Pennsylvania Court Upholds Seatbelt Roadblocks

"Motorists traveling along a highway in Pennsylvania can be stopped at roadblocks specifically set up just to issue seatbelt citations. A three-judge panel of the superior court on Friday endorsed the practice of using federal grants to set up seatbelt checkpoints statewide on high-volume roadways. Even though failure to wear a seatbelt cannot justify a traffic stop under Pennsylvania law, the court asserted that the seatbelt roadblock was lawful because it met the state supreme court criteria for holding a drunk-driving checkpoint." Continue reading

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Congressional Picks for DHS Head Include Backers of Mass Surveillance

"Lawmakers on the House Homeland Security Committee are suggesting individuals who have supported programs similar to National Security Agency digital surveillance initiatives. Among the people ranking Democrat Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Tenn., would prefer, according to minority committee aides, is Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Calif., a committee member who supported the divisive Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, known as CISPA. The measure, which the House approved by a 288-127 vote in April, would allow the intelligence community to monitor the metadata of private emails for threat signatures or indicators of malicious software." Continue reading

Continue ReadingCongressional Picks for DHS Head Include Backers of Mass Surveillance

Unitarian Church, Gun Groups Join EFF to Sue NSA Over Illegal Surveillance

"'People who hold controversial views – whether it's about gun ownership policies, drug legalization, or immigration – often must express views as a group in order to act and advocate effectively,' said Cohn. 'But fear of individual exposure when participating in political debates over high-stakes issues can dissuade people from taking part. That's why the Supreme Court ruled in 1958 that membership lists of groups have strong First Amendment protection. Telephone records, especially complete records collected over many years, are even more invasive than membership lists, since they show casual or repeated inquiries as well as full membership.'" Continue reading

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Second Drone Crash In One Week On Highway In Florida, Carrying Self-Destruct Charge

"The latest crash came Wednesday morning around 8:25 when the drone crashed alongside US 98 in the Silver Flag area on the east side of the base. Eye witnesses say the QF 4 drone crashed while taking off, exploded and sent up a large black cloud. Base and local police and safety officials have closed Highway 98 and are anticipating that it will remain closed for up to 24 hours. According to WJHG, the closure is being done because of a small self-destruct charge carried on board the drone. The status of this device is unknown. It is powered by a short-life battery which will be fully depleted in 24 hours." Continue reading

Continue ReadingSecond Drone Crash In One Week On Highway In Florida, Carrying Self-Destruct Charge

Arizona cop arrested for pointing gun at store clerk while drunk

"Pima County Sheriff’s deputies say a 23-year-old off-duty police officer was drunk when he pointed his gun at a convenience store clerk for no apparent reason on Tuesday. According to KVOA, surveillance video showed Kyle James McCartin and a companion entering Giant gas station in Tucson on Tuesday at around 3 a.m. Both men appeared to be wearing bullet-proof vests, but no other clothing on their upper bodies. In the video, McCartin was seen smiling and pointing his handgun at the clerk at least two times. Tucson Police said on Tuesday that McCartin had been fired after a brief investigation." Continue reading

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Stop Ray Kelly from leading Homeland Security Department

"If you thought Big Brother couldn’t possibly get bigger, and if you thought this Dr. Strangelove era couldn’t possibly get any Strangelovier, welcome to the debate over the next head of Homeland Security. Lost in the noise is the fact that in the midst of disclosures about the Obama administration’s sprawling — and potentially illegal — national security state, a Kelly nomination would put a national surveillance apparatus fit for a sci-fi satire in the hands of a comic-book-worthy thug. Five parts of the police commissioner’s record paint a picture of Kelly that seems almost too cartoonish to be accurate. But, alas, it is Kelly’s undisputed record." Continue reading

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Kentucky Banning Advice Columnists in the Name of Occupational Licensing

"Kentucky claims that writing an advice column that appears in a newspaper in the state—in the specific case of their complaint, the Lexington Herald-Leader, though it appears in others as well—is not an act of freedom of the press, but rather practicing psychology without the required license. Rosemond has written an advice column since 1976, which is currently syndicated by McClatchy-Tribune (and by Rosemond himself to a different set of publications). It appears in around 200 papers. He’s also the author of many books of parenting and family advice, including five best-sellers." Continue reading

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Obama’s ‘green’ procurement plan creating ‘de facto ban’ on ammunition

"At the same time federal agencies like the Department of Homeland Security are buying up ammunition stockpiles around the country, the Obama administration is now pushing states to mandate 'green ammunition' that is free of lead. Sources say health-care advocates are arguing that lead bullet fragments, especially in game such as venison, are neurotoxins that can harm children and developing fetuses. The federal government and some states are looking at alternative metals that include copper and tungsten materials, but they are so hard that technically they could violate federal regulations barring armor-piercing ammunition.'" Continue reading

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60 Lab Studies Now Confirm Cancer Link to a Vaccine You Probably Had as a Child

"In 2002, the journal Lancet published compelling evidence that contaminated polio vaccine was responsible for up to half of the 55,000 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma cases that were occurring each year. What was it contaminated with? SV40, a cancer-causing monkey virus. The puzzle began in 1994, when Dr. Michele Carbone, a Loyola University researcher, found the virus SV40, which had never before been detected in humans, in half of the human lung tumors he was studying. Since then, 60 different lab studies have confirmed the results, and SV40 has been found in a variety of human cancers, including lung-, brain-, bone-, and lymphatic cancer." Continue reading

Continue Reading60 Lab Studies Now Confirm Cancer Link to a Vaccine You Probably Had as a Child

2012: The Top Fifteen Selling Vaccines

"The ‘medical miracle’ of vaccines has proven quite miraculous on at least one front, the financial one. Investors in the manufacture, distribution and administration of vaccines have reaped handsome rewards since the creation of the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act (NCVIA). For the five producers of the top 15 vaccines, this is a total of $15.925 billion; not at all bad for an industry that was threatening to close down operations 30 years ago. Apparently, limited liability does wonders for the bottom line." Continue reading

Continue Reading2012: The Top Fifteen Selling Vaccines