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Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact The Stranger. editor@thestranger.com (The Stranger Editor) webmaster@thestranger.com (The Stranger Webmaster) Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:00:01 -0700 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 06:30:00 -0700 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/18/the-tuesday-morning-news http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/18/the-tuesday-morning-news Goldy <p><strong>Good to know.</strong> &#8220;I can assure you that the European Commission is not the Antichrist,&#8221; says Katharina von Schnurbein, the commission official responsible for mediating the increasingly <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/18/world/europe/a-more-secular-europe-divided-by-the-cross.html?hp&_r=0">rocky relations between religious and secular groups</a> in Europe.</p> <p><strong>Hey Europe, how's that austerity working out for you?</strong> European car sales fell 5.9 percent in May to their <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/19/business/global/european-car-sales-for-may-hit-lowest-level-in-20-years.html?hp">lowest levels in 20 years</a>.</p> <p><strong>Meanwhile, in the New World:</strong> The economically crucial US housing market continues to recover, with <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2013/06/18/news/economy/home-building/">housing starts climbing 7 percent in April</a>. It was the collapse of the housing market that kicked off this mess.</p> <p><strong>Occupy S&#227;o Paulo.</strong> More than a hundred thousand people marched across Brazil yesterday to <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/18/world/americas/thousands-gather-for-protests-in-brazils-largest-cities.html?hp">protest rising bus fares and extravagant stadium projects</a>. Hmm. Rising bus fares and extravagant stadium projects. Why does that sound familiar?</p> <p><strong>9/11 was almost 12 years ago.</strong> NATO forces have officially <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hEh8WbtZ9nJgihwi30jOPvQ2ujDQ?docId=CNG.923964716c8cc546b723dfe8b17ec928.601">handed over security control to Afghan troops</a> as the US prepares to withdraw. Meanwhile <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-afghanistan-us-taliban-talks-20130618,0,78009.story">the Taliban and the US</a> have agreed to hold peace talks.</p> <p><strong>All you women stick together.</strong> Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill has <a href="http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/06/18/19021035-missouri-sen-mccaskill-backs-clinton-for-president-in-16?lite">endorsed Hillary Clinton</a> for president in 2016. </p> <p><strong>Only 400 calories in an Iced Caf&#233; Mocha!</strong> By the end of the month Starbucks will <a href="http://www.seattlepi.com/business/personal-finance/article/Wake-up-call-Starbucks-to-post-calorie-counts-4606803.php">post calories</a> on its menus at all 11,000 US locations. Personally, I wish they'd post caffeine content, since I usually only consume their product for medicinal purposes.</p> <p><strong>Athletes are role models!</strong> Seattle Seahawks guard John Moffit has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct charges stemming from an incident in which mall security allegedly spotted him <a href="http://blog.seattlepi.com/football/2013/06/17/seahawks-guard-john-moffitt-pleads-guilty-to-disorderly-conduct/">urinating from the skybridge</a> between Bellevue Square and Lincoln Square. </p> <p><strong>Hmm, maybe we should crash trucks into all our structurally deficient bridges?</strong> A temporary I-5 span across the Skagit River is expected to open this week, less than a month after the bridge collapsed. The federal government will pick up <a href="http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Temporary-I-5-Skagit-River-span-to-open-this-week-4605190.php">all but $1 million of the $18 million replacement cost</a>. Such a deal!</p> <p><strong>Goddamn government regulations! </strong> A carbon monoxide leaking pool heater that is suspected of killing a Washington State couple in a South Carolina motel room was reportedly <a href="http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2021212693_apncmoteldeaths1stldwritethru.html">installed without the required city permit or inspection</a>. Because freedom.</p> <p><strong>Something-shaking news:</strong> The US International Trade Commission has <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/17/us-usa-patents-vibrators-idUSBRE95G16B20130617">halted the import of two-armed vibrators</a> after finding that they infringe on a Canadian company's patents. Newspapers nationwide rush to run headlines with the word "climax" in them.</p> <p><strong>It was a hard decision.</strong> A jury has cleared a Delaware doctor of negligence charges stemming from a penile implant that allegedly left a patient with <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/17/us-erection-lawsuit-idUSBRE95G10R20130617">an 8-month erection</a>. "It's not something you want to bring out at parties and show to friends," the victim told unsympathetic jurors.</p> <p><strong>More than 8,600 children were treated for "genital crush injuries" due to falling toilet seats.</strong> Mostly boys. And yes, the medical definition of <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/17/us-falling-toilet-seats-idUSBRE95G12920130617">"genital crush injury"</a> is pretty much exactly what you imagine.</p> <p><strong>But we can still abort the girl babies, right?</strong> And finally, US Representative Michael Burgess (R-TX) testifies that congress should ban abortions past 15 weeks, because that is <a href="http://americablog.com/2013/06/gop-congressman-opposes-abortion-because-fetuses-masturbate.html">the age at which male fetuses start masturbating</a>:</p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3C1n0dRwuKo?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/18/the-tuesday-morning-news#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17051138&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/18/the-tuesday-morning-news?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17051138&id=comments 21 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:59:49 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/17/president-obama-says-nsa-spying-is-transparent http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/17/president-obama-says-nsa-spying-is-transparent Paul Constant <p>President Obama is going to be on Charlie Rose tonight, and <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeedpolitics/president-obama-defends-nsa-spying">BuzzFeed has released a partial transcript</a>:</p> <blockquote><p>It is transparent. That&#8217;s why we set up the FISA court&#8230;. The whole point of my concern, before I was president &#8212; because some people say, &#8220;Well, you know, Obama was this raving liberal before. Now he&#8217;s, you know, Dick Cheney.&#8221; Dick Cheney sometimes says, &#8220;Yeah, you know? He took it all lock, stock, and barrel.&#8221; My concern has always been not that we shouldn&#8217;t do intelligence gathering to prevent terrorism, but rather are we <strong>setting up a system of checks and balances?</strong> So, on this telephone program, you&#8217;ve got a federal court with independent federal judges overseeing the entire program. And you&#8217;ve got Congress overseeing the program, not just the intelligence committee and not just the judiciary committee &#8212; but all of Congress had available to it before the last reauthorization exactly how this program works.</p> <p>Now, one last point I want to make, because what you&#8217;ll hear is people say, &#8220;Okay, we have no evidence that it has been abused so far.&#8221; And they say, &#8220;Let&#8217;s even grant that Obama&#8217;s not abusing it, that all these processes &#8212; DOJ is examining it. It&#8217;s being renewed periodically, et cetera &#8212; the very fact that there is all this data in bulk, it has the enormous potential for abuse,&#8221; because they&#8217;ll say, you know, &#8220;You can &#8212; when you start looking at metadata, even if you don&#8217;t know the names, you can match it up, if there&#8217;s a call to an oncologist, and there&#8217;s a call to a lawyer, and &#8212; you can pair that up and figure out maybe this person&#8217;s dying, and they&#8217;re writing their will, and you can yield all this information.&#8221; All of that is true. Except for the fact that for the government, under the program right now, to do that, <strong>it would be illegal</strong>. We would not be allowed to do that.</p></blockquote> <p>There's <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeedpolitics/president-obama-defends-nsa-spying">much more over at BuzzFeed</a>. None of this is making me feel any better, but I'll definitely watch this interview.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/17/president-obama-says-nsa-spying-is-transparent#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17046270&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/17/president-obama-says-nsa-spying-is-transparent?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17046270&id=comments 43 Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:26:19 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/17/edward-snowden-did-a-live-qanda-this-morning http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/17/edward-snowden-did-a-live-qanda-this-morning Paul Constant <p><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/17/edward-snowden-nsa-files-whistleblower">You should read the whole thing at <em>The Guardian</em></a>, but this is my favorite response:</p> <blockquote><p>...it's important to bear in mind I'm being called a traitor by men like former Vice President Dick Cheney. This is a man who gave us the warrantless wiretapping scheme as a kind of atrocity warm-up on the way to deceitfully engineering a conflict that has killed over 4,400 and maimed nearly 32,000 Americans, as well as leaving over 100,000 Iraqis dead. <strong>Being called a traitor by Dick Cheney is the highest honor you can give an American</strong>, and the more panicked talk we hear from people like him, Feinstein, and King, the better off we all are. If they had taught a class on how to be the kind of citizen Dick Cheney worries about, I would have finished high school.</p></blockquote> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/17/edward-snowden-did-a-live-qanda-this-morning#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17044529&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/17/edward-snowden-did-a-live-qanda-this-morning?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17044529&id=comments 20 Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:22:13 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/17/the-monday-morning-news http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/17/the-monday-morning-news Goldy <p><strong>Happy Father's Day!</strong> A grandfather accidentally <a href="http://www.waaytv.com/news/local/accidental-shooting-in-lawrence-county/article_44eab3e2-d6b1-11e2-b4b9-0019bb30f31a.html">shot his grandson</a> on Father's Day, because America!</p> <p><strong>Good morning, Megan!</strong> Multiple reports have the NHL moving <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/17/nhl-could-move-phoenix-coyotes-to-seattle-in-time-for-2013-2014-season">the Phoenix Coyotes to Seattle</a> for the 2013-2014 season if the Glendale, Arizona city council doesn't come to terms on an arena subsidy deal by July 2.</p> <p><strong>Bad morning.</strong> A 16-year-old Victoria BC boy was killed in Snohomish County when he fell into oncoming traffic <a href="http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2021205995_cyclistfatalityxml.html">during a charity bike ride</a>.</p> <p><strong>No doubt just a cultural misunderstanding.</strong> Russian President Vladimir Putin vehemently denies <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-400_162-57589528/putin-denies-stealing-patriots-super-bowl-ring/">stealing New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft's Super Bowl ring</a>. Other things Putin denies stealing: elections.</p> <p><strong>A blow to our freedom to deny brown people their freedom.</strong> The US Supreme Court has thrown out an Arizona law that required applicants to provide <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/06/17/supreme-court-arizona-citizenship-proof-law-illegal/">proof of citizenship before registering to vote</a> via "motor voter" forms.</p> <p><strong>So help me God.</strong> The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that a Christian man <a href="http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/06/14/appeals-court-christian-can-sue-oklahoma-over-native-american-license-plate/">can sue the state of Oklahoma</a> over the Native American artwork on the state&#8217;s license plate. Pastor Keith Cressman argues that his religious freedom has been violated because the plates "might imply his approval of contrary beliefs." Welcome to <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/14/texas-governor-rick-perry-calls-for-legal-discrimination-against-atheists">my world</a>, Pastor Cressman.</p> <p><strong>In God we trust.</strong> Fifty years after the US Supreme Court banned prayer in public schools, our schools are <a href="http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/06/17/50-years-after-supreme-court-banned-school-sponsored-prayer-students-still-pray/">more religious than ever</a>.</p> <p><strong>Timber!</strong> In the third largest forestry acquisition in North America, Federal Way based <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-16/weyerhaeuser-to-buy-longview-timber-for-2-65-billion.html">Weyerhaeuser will acquire Longview Timber</a> and its 645,000 acres of Washington and Oregon timberland for $2.65 billion.</p> <p><strong>Alki Seattle.</strong> New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is following Seattle's lead in implementing a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/17/nyregion/bloombergs-final-recycling-frontier-food-waste.html?hp&_r=0">citywide food waste recycling program</a>.</p> <p><strong>Don't do this.</strong> An Alaska man was <a href="http://www.adn.com/2013/06/16/2942238/man-mauled-after-feeding-bear.html">mauled by a bear</a> after feeding it barbecued meat at a church picnic. State Troopers say "he'd been drinking." Presumedly the man, not the bear. But this is Alaska, so who knows?</p> <p><strong>Worried about climate change yet?</strong> A <a href="http://www.sciencerecorder.com/news/fifth-alligator-sighted-in-long-island-river/">fifth alligator</a> has been sighted in Long Island's Peconic River.</p> <p><strong>And finally, Miss Utah explains why women are paid less than men:</strong></p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="500" height="281" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/r8E008jUbX8?