The Day the Internet Died

For many (not me), it was one of the most terrifying hours in the history of their lives. From about 10:45 AM EST to 11:50 AM EST on Sunday, September 20th, 2015–mainly throughout the Northeast of the United States of America (as compared to the United States of Mexico…did you know that is Mexico’s official name?)–various websites and services like Netflix (OMFG!! Personally, I don’t give a shit about that), Amazon (including the Amazon Echo and Instant Video), Nest products, Reddit (another one I don’t give a shit about), Medium, IMDB, SocialFlow (another one I don’t care about…actually, I don’t …read more

Is Downsize DC wrong about what’s important?

Do Americans focus on the wrong things? Do libertarians? Is everyone led around by the media? #tlot Retweet

Here’s what America obsessed about last week…
Who had the best one liners in a presidential debate
A boy who got arrested for building a clock
Meanwhile, there’s little to no national debate about…
The fact that the U.S. “government” has been assisting ISIS
All the ways in which politicians (and most Americans) are wrong about Iran
Downsize DC thinks these issues — ISIS and Iran — are vastly more important than what’s actually being discussed. And we’re curious…

Who do you think is MORE right about what’s important — …read more

Cop Carelessly Runs Over “Role Model” Teen, Dept then Attacks the Dead Teen’s Character

Rialto, CA – A family is in mourning and a community grieving after losing a beloved young man. This recent high school graduate and former football player tragically lost his life at the hands of a negligent police officer.
On Sunday, September 13th, 19-year-old Anthony Camacho was crossing the street at the intersection of Rosewood Street and Cactus Avenue shortly before 9 pm when he was fatally struck by the vehicle of an inattentive police officer. The officer was reportedly responding to an unrelated call of a suspicious person at an apartment complex when he came barreling through the neighborhood, without …read more

Disturbing Video Shows Cop Threaten to “Lock Up” College Kids for Handing Out Pocket Constitutions

Glen Ellyn, IL – In an infuriating video, two students at the College of DuPage, a public university, were on campus exercising their First Amendment rights by passing out pocket Constitutions and fliers that read “America is a free speech zone,” when approached by a police officer and threatened with arrest.
Filmed ironically only one day after “Constitution Day,” the footage show the officer infringe on the students’ right to freely express their political opinions by threatening to kidnap and throw them in a cage, claiming they are “soliciting.”
The officer tells the students that they need to get a permit and …read more

Canadian Green Party Says it will Soon Sue over Debate Exclusion

Canada is holding a national election on October 19. Although the Green Party leader, Elizabeth May, has been included in some televised debates, she has been or will be excluded in certain other debates. According to this story, the Green Party is about to sue the sponsors of the debates that are exclusionary.
The Green Party is one of four Canadian parties that has candidates for House of Commons in a majority of the districts. The other three such parties are being included in all debates. …read more

Libraries, Tor, and free speech

Libraries are supposed to be forums for information and ideas, and the Library Bill of Rights states, “Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information …

Three Children Facing 5 Years in Prison for Being Caught with Weed in a State where Weed is Legal

Asotin County, WA — Washington state was one of the first places in the country to legalize marijuana, but many have complained that their regulations are nearly as bad as prohibition.
One serious problem with Washington’s new marijuana laws is the fact that teenagers caught with the plant can be charged with felonies, and face up to five years in prison. This sentence makes no sense considering that marijuana is legal in this area. This would be the equivalent of throwing a 17 or 18-year-old in prison for 5 years for drinking a beer.
This week, it was reported that a prosecutor …read more

Lawyer Buys Backpacks Full of Supplies for Every School Kid in Detorit

Detroit, MI – In a city that is rife with unemployment and poverty, many residents of Detroit, Michigan have struggled to provide their children with backpacks and school supplies. Not having the proper tools for school can make learning a more difficult endeavor.
One man, Mike Morse, has stepped up to this challenge, providing every child in the Detroit elementary public school system with a backpack filled with school supplies like markers, erasers, folders, pencils, notebooks, and other educational goods.
The selfless act, by the Mike Morse Law Firm, which invested nearly half a million dollars into the project, provides a model …read more