for life and liberty

Edward Snowden granted refugee status in Russia, leaves airport

"Fugitive former U.S. spy agency contractor Edward Snowden slipped quietly out of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport on Thursday after Russia granted him temporary asylum, ending more than a month in limbo in the transit area.A Russian lawyer who has been assisting Snowden said the American, who is wanted in the United States for leaking details of secret government intelligence programmes, had gone to a secure location which would remain secret. After weeks staying out of sight from hordes of reporters desperate for a glimpse of him, Snowden managed to slip away in a taxi without being spotted." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingEdward Snowden granted refugee status in Russia, leaves airport

Think your password is secure from the NSA? Try this.

"Seven minutes. That’s how long it would take to crack one of the passwords I had been using for more than ten years, according to the crypto experts at Silent Circle. I’ve been using eight or ten different passwords for several years, some of them going back to my days as an intelligence officer. I had always thought they were secure– letters and numbers that I’ve been typing so long, they’re committed to muscle memory. But a few months ago when I signed up for my Silent Circle account, I was surprised to see the results when I tested one of my passwords against their crypto analysis tool. You can try it for yourself here." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThink your password is secure from the NSA? Try this.

Government releases declassified documents on NSA spying authorization

"The U.S. Director of National Intelligence released three declassified documents that authorized and explained the bulk collection of phone data, one of the secret surveillance programs revealed by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden. The declassification was made in the 'interest of increased transparency,' the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said in a statement. Much of what is contained in the documents has already been divulged in public hearings by intelligence officials as they sought to detail what was initially disclosed by Snowden." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGovernment releases declassified documents on NSA spying authorization

Report: TSA employee misconduct up 26% in 3 years

"The Transportation Security Administration is probably not going to top anyone's list of Favorite Federal Government Agencies. And the stories of its failures spread faster than a speeding jetliner: TSA officers stealing money from luggage, taking bribes from drug dealers, sleeping on the job. So it shouldn't come as any surprise that a new Government Accountability Office report, citing a 26% increase in misconduct among TSA employees between 2010 and 2012, is striking a nerve with some travelers who've had to endure the shoeless, beltless shuffle on the trip through security." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingReport: TSA employee misconduct up 26% in 3 years

ObamaCare Dropping Full-Timers at Schools, Local Governments

"School districts in states like Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Utah, Nebraska, and Indiana are dropping to part-time status school workers such as teacher aides, administrators, secretaries, bus drivers, gym teachers, coaches and cafeteria workers. Cities or counties in states like California, Indiana, Kansas, Texas, Michigan and Iowa are dropping to part-time status government workers such as librarians, secretaries, administrators, parks and recreation officials and public works officials. The federal law forces employers with at least 50 full-time workers to cover at least 60% of health-care costs for employees who work 30 hours or more per week." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingObamaCare Dropping Full-Timers at Schools, Local Governments

In Newtown, Gun Permits Surge After Shooting

"The number of people seeking permits to buy guns has surged in this town following the December massacre of schoolchildren by a local man, even as the parents of some victims had urged stricter weapons laws nationwide. Through July 24, more than 200 people in Newtown have received new local pistol permits, according to a review of local records, surpassing the 171 new permits issued for all of last year. Such permits are prerequisites for Connecticut permits that allow people to purchase and carry pistols as well as rifles or shotguns." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIn Newtown, Gun Permits Surge After Shooting

Unions: Obamacare Will ‘Destroy The Very Health and Wellbeing’ of Workers

"The Affordable Care Act has a new, high profile set of dissenters: Unions. The leaders of three major U.S. unions, including the highly influential Teamsters, have sent a scathing letter to Democratic leaders in Congress, warning that unless changes are made, President Obama’s health care reform plan will 'destroy the foundation of the 40 hour work week that is the backbone of the American middle class.' If that’s not bad enough, the Affordable Care Act, if not modified, will 'destroy the very health and wellbeing of our members along with millions of other hardworking Americans,' the letter says." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUnions: Obamacare Will ‘Destroy The Very Health and Wellbeing’ of Workers

Alabama’s becomes ‘shall issue’ concealed carry state

"Starting tomorrow, Aug. 1, Alabama’s new comprehensive gun law takes effect, which among other things will make the Heart of Dixie a ‘shall issue’ state as opposed to a ‘may issue’ state with respect to concealed carry and will allow law-abiding gun owners to store firearms in their vehicles while they’re at work. However, there’s way more to it than that and given the fact that there has been so much uncertainty about the new law and how it impacts gun owners, businesses, colleges, universities and the non-gun owning public, below is arguably the best explanation of the new law on the Web." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAlabama’s becomes ‘shall issue’ concealed carry state

Illinois medical marijuana bill to be signed Thursday

"Gov. Pat Quinn will sign a bill into law Thursday legalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes in Illinois at an event at the University of Chicago. For years, the measure had failed to gain traction at the Capitol, particularly in the House. But sponsoring Rep. Lou Lang, D-Skokie, was able to cobble together a simple majority in the spring to send the bill to the Senate, where a similar but less restrictive bill had passed in previous years. One reason Quinn said he was giving legalized pot more thought was that he was impressed by an injured military veteran who maintained marijuana provided him relief from war wounds." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIllinois medical marijuana bill to be signed Thursday