Now in Effect: Arizona Law Prohibits Warrantless Stingray Spying

PHOENIX, Ariz. (Aug. 10, 2017) – Yesterday, a new Arizona law that in most situations bans the use of “stingrays” to track the location of phones and sweep up electronic communications without a warrant went into effect. The new law will not only protect privacy in Arizona, but will also hinder one aspect of the federal surveillance state.…

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If you want to change minds, learn how to write.

George Orwell wasn’t lying. “He who controls the present controls the past, and he who controls the past controls the future.” Anyone who has picked up a history book or watched a “documentary” on PBS or the History Channel gets it. In fact, every pinko academic taking up space at some Ivory Tower history department…

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Activism 101 Podcast #5: Reading Between the Lines of a FOIA Response

In this installment of the Activism 101 podcast, I talk about interpreting information gleaned from freedom of information act requests, and how you can read between the lines and learn more than they intended to tell you.

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Now in Effect: Colorado Opts Out of Federal Asset Forfeiture Program in Most Situations

"While we'd like to see Colorado and every other state completely opt out of this federal program, an 80-85% reduction in seizures through this federal scheme will be a huge step forward to nullify it in practice and effect."

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Now in Effect: Arizona Law Treats Gold and Silver as Money

PHOENIX, Ariz. (Aug 9, 2017) – Today, an Arizona law went into effect that eliminates state capital gains taxes on gold and silver specie, encouraging its use as currency. The new law can help undermine the Federal Reserve’s monopoly on money. Rep. Mark Finchem (R-Tucson) sponsored House Bill 2014 (HB2014). The legislation eliminates state capital gains…

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Medical Devices Are the Next Security Nightmare

"There's a need to protect patients, so that attackers can't hack an insulin pump to administer a fatal dose. And vulnerable medical devices also connect to a huge array of sensors and monitors, making them potential entry points to larger hospital networks. That in turn could mean the theft of sensitive medical records, or a devastating ransomware attack that holds vital systems hostage until administrators pay up." Continue reading

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John Whitehead: Anything Goes When You’re a Cop in America

"Not only are cops protected from most charges of wrongdoing—whether it’s shooting unarmed citizens (including children and old people), raping and abusing young women, falsifying police reports, trafficking drugs, or soliciting sex with minors—but even on the rare occasions when they are fired for misconduct, it’s only a matter of time before they get re-hired again." Continue reading

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Governments threatening teens for cutting grass without a business license

"Teenagers have been threatened by officials and other lawn services to show their city issued license before cutting a person's lawn for extra summer cash. Cutting grass is often one of the first jobs many have in the summer. But a business license in Gardendale costs $110. And for a job, just for a couple of months, that can be a bit extreme." Continue reading

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Lemonade Stands Legalized in Utah

"Originally, the bill protecting childhood entrepreneurs sought to guard home-based businesses against state intervention. However, many child-run lemonade stands are not operated solely on privately owned property. Often, these amateur businesses are operated on neighborhood street corners or sidewalks, which are unfortunately considered public property." Continue reading

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