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/17/the-monday-morning-news#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17042394&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/17/the-monday-morning-news?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17042394&id=comments 27 Mon, 17 Jun 2013 08:59:22 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/16/the-sunday-morning-news http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/16/the-sunday-morning-news Callan Berry <p><a href="http://gawker.com/philadelphia-closes-23-schools-lays-off-thousands-bui-513577680">Pennsylvania's Priorities May Need Retooling: </a> This week, after laying off thousands of Philadelphia teachers and other school employees (claiming budget concerns), the state of Pennsylvania has wrangled together the money to build a <strong>$400 million prison right outside of the city.</strong></p> <p><a href="http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2021199362_duichargingdelayxml.html">Just Enough Time For Another Drink:</a> The normal time to file a DUI charge in Washington is 3 days. In King County the median is<strong> 84 days</strong>, leaving offenders plenty of time to drive drunk again.</p> <p>According to The Daily Mail, a Papua New Guinea woman<a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2342526/Daughter-18-cuts-fathers-head-raped-Papua-New-Guinea-village-home.html"> cut her father's head off after he allegedly raped her.</a> Villagers have formed a protective ring from the police around the woman, saying <strong>"We've all agreed that she is free to stay in the community because the father deserved to die."</strong></p> <p><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/15/sarah-palin-syria_n_3447212.html">Thanks For The Advice.</a> At a Faith and Freedom Coalition meeting yesterday, Sarah Palin told the crowd that the US shouldn't get involved with Syria, saying <strong>"let Allah sort it out!"</strong> It's unknown if this is an attempt to be culturally appropriate, <a href="http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/sarahpalin/a/palin-top-10.htm">or if she's just updating her stupid quote resume.<br /></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Pioneer-Square-merchants-fed-up-with-public-urination-211661191.html">Well They Don't Need to Get Pissy About It:</a> Pioneer Square merchants are tired of a public alley being used as public bathroom. "My delivery staff come from the alley and we open the door and we see people<strong> taking a dump or peeing</strong> and it's very bad."</p> <p><a href="http://www.tmz.com/2013/06/15/kim-kardashian-gives-birth-baby-girl/">Quick! Turn On E!!</a> After going into labor early Saturday morning, Kim Kardashian gave birth to a healthy girl. <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/kate-middleton-steps-final-appearance-article-1.1373587">Now Kate Middleton: Ima let you finish,</a> <strong>but Kim had one of the best births of all time.</strong></p> <p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/16/world/middleeast/iran-election.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp">In Arguably More Important News: </a> Hassan Rowhani was elected as the new president of Iran yesterday by a decent margin. Rowhani, who said <strong>"Let's end extremism"</strong> during his campaign, advocates an increase of personal freedoms, and wants to restore Iran/US diplomatic relations.</p> <p><a href="http://www.king5.com/news/local/Search-resumes-for-woman-in-SW-Washington-211699161.html">Searches for a Vancouver Woman</a> who disappeared from a campground last week have so far been fruitless. Maureen Kelly walked away from her campground<strong> naked, with only a knife and a fannypack.</strong> She apparently left to go on a spiritual quest.</p> <p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/n-korea-proposes-senior-level-talks-with-us/2013/06/16/b26da680-d653-11e2-a73e-826d299ff459_story.html?hpid=z2">North Korea proposed talks with the US</a> to defuse military tensions, draft a peninsula peace treaty, and discuss mutual denuclearization. <strong> The US is open to talks,</strong> but will judge North Korea on <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/16/white-house-north-korea_n_3449746.html">"its actions, and not its words."</a></p> <p>Happy Father's Day Ya'll. Let's celebrate with the most important father of all.<br /><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/u0yGXKoA6Ek" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/16/the-sunday-morning-news#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17038283&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/16/the-sunday-morning-news?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17038283&id=comments 21 Sun, 16 Jun 2013 06:19:00 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/15/the-saturday-morning-news http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/15/the-saturday-morning-news Ansel Herz <p><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2341521/Terrance-Brown-Alleged-bank-robber-says-snooping-NSA-phone-records-clear-name.html">And So It Begins</a>: Lawyers for Terrence Brown, accused of robbing a bank in South Florida, want the NSA to turn over mobile phone surveillance records to help them prove his innocence.</p> <p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/06/13/vladimir-putin-defends-the-u-s-on-spying-programs-drones-and-occupy-wall-street/">Vladimir Putin Says We're Allright</a>: Speaking of NSA surveillance, crackdowns on Occupy demonstrations, and the use of drones, the Russian prez told an interviewer: "That&#8217;s the way it&#8217;s done in the U.S., and that&#8217;s the way it&#8217;s done in Russia."</p> <p><a href="http://gawker.com/seattle-woman-trying-to-live-on-sunlight-alone-is-proba-511749944">Thank God It's Not Raining</a>: First reported by the <a href="http://www.seattleglobalist.com/2013/06/04/brit-attempts-to-live-without-food/13589">Seattle Globalist</a> and then picked up by Gawker, 65-year-old Navenna Shine believes she can live off light, water, and tea. She's lost more than 20 pounds, but her devotion to the "Jasmuheen branch of Breatharianism" remains. Richard Dawkins followers seem <a href="http://www.richarddawkins.net/news_articles/2013/6/14/seattle-woman-trying-to-live-on-sunlight-alone-is-probably-going-to-die#">amused</a>.</p> <p><a href="http://www.motherjones.com/mixed-media/2013/06/gay-porn-pakistan">Gay Porn Really Popular In Countries That Hate Gays:</a> Pakistan, where only two percent of those polled say homosexuality is acceptable, is the world leader in Google searches for "man fucking man."</p> <p><a href="http://boingboing.net/2013/06/14/amid-violent-protest-crackdown.html">Protect and Serve:</a> In Sao Paulo, Brazil, police pepper sprayed and assaulted journalists covering protests against a bus fare hike. One of them was caught on camera breaking his own vehicle's window, presumably to make protesters look violent.</p> <p><a href="http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/state-fines-alaska-airlines-and-contractors-violat/nYLdM/">More Fines for Alaska Airlines Contractors:</a> A few weeks after protesters <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/21/protesters-disrupting-alaska-airlines-shareholder-meeting-right-now">disrupted</a> the airline's shareholder meeting, Washington has fined Alaska and some of its subcontractors (again) for health and safety violations. For example, "cabin cleaners <strong>didn't have gloves to clean the bathroom garbage</strong>, so they had to insert their hands and arms into the chute to push waste through."</p> <p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/12/world/asia/man-details-risks-in-exposing-chinas-forced-labor.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&">Chinese Laborer Defies Communist-Capitalism</a>: A Falun Gong follower slipped a note decrying horrific conditions in a Chinese government labor camp into Halloween decorations he was assembling, which found their way via K-Mart into the hands of a mother of two in Oregon.</p> <p><a href="http://www.invw.org/article/citing-orwellian-doublesp-1362">"Orwellian Doublespeak" by Washington's Ecology Department</a>: The last non-polluting group representing environmentalists pulled out of a panel to craft water pollution standards, and slammed Governor Jay Inslee on the way out.</p> <p>Ain't politicians great? Biden debates Obama on surveillance: </p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="500" height="281" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/m4SRCOouw5I" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/15/the-saturday-morning-news#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17033609&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/15/the-saturday-morning-news?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17033609&id=comments 19 Sat, 15 Jun 2013 08:34:00 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/14/foie-gras-tastes-like-cat-food http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/14/foie-gras-tastes-like-cat-food Callan Berry <p>Lemmie start off with a little preamble: <strong>Morality is a fucker.</strong></p> <p>This week, animal-rights group<a href="http://www.ibtimes.com/amazon-urged-ban-foie-gras-animal-rights-group-calls-retailer-lame-duck-over-controversial-food"> Mercy For Animals targeted Amazon for selling foie gras</a>, the french dish of fattened duck or goose liver. Mercy For Animals unveiled a video <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=o3de4KcxpeM#!">(not for the faint of heart)</a> showing an underground investigator who claimed to work for Hudson Valley, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hudson-Valley-Foie-Grade-fresh/dp/B004XE0EHI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371232405&sr=8-1&keywords=hudson+valley+foie+gras">one of Amazon's foie gras suppliers.</a> The investigator videotaped ducks apparently being<strong> force-fed with a large metal pipe rammed down their throat, and eventually slaughtered. </strong></p> <p>In a press release, Mercy For Animals stated<strong> "Amazon has stopped selling other products, including whale meat, shark fin soup, and animal fighting videos, due to their cruel production practice."</strong> A quick search showed that, indeed, all of those things were not available to buy. Amazon has yet to respond to the group. </p> <p>It all seemed rather hypocritical. How could Amazon refuse to sell those meats, yet not fat/diseased duck liver? Then again, who was I to judge Amazon. I'd never had foie gras, maybe it was God's gift to the mouth and people were just pissy about it. </p> <p>I argued to myself that, while ramming metal rods down a duck's throat does seem particularly cruel, unlike whales and sharks I don't think the population of ducks is necessarily in any peril. Amazon's not killing the ducks themselves, just selling a product. A product that, while gruesome, in the long run is probably just as devastating to the world than any pound of ground beef.</p> <p><strong>So I ate some.</strong></p> <p><div class="blogImageCenter" style="width:471px;"><img src="http://www.thestranger.com/binary/1095/1371246113-foie_gras.jpg" alt="Just like mom used to make!" title="Just like mom used to make!" width="459" height="531" /><ul><li class="imageCredit">Callan Berry</li><li class="imageCaption">Just like mom used to make!</li></ul></div></p> <p>Why not? I am an avid meat lover. My Facebook picture for six months was me gorging on a five pound hamburger<em> topped with a smaller hamburger.</em> Might as well at least try some cruelly damaged liver to see what all the controversy is about. </p> <p>Moreover, isn't all meat technically cruel? Even the most loved and cared for cow still needs to be slaughtered to get the meat. Yeah it's a straw man argument, but I think it's hard to give a quality definition on what humane treatment is when the end result will always be execution.</p> <p>So how was it you ask? <strong>Meh. </strong>It's not bad, a little rich. I'm more surprised that enough people eat this to warrant controversy. The texture and smell reminded me of when I tried Fancy Feast as a kid<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fancy-Feast-Gourmet-Variety-12-Count/dp/B0012KCUP0/ref=sr_1_1?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1371253909&sr=1-1&keywords=fancy+feast"> (which you can also purchase at Amazon)</a>. It is one of those things I'll eat if some one hands me it and I'm drunk enough, I guess.</p> <p>To be honest I didn't end up eating a lot. I just couldn't get the grittier details out of my head. <strong>I felt bad for whatever duck I was eating.</strong> <a href="http://www.amazoncruelty.com/"> Images of the Pope and Kate Winslet food-shaming me on Mercy For Animals' website echoed in my head.</a> Whether their video is authentic or not, the Amazon Cruelty campaign is still effective.</p> <p>Ethics aside,<a href="http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/fsb/0807/gallery.most_expensive_foods.fsb/8.html"> it's just really fucking expensive </a>depending how you get it. The Fancy Feast by comparison costs $81 less, and probably won't leave the bad taste in your mouth (morally (maybe literally)).</p> <p>Make your own judgments, <strong>I'll stick to my affordable, humane-ish meats.</strong></p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/14/foie-gras-tastes-like-cat-food#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17010199&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> Animals Chow News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/14/foie-gras-tastes-like-cat-food?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17010199&id=comments 191 Foie Gras Tastes Like Cat Food Yum. Callan Berry Fri, 14 Jun 2013 17:38:00 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/14/the-friday-morning-news http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/14/the-friday-morning-news Dominic Holden <p><strong>Syria Allegedly Used Chemical Weapons</strong>: UK prime minister David Cameron says the empire attacked the rebels <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/14/syria-sarin-rebels-twice-cameron">in March and April</a>: </p> <blockquote><p>David Cameron has provided fresh detail from the joint intelligence committee setting out the credible evidence the UK has gathered showing that the Assad regime in Syria has used the "<strong>abhorrent agent sarin</strong>" to attack the opposition at least twice.</p> <p>"There is credible evidence of multiple attacks using chemical weapons in Syria, including the use of the abhorrent agent sarin," he said. </p></blockquote> <p><strong>What's Sarin Again?