statism

California Supreme Court deals massive blow to medical marijuana industry

"The California Supreme Court ruled Monday that local municipalities can legally ban medical marijuana dispensaries, dealing a massive blow to the burgeoning industry that’s exploded across the state since 2009. The ruling in City of Riverside v. Inland Empire Patient’s Health and Wellness Center boils down to whether the California constitution trumps provisions in the state’s medical marijuana laws. The California constitution gives cities the zoning power to dictate land use within their borders, enabling them to declare businesses a 'public nuisance' and toss them out — which is precisely what happened to the Inland Empire dispensary in Riverside." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCalifornia Supreme Court deals massive blow to medical marijuana industry

The Permanent Overclass’s Propaganda System: A Century In The Making

"Two major social engineering projects were underway: one, the manufacture of ideology, largely the initiative of philanthropic foundations (and the social sciences), and the other, public relations as a modern form of propaganda. Through the educational system, the social sciences, philanthropic foundations, public relations, advertising, marketing, and the media, America and the industrialized states of the world developed a unique and complex system of social control and propaganda for the 20th century and into the 21st. It is imperative to recognize and understand this complex system if we are to challenge and change it." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe Permanent Overclass’s Propaganda System: A Century In The Making

New York City bike-share program bans riders who weigh more than 260 pounds

"It is 'prohibited' for any rider who weighs more than 260 pounds to sign up for the soon-to-launch initiative — prompting backlash from riders who say the fat-shaming rule is enough to make them fly off the handle. Everyone who signs up for the program has to agree to a contract, which states users 'must not exceed maximum weight limit (260 pounds)' because the bikes can’t hold that much heft. Would-be riders called the rule unfair, saying the 40-pound cruisers are plenty sturdy. Others claimed the rule makes no sense — especially at the height of the city’s obesity problem. Several bike-shop owners agreed that the weight limit was bogus." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNew York City bike-share program bans riders who weigh more than 260 pounds

Botched Kim Dotcom case spurs New Zealand to allow domestic spying

"New Zealand unveiled plans Monday to allow its foreign intelligence agency to spy on local residents, to fill a loophole exposed when Internet tycoon Kim Dotcom was illegally snooped upon. Prime Minister John Key said the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) needed additional powers because the challenges facing intelligence agencies had changed enormously in the past decade. Existing legislation says the GCSB is supposed to focus on foreign intelligence and cyber-security, explicitly forbidding it from spying on New Zealand citizens or residents." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBotched Kim Dotcom case spurs New Zealand to allow domestic spying

Amsterdam forced Jews to pay rent while in WWII concentration camps

"Amsterdam council has vowed to probe revelations that it forced Jews returning from World War II concentration camps to pay rent arrears, even if their homes had been destroyed or occupied by Nazis. The scandal, involving an unknown number of Jews and non-Jews living in city-owned properties, was uncovered by a young art history student in Amsterdam’s archives. Less than a quarter of Amsterdam’s Jewish population survived the war, with the Netherlands occupied by the Nazis from 1940 to 1945. The council even issued fines for late rent payments for homes that were confiscated and occupied by Nazi forces or members of the Dutch collaborationist NSB movement." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAmsterdam forced Jews to pay rent while in WWII concentration camps

Danes Rethink a Welfare State Ample to a Fault

"While much of southern Europe has been racked by strikes and protests as its creditors force austerity measures, Denmark still has a coveted AAA bond rating. But Denmark’s long-term outlook is troubling. The population is aging, and in many regions of the country people without jobs now outnumber those with them. Some of that is a result of a depressed economy. But many experts say a more basic problem is the proportion of Danes who are not participating in the work force at all — be they dawdling university students, young pensioners or welfare recipients like Carina who lean on hefty government support." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDanes Rethink a Welfare State Ample to a Fault

Texas teen points to heavens, gets 4×100 relay squad banned from state championships

"The anchor of that 4x100 squad was junior Derrick Hayes, who ran a particularly blazing split and celebrated the team’s state qualification with a simple finger point to the heavens. The gesture is a common one in sports, but on this occasion, it was deemed to have run afoul of a University Interscholastic League (UIL) regulation barring excessive celebration. Once officials at the Columbus meet determined that Hayes had violated the excessive celebration rules, the entire 4x100-meter squad was disqualified and effectively barred from the state championships." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTexas teen points to heavens, gets 4×100 relay squad banned from state championships

Ron Paul: Congress Exploits Our Fears to Take Our Liberty

"CISPA represents a troubling form of corporatism, where large companies cede their responsibility to protect their property to the federal government, at the expense of their customers' privacy and liberty. In this respect, CISPA can be thought of as an electronic version of the Transportation Security Administration, which has usurped the authority over airline security from private airlines. However, CISPA will prove to be far more invasive than even the most robust TSA screening. CISPA and the gun control bill are only the most recent examples of politicians manipulating fear to con the people into giving up their liberties." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRon Paul: Congress Exploits Our Fears to Take Our Liberty

3D-Printed Handgun Prompts Congressman To Propose Impotent Legislation

"After Forbes's Andy Greenberg broke the news that Cody Wilson and Defense Distributed have successfully created a (apparently) working gun with a 3D printer, Rep. Steve Israel, who has been warning of doom, doom!, should this day come, quickly issued a press release calling for new laws to head off the menace of DIY weaponry. Israel's objection is, allegedly, that Wilson's 3D-printed gun is made of ABS plastic, and therefore invisible to metal detectors (Wilson built a hunk of metal into his gun to address this concern, but it could easily be left out)." Continue reading →

Continue Reading3D-Printed Handgun Prompts Congressman To Propose Impotent Legislation

Canada Wants to Join the Government Stupidity Contest

"Zealots in the Office québécois de la langue française (Quebec Board of the French Language) may have gone a step too far in picking a fight with an Italian restaurant… After a five-month investigation into an anonymous complaint, Massimo Lecas received a letter from the board telling him that his establishment, Buonanotte, had broken the law by including the words 'pasta' on the menu and 'bottiglia', the Italian word for bottle, instead of the French word bouteille. Outraged, Lecas posted the letter for 2,500 of his Facebook friends to see. In doing so, he unleashed a political tempest over one of the most sensitive topics up for debate in the province." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCanada Wants to Join the Government Stupidity Contest