"A couple of articles worth reading on the subject of Law Enforcement. One of the real important reasons for ending the drug war, in my opinion, has been to reclaim the positive relationship between police and their communities. The drug war in particular, along with militarization, has turned the police against those they are supposed to serve, and vice versa." Continue reading →
"Around 1 a.m. on Nov. 15, 2011, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg ordered the NYPD to evict protestors — some of whom had camped there for almost two months — from Zuccotti Park in New York City’s Financial District. The police threw away 5,554 books from the Occupy library and destroyed media equipment in addition to removing tents, tarps, and belongings. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York decided that the NYPD’s actions violated the protestors’ rights under the First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendments." Continue reading →
"Almost unknown to the public, a constellation of satellite guardians is flying overhead, and all it takes is a phone call for them to intervene when a country is hit by a storm, earthquake, tsunami or flood. Their cooperation comes under an agreement called the International Charter Space and Major Disasters. When catastrophe strikes, an 'authorised user' of the Charter simply phones a number at the European Space Agency (ESA), where space technicians are on round-the-clock duty. One of the 41 authorised users of the Charter is the United Nations, which can activate it on behalf of member states." Continue reading →
"A legal fight over the government’s use of a secret surveillance tool has provided new insight into how the controversial tool works and the extent to which Verizon Wireless aided federal agents in using it to track a suspect. Verizon reprogrammed his aircard so that when an incoming voice call arrived, the card would disconnect from any legitimate cell tower to which it was already connected, and send real-time cell-site location data to Verizon, which forwarded the data to the FBI. This allowed the FBI to position its stingray in the neighborhood where Rigmaiden resided. The stingray then 'broadcast a very strong signal' to force the air card into connecting to it." Continue reading →
"The second-ranking official at the Department of Homeland Security said she will resign shortly, ending four years as a champion of a civilian-controlled Internet. In an exclusive interview with Reuters, Jane Holl Lute, the sole deputy secretary at Homeland Security, said on Monday she would give notice this week and leave to pursue a role in international Internet affairs. Lute said that she was leaving with the department on a strong footing in Internet matters, with its central role cemented by an executive order on cybersecurity issued by President Barack Obama in February." Continue reading →
"The lawmakers said they would insert a more narrow definition of national security in the bill. The amendments would also seek to clarify that Internet firms could only use data about threats for cybersecurity purposes, not for marketing or other commercial uses, and would give more oversight to privacy officers at federal agencies. Greg Nojeim of the Center for Democracy and Technology said the changes failed to address one key concern — that information could be accessed by the top-secret National Security Agency, a branch of the military." Continue reading →
"Contrary to popular thinking, the rampant piracy of 'Game of Thrones' has not harmed the network that airs it, HBO programming president Michael Lombardo told Entertainment Weekly on Sunday, just hours before the show’s season three premiere. 'I probably shouldn’t be saying this, but [piracy] is a compliment of sorts,' Lombardo reportedly said. 'The demand is there. And it certainly didn’t negatively impact the DVD sales. [Piracy is] something that comes along with having a wildly successful show on a subscription network.' The show’s creator, George R. R. Martin, said as much earlier in March." Continue reading →
"Aaron Swartz faced 13 counts under CFAA, up to 35 years in prison, for copying too many files from the online academic resource JSTOR. This threat of overwhelming state sponsored persecution has been regarded as the reason for Swartz tragic suicide January 11th, 2013. The collective outrage generated from Swartz’s story has brought activists together in an effort to gain support for legislation that would reform and clarify CFAA, referred to as Aaron’s Law. It appears that the House Judiciary Committee is not interested in Aaron’s Law’s spirit of reform and clarity, instead they prefer to see CFAA expanded and strengthened." Continue reading →
"With laws like the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 (ECPA), the United States could be losing out on much needed business opportunities. Legislation like these allow the government to spy on customers' data, and RT's Liz Wahl takes a look at why companies are thinking twice before investing in the US." Continue reading →
"Ben Swann Full Disclosure explains how the Rand Paul filibuster has been responsible for a 50 point swing in public opinion on the use of drones to kill U.S. citizens who are also terror suspects overseas." Continue reading →