</strong> Here's <a href="http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/sarin/basics/facts.asp">the CDC</a>:</p> <blockquote><p>Sarin is a human-made chemical warfare agent classified as a <strong>nerve agent</strong>. Nerve agents are the most toxic and rapidly acting of the known chemical warfare agents... All nerve agents cause their toxic effects by preventing the proper operation of an enzyme that acts as the body&#8217;s &#8220;off switch&#8221; for glands and muscles. Without an &#8220;off switch,&#8221; the glands and muscles are constantly being stimulated. Exposed people may become tired and <strong>no longer be able to keep breathing</strong>. </p></blockquote> <p><strong>And As Eli Pointed Out</strong>: Now the <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/blogs/slog/mobile/2013/06/14/the-us-will-send-arms-to-syrian-rebels">US is going to arm the Syrian rebels.</a> What could go wrong...</p> <p><strong>Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon Goes Back on His Word</strong>: He reportedly promised Mayor Mike McGinn he'd stay out of the mayor's race, then <a href="http://blogs.seattletimes.com/politicsnorthwest/2013/06/13/murray-gets-west-seattle-democrats-nod-mcginn-confronts-fitzgibbon/#.UbshY53mCoU.twitter">endorsed Ed Murray anyway</a>. But trustworthy lawmakers are overrated, Joe. </p> <p><strong>Most Dangerous Cyclist Crossings</strong>: Based on Washington State Department of Transportation collision records, these are the <a href="http://www.seattlepi.com/local/slideshow/Seattle-s-20-worst-intersections-for-cyclists-64502/photo-4780628.php">worst intersections for cyclists</a>. </p> <p><strong>The CIA's Glass Ceiling</strong>: &#8220;Men who work 20-hour days, seven days a week there are dedicated. Women who do it are <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/many-women-in-cia-still-encounter-glass-ceiling-agency-report-says/2013/06/13/1c0625f2-c92c-11e2-9245-773c0123c027_story.html?Post+generic=%3Ftid%3Dsm_twitter_washingtonpost">obsessive shrews</a>."</p> <p><strong>This Week Has Gone Downhill</strong>: Where have all the pundits psychoanalyzing Edward Snowden gone? This was my favorite tweet of the week:</p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Ok, seriously, are we chimpanzees? We've decided we need to debate whether Ed Snowden is personally a dick rather than what he's revealed?<br />&#8212; Julian Sanchez (@normative) <a href="https://twitter.com/normative/statuses/344291606377144321">June 11, 2013</a></blockquote><br /><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div></p> <p><strong>A 68-Foot Fin Whale</strong>: The seven-story creature washed up on Ocean Shores, and the gawker in you can go <a href="http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/dead-whale-washes-beach-near-ocean-shores/nYKtf/">gawk over here</a>.</p> <p><strong>Well, It Was a Republican Plan All Along</strong>: Arizona governor Jan Brewer, a former opponent of Obamacare, approved the law's <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-ff-jan-brewer-arizona-medicaid-20130613,0,2890183.story">Medicaid expansion in her state</a>.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/14/the-friday-morning-news#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17025580&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/14/the-friday-morning-news?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17025580&id=comments 21 Fri, 14 Jun 2013 08:59:40 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/13/get-your-head-out-of-your-ass-and-help-clean-up-the-duwamish-river http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/13/get-your-head-out-of-your-ass-and-help-clean-up-the-duwamish-river Ansel Herz <p>If you like rivers&#8212;the Duwamish River in particular&#8212;the Environmental Protection Agency <a href="http://org2.salsalabs.com/o/5168/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=14155">needs to hear about it </a> by <strong>5 p.m. today</strong>. That's when the public comment period on the EPA's plan to clean the Duwamish River, which starts in South Park and spills into Puget Sound, closes. </p> <p>The current EPA plan is <strong>totally inadequate</strong> and doesn't do anything to clean up toxic pollutants in the upper watershed of the river, according to James Rasmussen of the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition and Duwamish Tribe. But "if the public overwhelmingly tells them to do a better job, <strong>they do it!</strong> That's something we've seen a record of with the EPA," he says. </p> <p>As the coalition's coordinator <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2010/11/15/epas-plan-to-clean-up-duwamish-river-isnt-enough">explained on Slog</a>: </p> <blockquote><p>The toxins kill micro-bugs that live in the water, causing a chain reaction upward through the food chain to people, <strong>increasing risk of cancer, immune system breakdowns, and reproductive disorders</strong>. The chemicals particularly threaten the health of the river&#8217;s fishermen.</p> <p>The upriver sediment they would leave in place&#8212;which would eventually flow down river&#8212;isn&#8217;t clean either. Unless we do this right the first time, all that toxic stuff upriver will end up downriver. </p></blockquote> <p>To make matters worse, local officials want to do even less cleanup than the EPA, Rasmussen says. "The City of Seattle and King County need to <strong>get their heads out of their asses</strong> and stop worrying about the short term costs, and look at the long term costs."</p> <p>King County Executive Dow Constantine supports the EPA plan and is "recommending some refinements," Sung Yang, his chief of staff, says. He assured me that "all of this is being determined by the data and analysis," and the plan they're supporting doesn't sacrifice any additional cleanup measures to cut costs. He says dredging in particular, as advocated by the cleanup coalition, is unnecessary and could actually hurt the environment. (Aaron Pickus from Mayor Mike McGinn's office referred me to <a href="http://www.seattle.gov/council/attachments/Duwamish%20letter.MO&Council.061213.pdf">this letter</a> and said he has nothing to add.)</p> <p>I hesitate to take Yang at his word, though. The EPA plan would &#8220;place the burden of addressing environmental contamination&#8217;s health effects on those affected, rather than those responsible for the risk,&#8221; an EPA document issued earlier this year said, and Mike O'Brien of the Seattle City Council admitted to <a href="http://www.invw.org/article/with-focus-on-toxics-duwa-1355">Investigate West</a>, "I feel like we&#8217;re on this rational path to failing these communities."</p> <p>"This river is important to me," Rasmussen says. "I'm talking about a place that my people have been living for 10,000 years. The things that live in it that are my cousins and aunties and my uncles."</p> <p>"We are the richest, most educated city in Puget Sound," he continued, in an epic and moving rant. "If we won't do it, no one is going to get out in front of us&#8212;Everett, Olympia, Tacoma. <strong>We're the ones who made a ton of fucking money off of Puget Sound</strong>. Seattle became Seattle on the back of the Duwamish river. It's time to pay that back." </p> <p>Here again is the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition's link to <a href="http://org2.salsalabs.com/o/5168/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=14155">share your thoughts</a> with the EPA, and here's the general contact info for their <a href="http://www2.epa.gov/aboutepa/epa-region-10-pacific-northwest">regional office</a>. </p> <p><small>Thanks, Slog tipper Tessa Morgan.</small></p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/13/get-your-head-out-of-your-ass-and-help-clean-up-the-duwamish-river#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17018175&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News Enviro http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/13/get-your-head-out-of-your-ass-and-help-clean-up-the-duwamish-river?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17018175&id=comments 13 Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:29:00 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/13/despite-his-claims-city-attorney-pete-holmes-is-not-a-paragon-for-open-government http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/13/despite-his-claims-city-attorney-pete-holmes-is-not-a-paragon-for-open-government Howard Gale <p><small><em>In last week's issue of </em>The Stranger, <em>Cienna Madrid profiled activist <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/meet-the-information-pit-bull/Content?oid=16952023">Howard Gale's ongoing fight with the city</a> to gain access to internal Seattle Center documents. Below, Gale explains why City Attorney Pete Holmes is ultimately responsible for the continued obfuscation. Enjoy!</em></small></p> <p>Over seven months after submitting a Public Records Act (PRA) request to Seattle Center a considerable number of documents have still not been released. Last December I initiated legal action to compel Seattle Center and the City of Seattle to comply with established state law.</p> <p>You can read all about Washington State's Public Record Act (PRA), which was was voted into existence over 40 years ago and remains one of the strongest in the country, <a href="http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=42.56">over here</a>. Suffice it to say, the city also passed a law four years ago effusively affirming its <a href="http://www.seattle.gov/council/newsdetail.asp?ID=9642&Dept=28">&#8220;culture of compliance&#8221;</a> when it comes to releasing public records.</p> <p>And yet every aspect of the City's response to my PRA request, by both Seattle Center and the City Law Department, <strong>flagrantly contradicts that law</strong>.</p> <p>Denise Wells is the person responsible for handling PRA requests at Seattle Center, someone with over 12 years experience handling <strong>over one thousand PRA requests</strong> for the City of Seattle. For the past year Seattle Center has been attempting to "manage" the homeless population there through decisions made and carried out by the very staff that Wells supervises or who supervise her. My PRA request was absolutely clear and unambiguous, asking for documents relevant to "putting any changes into effect (policies, staff behavior, signage, etc.) that might restrict or control the access of any particular group of people to space or services (including access to AC outlets) at Seattle Center." In the weeks prior to this PRA request there were numerous conversations and contacts that I had with Director Nellams and the COO Wideman-Williams, concerning the reasons behind removing AC access at the Armory.</p> <p>Despite Wells' PRA training, her knowledge concerning the issue at hand, and having received a very clear PRA request, Wells decided to search only for documents that might contain the word <strong>"outlet." </strong></p> <p>There can be little doubt that Wells knew, or easily could have known, both the specific and broader intent behind the PRA request and the documents that would be responsive to it. <strong>Thus began a torturous game of hide-and-go-seek between myself and the City</strong>, in which the City, on at least four occasions, repeatedly claimed to have finally released all relevant documents only to admit more existed. Ultimately, Seattle Center Director Robert Nellams and the City of Seattle are responsible for the overt and egregious violations of the PRA that continue to this day.</p> <p>In it's legal defense the City has pretended that my PRA request was somehow unclear or over broad, and that only esoteric and complex keyword searches might uncover the documents that they claim only exist in my imagination. It is an absurd claim that indicates there is more than <strong>gross incompetence</strong> at issue here. On November 19, 2012 Seattle Center engaged the advice and services of the Pete Holmes' City Law Department, who have managed, with the involvement of at least three staff attorneys and numerous other staff, to continue to fail to comply with the legal requirements of the PRA. </p> <p><strong>The involvement of the City Law Department has exacerbated, not prevented, the violations that continue six months later</strong>. </p> <p>Furthermore, the department's spokesperson, Kimberly Mills, has failed to explain how the City Law Office can resolve the contradiction of providing a vigorous defense for their "client" (the City) and at the same time vigorously search out documents that might <strong>prove it's clients law breaking actions</strong>. Further, those in the City Law Office who are supposed to be "promoting transparency" are clearly not communicating with their office mates who are making false claims concerning the PRA requirements and the nature of my PRA request.</p> <p>Hence, the City Law Office appears to have established a policy to <strong>knowingly subvert</strong> well established Washington State law, to deny citizens access to public records, and to do so in a manner that will result in high costs to both plaintiffs and the City when someone seeks to hold the City accountable. This all makes Holmes' current slogan for reelection&#8212;"Help Pete continue to promote Seattle's values, work for social justice and improve the Office of the City Attorney"&#8212;seem a bit hollow.</p> <p>On October 1, 2009, when Holmes was first running for City Attorney, the Seattle Times noted "Holmes said he's committed to open government: 'I have a record of standing up for this, even when it's tough to do so.'" <strong>Maybe it's just the easy stuff he can't figure out</strong>.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/13/despite-his-claims-city-attorney-pete-holmes-is-not-a-paragon-for-open-government#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17018968&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/13/despite-his-claims-city-attorney-pete-holmes-is-not-a-paragon-for-open-government?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17018968&id=comments 10 Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:03:06 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/13/the-thursday-morning-news http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/13/the-thursday-morning-news Dominic Holden <p><strong>Your DNA</strong>: The SCOTUS rules that "a naturally occurring DNA segment is a product of nature and not patent eligible merely because it has been isolated," Justice Thomas wrote in a majority opinion. SCOTUS Blog has more on the case&#8212;<em><a href="http://www.scotusblog.com/2013/06/details-on-association-for-molecular-pathology-v-myriad-genetics-inc/">Association for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics, Inc.</a></em>&#8212;and <a href="http://www.scotusblog.com/2013/06/details-on-american-trucking-association-v-los-angeles/">1</a>, <a href="http://www.scotusblog.com/2013/06/details-tarrant-regional-water-district-v-herrmann/">2</a>, <a href="http://www.scotusblog.com/2013/06/details-on-united-states-v-davila/">3</a> other decisions today.