The Star

TORONTO – The Canadian Bankers Association says Canada must create a digital identification system, potentially utilizing technology such as blockchain, biometrics and document review over a live video connection.

The association’s chief executive says moving away from a paper-based, face to face process towards a modern identification system of this kind is needed to “unlock the full potential” of the digital revolution that is underway.   Continue reading “Canada needs a digital ID system, bankers association says”

MassPrivateI

Four years ago, DHS created “Rapid DNA” whose sole mission was to create a database of everyone.

“Rapid DNA a newly commercialized technology developed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), addresses these challenges by greatly expediting the testing of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) that is the only biometric that can accurately verify family relationships. This technology can be used on the scene of mass fatality events, in refugee camps around the world, or at immigration offices.” Continue reading “Police use DHS machines to create private DNA databases of “suspicious people””

AZ Mirror – by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy

A GOP lawmaker has a novel idea for how a border wall with Mexico should be funded: Force every Arizonan who wants to access pornographic material on an electronic device to pay $20.

Republican Rep. Gail Griffin, R-Hereford, has introduced House Bill 2444, which would make “distributors” of devices that allow access to the internet install software to make the offending material not viewable. To remove the blocking software, a person would have to pay the state $20.   Continue reading “Lawmaker wants to tax porn users to help fund the border wall”

Reason – by J.D. Tuccille

There’s no better sign of success than an escalation in attacks by your enemies. Based on such evidence, homeschooling is enjoying a boom, as growing numbers of families with diverse backgrounds, philosophies, and approaches abandon government-controlled schools in favor of taking responsibility for their own children’s education. As they do so, they’re coming under assault from officials panicking over the number of people slipping from their grasp.   Continue reading “Homeschooling Produces Better-Educated, More-Tolerant Kids. Politicians Hate That”

The Rutherford Institute

SHREVEPORT, La. — Denouncing the use of “contempt of cop” charges as a means of justifying the use of excessive force by police, The Rutherford Institute has asked a federal court to reject a request by Louisiana police to dismiss a Fourth Amendment lawsuit filed on behalf of a young African-American man who was slammed to the ground face-first and pummeled by police officers during a traffic stop for a broken taillight. Continue reading “TRI Pursues Contempt of Cop Lawsuit: During Traffic Stop, Police Punch Compliant Driver 20+ Times in Head & Body, Accuse Him of Resisting Arrest”

Reason – by Christian Britschgi

The Oregon Legislature isn’t even in session yet, but already lawmakers are toying with some pretty draconian gun control proposals. That would include SB 501, which reads like a grab bag of all the latest gun control ideas, turned up to 11.

The bill would require a person to obtain a license in order to own a gun, keep said gun locked and secured in the home once acquired, and submit to a background check anytime they buy ammunition for it.   Continue reading “Oregon Considers Toughest Gun Restrictions in the Country”

Fox 31

LOUISVILLE, Colo. — The president of a Colorado hemp company says more than 17,000 pounds of his legal product has been confiscated by police in Oklahoma.

Four contractors, transporting the plants from Kentucky to Colorado, remain under arrest.  Continue reading “Local hemp manufacturer claims $500K-worth of legal hemp confiscated in Oklahoma”

AJC

A 12-year-old honor student was suspended for 10 days after he unintentionally used counterfeit money to pay for his lunch at a Henry County middle school, according to Channel 2 Action News.

Now the parents of Christian Philon are trying to clear their son’s name.   Continue reading “Honor student suspended for unintentionally using counterfeit money in school lunch line”

Reuters

A federal appeals court on Wednesday rejected an effort by three major U.S. cities to require the Pentagon to be more vigilant about reporting service members who were disqualified from owning weapons to a national background check system.

By a 3-0 vote, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said it lacked jurisdiction to compel the Department of Defense to fix what New York City, Philadelphia and San Francisco called a “broken” system, or to supervise improvements to the Pentagon’s “partial and inconsistent reporting.”   Continue reading “Court rejects U.S. cities’ appeal over Pentagon gun check flaws”

MassPrivateI

Last month an article in the Star tribune revealed a disturbing partnership between Axon Enterprise Inc. (Taser) and a public hospital.

For 14 years Axon has been paying the Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) more than $1.1 million to help convince juries and the public that Tasers are lifesaving devices. Axon has been paying two doctors between $20,000- $36,000 a year to write hundreds of Axon-funded stories and serve as Axon medical advisers.   Continue reading “Axon partners with a public hospital to re-brand stun guns as lifesaving devices”

NJ.com – by Thomas Moriarty

A retired Newark police lieutenant arrested by Bloomfield police after a domestic violence incident fatally shot himself inside the township’s police headquarters Tuesday, authorities confirmed Wednesday.

