Category: Uncategorized

It’s that time of year again when companies are pushing their flagship phones on everyone, trying to convince them that they really, really need the newest polished block of sensors–more popularly known as “smartphones”–that Alphabet/Google, or Apple, or whatever company is schlepping. Frankly, I find the whole “upgrade cycle” to be ridiculous at best, and an insult to humanity at worst.
I’m reminded of a piece of advice I would give to a lot of people not so many years ago when they’d ask me about what new computer they should get. Facts are, most people just want to get on …read more

The media, doing their normal work as stenographers for the establishment, will tell you…
President Obama vetoed the latest National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in order to meet budgetary limits. In other words, the media will try to convince you Obama is being frugal.
The Republicans, on the other hand, want you to believe Obama’s veto endangers our troops during a time of war.
These are both comic book depictions of the truth.
We must reveal what the media hides.

The Republicans are trying to use a special war account (called Overseas Contingency Operations) as their slush fund. Why?
OCO is not counted under the budget …read more

Chicago, IL — After recording a video of plainclothes officers harassing him for ordering a Lyft ride at the airport, a YouTube user was ordered out of the car and had his cellphone confiscated in a failed attempt to delete the video. Although the Lyft driver pleaded with the cops not to impound his vehicle because he could not afford the fees, the officer sadistically punished the driver after blaming the passenger for recording him.
According to a YouTube user who wishes to remain anonymous, he flew into Chicago O’Hare on the evening of September 2 after a long business trip …read more

One of the things that makes the Dark Android Project possible is the advent of cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin and others of its ilk really make the anonymity that a Dark Android device allows for to be possible, and I couldn’t be happier that these technologies exist to allow people to achieve–as I call it–DAPS in their interactions with the digital world, and even with others in the physical world.
Unfortunately, the same blockchain technology that powers Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies (few of which I’m a fan of) is also being used in pilot programs by various large banks around the world. Not …read more

Philadelphia, PA – Hundreds of emails obtained by the Daily Beast reveal the twisted mind of a Pennsylvania Supreme Court justice and his circle of colleagues who take delight in misogyny and racism.
Justice J. Michael Eakin communicated with state and federal officials using a private “John Smith” email account. Emails include suggesting that a battered wife treat her wounds by “keeping her mouth shut,” a joke about a man using a Taser to rape a woman, jokes about kids being molested by pedophiles, and numerous racial slurs.
“An email Eakin received from defense attorney Terry McGowan links to a video titled …read more

A once apathetic society, who had become so unquestioningly content with the status quo, is beginning to wake up.
For over a decade, Americans stood by as police killings went largely unchecked. No one even cared about counting how many citizens had their lives taken by cops.
But the days of unaccountable government killings seem to be numbered as killer cops have awakened a sleeping dragon.
Over the past two years, with Ferguson, Missouri, playing a key role, the American people have realized that police are killing their friends and family at an alarming rate — And they have taken action.
Multiple independent sources, …read more

Las Vegas, NV — A family has lost their fight with the federal government to keep their land near the mysterious Area 51 in Nevada. The 400-acre Groom Mine property belonging to the Sheehan family was condemned by the U.S. Air Force after the family rejected a buyout which they felt was unfair.
A federal judge then signed the “order for immediate delivery of possession” through eminent domain, seizing the property in the interest of top-secret military operations.
The property had been in the Sheehan family since the 1870s, and still contains valuable minerals that can be mined. It also contains the …read more

The National Convergence Front of Guatemala was formed in 2008. In its first election, in 2011, it did not run a presidential candidate, but it had candidates for the national legislature. However, they only polled one-half of 1%, not enough to win any seats in the proportional representation system.
But in 2013 the party chose popular TV comedian Jimmy Morales as its leader. In the presidential election of September 6, 2015, fourteen parties ran presidential candidates. Morales came in first, with 23.85%. Because no one got as much as 50%, a runoff was held on October …read more

This story says the Montana Republican Party is so short of funds, it no longer has an office. Thanks to Mike Fellows for the link. …read more

Android Wear–and really, smartwatches in general–are supposedly the “new hotness”. Of course, smartwatches are nothing new. And in fact, for over 30 years, these things have been in development. There were even smartwatches in the past that could connect to you Commodore 64! How could you not want one of those?
The beauty of these smartwatches of the past was that they didn’t send all of your biometrics and data to Alphabet/Google, and Apple, and others. They gave you the data, and you could track it yourself in whatever way you wished, but there was no Cloud (read: someone’s else’s computer) …read more