</p> <p><strong>Explosion</strong>: The AP reports more than 30 have been taken to the hospital after an explosion in a <a href="https://twitter.com/AP/status/345212365106728960">Louisiana chemical plant</a>. </p> <p><strong>Media Buyout</strong>: The Gannett Co., which publishes USA Today, is <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-13/gannett-to-buy-belo-for-1-5-billion-to-gain-tv-stations.html">purchasing the Belo Corp.</a>&#8212;which owns Seattle's KING TV&#8212;for about $1.5 billion. Taking over television stations will reportedly help Gannett make up the ground it's losing in the publishing business. </p> <p><strong>Turkey's Prime Minister and Consummate Dick</strong>: Recep Tayyip Erdogan has agreed to <a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2013/06/20136131415632550.html">a referendum on the controversial proposal to raze and redevelop a central beloved park</a>, but he's also issued a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/14/world/europe/turkish-leader-gives-final-warning-to-park-protesters.html?smid=pl-share">"final" warning</a> to protesters occupying that park. </p> <p><strong>Uggers</strong>: There is a huge spider near my chair. </p> <p><strong>Ed Murray's Momentum</strong>: Joel Connelly has a good write up on Ed Murray sweeping the <a href="http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2013/06/12/ed-murray-wins-coveted-sole-backing-from-34th-district-democrats/">34th District Democrats endorsement by a 2-1 margin</a>. Murray has outperformed every other mayoral candidate in district Dem endorsements this year, one key bellwether of an election's tide. </p> <p><strong>Oh, Well That Settles That</strong>: FBI director Robert Mueller III, a natural ally of civil libertarians everywhere, thinks the federal government's impossibly broad spying program <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-fbi-director-secret-surveillance-programs-20130613,0,2921334.story">absolutely necessary</a>. </p> <p><strong>The Stupidity of Stand Your Ground</strong>: There's a <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jun/13/george-zimmerman-trial-stand-your-ground">double standard for women</a>, says Sadhbh Walshe. When a woman defended herself from an allegedly abusive husband&#8212;with just a warning shot&#8212;the statue didn't apply as a defense. It's only for dudes with guns, apparently. </p> <p><strong>Nickelsville vs. the Seattle City Council</strong>: Campers sent the council, which wants them evicted but won't legalize a place for them to move, a letter about the vague promise to find a pittance for housing: "Any permanent housing your half a million dollars provides will be something to celebrate for those who get it, but a couple of months in <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/blogs/slog/mobile/2013/06/12/nickelsville-responds-to-city-councils-move-to-evict-them">a hotel isn't permanent housing, its a flop</a>."</p> <p><strong>The Apple Phablet?</strong> The company is considering iPhones with <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/13/apple-iphone-idUSL3N0EP1BA20130613">up to 5.7" screens</a>, Reuters reports.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/13/the-thursday-morning-news#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17017455&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/13/the-thursday-morning-news?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17017455&id=comments 24 Thu, 13 Jun 2013 09:00:45 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/13/a-surprising-slump-in-the-number-of-white-americans http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/13/a-surprising-slump-in-the-number-of-white-americans Eli Sanders <p>Many people will have <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/white-deaths-outnumber-births-for-first-time/2013/06/13/3bb1017c-d388-11e2-a73e-826d299ff459_story.html">things to say about this</a> today, so let's start with the facts as reported by the <em>Washington Post</em>:</p> <blockquote><p>More white people died in the United States last year than were born, a surprising slump coming more than a decade before the Census Bureau says that the ranks of white Americans will likely drop with every passing year...</p> <p>Several demographers said they are not aware of another time in U.S. history &#8212; not even during the Depression or wars &#8212; when there was such shrinkage among the dominant racial group. No other group showed a similar falloff.</p></blockquote> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/13/a-surprising-slump-in-the-number-of-white-americans#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17015537&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/13/a-surprising-slump-in-the-number-of-white-americans?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17015537&id=comments 46 Thu, 13 Jun 2013 06:00:00 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/12/neighborhoods-full-of-sad-animals http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/12/neighborhoods-full-of-sad-animals Callan Berry <p><strong>Tired of Hearing About aPodments Yet?</strong> Of course you're not. The <a href="http://www.capitolhillseattle.com/2013/06/rock-your-pod-contest-rewards-creative-apodment-dwellers/">Capitol Hill Seattle Blog reports</a> that aPodment is holding a "Rock Your Pod" contest to reward creative aPodment decoration. The aPodment Facebook says there's a grand prize of a $500 Ikea or Target gift card. Some are awful, some are rad; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.474554065967050.1073741826.166393870116406&type=1&l=7832218738">check out all the entries here.</a></p> <p><strong>Anti-Climactic Fire Gets a Little More Climactic:</strong> Officials say that a truck fire at Mt Pleasant Cemetery yesterday morning was found to be <em>intentional</em>, <a href="http://www.queenanneview.com/2013/06/11/truck-fire-this-morning-at-mt-pleasant-cemetery/">Queen Anne View reports.</a> The fire, which had spread to a tree, caused an estimated $3,600 in damage. No one was hurt.</p> <p><strong>In Sad Seal News:</strong> Seal Sitters, a group dedicated to the protection of marine mammals, is asking West Seattlites to be on the look out for an orphaned seal pup somewhere on their shores <a href="http://westseattleblog.com/2013/06/alert-from-seal-sitters-watch-for-orphaned-newborn-as-pup-season-starts">West Seattle Blog reports.</a> The necropsy of an adult female seal found Monday revealed that she had given birth just a few days before. The group says if the pup has survived, it would be weak and vulnerable, especially to off-leash dogs.</p> <p><strong>In Sad Pet News: </strong><a href="http://www.whitecenterblog.com/2013/06/10/police-seeking-publics-help-finding-missing-pomeranian-andy/">The White Center Blog reports</a> that police are looking for help from the public to find a missing Pomeranian named Andy. After coming up missing outside of a Bartell Drugs May 19, Andy's owner has been frantically looking for her dog, saying Andy was stolen, and no questions will be asked if the dog is returned. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=C70JM3HydMg">A video of two people allegedly getting on a bus with Andy was posted online.</a></p> <p><strong>In Even Worse Pet News:</strong> <a href="http://beaconhill.seattle.wa.us/2013/06/10/broad-daylight-burglars-break-in-kill-family-cat/">According to Beacon Hill</a> (originally from<a href="http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Family-cat-killed-during-burglary-210884491.html"> KOMO</a>), a family cat was found dead in the backyard after a 15th Avenue South house was according to police burglarized. The owner reported "at some point either my cat got in the way or wanted to be petted and was struck with enough force that it killed him."</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/12/neighborhoods-full-of-sad-animals#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17008980&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/12/neighborhoods-full-of-sad-animals?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17008980&id=comments 4 Wed, 12 Jun 2013 14:32:00 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/12/the-wednesday-morning-news-now-with-more-midweek-flavor http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/12/the-wednesday-morning-news-now-with-more-midweek-flavor Dominic Holden <p><strong>Google Gets Testy With the Obama Administration</strong>: On the company <a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/asking-us-government-to-allow-google-to.html">blog</a>, Google chief legal officer David Drummond appeals to US Attorney General Eric Holder, saying that while Google complies with the law, recent claims that Google grants the "U.S. government unfettered access to our users&#8217; data are simply untrue." But how can Google prove it if their lips are sealed? Drummond makes a direct request: "We therefore ask you to help make it possible for Google to publish in our Transparency Report aggregate numbers of national security requests, including FISA disclosures&#8212;in terms of both the number we receive and their scope. Google&#8217;s numbers would clearly show that our compliance with these requests falls far short of the claims being made. Google has nothing to hide."</p> <p><strong>Microsoft and Twitter Get Testy</strong>: The corporations are asking the Feds to let them disclose details about secret data requests&#8212;which I suppose would <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/12/microsoft-twitter-rivals-nsa-requests">make them not-secret data requests</a>:</p> <blockquote><p>Microsoft and Twitter have joined calls by Google and Facebook to be able to publish more detail about how many secret requests they receive to hand over user data under the controversial Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (Fisa). "Permitting greater transparency on the aggregate volume and scope of national security requests, including Fisa orders, would help the community understand and debate these important issues," Microsoft said in an emailed statement to the Reuters news agency.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>Europe Gets Real Testy</strong>: Because <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/12/world/europe/eu-official-pushes-us-to-explain-its-surveillance.html?smid=pl-share">Obama is starting to smell a lot like fascism</a>: </p> <blockquote><p>Amid a growing outcry over American snooping on foreigners that threatens to cloud European-U.S. trade talks and President Barack Obama&#8217;s visit to Berlin, the European Union&#8217;s top justice official has demanded in unusually sharp terms that the <strong>United States reveal what its intelligence is doing with personal information of Europeans</strong> gathered under the Prism surveillance program revealed last week. ...</p> <p>Speaking for a continent where snooping carries ghastly <strong>echoes of fascist or communist regimes</strong>, [Viviane Reding, the Union&#8217;s combative commissioner of justice] challenged Mr. Holder to answer a list of detailed questions by Friday, when they are expected to speak face-to-face in Dublin at a ministerial meeting scheduled before the Prism spy operation came to light. </p></blockquote> <p><strong>Pope Francis</strong>: He's concerned with a "<a href="http://www.seattlepi.com/news/world/article/Pope-confirms-gay-lobby-at-work-at-Vatican-4594603.php">gay lobby</a>" in the Vatican.</p> <p><strong>A Snowballing History of Mass Surveillance</strong>: Starting with the creation of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, aka FISA, in 1978 to, followed by decades of silence and then <a href="http://projects.propublica.org/graphics/surveillance-timeline">ramping up in the last decade</a>. It last week's post by ProPublica, but a must-read. </p> <p><strong>Federal Judge</strong>: Sides with a protester arrested in front of the US Supreme Court, which the defendant's lawyers celebrated as a "<a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/06/12/judge_sides_with_arrested_supreme_court_protester/singleton/">lifeline to the First Amendment</a>."</p> <p><strong>Shoot and a Miss</strong>: Woman tries to thwart burglary suspect <a href="http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_23441757/grandma-72-shoots-at-intruder-misses-calif">with her gun</a>. </p> <p><strong>Make This Bullshit Stop</strong>: <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/06/what-type-of-american-would-you-trust-to-work-at-the-nsa/276780/">Psychoanalyzing Edward Snowden</a>. </p> <p><strong>Put the Left Wing In, Put the Right Wing In</strong>: Shake 'em both together and they're <a href="http://www.komonews.com/news/national/Lawmakers-concerned-over-US-surveillance-programs-211194181.html">tag-team apologists for Obama's creepy mass surveillance</a>&#8212;that's what it's all about. </p> <p><strong>A Man a Plan a Canal&#8230; Nicaragua</strong>: A Chinese-backed company wants to dig a 130-mile canal that will <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/correction-nicaragua-canal-story-19368329#.UbiHOOtpeMI">compete with the Panama Canal</a>, usurping an estimated 4.5 percent of the world's maritime freight traffic but failing to satisfy palindrome lovers. </p> <p><strong>No Shit Headline of the Day</strong>: "Study finds voice-controlled interfaces <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2041565/study-finds-voicecontrolled-interfaces-distract-drivers.html">distract drivers</a>."</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/12/the-wednesday-morning-news-now-with-more-midweek-flavor#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17007992&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/12/the-wednesday-morning-news-now-with-more-midweek-flavor?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17007992&id=comments 19 Wed, 12 Jun 2013 08:36:30 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/11/aclu-sues-obama-administration-to-stop-dragnet-spying-of-phone-records http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/11/aclu-sues-obama-administration-to-stop-dragnet-spying-of-phone-records Dominic Holden <p><em><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/12/us/aclu-files-suit-over-phone-surveillance-program.html?smid=pl-share">New York Times</a></em>:</p> <blockquote><p>The American Civil Liberties Union on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against the Obama administration over its &#8220;dragnet&#8221; collection of logs of domestic phone calls, contending that the once-secret program &#8212; whose existence was exposed by a former National Security Agency contractor last week &#8212; is illegal and <strong>asking a judge to both stop it and order the records purged</strong>.... </p> <p>This case may be different [from ACLU cases that have been dismissed]. The government has now declassified the existence of the program on domestic call record &#8220;metadata.