sound money

Debate intensifies over ‘draconian’ cyber crime laws after Aaron Swartz’s death

"As funeral services were held for Internet activist Aaron Swartz, the debate intensified over what some called a 'draconian' US computer crime law used by allegedly overzealous prosecutors. An online petition calling for the removal of the prosecutors in his case garnered more than 31,000 signatures Tuesday and some of Swartz’s supporters blamed a 1986 computer crimes statute for his suicide. Swartz, who was just 14 when he co-developed the RSS feeds that are now the norm for publishing frequent updates online and went on to help launch social news website Reddit, hanged himself in his New York apartment on Friday." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDebate intensifies over ‘draconian’ cyber crime laws after Aaron Swartz’s death

Glenn Greenwald: Carmen Ortiz and Stephen Heymann: accountability for prosecutorial abuse

"Prosecutors are vested with the extraordinary power to investigate, prosecute, bankrupt, and use the power of the state to imprison people for decades. The US has become a society in which political and financial elites systematically evade accountability for their bad acts, no matter how destructive. Those who torture, illegally eavesdrop, commit systemic financial fraud, even launder money for designated terrorists and drug dealers are all protected from criminal liability, while those who are powerless - or especially, as in Swartz's case, those who challenge power - are mercilessly punished for trivial transgressions." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGlenn Greenwald: Carmen Ortiz and Stephen Heymann: accountability for prosecutorial abuse

US Attorney files dismissal of Swartz’s case, refuses to comment on his death

"Despite Swartz’s family literally placing the blame for his death on the state, and both MIT and JSTOR releasing public statements that were largely positive in how they portrayed him, a spokesperson for Ortiz told the Los Angeles Times, 'We want to respect the privacy of the family and do not feel it is appropriate to comment on the case at this time.' After a year and a half of state harassment, the threat of over 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine hanging over Swartz’s head, after both JSTOR and MIT dropped their criminal charges, the government went after Swartz like a rabid dog – and got a kill." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUS Attorney files dismissal of Swartz’s case, refuses to comment on his death

“Gun Control for the Children?” Sorry, No Sale.

"It’s not difficult to see why politicians support 'gun control,' which is more accurately described as 'victim disarmament.' What predator wouldn’t prefer that its prey lack teeth or claws? In Barack Obama’s world, events like the Newtown massacre are a small price to pay for the uncontested ability to do wholesale what Adam Lanza did retail. What’s hard to understand is why we’ve put up with the predator for so long. In the 20th century alone, governments murdered in excess of 260 million people, and that’s an extremely low-end estimate." Continue reading →

Continue Reading“Gun Control for the Children?” Sorry, No Sale.

Former Chicago cop gets 19 years in Latin Kings case

"A former veteran Chicago police officer was sentenced to 19 years in prison Friday for stealing drugs, cash and guns for the Latin Kings street gang often while on-duty. Guerrero pleaded guilty in August to taking part in seven robberies or burglaries of Latin King rivals between 2004 and 2006 with Officer Antonio C. Martinez Jr. in Hammond, East Chicago and Highland. Martinez also pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFormer Chicago cop gets 19 years in Latin Kings case

Chicago committee to consider settling cop misconduct cases for nearly $33M

"The settlement in the Eilman case would avert a trial detailing the events of May 2006, when the then-21-year-old California woman was arrested at Midway Airport in the midst of a bipolar breakdown. She was held overnight and then released at sundown the next day without assistance several miles away in one of the city's highest-crime neighborhoods. Alone and bewildered by her surroundings, the former UCLA student was abducted and sexually assaulted before plummeting from a seventh-floor window. She survived but suffered a severe and permanent brain injury, a shattered pelvis, and numerous other broken bones and injuries." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingChicago committee to consider settling cop misconduct cases for nearly $33M

Study: Democracy in decline around the world

"Democracy around the world was in decline in 2012 for the seventh year in a row as the Arab Spring led nervous autocratic leaders to clamp down on any stirrings of dissent, a study said Wednesday. The annual report by the Freedom House non-governmental organization found 90 countries now enjoyed full freedom, up from 87 nations in 2011, but 27 places saw new restrictions on rights of assembly, expression, and the media." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingStudy: Democracy in decline around the world

Oregon sheriff writes Biden to say he won’t enforce new gun laws

"An Oregon sheriff wrote Vice President Joe Biden announcing his refusal to enforce any new gun safety legislation placing restriction on semi-automatic weaponry, saying they would 'infringe upon the liberties of responsible citizens who have broken no laws.' According to KOIN-TV, Linn County Sheriff Tim Mueller said he is unsure Biden will actually read the letter, in which he accuses lawmakers of 'attempting to exploit the deaths of innocent victims by advocating for laws that would prevent honest, law abiding Americans from possessing certain firearms and ammunition magazines.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingOregon sheriff writes Biden to say he won’t enforce new gun laws

Here’s The List of 23 Anti-Gun Executive Actions President Obama Announced Today

"Gun Violence Reduction Executive Actions. Today, the President is announcing that he and the Administration will: 1. Issue a Presidential Memorandum to require federal agencies to make relevant data available to the federal background check system. 2. Address unnecessary legal barriers, particularly relating to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, that may prevent states from making information available to the background check system..." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHere’s The List of 23 Anti-Gun Executive Actions President Obama Announced Today