CLibertyC

When You Need To Disappear

"Whistleblower Edward Snowden needs to disappear if he is to avoid kidnapping, assassination, extradition, or deportation to the United States. If you’re ever faced by a situation in which you need to disappear, right away, what would you do? Perhaps someone is bent on revenge and has threatened to kill you. Perhaps you’re caught in an impossible personal or financial situation and you feel that 'going underground' is the only way out. Or perhaps like Snowden, you find yourself an enemy of the state. If you’re in such a situation, privacy may be a matter of life or death. You need to be prepared to act quickly, and when the time comes, not to hesitate." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWhen You Need To Disappear

How The USA Captures Whistleblowers And Other Political Enemies

"Snowden’s case would likely fall under the political crime statute of the U.S.-Hong Kong extradition treaty. Any extradition request would be difficult, complicated, and probably ultimately unsuccessful. However, if Snowden succeeds in fighting extradition from Hong Kong, the United States can revoke his passport. It’s also possible that because of the likely difficulty of extradition, U.S. authorities will simply revoke Snowden’s passport and demand his return, and bypass the extradition option entirely. Notice of the revocation, meaning that the suspect would then be illegally in the country, would be sent to Hong Kong authorities who could then deport Snowden." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHow The USA Captures Whistleblowers And Other Political Enemies

Obama on prosecuting Edward Snowden: I will leave it up to the Department of Justice

"Barack Obama addressed what he described as the public 'ruckus' over the leaked National Security Agency surveillance documents on Monday, indicating that the US authorities would pursue extradition from Hong Kong of the whistleblower Edward Snowden. Obama did not offer any more details about the process in his PBS interview. Instead, he addressed criticism that he has shifted a long way from the liberal positions he championed during his 2008 White House race. Obama said: 'My concern has always been not that we shouldn’t do intelligence gathering to prevent terrorism, but rather are we setting up a system of checks and balances.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingObama on prosecuting Edward Snowden: I will leave it up to the Department of Justice

NSA Snooping on Americans Is Unconstitutional and Outrageous

"Even after 9/11, an American’s chance of being killed by terrorists is about the same as that of being killed by an asteroid and less than that of being struck down by lightning. President Obama recently gave a speech seemingly shining a light on the end of the tunnel in the war on terrorism. Apparently, that didn’t apply to snooping on Americans in that war. As a candidate prior to becoming president, Obama argued that no tradeoff existed between security and America’s unique and sacred liberties; yet after these government spying programs were leaked, he contradicted his early stance and opined we couldn’t have 100% security and 100% liberty." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNSA Snooping on Americans Is Unconstitutional and Outrageous

Smell of marijuana: Who needs a search warrant when police use their nose?

"The ability to conduct warrantless searches based on the smell of marijuana has faced some challenges. In Florida, recent cases in Sarasota and Pinellas County have cast doubt on some officers' claims they were able to smell the marijuana cited in their probable cause affidavits and search warrant applications. And in Massachusetts, where voters decriminalized small amounts of marijuana in 2008, a state court struck down the ability to smell and search in 2011. Defense attorneys argue that youths and minorities are targeted disproportionately and say that because the search relies solely on an officer's word, it's prone to misconduct." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSmell of marijuana: Who needs a search warrant when police use their nose?

Apple pioneer Steve Wozniak one step closer to becoming Australian

"Steve Jobs's former right hand man and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is one step closer to becoming a permanent Australian resident and citizen. Wozniak, who quit the company in 1987 after 12 years, today told Australian tech blog Gizmodo he was finalising the paperwork for a move down under, a plan he flagged during his visit to Australia in September. 'It is a high priority this month for me to finish some medical and police reports for my residency application,' he said. The former Apple guru also confirmed he was still keen on getting Australian citizenship." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingApple pioneer Steve Wozniak one step closer to becoming Australian

Turks invent new form of ‘standing’ protest to get around ban on gatherings

"A man stood still in Istanbul’s Taksim Square: silent, staring straight ahead, he had not moved for hours. His peaceful action, on the square that police cleared of protesters on Saturday and where the Turkish authorities have banned gatherings, was a new form of protest. He arrived Monday evening as night was falling and took up position in the middle of the square, just a stone’s throw from Gezi Park. Five hours on, the man was still there, hands in his pockets, a bag and some bottles of water at his feet." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTurks invent new form of ‘standing’ protest to get around ban on gatherings

The Real Story of the Cyprus Debt Crisis

"The country is increasingly reverting to a cash-economy with a consequent dive in tax revenues. The three Lufthansa consultants in charge of the Cyprus Airways restructuring are set to receive €1.3m. The remaining staff will suffer a 25% salary cut. In an act that beggars belief, the Cypriot Parliament has levied a 30% tax on the interest earned from bank deposits. In another measure which defies logic, a property tax was insisted on by the Troika of international lenders. The government aims to extract maximum tax revenue by inflating property prices by the annual rate of consumer price inflation since 1980. Currently, property prices are at an all-time low." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe Real Story of the Cyprus Debt Crisis

German Government Takes Off Mask, Emerges As Fascist Dictatorship

"The Greek national broadcaster was taken off air in the middle of a programme on Tuesday night without warning, without a public debate or a debate in parliament. A brave group of journalists have rebelled and keep a skeleton service going as a pirate station cheered on by supporters in scenes worthy of a fascist dictatorship. A poll shows two thirds of the Greeks oppose the closure of their national broadcaster, paid for by their taxes. The ERT was shut down by the police following a decree — considered illegal by many — by the EU/ECB/IMF Troika puppet, Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras. The move was greeted with applause by the German government." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGerman Government Takes Off Mask, Emerges As Fascist Dictatorship