Damn Kids

U.S. Court: Journalist Barrett Brown Can’t Talk To The Press Any More

"We just wrote about the ridiculousness of Barrett Brown's case, in which he's been in jail and facing a very long sentence mainly for copying a URL from one place to another, but also because the feds have been seeking a media gag. Tragically, the court has now granted that gag order. Neither Brown nor his legal team is allowed to speak to the media. It's perfectly reasonable to expect Brown and his legal team to try to draw attention to the ridiculousness of the case, and the only purpose of this sort of gag order is to silence the press and keep the story from getting the kind of attention it deserves, as yet another example of prosecutorial overreach by the DOJ." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingU.S. Court: Journalist Barrett Brown Can’t Talk To The Press Any More

Kerry After Syria Hearing Protest: ‘I Once Had Very Similar Feelings’

"'The first time I testified before this committee when I was 27 years old, I had feelings very similar to that protester,' Kerry said after order was restored. 'I would just say that is exactly why it is so important that we are all here having this debate, talking about these things before the country and that the Congress itself will act representing the American people. And I think we can all respect those who have a different point of view. And we do.' Kerry said a Syria strike would 'unequivocally' make the U.S. more secure, and Hagel said there are U.S. allies in the region ready to support any U.S. action." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingKerry After Syria Hearing Protest: ‘I Once Had Very Similar Feelings’

Signs of a Shift Among Egyptian Protesters to Antigovernment, From Pro-Morsi

"As tens of thousands gathered in the streets of Cairo for the ninth Friday of protests against the takeover, few carried the posters of Mr. Morsi’s face that were once the banner of the Brotherhood’s 'anti-coup' coalition. Instead, almost everyone held a sign with a logo memorializing the mass killing by security forces of hundreds of Morsi supporters on Aug. 14. In at least one march by thousands of demonstrators in the neighborhood of Mohandiseen, many carried signs opposing both the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist movement behind Mr. Morsi, and the new government installed by General Sisi." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSigns of a Shift Among Egyptian Protesters to Antigovernment, From Pro-Morsi

Virginia State Trooper inattentively plows into skateboarder, beats hasty exit

"A video showing a Virginia State Trooper striking a skateboarder with his police cruiser was published to YouTube Wednesday. It is unclear, at this point, exactly when this incident happened and police didn’t give an exact date. Sergeant Molnar said that Virginia State Police 'are aware of this video as this incident occurred approximately nine months ago in the City of Richmond near the VCU campus.' 'I do not have any other details to provide to you,' said Sergeant Molnar. 'This is a personnel matter and state police does not have further comment on this matter.' CBS 6 did find out that the trooper is still employed with the state police." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingVirginia State Trooper inattentively plows into skateboarder, beats hasty exit

What Was Bradley Manning’s Sin?

"What was Bradley Manning’s sin that warrants a sentence of 35 years? It was a sin manufactured by the State against the State’s version of righteousness. A righteous person, according to the State, is a State co-conspirator who is required to keep silent when observing crimes of the State. There is a conspiracy of silence and secrecy, like the Mafia’s omerta. Manning joined the conspiracy and then broke the rule of silence. He failed to place his conscience on hold or abeyance while serving the State. Now he must pay for his 'sin', the State claims. What sin? There is no real sin here on his part, and no real crime. There is only a power play." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWhat Was Bradley Manning’s Sin?

On Obama’s Plan, a Message Emerges in Israel: Stay Quiet

"Israel has a powerful American lobby with bipartisan strength that could be uniquely positioned to help the White House shore up support in Congress. Yet there were no outward signs on Sunday that Israel would attempt to influence the outcome, and numerous experts on the Israel-American relationship said it would be deeply dangerous to try. 'It would be a mistake to overplay the Israeli interest,' said Itamar Rabinovich, who was Israel’s ambassador to the United States and also its chief negotiator with Syria in the 1990s. 'It’s bad for Israel that the average American gets it into his or her mind that boys are again sent to war for Israel. They have to be sent to war for America.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingOn Obama’s Plan, a Message Emerges in Israel: Stay Quiet

The Tipping Point

"Jesus said that when a garment gets so old, attempting to patch it with new cloth will just tear it up worse. The authoritarian state seems to be reaching that point, beyond which any attempt to patch it up or prolong its life just hastens its demise. The interesting thing about the federal prosecutions of Aaron Swartz and Chelsea Manning is that the vindictive approach to piling up charges and seeking maximum sentences were calculated attempts to send a message to anyone else contemplating sabotage against the information control regime. But those attempts have done more to inspire sympathy among the uncommitted and galvanize the information freedom movement than to terrify would-be leakers." Continue reading →

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America’s new target shooters: Younger, female and urban

"The face of America’s target shooters is changing. New target shooters–those who have taken up the sport in the last five years–are younger, female and urban when compared to established target shooters, or those participating for more than five years, according to a survey commissioned by NSSF. The report shows that one-fifth of target shooters in America first started participating in the shooting sports between 2008 and 2012. That means 20 percent of all target shooters began participating in the past five years. The expansion of younger, female and urban-based participants coincides with the surge in firearms sales that occurred over the same 2008-2012 period." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAmerica’s new target shooters: Younger, female and urban

A Funny Look at How Obamacare Screws Young People

"I’m reluctant to give favorable attention to anything associated with Rove, but this new video from one of his organizations is too good not to share. The Department of Health and Human Services has a video contest to sucker gullible young people into signing up for Obamacare, and here’s the satirical gem put together by Crossroads GPS. In conclusion, let’s remember that young people are suffering for reasons other than Obamacare. Here’s a video from the Center for Freedom and Prosperity Foundation that looks at four examples of how Obamanomics is especially bad news for those under age 30." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingA Funny Look at How Obamacare Screws Young People

Chaos and War

"Iraq and Afghanistan were the only hot spots and Iran was the only major country where long-term stability could be seriously questioned. The Palestinian-Israeli conflict was raging, as always. But in contrast to the new wars elsewhere, that six-decades-old conflict was such a known quantity one would be hard pressed to argue that it was a significant destabilizing factor for the region. Bottom line: Two, maybe three, conflicts to seriously worry about. Moderate impact on the major world powers. No broad threat to the global economy. High hopes for future long-term stability. Now, fast-forward to the last day of August, 2013, and look how dramatically the picture has changed." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingChaos and War