging American Police State." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGovernment Attempts to Dismiss Lawsuit Over Wrongful Arrest, Psych Ward Detention of Facebook Marine

The United States Should Quit Meddling in Egypt

"Liberal demonstrations have claimed that the Obama administration had supported the Brotherhood and its former President Mohamed Morsi. Yet the Brotherhood has claimed that despite the U.S. government’s neutral rhetoric during the latest crisis—calling on all sides to rein in violence from their supporters—American diplomats secretly pressured the Brotherhood to resign itself to Morsi’s ouster by the Egyptian military, re-enter the political process, and thus legitimate the coup. Both sides are correct. How can this be?" Continue reading →

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Britain is exporting arms to human rights violators: report

"Britain has issued export licences worth £12 billion ($18 billion, 14 billion euros) for the sale of military equipment to states deemed possible rights violators including Syria, Iran and China, lawmakers said Wednesday. The countries for which licences have been issued include Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Belarus and Zimbawe, the Committees on Arms Export Controls of parliament’s lower House of Commons said. The countries with the largest numbers of licences include China with 1,163 licences worth £1.4 billion, Saudi Arabia with 417 licences worth £1.8 billion, and Israel and the Palestinian Territories with 381 licences worth £7.8 billion." Continue reading →

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Afghani accused of murdering and torturing civilian blames U.S. commanders

"He blamed the murders on three Americans, whom he named as Dave, Hagen and Chris, and whom he said were fluent in Afghanistan’s two main languages Dari and Pashto. 'I was simply a low-rank translator and did not have authorisation to roam around inside the base, or (go) to interrogation sections,' the report quoted Kandahari as saying. He did admit to 'slapping' and 'kicking' the detainee allegedly shown in the video reportedly obtained by Afghan intelligence agents, according to the report. US investigations have found 'no credible evidence' to substantiate any allegations of abuse by either NATO or US forces, a military spokesman told AFP on Tuesday." Continue reading →

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Ex-Military General Dynamics Contractor: ‘I Hereby Resign in Protest Effective Immediately’

"I have served the post-911 Military Industrial complex for 10 years, first as a soldier in Baghdad, and now as a defense contractor. At the time of my enlistment, I believed in the cause. I was ignorant, naïve, and misled. We have become what I thought we were fighting against. Recent revelations by fearless journalists of war crimes including counterinsurgency 'dirty' wars, drone terrorism, the suspension of due process, torture, mass surveillance, and widespread regulatory capture have shed light on the true nature of the current US Government. I have always believed that if every foot soldier threw down his rifle war would end. I hereby throw mine down." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingEx-Military General Dynamics Contractor: ‘I Hereby Resign in Protest Effective Immediately’

Zimmerman can get his gun back, has ‘even more reason’ to carry now

"With the trial at an end and the jury finding him not guilty, George Zimmerman now has the right by law to have his gun back. Zimmerman’s lawyer, Mark O’Mara, was asked whether Zimmerman intended to carry a gun again. 'Yes. Even more reason now, isn’t there?' O’Mara replies. 'There are a lot of people out there who actually hate him.' And although by Florida law Zimmerman has the right to have his gun returned to him, that doesn’t necessarily mean his concealed carry permit will be handed over quite as easily. At the suggestion of his lawyers, Zimmerman, who wore a bullet proof vest in public during the trial, will likely leave the state of Florida." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingZimmerman can get his gun back, has ‘even more reason’ to carry now