Alternative News

Syrian Electronic Army: If U.S. Attacks ‘We Will Target All of It’

"I contacted the group — or at least the people claiming to be part of the group — to ask a few questions and exchanged a series of emails with them. In response, the group followed me on Twitter and responded to one of my direct messages. This only proves the same people that control the Twitter account also control syrian.es.sy@gmail.com. Below, I pasted my full email correspondence with the group. My questions are printed in bold text. The answers from the alleged Syrian Electronic Army (SEA) representatives are completely unedited." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSyrian Electronic Army: If U.S. Attacks ‘We Will Target All of It’

Deadly Cyberattacks Highlight the Need for a Cybersecurity Upgrade

"The Sayano-Shushenskaya hydro-dam disaster was a cyberattack. You can characterize it as an accident in the nature of 'friendly fire.' But overall, this cascading wave of destruction was triggered by a bad computer command. Sayano-Shushenskaya demonstrates the immense scope of destruction that can come from cyberattacks. Indeed, per Gen. Alexander, only nuclear bombs and other weapons of mass destruction can cause more damage, faster, over wider areas. [..] In a speech at the National Press Club, Napolitano stated that the U.S. 'will, at some point, face a major cyber event that will have a serious effect on our lives, our economy and the everyday functioning of our society.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDeadly Cyberattacks Highlight the Need for a Cybersecurity Upgrade

Hacker: US government tricked Anonymous into attacking foreign targets

"Just as a former member of Anonymous accuses the United States government of coercing hackers to do their dirty work in America’s cyberwars, the sentencing hearing for the group’s alleged ex-ringleader has been mysteriously delayed yet again. News has surfaced that the hacker-turned-informant who compromised the underground movement for the FBI and helped facilitate Hammond’s arrest will remain free for now. Hector Xavier Monsegur, a single father from New York involved with a number of high-profile hacks carried out by Anonymous and its offshoots, pleaded guilty to a dozen criminal counts two years prior and stands to face more a maximum sentence of more than 124 years." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHacker: US government tricked Anonymous into attacking foreign targets

Snowden reveals US intelligence’s black budget: $52.6 billion on secret programs

"Despite the hefty cost of operating the secret operations amid sequestration, excerpts from the summary leaked by Snowden show that the US still has significant setbacks keeping it from achieving its intelligence goals. For one, the disclosure in and of itself demonstrates the intelligence community’s inability to prevent sensitive information from being leaked. For those nations of upmost interest, the intelligence community is investing heavily on 'offensive cyber operations' launched by the CIA and NSA to hack foreign competitors, steal data and sabotage servers, at a time when, domestically, so-called cybercriminals are prosecuted at an alarming rate for comparably less harsh crimes." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSnowden reveals US intelligence’s black budget: $52.6 billion on secret programs

WikiLeaks raises $12,000 in Bitcoin for Edward Snowden’s defense

"Now that he’s found asylum in Russia and faces espionage charges at home, a legal defense fund launched by WikiLeaks has raised over $16,000 to pay Snowden’s legal fees. 75 percent ($12,740 by current exchange rates) of that money came in the form of Bitcoins raised in just the past two weeks. A Bitcoin is currently selling for about $130 on Mt. Gox, the currency’s largest exchange. Over 105 Bitcoins from 144 donors have made their way to a Bitcoin wallet set up by WikiLeaks specifically for Snowden donations. Since they began accepting Bitcoin donations on August 12, the single largest deposit to the account has been an impressive 25 Bitcoins ($2,908)." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWikiLeaks raises $12,000 in Bitcoin for Edward Snowden’s defense

The Undead Corporate Welfare Programs For Automakers

"Originally created by Congress in 2007, the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Program provided low-cost government loans that were subsidized, guaranteed, and then in part eaten, as we now know, by hapless and strung-out American taxpayers. Ford was the top beneficiary. While bragging vociferously that it hadn’t been bailed out by the government, as opposed to GM and Chrysler, it received a $5.9 billion loan under that program ostensibly to retool its plants and start producing electric vehicles. Nissan got $1.4 billion to build its plug-in EV, the Leaf. Tesla got $465 million. It is building a few, very expensive plug-in EVs a day. Others weren’t so 'successful.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe Undead Corporate Welfare Programs For Automakers

Bernanke Has Injected Foreign Banks With Over $1 Trillion In Cash

"This means that, as we expected several months ago, the only recipient of ongoing Fed money printing are not US banks, but foreign banks operating in the US. For those confused about the big picture, here is a chart showing the breakdown of cash held by big and small US banks as well as foreign banks, superimposed to total reserves created by the Fed since the start of the Great Financial Crisis. The correlation is 100%. We are confident that we speak for all when we say: 'Thank you Ben - insolvent foreign banks appreciate your ongoing QE2 and QEternity-funded generosity'." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBernanke Has Injected Foreign Banks With Over $1 Trillion In Cash

‘The Fed Is Trying Like Crazy, But Nothing It’s Doing Can Save The Economy’

"David Rosenberg, the veteran Wall Street economist and bearish strategist at Gluskin Sheff, gave an intense presentation on Friday at John Mauldin's Strategic Investment Conference. Titled 'Bernanke: The Wizard Of Potemkin,' this presentation offers a sobering look at the anemic U.S. economy, the labor market mess, and the Federal Reserve's controversial efforts to get everything back on track. Before you can even think about getting bullish, you must consider the eye-opening charts from Rosenberg's presentation." Continue reading →

Continue Reading‘The Fed Is Trying Like Crazy, But Nothing It’s Doing Can Save The Economy’

Ugly Americans Book: Eight Rules of Carney

"I’ve been falling behind on my book reviews. Here’s an older book I found that made for good airplane reading – Ugly Americans: The True Story of the Ivy League Cowboys Who Raided the Asian Markets for Millions by Ben Mezrich. The book is supposedly based on the true story of young, male hedge fund traders during the mid-1990s Asian stock market boom who take big risks, make big money, meet beautiful women, don’t care about ethics… and after all that testosterone there’s the usual bit of self-reflection at the end. A major part of the plot even managed to involve boring ole’ index funds! One of the main characters was head trader Dean Carney, who had his '8 Rules of Carney'." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUgly Americans Book: Eight Rules of Carney

The Italian government really screwed this poor woman

"They’ve jacked tax rates to the moon. And governments have forced banks to become unofficial tax collectors… limiting the amount of money that can be withdrawn and scrutinizing international wire transfers. Then the government went and, practically overnight, made her agricultural operations unprofitable. The home is another story altogether. The villa was awarded a special status as a sort of national monument years ago. This meant that she was able to make upgrades, improvements, and maintenance investments on a tax-free basis. The government revoked this status, retroactively. And they’ve now presented her with a big tax bill that she was never expecting before." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe Italian government really screwed this poor woman