Jun 01
Astounding blow to privacy from the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia. See here. For years the government has been arguing that any information you give up to a “3rd party” is not “private.” Thus, the government may intercept it without so much as a warrant. Although warrants are necessary for government …
May 14
Two decades ago, Venezuela was a vibrant but struggling, up-and-coming democracy. The voters overwhelmingly approved of Hugo Chavez and took the country in a big-government, socialist direction. Venezuela drove out private businesses, censored the press, and imprisoned dissidents. You know, . . . to help the poor. Now the poor are poorer than ever. Mobs …
May 10
The inquisitors of the Spanish Inquisition generally began their interrogations with a single question: “Do you know why we’ve summoned you here today?” The goal behind such questions was to get the hapless subject to admit to heresy or blasphemy. Nothing has changed since the 1300s Today it has become customary for troopers who pull …
May 08
Egyptian government officials have arrested a teenage comedian who criticized government. See here.
May 07
Journalism in favor of government has always been one of the safest occupations in the world. Journalism disfavored by government has always been one of the world’s most dangerous occupations. Now there is news that an Egyptian court has sentenced three journalists to death for supposedly reporting facts that undermined Egypt’s “national security.” Thankfully, the …
May 03
Every government that has ever existed has ultimately come for all property, all money, all freedom, and to kill all who resist. Governments often view criticism as treason or sedition, and claim that dissenting voices are trying to commit terrorism or overthrow the government. Now a Canadian citizen with a work visa to Nepal has …
May 02
Over the years, countless government firefighters have been found to have started the fires they ‘heroically’ help extinguish. Hundreds if not thousands of deadly arsons have been secretly set by government firefighters. This is true of home arsons as well as forest fires. It may even be that a sizeable percentage of all arsons are …
May 02
This Washington Post story exposed the fact that Bernie Sanders–unlike Hillary Clinton and most other major-party candidates for President over several decades–has refused to disclose his most recent income tax returns (or much tax info at all). This isn’t much of a story. Sanders is under no obligation to publicize his income tax information. But …
Apr 26
Every government in history ultimately came to jail or kill all resistors and critics as ‘traitors’ and promoters of ‘sedition.’ English history is filled with persecution and even hangings of people who criticized government. (And Britain has historically been ‘liberal’ compared to other countries.) Now Turkey’s President Erdogan is pursuing some 2,000 CASES against journalists, …
Apr 18
Witness modern Venezuela. A generation ago, Venezuelan voters cheered when socialist Hugo Chavez was elected president. Chavez’s socialist government took over the mining, industrial, energy, and shipping industries. Chavez imposed censorship on the media, jailing critics. Wealthy households were raided and had their belongings taken by the state. Companies were banned or fled. Chavez provided …
