False Sense Of Security

New Jersey cop allegedly shot man to death as wife and three kids looked on

"New Jersey police officer Joseph Walker, 40, was arrested Saturday in Maryland after he allegedly shot and killed a man in the midst of a road rage dispute, even as his wife and three children looked on. Maryland State Police told CBS Baltimore that Walker killed 36-year-old Joseph Harvey after the two encountered on another on Route 3. Police added that Walker’s wife and three children were in the car with him at the time. The family was traveling through Maryland back to New Jersey, where Walker works as an officer for the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office. He’s being held on $1 million bail, facing charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter." Continue reading →

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Woman sues Japan’s biggest yakuza boss, seeking refund of ‘protection money’

"She is demanding around 17 million yen ($170,000) in compensation and reimbursement for payments she was forced to make to protect her bar in the central city of Nagoya, the broadcaster said, citing her legal representatives. The woman says she paid 30,000-100,000 yen per month between 1998 and 2010 to a member of Inabaji Ikka, a local yakuza group connected to the Yamaguchi-gumi, Kyodo News said. On one occasion in 2008 when she tried to refuse to pay, she was warned that her bar could be burned down, Kyodo said." Continue reading →

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Holder Says: “Don’t Stand Your Ground. Run.”

"The main victims of violence from gangs and thugs in the United States are residents of the inner cities. Here, police protection is minimal. Here, people either stand their ground or get run over by thugs. But such talk, in Holder’s view, rejects common sense. There is no need for laws protecting victims of thugs and criminals when the victims defend themselves. The public should wait patiently for the police to intervene. Meanwhile, if they are upset with thugs, they can always run. Problem: when you are facing an armed teenager, you probably can’t outrun him. Or maybe your wife can’t." Continue reading →

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CA Highway Patrol officer accused of sexual battery against disabled man

"A CHP officer was arrested and charged with sexual battery and disorderly conduct on Friday for allegedly touching a 22-year-old disabled man inappropriately inside a shopping mall bathroom. The Sacramento Bee reported that 47-year-old Jeffery Closson, a 25-year veteran of the CHP, was booked into Sacramento County jail on Friday afternoon in connection with a June 20 incident at the Arden Fair Mall. Police said they determined Closson was a possible suspect using mall security camera footage from the day of the alleged encounter. KOVR-TV reported that Closson was allegedly exposing and touching himself during the incident." Continue reading →

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Civil Liberties and Security in an Age of Terrorism

"Civil Liberties in an Age of Terrorism: A special evening with our 'Challenge of Liberty Summer Seminars' students and featured by C-SPAN's Book TV. Watch this eye-opening, timely discussion on the recent revelations of systematic government spying—including NSA accessing of phone records, USPS photocopying the exterior of all mail, and the dangers posed to liberty and security by these and other such unchecked and unconstitutional powers." Continue reading →

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Researcher’s paper banned for containing luxury car security codes

"A British-based computer scientist has been banned from publishing an academic paper revealing the secret codes used to start luxury cars including Porsches, Audis, Bentleys and Lamborghinis as it could lead to the theft of millions of vehicles. The high court imposed an injunction on the University of Birmingham’s Flavio Garcia, who has cracked the security system by discovering the unique algorithm that allows the car to verify the identity of the ignition key. They argued that 'the public have a right to see weaknesses in security on which they rely exposed'. Otherwise, the 'industry and criminals know security is weak but the public do not'. Continue reading →

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Colombia Illegal Gold Mines Prosper in Global Rout

"Investments by companies are being held back as ambiguous local regulations exacerbate the effects of the global gold slump. In contrast, informal operations in remote rivers and jungle areas are flourishing. The government acknowledges that the number of producers without licenses probably has risen from the last census in 2010-2011, when they accounted for 87 percent of all gold mines. While authorities are shutting down unregulated producers at an unprecedented rate, the growth of new operations shielded from environmental and labor restrictions is even faster, police say. Armed groups can reap more profit from illegal gold mining than cocaine." Continue reading →

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The Dark Side of Technology

"Typically we paint a rosy picture of the future. We think technology will bring great prosperity to the world. The benefits of technology will far outweigh the perils and dangers that are so often the focus of people's mindset. However, it would be remiss of us not to delve into some of the potential dangers of technology. And thus in understanding the good that comes from tech, it's important to understand the darkness that also comes with breakthroughs and innovation. To paraphrase Churchill, don't run from it, confront these issues and you might have a part in making sure the future of our world sides with the good technology can bring, not the dark side." Continue reading →

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How to Safely Internationalize your Domain Name

"Purchasing the domain name for your international internet business is an important step, one which will help support your brand and identify your business to your customers. Much attention is paid to the first part of the domain name, because it is generally assumed that the domain name will end in .com. This is a terrible mistake. As I have written before, where you register your domain name may land you in jail. The US has used the fact that a US-based company acts as the administrator for all .com domains to claim jurisdiction over all websites ending in .com, regardless of where the actual website is located. Here is the good news." Continue reading →

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Los Angeles sheriff gives comedian award for racially-motivated routine

"The sheriff for Los Angeles County is facing criticism for presenting an award to a comedian who told a series of racially-motivated jokes at a luncheon held Wednesday, leaving some in the crowd feeling very uncomfortable. About 600-700 people were present for Wednesday’s lunch, put on by the Peace Officers Association of Los Angeles County, according to The LA Times. Officers in full uniform were roaring with laughter during the lunch as comedian Edwin San Juan cracked racially-motivated jokes spiked with sexually explicit language and ethnic slurs targeting African-Americans and people of Asian descent." Continue reading →

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