Land Of The Flea

SEC Bars Egan-Jones From Rating The US And Other Governments For 18 Months

"It is refreshing to see that the SEC has taken a much needed break from its daily escapades into midgetporn.xxx and is focusing on what is truly important, such as barring outspoken rating agency Egan-Jones from rating the US and other governments. From the SEC: 'EJR and Egan made a settlement offer that the Commission determined to accept. Under the settlement, EJR and Egan agreed to be barred for at least 18 months from rating asset-backed and government securities issuers as an NRSRO. EJR and Egan also agreed to correct the deficiencies found by SEC examiners in 2012." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSEC Bars Egan-Jones From Rating The US And Other Governments For 18 Months

Google reports ‘steady increase’ in gov’t requests for user data

"Google on Wednesday reported a 'steady increase' in government requests to hand over data from Internet users in the second half of 2012. The Web giant’s semiannual 'transparency report' showed the most requests came from the the United States, with 8,438 requests for information about 14,868 users. In releasing details of requests in the United States, Google said 68 percent of the requests it received from government entities were through subpoenas, which 'are the easiest to get because they typically don’t involve judges,' according to Salgado." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGoogle reports ‘steady increase’ in gov’t requests for user data

Library of Congress to archive Americans’ tweets

"The Library of Congress, repository of the world’s largest collection of books, has set for itself the enormous task of archiving something less weighty and far more ephemeral — Americans’ billions of tweets. The venerable US institution is assembling all of the 400 million tweets sent by Americans each day, in the belief that each of the mini-messages reflect a small but important part of the national narrative." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingLibrary of Congress to archive Americans’ tweets

65% See Gun Rights As Protection Against Tyranny

"The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 65% of American Adults think the purpose of the Second Amendment is to make sure that people are able to protect themselves from tyranny. Only 17% disagree, while another 18% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.) Not surprisingly, 72% of those with a gun in their family regard the Second Amendment as a protection against tyranny. However, even a majority (57%) of those without a gun in their home hold that view." Continue reading →

Continue Reading65% See Gun Rights As Protection Against Tyranny

The Pentagon Targets the “Far Right”

"A paper published by West Point’s Combatting Terrorism Center suggests that the Pentagon considers the Posse Comitatus Act to be a dead letter. The paper claims that people who 'espouse strong convictions regarding the federal government, believing it to be corrupt and tyrannical,' are potential terrorists akin to al-Qaeda. Similar assumptions were woven into a recent homeland security drill in Portsmouth, Ohio, in which elements of the Ohio National Guard’s 52nd Civil Support Unit play-acted an incident in which two school employees angered by the government’s crackdown on gun rights plotted a terrorist attack." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe Pentagon Targets the “Far Right”

Chinese Survivor Of Tiananmen Square Cautions Against Gun Control In America

"Massachusetts State House Firearms Rally 1/19/2013: This gentleman was kind enough to share his perspective on the second amendment and its importance in keeping us a free society. His perspective is like no other, as he has seen first hand the powerful fist of tyranny when allowed to act with impunity." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingChinese Survivor Of Tiananmen Square Cautions Against Gun Control In America

The Best American Cities for Economic Growth

"So, you want to live in a place that is likely to grow. You want to own a home there. You want to own 20 more in 20 years. Where should you move to? If you want a large city, you should move here. If you want a smaller city, you should move here. Are a lot of them in Texas? Of course. Does Texas have a state income tax? No. Is the weather good? Yes. Is real estate cheap? Yes. Are people armed? Yes." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe Best American Cities for Economic Growth

California Entrepreneurs And Angels Socked With Absurd Retroactive Tax

"For many years, California entrepreneurs and investors have taken advantage of the deduction. But now the state has apparently decided that it no longer needs to encourage entrepreneurs to start and keep their companies in California. So it is eliminating the tax deduction. Far more startling, the state is eliminating the deduction retroactively--going all the back to 2008. In other words, anyone who sold their California company in the past 5 years and took advantage of the tax deduction is now going to have to pay the tax. With interest!" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCalifornia Entrepreneurs And Angels Socked With Absurd Retroactive Tax

New tax to fund Obamacare could leave American expats in Canada owing Uncle Sam

"Americans will be subject to a new 3.8 per cent tax on investment income that kicks in this year to help pay for the government's new healthcare program, known as Obamacare. Lawyer Kevyn Nightingale, a Toronto-based U.S. tax expert, estimated tens of thousands of Americans living in Canada could be affected by the new tax and find themselves owing money for the first time. The problem, the Globe said, is that unlike rules that allow expats to claim credits for taxes they've paid in the countries where they live, they can't offset this new tax." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNew tax to fund Obamacare could leave American expats in Canada owing Uncle Sam