Resistance

Pentagon considers arming Syrian rebels again

"The United States is taking a fresh look at whether to provide weapons to Syria’s rebels after having rejected the idea previously, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Thursday. At a news conference with his British counterpart Philip Hammond, Hagel was asked if the US government was rethinking its opposition to arming the rebels and replied: 'Yes.' After the White House acknowledged last week that US intelligence agencies believe the Syrian regime may have used chemical weapons on a small-scale, speculation has mounted that President Barack Obama could reverse his opposition to arming the rebels." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPentagon considers arming Syrian rebels again

Suicide rate among the middle-aged rises sharply in U.S.

"Suicide rates among US adults aged 35-64 are on the rise — with more Americans now taking their lives than dying in car accidents, according to official statistics released Thursday. Motor vehicle accidents killed 33,687 people in 2010 — well below the 38,364 who died from suicide in the same year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. The spike in suicides was seen exclusively among US adults aged 35-64, who saw a 28 percent rise over the last decade, the CDC added. And the numbers were even more stark for those in their 50s, who saw a nearly 50 percent jump in suicide rates." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSuicide rate among the middle-aged rises sharply in U.S.

Yes, They Are Coming For People’s Guns in California

"The state will send dozens of new agents into California neighborhoods this summer to confiscate nearly 40,000 handguns and assault rifles from people barred by law from owning firearms, officials said Wednesday. The plan received the green light Wednesday, when Gov.Jerry Brown signed legislation providing $24 million to clear the backlog of weapons known to be in the hands of about 20,000 people who acquired them legally. They were later disqualified because of criminal convictions, restraining orders or serious mental illness." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingYes, They Are Coming For People’s Guns in California

Do You Want the Government Buying Your Data From Corporations?

"Our government collects a lot of information about us. Tax records, legal records, license records, records of government services received-- it's all in databases that are increasingly linked and correlated. Still, there's a lot of personal information the government can't collect. Either they're prohibited by law from asking without probable cause and a judicial order, or they simply have no cost-effective way to collect it. But the government has figured out how to get around the laws, and collect personal data that has been historically denied to them: ask corporate America for it." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDo You Want the Government Buying Your Data From Corporations?

Companies That Protect Your Data From the Prying Eyes of Government

"The winners, that is those who require a warrant before giving up information and who also inform you of government requests, are: Dropbox; Foursquare; LinkedIn; Sonic.net; SpiderOak; Twitter; WordPress. The companies that roll over and immediately give up information and also don't notify you that you are the subject of a government request: Amazon; Apple; AT&T; Comcast; MySpace; Verizon; Yahoo. Google and Microsoft require a warrant before they provide information about you, but don't notify you that you are the subject of a government request." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCompanies That Protect Your Data From the Prying Eyes of Government

Tiny Device Will Detect Domestic Drones

"A Washington, D.C.-based engineer is working on the 'Drone Shield,' a small, Wi-Fi-connected device that uses a microphone to detect a drone's 'acoustic signatures' (sound frequency and spectrum) when it's within range. The company's founder, John Franklin, who has been working in aerospace engineering for seven years, says he hopes to start selling the device sometime this year. He is using the Kickstarter-like IndieGoGo to finance the project. The device will cost $69 and will be about the size of a USB thumb drive. He says he imagines that people will attach the Drone Shield to their fences or roofs to protect their home from surveillance." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTiny Device Will Detect Domestic Drones

IRS Takes A Bite Out Of Bitcoin

"Bitcoin is virtual currency much in the news these days. It’s peer-to-peer so there’s no central bank or government. But if you think that means the IRS won’t get a piece, think again. The IRS already gets a piece where you swap one product or service for another, as the IRS explains at its Bartering Tax Center. Soon the IRS may have a Bitcoin Center too. The Treasury unit called FinCEN, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, already has rules about Bitcoin and the IRS is likely to follow. In the meantime, the tax rules seem pretty clear. If you provide services or sell goods for Bitcoin, you have income." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIRS Takes A Bite Out Of Bitcoin

Living On Bitcoin For A Week: The Journey Begins

"On Tuesday morning, I emptied my wallet of all of the cash and credit cards before I left my house. Many journalists have been writing about the mechanics of buying Bitcoin and the resulting heart palpitations as they watched the dramatic rises and falls in the digital currency’s worth over the last few weeks. But that’s just a story about gambling. My editor issued a different challenge to test the currency’s legitimacy: 'Don’t just buy Bitcoin. Live on it for a week.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingLiving On Bitcoin For A Week: The Journey Begins

Turkey Said to Sign Oil Deal With Kurds, Defying Baghdad

"Iraq’s Kurdish region has signed a landmark agreement with Turkey to supply it directly with oil and gas, two people familiar with the matter said. The accord was signed last month when Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Iraqi Kurdish Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani in Ankara. The Kurdish government will sell oil and gas directly to Turkey in a deal that so far has bypassed the Iraqi government in Baghdad, which has warned the Kurds not to sign separate energy accords. Turkey may also take the Kurdish government’s stake in concessions operated by Exxon Mobil Corp. on the enclave’s border with the rest of Iraq." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTurkey Said to Sign Oil Deal With Kurds, Defying Baghdad

Banking Crisis Awakens Hopes for Cyprus Reconciliation Between Turks and Greeks

"In 2008, when the Greek part of the island adopted the euro, the Turkish inhabitants of the northern part of the island felt duped. And, of course, this makes their schadenfreude regarding the southern part's current economic woes all the greater. 'With the referendum, the Greeks left us out in the cold. They wanted to profit from the euro by themselves,' says Efem Okiran, who runs a flower store in Gemikonagi. But now his neighbors can see what good that's done for them -- and where they've ended up. 'For 10 years, they made money thanks to the EU,' Okiran adds. 'And now they're supposed to bleed for 10 years.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBanking Crisis Awakens Hopes for Cyprus Reconciliation Between Turks and Greeks