&#8221; And the A.C.L.U. itself is a customer of Verizon Business Network Services &#8212; the subsidiary of Verizon Communications that was the recipient of a leaked secret court order for all its domestic calling records &#8212; which it says gives it <strong>direct standing to bring the lawsuit</strong>. </p></blockquote> <p>I'm <strong>gonna send the ACLU a check</strong> on my next payday. I'd reckon that if anyone can beat back the Obama administration's overreach&#8212;or at least give them a real run for their money&#8212;it's the ACLU's squadron of lawyers and cavalry of cooperating attorneys. if you want more, Slog tipper Greg points us to the Huffington Post, where they've <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/11/aclu-obama_n_3423378.html">posted the complaint</a>.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/11/aclu-sues-obama-administration-to-stop-dragnet-spying-of-phone-records#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17002908&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/11/aclu-sues-obama-administration-to-stop-dragnet-spying-of-phone-records?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=17002908&id=comments 21 Tue, 11 Jun 2013 15:41:29 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/11/whos-afraid-of-the-nsa http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/11/whos-afraid-of-the-nsa Brendan Kiley <p>Apparently not most Americans, the majority of whom&#8212;according to <a href="http://www.people-press.org/2013/06/10/majority-views-nsa-phone-tracking-as-acceptable-anti-terror-tactic/">a Pew Research poll</a>&#8212;think the NSA's secret surveillance of millions of Americans is an acceptable way to fight "terrorism."</p> <p>That echoes conversations, blog posts, and comment threads I've run across in the past few days that basically say: "What's the big deal? I have nothing to hide. They're doing this to make us safer. If you don't pal around with terrorists, it's not a problem. And Obama said nobody is <em>listening</em> to my phone conversations, so who cares?" (Yesterday, for example, Charles argued that this NSA surveillance is no more serious than market research for advertising firms.) </p> <p>For the sake of argument, let's take Obama at his word and say the NSA is only recording the time, duration, and location of millions of Americans' phone calls&#8212;and if your phone habits send up a red flag, and you're somehow digitally connected to terrorists, then you could be subject to wiretapping and more extensive surveillance.</p> <p>The problem with that: <strong>The government's definition of "terrorism" is <em>extraordinarily</em> broad.</strong></p> <p>In the past few years, we have seen multiple cases in our own backyard of the Joint Terrorism Task Force and federal anti-terrorism dollars and resources going to investigate <a href="http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2010786937_apwadomesticsurveillance1stldwritethru.html">anti-war protesters in Olympia</a> (with concerted infiltration by an intelligence analyst from Fort Lewis), people who <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2012/07/26/fbi-raids-homes-across-northwestlooks-like-they-might-be-targeting-anarchists">might have "anarchist" or "anti-government" literature in their homes</a> or might know May Day demonstrators, and people who <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/the-long-con/Content?oid=7989613">threw a series of after-hours parties.</a></p> <p>Apparently, when government officials say "terrorism," Americans think of some guy in Yemen buying surface-to-air missiles to shoot down their favorite relative's plane over Des Moines, Iowa.</p> <p>But we can see that when the anti-terrorism dollars get doled out, they also go to investigating hippie grandma anti-war protesters, people who might know people who might have broken some windows, or people who haven't engaged in any serious activism since the WTO.</p> <p>So what's the problem, besides law-enforcement confusing political dissent with terrorism?</p> <p>There's the "chilling effect" of political dissent and affiliation, for one: If we know the government's definition of terrorism is so broad, and we know that being digitally connected to dissidents puts you at risk for targeted scrutiny, everyone has an incentive to remain politically mainstream, as well as stay away from any protests or protesters, dampening robust political debate. You know the rest from high-school civics. (You can find a case study of surveillance and chilling effects in <a href="http://www.law.cuny.edu/academics/clinics/immigration/clear/Mapping-Muslims.pdf">this report from CUNY law school.</a> The link is a .pdf, by the way.)</p> <p>And when innocent people get caught in the dragnet, it can potentially derail their lives. A few years ago, I interviewed Michael German, a former FBI special agent whose specialty was domestic terrorism and undercover surveillance. He now works for the ACLU. (It's a little odd how many career FBI and NSA agents are now banging the gong about the dangers of their former employers.)</p> <p>German said that if the FBI is under the impression that you know someone who knows something about "terrorism," they might pay visits to your employers or landlords, not to mention the possibility of them <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2012/07/26/fbi-raids-homes-across-northwestlooks-like-they-might-be-targeting-anarchists">raiding your home.</a> Another example: If you're an immigrant working towards a green card or citizenship and you, say, talk with with Marxist professors who talk with radical Greek anarchists, that could jeopardize your status.</p> <p>Then there's the "turnkey totalitarianism" issue. Even if you do trust the Obama administration, or the people at the NSA, or the folks on the Senate intelligence committee, we have created an enormous apparatus that could be hideously abused&#8212;and until a few days ago, most Americans didn't even know it even existed.</p> <p>But don't take my word for it. If you haven't yet, check out this 2012 story <a href="http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/03/ff_nsadatacenter/all/">in <em>Wired</em> which features William Binney</a>, the "senior NSA crypto-mathematician largely responsible for automating the agency&#8217;s worldwide eavesdropping network."</p> <blockquote><p>He explains that the agency could have installed its tapping gear at the nation&#8217;s cable landing stations&#8212;the more than two dozen sites on the periphery of the US where fiber-optic cables come ashore. If it had taken that route, the NSA would have been able to limit its eavesdropping to just international communications, which at the time was all that was allowed under US law. Instead it chose to put the wiretapping rooms at key junction points throughout the country&#8212;large, windowless buildings known as switches&#8212;thus gaining access to not just international communications but also to most of the domestic traffic flowing through the US.</p> <p>... sitting in a restaurant not far from NSA headquarters, the place where he spent nearly 40 years of his life, Binney held his thumb and forefinger close together. &#8220;We are, like, that far from a turnkey totalitarian state,&#8221; he says.</p></blockquote> <p>Another problem: How secure is our security apparatus? A 2008 story from the <a href="http://legacy.utsandiego.com/news/military/20080522-9999-1n22theft.html"><em>San <del>Francisco</del> Diego Union-Tribune</em></a> detailed how a group stole files on potential terrorists and "operated with impunity from one of Camp Pendleton's most heavily guarded buildings." So there's the theft issue, on top of everything else.</p> <p>But there's nothing to be worried about.</p> <p>Right?</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/11/whos-afraid-of-the-nsa#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16993832&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/11/whos-afraid-of-the-nsa?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16993832&id=comments 34 Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:39:20 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/11/the-tuesday-morning-news http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/11/the-tuesday-morning-news Dominic Holden <p><strong>Christ Almighty</strong>: A woman has sued the Lynnwood Police Department for allegedly ignoring her when she reported a rape; instead they charged her with making false statements and fining her $500 for standing by her story. The woman&#8212;who was staying in housing for at-risk youth at the time&#8212;was somewhat vindicated later, when police found a suspect carrying her photos and ID. But all that happened after she allegedly endured <a href="http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2021161550_rapelawsuitxml.html">humiliation like this</a>:</p> <blockquote><p>The lawsuit alleges that the woman was required to stand up in front of other program participants and say that she had lied about being raped or risk being evicted, according to the lawsuit.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>From Hero to Zero!</strong> Edward Snowden was a <a href="http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2013/06/10/leaker-of-nsa-documents-was-ron-paul-supporter/">Ron Paul supporter</a>, it turns out, having donated to the loony old fart's 2012 presidential campaign. </p> <p><strong>Dems Deliver Anti-Snowden Talking Points</strong>: Dianne Feinstein says Snowden exposing the NSA's spying campaign amounted to "<a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57588634/snowdens-nsa-leak-an-act-of-treason-says-democratic-senator/">an act of treason</a>.&#8221; Another Democratic Senator, Bill Nelson of Florida, said the same damn thing, calling it "<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/06/11/wonkbook-how-committed-are-americans-to-civil-liberties/">an act of treason</a>."</p> <p><strong>Inevitable Now Official</strong>: The AP reports in a "breaking" news alert that "Government contractor Booz Allen says it has <a href="https://twitter.com/AP/status/344461762512429056">fired Edward Snowden</a> after NSA leaks."</p> <p><strong>Hit and Run</strong>: Man seriously injured after being hit <a href="http://www.capitolhillseattle.com/2013/06/man-suffers-serious-injuries-after-hit-by-smart-car-at-12th-and-pine/">by a Car2Go vehicle</a> in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood, police say. </p> <p><strong>Clearly the Person Targeting the Tea Party Was a Liberal</strong>: Because that's how Obama rolls! Except the IRS manager behind the heightened audits of Tea Party groups describes himself as&#8212;wait for it&#8212;a "<a href="http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2013/06/irs-manager-behind-tea-party-screening-conservative-republican">conservative Republican</a>."</p> <p><strong>More NSA News! More! More! More! </strong>This morning Eli <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/11/the-nsa-leak-the-wire-and-why-david-simon-calls-bullshit">linked</a> to David Simon's passionate defense of the NSA's umbrella spying operation, comparing it to warrants issued to search certain payphone records. Well, today, Kevin Drum <a href="http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2013/06/nsa-debate-we-should-focus-future-not-present">whacks down that argument</a>:</p> <blockquote><p>Simon's point only goes so far. Suppose, instead, his detectives had gone to a judge and asked for permission to monitor calls on <strong>every pay phone</strong> in Baltimore County; to monitor those phones <strong>indefinitely</strong>; to use the records for any purpose they chose; and to keep those records permanently. Would the judge still have approved it?</p> <p>I'm guessing not. But that's what's been approved for the NSA. It's very different from Simon's example in Baltimore, and one thing that surprises me a bit is how little of the conversation surrounding the NSA program has addressed the key reason for this difference: Simon's detectives were focused on a specific enterprise happening in the present. NSA is focused on <strong>anything that might happen in the future</strong>.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>Homeless Encampment Must Become Homeless</strong>: Seven members of the Seattle City Council sent a letter to the mayor yesterday <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/10/seven-city-council-members-sign-a-letter-asking-the-mayor-to-close-nickelsville-by-september-1">instructing him to evict Nickelsville</a>. The mayor happily acquiesced, because, as Anna points out, this is the <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/10/mayor-says-hell-evict-nickelsville-by-sept-1">political cover he needed</a>. </p> <p><strong>What a Guy</strong>: Obama will stop his attempts to block emergency over-the-counter contraception for minors. But, he says, <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/10/obama-will-stop-blocking-emergency-contraception-access-for-teenage-girls">only because he thinks can't win</a>. </p> <p><strong>No Early Criminal Background Checks</strong>: For job applicants in Seattle, according to a bill <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/10/city-council-bans-criminal-background-checks-during-the-first-stage-of-the-hiring-process">passed by the city council yesterday</a>. Council Member Sally Bagshaw attempted to weaken the bill by preventing the civil rights office from seeking attorneys fees from non-compliant businesses. Bagshaw's amendment was withdrawn. </p> <p><strong>How to Have a Cool Head</strong>: During the <a href="http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/top-stories/215704/pointers-journalists-should-keep-in-mind-when-covering-the-zimmerman-trial/">George Zimmerman trial</a>. </p> <p><strong>Apparently Not, Nick</strong>: Nick Provenza at the <em>Seattle Times</em> laments that a story about a big-chested Silverdale teenager who was humiliated at her prom has been among the website's most-read stories "for days now." He pleads, "<a href="http://blogs.seattletimes.com/today/2013/06/tuesday-memo-raped-disregarded-game-platform-poll-naked-hiker/">Can we move on, please?</a>"</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/11/the-tuesday-morning-news#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16999973&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/11/the-tuesday-morning-news?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16999973&id=comments 27 Tue, 11 Jun 2013 08:34:51 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/10/glenn-greenwald-explains-his-nsa-scoop-and-promises-more http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/10/glenn-greenwald-explains-his-nsa-scoop-and-promises-more Christopher Frizzelle <p>This is Greenwald on <em>This Week with George Stephanopoulos</em> yesterday:</p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe id="kaltura_player_1370899363" height="221" width="392" style="border: 0px solid #ffffff;" src="http://cdnapi.kaltura.com/index.php/extwidget/embedIframe/entry_id/0_qx72wswi/widget_id/_483511/uiconf_id/6595722?referer=http://abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/video/glenn-greenwald-week-interview-19359556&flashvars[autoPlay]=false&addThis.playerSize=392x221&freeWheel.siteSectionId=nws_offsite&closedCaptionActive=false&">Unfortunately your browser does not support IFrames.