Land Of The Flea

Zimmerman protesters raid LA store, stop freeway

"More than 300 officers were called to the scene and were at first slow to directly engage protesters in an attempt to allow a peaceful end to the demonstration. A smaller group of between 100 and 150 people splintered off and began blocking traffic on nearby Crenshaw Boulevard, some of them jumping on cars and breaking windows at liquor stores and fast food outlets. Several protesters ran into a Wal-Mart store, where they knocked down displays before store security chased them out, and police began guarding the door. TV news helicopters showed some people kicking and punching others along the street, including two people sitting on a bus bench." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingZimmerman protesters raid LA store, stop freeway

Subsidized Food Programs: 100 Million Americans

"You may have heard that 47 million Americans are on food stamps, or as they call it these days, SNAP: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. What about subsidized lunches for children? Add 32 million. What about school breakfast programs? What about WIC — Women, Infants, and Children? Don’t forget snacks at day care centers. Then there is the Special Milk Program for schools and a Summer Food Service Program. When schools close, the subsidies still flow. But the small farmer, in whose name the farm subsidy programs exist, disappeared after World War II. Only 2% of Americans live on farms. Then who wins? Agribusiness." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSubsidized Food Programs: 100 Million Americans

Subsidized Food Programs: 100 Million Americans

"You may have heard that 47 million Americans are on food stamps, or as they call it these days, SNAP: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. What about subsidized lunches for children? Add 32 million. What about school breakfast programs? What about WIC — Women, Infants, and Children? Don’t forget snacks at day care centers. Then there is the Special Milk Program for schools and a Summer Food Service Program. When schools close, the subsidies still flow. But the small farmer, in whose name the farm subsidy programs exist, disappeared after World War II. Only 2% of Americans live on farms. Then who wins? Agribusiness." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSubsidized Food Programs: 100 Million Americans

Crushing the Middle Class

"The policies of central banks, combined with those of overbearing government, are crushing the middle class and with them the single most important bastion of democracy. Students of history recognize this trend as dangerous. People who believe that society offers no hope of improvement are often willing to enlist in open class warfare and subscribe to the views of dangerous demagogues. Perhaps this is the direction that Washington, Brussels, and Tokyo want to go? We should take great efforts in spreading the word that freedom is good for everyone, not just the rich." Continue reading →

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Uncle Sam’s Growing Student Loan Portfolio

"The federal government used to subsidize student borrowing not only by providing loans directly to students, but also by guaranteeing many private loans. In 2009, however, Congress eliminated private guarantees and dramatically expanded direct federal lending. The government’s portfolio of student loans has since increased from about $90 billion at the start of fiscal 2008 to more than $560 billion today. As a result, the government’s financial investments now total about $1.1 trillion, essentially all of which was financed by borrowing. The debt supporting Uncle Sam’s investment portfolio thus accounts for almost 10 percent of the $11.9 trillion in public debt." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUncle Sam’s Growing Student Loan Portfolio

Nevada Supreme Court Overturns Traffic Stop From Questionable Cop

"The Nevada Supreme Court on Wednesday threw out a traffic stop performed by a state trooper caught lying in a job application in a way that 'would have been enough to result in his termination.' As he ran a check on Beckman's license and registration, Trooper Pickers told his partner that he suspected criminal activity because there were fingerprints on the trunk of Beckman's car. He asked for a drug dog to be sent out. Before Beckman could leave, Trooper Pickers asked him whether he could search his vehicle. Beckman refused, so he was told he was no longer free to leave and that he would have to wait for the drug dog to arrive." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNevada Supreme Court Overturns Traffic Stop From Questionable Cop

Mission KS Police Take Down, Cavity Search Mom In Front Of Children

"After nearly two months of being told repeatedly by the Mission police that there was no dash-cam video, here it is! It's a MIRACLE we even got it. The officers in the video are Michelle Pierce & Officer Tim Gift. Special appearance by the bald-headed officer who is NOT named nor even mentioned as being on the scene in the police reports. This officer is the one who was threatening my wife with having CPS take our two youngest daughters away." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMission KS Police Take Down, Cavity Search Mom In Front Of Children

Semi-Automatic Rifle Reporting Mandated in (Mexican) Border States

"The Obama Administration now requires gun dealers in states bordering on Mexico to report anyone who buys two semi-automatic rifles in a week’s time. A panel of three federal judges has upheld this. Gun dealers in these states are affected: Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and California. The official explanation? It’s to keep guns from flowing into Mexico. The government has no similar plan for gun dealers in states on the Canadian border. Where is the ACLU on this one? Missing in action. Back when the Department of Justice ran its 'sell guns to drug lords' operation, called 'Fast and Furious,' there was no reporting required." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSemi-Automatic Rifle Reporting Mandated in (Mexican) Border States

Patients’ advocates ask Supreme Court to decide medical value of marijuana

"A group that advocates on behalf of medical marijuana patients has asked the nation’s highest court to decide whether marijuana is a dangerous drug with no medical value. Americans for Safe Access on Monday appealed a District of Columbia Circuit Court decision that upheld marijuana’s federal Schedule I status. In their appeal, ASA contends the D.C. Circuit Court was wrong to equate 'currently accepted medical use' with only FDA-approved studies. The D.C. Circuit Court also 'simply ignored that marijuana has an extremely low abuse potential relative to other controlled substances, despite having been presented voluminous evidence,' according to the appeal." Continue reading →

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For Bitcoin VCs, There’s No Sexier Word Than “Compliance”

"'There are few things scarier than the threat of the government turning off your [portfolio] business and that possibility 100 percent exists with bitcoin,' said Matthew Witheiler, principal at Flybridge Capital Partners, and one of the four investor panelists at the pitch event. 'The bitcoin companies that win will be the ones that play by the rules.' Andrew Chang, a partner at Liberty City Ventures, a VC firm that has created a dedicated bitcoin startup fund, said he is looking for startups that approach their business 'not necessarily as tech startups would approach it, but as financial institutions would.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFor Bitcoin VCs, There’s No Sexier Word Than “Compliance”