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Bradley Manning sentenced to 35 years in prison

“Army Private First Class Bradley Manning was sentenced on Wednesday morning to 35 years in prison for leaking classified documents via WikiLeaks, The Guardian reported. Military prosecutors asked Judge Colonel Denise Lind on Monday for a 60-year sentence for Manning, the second reduction from a maximum sentence of 136 years in prison, following Lind paring that to 90 years on August 6. Based on a 35-year sentence, Davis wrote, Manning will ‘likely serve about 8 to 8.5 yrs more in confinement and be out by the time he’s 33 or 34.'” Continue reading →

Son of legendary Chinese Communist military leader apologizes for Cultural Revolution

“The son of a legendary Communist military leader and politician in China has publicly apologised for persecuting people at his school during the Cultural Revolution, according to a blog. Chen Xiaolu offered his remorse to teachers, staff and students at his former school in Beijing for leading denunciations and sending people to labour camps. Chen said that while there were moves by some in China to argue in favour of the Cultural Revolution, such ‘inhumane violations of human rights should not appear again in any form in China’.” Continue reading →

Worth $355 million, Rep. Darrell Issa is the richest member of Congress

“Republican Darrell Issa of California was 2012′s richest member of Congress, worth at least $355 million, according to a ranking published Tuesday. The congressman, who made his fortune in car security systems, topped the annual list of the 50 wealthiest lawmakers published by The Hill newspaper, a trade publication about Washington politics. The rankings were based on financial disclosure forms filed by members of Congress. Outside of Congress, President Obama and his wife Michelle Obama were worth between $1.8 and $6.8 million in 2012 according to figures published in May.” Continue reading →

New Zealand passes law allowing domestic surveillance

“New Zealand passed legislation Wednesday allowing its main intelligence agency to spy on residents and citizens. The bill to expand the power of the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) passed by 61 votes to 59. ‘This is not, and never will be, about wholesale spying on New Zealanders,’ Prime Minister John Key told parliament. ‘There are threats our government needs to protect New Zealanders from, those threats are real and ever-present and we underestimate them at our peril.’ The push to change the law came after it emerged last year that the GCSB illegally spied on Internet tycoon Kim Dotcom.” Continue reading →

The Only Legal Way to Escape US Taxes Besides Death and Renunciation

“The US government can effectively enforce its citizenship-based taxation policies thanks to its massive economic, political, and military weight and the fact that it does not recognize any limit to its jurisdiction. American expats are therefore in the uniquely unfavorable position of having arguably the worst tax policies and a government that can effectively enforce them. It is no wonder, then, why a record number of Americans gave up their citizenship last quarter to escape these onerous requirements. There is, however, another way besides death and renunciation to legally escape US income taxes, thanks to the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico.” Continue reading →

Dick Bove: US Assault on JPMorgan Is ‘Coordinated from Above’

“The various government legal moves against JPMorgan Chase represent a coordinated assault on the nation’s biggest bank, says star bank analyst Dick Bove at Rafferty Capital Markets. Given that eight government agencies are now suing JPMorgan over various issues, apparently including four to six lawsuits from the Justice Department: ‘What is it about this company which makes it unique relative to all other American companies, that all of these agencies come down on this company at the same point in time?’ Bove said. ‘This has to be coordinated by someone, and it has to be coordinated by someone above each one of the individual agencies.'” Continue reading →

Health Insurance Costs: $16,351 a Year per Family

“This is what the typical premium costs for families whose health insurance is paid for by their employers. The main advantage is that this is not taxable income. For workers whose employers provide health insurance coverage, this is a huge tax loophole. Here is a chart on what it costs families. The costs have skyrocketed over the last decade. Health insurance is regulated heavily by state governments and the federal government. Costs are rising relentlessly. ObamaCare will make them rise even more. When the government comes to help you, beware. ‘Keep your hand upon your wallet, and your back against the wall.'” Continue reading →

Los Angeles City College Trustees Ban the Word “Gun” From Course Catalog

“If a book has the word gun in it, the book is not subject to the ban, but no mention of it must appear in the catalog. Otherwise, it would give the wrong idea. Scott Svonkin, the Vice President of the Board of Trustees, introduced the ban. He explained his position. The school must not teach students how to use guns. The faculty must promote gun control. ‘We should make sure that students don’t come to campus being afraid to run into somebody with a gun.’ The ban includes non-operational guns. They scare students. When asked what a non-operational gun is, he said he had no idea. ‘I’m not an expert in guns,’ he explained.” Continue reading →