Bankocracy

Secret Service: Contact Us to ‘Report a Tweet’

"On a day when terror threats continued to dominate the U.S. headlines, the Secret Service — a division of the Homeland Security Department since 2003 — tweeted the following message: 'Contact your nearest field office with time-sensitive or critical info or to report a tweet,' said one message. In a separate tweet on Tuesday morning, the Secret Service asked, 'Have you seen any of our Most Wanted?' This tweet links to a list of suspects, most wanted for theft or fraud. None are listed as suspected terrorists. As of Tuesday morning, the Secret Service had more than 67,000 followers on Twitter." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSecret Service: Contact Us to ‘Report a Tweet’

Australian Safety Official Seeks Refund Of 987 Speed Camera Tickets

"On June 30, electronic speed limit signs were used to reduce the speed limit to 80km/h (50 MPH) and then once again to 40km/h (25 MPH) through a construction zone in front of the tunnel. Drivers were tricked into thinking after the end of the highway work zone, the limit would have returned to 80km/h or 100km/h. They may also have been unable to see the electronic speed limit signs, distracted by traffic merging from three lanes to one. 269 vehicle owners received serious penalties that included a license suspension, plus fines of up to $722 (which rises to $1660 for heavy vehicles). Another 718 received fines of up to $289 each." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAustralian Safety Official Seeks Refund Of 987 Speed Camera Tickets

Fantasy Dream: Easy Retirement (If You Have $1 Million).

"MarketWatch is a conventional website. It runs financial news. It also runs articles on investing. This one caught my eye. 'How to make your nest egg last over 40 years.' That sounds good! I read it. The article says you can achieve this goal. But you will need at least $2 million. A million won’t get the job done. The point is this: a journalist in a major financial magazine shows that there is no easy retirement, even if you have $1 million at 65. But hardly anyone does. Then how will people afford retirement? They can’t. Do most people understand this? They will move in with their kids. Are the kids ready for this? No. Are the kids in debt? Yes." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFantasy Dream: Easy Retirement (If You Have $1 Million).

Shield Your Nest Egg from Its Two Biggest Threats

"For a government to siphon off wealth efficiently, it must know where the wealth is, set up ways to take it, and have a strong enough police force to make sure citizens comply. The intention is to make it easier to pay up than go to jail. Even people with modest nest eggs are constantly looking for ways to legally protect their wealth. Lawyers love it, since it means citizens need a variety of trusts and complicated legal avenues for minimizing taxes. That's part of the game. As governments press on, the stakes escalate, taxes increase, and we have to escalate our efforts to protect ourselves." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingShield Your Nest Egg from Its Two Biggest Threats

There Were Four Arrests For Every 100 Americans In 2011

"Arrests can be damaging, even if they never result in criminal charges. They generally go on your criminal record, which can be checked each time you apply for a job, housing, or credit. An arrest can also be a barrier to your ability to adopt, obtain some types of professional licenses, and obtain a visa or passport. And of course an arrest also comes with some social stigma. Suing for damages from a false arrest is extremely difficult. It's tough to even get in front of a jury, much less actually win a favorable verdict. Even then, litigation can take years, assuming you can find an attorney to take your case." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThere Were Four Arrests For Every 100 Americans In 2011

American Cops Don’t Belong in Canada

"The United States protects, obsessively, their sovereignty. But here in Canada, armed American police officers will now be able to stop Canadians, in Canada, inspecting, checking and asking questions. Again, the Conservatives will tell us that an armed American cop in Canada is all about trade, jobs and security, not sovereignty. If this is true, then can we not expect to see Mounties stopping Americans on the Buffalo side? Harper did promise though that when he's done, we won't recognize Canada. Perhaps we can all reminiscence about that when stopped and questioned by an American police officer, in our own country." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAmerican Cops Don’t Belong in Canada

Congress Wants the IRS to Cancel Your Passport

"If you think your U.S. citizenship gives you the right to a U.S. passport, think again. The government has several ways to cancel or refuse to renew your passport. And now, Congress is poised to give it one more: if you owe money to the IRS. Hidden within the 2013 highway funding bill are a few paragraphs with the innocent-sounding title of the 'Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act.' Section 40304 of this act would revoke your passport if you have a 'seriously delinquent tax debt.' In other words, if you owe the IRS $50,000 or more, the Feds can revoke your passport. There's no hearing and no opportunity to contest this decision." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCongress Wants the IRS to Cancel Your Passport

TSA’s VIPR could be screening you without you knowing it

"The TSA could be screening you without you even knowing it. From the Super Bowl to the Inauguration to Union Station, if you're traveling, the Transportation Security Agency could be there, and they could be looking at you. They are a special brand of the TSA, called 'VIPR.' It stands for 'Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response.' VIPR has been around since 2005, and they are meant to boost security by being a deterrent, and detecting security risks. WUSA9 asked the TSA what the qualifications are for becoming a TSA baggage screener versus being part of the VIPR program. We have not heard back." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTSA’s VIPR could be screening you without you knowing it

CNN’s Sanjay Gupta apologizes for misleading Americans about marijuana

"CNN’s Sanjay Gupta, a neurosurgeon, apologized on Wednesday for publicly opposing marijuana legalization, saying science was clearly on the side of the drug. 'I think we have been terribly and systematically misled in this country for some time, and I did part of that misleading,' he told CNN host Piers Morgan. Though studies on marijuana in the United States tended to focus on the drug’s negative effects, Gupta explained, research from across the world had made marijuana’s positive effects clear. He said there was 'no scientific basis' to claim marijuana had no medical benefits." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCNN’s Sanjay Gupta apologizes for misleading Americans about marijuana

Drive Drunk or Asleep, Wherever You Want!

"Whether you believe in the futuristic, high-speed flying capsules of science fiction or a less glamorous evolution of cruise control, one thing’s for sure: A major shift to autonomous driving technology is just around the corner. Google’s fleet of self-driving Priuses is picking up speed, driver-assistance technology is rapidly being developed and many autonomous devices already are standard in dozens of existing car models. But are we really ready to take our hands off the wheel?" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDrive Drunk or Asleep, Wherever You Want!