Yearly Archives: 2013

“Punishment Has Been Achieved”

"'Punishment for this offense has been achieved.' With those words, which are found near the end of an August 8 motion to dismiss a spurious battery charge against Sandpoint, Idaho resident Rita Hutchens, the author – Bonner County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Shane Greenbank – incriminates himself. Rita Hutchens is a tiny 57-year-old internationally respected quilt artist who has never committed a violent act against anybody. She was accused of 'criminal battery' because she threw a ballpoint pen at a desk in the Sandpoint City Hall while doing research for a potential lawsuit against the city." Continue reading →

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More Americans Going Galt

"President Obama promised he would unite the world…and he’s right. Representatives from dozens of nations have bitterly complained about an awful piece of legislation, called the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), that was enacted back in 2010. They despise this unjust law because it extends the power of the IRS into the domestic affairs of other nations. Wouldn’t all of us get upset, after all, if the French government or Russian government wanted to impose their laws on things that take place within our borders? The law is so bad that it is causing a big uptick in the number of Americans who are giving up their citizenship." Continue reading →

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Pepe Escobar: Vlad the Hammer vs Obama the Wimp

"Vlad the Hammer can sense a wimp of Carter-esque proportions like a polar bear hunting a seal. He quickly evaluated how the Obama administration turned its already shaky credibility to ashes on two simultaneous fronts; because of the scale of the Orwellian/Panopticon complex detailed by Snowden's leaks, and because of the way he was being mercilessly hunted. The New York Times posted an editorial justifying the cancelation of the summit, saying, 'Mr Putin is a repressive and arrogant leader who treats his people with contempt.' Right; and Snow White lives in the White House." Continue reading →

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Welcome to Post-Constitution America

"On July 30, 1778, the Continental Congress created the first whistleblower protection law, stating 'that it is the duty of all persons in the service of the United States to give the earliest information to Congress or other proper authority of any misconduct, frauds, or misdemeanors committed by any officers or persons in the service of these states'. Two hundred and thirty-five years later, on July 30, 2013, Bradley Manning was found guilty on 20 of the 22 charges for which he was prosecuted, specifically for 'espionage' and for videos of war atrocities he released, but not for 'aiding the enemy.'" Continue reading →

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‘Intelligence laundering’

"One of the things that is really telling in this story is that the DEA bizarrely didn’t seem to think that there was really anything wrong in what they were doing. I think they got blindsided by the reaction. It’s similar to the completely clueless statement by Michele Leonhart when talking about the perjury of supersnitch Andrew Chambers. They have gotten so used to considering themselves above the law, that they actually forgot that’s where they went. Lying it’s just what you do to get the job done. Re-creating an evidence trail from scratch is just part of the standard red tape that you go through to complete a drug arrest." Continue reading →

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The American Democracy Pitch

"The neocon brothers-in-arms, Senators John McCain & Lindsey Graham, put out a joint Op-Ed in WaPo this morning. They attempt to pitch 'Democracy' to the Egyptian people, who ironically just witnessed their first democratically elected President overthrown in a military coup. I have a different proposal for the Egyptian people, and it's called Liberty. Now, I realize that the prospects of Liberty breaking out in Egypt are close to zero (after all, we're struggling immensely with the idea catching on here, in the so-called 'Land of The Free'). But speaking about Liberty can only help." Continue reading →

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Bitcoin Ticker Available On Bloomberg Terminal For Employees

"Bitcoin is now officially mainstream. According to BTC Geek, Bloomberg terminal users can now look up Bitcoin’s pricing history. Data comes from ubiquitous Bitcoin exchange service Mt. Gox as well as Tradehill. For now, only Bloomberg employees can access the ticker. But the feature should make its way to regular Bloomberg terminal customers under the label XBT. The ticker probably shows what a bitcoin is worth in U.S. dollars over time. With the Bloomberg terminal, traders could easily compare Bitcoins with other currencies in order to short them." Continue reading →

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Japan’s Debt Exceeds 1 Quadrillion Yen as Abe Mulls Tax Rise

"The country’s outstanding public debt including borrowings reached a record 1,008.6 trillion yen as of June 30, the finance ministry said in Tokyo today. Larger than the economies of Germany, France and the U.K. combined, the amount includes 830.5 trillion yen in government bonds. The world’s heaviest debt burden will weigh on Abe when he decides next month whether to implement a two-step plan to double the tax on consumers in a nation with ballooning welfare costs. Moody’s Investors Service yesterday warned that a worsening of finances would erode confidence in government bonds." Continue reading →

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Am Law Lawyers Help Bring Bitcoin to the Masses

"It may be awhile before Kathleen Moriarty lets clients pay her in bitcoin, but the Katten Muchin Rosenman partner is doing her part to help legitimize the digital currency derided as speculative and risky by some prominent economists. In July, Moriarty filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission what appears to be the first-ever proposal to create a bitcoin-based, exchange-traded fund on behalf of two high-profile clients: Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, the twin brothers famous for battling Mark Zuckerberg over Facebook’s origins. The twins turned to Moriarty because of her extensive experience with ETFs." Continue reading →

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6-year-old Colorado girl in national spotlight over medical marijuana

"Charlotte Figi suffers from a rare form of epilepsy called Dravet Syndrome. She’s endured violent seizures since she was a newborn. Most weeks, she’d have about 300 seizures a week. After countless emergency room visits, trips to specialists and children’s hospitals, and more than a dozen pharmaceuticals, nothing worked. Then, a year-and-a-half ago, as a last resort, her mom tried cannabis oil. The medical marijuana worked immediately. 'It’s potent, it’s strong, it’s spicy, it’s got some kick,' her mother, Paige Figi, told FOX31 Denver as she showed us a syringe full of the cannabis oil. It’s diluted with olive oil, and mixed with food." Continue reading →

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