Land Of The Flea

Six ways Congress may reform NSA snooping

"The narrow 205-217 vote showed that there is significant support in Congress to reform NSA surveillance programs. Here are six other legislative proposals on the table. 1) Raise the standard for what records are considered 'relevant'; 2) Require NSA analysts to obtain court approval before searching metadata; 3) Declassify Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court opinions; 4) Change the way Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court judges are appointed; 5) Appoint a public advocate to argue before the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court; 6) End phone metadata collection on constitutional grounds." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSix ways Congress may reform NSA snooping

House leaders defend voting against bill to rein in NSA spying

"Republican and Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives defended their support for a spy program that sweeps up vast amounts of electronic communications after it survived a surprisingly close vote a day earlier. Although Speaker John Boehner said he was glad the House had the debate, he was unapologetic about his vote, echoing the contention of the Obama administration and intelligence chiefs that the NSA program was essential for national security. Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat in the House, who voted against the amendment, said Democrats voted on both sides of the resolution, but 'stand together' in their concerns about the program." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHouse leaders defend voting against bill to rein in NSA spying

Congressman Holt pushes to abolish Patriot Act he voted for in 2001

"Representative Rush Holt (D-NJ) crafted new legislation that would abolish the Patriot Act, and on Thursday the congressman introduced the bill known as HR-2818 to the House that would do just that. The Surveillance State Repeal Act is aimed to undo not only the Patriot Act but also the parts of the 2008 amendment to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that gives the government the power to have backdoor access to online electronic devices. Rush Holt joins us with more on why he regrets passing the Patriot Act and what he hopes will change." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCongressman Holt pushes to abolish Patriot Act he voted for in 2001

Feds tell Web firms to turn over user account passwords

"The U.S. government has demanded that major Internet companies divulge users' stored passwords, according to two industry sources familiar with these orders, which represent an escalation in surveillance techniques that has not previously been disclosed. If the government is able to determine a person's password, which is typically stored in encrypted form, the credential could be used to log in to an account to peruse confidential correspondence or even impersonate the user. Obtaining it also would aid in deciphering encrypted devices in situations where passwords are reused." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFeds tell Web firms to turn over user account passwords

Pepper-Spray Lieutenant Appealing For Worker’s Comp

"The former police lieutenant who became the target of worldwide ire after dousing Occupy UC Davis protesters with pepper spray, John Pike, is appealing for worker’s compensation, claiming psychiatric injury caused by the Nov. 18, 2011, incident. Pike ceased to be a UCD employee in July 2012. He remains entitled to retirement credit for his years of service, a UCD spokesperson said at the time, but he was to receive no other payout. If Pike receives disability benefits, it will cover income, health and other benefits until he turns 65. Pike, whose annual salary was $121,680, remained on paid leave for eight months while the pepper-spraying was investigated." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPepper-Spray Lieutenant Appealing For Worker’s Comp

Feds vs. Raisins: Small Farmers Stand Up to the USDA

"It's called an agriculture marketing order. Depression-era regulations meant to stabilize crop prices endanger the livelihoods of small farmers across the country, but the raisin marketing order is particularly egregious. An elected board of bureaucrats known as the Raisin Administrative Committee decides what the proper yield should be in any given year in order to meet a previously decided-upon price. Once they can estimate the size of the year's harvest, they force every farmer to surrender a percentage of their crop to raisin packers like Sun-Maid." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFeds vs. Raisins: Small Farmers Stand Up to the USDA

Military estimates 500 sexual assaults per week

"Recent congressional hearings featured generals promising change and outlining programs created to fix the issues, but those in this military community say that's not enough to solve the problem. For the past 20 years, the military has confronted periodic sexual harassment and assault scandals, and reports show the problems have gotten worse. Ten years ago, 12% of the Air Force Academy's female graduating class said they had been sexually assaulted, and 70% said they had been sexually harassed. Last year, the Pentagon estimated that about 500 men and women were assaulted each week." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMilitary estimates 500 sexual assaults per week

Los Angeles sheriff gives comedian award for racially-motivated routine

"The sheriff for Los Angeles County is facing criticism for presenting an award to a comedian who told a series of racially-motivated jokes at a luncheon held Wednesday, leaving some in the crowd feeling very uncomfortable. About 600-700 people were present for Wednesday’s lunch, put on by the Peace Officers Association of Los Angeles County, according to The LA Times. Officers in full uniform were roaring with laughter during the lunch as comedian Edwin San Juan cracked racially-motivated jokes spiked with sexually explicit language and ethnic slurs targeting African-Americans and people of Asian descent." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingLos Angeles sheriff gives comedian award for racially-motivated routine

Who Owns Congress? The NSA or the FED?

"What did it tell Congress? It did not have to tell Congress anything. Congress knows who has the phone data of every member of Congress. But what about 'We, the people?' Them, too. Then who owns Congress? The NSA spies on the FED. It can blackmail any FED official at any time -- just as it can blackmail any member of Congress. Yes, the FED can cut off the government's money. Maybe Congress will then cut off the NSA's funding. But it never has in the past. So, the Federal Reserve is not the owner of Congress. It merely holds a long-term sublease through a lease arrangement from the NSA." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWho Owns Congress? The NSA or the FED?

Unusual Cremation Not Limited to Michael Hastings

"Something of the same sort of cremation occurred in a mysterious shoot down of a helicopter in Afghanistan that resulted in the deaths of 30 Americans, including Seal Team 6 members that took part in the raid on Osama Bin Laden's residence. The Pentagon told the families that all the bodies were cremated due to the fact that they were badly burned in the crash. However, pictures have emerged that show some deceased SEALs without bad burns. The Pentagon also claims that, despite recovering all the bodies of those killed, the helicopter’s black box was washed away in a flash flood." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUnusual Cremation Not Limited to Michael Hastings