</iframe><br /><div style="text-align:left;font-size:x-small;margin-top:0;"><br /></div></div></p> <p>Brendan linked to <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/10/an-interview-with-the-former-government-contractor-who-leaked-information-about-nsa-surveillance">Greenwald's interview with Edward Snowden</a> earlier today. </p> <p>Meanwhile, there's an intriguing back-and-forth over whether Snowden is a hero on <em>The New Yorker</em>'s site today. In the Snowden-is-a-hero camp, <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/johncassidy/2013/06/why-edward-snowden-is-a-hero.html">John Cassidy says "he has performed a great public service</a> that more than outweighs any breach of trust he may have committed." But Jeffrey Toobin isn't having it, calling Snowden <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/comment/2013/06/edward-snowden-nsa-leaker-is-no-hero.html">"a grandiose narcissist who deserves to be in prison."</a></p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/10/glenn-greenwald-explains-his-nsa-scoop-and-promises-more#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16993647&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/10/glenn-greenwald-explains-his-nsa-scoop-and-promises-more?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16993647&id=comments 18 Mon, 10 Jun 2013 14:54:55 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/10/an-interview-with-the-former-government-contractor-who-leaked-information-about-nsa-surveillance http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/10/an-interview-with-the-former-government-contractor-who-leaked-information-about-nsa-surveillance Brendan Kiley <p>Edward Snowden, the former government contractor who leaked top-secret documents about the NSA's extraordinarily broad digital surveillance program, intended to release his identity all along. Here's an interview he conducted with journalist Glenn Greenwald&#8212;about why he did what he did&#8212;at his current refuge in Hong Kong.</p> <p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5yB3n9fu-rM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p> <p>You can <a href="http://www.policymic.com/articles/47355/edward-snowden-interview-transcript-full-text-read-the-guardian-s-entire-interview-with-the-man-who-leaked-prism">read the transcript here.</a> An excerpt:</p> <blockquote><p><em>Snowden</em>: You can't come forward against the world's most powerful intelligence agencies and be completely free from risk... But at the same time you have to make a determination about what it is that's important to you. And if <strong>living unfreely but comfortably is something you're willing to accept, and I think it many of us are</strong> it's the human nature; you can get up everyday, go to work, you can collect your large paycheck for relatively little work against the public interest, and go to sleep at night after watching your shows.</p> <p>But if you realize that that's the world you helped create and it's gonna get worse with the next generation and the next generation who extend the capabilities of this sort of architecture of oppression, you realize that you might be willing to accept any risk and it doesn't matter what the outcome is so long as the public gets to make their own decisions about how that's applied.</p> <p><em>Greenwald</em>: Why should people care about surveillance?</p></blockquote> <blockquote><p><em>Snowden</em>: Because even if you're not doing anything wrong you're being watched and recorded. And the storage capability of these systems increases every year consistently by orders of magnitude to where it's getting to the point where you don't have to have done anything wrong. You simply have to eventually fall under suspicion from somebody even by a wrong call. And then they can use this system to go back in time and scrutinize every decision you've ever made, every friend you've ever discussed something with. And attack you on that basis to sort to derive suspicion from an innocent life and paint anyone in the context of a wrongdoer.</p></blockquote> <p>Earlier today, Charles wrote that state surveillance is inevitable (which might be true) and that it is no different from corporate surveillance for marketing purposes&#8212;which is clearly untrue. There is a mighty difference between more targeted advertising techniques and undermining constitutional protection against unwarranted search and seizure, not to mention the chilling effects against free speech and association.</p> <p><a href="http://www.aclu.org/national-security/surveillance-privacy">From the ACLU:</a></p> <blockquote><p>With this sensitive data, the government can compile vast dossiers about innocent people. The data sits indefinitely in government databases, and the names of many innocent Americans end up on bloated and inaccurate watch lists that affect whether we can fly on commercial airlines, whether we can renew our passports, whether we are called aside for &#8220;secondary screening&#8221; at airports and borders, and even whether we can open bank accounts.</p> <p>Dragnet surveillance undermines the right to privacy and the freedoms of speech, association, and religion.</p></blockquote> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/10/an-interview-with-the-former-government-contractor-who-leaked-information-about-nsa-surveillance#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16990919&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/10/an-interview-with-the-former-government-contractor-who-leaked-information-about-nsa-surveillance?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16990919&id=comments 17 Mon, 10 Jun 2013 10:09:44 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/10/the-monday-morning-news http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/10/the-monday-morning-news Dominic Holden <p><strong>Hong Kong May Transfer Whistle-Blower</strong>: Edward Snowden, who has <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/intelligence-leaders-push-back-on-leakers-media/2013/06/09/fff80160-d122-11e2-a73e-826d299ff459_story.html?hpid=z1">admitted</a> leaking evidence of the NSA's PRISM data-collection program, is hoping to avoid extradition by <a href="http://m.guardiannews.com/world/2013/jun/09/edward-snowden-nsa-whistleblower-surveillance">hiding in Hong Kong</a>. But the WaPo reports that his fate relies on the interpretation of a <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/hong-kong-hotel-says-edward-snowden-was-there-but-checked-out-monday/2013/06/10/44baa0fa-d1af-11e2-a73e-826d299ff459_story.html?Post+generic=%3Ftid%3Dsm_twitter_washingtonpost">16-year-old treaty</a>:</p> <blockquote><p>The treaty says that Hong Kong can refuse to transfer a suspected criminal to the United States if giving up the person &#8220;implicates&#8221; the &#8220;defense, foreign affairs or essential public interest or policy&#8221; of the People&#8217;s Republic of China.</p> <p>Experts said based on the facts so far, that did not appear to be the case &#8212; and if the United States wanted to charge Snowden with breaking espionage laws, Hong Kong was <strong>likely to transfer him to U.S. custody</strong>.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>Is Amazon Admirable?</strong> While Apple and Microsoft reportedly assisted with PRISM (which they've denied), there haven't been reports of Amazon helping the federal spying program, "even though its data about online purchasing would be a rich vein for intelligence gathering," <a href="http://www.geekwire.com/2013/amazon-noticeably-admirably-absent-cyber-spying-reports/">Geekwire points out</a>. (Of course, the CIA reportedly has a $600 million deal with Amazon for cloud computing that may be used for storing <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/20/cia-gus-hunt-big-data_n_2917842.html">galaxies of personal data</a>&#8212;so there's that.) </p> <p><strong>Property Taxes to Fund Council Races</strong>: The Seattle City Council will take a gander today proposals to <a href="http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2021155564_publicfinancingxml.html">publicly finance campaigns</a> (<em>Seattle Times</em> paywall). Cienna has covered this process <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/05/28/how-much-public-money-is-too-much-money-when-were-talking-public-campaign-financing">in detail</a>. </p> <p><strong>Time's Up</strong>: The trial has begun <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/06/10/trial-begins-for-zimmerman-accused-murdering-trayvon-martin/">for George Zimmerman</a>, who is facing murder charges for the death of Trayvon Martin in February 2012, after a judge, yet again, rejected his request for delays. </p> <p><strong>Life Imitates Cinema</strong>: "A Houston woman is being accused by authorities of <a href="http://www.seattlepi.com/news/texas/article/Police-Man-fatally-stabbed-with-stiletto-heel-4590138.php">stabbing a man to death with a stiletto heel in a high-rise condo</a>."</p> <p><strong>Many Were in Their 90s</strong>: "Ten elderly women escaped unharmed when the <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/10-women-90s-escape-burning-calif-limo-19364181#.UbXwiutpeMI">limousine they were in burst into flames</a> while idling in Northern California, authorities and a passenger said."</p> <p><strong>Penis Progress</strong>: Slog tipper "money (g)"&#8212;which is a great name&#8212;points out that the BBC has photos of a commotion-causing naked bike ride in Mexico City, including one <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-22831366">pic of a dude's dong hanging out</a>. "Did the BBC not notice or are they ok with a non-sexual photo of nudity?" asks money (g). "Hope it's the latter, because&#8212;progress!"</p> <p><strong>This Sounds Like a Terrible Idea</strong>: Lawmakers in Olympia have been so pleased by the speedy repair work of the I-5 bridge over the Skagit River, they've introduced a bill mandating that the state be speedy in the future&#8212;by fast-tracking environmental reviews of highway projects. After all, the Skagit River bridge is being repaired so quickly is because, by declaring an emergency, the state "suspended compliance with the State Environmental Policy Act," the <a href="http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20130610/NEWS01/706109933"><em>Everett Herald</em> reports</a>. </p> <p><strong>It's Called "Setting Captives Free"</strong>: Activists petition Google Play to remove an app that claims to <a href="http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/06/09/petition-nears-150000-target-for-google-play-store-to-remove-gay-cure-app/">cure homosexuality in 60 days</a>.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/10/the-monday-morning-news#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16990636&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/10/the-monday-morning-news?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16990636&id=comments 14 Mon, 10 Jun 2013 08:58:03 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/09/the-sunday-morning-news http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/09/the-sunday-morning-news Callan Berry <p><strong>In Chafed Gooches:</strong> Portland was greeted last night with <a href="http://bikeportland.org/2013/06/09/slow-start-soaring-payoff-first-take-on-wnbr-2013-88130">miles and miles of nude bicyclists for the 2013 World Naked Bike Ride</a>. Police urged the riders to <a href="http://www.king5.com/news/local/Portland-Police-to-Naked-Bike-Riders-Wear-helmets-210717621.html">at least wear a helmet</a>. No word yet if Stranger intern Ansel Herz told them <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/05/why-i-ride-fearlessly-without-a-helmet">to fuck off with one middle finger, or two.</a></p> <p><strong>Super(power)friends?</strong> Obama and Chinese president Xi Jingping ended a two day summit, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/08/obama-china-climate-change-xi_n_3409037.html">agreeing to battle climate change and that North Korea shouldn't have nukes. </a>However the rainbows quickly faded as the two couldn't agree on cybersecurity between the countries. </p> <p><strong>North and South Korea</strong> <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22831285">had government-level meetings for the first time in two years</a>, after months of tension from North Korea's nuclear tests in February. According to a South Korean spokesman the talks went "without any argument."</p> <p><strong>In Bad Ideas:</strong> While various cities have tried gun buy-backs to increase safety, some in Houston decided to go the complete opposite route and <a href="http://bigstory.ap.org/article/free-gun-initiative-begins-houston-neighborhood">give away free shotguns to single women and people in high crime neighborhoods.</a></p> <p><strong>After a woman was found dead in a tub full of acid</strong> in Nine Mile Falls earlier this week,<a href="http://www.king5.com/news/local/E-Wash-murder-details-Breaking-Bad-acid-tub-episode--210720981.html"> authorities found DVDs of <em>Breaking Bad</em> in the murder suspect's house</a>. One particular episode goes into detail on how to get rid of a body with <del>sulfuric</del> hydrofluoric acid.</p> <p><strong>Thanking John Malkovich:</strong> After an elderly man tripped and cut himself badly in downtown Toronto, <a href="http://www.ctvnews.ca/entertainment/actor-john-malkovich-helps-save-a-man-s-life-1.1317295">actor John Malkovich swooped in to apply pressure to the wound</a> and comfort the man's fears about being sent to the hospital. <em>Isn't he dreamy??</em></p> <p><strong>A Saudi Arabian prince</strong> is actually suing Forbes for <a href="http://gawker.com/insanely-wealthy-saudi-prince-sues-forbes-for-undervalu-512168566">undervaluing the bat-shit crazy amount of money he has in the Magazine's "Rich List"</a>. The list valued Alwaleed bin Talal at a bat-shit crazy $20 billion, while the prince claims he is actually worth a bat-shit crazy $30 billion.</p> <p><strong>The NSA's director</strong> <a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2013/06/20136904534684797.html">defends PRISM legality</a>, saying the media was misleading in its description, and "reckless."</p> <p>In the world of puppies and bow ties, startling discoveries have been made.</p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mQJ_RzHa-5s" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/09/the-sunday-morning-news#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16985455&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/09/the-sunday-morning-news?