Bullshit Artists

Obama: Fool Me Thrice, Shame on Whom?

"The New York Times points out that Mr. Obama’s currently promised reforms are insubstantial, and simply 'tinker around the edges of the nation’s abusive surveillance programs.' The cynics among us might think President Obama’s promises to institute reforms for enhanced privacy protections for the American people are simply a response to recent opinion polls showing that Americans are, for the first time since 9/11, more concerned about civil liberties abuses than terrorism. There’s an old saying: 'Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.' So, do we believe the president now?" Continue reading →

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NPR: Lawmakers, Banking Regulators Take On Bitcoin

"CORNISH: How significant is New York's move to launch an investigation, to issue these subpoenas? BRITO: So it's interesting, people hear the word subpoena and they think something bad, right? But all the word subpoena means is that it is a request for information, right? And you're compelled to, you know, produce, you know, you're asked questions and you have to answer them. And I think that's very good. [..] So when I see New York issuing these subpoenas, being very transparent about the fact that they're going to be looking at this and asking for input, you know, I think that's very good." Continue reading →

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White House insists NSA surveillance review will be independent

"The White House has moved to dampen controversy over the role of the director of national intelligence James Clapper in a panel reviewing NSA surveillance, insisting that he would neither lead it nor choose the members. Statements by Barack Obama and Clapper were widely interpreted as the director of national intelligence being placed in charge of the inquiry, which the president had announced on Friday would be 'independent'. The apparent involvement of Clapper, who has admitted lying to Congress over NSA surveillance of US citizens, provoked a backlash, with critics accusing the president of putting a fox in charge of the hen house." Continue reading →

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Air Force claims budget cuts force shutdown of 1960s-era space surveillance system

"The U.S. Air Force will shut down its space surveillance system that tracks satellites and other orbiting objects by October 1 due to budget constraints caused by automatic federal budget cuts known as the sequestration, it announced Monday. Commander of the Air Force Space Command, General William Shelton, said the 1961 system was outmoded and that newer technology will provide more accurate observations. Shelton said a new Space Fence is being planned now, which will provide more precise positional data on orbiting objects and would become the most accurate radar in the Air Force’s space surveillance network." Continue reading →

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The Taper Trap

"The big question these days is this: 'When will the Federal Reserve System start to taper off its purchases of U.S.Treasury debt and Fannie/Freddie debt?' The commonly held view is next month. A Reuter’s reporter went up to David Kotok’s annual gathering at Leen Lodge in Maine. He brings in 50 or so big names in the investment world. They can chat with each other. There are formal presentations. She asked several of them when the FED will taper. The answer was unified: not soon. Pippa Malmgren said it best: if the FED moves from buying 75% of the Treasuries issued this year to selling them, the market will react violently." Continue reading →

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The New, Improved 1984

"Have you noticed that every key metric of the economy is constantly being revised, rewriting history and installing a shiny new set of 'facts'? The 'headline number' is always positive, and its downward revision buried in an avalanche of new data. The revisions are so constant and so extreme that the recognition of this constant revision of history to suit the political needs of the current regime has been numbed; everyone knows the numbers are intended to paint a positive picture of a devolving, fragile economy and society, but we prefer this propaganda illusion to the harsh reality. Why? Because half of us are getting a direct check, benefit or payment from the state." Continue reading →

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LAPD Detains Photographer For ‘Interfering’ With Police From 90 Feet Away

"Words like 'interference' or 'obstruction' seem to be thrown around quite frequently when law enforcement officers decide they'd rather not be filmed while on duty. How the passive act of filming can interfere with investigations or obstruct officials is left to the imagination. Fortunately (I guess...), law enforcement officials have very vivid imaginations. This allows them to arrest, detain, hassle or confiscate devices as needed, in order preserve the peace by chilling speech. The latest definition of 'interference' stretches the limits of credulity -- to nearly 100 feet." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingLAPD Detains Photographer For ‘Interfering’ With Police From 90 Feet Away

Obama’s Response To NSA Surveillance Still Lacking Justification

"It's a lot of rhetoric about transparency, with a few random claims about how important these programs are. Separately, he continued to insist that we're better than some other countries (setting the bar low) and that we don't spy on Americans -- despite the evidence from this morning that this isn't true. In answering questions, he insisted the two key programs being discussed, Section 215 of the Patriot Act and 702 of the FISA Amendments Act, were critical to finding important intelligence -- despite the fact that multiple Senators have insisted that there remains no evidence that Section 215 was necessary in any terrorist case." Continue reading →

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The American Democracy Pitch

"The neocon brothers-in-arms, Senators John McCain & Lindsey Graham, put out a joint Op-Ed in WaPo this morning. They attempt to pitch 'Democracy' to the Egyptian people, who ironically just witnessed their first democratically elected President overthrown in a military coup. I have a different proposal for the Egyptian people, and it's called Liberty. Now, I realize that the prospects of Liberty breaking out in Egypt are close to zero (after all, we're struggling immensely with the idea catching on here, in the so-called 'Land of The Free'). But speaking about Liberty can only help." Continue reading →

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