Alt/Indie News

Snowden’s new app turns any Android phone into a personal security system

"NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden is among the backers of a new surveillance app that helps guard against computer hijackings. Haven is an open source app that will run on any Android phone, particularly inexpensive and older devices. It operates like a surveillance system, using the device’s camera, audio recording capability and even accelerometer to detect movement and notify a user. The idea is that, even with the best encryption in the world, a device is vulnerability to physical, in-person tampering — also known as 'evil maid' because literally a hotel maid could access it."

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Trump bans CDC from using words like “transgender” and “fetus”

"The Trump administration’s foray into linguistic decrees is not a new phenomenon among the American Right. One recent comparable instance of state-decreed censorship: John Ashcroft, a Christian fundamentalist and the first attorney general under George W. Bush, insisted on covering the breasts of a marble statue of the 'Spirit of Justice' that stood in the main Justice building. This act of modesty reportedly cost $8,000 of taxpayer money."

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Jeff Sessions Faces Tough Cannabis Questions—From His Own Interns

"Sessions noted that more fatal accidents are now caused by drugs than by alcohol, and he said the American Medical Association 'is crystal clear' that 'marijuana is not a healthy substance.' But when the intern challenged that assertion, Sessions seemed dismissive, addressing the intern as 'Dr. Whatever Your Name Is.' 'I don’t think America’s going to be a better place if marijuana’s sold in every corner grocery store,' Sessions said."

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China Is Moving in the Right Direction on Tariffs

"While U.S. trade policy under the Trump administration has become a confusing mix of bluster, posturing, threats, and uncertainty, China has gone in the other direction, at least incrementally by lowering some of its tariffs unilaterally. On November 24, China’s Ministry of Finance announced that it would cut tariffs on 187 consumer products. The lower duty rate took effect on December 1, so Chinese consumers are now benefitting from more competition and lower prices. This is the fourth tariff cut since 2015."

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Washing Machine Tariffs Will Hurt Americans

"The protectionist move against LG and Samsung comes, perversely, just as those companies are set to employ thousands of Americans in Tennessee and South Carolina. It may also inadvertently put the final nail in the coffin of one of the longest-standing bastions of the American service industry, Sears Holdings Corp. Trump should reject the remedy proposal put forth by the International Trade Commission. Making it more expensive for LG to import the washers it produces for Kenmore, one of Sears’ most popular product lines, will jeopardize the retailer’s efforts to revitalize its brand."

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America’s Biggest Problem is Government, Say Most Americans Since Nixon Era

"23 percent of Americans say that the government is America’s biggest problem. 'That’s about exactly what is was before Nixon resigned,' Jones said, referring to the Watergate era. One might be tempted to view this result as solely caused by disgust with President Donald Trump or his policies. But that’s not really the case, or not entirely. The commentators point out that the poll is similar to findings from 2014-2015 when Barack Obama was president."

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Pennsylvania Drug Warriors Turned A New York Man’s Life into a Living Hell

"Ramos remained in jail for 158 days until he was found not guilty in Lehigh County Court after blood tests showed no illegal substances or alcohol in his system. While Ramos was jailed, he was fired from his job and lost his home. He lost his car, too: The tow truck operator notified Ramos by mail about a deadline to retrieve his vehicle, but because Ramos was in jail, no one was at his residence to receive the letter. Ramos' lawsuit charged that Troopers Summa and Vanfleet conspired to falsely arrest him despite finding no evidence that he was impaired or had drugs in his car."

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