Alternative News

Human rights advocates raise concerns over increased police Taser use

"Taser use in England rose by 45% in 2011 and the numbers are expected to continue to increase as more weapons are given to rank-and-file officers. The stun guns were fired by police at 27-year-old Dale Burns in Barrow, Cumbria, last year, who later died. In the US, where they are more regularly used, there have been hundreds of deaths. Before 2008, the use of Tasers was restricted to firearms officers, but their use has increased in recent years as more frontline officers have access to them." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHuman rights advocates raise concerns over increased police Taser use

Jury Nullification Victory For New Jersey Weedman

"A jury found Ed 'NJWeedman' Forchion not guilty Thursday in the Rastafarian activist’s marijuana distribution case. The decision came after Forchion was nearly held in contempt of court in the morning as he delivered his closing argument. Forchion, formerly of Pemberton Township, tried to introduce his jury nullification argument into the closing, but was quickly stopped by Superior Court Judge Charles Delehey, who had barred any discussion of it." Continue reading →

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US Behind Turkish Downing of Syrian Passenger Plane

"According to unnamed US officials, it was American intelligence agencies that were behind Turkey’s decision to force down a Syrian passenger plane last week, to follow up on US suspicions that the plane had Russian military hardware aboard. Russian officials insist all that was on board were 'dual use' radar parts. Officials now concede that they have been talking with Turkey about the idea of attacking Syria to impose a 'no-fly zone.' No decision has been made, and such a move would be an act of war, one likely to spark a major reaction from Russia and China, two close allies of Syria." Continue reading →

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CIA demands more drones

"CIA Director David Petraeus is urging the White House to expand the agency's drone fleet, insisting it will allow the agency to carry on with its missions in Pakistan, Yemen and North Africa. The Pentagon is also planning to increase its inventory by 35% in the future. So in total the US has 791 operational drone right now and is planning to buy another 732. Are those military machines really necessary? Lieutenant Col. Anthony Schaffer of Advanced Defense Studies joins RT's Meghan Lopez." Continue reading →

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Ben Affleck Defends TSA ‘Dick Grabbing’

"During a recent appearance on Bill Maher's Real Time, actor Ben Affleck defended the TSA's policy of grabbing people's genitals. Affleck probably isn't too fussed about what the TSA do because he is driven straight to the runway to board his private jet - he doesn't even have to go through TSA security!" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBen Affleck Defends TSA ‘Dick Grabbing’

TSA removes X-ray body scanners from major airports

"The Transportation Security Administration has been quietly removing its X-ray body scanners from major airports over the last few weeks and replacing them with machines that radiation experts believe are safer. The TSA says it made the decision not because of safety concerns but to speed up checkpoints at busier airports. The United States remains one of the only countries in the world to X-ray passengers for airport screening. The European Union prohibited the backscatters last year 'in order not to risk jeopardizing citizens’ health and safety.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTSA removes X-ray body scanners from major airports

Detained Man Burned Alive After Being Left Unattended In Police Car for 15 Minutes

"Man arrested for a brawl suffered serious burns while sitting handcuffed inside the police car. Later he died in hospital. Andrei Slesarev was arrested during the celebration of his birthday. He got drunk and raised hell at home. His family called the police and the local police patrol detained the brawler. However, few hours later the family of Slesarev received bad news – the man died in the burn intensive care unit of the city hospital. The cause of death was absolutely incomprehensible." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDetained Man Burned Alive After Being Left Unattended In Police Car for 15 Minutes

Why Firing a Bad Cop Is Damn Near Impossible

"All of these Rhode Island cops, and many more like them across the country, were able to keep their jobs and benefits—sometimes only temporarily, but always longer than they should have—thanks to model legislation written and lobbied for by well-funded police unions. That piece of legislation is called the 'law enforcement bill of rights,' and its sole purpose is to shield cops from the laws they're paid to enforce." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWhy Firing a Bad Cop Is Damn Near Impossible

Lew Rockwell explains how the Federal Reserve Enables War, Empire, and Destroys the Middle Class

"The accused Federal Reserve bomb plotter's home country wants details on his case. While this may make headlines, we ask Lew Rockwell of the Ludwig Von Mises Institute about one aspect of the Federal Reserve that has not made front page news: how the Fed, with its printing press, may be making war easier. After all, if the people of the United States were asked to write a check every year to the IRS in order to fund the exploding deficits and rising interest payments on the national debt, would they continue to support all these wars? Randolph Bourne may have famously quipped that 'war is the health of the state,' but it isn't the health of the economy, this is for certain." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingLew Rockwell explains how the Federal Reserve Enables War, Empire, and Destroys the Middle Class

Wireless ‘smart meters’ tell snoopers when you are not home

"Criminals no longer need to stake out a home or a business to monitor the inhabitants' comings and goings. Now they can simply pick up wireless signals broadcast by the building's utility meters. In the US, analogue meters that measure water, gas and electricity consumption are being replaced by automated meter reading (AMR) technology. Nearly a third of the country's meters - more than 40 million - have already been changed. The new time-saving devices broadcast readings by radio every 30 seconds for utility company employees to read as they walk or drive around with a receiver. But they are not the only ones who can tune in." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWireless ‘smart meters’ tell snoopers when you are not home