Patrick Montella, who was expected to eventually be released on a summons, was being processed after his arrest when he shot himself, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement.   Continue reading “Retired cop, arrested by Bloomfield PD, fatally shoots himself inside police headquarters”

LA Times – by Maya Lau

Caren Carl Mandoyan played a special role last month at the swearing-in of Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, standing on stage and holding the box of gold pins that would adorn the collars of the top cop and his senior executives.

Mandoyan served as a trusted member of Villanueva’s campaign team, acting as his driver and rallying rank-and-file deputies to lobby their union to endorse his long-shot candidacy.

Continue reading “L.A. County sheriff reinstates deputy fired over domestic abuse and stalking allegations”

Open Culture

Earlier this month, NBC reporter and analyst William Arkin ended a 30-year career as a journalist, announcing in a “scathing letter,” Democracy Now! reports, that “he would be leaving the network. Arkin accuses “the media of warmongering while ignoring the, quote, ‘creeping fascism of homeland security.’” He does not equivocate in a follow-up interview with Amy Goodman. “The generals and the national security leadership” are also now, he says, “the commentators and the analysts who populate the news media” (Arkin himself is a former Army intelligence officer).   Continue reading “America at War: Infographic Reveals How the U.S. Military Is Operating in 40% of the World’s Nations”

Reason – by Eugene Volokh

S1413, introduced yesterday by Sen. Kevin Parker (the former state Senate minority whip, before the Democrats took over the majority in the last election), would require that anyone who wants to get a handgun, rifle, or shotgun

consent to have his or her social media accounts reviewed and investigated pursuant to subdivision four of this section ….

Continue reading “N.Y. Bill Would Violate Gun Rights, Free Speech Rights, and Privacy”

MassPrivateI

DOT’s and police are now spying on rest areas in real-time 24/7.

According to an article in the Star Tribune, the Department of Transportation (DOT) in eight states have installed cameras and sensors in rest areas.

“New technology rolled out in Minnesota and seven other Midwestern states aims to help Wortham and other truckers find parking by broadcasting in real-time the number of spaces available at rest areas.”   Continue reading “Feds are spying on rest areas, creating a multi-state bathroom surveillance program”

Tennessean – by Natalie Allison

Despite calls from protesters — and the previous House speaker — for his resignation, a state lawmaker accused of inappropriate sexual conduct against multiple teens has been named chairman of an education subcommittee.

Rep. David Byrd, R-Waynesboro, has been assigned by newly-elected House Speaker Glen Casada, R-Franklin, to lead the education administration subcommittee.   Continue reading “Rep. David Byrd, accused of sexual misconduct against teens, will chair education subcommittee”

WKYT

WINCHESTER, Ky. (WKYT) – A federal lawsuit has been filed against Clark County Public Schools alleging a 12-year-old student was strip-searched at Robert D. Campbell Junior High School.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports the girl’s father filed the lawsuit, saying his daughter’s rights were violated.  He is seeking an undisclosed amount of compensation, and punitive damages against the school system. Continue reading “Lawsuit filed after 12-year-old allegedly strip-searched at Clark Co. school”

Seacoast Online – by Elizabeth Dinan

PORTSMOUTH — A former Lee police officer is charged with two felonies alleging he stole FedEx packages that had been shipped to his neighbor at The Veridian apartment building, police allege.

David Rodriguez Luna, 35, of 70 Constitution Ave., apartment 227, was arrested on a warrant for two counts of theft by unauthorized taking, according to the public police log. Portsmouth Police Capt. Mark Newport said one charge alleges that on Jan. 4, Luna stole a FedEx package containing high-end audio speakers which had been shipped to another resident of the apartment building. The other charge alleges Luna stole a package shipped to the same resident, also containing audio equipment, on Dec. 31, Newport said.   Continue reading “Former Lee cop arrested for thefts of FedEx packages”

Rights and Dissent

For over a decade, we’ve gathered outside the White House or at the Supreme Court on January 11 to mark the anniversary of the opening of the detention center at Guantanamo Bay. Over 700 men have been detained there. Fortunately, most have been released after having been cleared of wrongdoing. But 40 men are still detained at the facility, so it’s important that we continue to protest.    Continue reading “17 Years of Shame: Guantanamo Bay Detention Center”