False Sense Of Security

Ron Paul: A House Divided Over NSA Spying on Americans

"Taken together, the NSA's Maryland headquarters and its newly built enormous data center in Utah will be seven times larger than the Pentagon! Over the last week we have seen two significant prison-breaks, one in Iraq, where some 500 al-Qaeda members broke out of the infamous Abu Ghraib prison, which the US built, and another 1,000 escaped in a huge break in Benghazi, Libya – the city where the US Ambassador was killed by the rebels that the US government helped put in power. Did the US intelligence community, focused on listening to our phone calls, not see this real threat coming?" Continue reading →

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Undercover Police Informant Plants Crack Cocaine in Smoke Shop; Business Owner Saved by Tape

"Who exactly is the victim when crack cocaine is found on someone’s person or property? Maybe the owner of that property? In Scotia, New York, local and county police decided they were suspicious of Donald Andrew’s smoke shop, one of many in Schenectady County but, according to Cory Doctorow at BoingBoing, apparently the only one owned by a black person. They sent an informant, someone facing jail time of their own, to, er, 'investigate.' Here’s what happened, via the local NBC affiliate,WNYT." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUndercover Police Informant Plants Crack Cocaine in Smoke Shop; Business Owner Saved by Tape

Refugees detail widespread abuse at Australian asylum camp

"Australian Immigration Minister Tony Burke described as 'horrific' explosive claims that asylum-seekers at one of its processing camps in Papua New Guinea are being raped and tortured. A former senior official at the Manus Island facility also detailed 'almost daily' self-harm and attempted suicides while warning weapons were being accumulated in readiness for a break-out attempt. The allegations come just days after Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced that the facility would be massively expanded to accommodate 3,000 people, from the original 600, as part of a new hardline plan to send all asylum-seeker arrivals to Papua New Guinea." Continue reading →

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After 237 Years, America is Finally “Free”

"A couple weeks ago, the SEC issued its ruling on Title II of the JOBS Act – the first of two provisions needed before crowdfunding can go mainstream. Simply put, the SEC eliminated the ban on 'general solicitation.' For decades, this mandate forced startups, hedge funds and venture capitalists (VCs) to rely on word of mouth and other forms of private communication to raise funds. Starting this September, though, companies will be free to tell everyone about their businesses and solicit funding for them. Companies will still be limited to taking money from accredited investors and these investors will have to take extra steps to verify their accredited status." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAfter 237 Years, America is Finally “Free”

US Files Criminal Charges Against SAC For the Non-Crime Of Insider Trading

"US prosecutors brought criminal charges against SAC Capital, the hedge fund run by billionaire Steve Cohen, alleging the $15 billion fund engaged in 'systemic insider trading' for 11 years, reports FT. SAC was charged with one count of wire fraud and four counts of securities fraud. Prosecutors are seeking forfeiture of hundreds of millions of dollars in allegedly illegal profits. The fraud was 'substantial, pervasive and on a scale without known precedent in the hedge fund industry,' the government said in the indictment." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUS Files Criminal Charges Against SAC For the Non-Crime Of Insider Trading

Police blame ‘poor lighting’ after killing innocent grandfather, 72, while searching the wrong home

"Fort Worth, TX., police have blamed poor lighting after responding May 28 to a burglary alarm, searching the wrong home and shooting dead beloved husband Jerry Waller. The city of Fort Worth has had more than one incident involving misidentified homes this year, the second resulted in the wrong house being bulldozed. Mr. Waller’s home is across the street from the home the police should have been responding to. ‘We were disturbed by suggestions that the police may have felt threatened by a man in his own garage faced with unknown trespassers yielding flashlights,’ Waller’s daughter Angie told media the following day." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPolice blame ‘poor lighting’ after killing innocent grandfather, 72, while searching the wrong home

‘It was like a firing squad’: Deputies shoot Florida man in his own front yard

"Middleton told the News Journal that two deputies shot him early Saturday morning when he turned to face them while getting a cigarette out of his mother’s car, saying he was bent over inside the car when he was ordered to 'get your hands out where [the shooter] could see them.' The News Journal reported that a neighbor called authorities after seeing someone reaching into the car, prompting the unidentified deputies to respond to what they thought was a burglary in progress. The two deputies have been put on paid leave. Middleton told the News Journal the deputies did not check the license plate on the car or provide an explanation for their actions." Continue reading →

Continue Reading‘It was like a firing squad’: Deputies shoot Florida man in his own front yard

States Sending the Most People to Prison

"In an interview with 24/7 Wall St., John Roman, Senior Fellow at the Urban Institute’s Justice Policy Center, explained that each state’s policies on enforcement are a major factor. 'It really is a political choice,' he said. There are several sentencing policies that can dramatically increase the number of inmates in a state’s prison system, such as mandatory minimum sentencing, which requires a minimum predetermined prison sentence length, regardless of the circumstances of the crime. Roman also pointed to three-strikes laws, which impose much longer sentences on criminals who have committed three or more serious crimes." Continue reading →

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Eyewitnesses describe the terror of DWI checkpoint shooting

"Jarred and Rose Cleerdin found themselves right in the middle of a shootout at what should have been a routine DWI checkpoint. Days after the dramatic shootout in Brunswick County, they are still shaken by what they saw. 'Every cop turned around and started unloading like super trigger happy as if their training was coming into full effect and they were being able to utilize it,' said Cleerdin. 'Everybody was just blasting this car to pieces. It was absolutely terrifying.' They were stunned with what was happening, as officers reportedly shot dozens of rounds - in the direction on-coming traffic." Continue reading →

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FDA finally releases draft of new food import safety rules

"Importers would be accountable for verifying with their foreign suppliers that certain food safety standards are being met. Under current conditions, U.S. food safety inspectors examine food coming into the country but are able to inspect only a small percentage for potential problems. Importers have a market interest in ensuring the safety of the food they bring in, but currently are not required to mandate that their suppliers meet certain standards. Under the new rules, importers would be required to maintain records verifying that their foreign suppliers have met standards for the production of the food coming into the country. Importers would undergo audits." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFDA finally releases draft of new food import safety rules