Author: Admin

Sac Bee – by Melody Gutierrez

California license plates could get a high-tech makeover with a digital screen and wireless capabilities as part of a Senate bill making its way through the Legislature.

Senate Bill 806 authorizes the Department of Motor Vehicles to create a pilot program at no cost to the state with as many as 160,000 cars testing the digital plates patented by San Francisco-based Smart Plate Mobile. The state hopes the technology will improve efficiencies in vehicle registrations and potentially save the DMV some of the $20 million spent each year in postage for renewals.   Continue reading “Privacy group warns against California plan for digital license plates”

Stars and Stripes- by Matthew M. Burke

SASEBO NAVAL BASE, Japan — Talisman Saber 2013 — a joint U.S. and Australian military and humanitarian exercise — kicked off this week as approximately 20,000 U.S. troops descended on Australia’s east coast.

The focus of this year’s exercise has shifted to amphibious operations as the training moved from the Northern Territory to Australia’s east coast and the Coral Sea. It also marks the first time the MV-22 Osprey hybrid aircraft will touch down on Australian soil. Federal agencies such as the FBI will also have an expanded role as they train with their Australian counterparts.   Continue reading “20,000 US troops descend on Australia for training”

Liberty Bliztkrieg

The rampant hypocrisy in the position of the mega banks on the issue of credit unions is so glaring it’s almost hard to believe. Then again, there is nothing we shouldn’t assume when it comes to mega bank criminality and culturally destructive behavior after these last few years of unlimited nerve, gall and theft. Why? They are above the law and they know it. From the LA Times:   Continue reading “Mega Banks Go After Credit Unions”

Story Leak – by Daniel G. J.

Patriotism may not be the real reason why big companies like AT&T, Google, and Verizon have been so eagerly cooperating with the NSA’s eavesdropping on our private communications. The Associated Press and U.S. Senator Elect Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts) discovered that the companies get paid when the NSA spies on one of their customers in a story that Storyleak is now highlighting from the back section of the news.   Continue reading “Money Trail: Corporations Paid Big Bucks by NSA for Allowing Spying”

The Daily Caller – by Neil Munro

Americans’ after-inflation wages have dropped by almost 3 percent since President Barack Obama’s inauguration, according to a new analysis by a left-wing advocacy group.

The biggest drop was felt by lower-income workers, while upper-income professionals were hit by a 2 percent drop. The study was released by the National Employment Law Project, which is headed by left-wing employment lawyers, union officials and a former economist in Obama’s White House, Jared Bernstein.   Continue reading “Left-wing group: Americans’ wages down during Obama’s term”

ABC News – by Colleen Curry

Extremely overweight Boy Scouts are banned this year from the scouts’ annual Jamboree, which is expected to be the most physically-demanding in the organization’s history.

The Boy Scouts of America organization said they published their height/weight requirements for this year’s national gathering years in advance so scouts would have a reason to work toward healthy goals.   Continue reading “Obese Boy Scouts Banned From Jamboree”

RT News

Police officers in Chicago, Illinois can remotely access video shot from any of the city’s 24,000 closed-circuit television cameras, and they are already using that ability to nab suspects who thought they could outsmart surveillance.

According to a recent Chicago Sun-Time article by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Frank Main, police officers in the Windy City recently issued their first arrest stemming from the use of space-age facial-recognition technology coupled with thousands of cameras that collect live video in real-time at all hours of the day.   Continue reading “Chicago police start using facial-recognition software to arrest suspects”

SCRP – by Ed Joyce, July 5, 2013

It was two years ago Friday (July 5) that a mentally ill homeless man was involved in a violent confrontation with Fullerton police officers. Kelly Thomas died five days later.

Ex-Fullerton police officers Manuel Ramos and Jay Cicinelli since have been charged in connection with Thomas’ death and are set to go to trial on October 18.   Continue reading “Kelly Thomas beating: 2 years later, ex-Fullerton police officers face trial”

RIA Novosti

TOKYO, July 16 (RIA Novosti) – Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force had to scramble fighter jets in response to flights by Russian military aircraft near Japanese airspace and over the disputed Kuril Islands on Monday, local media reported.   Continue reading “Japan Scrambles Fighter Jets to Track Russian Bombers”

Global Research – by Tom Carter

On Friday, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) released a memorandum setting forth new “guidelines” concerning government surveillance of members of the press. “These revised guidelines will help ensure the proper balance is struck when pursuing investigations into unauthorized disclosures,” announced Attorney General Eric Holder.

Billed on the front page of the New York Times as a major reform that “would significantly narrow the circumstances under which journalists’ records could be obtained,” the memorandum actually does nothing of the kind.   Continue reading “Spying on Journalists: Department of Justice (DOJ) Sets “Guidelines” Concerning Government Surveillance of Members of the Press”

BATR -by SARTRE

How did it ever come down to abandoning peace keeping and accepting law enforcement by any means? Even the New York Times expresses alarm in, When the Police Go Military.

“The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 generally bars the military from law enforcement activities within the United States. But today, some local and city police forces have rendered the law rather moot. They have tanks – yes, tanks, often from military surplus, for use in hostage situations or drug raids – not to mention the sort of equipment and training one would need to deter a Mumbai-style guerrilla assault.”   Continue reading “The Psychotic Militarization of Law Enforcement”

Breitbart – by JOEL B. POLLAK

President Barack Obama issued a long-awaited response Sunday afternoon to the acquittal of George Zimmerman Saturday evening, reminding Americans to temper “passions,” and that “we are a nation of laws and the jury has spoken.”

He added that Americans should “honor” the life of Trayvon Martin by committing to “stem the tide of gun violence,” and “ask ourselves if we are doing all we can to widen the circle of compassion in our communities.”    Continue reading “Obama Responds to Zimmerman Verdict: ‘Stem the Tide of Gun Violence’ — For Trayvon”

Salon – by ALEX HALPERIN 

Radley Balko’s new book, “Rise of the Warrior Cop,” details how America’s police forces have grown to look and behave more like soldiers than neighborly Officer Krupkes walking the beat. This new breed of police, frequently equipped with military weapons and decked out in enough armor to satisfy a storm trooper, are redefining law enforcement.   Continue reading “Radley Balko: “Once a town gets a SWAT team you want to use it””

Huffington Post

Sometimes letting kids do things without you can be scary. They could get lost, get hurt, come into contact with trees… Wait, what?

At a time when we have seen helicopter parents and backlash to the helicoptering and free-range parents and backlash to them too, we have some sympathy for the educators who may not be sure what parents will take issue with next. But then again, is this really necessary?   Continue reading “The Most Unnecessary School Permission Slip Ever?”