Police State

Phoenix Police Helicopter responds to a photographer asserting rights

"The PPD officer who initiated the contact tried to disarm me right off the bat. (I was open carrying my 1911 in a holster on my right hip). He was unsuccessful as I stood my ground and stated that I do not consent in seizures. Now I know I could have just kept my mouth shut and not played along with their game and not answered any of their questions, but I guess I have to admit it was kind of fun, as you can tell from some of my answers to the PPD questions. Nothing dramatic ever really happened but I must say they sure did have one hell of a show of force with 15+ officers and an Air unit." Continue reading →

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Will Disney Soon Be Able to Break into Computers… Legally?

"Something called The IP Commission Report (subtitled A Report Of The Commission On The Theft Of American Intellectual Property) just crossed my desk. This new and very impressively produced report, authored by seven sets of hyper-impressive credentials, informs Congress that they should change US laws to go far, far beyond anything that has been authorized previously. On page 6, (by the report’s internal numbering), we get a bit of an overture – a foretaste of what’s to come. It says this: 'Companies that experience cyber theft ought to be able to retrieve their electronic files or prevent the exploitation of their stolen information.'" Continue reading →

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Another US encrypted email service, founded by PGP inventor, also shuts down

"Later on Thursday, an executive with a better-known provider of secure email said his company had also shut down that service. Jon Callas, co-founder of Silent Circle Inc, said on Twitter and in a blog post that Silent Circle had ended Silent Mail. 'We see the writing the wall, and we have decided that it is best for us to shut down Silent Mail now. We have not received subpoenas, warrants, security letters, or anything else by any government, and this is why we are acting now,' Mr Callas wrote. Silent Circle, co-founded by the PGP cryptography inventor Phil Zimmermann, will continue to offer secure texting and secure phone calls." Continue reading →

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Criminal defense lawyers demand access to secret DEA evidence

"Criminal defense lawyers are challenging a U.S. government practice of hiding the tips that led to some drug investigations, information that the lawyers say is essential to fair trials in U.S. courts. The practice of creating an alternate investigative trail to hide how a case began – what federal agents call 'parallel construction' – has never been thoroughly tested in court. Defense lawyers said that by hiding the existence of the information, the government is violating a defendant’s constitutional right to view potentially exculpatory evidence that suggests witness bias, entrapment or innocence." Continue reading →

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Snowden’s Email Provider Shuts Down

"I have been forced to make a difficult decision: to become complicit in crimes against the American people or walk away from nearly ten years of hard work by shutting down Lavabit. After significant soul searching, I have decided to suspend operations. I wish that I could legally share with you the events that led to my decision. I cannot. [..] This experience has taught me one very important lesson: without congressional action or a strong judicial precedent, I would _strongly_ recommend against anyone trusting their private data to a company with physical ties to the United States. Sincerely, Ladar Levison Owner and Operator, Lavabit LLC" Continue reading →

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17-year-old tased to death by Miami cops after spray-painting abandoned McDonald’s

"Miami Beach Police Chief Ray Martinez told The Miami Herald that Israel Hernandez-Llach — who was known as 'Reefa' in the local graffiti and skateboarding scene — began running when officers confronted him about 'tagging' an abandoned McDonald’s. 'The officers were forced to use the Taser to avoid a physical incident,' Martinez explained. Hernandez-Llach collapsed after being hit once in the chest. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital and later died. One witness told WFOR that police were 'congratulating' each other and 'making fun' of Hernandez-Llach after he was shocked by the Taser." Continue reading →

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Get My FBI File (Because If You Don’t Ask, You’ll Never Know)

"Do you have an FBI file? You might! Many people do. So let's talk about your past. Did you ... ever participate in a civil rights march? How about a Vietnam war protest? ...ever sign an edgy political petition? ...ever know a guy named 'Joey the Horse?' (Ever help him take out any heavy garbage bags?) ...ever hang out with a third-world dictator, retired or present? This web site helps you generate the letters you need to send to the FBI to get a copy of your own FBI file. We can help you get your files from other 'three-letter agencies' (CIA, NSA, DIA, ...) too. It's quick, it's easy, and best of all, it's free! Just click on the green arrow to get started!" Continue reading →

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Andrew Napolitano: Domestic Spying Is Dangerous to Freedom

"How is it that the government can charge Edward Snowden with espionage for telling a journalist that the feds have been spying on all Americans and many of our allies, but the NSA itself can reveal secrets and do so with impunity? All of this happened in the dark, with the permission of President Obama, with the knowledge and consent of fewer than 20 members of Congress who were forbidden from doing anything about it by the laws they themselves had written, and based on secret legal arguments accepted by a secret court that keeps its records secret even from the judges who sit on the court." Continue reading →

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There Were Four Arrests For Every 100 Americans In 2011

"Arrests can be damaging, even if they never result in criminal charges. They generally go on your criminal record, which can be checked each time you apply for a job, housing, or credit. An arrest can also be a barrier to your ability to adopt, obtain some types of professional licenses, and obtain a visa or passport. And of course an arrest also comes with some social stigma. Suing for damages from a false arrest is extremely difficult. It's tough to even get in front of a jury, much less actually win a favorable verdict. Even then, litigation can take years, assuming you can find an attorney to take your case." Continue reading →

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American Cops Don’t Belong in Canada

"The United States protects, obsessively, their sovereignty. But here in Canada, armed American police officers will now be able to stop Canadians, in Canada, inspecting, checking and asking questions. Again, the Conservatives will tell us that an armed American cop in Canada is all about trade, jobs and security, not sovereignty. If this is true, then can we not expect to see Mounties stopping Americans on the Buffalo side? Harper did promise though that when he's done, we won't recognize Canada. Perhaps we can all reminiscence about that when stopped and questioned by an American police officer, in our own country." Continue reading →

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