Feb 09
The Los Angeles Times has a chilling story about the growth of “fake news” laws and prosecutions across Asia. Thailand, Taiwan, Cambodia, and other southeast-Asian governments are enacting or expanding their laws to crackdown on private news and social media which criticizes governments. In China and Vietnam, the governments already own or license all media, …
Nov 11
The All-Seeing Eye of the State French tax authorities now are using a powerful new tool to identify “tax cheats”: Facebook and other social media. Government agents scour through people’s social posts to see if people are using cars, meals, or housing which appear to be ‘outside their means.’ See here.
Nov 11
The Omnipotent State Strikes Again New York City’s government imposes so many taxes and regulations on short-term lodging entrepreneurs that the City recently sent dozens of armed agents to raid a condo complex. The accusation? That several of the condo owners were making a few bucks by lending out their condos to NYC tourists. See …
Nov 08
No group of Americans are more privileged than government “workers” and former government employees. Now another decorated former government combat veteran has opened fire on innocent private-sector Americans, killing 12. The former Marine Corps corporal, 28-year-old Ian David Long, was likely on permanent disability checks for PTSD. On November 7, he reportedly walked into a …
Oct 13
A new study predicts that 40 percent of “middle class” Americans will likely live in poverty in their later years. Social Security and Medicare both incentivize Americans to save less, work less, and invest less. Harvard studies (which are likely quite conservative) suggest that Social Security alone caused the U.S. to be at least 3 …
Oct 02
The crazed, powermad dictator of Turkey, Erdogan, has asked the public to report any unfair price hikes in Turkish stores. Government marauders will then raid the stores, taking the inventory, said Erdogan. See here. Predicted headline next month: “Hundreds of Turkish retailers close.”
Jun 23
More than half of all Facebook and Twitter accounts are fake. And both Twitter and Facebook make money by selling fake “followers” and “likes.” Prominent politicians and even musicians and actors purchase fake followers. Hillary Clinton purchased more than 2 million followers during her 2016 campaign. And both Twitter and Facebook have been repeatedly caught …
Jun 09
When dealing with cops at the door remember these pointers: (1) The U.S. Supreme Court and every other court in the land have held that an entry or search of a residence requires a warrant. The home–whether rented or owned–is the most protected space in one’s life. There are very few exceptions to this rule. …
May 18
There are reports that tens–and perhaps hundreds–of Chinese muslims are being held in secret Chinese “indoctrination camps” in the far-western reaches of China. Most appear to be arrested secretly, without warrant or court process, ans whisked away to the secret camps, where they are often tortured. Detainees are made to denounce their religious beliefs and …
Apr 29
Australia is a former British colony. Like the American colonies, it inherited the British common law and the liberties that came with it. And like everywhere else in the former British empire, Australia became prosperous and wealthy compared to the rest of the world. Just as in America and Britain, warrants signed by judges were …
