Alternative News

Report of FBI back door roils OpenBSD community [2010]

"The report surfaced in e-mail made public yesterday from a former government contractor, who alleged that he worked with the FBI to implement 'a number of back doors' in OpenBSD, which has a reputation for high security and is used in some commercial products. He said the project was a 'circa 1999 joint research and development project between the FBI and the NSA,' which is part of the Defense Department. The OpenBSD project, which was once funded by DARPA but had its funding yanked in 2003 for unspecified reasons, says that it takes an 'uncompromising view toward increased security.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingReport of FBI back door roils OpenBSD community [2010]

White House Picks Creepy Panel to Review NSA Programs

"A group of veteran security experts and former White House officials has been selected to conduct a full review of U.S. surveillance programs and other secret government efforts disclosed over recent months, ABC News has learned. The recent acting head of the CIA, Michael Morell, will be among what President Obama called a 'high-level group of outside experts' scrutinizing the controversial programs. Joining Morell on the panel will be former White House officials Richard Clarke, Cass Sunstein and Peter Swire. An announcement is expected Thursday, a source with knowledge of the matter told ABC News’ Jon Karl." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWhite House Picks Creepy Panel to Review NSA Programs

SWAT Cop: American Neighborhoods Are ‘Battlefields’

"This battlefield mindset is the product of a generation of politicians telling police that they're at war with things -- drugs, terrorism, crime, etc. -- and have then equipped them with the uniforms, tactics, weapons, and other accoutrements of war. One essay by Sgt. Glenn French was particularly disturbing. French serves as commander of a SWAT team in Sterling Heights, Michigan. French doesn't criticize me for arguing that too many police officers have adopted this battlefield mindset. Rather, he embraces the combat mentality, and encourages other cops to do the same." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSWAT Cop: American Neighborhoods Are ‘Battlefields’

California school district preps for lockdowns with 1,800 plastic classroom toilets

"A California school district said this week that they had so many lockdowns last year that it seemed like the perfect time to spend $36,000 on portable plastic toilets for the classrooms. The so-called lockdown kits sold by SOS Survival Products include a 5-gallon bucket with a toilet seat lid, toilet paper, wet wipes, waste bags, duct tape, latex gloves, a tarp and a bag of kitty litter. 'This year, as a district, we bought it district wide in order to get the most cost-effective rate on our cost,' Teves explained. 'We were able to buy these for about $20 each. We bought a total of 1,800, so it was a cost of about $36,000.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCalifornia school district preps for lockdowns with 1,800 plastic classroom toilets

Ron Paul supports Snowden and Manning in Larry King interview

"With Bradley Manning sentenced to 35 years in prison for his role in releasing sensitive military information to WikiLeaks and the US government's hunt for Edward Snowden for revealing the NSA's spying program, being a whistleblower isn't an easy task. As some people see the two individuals as traitors, some people believe that these leaks are essential to gaining full government transparency. In an interview with Larry King, former Congressman Ron Paul expresses his appreciation for the leaked information." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRon Paul supports Snowden and Manning in Larry King interview

Secret Court Opinion Finding NSA Surveillance Unconstitutional Released

"In response to EFF's FOIA lawsuit, the government has released the 2011 FISA court opinion ruling some NSA surveillance unconstitutional. For over a year, EFF has been fighting the government in federal court to force the public release of an 86-page opinion of the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC). Issued in October 2011, the secret court's opinion found that surveillance conducted by the NSA under the FISA Amendments Act was unconstitutional and violated 'the spirit of' federal law." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSecret Court Opinion Finding NSA Surveillance Unconstitutional Released

Phoenix Police “Help” a Man to Death

"There are circumstances in which people might be tempted to seek the help of police officers. If they do so, they should understand that police are neither trained to help, nor are they expected to. They are trained, equipped, and prepared to employ aggressive violence against anybody who doesn’t submit to them immediately and without reservation — including the people whom they are supposedly there to 'help.' This was memorably illustrated by the murder of Michael Ruiz, an emotionally disturbed father of two from Phoenix, Arizona, by the police who had arrived on the scene to 'help' him." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPhoenix Police “Help” a Man to Death

Poll Finds Few Think We’re Winning War on Drugs

"Four decades after President Richard Nixon ushered in the modern war on drugs, fewer than one out of 20 Americans think it is being won, according to a new poll. A Rasmussen Reports poll released on Sunday found that only 4% of respondents believe that the US is 'winning' the war on drugs. Some 82% said it is 'losing.' 'Americans continue to overwhelmingly believe that the so-called war on drugs is failing, but they are more divided on how much the United States should be spending on it,' Rasmussen concluded. The Rasmussen poll also revealed a public deeply divided over what to do about it." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPoll Finds Few Think We’re Winning War on Drugs

New Hampshire Cops Kill Man Fleeing Drug Sting

"Several Weare police officers and two confidential informants were outside Dunkin' Donuts in Lanctot's Plaza on US Highway 114 doing a drug sting on the target, a suspected heroin dealer. When officers attempted to detain the man, he tried to flee. Two officers then opened fire, wounding the man as he sped off in his vehicle. He made it about one hundred yards before crashing near an ice cream stand along the highway. He was taken by ambulance to a Manchester Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police have not said why they opened fire and they have not mentioned the seizure of any drugs." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNew Hampshire Cops Kill Man Fleeing Drug Sting

NYC Comptroller: Legalize and Tax Marijuana

"New York City Comptroller John Liu Wednesday released a report calling for the legalization, regulation, and taxation of marijuana. Doing so would reduce the harms generated by marijuana prohibition and generate more than $400 million a year in taxes to pay for higher education, Liu said. Liu estimated the size of the city's marijuana market at $1.65 billion a year and proposed using tax revenues from the legalized trade to cut tuition at the City University of New York (CUNY) by up to 50%. 'In this way, we'll invest in young people's futures, instead of ruining them,' he said." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNYC Comptroller: Legalize and Tax Marijuana