Irony

Kafka’s America: Secret Courts, Secret Laws, and Total Surveillance

"A mechanism to protect the American people from unwarranted government surveillance became instead a bureaucratic mechanism to rubber stamp government applications for surveillance. The Court is structured such that applications for surveillance are rarely ever denied. If a judge were to reject an application, that judge would have to immediately write a report detailing every reason for the rejection, then transmit the report to a 3-person court of review. If that court finds that the application was properly denied, it must also write a report, which is then subject to a writ of certiorari by the Supreme Court. No reviews are necessary if an application is granted." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingKafka’s America: Secret Courts, Secret Laws, and Total Surveillance

Obama Flashback: “We Refused to Let Detroit Go Bankrupt”

"In October of 2012, President Barack Obama triumphantly declared he 'refused to throw in the town' and 'let Detroit go bankrupt.' On July 18, 2013, Detroit went bankrupt. 'We refused to throw in the towel and do nothing. We refused to let Detroit go bankrupt. We bet on American workers and American ingenuity, and three years later, that bet is paying off in a big way,' Obama said in his weekly address. To be fair, it seems that Obama was touting Detroit of an example of how his administration 'saved' the automobile industry. Clearly though, this administration’s big government policies were still not enough to save the city from economic ruin." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingObama Flashback: “We Refused to Let Detroit Go Bankrupt”

Venezuelan minister: Facebook users unwittingly work as CIA informants

"A government minister in Venezuela, which has offered fugitive US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden asylum, is urging her countrymen to cancel their Facebook accounts lest they be targeted by US snooping. 'Fellow Venezuelans: cancel your Facebook accounts, since you unwittingly have worked as CIA informants! Look at the Snowden case!' prisons minister Maria Iris Varela said in a Twitter posting. Varela also said victims of 'gringo espionage' should file lawsuits to demand 'fair compensation' and bankrupt the US government." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingVenezuelan minister: Facebook users unwittingly work as CIA informants

America celebrates 4th of July under ‘unprecedented’ security

"People across the United States gathered on Thursday for parades, picnics and fireworks at Independence Day celebrations, held under unprecedented security following the Boston Marathon bombings. Spectators waving U.S. flags and wearing red, white and blue headed for public gatherings in Boston, New York, Washington, Atlanta and other cities under the close watch of police armed with hand-held chemical detectors, radiation scanners and camera surveillance, precautions sparked by the deadly April 15 bombings. A U.S. national security official said on Wednesday that U.S. intelligence agencies were unaware of any attack threat." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAmerica celebrates 4th of July under ‘unprecedented’ security

Rafael Correa says Ecuador helped Edward Snowden by mistake

"Ecuador is not considering Edward Snowden’s asylum request and never intended to facilitate his flight from Hong Kong, president Rafael Correa said. Snowden was Russia’s responsibility and would have to reach Ecuadorean territory before the country would consider any asylum request, the president said. The president, speaking to the Guardian at the presidential palace in Quito, said his government did not intentionally help Snowden travel from Hong Kong to Moscow with a temporary travel pass. 'It was a mistake on our part,' he added, clashing with expressions of gratitude the 30-year-old fugitive issued hours later, before Correa’s views had been published." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRafael Correa says Ecuador helped Edward Snowden by mistake

Putin says Snowden should stop harming ‘our American partners’

"President Vladimir Putin made starkly clear on Monday that Edward Snowden was not welcome in Russia, and voiced solidarity with the United States over the fugitive former U.S. spy agency contactor. However, Putin repeated that Russia had no intention of handing the American over to the United States, which wants him on espionage charges. For the second time in a week, he said Russian intelligence agencies were not working with Snowden and urged him to leave as soon as possible. 'If he wants to go away somewhere and someone will accept him there, by all means,' Putin said." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPutin says Snowden should stop harming ‘our American partners’

Putin says Snowden should stop harming ‘our American partners’

"President Vladimir Putin made starkly clear on Monday that Edward Snowden was not welcome in Russia, and voiced solidarity with the United States over the fugitive former U.S. spy agency contactor. However, Putin repeated that Russia had no intention of handing the American over to the United States, which wants him on espionage charges. For the second time in a week, he said Russian intelligence agencies were not working with Snowden and urged him to leave as soon as possible. 'If he wants to go away somewhere and someone will accept him there, by all means,' Putin said." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPutin says Snowden should stop harming ‘our American partners’

Pittsburgh police relations meeting ends with white officer arresting black teacher

"Officer Gromek handcuffed Henderson and an associate, freelance photographer Rossano Stewart, and forced them to sit on the ground. By that time, others attending the Community Empowerment Association meeting had come outside to witness the confrontation. Gromek then decided that the growing number of people posed a danger to his safety and called for backup. 'It was threatening to us, 15 police cars, four dogs, hands on the mace, hands on the guns,' Community Empowerment Association CEO Rashad Byrdsong told KDKA. 'We were the ones in fear of our life, not them.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPittsburgh police relations meeting ends with white officer arresting black teacher

India central bank red flags ‘virtual currency’

"The Reserve Bank of India has expressed concern over the rise of 'virtual currencies' which are the likes of bitcoin. Virtual currencies or crypto currencies have also come under the focus of the police. In its financial stability report, RBI has for the first time raised the issue of virtual currency in India. 'The unregulated link between virtual currency (if permitted), and traditional currency with a legal tender status poses challenges as the complete control over the differently denominated virtual currency is given to its issuer, who governs the scheme and manages the supply of money at will,' RBI said." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIndia central bank red flags ‘virtual currency’

Bloomberg anti-gun group apologizes for calling alleged Boston bomber, shot by police, a ‘victim’

"A gun control group founded by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg apologized Wednesday for mistakenly including one of the alleged Boston marathon bombers in a list of people killed by gun violence since the massacre in Newtown, Connecticut. That list was delivered to Sen. Kelly Ayotte’s (R-NH) office amid a protest organized by Mayors Against Illegal Guns, which targeted the New Hampshire Republican for her vote against gun control regulations proposed by the White House. Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed in an April shootout with police." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBloomberg anti-gun group apologizes for calling alleged Boston bomber, shot by police, a ‘victim’