Parody a police officer on Twitter, go to jail in America

"Something similar happened back in 2014, when police in Peoria, Illinois, arrested a man for impersonating the town's mayor on Twitter. The man (Jon Daniel) sued the city with the help of the ACLU and argued that the arrest violated his First Amendment rights. Ultimately, the city was forced to pay $125,000 to settle the case."

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In Indiana, sex with minors is OK, but it’s illegal to sext them

"The defendant, who faces a maximum of three years in prison if convicted, argued that it was 'patently illogical' to hold someone criminally liable for sending nude pictures to a minor—yet it's legal to expose themselves to minors in person. The Indiana ruling is among a string of cases in which sexting laws are clearly nonsensical."

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Atlanta Airport Abuses Uber and Lyft Drivers and Their Customers

"Two years ago, ridesharing at the Atlanta airport was perfect. It was being widely used. It was cheap and convenient. Customers were king. Drivers were making money. Poor people without jobs suddenly had a job. Suddenly, the airport authorities had a problem. They had previously constructed vast parking lots for people coming and going from the airport. They had been a huge source of revenue. That revenue gradually began to fall. Then it fell some more. What had previously been a system of benign neglect began to turn."

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Let’s Make America Free Again: We’re Walking a Dangerous Road

"We can pretend that the Constitution is still our governing document. However, the reality we must come to terms with is that in the America we live in today, the government does whatever it wants, freedom be damned. Here is what it means to live under the Constitution today."

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New York cops’ massive salaries are robbing taxpayers blind

"Local cops in towns and counties around New York state are robbing taxpayers blind with astronomical yearly salaries — including one officer who pulled down $442,000, a new report shows. Tom Donnelly, who retired as a Ramapo school safety officer in August, earned the investment-banker-sized paycheck over a 12-month period ending in March — making him the highest paid local cop anywhere outside New York City, according to a report from the Empire Center. The study showed that local cops like Donnelly are the highest-paid group of government employes in municipalities excluding the five boroughs."

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No compensation for innocent man who lost spleen in SWAT raid

"The raiding cops brought the wrong-sized battering ram, making it difficult for them to get inside quickly. One of the officers shot Ferreira within seconds, despite the fact that he was unarmed. They had no layout of the house. They weren’t aware of the fact that Ferriera was a guest on the night of the raid, which is at least suggestive of little or no surveillance. The city, of course, appealed the finding against it, and Ferreira appealed the jury’s finding that the officer who shot him wasn’t liable for his injuries. Late last month U.S. district court judge Thomas McAvoy issued his decision. Ferreira is out of luck. McAvoy first upheld the finding of no liability for the officer. He then found that the City of Binghamton isn’t liable, either."

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It’s Time to End the Paid Militarization of the NFL

"Between 2012 and 2015, the DOD shelled out $53 million to professional sports—including $10 million to the NFL—on 'marketing and advertising' for military recruitment. To be sure, some of that was bona fide advertising. But many of those heart-tugging ceremonies honoring heroes and recreating drills and marches and flyovers are what the report denounced as propaganda. Of course, this being government, no one is really sure how much has been spent or where the money went."

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India Central Bank Governor Warned Against Cash Ban Before Resigning

"Raghuram Rajan left the central bank last September after unnerving political leaders with his outspoken nature. Several months later, Modi blindsided the nation by scrapping 86 percent of currency in circulation, saying the move was essential to unearth unaccounted wealth and fight graft. Since then, speculation has raged over who thought up the policy, with the debate getting more divisive last week as a slew of data showed demonetization contributed to a growth slump without meeting its targets."

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India Demonetization Loses Credibility; 99% of Banned Notes Returned

"Indians have deposited nearly all the currency bills voided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, denting the central bank’s profit and dealing a blow to his drive to unearth unaccounted wealth. The cash ban prompted the central bank to print new currency, reducing its profit and cutting annual dividend payout to the government by half."

Continue ReadingIndia Demonetization Loses Credibility; 99% of Banned Notes Returned