Technocracy

Rand Paul’s reversal: I don’t care if a drone kills a liquor store robber with $50 in cash

"Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who filibustered for 13 hours in March 2013 against the idea of using military drone technology against U.S. citizens, said he supported them being used against criminal suspects in an interview with Fox Business Channel on Monday. 'I have never argued against any technology being used against having an imminent threat, [or] an act of crime going on,' Paul said, referring to Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. 'If someone comes out of a liquor store with a weapon and 50 dollars in cash I don’t care if a Drone kills him or a policeman kills him.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRand Paul’s reversal: I don’t care if a drone kills a liquor store robber with $50 in cash

Bloomberg Says Interpretation of Constitution Will ‘Have to Change’ After Boston Bombing

"In the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Monday the country’s interpretation of the Constitution will 'have to change' to allow for greater security to stave off future attacks. 'We live in a complex word where you’re going to have to have a level of security greater than you did back in the olden days, if you will. And our laws and our interpretation of the Constitution, I think, have to change. 'We have to understand that in the world going forward, we’re going to have more cameras and that kind of stuff. That’s good in some sense, but it’s different from what we are used to,' he said." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBloomberg Says Interpretation of Constitution Will ‘Have to Change’ After Boston Bombing

FBI Failed to Track Boston Terrorist Suspect’s Flight to Russia: Misspelled Name

"It turns out that the FBI failed to register the fact that the Boston bomber flew to Russia in 2011. Someone misspelled his name when he got on the plane. You mean that the nation’s suspected-terrorist monitoring system is dependent on correctly spelled names? Yes. You mean that billions of dollars in sophisticated equipment can be tripped up by people with peculiar last names? So it seems. You mean that the TSA’s screening system, with X-ray machines, latex gloves, and long lines doesn’t work for bombers with odd last names. Sadly, yes." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFBI Failed to Track Boston Terrorist Suspect’s Flight to Russia: Misspelled Name

German Tax Officials Launch Nationwide Raids With Stolen Swiss Bank Data

"A total of five German states clubbed together to buy the CD for €4 million from an anonymous informant, said sources close to the Rhineland-Palatinate government, which arranged the deal. The information was distributed to tax authorities across Germany some six weeks ago. Tuesday's raids only mark the start of an extensive investigation that could last until the end of the year. Authorities expect that the media coverage of the raids will prompt many tax evaders to turn themselves in to authorities so that they can lessen their penalties. The current raids affected customers with accounts in Credit Suisse, the former Clariden Leu AG and Neue Aargauer Bank." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGerman Tax Officials Launch Nationwide Raids With Stolen Swiss Bank Data

Japanese police ask ISPs to block Tor

"Japanese citizens who want to use Tor for whistleblowing or simply to stay invisible don't have to worry quite yet about the agency's desire to crack down on Web freedom. One industry insider told The Mainichi that 'Communication privacy is our lifeline. We won't be able to accept such a request,' and with any luck, an industry backlash could force the agency to look at more sensible ways to combat cybercrime and piracy -- or they could simply go back to chasing cats." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJapanese police ask ISPs to block Tor

Reality Check: Senate Moving Forward On Internet Tax Mandate

"It has been a very busy week for news stations. Between the Boston bombing and the Ricin laced letters sent to members of Congress and the White House, it might be easy to miss a bill moving forward in the U.S. Senate. One that would mean every product you buy online will more expensive. Senators say this bill is about ‘fairness’, but is it?" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingReality Check: Senate Moving Forward On Internet Tax Mandate

Google CEO Schmidt calls for end to private drone use

"'It’s probable that robotics becomes a significant component of nation state warfare,' he said. 'I’m not going to pass judgment on whether armies should exist, but I would prefer to not spread and democratise the ability to fight war to every single human being. 'It’s got to be regulated. You just can’t imagine that British people would allow this sort of thing, and I can’t imagine American people would allow this sort of thing. It’s one thing for governments, who have some legitimacy in what they’re doing, but have other people doing it … It’s not going to happen.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGoogle CEO Schmidt calls for end to private drone use

G-20 Pushes for Global Measures to End Tax Evasion

"The Group of 20 countries called on Friday for a coordinated effort to stop international tax evasion, urging governments to systematically share bank data. Finance ministers and central bankers of the G-20, meeting in Washington, said in a communiqué that automatic exchange of tax-relevant bank information should be adopted as the global standard. The automatic exchange of tax data, an approach the United States has pushed, would represent a major change from the current procedures, in which countries are expected to provide such information only on request." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingG-20 Pushes for Global Measures to End Tax Evasion

Doug Casey on Second Passports

"It used to be that a passport was a document that a ruler of one country would give to a traveler to ask the rulers of other countries to assist him in his travels. Now, instead of a convenience, it's become a required permit for travel. It's degrading and actually runs counter to the whole idea of the thing. The original purpose of a passport has been turned upside down. But since they are necessary in today's world, you ought to have several of them, for your own convenience. If nothing else, it prevents any one government from basically placing you under house arrest by taking your passport away from you." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDoug Casey on Second Passports

David Lewis attorney says gun confiscation no “error”

"All of this apparently stems from Governor Cuomo’s signature gun control bill, the SAFE Act, which requires mental health professionals to notify the state when they believe a patient is at risk of hurting themselves or others. State Police and the Erie County Clerk had misidentified Lewis as such a threat, confusing him with someone else with the same name. Both sides have blamed each other for the snafu. It’s not sitting well with some State Senator Michael Ranzenhofer (R-Amherst) and State Assemblyman Dennis Gabryszak (D-Cheektowaga). They are calling for an investigation of how the police are using medical records to seize guns." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDavid Lewis attorney says gun confiscation no “error”