The US Is An “Endemic Surveillance Society”

According to Privacy International, the United States has dropped from Extensive to Endemic, now tied with China, Russia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, and the UK(with the UK being more-or-less the worst in the free world). But never fear! We are still number one in a few things. They are:
* Legal protections
* Privacy enforcement
* Use of [...]

You Don’t See This Happen Often

ABC News
Synopsis: A 16 year old Icelander decided to call the President; on the Number, supposedly secret. He doesn’t know how he got it, and he doesn’t know why it caused such a hubbub.
When Vífill Atlason, a 16-year-old high school student from Iceland, decided to call the White House, he could not imagine [...]

US Claims Right To Kidnap Foriegners

London Times - AMERICA has told Britain that it can “kidnap” British citizens if they are wanted for crimes in the United States.
A senior lawyer for the American government has told the Court of Appeal in London that kidnapping foreign citizens is permissible under American law because the US Supreme Court has sanctioned it.
The admission [...]

Sharif Blocked From Pakistan Election

AP - ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Opposition leader Nawaz Sharif risks disqualification from Pakistan’s crucial parliamentary elections after an official rejected his nomination papers Monday.
The decision could deepen the political crisis that has engulfed Pakistan since President Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency rule one month ago.
Sharif was to meet later Monday with fellow opposition leader Benazir Bhutto [...]

Chavez Loses His Amendment

CNN - Venezuelans, by the slimmest of margins, rejected a constitutional referendum that would have allowed President Hugo Chavez to seek re-election indefinitely and tightened socialism’s grip on the oil-rich Latin American nation.
By 51 percent to 49 percent, voters shot down a referendum that included 69 proposed amendments to the 1999 constitution, according to Monday [...]

Chinese Sub Surfaces Undetected Next to USS Kitty Hawk

Unfortunately, our military seems to underestimate the Chinese, especially their technology. Deployed with a battle fleet during exercises, the 160 ft Song Class slipped through a contingency of at least a dozen warships and 2 of our own submarines undetected, then proceeded to go into visible attack range before surfacing. The U.S.S. Kitty Hawk is [...]

Another Taser ‘Incident’

It seems I missed one. Our neighbors to the north seem to know enough not to let American cops have ALL the fun.
A Polish man ended up staying at Vancouver National Airport for TEN HOURS, after his mother, who said she would pick him up at the baggage area, wasn’t allowed to enter without a [...]

Don’t Get Comfortable

Our British neighbors are getting a little more crazy every day. From 24/7 surveilence to this?
When will people speak up? Probably never. Anyway, read on for the story.
Girl taken to court for putting feet on Train Chair
When Kathleen Jennings was caught resting her feet on a train seat, she hoped a swift apology would be [...]

Pakistani’s Face Treason Death Penelty For Leaflets

Times Online -
Three Pakistani politicians and a union leader were charged with treason today for making anti-government speeches in the southern port city of Karachi, a court official said.
The men were the first to be reported charged with treason, which carries a maximum sentence of death, since President Musharraf declared a state of emergency and [...]

Ecuador Wants Base… In United States?

Reuters - Ecuador’s leftist President Rafael Correa said Washington must let him open a military base in Miami if the United States wants to keep using an air base on Ecuador’s Pacific coast.
Correa has refused to renew Washington’s lease on the Manta air base, set to expire in 2009. U.S. officials say it is vital [...]