Wednesday, July 10, 2013

July 10

Snowden:

Beyond that we've got PRISM, which is a demonstration of how the US government co-opts US corporate power to its own ends. Companies like Google, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft, they all get together with the NSA and provide the NSA direct access to the back-ends of all of the systems you use to communicate, to store data, to put things in the cloud, and even just to send birthday wishes and keep a record of your life. And they give NSA direct access that they don't need to oversee so they can't be held liable for it. I think that's a dangerous capability for anybody to have but particularly in an organization that's demonstrated time and time again that they'll work to shield themselves from oversight."

The companies in question have all denied providing the NSA "direct access" to their data, so either they are mistaken, lying or obfuscating or Snowden is. Whom do you believe and why?

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In the second week of the George Zimmerman trial last week Dr. Shiping Bao, the medical examiner for Trayvon Martin was called to the stand, and his testimony was utter magic. The defense team questioned Dr. Bao about a change in his opinion and this was his response, behold:

Based on another autopsy I did in our office. We have a case very similar to Trayvon Martin's case three weeks ago. First, I need to explain to you what is opinion. Opinion can be changed. That's why you asked jury to be open minded, to have open mind, right. Opinion there's no truth or force just right or wrong. If you have new information, you have new experience, if you read a new book, you will change your opinion. If someone never change opinion, you can call mentally retarded or you never learn, right.

Just wow.

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We May Say We Have Quit, but we are still torturing people, now at Gitmo.13

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Koch brothers push GOP officials to sign anti-climate pledge

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State Troopers Forcibly Remove Texas Woman During Epic Testimony Against Abortion Bill

Company Advertises Shoot-A-Gun-Control-Lobbyist Target With Picture Of Virginia Tech Victim

In other news, House Republicans, led by Eric Cantor, are reportedly planning to strip funding for the SNAP program from the farm bill entirely while also repealing the 60-year-old mandate to pass a farm bill. Because dammit, House Republicans really hate being forced to govern. Governing is for chumps.

If you're having a hard time keeping track of just how many different chickens the GOP is fucking right now, you're not the only one.

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