Yearly Archives: 2013

Outrageous Julian Assange Tweet By Time Reporter Michael Grunwald

"A TIME magazine reporter caused ire on Twitter Saturday night when he said that he 'can't wait to write a defense of the drone strike that takes out' Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. Michael Grunwald's tweet, since deleted, was quickly met with outrage and bewilderment. Glenn Greenwald, who recently broke several revelations about NSA surveillance programs based on documents provided to him by leaker Edward Snowden, was particularly vocal in expressing his disgust with Grunwald's statement. The Young Turks host Cenk Uygur breaks it down." Continue reading →

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FATCA and the End of Bank Secrecy

"It seems that there is little understanding that it was banking secrecy that helped to resist twentieth-century dictatorships and that high tax rates — not money havens — are responsible for tax evasion, as Prince Hans-Adam of Lichtenstein has pinpointed. Clearly the amount of information collected for the purpose of future tax investigation is enormous, leaving little place for human privacy and dignity." Continue reading →

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“The Internet Police” Shines a Light on the Online Surveillance State

"When Ars Technica editor Nate Anderson sat down to write The Internet Police, Edward Snowden hadn’t yet decided to add some excitement to the National Security Agency’s summer by leaking a trove of surveillance secrets to The Guardian. As a result, Anderson’s book doesn’t mention Snowden’s escapade, which will likely become the security-and-paranoia story of the year, if not the decade. However, The Internet Police is a handy guide to the slow and unstoppable rise of the online security state, as well as the libertarian and criminal elements that have done their level best to counter that surveillance." Continue reading →

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California Court Of Appeal Expands Warrantless Motorist Blood Draws

"California's second highest court on Thursday made it easier for police to forcibly draw blood from motorists suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI). In coming to this conclusion, the Court of Appeal overturned the decision in seven Alameda County cases brought before the Superior Court's Appellate Division where drivers had their blood taken at a jail facility. The Court of Appeal stepped in to set a precedent restoring the state's ability to perform warrantless blood draws in a wider variety of circumstances." Continue reading →

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U.S. says it did not sanction holding Glenn Greenwald’s partner at Heathrow

"The White House spokesman confirmed that Britain alerted the US authorities after Miranda’s name appeared on a passenger manifest of a flight from Berlin to Heathrow on Sunday morning. 'I think that is an accurate interpretation of what a heads up is,' Earnest said. He would not rule out whether the US authorities had been passed any information from Miranda’s electronic equipment seized at Heathrow, which included his phone, laptop, memory sticks, DVDs and games consoles. 'I’m not in a position to do that right now,' Earnest replied." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingU.S. says it did not sanction holding Glenn Greenwald’s partner at Heathrow

Julian Assange Praised the Paul Family, But He’s Only Half Right

"Assange is certainly right about Ron. The former Texas representative has always been a vocal opponent of his government's liberty-killing actions, including the Patriot Act, the War on Drugs, drone strikes, foreign military bases, and many more. He even praised whistleblowers like Assange, saying they 'expose the fallacies of why we go to war.' But Rand doesn't seem to have the sympathy his father has for whistleblowers. He recently said that Bradley Manning deserved to be tried because of the potential harm his leaks could cause for U.S. agents abroad (note that he used the word 'potential')." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJulian Assange Praised the Paul Family, But He’s Only Half Right

78 Reasons Every American Should Wish Ron Paul a Happy Birthday

"1. He favors sound money. 2. He doesn't care what the legal driving age is. 3. He's a celebrity. 4. He crushes baseballs while wearing a retro Houston Astros uniform. 5. He's not afraid to call Rick Santorum a 'fake' to his face. 6. He thumbs his nose at the establishment. 7. He's suave. 8. He's serious. 9. He enjoys a good laugh. Either that, or he just won the Showcase Showdown. 10. He's for peace, not war. 11. He served in the military, unlike most warmongering politicians. 12. He doesn't go to parties. The parties go to him. 13. He's the only septuagenarian who can pull off the backwards hat look. [..]" Continue reading →

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UK: Greenwald’s partner had ‘highly sensitive stolen information that would help terrorism’

"The government has embarked on an aggressive offensive to justify the detention of David Miranda by suggesting that the partner of the Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald possessed 'highly sensitive stolen information that would help terrorism'. Amid calls from across the political spectrum for a fuller explanation, the Home Office made clear that his nine-hour detention was fully justified on the grounds that he was carrying leaked documents. The statement by the Home Office, including a challenge to critics to think about condoning the leaking of sensitive documents, marks a significant change in tone by the government." Continue reading →

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Read more about the article Rand Paul on Bradley Manning: “I just can’t support that”

Rand Paul on Bradley Manning: “I just can’t support that”

"Manning faces a maximum jail sentence of 136 years with multiple convictions of Espionage Act violations, but was declared 'not guilty' for aiding the enemy. Sen. Paul reasoned that there need to be some laws that protect certain secrets and that Manning put many lives at risk by releasing millions of pages 'willy-nilly'. His main concern is that whistle-blowers break laws in order to reveal state secrets. Paul made an effort to bring a distinction between the NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden and Bradley Manning who were both charged with leaking diplomatic documents, but asserted that there needs to be justice when whistle-blowers break the law." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRand Paul on Bradley Manning: “I just can’t support that”

Ammo Envy?

"Perhaps jealous of the DHS with its immense stockpile of ammo, the TSA also 'intends to purchase almost 3.5 million rounds of .357 SIG caliber training ammunition, according to a solicitation issued by the agency on August 16.' Yep, imbecilic, incompetent LaWanda shooting up a rodeo, concert or airport is the stuff of nightmares. Why does anyone consider freelance criminals a bigger threat than the official ones Our Rulers send against us? And no, the Thieves and Sexual Assailants do not currently carry. But of course the corporate media accuses those who ask why an agency of unarmed nincompoops needs ammo of being conspiracy nuts." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAmmo Envy?