Bandit Gang Writ Large

SWAT Officers Dragged 10-Year-Old from Bathtub, Stood Him Naked Next to Sister, Terrorized Family

"Although the team purportedly sought to arrest William for quarreling with a drunk, off-duty police officer at a local veterans club early that morning, the family says that their 'terrorization' continued for another 45 minutes after William was apprehended. The officers threw to the floor, kicked and handcuffed Georgeia, her stepfather and her adult son Billy. They also injured Mark's shoulder and forced Billy to lie face down in broken glass, according to the complaint. When Georgeia pleaded repeatedly that she had young children in the house, at least one officer allegedly stated, 'You think you can get one of ours, and we won't get one of yours?'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSWAT Officers Dragged 10-Year-Old from Bathtub, Stood Him Naked Next to Sister, Terrorized Family

Chris Martenson: Bankers Own the World – And are ultimately destroying it

"It wasn't that many decades ago that a list of the top companies with the most wealth and influence would have been dominated by companies that produced real, tangible products – that is, those that created wealth by adding value to goods by transforming resources into products. Companies like GE, GM, IBM, Exxon, and other industrial giants would have been the wealthiest, because, well, they create actual wealth. Today the top fifty companies in the 'super-entity' list of 147 from the above study is concerning. Out of the fifty, 17 are banks, 31 are an assortment of investment, insurance, and financial services companies, and only 2 are non-financial companies." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingChris Martenson: Bankers Own the World – And are ultimately destroying it

Banks shiver as UBS swallows $885 million U.S. fine

"UBS will pay $885 million in a settlement with a U.S. regulator over allegations the Swiss bank misrepresented mortgage-backed bonds during the housing bubble, paving the way for billions more to be paid by other banks. European and U.S. lenders such as Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank have set aside money to cover the cost of any losses arising from the dispute with the Federal Housing Finance Agency but estimates vary widely. The Swiss bank is the third to settle, after Citigroup and General Electric did so for undisclosed sums." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBanks shiver as UBS swallows $885 million U.S. fine

Iowa Judge Rescues Sioux City Speed Camera Program

"The state of Iowa wants speed cameras off its freeways, but a local magistrate has other ideas. Woodbury County District Court Judge Jeffrey L. Poulson intervened and ordered Redflex Traffic Systems of Australia to continue issuing tickets until further notice. An expedited hearing is scheduled for Friday to decide whether the ticketing will be allowed permanently. IDOT District Engineer Tony G. Lazarowicz ordered the city to remove the cameras from a construction zone on Interstate 29 after city staff rejected more polite requests during the year. City officials are terrified of losing the revenue generated by the 29,697 tickets Redflex was able to issue last year." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIowa Judge Rescues Sioux City Speed Camera Program

IRS employee union: We don’t want Obamacare

"IRS employees have a prominent role in Obamacare, but their union wants no part of the law. National Treasury Employees Union officials are urging members to write their congressional representatives in opposition to receiving coverage through President Obama’s health care law. The NTEU represents 150,000 federal employees overall, including most of the nearly 100,000 IRS workers. Like most other federal workers, IRS employees currently get their health insurance through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, which also covers members of Congress." Continue reading →

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Switzerland pays billions to foreign governments in tax deal

"The Swiss finance ministry said that Britain had received a payment of 372 million francs, and Austria, 515 million. A ministry spokesman said the payments were just the first in a series of monthly instalments running until June 2014. Under bilateral deals with Britain and Austria, Switzerland has offered two options to people who fail to declare money placed in Swiss banks. They can either turn themselves in to their homeland's revenue services, or have their accounts taxed by the Swiss, who then transfer the funds without naming the clients. It was under the latter system that Switzerland handed over the sums revealed on Thursday." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSwitzerland pays billions to foreign governments in tax deal

Eminent Domain and the Decline of Detroit

"Detroit’s sixty year decline, culminating in its recent bankruptcy, has many causes. But one that should not be ignored is the city’s extensive use of eminent domain to transfer property to politically influential private interests. For many years, Detroit aggressively used eminent domain to promote 'economic development' and 'urban renewal.' The most notorious example was the 1981 Poletown case, in which some 4000 people lost their homes, and numerous businesses were forced to move in order to make way for a General Motors factory. The Poletown takings ended up destroying far more development than they ever created." Continue reading →

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Police Ordered To Return $1 Million An Exotic Dancer Saved In $1 Bills

"A stripper just won a lawsuit against Nebraska police who confiscated over $1,000,000 in $10,000 bundles tied with hair ties after a routine traffic stop. Tara Mishra, 33, had stripped for 15 years and managed to save $1,074,000. So she gave the cash to friends to open a New Jersey nightclub. But when those friends were pulled over in Nebraska, the cops suspected the money was tied to drugs and confiscated all the cash. This week, a judge ruled that since the police failed to find evidence of drug activity, and since a canine search revealed only trace amounts of illegal drugs on the money, the cash had to be returned." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPolice Ordered To Return $1 Million An Exotic Dancer Saved In $1 Bills

In Profit-Sharing Scheme, Oklahoma DA Used Contractor for Highway Drug Stops

"An asset forfeiture scheme that utilized a private security contractor to stop vehicles on Interstate 40 in Caddo County, Oklahoma, has been shut down after garnering strong criticism. Beyond paying the private operators to train police, the contract DA Hicks agreed to in January gave Desert Snow 25% of all assets seized during training days and 10% of all assets seized even on days the contractors were not present. Hicks told The Oklahoman he hired the contractors 'because his drug task force had little success on drug stops' and because 'he hoped to make money for his office from the drug stops because of a loss of federal funds.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIn Profit-Sharing Scheme, Oklahoma DA Used Contractor for Highway Drug Stops

Cop Fired for Speaking Out Against Ticket and Arrest Quotas

"Hanners blew the whistle on the department's tactics and was eventually fired for refusing to comply and keep quiet. He says that each officer was required to make 100 contacts each month, which included tickets, arrests, field interviews, and warnings. This equates to 72,000 contacts a year in a 50,000 person town. His claims are backed up by audio recordings of his superiors he made. The Auburn police department declined requests to be interviewed for this story. The police chief singled out by Hanners retired this July, citing medical reasons." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCop Fired for Speaking Out Against Ticket and Arrest Quotas