Land Of The Flea

Phone companies earn big profits as Uncle Sam’s wiretapping merchants

"AT&T and Verizon are the two carriers making the most off this scheme, CBS notes, but others are getting in on the action as well. Verizon is particularly pricey, charging the government $775 to connect a wiretap, and another $500 every month it stays connected. AT&T comes in second with a $325 activation fee, along with a $10-a-day running tab. Smaller carriers like Cricket are said to charge around $250 per connection. Smaller fees were associated with text messages, but emails were largely given away for free." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPhone companies earn big profits as Uncle Sam’s wiretapping merchants

Will IRS Find Your Small Foreign Bank Account?

"FBAR penalties can be enormous, a civil penalty of $10,000 for each non-willful violation. If your violation is willful, the penalty is the greater of $100,000 or 50% of the amount in the account for each violation. Each year you didn’t file is a separate violation. Criminal penalties are even more frightening, including a fine of $250,000 and 5 years of imprisonment. If the FBAR violation occurs while violating another law (such as tax law, which it often will) the penalties are increased to $500,000 in fines and/or 10 years of imprisonment. Many violent felonies are punished less harshly." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWill IRS Find Your Small Foreign Bank Account?

EPA sues Oklahoma utility for failing to estimate emissions that did not occur

"The EPA claims that OG&E failed to estimate emissions that did not occur. They are suing OG&E in an effort to force the company 'to assess whether its projects were likely to result in a significant [GHG] emissions increase.' The EPA had no authority to regulate GHG emissions when the work was done (2003 & 2006). The work (on boilers and turbine blade replacements) caused no emissions increase." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingEPA sues Oklahoma utility for failing to estimate emissions that did not occur

The Shoes Keep on Dropping… What Next?

"All branches of the Federal Government have been complicit in the warrantless surveillance of U.S. residents since before World War II when FDR authorized wiretaps of individuals suspected of Nazi sympathies. With the passage of the National Security Act in 1952 and the establishment of the National Security Council, it became standard government practice. Only the rudimentary technology of the time limited its scope. Fear – now of terrorism and whatever other apprehension the government, particularly the executive, can stir up — continues as the principal determinant of 21st century government surveillance of its citizens." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe Shoes Keep on Dropping… What Next?

Revealed: How Microsoft handed the NSA access to encrypted messages

"Microsoft helped the NSA to circumvent its encryption to address concerns that the agency would be unable to intercept web chats on the new Outlook.com portal; [...]; The company worked with the FBI this year to allow the NSA easier access via Prism to its cloud storage service SkyDrive, which now has more than 250 million users worldwide; [...] Skype, which was bought by Microsoft in October 2011, worked with intelligence agencies last year to allow Prism to collect video of conversations as well as audio; Material collected through Prism is routinely shared with the FBI and CIA, with one NSA document describing the program as a 'team sport'." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRevealed: How Microsoft handed the NSA access to encrypted messages

America’s Corporate Tax System Ranks a Miserable 94 out of 100 Nations in “Tax Attractiveness”

"A couple of economists at a German think tank put together a 'tax attractiveness' ranking based on 16 different variables. The statutory tax rate is one of the measures, of course, but they also look at policies such as 'the taxation of dividends and capital gains, withholding taxes, the existence of a group taxation regime, loss offet provision, the double tax treaty network, thin capitalization rules, and controlled foreign company (CFC) rules.' The United Arab Emirates has one of the world’s most attractive corporate tax systems, notwithstanding having the highest corporate tax rate. Unfortunately, the United States remains mired near the bottom." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAmerica’s Corporate Tax System Ranks a Miserable 94 out of 100 Nations in “Tax Attractiveness”

Wal-Mart walks away from plans for 3 D.C. stores after ‘living wage’ law passes

"Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said it was scrapping plans to build three stores in Washington, D.C., after the city council passed a bill late Wednesday that would require big retailers to pay starting wages that are 50% higher than the city’s minimum wage. The bill requires retailers with corporate sales of $1 billion or more and with stores of at least 75,000 square feet to pay workers starting salaries of no less than $12.50 an hour. The city’s minimum wage is $8.25. The measure includes an exemption for unionized businesses and gives existing big stores, which include Target Corp. and Macy’s Inc., four years to comply." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWal-Mart walks away from plans for 3 D.C. stores after ‘living wage’ law passes

The astonishing collapse of work in America

"Both demand and supply factors are at play in this disheartening dynamic. On the demand side, it seems fairly clear that our contemporary economy is just not generating jobs and work as robustly as it did in the past---even the relatively recent past. This can be seen as a 'structural' problem. For on the supply side, it is apparent that there has been a major behavioral change in America, wherein a growing proportion of working-age Americans are checking out of paid labor altogether. Suffice it to say that not working at all is neither unthinkable nor unaffordable these days, even for adults in the prime of life." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe astonishing collapse of work in America

Justice Achieved: Coffee Mug Threat Is Halted by State Attorneys General.

"See this mug? Well, you won’t see it again. Even the thought of a coffee mug like this sends chills down the spines of state Attorneys General around America. They are ever on the alert to stop crime in its tracks. So, 22 of them joined together to send a letter to the company that manufactures this mug. Stop it, they said. Stop it right now. For the sake of humanity, cease and desist. So, the company stopped it. If we did not have socially alert Attorney Generals, elected by the voters, who are in charge of billions of dollars of legal talent, this nation would degenerate into a lawless cacophony of coffee mugs, glasses, coasters, and drink holders." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJustice Achieved: Coffee Mug Threat Is Halted by State Attorneys General.

Louisiana Drug Lifer Struggles For Freedom… Someday

"So what did Butler do to get life in 'the Alacatraz of the South'? Possession of small amounts of marijuana and crack cocaine found on him after police stopped and frisked him as he rode away from them on his bicycle. Last October 3, it appeared it had. On that date, the Louisiana 4th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned his conviction, ruling that New Orleans police officers 'illegally searched Butler and seized his drugs without probable cause.' The state Supreme Court then upheld the original life-without-parole sentence -- because he had ridden his bicycle on a sidewalk as he rode away from police!" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingLouisiana Drug Lifer Struggles For Freedom… Someday