Alternative News

Need Bitcoins? This ATM takes dollars and funds your account

"Zach Harvey has an ambitious plan to accelerate adoption of the Internet's favorite alternative currency: installing in thousands of bars, restaurants, and grocery stores ATMs that will let you buy Bitcoins anonymously. It's the opposite of a traditional automated teller that dispenses currency. Instead, these Bitcoin ATMs will accept dollar bills -- using the same validation mechanism as vending machines -- and instantly convert the amount to Bitcoins and deposit the result in your account." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNeed Bitcoins? This ATM takes dollars and funds your account

US Congressmen Reintroduce Online Sales Tax Bill

"A bipartisan group of 53 Democrat and Republican lawmakers have re-introduced a bill – the Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 – in both the United States Senate and House of Representatives, which would require online retailers to collect sales tax for state and local governments, even though they lack a physical presence in the state. State and local governments are said to view the taxes they cannot collect on most online sales as lost revenue. It is estimated that the 'loophole' costs state and local governments an estimated USD23bn in lost tax revenue each year, with California alone facing around USD1.9bn in uncollected sales taxes." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUS Congressmen Reintroduce Online Sales Tax Bill

15 Percent of Malls To Close Due to Online Shopping?

"Experts are predicting that up to 15% of US shopping malls are forecast to close over the next five years as online shopping continues to surge. The United States has over 1300 regional malls (over 450,000 square feet) and that could mean that up to 195 of them will shut down. 'I think 200 are going out of business,' said Gerry Mason, executive managing director at property group Savills. 'We’re 15-20 per cent overbuilt. There are just too many stores.'" Continue reading →

Continue Reading15 Percent of Malls To Close Due to Online Shopping?

Disconnect Cable and Satellite TV

"I purchased this Roku digital internet receiver yesterday after cancelling my satellite service and highly recommend it as an alternative to the monopolized government affiliated cable/satellite companies, especially for its news content. At no charge, I’m able to receive multiple international news channels (audio and video), including RT, that are streamed onto my television with a near perfect picture. In addition to the free internet channels, there are several channels you do have to pay for, but unlike cable/satellite, you GET what you pay for when adding channels with this product." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDisconnect Cable and Satellite TV

What in Space Are We Doing?

"We're inclined to believe that the era of space exploration is pretty much over with. No funding. Public boredom. Too many other problems here at home. And so on. End of story. That, however, is not the case. Not at all. Yes, budgets have shrunk. And yes, the federal government is getting out of hands-on involvement with the business (though it still provides a measure of funding for research). But private enterprise (often aided by juicy government grants) is leaping into space in a big way, and some very exciting research by space scientists is going on." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWhat in Space Are We Doing?

3-D Printed Car Is as Strong as Steel, Half the Weight, and Nearing Production

"Picture an assembly line not that isn’t made up of robotic arms spewing sparks to weld heavy steel, but a warehouse of plastic-spraying printers producing light, cheap and highly efficient automobiles. Urbee’s approach to maximum miles per gallon starts with lightweight construction – something that 3-D printing is particularly well suited for. The designers were able to focus more on the optimal automobile physics, rather than working to install a hyper efficient motor in a heavy steel-body automobile. Jim Kor is the engineering brains behind the Urbee. Between teaching classes, he heads Kor Ecologic, the firm responsible for the 3-D printed creation." Continue reading →

Continue Reading3-D Printed Car Is as Strong as Steel, Half the Weight, and Nearing Production

Gun Control Laws Increasingly Irrelevant as 3D Printed Rifle Receiver Fires Hundreds of Rounds

"On Monday, with little fanfare and less comment — primarily because none was needed — Defense Distributed unveiled a 3D-printed lower receiver for an AR-15 that stood up to hundreds of rounds of fire. Succinctly, the video on Youtube was accompanied by the statement, 'Does not fail from firing stresses. 600+ rounds.' Just as important, and the purpose of all this effort, the group made plans for the receiver available for download by all and sundry at DefCad. Defense Distributed's video and 3D printer plans are a clever and powerful blow to politicians' efforts to restrict Americans' abilities to own the means of self-defense." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGun Control Laws Increasingly Irrelevant as 3D Printed Rifle Receiver Fires Hundreds of Rounds

Ben Swann Is Optimistic About the Internet Reformation

"There IS something going on ... and every day we are introduced to new people who realize it. Ben Swann, for instance – an anchor from Cincinnati. We had never heard of Ben Swann but he just won a Twitter 'Shorty' award for journalism – which is kind of a mainstream accomplishment. In this video, Swann provides us with a good verbalization of what we call the Internet Reformation. It's an eloquent statement and one we agree with, at least partially. We're glad he won his award and we're glad he's speaking out optimistically about freedom's progress in the US." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBen Swann Is Optimistic About the Internet Reformation

Connecticut Towns Pay Out Big for Deadly SWAT Drug Raid

"Five Connecticut towns whose SWAT team killed an unarmed man during a 2008 drug raid have agreed to pay $3.5 million to settle a lawsuit filed by the man's family. Another lawsuit, filed by the man who owned the home that was raided, is pending. Police videos showed them throwing a flash-bang grenade through a window, smashing down the back door, and yelling out, 'Police, warrant!' When it was over, Guizan lay dead on the floor with six gunshot wounds and Terebisi, who had been pinned by one of the officers, was handcuffed and dragged out of the house. Sweeney received the Monroe Police Officer of the Year award for his part in the raid." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingConnecticut Towns Pay Out Big for Deadly SWAT Drug Raid

One fake MIT shooter and the troubling trend of SWATting

"When all was said and done, the area remained shut down for nearly three hours. More than 30 armed officers searched the campus. Traffic was diverted outside the area. Numerous news outlets followed the situation. MIT issued formal warnings to all members of its community (more than an hour after the initial CPD alert). Students were asked to take shelter in place throughout the morning. The MIT employee identified by the caller was put through questioning but eventually cleared of any involvement. Even the FBI and Secret Service were called in on the matter. Haven't heard about this? Thankfully, it's because no shooting took place on February 23 at MIT." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingOne fake MIT shooter and the troubling trend of SWATting