From the Trenches World Report

Alter-Net – by Ed Pilkington

At about 12.40pm on 2 January 1996, Timothy Jackson took a jacket from the Maison Blanche department store in New Orleans, draped it over his arm, and walked out of the store without paying for it. When he was accosted by a security guard, Jackson said: “I just needed another jacket, man.”

A few months later Jackson was convicted of shoplifting and sent to Angola prison in Louisiana. That was 16 years ago. Today he is still incarcerated in Angola, and will stay there for the rest of his natural life having been condemned to die in jail. All for the theft of a jacket, worth $159.   Continue reading “This Man Was Sentenced to Die in Prison for Shoplifting a $159 Jacket: This Happens More Than You Think”

Press TV

Israel and Saudi Arabia are benefiting from sanctions imposed by the West against Iran and they do not want a deal between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany over Tehran’s nuclear energy program, says Don DeBar, an American anti-war activist and radio host.

US Secretary of State John Kerry held a classified meeting with the Senate Banking Committee on Wednesday to convince US lawmakers that any new sanctions against Iran would be viewed as “bad faith” and can “destroy the ability to” reach an agreement over Tehran’s nuclear energy program.    Continue reading “‘Anti-Iran sanctions benefit Israelis, Saudis’”

Wired – by Nicholas Weaver

The internet backbone — the infrastructure of networks upon which internet traffic travels — went from being a passive infrastructure for communication to an active weapon for attacks.

According to revelations about the QUANTUM program, the NSA can “shoot” (their words) an exploit at any target it desires as his or her traffic passes across the backbone. It appears that the NSA and GCHQ were the first to turn the internet backbone into a weapon; absent Snowdens of their own, other countries may do the same and then say, “It wasn’t us. And even if it was, you started it.”   Continue reading “Our Government Has Weaponized the Internet. Here’s How They Did It”

The Week – by Dana Liebelson

The New American – by Alex Newman

Following a recent uproar surrounding the Obama administration’s hosting of Russian airborne terror troops for joint drills with U.S. military forces in Colorado, outrage is growing about the latest scandal involving foreign forces on American soil. This week, reportedly for the first time ever, soldiers for the mass-murdering Communist Party regime ruling mainland China have been working on “disaster management” with American troops on U.S. soil — supposedly for “humanitarian” purposes. Western analysts and commentators expressed alarm over the developments, but the ruthless dictatorship in Beijing touted the scheme widely across its propaganda organs.      Continue reading “Communist Chinese Troops on U.S. Soil for “Exchange” Mission”

The New American – by Joe Wolverton, II, Jr.

As the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) doles out billions of dollars to convince local police departments to surrender control to the federal agency, a recent report indicates that intelligence gathered at precincts-cum-surveillance-centers will be shared among all levels of law enforcement.

An article published by Fierce Homeland Security on November 4 reports:   Continue reading “DHS Creates New Fusion Centers, Taking Control of Local Police”

Q 13 Fox – by Christie Sumrall

SPOKANE — Gonzaga University will review whether or not to allow permitted weapons in off-campus housing after two students faced disciplinary action for using a gun to defend themselves when a burglar broke into their apartment.

Gonzaga’s President Thayne McCulloh said it was in the “best interest” of the university to review weapons policy following a break-in last month.   Continue reading “Gonzaga to review its gun policy following uproar”

SF Gate – by Chris Dolmetsch

Nov. 14 (Bloomberg) — The New York City Police Department’s plan for security at the World Trade Center is akin to the erection of a “Berlin Wall,” a group of residents of Lower Manhattan said in a lawsuit against the department.

The World Trade Center Neighborhood Alliance, a group of people who live and work in the area, filed the suit in state Supreme Court in Manhattan today, saying the NYPD’s security plan for the area would create an “isolated fortress downtown,” tie up traffic and pollute the air.   Continue reading “NYPD Sued Over ‘Berlin Wall’ Security at World Trade Center”

New York Post – by Selim Algar

A crooked NYPD detective was among a prolific crew of robbers who stole more than $10 million in cash and property during a three-year thieving spree on Long Island, federal prosecutors said Thursday.

Alleged dirty cop Rafael Astacio and cohorts Victor Arias, Michael Figueroa, Nikitas Margiellos and Leonard Ripka were all charged with conspiracy and interstate transport of stolen property in connection with dozens of heists that made use of sophisticated technology including cell phone jammers and GPS tracking devices, papers state.   Continue reading “NYPD detective busted in $10M theft spree”

The Organic Prepper

If there was ever a case study on why preppers should be prepared to defend their supplies, the upcoming episode of National Geographic’s Doomsday Preppers would provide a perfect example.

“We’re not in it to stockpile. We’re in it to take what you have and there’s nothing you can do to stop us,” Tyler Smith says. “We are your worst nightmare, and we are coming.”   Continue reading “Tyler Smith of Doomsday Preppers: Apex Predator or Apex Punk?”

Continue reading “Aunty Acid Comics”

McClatchy DC – by MARISA TAYLOR

WASHINGTON — U.S. agencies collected and shared the personal information of thousands of Americans in an attempt to root out untrustworthy federal workers that ended up scrutinizing people who had no direct ties to the U.S. government and simply had purchased certain books.

Federal officials gathered the information from the customer records of two men who were under criminal investigation for purportedly teaching people how to pass lie detector tests. The officials then distributed a list of 4,904 people – along with many of their Social Security numbers, addresses and professions – to nearly 30 federal agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service, the CIA, the National Security Agency and the Food and Drug Administration.   Continue reading “Americans’ personal data shared with CIA, IRS, others in security probe”

Mail.com

SEATTLE (AP) — Despite warnings that production of Boeing’s next generation 777 plane could go to another state, machinists in the Northwest voted late Wednesday to reject a contract proposal that would have exchanged concessions for decades of secure jobs.

In response, the Boeing Co. said it would begin a bid process to find a home for its 777 X production line. Members of The International Association of Machinists District 751 rejected the proposal with 67 percent of the votes. Union members who called for a no vote did so in protest of Boeing’s push to end a traditional pension plan and increase their health care costs. Workers would have received a $10,000 signing bonus if they approved the deal.   Continue reading “Boeing workers reject plan linked to 777X in Wash.”