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16985455&id=comments 17 Sun, 09 Jun 2013 08:36:00 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/08/the-saturday-morning-news http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/08/the-saturday-morning-news Ansel Herz <p><a href="http://kuow.org/post/ride-sharing-creates-turmoil-car-service-businesses">Pink Mustache Cars:</a> Have you been wondering what those are about? Turns out those cars are part of a ride-sharing service called Lyft, one of several new companies offering ride shares that rankle local cab drivers who say it's eating into their business.</p> <p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/08/technology/tech-companies-bristling-concede-to-government-surveillance-efforts.html?pagewanted=1&hp&_r=0">C'mon Now, Don't Be Evil:</a> Those strenuous denials by Google, Facebook et. al. that they know nothing about huge government surveillance programs? Mostly bullshit. </p> <p><a href="http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Heroin-overdose-deaths-on-the-rise-in-Washington-210656161.html">Heroin Deaths Up in Washington:</a> "Three different strengths of the drug are confusing inexperienced and younger users who may think it's all the same. That inexperience is leading to overdoses."</p> <p><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2013/06/201368121910137157.html">#OccupyGezi Continues</a>: Demonstrations in Turkey are into their ninth day now, and&#8212;oh noes!&#8212;the tourism industry is starting to worry. See our man in Istanbul's <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/07/dispatch-from-istanbul-the-square-and-the-park">latest eyewitness dispatch</a> for more.</p> <p><strong>Fucking Creeps:</strong> A convicted child rapist was caught and apprehended after allegedly <a href="http://www.king5.com/news/crime/sex-offender-arrest-child-voyeurism-210606221.html">taking pictures</a> of little kids at a Tumwater Wal-Mart. In Tacoma, a 42-year-old who allegedly started soaping a 7-year-old's back in the showers at the YMCA was swiftly investigated by police and had his <a href="http://www.king5.com/news/local/Inappropriate-touch-prompts-quick-action-at-a-Tacoma-YMCA-210675181.html">membership terminated</a>.</p> <p><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/06/2013686252495791.html">Nelson Mandela Hospitalized:</a> The anti-apartheid icon is reportedly in "serious but stable condition." Also in South Africa, a Somali immigrant was <a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2013/06/201365124758700631.html">brutally beaten in the street</a> and a video of his death uploaded to YouTube. I happened across local Somalis protesting this in front of the Federal Building downtown yesterday afternoon.</p> <p><a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505123_162-57587887/imf-admits-notable-failures-in-greece-bailout/">Never Listen to the International Monetary Fund:</a> The IMF admits "notable failures" in the austerity plan it imposed on Greece. Unemployment is at 27 percent and the economy shrank by 5.6 percent in the first quarter of the year.</p> <p><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2013/06/201365122319329623.html">Terrorized By American Drones:</a> Yemenis are sick and tired of sky robots bombing and killing them. And <a href="http://openchannel.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/06/06/18787450-former-drone-operator-says-hes-haunted-by-his-part-in-more-than-1600-deaths?lite">a former US drone pilot is "haunted"</a> by the deaths he caused. He remembers sitting in Nevada, watching on his screen as one of his first victims bled to death.</p> <p><a href="http://www.king5.com/news/cities/seattle/Marathon-Runner-Catches-Thief-210660951.html">Seattle Marathon Runner Catches Bike Thief:</a> YAY!</p> <p>Lot of shitty news this morning. <a href="https://twitter.com/ciennam/status/343289822724648960">Cienna says</a> a bunch of her stuff got stolen last night. A respite from the madness:</p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="500" height="281" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9HjATD1imGc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/08/the-saturday-morning-news#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16979283&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/08/the-saturday-morning-news?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16979283&id=comments 44 Sat, 08 Jun 2013 09:46:00 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/07/british-drunk-driving-psa http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/07/british-drunk-driving-psa Dan Savage <p><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="500" height="281" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TADO4LG29bs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p> <p>Man... they don't fuck around, the Brits. (Via <a href="http://www.towleroad.com/2013/06/publooshocker.html#more">Towleroad</a>.)</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/07/british-drunk-driving-psa#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16972661&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/07/british-drunk-driving-psa?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16972661&id=comments 12 Fri, 07 Jun 2013 08:54:41 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/07/the-morning-news-nsa-has-direct-access-to-everything-on-the-internet-not-really-but-sorta-and-today-you-get-a-free-donut http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/07/the-morning-news-nsa-has-direct-access-to-everything-on-the-internet-not-really-but-sorta-and-today-you-get-a-free-donut Megan Seling <p><strong>NSA Is Watching</strong>: They have direct access to <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/06/us-tech-giants-nsa-data">Google, Facebook, Apple, Skype, and YouTube</a> servers. Companies deny knowing anything about the program.</p> <p><strong>Speaking of the NSA</strong>: Here's their new, $2 billion data center, which will "intercept, decipher, analyse and <a href="http://www.wired.co.uk/magazine/archive/2012/05/features/the-black-box">store vast amounts of the world's communications</a> from satellites and underground and undersea cables of international, foreign and domestic networks."</p> <p><strong>Sad</strong>: A New York couple who hosted a radio show called "The Pursuit of Happiness" appear to have <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/06/us/new-york-life-coaches-suicide/index.html?c=us">commited suicide together</a>.</p> <p><strong>Where Is This Man?</strong>: A Memphis man was stopped by police, they found a small amount of pot on him, they tried to arrest him, they even used a Taser, but then police say he ran and <a href="http://wreg.com/2013/06/06/desoto-sheriff-search-swamps-for-missing-man/">he hasn't been seen since</a>. His family, though, say that's impossible, as the man had cancer and gout, and now they demand to know what really happened to their loved one.</p> <p>"<a href="http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/06/undocumented-immigrant-kids-locked-up-adult-detention">The US Is Locking Up Undocumented Kids With Adults</a>": </p> <blockquote><p>Data obtained by the nonprofit National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) shows that the federal government detained at least 1,366 immigrant children for three or more days in 30 adult facilities between 2008 and 2012. The data, secured in a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security and released Tuesday, also shows that nearly 1,000 were held longer than a week. Five children were detained more than a year, and one was held more than a decade, starting at around age 15.</p></blockquote> <p>UGH.</p> <p><strong>Syrian Troops Take Two Villages</strong>: "Casualties from Friday's clashes were not immediately known but the past <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-troops-capture-central-villages-rebels-141010446.html">three weeks of fierce fighting</a> have left dozens of rebels, troops and Hezbollah fighters dead."</p> <p><strong>Suspended for Speaking Spanish</strong>: Two Whole Foods employees claim they were <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/business/whole-foods-workers-suspended-over-speaking-spanish-6C10222989">suspended for speaking in Spanish</a> to each other on the job.</p> <p><strong>Smoke Up</strong>: Vermont signed a bill <a href="http://www.freep.com/usatoday/article/2399823">decriminalizing marijuana</a>.</p> <p><strong>It's Free Donut Day</strong>: Go get yourself a <a href="http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/2013/06/06/national-doughnut-day-free-doughnuts-in-seattle/">free donut</a>!</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/07/the-morning-news-nsa-has-direct-access-to-everything-on-the-internet-not-really-but-sorta-and-today-you-get-a-free-donut#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16972369&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/07/the-morning-news-nsa-has-direct-access-to-everything-on-the-internet-not-really-but-sorta-and-today-you-get-a-free-donut?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16972369&id=comments 7 Fri, 07 Jun 2013 08:26:41 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/06/today-in-the-surveillance-state-the-fbi-and-nsas-blanket-phone-surveillance http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/06/today-in-the-surveillance-state-the-fbi-and-nsas-blanket-phone-surveillance Brendan Kiley <p>Megan mentioned this in the Morning News, but this story deserves its own post&#8212;over at the <em>Guardian</em>, Glenn Greenwald reports that the secret <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_Intelligence_Surveillance_Act#FISA_court">Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court</a> has granted <a href="http://m.guardiannews.com/world/2013/jun/06/nsa-phone-records-verizon-court-order">the FBI and the NSA the power to suck up <em>all</em> Verizon's call records</a>, regardless of relevance to any kind of investigation or threat. They call it "metadata."</p> <p>Though the specific order leaked to the <em>Guardian</em> was for a three-month period and specifies Verizon, it's safe to assume this is not an isolated incident. Here is the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2013/jun/06/verizon-telephone-data-court-order">original text of the order.</a></p> <p>The story also explains the vague but Cassandra-like warnings from senators Wyden and Udall of the Senate Intelligence Committee.</p> <blockquote><p>The court order appears to explain the numerous cryptic public warnings by two US senators, Ron Wyden and Mark Udall, about the scope of the Obama administration's surveillance activities.</p> <p>For roughly two years, the two Democrats have been stridently advising the public that the US government is relying on "secret legal interpretations" to <strong>claim surveillance powers so broad that the American public would be "stunned" </strong>to learn of the kind of domestic spying being conducted.</p> <p>Because those activities are classified, the senators, both members of the Senate intelligence committee, have been prevented from specifying which domestic surveillance programs they find so alarming. But the information they have been able to disclose in their public warnings perfectly tracks both the specific law cited by the April 25 court order as well as the vast scope of record-gathering it authorized.</p> <p>Julian Sanchez, a surveillance expert with the Cato Institute, explained: "We've certainly seen the government increasingly strain the bounds of 'relevance' to collect large numbers of records at once &#8212; everyone at one or two degrees of separation from a target &#8212; but <strong>vacuuming all metadata up indiscriminately would be an extraordinary repudiation of any pretence of constraint</strong> or particularized suspicion." The April order requested by the FBI and NSA does precisely that.</p></blockquote> <p>Those senators have been warning the public about "twisting" of the Patriot Act and abuse of surveillance powers&#8212;in ways that even most senators don't understand&#8212;for years now, further indicating that this three-month FISC order is a small part of a larger pattern. From <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/27/us/27patriot.html">a 2011 NYT story:</a></p> <blockquote><p>During the debate, Senator Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat and a member of the Intelligence Committee, said that <strong>the executive branch had come up with a secret legal theory</strong> about what it could collect under a provision of the Patriot Act that <strong>did not seem to dovetail with a plain reading of the text</strong>. &#8220;I want to deliver a warning this afternoon: When the American people find out how their government has secretly interpreted the Patriot Act, they will be stunned and they will be angry,&#8221; Mr. Wyden said... The Obama administration declined to explain what the senators were talking about.</p></blockquote> <p>Over on <a href="https://twitter.com/ggreenwald">Twitter</a>, Greenwald is being slightly more pugnacious:</p> <p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Dear DOJ: your bullying tactics will scare some sources, but they embolden others, who realize what USG is becoming<a href="http://t.co/yZh5CibByj" title="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/06/doj-guardian-leak-investigation_n_3395735.html?1370525438">huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/06/doj&#8230;</a></p>&#8212; Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) <a href="https://twitter.com/ggreenwald/status/342644541444202497">June 6, 2013</a></blockquote><br /><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/06/today-in-the-surveillance-state-the-fbi-and-nsas-blanket-phone-surveillance#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16965054&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/06/today-in-the-surveillance-state-the-fbi-and-nsas-blanket-phone-surveillance?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16965054&id=comments 22 Today in the Surveillance State: Secret Court Gives FBI and NSA Blanket Access to Phone Records Thu, 06 Jun 2013 09:03:24 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/06/the-morning-news-the-government-has-your-phone-records-sea-tac-got-a-bunch-of-bees-and-wayne-newton-is-moving http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/06/the-morning-news-the-government-has-your-phone-records-sea-tac-got-a-bunch-of-bees-and-wayne-newton-is-moving Megan Seling <p><strong>THEY'RE LISTENING TO YOU</strong>: The NSA is <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/06/nsa-phone-records-verizon-court-order">collecting the phone records</a> of millions of American Verizon customers. The Obama administration says it's a <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/06/us-usa-wiretaps-verizon-idUSBRE95502920130606">necessary measure</a> in order to protect Americans from attack.</p> <p><strong>Turkish Prime Minister Speaks</strong>: Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan promises to <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/06/us-turkey-protests-idUSBRE94U0J920130606">go ahead with plans</a> for an Istanbul park, which is what triggered several days of protests.