Kafkaesque

Julian Assange reveals government eavesdropping messages speculating he’s being framed

"Authorities at GCHQ, the government eavesdropping agency, are facing embarrassing revelations about internal correspondence in which Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is discussed, apparently including speculation that he is being framed by Swedish authorities seeking his extradition on rape allegations. A message from September 2012, read out by Assange, apparently says: 'They are trying to arrest him on suspicion of XYZ … It is definitely a fit-up… Their timings are too convenient right after Cablegate.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJulian Assange reveals government eavesdropping messages speculating he’s being framed

Is this Sandpoint, Idaho — or Soviet Russia?

"Rita Hutchens is a 57-year-old quilt artist from Sandpoint, Idaho. Until two years ago, she had never experienced trouble with the police. After checking on a rental property, Rita was followed home by an officer who assaulted her and arrested her without cause. The resisting and obstructing charge against Rita was thrown out of court by a judge who recognized that there was no legal cause for the police officer to be on Rita’s property or lay hands on her. She is now enduring a campaign of undisguised harassment and persecution from city and county officials that has included a midnight police raid on her home and an order that she undergo a psychiatric evaluation." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIs this Sandpoint, Idaho — or Soviet Russia?

Lauryn Hill Ordered by the Court to Undergo “Counseling” Due to her “Conspiracy Theories”

"The name of Lauryn Hill’s breakout album was The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill but it now appears that the powers that be would like her to record a new album called The Re-Education of Lauryn Hill. After appearing in court for tax evasion, Hill was sentenced to three months in jail PLUS she must attend 'counseling' due to her 'conspiracy theories'. As American society turns into a real life version of the novel 1984, speaking the truth is increasingly considered to be a mental illness – one that needs to be treated and fixed. Does free speech still exist if saying the wrong words leads to a mandatory visit to a 'mind doctor'?" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingLauryn Hill Ordered by the Court to Undergo “Counseling” Due to her “Conspiracy Theories”

Arizona Man Winds Up Jailed, Unemployed and Homeless After Photographing Courthouse

"He snapped photos of the Arizona State Capitol and the Sandra Day O’Connor United States Courthouse, two of the city’s most picturesque buildings. He continued walking when he noticed he was being followed by a Phoenix police patrol car. Before he knew it, he was being followed by an additional two marked cars as well as an unmarked car, not to mention a cop on foot. Before he knew it, he was handcuffed and sitting in an interrogation room at the Phoenix Police Department, fielding questions from an FBI agent and a police detective named Darren Emfinger from the Joint Terrorism Task Force as to what organizations he belonged to and what types of books he reads." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingArizona Man Winds Up Jailed, Unemployed and Homeless After Photographing Courthouse

TSA Pursues Administrative Trial Against Man Who Disrobed At Airport Checkpoint

"TSA was not amused by Mr. Brennan’s cooperation – it had ordered him to assume the position and endure fondling, not drop trou. In fact, it sicced the cops on this hero and is now trying to fine him. A court dismissed the charges of indecency against Mr. Brennan, but the TSA ludicrously insists that his extreme cooperation with its nonsense 'interfere[d] with screening’ (victims of its gate-rape can only hope it did). Mr. Brennan faces an administrative trial this week, which means that the TSA will hold a kangaroo hearing to decide whether he should pay it a fine of $11,000." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTSA Pursues Administrative Trial Against Man Who Disrobed At Airport Checkpoint

FBI releases April 2013 NICS report; January through April renunciations up by 78%

"The FBI released their latest report on Active Records in the NICS Index last Friday. NICS now contains the records of 21,823 persons who renounced U.S. citizenship under INA § 349(5) (or, theoretically, the wartime provisions of INA § 349(6)) and are thus barred from purchasing firearms in the United States. This is an increase of 319 records as compared to March 2013, and 1,169 records since December 2012. Since last year one additional un-American (or someone using the identity of one) attempted to purchase a gun and got caught during the background check, increasing the total number of denials to renunciants since the inception of the NICS system from 57 to 58." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFBI releases April 2013 NICS report; January through April renunciations up by 78%

Military Judge Took 4 Days To Determine Torture Is Legal

"Here is a gem on page 38 from Lt Col Diane Beaver, Staff judge Advocate for the man in charge of interrogation at Guantanamo: 'Concerning the use of techniques that technically were considered torture by the UCMJ that she approved. Her excuse was that she was only given 4 days to think about it, didn’t have access to much in terms of books or research, and wanted to get something in writing.'" Continue reading →

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Rules Aimed at Tax Evasion Abroad Trip Up Average Americans

"Many middle- and upper-middle-class Americans have found it more and more difficult to comply with requirements on reporting the existence and value of bank accounts overseas and to reconcile the taxes of different countries. At the same time, Americans from immigrant families who have bank accounts in their home countries that they may have overlooked are being swept up by the same laws used to ferret out millionaires and billionaires stashing money in secret Swiss accounts. The Internal Revenue Service has increased its examination of such accounts, lawyers said, with serious penalties for those who have not reported them." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRules Aimed at Tax Evasion Abroad Trip Up Average Americans

Man Found Innocent After 20 Years in Prison, But Sent Back Anyway

"A man who spent more than 20 years in a Nevada prison for a crime he didn't commit could be on the hook for three more crimes if the state of Florida has its way. After spending more than two decades behind bars for a murder he said he didn't commit, a Nevada court recently found Fred Steese is actually innocent of the crime. Instead of freedom, though, Steese remains in lock-up awaiting extradition to Florida. It seems the Sunshine State doesn't credit the time he has already served. He remains imprisoned on a hold from Florida for failing to report to his parole officer more than a quarter century ago." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMan Found Innocent After 20 Years in Prison, But Sent Back Anyway

Environmental activist re-jailed after writing blog post about prison conditions

"Environmental activist Daniel McGowan was taken back to prison on Thursday after he wrote a Huffington Post op-ed post while in a halfway house asserting that his fellow inmates were imprisoned for their religious or political beliefs. After publishing his op-ed, McGowan was then sent back to a high-security prison facility Thursday morning. His wife, Jenny Synan, told the Huffington Post, 'If this is indeed a case of retaliation for writing an article about the BOP retaliating against his free speech while he was in prison, it is more than ironic, it is an outrage.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingEnvironmental activist re-jailed after writing blog post about prison conditions