Land Of The Flea

Lamassu: Bitcoin ATM Machine

"This is the Bitcoin Machine. Here's how it works: 1. Scan your Bitcoin QR code. 2. Insert cash. 3. You have bitcoins! Buy yourself something pretty. [..] Do I require a license or permit to operate the Bitcoin Machine? Some jurisdictions may have regulatory requirements (such as KYC/AML). We would advise to consult with an attorney prior to operating these machines. If you are located in the US, we require a signed due diligence questionnaire prior to shipping." Continue reading →

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The Myth of the Free-Market American Health Care System [2012]

"In 2009, according to these statistics, which come mostly from the OECD, U.S. government entities spent $3,795 per person on health care, compared to $3,100 per person in France. Note that these stats are for government expenditures; they exclude private-sector health spending. If anything, the U.S. figures understate government health spending, because they exclude the $300 billion a year we 'spend' through the tax code by making the purchase of employer-sponsored health insurance tax-exempt. So: if we measure by the dollar amount of government involvement in health spending, the French system is actually meaningfully freer." Continue reading →

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Why Are So Many People Choosing To Leave The United States Permanently?

"Traditionally, the American people have been some of the most patriotic people on the face of the planet. So why are we now seeing such an increase in the number of people choosing to leave the United States permanently? Well, the truth is that there are a whole host of reasons why people are losing faith in this country and are deciding to leave..." Continue reading →

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Life-saving transplant denied, health insurance canceled over 26-cent shortfall

"There was never any written notification that the payment was short. The Brancos weren’t told of the cancellation in writing until they received a letter dated July 2. Some time later, Paychex returned the $518 payment. Sergio Branco’s doctor also pleaded for help on their behalf. He advised the companies that Branco 'will most certainly die in the very near future if he does not proceed to transplant; therefore I am writing to request that every effort be made to reinstate his health care insurance coverage.' That didn’t help. Russell Reid and Paychex did nothing." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingLife-saving transplant denied, health insurance canceled over 26-cent shortfall

Critics question IRS cash-reporting initiative targeting small businesses

"Small business owners across the country are receiving letters from the IRS questioning if they are reporting all of their cash income, in a new push by the agency some are saying could unnecessarily create fear in the small business community. The Wall Street Journal reports the initiative is an attempt to respond to what the agency feels is a widespread failure by small businesses to report all their cash sales. The agency says the letters are not the same as an audit, and it is simply seeking more tax information from the businesses. However, some lawmakers and business owners who received the letters say the initiative is alarming." Continue reading →

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The Road to World Government, World Police, World Tyranny

"Here’s another incipient road to world police: the US Special Operations Command. At present, Special Forces and this command get a pass from the American public. In fact, any American force that can thwart an insurrection or rebellion in the US, even the nationally-controlled militia, is a huge obstacle to liberty. Admiral William McRaven, who heads USSOC, wants 'to establish a formal framework in which U.S. special operations forces (SOF), interagency partners and foreign allies join an alliance that promotes the sharing of intelligence, partner engagement, training and, if necessary, direct action.' It would be called the Global SOF Network." Continue reading →

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The Detroit (or New American) Yard Sale … Coming to a City Near You

"I can’t help but wonder what America’s auto barons like the Dodges, Firestones and especially Edsel and Eleanor Ford – whose donations and charitable support over the decades has created the cultural gem that is the Detroit Institute of Art – would think of their art being auctioned off to pay government debt. Will Disney one day own Yosemite National Park or Old Faithful? Will Six Flags own Mt. Rushmore? Will hedge funds buy up tracks of national forests and manage them like they would manage other timber assets? Those are legitimate questions, given a federal debt so large it cannot possibly ever be repaid." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe Detroit (or New American) Yard Sale … Coming to a City Near You

New York Mayor Bloomberg to appeal ruling that blocked stop-and-frisk policy

"New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Monday said he would appeal a federal judge’s ruling that the police department’s 'stop and frisk' crime-fighting tactics violate constitutional rights. Bloomberg remained firm in his argument that the practice drove down the city’s crime rate, saying, 'The possibility of being stopped acts as a vital deterrent.' His administration plans to ask for a stay of the judge’s order until the appeal is heard, officials told a press conference." Continue reading →

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Tennessee judge changes baby’s name after ruling it a conflict with her beliefs

"A baby named 'Messiah' must be renamed, according to a judge in Tennessee, because Messiah is a ‘earned’ title in the Judeo-Christian tradition. The mother, Jaleesa Martin of Newport, Tenn., is appealing the decision handed down by Child Support Magistrate Lu Ann Ballew, who renamed the 7-month-old child 'Martin DeShawn McCullough,' after the parents came to her in a dispute over the child’s last name, according to the Tennesseean. The new name includes both parent’s last names but leaves out Messiah, 'which is a title and it’s a title that has only been earned by one person and that one person is Jesus Christ,' Ballew said." Continue reading →

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Vigilante Detroit residents attack suspected rapist after police fail to act

"Residents in southwest Detroit took matters into their own hands after local police delayed prosecution on a suspected rape in their neighborhood. According to the Detroit Free Press, a group of residents twice attacked the unidentified 43-year-old man on Aug. 5, believing him to be responsible for raping a 15-year-old girl who has Down’s Syndrome, leaving him with wounds on his legs and head. No arrests have been made in either attack against the alleged rapist. The campaign against the man began online, with Facebook posts featuring a picture of the man and warnings like, 'The law better find this fool before the streets do.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingVigilante Detroit residents attack suspected rapist after police fail to act