Land Of The Flea

FBI admits to flying drones over US without warrants

"The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) says it has used drones for domestic surveillance purposes in the United States at least ten times without obtaining warrants. In three additional cases, drones were authorized but 'not actually used.' The bureau said that it would only be required to obtain a warrant to use a drone in cases for which a person 'would have a reasonable expectation of privacy.' The FBI stated that it has not yet needed to ask for a warrant, but that all requests for drone use must be reviewed by an agency lawyer and approved by a senior management official." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFBI admits to flying drones over US without warrants

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 →

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

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 →

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

The Manning Show Trial: These Teachable Moments

"I’m shocked — shocked! — that Colonel Denise Lind, the military judge who ruled in February that Bradley Manning could be tried on various charges even after being held prior to arraignment for more than five times the absolute longest time specified in the US Armed Forces’ 'speedy trial' rules, has now also ruled that Manning can be convicted of aiding an enemy that does not exist. Yes, you read that right: There’s only an 'enemy' to aid, in any legal sense, if the United States is at war, a state created by a congressional declaration. There’s been no such declaration since World War II. Lind had only one legal duty as judge in this case: To dismiss all charges." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe Manning Show Trial: These Teachable Moments

The Chilling Effects of License-Plate Location Tracking

"Location tracking has far-reaching implications for the way we live, even if we don't think we've done anything wrong. Our recent report, 'You Are Being Tracked,' shows that automatic license plate readers allow law enforcement to track every car on the road, not just those relevant to an investigation. This type of widespread tracking endangers our rights of protest and association and has the potential to reach deep into our lives and alter our daily decision making. Once your location information is collected and stored by a third party, you have lost control over it, and there is no way to know whose hands it will end up in." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe Chilling Effects of License-Plate Location Tracking

America’s best educated kids don’t go to school

"Brian Ray, president of the National Home Education Research Institute, compared home schoolers and public school students on the results of three standardized tests for the 2007-2008 academic year. With public school students at the 50th percentile, home schoolers were at the 89th percentile in reading, the 86th percentile in science, the 84th percentile in language, math, and social studies. Socio-economic factors may have a lot to do with why home schoolers do so much better. Virtually all have a mother and a father who are living together. Nearly two thirds of fathers and 62 percent of mothers have a bachelor’s degree or higher." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAmerica’s best educated kids don’t go to school

Big Marijuana lobby fights legalization efforts

"Medical marijuana is a billion-dollar industry — legal in 18 states, including California, Nevada, Oregon and Maine — and like any entrenched business, it’s fighting to keep what it has and shut competitors out. Dispensary owners, trade associations and groups representing the industry are deeply concerned — and in some cases actively fighting — ballot initiatives and legislation that could wreck their business model. That pits them against full legalization advocates, who have been hoping to play off wins at the ballot box last fall in Colorado and Washington state that installed among the most permissive pot laws in the world." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBig Marijuana lobby fights legalization efforts

Wisconsin town to charge parents $114 fine if child accused of bullying

"Parents in Madison, Wisconsin suburb of Monona will soon face fines if their kids are the subject of repeat complaints about schoolyard bullying. The local ordinance, passed by Monona officials on May 20, provides for a $114 fine within 90 days after a written notice about their child’s behavior. The fine increases to $177 for each repeat instance within one year of the first violation. Officials told the paper that the ordinance was not taken up in response to any specific problem children. The ordinance appears to be the first of its kind anywhere in the nation. It also covers cyber bullying through social media and text messaging." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWisconsin town to charge parents $114 fine if child accused of bullying

Fremont prison offers ‘quieter’ prison stay — for cash

"Perhaps money can’t buy you love. But in one Alameda County jail, it can buy you a comfier stay. The Fremont police department now offers a 'pay-to-stay' option for inmates who wish to stay in its facilities to avoid the rowdier county jails of Oakland or Dublin. For $155 a day, inmates ordered to short jail stints can opt to stay in the 'smaller, quieter' Fremont facility away from the county jail population, said Lt. Mark Devine, who oversees the program. Include the one-time fee of $45, and the cost is similar to that of a three-star hotel. The $10.6 million facility features an open community space with a large flat-screen HDTV and recreational tables with board games." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFremont prison offers ‘quieter’ prison stay — for cash

Banks shiver as UBS swallows $885 million U.S. fine

"UBS will pay $885 million in a settlement with a U.S. regulator over allegations the Swiss bank misrepresented mortgage-backed bonds during the housing bubble, paving the way for billions more to be paid by other banks. European and U.S. lenders such as Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank have set aside money to cover the cost of any losses arising from the dispute with the Federal Housing Finance Agency but estimates vary widely. The Swiss bank is the third to settle, after Citigroup and General Electric did so for undisclosed sums." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBanks shiver as UBS swallows $885 million U.S. fine