statism

In London, the next wave of Bitcoin growth will be led by startups and innovation

"At Bitcoin London this week, it was clear that it would be the next wave of innovative startups that might be able to eventually move Bitcoin from an experimental currency into a more mainstream financial force in London. The event highlighted some of the bigger Bitcoin startups, which have launched exchanges or apps, as well as newer players, like a Bitcoin conversion machine maker, which is looking to install its first box in the Fall. Britons in general seem more keen on Bitcoin and, for those that have heard of the cyber currency, 40 percent of them trust Bitcoin as much as British sterling, according to a recent survey. That’s compared to 16 percent in the U.S." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIn London, the next wave of Bitcoin growth will be led by startups and innovation

Missouri threatens return of gas chambers for death row inmates

"The state of Missouri is threatening to resurrect the use of the gas chamber for executions, as an alternative to its dwindling supply of lethal-injection drugs. Drugs companies in America, Europe and Asia have refused on ethical grounds to sell their products to corrections departments, and the European Commission has imposed tough restrictions on the export of anaesthetics to the US. As supplies became harder to procure, Missouri last year became the only state in the nation to turn to an execution protocol that used just one lethal injection, of the anaesthetic propofol in doses 15 times stronger than in usual surgical procedures." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMissouri threatens return of gas chambers for death row inmates

Edward Snowden’s leaks cause editorial split at the Washington Post

"It said: 'Stopping potentially damaging revelations or the dissemination of intelligence to adversaries should take precedence over US prosecution of Mr Snowden — which could enhance his status as a political martyr in the eyes of many both in and outside the United States.' And all this in the paper responsible for publishing Snowden’s leaks. Syndicated newspaper columnist David Sirota contends that the editorial 'represents the paper’s higher-ups issuing a jeremiad against their own news-generating source and, by extension, the reporters who helped bring his leak into the public sphere.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingEdward Snowden’s leaks cause editorial split at the Washington Post

More modern monarchs choose not to rule until death

"Belgian King Albert, 79, became the latest to announce he will abdicate his throne, a little over a week after the emir of Qatar Hamad ben Khalifa Al Thani stepped down in favour of his son — a first for an Arab country. The abdication of queen Beatrix of the Netherlands in April was not a complete surprise, as both her mother and grandmother before her voluntarily gave up their crowns. However a decision by Pope Benedict XVI to step down that same month stunned the world. He was the first to resign the papacy — an elected monarchy — in some 600 years." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMore modern monarchs choose not to rule until death

Virginia: $10 Million Red Light Camera Caught With Short Yellow

"One of the most profitable red light camera intersections in Virginia Beach, Virginia has been pulling in millions based from faulty engineering. The automated ticketing machine at the corner of Great Neck Road and Virginia Beach Boulevard generated $10 million worth of red light camera tickets, only to see profits tumble 64 percent when the yellow signal timing was extended by half-a-second in January. The longer yellows provide only partial relief, as the city and its for-profit vendor Redflex Traffic Systems of Australia have issued 92 percent of the tickets to drivers turning right on red in a perfectly safe manner." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingVirginia: $10 Million Red Light Camera Caught With Short Yellow

What Reasonable Person WOULDN’T Avoid the Cops?

"In 2000, the US Supreme Court ruled that warrantless narcotics checkpoints in Indiana were unconstitutional. Police in at least two states have responded by setting up fake checkpoints, and then stopping motorists who seek to avoid them. Police in Mayfield Heights, Ohio are now using the same tactic by placing 'Drug Checkpoint Ahead' signs in the express lanes of Interstate 271. Although such checkpoints are illegal, observes Professor Ric Simmons of Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law, lying about one is not, because police 'can lie to anybody.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWhat Reasonable Person WOULDN’T Avoid the Cops?

Want to Defend Your Privacy?

"We all have to accept the cold, hard fact of the matter, which is that this cat-and-mouse game is likely to be with us for a very long time. Those who believe they have the right to spy on us will develop ever more sophisticated ways of doing it. Those who believe we have a Constitutional right to privacy will fight tooth and nail to protect it. It's possible that the one side eventually will develop an unstoppable offense or that the other will come up with a defense that can't be breached. But that's not the way to bet. In the end, technology is completely neutral. It will evolve with no regard to how it is used. Expect those cats and mice to continue chasing each other." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWant to Defend Your Privacy?

Down With the Supremes

"The United States Supreme Court made a serious and harmful blunder in its decision in Association for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics, Inc. Their first holding was that a gene or portion of a gene extracted as a strand of DNA from a genome is not an invention, but something found in nature, and thus not patentable. So far, so good. Unfortunately, they erred in reaching their second holding, that a strand of cDNA, which is derived by a different process, and contains only a single gene, is patentable. This means that genes do, despite the headlines, remain patentable." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDown With the Supremes

Supreme Court rules generic drug makers cannot be held liable for defects

"The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Monday that makers of generic drugs already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cannot be held liable under state law for claims of design defects. In a 5-4 vote, the court ruled for Mutual Pharmaceutical Co, a unit of URL Pharma, owned by Sun Pharmaceutical Industries." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSupreme Court rules generic drug makers cannot be held liable for defects

Washington state pot regulators favor outdoor growth for environmental reasons

"The regulatory board overseeing marijuana legalization in Washington State is leaning toward allowing licensed growers to raise the drug outdoors, citing the much higher carbon footprint of indoor and greenhouse cultivation, board members said. The shift on cultivation rules underscores the degree to which the Washington State board is taking public feedback to heart, Chairwoman Sharon Foster said, and comes after the Seattle Times cited a 2012 study published in the journal Energy Policy saying that a kilogram of cannabis grown indoors requires the same amount of energy as 11 cross-country car trips." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWashington state pot regulators favor outdoor growth for environmental reasons