Technocracy

Ohio: Mother-Daughter Speed Trap Team Face The Judge

"Between July 2007 and February 2010, Covert and Jarvis used their positions in charge of handling cash, making bank deposits for the village and maintaining traffic court records, to skim $260,000 in revenue collected from drivers into their own pockets. The village, population 742, is a notorious speed trap, as documented by the National Speed Trap Exchange. Hamilton County Prosecutor Joseph T. Deters concluded Arlington Heights should not even exist. 'The village council needs to seriously consider dissolving the village of Arlington Heights,' Deters said in a statement. 'The village seems to be nothing more than a speed trap with no checks and balances.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingOhio: Mother-Daughter Speed Trap Team Face The Judge

California Elementary School Hosts Toy Gun Buyback, Fingerprinting Fair

"An elementary school in Hayward California held a toy gun exchange Saturday (6/8/13), offering students a book and a chance to win a bicycle if they turned in their play weapons. At Saturday’s event, called Strobridge Elementary Safety Day, a Hayward police officer demonstrated bicycle and gun safety, and the Alameda County Fire Department sent a rig and crew to talk about fire safety. Fingerprinting and photographing of children was offered, with the information put on CDs for parents. All youngsters who attended were given a ticket to exchange for a book." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCalifornia Elementary School Hosts Toy Gun Buyback, Fingerprinting Fair

Justin Raimondo: Police-State ‘Progressivism’

"Verizon and other carriers are forbidden by law from revealing the court order. A secret court, such as the FISA court – under which this order was issued – isn’t really a court in the Western sense: it is a star chamber affair, a formality that rubber-stamps whatever our rulers desire at the moment. In what sense is the United States a 'free' country, let alone the leader of the 'Free World'? Sure, we have elections: so does Iran. Yes, we have a 'free' press, but what happens when sources are afraid of talking to reporters? With a massive database that may even be tracking our location, America’s political class is making itself invulnerable to any challenge." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJustin Raimondo: Police-State ‘Progressivism’

RFID tracking armbands forced on all residents near California music festival

" Local residents living within a one-mile radius of the venue for the popular Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, which takes place annually in Indio, California, got an advanced preview of the emerging American police state this year. The Coachella's use of RFID (radio-frequency identification) wristbands to track attendees has been extended beyond just ticket holders to residents living around the Empire Polo Field where the festival takes place, even though forcing these tracking chips on the public is against the law." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRFID tracking armbands forced on all residents near California music festival

Iowa City Council Votes To Ban Traffic Cameras And Drones

"Rather than allow residents of Iowa City, Iowa to decide whether to impose a permanent ban on red light cameras, speed cameras and drones, the city council unanimously decided Tuesday to directly adopt the proposed initiative with some modification. This marks the first time that a city council with a strong pro-camera majority has repealed an automated ticketing ordinance in response to a public petition. The ordinance states no drone, red light camera, speed camera or license plate recognition system can be used in the city without a police officer operating the device personally handing the traffic citation to, or arresting, the alleged offender." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIowa City Council Votes To Ban Traffic Cameras And Drones

China trying new form of ‘Internet censorship’ ahead of Tiananmen Square crackdown anniversary

"China is experimenting with more subtle methods to censor Internet search results ahead of the 24th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown, according to a group that monitors blocked websites in the country. In the past, a search for keywords in China related to the events of June 4, 1989, came up with an explicit message saying: 'According to relevant laws, regulations and policies, search results for (the blocked keyword) can not be displayed.' But GreatFire.org said in the lead up to the anniversary certain searches, such as 'June 4 incident', had been intermittently returning a series of 'carefully selected results'." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingChina trying new form of ‘Internet censorship’ ahead of Tiananmen Square crackdown anniversary

The Real Reason Governments Are Killing Financial Privacy

"With the deficit in 2012 for the US federal government at $1.1 trillion, the expected $900 million from FATCA is not even a drop in the bucket. Even in the unlikely event that the US will moderately reduce its deficit in the future, the revenue from FATCA will remain a pittance in comparison. Why would the US government go through all the enormous trouble of implementing FATCA if it's going to bring in such a meager amount of money? If it's not money, it appears the primary motivation here is control. The new 'global standard' is a path that will put governments around the world one step closer to being able to track and control every penny you earn and every penny you spend." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe Real Reason Governments Are Killing Financial Privacy

Speed Cameras Tear Apart Ohio Town

"The village of Elmwood Place, Ohio can no longer perform all the functions of local government, thanks to speed cameras. Four of the village's six councilmen have resigned over the way automated ticketing machines are used, and without a quorum village can no longer take any actions it faces a court contempt hearing on Tuesday. The controversy began in September 2012 when the village allowed Optotraffic to begin issuing $105 tickets using a portable speed camera with a 40 percent cut of the revenue going to the private company. Tickets were being issued at a rate that would have generated $2 million per year, or over $1000 per resident." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSpeed Cameras Tear Apart Ohio Town

On Target Pressure Points: The Electronic Concentration Camp

"In conjunction with the upcoming release of his new book, A Government of Wolves: The Emerging American Police State, John W. Whitehead sits down to discuss several 'pressure points' that are threatening the Bill of Rights and undermining our essential freedoms. In part four of this special series, Whitehead examines the collusion between corporations and government officials in erecting a system of mass surveillance aimed at all Americans." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingOn Target Pressure Points: The Electronic Concentration Camp

Schools scanned students’ irises without permission as part of public-private program

"Students at three facilities — an elementary school, a grade school and a high school — had their eyeballs scanned earlier this month as part of a ‘student safety’ pilot program being carried out by Stanley Convergent Security Solutions. 'With this program, we will be able to identify when and where a student gets on the bus, when they arrive at their school location, when and what bus the student boards and disembarks in the afternoon. This is an effort to further enhance the safety of our students.The EyeSwipe-Nano is an ideal replacement for the card based system since your child will not have to be responsible for carrying an identification card.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSchools scanned students’ irises without permission as part of public-private program