Free Thought Project – by Jack Burns

When a bank is found guilty of doing business in countries where they’re not supposed to be, and when the same bank is found guilty of helping drug cartels launder money, shouldn’t the public have a right to know about the banks’ efforts at correcting such actions? That’s the question being raised with respect to HSBC’s 1.92 billion dollar settlement with the U.S. and oral arguments are taking place in federal court this week on whether or not the compliance report should stay sealed.   Continue reading “Megabank Caught Laundering for Terrorists & Drug Cartels and the Feds are Keeping it Secret”

True Activist – by Brianna Acuesta

General Electric, in conjunction with AT&T and Intel Corp, is set to install cameras, microphones, and sensors on 3,200 streetlights in San Diego this year, beginning in July. The installations are part of a new “smart city” scheme that aims to monitor traffic and crime.

With this news has also come many questioning whether this is an overreach into personal privacy, which is something that wasn’t properly investigated prior to approving this plan. Jen Lebron of the mayor’s office said, “it’s anonymous data with no personal identifiers,” since apparently the video quality will be low enough to individual identification.   Continue reading “Thousands Of Mics And Cameras To Be Installed In San Diego For ‘Data Harvesting’”

Reuters

A coalition of 53 companies on Thursday backed transgender rights at the U.S. Supreme Court, signing on to a brief supporting a Virginia student who is fighting to use the school bathroom that corresponds with his gender identity.

Among the companies participating are Apple Inc(AAPL.O), Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) and IBM Corp (IBM.N).   Continue reading “Companies back transgender rights in Supreme Court fight”

The News Tribune – by Melissa Santos

A Tacoma lawmaker wants to know why the Washington State Patrol is reviewing the actions of a trooper who called federal immigration authorities about a man living in the country illegally.

State Sen. Steve O’Ban, R-Tacoma, sent a letter to Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee on Friday “to express serious concerns” that an administrative review is underway after a trooper contacted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement about a man involved a Feb. 9 traffic accident on Interstate 5 in Tacoma.   Continue reading “Lawmaker wants to know why state trooper is under review for calling immigration authorities”

Yahoo News

Attorney General Jeff Sessions says that he is willing to recuse himself “whenever it’s appropriate” amid growing bipartisan calls for him to do so.

“I have said whenever it’s appropriate, I will recuse myself,” Sessions told an NBC News reporter early Thursday morning. “There’s no doubt about that.”   Continue reading “Under fire, Sessions says he’s willing to recuse himself from Russia probe if ‘appropriate’”

The Weather Channel

Oklahoma and southern Kansas’s earthquake risk is now equal to that of California, with 3 million people at risk from man-induced tremblors, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey forecast released Wednesday.

According to the report published in the journal seismological Research Letter, the agency noted that the increase in earthquakes in the region is thought to be the result of hydraulic fracturing, more commonly known as fracking, and the disposal of wastewater deep underground, a byproduct of the oil extraction process.   Continue reading “Oklahoma’s Earthquake Threat Now Equals That of California’s, USGS Says”

The Organic Prepper

If you prefer to avoid genetically modified foods, here’s another one to avoid. GMO potatoes will be joining  GMO apples at a store near you very soon – if they aren’t there already.

Last week, the FDA added their approval (again) to that of the EPA, giving the go-ahead for these potatoes to be planted this spring for harvest in the fall.   Continue reading “GMO Potatoes Will Hit Stores and Restaurants Soon…If They Haven’t Already”

Activist Post – by Jay Syrmopoulos

In an effort to push back against repressive federal control of marijuana policy, bipartisan legislation was introduced in Congress by representatives Tom Garrett (R-VA) and Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) to exclude cannabis from the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA), which absurdly lists marijuana as a Schedule 1 substance — a classification that denotes a substance being dangerous and having no known medicinal value.   Continue reading “Landmark Bill Introduced In Congress Would Legalize Cannabis On Federal Level”

Activist Post – by Brandon Turbeville

If anyone doubts that the Trump administration is merely the continuation of the Anglo-American establishment, at least where Syria and Western imperialism is concerned, they need only follow the recent events having taken place in the United Nations Security Council.

In a draft initiated and supported by the United States, U.K., and France, a plan was put forward to impose new sanctions on the Syrian government in the form of a ban on all shipments of helicopters to the army or the government. It also included sanctions on a number of Syrian officials and government institutions allegedly involved in “chlorine attacks.” The draft resolution received nine votes, the minimum necessary for passing such a document. However, both the Russians and the Chinese as well as the Bolivians vetoed the measure with Egypt, Kazakhstan, and Ethiopia abstaining.   Continue reading “U.S. Sponsors New Sanctions Against Syria At UN Security Council, Russia “Has No Choice” But To Veto”

Texas Tribune – by Cassandra Pollock

The Texas Senate on Tuesday voted in favor of a trio of measures calling for a convention of states, officially advancing one of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott‘s emergency items this legislative session.

Senate Joint Resolution 2 by Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, calls for a convention of states to propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The resolution seeks amendments that place restraints on the federal budget and check power and enact term limits for U.S. officials. The measure was adopted on a party-line vote, 20-11.    Continue reading “Texas Senate Approves Convention of States Legislation to Amend the U.S. Constitution”

MassPrivateI

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (DOT) will begin using drones to allegedly respond to emergencies.

