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Father of foster child who died after being seized by state over marijuana speaks out

"Alex was living with foster parents after DFPS removed her from her parents' home last November for 'neglectful supervision.' Hill admits they were smoking pot when their daughter was asleep. 'We never hurt our daughter. She was never sick, she was never in the hospital, and she never had any issues until she went into state care.' For two months, Alex was placed in a home that Hill says was dangerous. 'She would come to visitation with bruises on her, and mold and mildew in her bag. It got to a point where I actually told CPS that they would have to have me arrested because I wouldn't let her go back.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFather of foster child who died after being seized by state over marijuana speaks out

Mexican cartels hiring US soldiers as hit men

"Mexican cartels are recruiting hit men from the U.S. military, offering big money to highly-trained soldiers to carry out contract killings and potentially share their skills with gangsters south of the border. The involvement of three American soldiers in separate incidents underscore a problem the U.S. military has fought hard to address. Using American servicemen could make it easier to carry out a murder in the U.S. since they can more easily move across the border. And the lure of quick money has proven tempting for theses soldiers given the dismal military pay scale." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMexican cartels hiring US soldiers as hit men

NSA pays £100m in secret funding for GCHQ

"The US government has paid at least £100m to the UK spy agency GCHQ over the last three years to secure access to and influence over Britain's intelligence gathering programmes. The top secret payments are set out in documents which make clear that the Americans expect a return on the investment, and that GCHQ has to work hard to meet their demands. 'GCHQ must pull its weight and be seen to pull its weight,' a GCHQ strategy briefing said. It will raise fears about the hold Washington has over the UK's biggest and most important intelligence agency, and whether Britain's dependency on the NSA has become too great." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNSA pays £100m in secret funding for GCHQ

Mayor Bloomberg blames Virginia for many of New York’s gun crimes

"New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg blames Virginia and several other southern state’s for the Big Apple’s gun crimes — so now he’s set his Mayors Against Illegal Guns’ sights on the Deep South for a Second Amendment crackdown. His chief of staff, John Feinblatt, said if states like Virginia only implemented common-sense provisions, then violent crime rates would fall. Other states faulted by Mr. Feinblatt: South Carolina, for contributing 251 'crime guns' in 2011, he said. And Georgia, Alabama and Texas – all states that allow for online gun sales absent background checks." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMayor Bloomberg blames Virginia for many of New York’s gun crimes

Gun company displays largest-caliber rifle ever created with bullets that cost $40 a piece

"If you want to squeeze off a few rounds from a .905-caliber rifle, you'll need two things: muscles and cash. An Ohio-based gun company has developed the world's first .905-caliber rifle that - at .905 - is the highest-caliber rifle in the world. The rifle is the creation of SSK Industries and is essentially a shoulder-mounted cannon, with rounds that look like mini mortar shells. The rifle fires rounds about 2,100 feet per second with roughly 254,000 foot-pounds of muzzle energy. The gun also has 2,777 foot-pounds of recoil energy, which essentially makes it as powerful - and has about as much 'kick' - as firing 10 .30-6 rifles at the same time." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGun company displays largest-caliber rifle ever created with bullets that cost $40 a piece

Collapse of Potash Cartel Sends Shock Waves Worldwide

"Russia's Uralkali quit one of the world's two big potash cartels on Tuesday, heralding a price war for the key crop nutrient and pummeling the shares of companies that produce it. The break-up of the Belarusian Potash Company (BPC), a joint venture with Belarussian partner Belaruskali, leaves North America's Canpotex as the dominant potash export venture. It could lead to cancellations of projects by rivals as the industry weighs the effect of lower prices, but may bring better deals for farmers. 'It is as if Saudi Arabia decided to leave OPEC — oil prices would fall immediately,' said Dmitry Ryzhkov, equity sales trader at Renaissance Capital." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCollapse of Potash Cartel Sends Shock Waves Worldwide

China’s Spending on Renewable Energy May Total 1.8 Trillion Yuan

"China may invest another 2.3 trillion yuan in key energy-saving and emission-reducing projects, Xie Zhenhua, vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, said today at a conference in Beijing. The government aims to have 100 gigawatts of wind-power installed capacity and more than 35 gigawatts of solar power by 2015, Xie reiterated today. China’s targets have encouraged companies including China Petrochemical Corp., also known as Sinopec Group, to strengthen their commitment to protect the environment." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingChina’s Spending on Renewable Energy May Total 1.8 Trillion Yuan

When ‘Smart Homes’ Get Hacked: I Haunted A Complete Stranger’s House Via The Internet

"Due to Insteon not requiring user names and passwords by default in a now-discontinued product, I was able to click on the links, giving me the ability to turn these people’s homes into haunted houses, energy-consumption nightmares, or even robbery targets. Opening a garage door could make a house ripe for actual physical intrusion. Thomas Hatley’s home was one of eight that I was able to access. Sensitive information was revealed – not just what appliances and devices people had, but their time zone (along with the closest major city to their home), IP addresses and even the name of a child." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWhen ‘Smart Homes’ Get Hacked: I Haunted A Complete Stranger’s House Via The Internet

Zimmerman prosecution staffer files whistleblower suit over testimony on unreleased evidence

"A former employee of Florida State Attorney Angela Corey’s office is suing the prosecutor, claiming he was illegally fired after he testified on behalf of George Zimmerman, who was acquitted in the death of black teenager Trayvon Martin. Kruidbos was fired after testifying at a pre-trial hearing on June 6 that he believed prosecutors had failed to turn over to the defense, as required by evidence-sharing laws, potentially embarrassing evidence extracted from Martin’s cell phone." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingZimmerman prosecution staffer files whistleblower suit over testimony on unreleased evidence