statism

Suddenly, Banks Are Victims In Justice Department’s S&P Lawsuit

"Justice is not suing Warren Buffett's Moody's ratings service, even though Moody's rated many of these same deals, often with identical ratings. Are we supposed to believe that Moody's never suggested to anyone that it was independent and objective? Whether Team Obama would ever dare to sue a company in which St. Warren is invested, you don't have to be a cynic to wonder if the feds will first wait and see whether Moody's downgrades U.S. Treasury debt the way S&P did in 2011. The truth is that the damage occurred because the same government that's now suing S&P required financial institutions to use the ratings issued by S&P and the other raters." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSuddenly, Banks Are Victims In Justice Department’s S&P Lawsuit

Japan rejecting Osaka mayor’s view that ‘Comfort Women’ were ‘necessary’

"A large majority of Japanese people disagree with a high-profile politician who said women forced to provide sex during World War II were a military necessity, polls issued on Monday said. Up to 200,000 'comfort women' from Korea, China, the Philippines and elsewhere were forcibly drafted into brothels catering to the Japanese military during WWII, according to mainstream historians. Outspoken Osaka mayor Toru Hashimoto said last week these women served a 'necessary' role keeping soldiers in line, sparking outrage in China and South Korea and inviting US criticism." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJapan rejecting Osaka mayor’s view that ‘Comfort Women’ were ‘necessary’

San Francisco bacon restaurant forced to close over smell

"The owner of Bacon Bacon, an eatery that specialized in all things porcine, was forced to shut down this week over complaints by neighbors that it smelled too, well, bacon-y. Neighbors claimed they offered to buy owner Jim Angelus a new air filter to help remedy the issue but were shut down. However, the complaints did lead to the discovery that the restaurant also lacked proper health permits. Bacon Bacon may be able to secure those permits, but a hearing can't be held until July. So, until then, the restaurant must close. Angelus dismissed reports of illegal activity on the restaurant's Facebook page and said he plans to keep operating the restaurant's food truck." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSan Francisco bacon restaurant forced to close over smell

An open letter to marijuana prohibitionists and so-called third-way-ers

"I keep hearing from your side that you have noble motives for your opposition to marijuana legalization. I hear that all you care about is using scientific inquiry to determine what is best for the people. However, I’m not sure if you’re aware of it, but you keep talking about things in ways that aren’t scientific, or that are meaningless without the proper context. That kind of thing may have worked once, but in general, people are a little more sophisticated about scientific knowledge — they no longer uncritically accept 'Here be dragons' for cartography or 'If she floats, she’s a witch' as a judicial system." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAn open letter to marijuana prohibitionists and so-called third-way-ers

Just Six Percent Of Americans Want Jail Time For Marijuana Users

"More Americans believe in Bigfoot than believe someone found smoking marijuana or in possession of a small amount of marijuana should be sent to jail, a new poll reports. Marijuana is a federally illegal, schedule one drug with mandatory minimum prison sentence for certain possession offenses. States like California have decriminalized simple possession of marijuana – making it an infraction punishable by a ticket. About 800,000 Americans are arrested for marijuana each year, or one every 42 seconds." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJust Six Percent Of Americans Want Jail Time For Marijuana Users

Reporting from Bitcoin Conference 2013

"All attending the first Bitcoin 2013 conference in Silicon Valley are considering it a success. There are more than 1,000 attendees and the entrance fee to the event is $350.00. At one booth, Bitcoins were being sold for cash with no ID checks. Walk up to the booth lay down your money and buy your bitcoins. The money was piling up. The less 'corporate,' the more renegade seemed to be the operators and the more willing these operators seemed to be willing to challenge the government. One corporate type said to me that virtual currencies are in their infancy and that lawsuits, fighting and jail time for some will occur before the crypto-currency world becomes more defined." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingReporting from Bitcoin Conference 2013

Adam Kokesh Arrested At Pro-Marijuana Rally, Currently Held At Federal Detention Facility

"Details are still emerging regarding the arrest of liberty activist Adam Kokesh who was apprehended by police at a Pro-Marijuana rally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on May 18th, 2013. Multiple eye-witness reports have stated that Adam Kokesh was not using and did not posses any drugs at the event." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAdam Kokesh Arrested At Pro-Marijuana Rally, Currently Held At Federal Detention Facility

Pilotless Planes, Pacific Tensions

"This week the Navy will launch an entirely autonomous combat drone — without a pilot on a joystick anywhere — off the deck of an aircraft carrier, the George H. W. Bush. The drone will then try to land aboard the same ship, a feat only a relatively few human pilots in the world can accomplish. This exercise is the beginning of a new chapter in military history: autonomous drone warfare. But it is also an ominous turn in a potentially dangerous military rivalry now building between the United States and China. To offset China’s numerical advantage and technological advances, the United States Navy is betting heavily on drones." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPilotless Planes, Pacific Tensions

Lawsuit Alleges IRS Improperly Seized 60 Million Personal Medical Records

"An unnamed healthcare provider in California is suing the IRS and 15 unnamed agents, alleging that they improperly seized some 60 million medical records of 10 million Americans, including medical records of all California state judges on March 11, 2011. The search warrant for financial data pertaining to a former employee of the 'John Doe Company,' 'did not authorize any seizure of any healthcare or medical record of any persons, least of all third parties completely unrelated to the matter.' The medical records included information on psychological counseling, gynecological counseling, sexual and drug treatment, and other sensitive medical treatment data." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingLawsuit Alleges IRS Improperly Seized 60 Million Personal Medical Records

‘Monsanto Protection Act 2.0′ Would Ban GMO-Labeling Laws At State Level

"An amendment inserted into the 2013 Farm Bill passed by the House of Representatives' Agriculture Committee Wednesday would revoke the ability of individual states' lawmakers to pass GMO-labeling laws, food advocates warn. The amendment, introduced by Rep. Steve King, a California Republican, is the newest salvo in an ongoing battle between food advocates and companies like Monsanto that create and sell genetically modified and genetically engineered seeds, which grow into GMO crops and find their way into an estimated 70 percent of processed foods in American grocery stores." Continue reading →

Continue Reading‘Monsanto Protection Act 2.0′ Would Ban GMO-Labeling Laws At State Level