According to an article in High Point Enterprise, DOT officials claim drones will be used to provide information during emergencies and could be used to reach dangerous locations. 

Does anyone really believe drones will only be used to keep DOT officials safe? Once one state DOT uses drones all the others will follow.   Continue reading “DOT to use drones to spy on motorists”

Sent to us by Tax Revolution Institute

Tax Revolution Institute – by Guillermo Jimenez

The disparity between state and federal law regarding marijuana may be coming to a head, but what if the American public could ultimately put an end to the “war on drugs” through the power of the purse?

On Thursday, February 23, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer suggested that the federal government may soon crack down on states that have legalized recreational marijuana.   Continue reading “If the Feds Come for Your Legal Marijuana, Defund the DEA”

The Great Recession Blog

Trump is market magic. The Donald spoke, offering nothing he hasn’t said hundreds of times before in his campaign speeches, and the Dow parted its way through the 21,000 barrier without hesitation. The stock market’s rise from 20k to 21k also tied a record for the quickest 1,000-point gain. How long will this rampaging bull market last? Is 22,000 now an easy reach?

It apparently doesn’t matter that Trump offered no more specifics than he ever has about how he’s going to turn things around or that he has said it all innumerable times. The market heard the pep talk it wanted to hear and rose on the dreams of a rebuilt America.  Continue reading “Will Trump’s Talk Turn the Trump Rally into Lasting Gold or End in the Trump Dump?”

Thomas Dishaw

Moody’s recently released a Sector In-Depth report titled “Retail and Apparel – US: Distressed Retail and Apparel Companies Are on the Rise. Who’s Next?” and its findings show that the retail bubble could soon be taking another major blow….Bankruptcy.

We all know that retail is a very volatile market. This factor causes many companies to turn to “financial sponsors” and hedge funds that, in return for the quick cash, offer highly leveraged funds causing many retailers to end up struggling under debt with the terms set by the sponsors. Due to these agreements distressed bond issuers in the U.S. retail and apparel markets are nearing levels that haven’t been witnessed since the Great Recession of 2008-2009, tripling in the past six years.   Continue reading “These 19 retailers are on the brink of bankruptcy…13,216 stores to close?”

RT

An American man who claims to be a descendant of the last king of Wales has vowed to return to Britain and overthrow Prince Charles as heir to the throne.

Allan Verno Evans, 55, placed an ad in The Times of London on Tuesday claiming he is the rightful heir to the throne and will launch a bid for his “royal historical estate” in just 30 days.   Continue reading “American claims to be rightful heir to the throne, plans to overthrow Prince Charles”

Mail.com

CHICAGO (AP) — The televised moment moved a nation: A grief-stricken widow clasping her hands and looking skyward, tears streaming down her face as the nation’s lawmakers and president delivered a deafening standing ovation in honor of her fallen husband.

President Donald Trump’s tribute to Navy SEAL William “Ryan” Owens during Tuesday’s congressional address was seen by many as touching. But others regarded it as a calculated attempt to deflect criticism of his decision to approve a failed military operation and to turn around his administration’s shaky start with a gesture that sought to unify a deeply divided country.   Continue reading “Was Trump tribute to fallen Navy SEAL fitting or calculated?”

Mail.com

BEIJING (AP) — Lawyer Cheng Hai has an itemized list of compensation demands from Beijing authorities over the city’s smog: 65 yuan ($9) for having to buy face masks, 100 yuan ($15) for seeing a doctor for a sore throat and 9,999 yuan ($1,500) for emotional distress.

Fed up with what they consider halfhearted efforts to fight air pollution, Cheng and like-minded lawyers are putting China’s legal system to the test by suing the governments of the capital and its surrounding regions.   Continue reading “Lawyers sue Chinese authorities for not getting rid of smog”

Mail.com

BRANDON, Miss. (AP) — A trail of mayhem that began last week in a suburban Mississippi apartment ended Wednesday morning when a stolen SUV chased by police flipped in a fiery crash in a rural Kansas field.

In between, authorities suspect 28-year-old Alex Deaton killed two people, shot three others and stole four vehicles. “He’s led us on quite the chase the last few days and I think everybody here is happy he’s in custody,” Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Marshall Fisher said at a news conference Wednesday.   Continue reading “Mississippi suspect’s mayhem-fueled run ends in fiery crash”

EFF – by Karen Gullo and Jamie Williams

Cities across the country are switching to wireless smart meters. You may even have one in your home. Utility companies say the new technology helps consumers monitor their energy use and potentially save money. But smart meters also reveals intimate details about what’s going on inside the home. By collecting energy use data at high frequencies—typically every 5, 15, or 30 minutes—smart meters know exactly how much electricity is being used, and when. Patterns in your smart meter data can reveal when you are home, when you are sleeping, when you take a shower, and even whether you cook dinner on the stove or in the microwave. These are all private details about what’s going on inside your home—details that should be clearly within the bounds of Fourth Amendment protection.  Continue reading “An Illinois Court Just Didn’t Get It: We Are Entitled to Expect Privacy In Our Smart Meter Data, Which Reveals What’s Going On Inside Our Homes”