James Clapper has found another reason why he lied about NSA spying • The Register


Yep: he had actually forgotten about the storing of all Americans’ phonecalls

Source: James Clapper has found another reason why he lied about NSA spying • The Register

Congress Moves Again to Block Investigation of Congressional Insider Trading


Despite passing a law that bans congressional insider trading, House lawyers are fighting an SEC investigation at every turn.

Source: Congress Moves Again to Block Investigation of Congressional Insider Trading

German Parliament Spy Oversight Board Sues German Government Over Data Sharing With NSA | Techdirt

The German Foreign Intelligence Services, supported by the government, tapped the German Internet Exchange Point Decix, the largest internet exchange point globally. While the G10 Commission had approved the blanket tapping, they were unaware that some of the tapped data were forwarded to the NSA, the US National Security Agency, based on a list of so-called “selectors” — names or numbers the NSA sent to their German colleagues.

Source: German Parliament Spy Oversight Board Sues German Government Over Data Sharing With NSA | Techdirt

Turing’s Martin Shkreli regrets 5,000% price hike—says it wasn’t high enough | Ars Technica


In a Healthcare summit hosted by Forbes on Thursday, Martin Shkreli, the founder and CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals, admitted he made a mistake by raising the price of a decades-old drug by more than 5,000 percent. But it’s not the mistake you might expect.

Source: Turing’s Martin Shkreli regrets 5,000% price hike—says it wasn’t high enough | Ars Technica

Appeals Court Sees Nothing Wrong With The ATF Busting People For Thinking About Robbing Fake Stash Houses | Techdirt

In these stash-house cases, the Government’s “participation in the offense conduct” is what makes them particularly repugnant to the Constitution. Everything about the scheme—and therefore almost everything bearing upon a defendant’s ultimate sentence—hinges solely on the Government’s whim. Why were there not 10 kilograms in the stash house? Or 100? Or 1,000? Why were the guards allegedly armed—necessitating that Defendants bring weapons along with them? All of these factors came down to the ATF and the undercover agent alone. That sort of arbitrariness offends the Constitution’s due-process demands.

Source: Appeals Court Sees Nothing Wrong With The ATF Busting People For Thinking About Robbing Fake Stash Houses | Techdirt

Defense Contractors Cite “Benefits” of Escalating Conflicts in the Middle East

Lockheed Martin tells investors it will see “indirect benefits” from the war in Syria. Raytheon notes “a significant uptick.”

Source: Defense Contractors Cite “Benefits” of Escalating Conflicts in the Middle East

Appeals Court Issues Fantastic 1st Amendment Ruling Against Censorious Sheriff Thomas Dart In His Crusade Against The Internet | Techdirt

Source: Appeals Court Issues Fantastic 1st Amendment Ruling Against Censorious Sheriff Thomas Dart In His Crusade Against The Internet | Techdirt

Taser and the Myth of Non-Lethal Weaponry


Taser claims its products are safe. But if that’s true, wonders a new documentary, why do people keep dying?

Source: Taser and the Myth of Non-Lethal Weaponry

The Nation’s Criminals Can’t Keep Up With The Government’s Legalized Theft Programs | Techdirt

A comment to this story hit the bullseye:

In the 1980s we passed forfeiture laws to battle the largest criminals but look where we are now. If you want to know how the special powers we’re giving government to battle terrorism will end up, just look at this program.

Source: The Nation’s Criminals Can’t Keep Up With The Government’s Legalized Theft Programs | Techdirt

No Copyright Trolls, Your Evidence Isn’t Flawless – TorrentFreak


If you get a letter through the post accusing you of Internet piracy, you must be guilty. That’s the message from most copyright trolls and infuriatingly, even some ‘neutral’ lawyers commenting on these cases. But while it might seem daunting, putting up a fight is not only the right thing to do, but can also cause claimants to back off.

Source: No Copyright Trolls, Your Evidence Isn’t Flawless – TorrentFreak