</p> <p><strong>"Not a Good Reason in This World"</strong>: " The American soldier accused of killing 16 Afghan civilians, many of them women and children who were asleep in their villages, <a href="http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Soldier-pleads-guilty-in-massacre-of-16-Afghans-4577733.php">pleaded guilty to murder</a> Wednesday and acknowledged to a judge that there was "not a good reason in this world" for his actions."</p> <p><strong>George Zimmerman Trial Update</strong>: A judge is considering whether or not to accept <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57587990-504083/george-zimmerman-trial-zimmerman-appears-in-court-judge-set-to-weigh-admissibility-of-voice-experts/">a voice expert's testimony</a>.</p> <p><strong>Here's Video of Michelle Obama Confronting the Heckler</strong>: Watch <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/new-video-emerges-michelle-obama-confronted-activist-heckler-article-1.1364774">here</a>, if you want.</p> <p><strong>UGH</strong>: "A high school senior in the suburbs of Minneapolis is facing criminal charges after she allegedly <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/minnesota-high-school-cheerleader-charged-pimping-teammate-133620967.html">pimped out a sophomore</a> at a Craigslist-esque website called Backpage.com."</p> <p><strong>Sea-Tac Airport Got a Bunch of Bees</strong>: <a href="http://www.seattlepi.com/business/boeing/article/Sea-Tac-Airport-adds-500-000-bees-4581087.php">500,000</a>, in fact!</p> <p><strong>Cut Out the Middleman</strong>: Tesla CEO Elon Musk wants to <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/05/us-autos-tesla-texas-idUSBRE95403C20130605?rp">change the way</a> people buy electric cars.</p> <p><strong>Here Comes Andrea</strong>: The tropical storm is <a href="http://weather.yahoo.com/tropical-storm-andrea-bearing-down-fla-coast-091518486.html">headed towards Florida</a>.</p> <p><strong>A Building in Philadelphia Collapsed</strong>: 6 are dead, 14 have been rescued, <a href="http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=9127882">more people might be inside</a>.</p> <p><strong>Wayne Newton Is Moving</strong>: He has to <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/wayne-newton-moving-las-vegas-122907841.html">move out of Casa de Shenandoah</a>, where he's lived for 45 years. But don't worry, there's room at the new place for his peacocks, horses, and penguin named Charlie.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/06/the-morning-news-the-government-has-your-phone-records-sea-tac-got-a-bunch-of-bees-and-wayne-newton-is-moving#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16964579&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/06/the-morning-news-the-government-has-your-phone-records-sea-tac-got-a-bunch-of-bees-and-wayne-newton-is-moving?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16964579&id=comments 20 Thu, 06 Jun 2013 08:03:56 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/05/the-morning-news-someone-heckles-michelle-obama-dzhokhar-gets-to-call-home-and-john-mccain-is-a-genius-not-really-though http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/05/the-morning-news-someone-heckles-michelle-obama-dzhokhar-gets-to-call-home-and-john-mccain-is-a-genius-not-really-though Megan Seling <p><strong>Arrested for Tweeting</strong>: "About 25 Twitter users have been arrested in Turkey on charges of <a href="http://en.europeonline-magazine.eu/arrests-made-as-turkey-cracks-down-on-demonstration-organizerseds-epa-photos_284450.html">inciting demonstrations and spreading propaganda</a>..." Well that's sure to calm everyone down.</p> <p><strong>Susan Rice Will Be the New National Security Adviser</strong>: A White House official says Tom Donilon is resigning and <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/tom-donilon-resigning-as-national-security-adviser-susan-rice-to-replace-him/2013/06/05/b296f36a-cdd3-11e2-8f6b-67f40e176f03_story.html">she'll replace him</a>.</p> <p><strong>If You Want to Hear Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Talk to His Parents From Prison</strong>: <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2013/06/04/world/europe/tsarnaev-parents-interview/?hpt=hp_c3">Click here. </a></p> <p><strong>Eek</strong>: France and Britain say that Syria has <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/06/world/middleeast/france-and-britain-say-sarin-likely-used-in-syria.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&">probably used nerve gas</a>.</p> <p><strong>Don't Heckle Michelle Obama</strong>: The First Lady confronted a gay rights activist who <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/05/michelle-obama-confronts-lgbt-heckler">interrupted her speech</a> at a fundraiser.</p> <p><strong>John McCain's Genius Solution to End Sexual Assaults Against Women in the Military</strong>: If you're a woman, <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/52100673/#52100673">just don't join the military</a>. Problem solved. Thanks, Maverick! (This link autoplays video coverage, FYI.)</p> <p><strong>Komen Cancels Breast Cancer Walks in Seven Cities</strong>: That's what happens when you <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/komen-breast-cancer-charity-cancels-walks-seven-u-010341554.html">cut off funding to Planned Parenthood</a> and piss off and/or confuse a huge chunk of your supporters.</p> <p><strong>Stealing Isn't Nice</strong>: "A Shoreline man accused of <a href="http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Charge-Friend-stole-Beat-author-s-portrait-4576658.php">stealing more than a dozen works</a> from an aging Seattle artist&#8212;including a self-portrait of William S. Burroughs&#8212;has been charged with felony theft."</p> <p><strong>Remember When That I-5 Bridge Fell Down?</strong>: Now police are <a href="http://www.seattlepi.com/news/us/article/Detectives-seek-2nd-truck-from-bridge-collapse-4577548.php">looking for a second truck</a> that "may have struck the top of the second rig."</p> <p><strong>100 High School Students Kicked Off a Plane</strong>: They allegedly didn't <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/100-students-ejected-nyc-atlanta-flight-210505331.html">turn off their cell phones</a> when asked.</p> <p><strong>A Big Lizard Has Been Named After Jim Morrison</strong>: And hopefully it doesn't go extinct after <a href="http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/2283/20130605/ancient-lizard-king-named-doors-jim-morrison.htm">doing a lot of heroin</a>.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/05/the-morning-news-someone-heckles-michelle-obama-dzhokhar-gets-to-call-home-and-john-mccain-is-a-genius-not-really-though#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16955444&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/05/the-morning-news-someone-heckles-michelle-obama-dzhokhar-gets-to-call-home-and-john-mccain-is-a-genius-not-really-though?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16955444&id=comments 22 Wed, 05 Jun 2013 08:31:50 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/04/the-morning-news-protests-rape-trials-toilets-sinkholes-and-giraffes http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/04/the-morning-news-protests-rape-trials-toilets-sinkholes-and-giraffes Megan Seling <p><strong>Here's a Live Blog of What's Happening in Turkey</strong>: There are reports that a <a href="http://www.haaretz.com/live-blog-turkey-unrest-enters-day-five-1.527672">second person has died</a> as police clash with anti-government protesters. Over 1,000 people have been arrested.</p> <p><strong>Also</strong>: Read this letter <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/04/email-from-istanbul">sent from a reader </a>currently living in Istanbul.</p> <p><strong>Bradley Manning's Trial Continues</strong>: Today, computer hacker Adrian Lamo <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/05/us/bradley-manning-court-martial.html?_r=0">will testify</a>.</p> <p><strong>Jury Selection Has Begun for Whitey Bulger's Trial</strong>: It's gonna be <a href="http://www.boston.com/metrodesk/2013/06/04/jury-selection-begins-trial-notorious-boston-gangster-james-whitey-bulger/mh6ehq6x5zdQ9qcLsxEd1O/story.html">hard to find someone</a> who hasn't seen <em>The Departed</em>.</p> <p><strong>Heartbreaking</strong>: A 30-year-old American woman says she was <a href="http://stream.wsj.com/story/latest-headlines/SS-2-63399/SS-2-245384/">gang raped by three men</a> in India.</p> <p><strong>Oscar Pistorius's Trial Is Postponed</strong>: It will now begin <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/05/world/africa/oscar-pistorius-trial.html">August 19</a>.</p> <p><strong>A Former Navy SEAL Has Come Out as Transgender</strong>: "Kristin Beck, formerly Chris, served <a href="http://gma.yahoo.com/transgender-navy-seal-warrior-princess-comes-005114970--abc-news-topstories.html">20 years as a SEAL</a> and fought on some of the most dangerous battlefields in the world, but after she left the service she realized she wasn't living the life she wanted."</p> <p><strong>Obama's Nominating Three to the Federal Appeals Court</strong>: "A White House official said late Monday that Obama planned to announce his nomination of <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/ap-source-obama-nominating-3-us-appeals-court-213340148.html">Patricia Ann Millett, Cornelia Pillard and Robert Leon Wilkins</a> on Tuesday in the Rose Garden, a joint announcement that is part of an aggressive new push in a years-long partisan fight to make his imprint on the court."</p> <p><strong>A 10-Year-Old Disarms Robbers</strong>: Then allegedly <a href="http://gothamist.com/2013/06/04/10-yr-old_brooklyn_boy_fires_gun_to.php">shoots their own gun</a> at them to scare them off.</p> <p><strong>Seattle's Getting a $90k Public Toilet</strong>: That's an <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/morning_call/2013/06/90k-pioneer-square-public-toilet.html">expensive poop machine</a>!</p> <p><strong>Another Sinkhole in Florida</strong>: This one <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/sinkhole-florida-swimming-pool-132915065.html">swallowed up a swimming pool</a>.</p> <p><strong>Poopy Putin</strong>: "President Vladimir Putin will back a <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/04/us-russia-putin-adoption-idUSBRE9530FX20130604">ban on same-sex couples</a> from abroad adopting Russian children."</p> <p><strong>How Does a Baby Giraffe Sleep?</strong>: Using its <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/29/sleeping-baby-giraffe-photos_n_3353139.html">butt as a pillow</a>!</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/04/the-morning-news-protests-rape-trials-toilets-sinkholes-and-giraffes#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16946837&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/04/the-morning-news-protests-rape-trials-toilets-sinkholes-and-giraffes?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16946837&id=comments 17 Tue, 04 Jun 2013 08:28:11 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/04/email-from-istanbul http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/04/email-from-istanbul Dan Savage <p>A Slog reader writes...</p> <blockquote><p>I'm from Seattle and I currently live in Istanbul. I just want to weigh in on the context to all this&#8212;I've been reading all the coverage, from social media sites and official news sites, and there's too many people making quick judgments or misunderstanding certain details.</p> <p>Virtually any protest in crowded parts of town draws a significant armed police presence&#8212;I would say a dozen guys with machine guns. The baseline is higher for police violence/response, nobody thinks there's anything wrong with police hitting people. But in normal situations 95% of the time police are supportive and nonthreatening. On the other hand I don't want people to get the impression that Turkey is way different from the US, because in so many ways it's just the same. People have normal everyday jobs, hang out at Starbucks with their iPads, complain about traffic, it's not culturally like the Middle East, as so many people seem to think it is.</p> <p>The police response to the protests is much more serious than anything Occupy experienced in the state, and it's important for the state department to condemn the police response here&#8212;Tayyip has listened to the US a lot in the past. We saw plenty of <a href="http://s60.photobucket.com/user/lakksko/media/Teargas_zps28a5780a.jpg.html">this</a> during the serious days of Occupy, but we never saw (trigger warning, a little graphic) <a href="https://twitter.com/ciraykaya/status/340919898802900992/photo/1">this</a>. In both cases, the police went too far but it's so much further here:</p> <p>1) Police are <a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BL3QVrWCIAAqzk3.png">covering their ID numbers</a> on their helmets so <a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/383472_10151477140392963_80924612_n.jpg">they can't be identified</a>.</p> <p>2) PM Erdoğan said on TV just a couple days ago, "Social media is the worst menace to society," and is engaged in a serious misinformation campaign. Most news outlets aren't covering the protests at all.</p> <p>3) There's reports of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justice_and_Development_Party_(Turkey)">AKP</a> (the current political administration) thugs in plainclothes beating people in the street, joining protesters to track them for the police, luring injured people to "doctors" and "nurses" but actually kidnapping them for the police later.</p> <p>The US government can condemn this kind of thing, and the people of Turkey would really appreciate it. This doesn't have to be like Syria, nobody wants a civil war, but there needs to be international attention otherwise Erdogan will think he can get away with anything.</p> <p>If I could sum up everything I'd just give you this video:</p> <p><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="500" height="281" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7VNYECTYQm0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p> <p>Some of it might be upsetting to some viewers, but I think you can/should post it on Slog.</p></blockquote> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/04/email-from-istanbul#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16946682&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News International http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/04/email-from-istanbul?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16946682&id=comments 15 Tue, 04 Jun 2013 07:32:41 -0700 The Stranger http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/03/the-morning-news-protests-in-turkey-rage-on-bradley-mannings-trial-starts-today-and-lots-of-people-were-shot-in-nyc-this-weekend http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/03/the-morning-news-protests-in-turkey-rage-on-bradley-mannings-trial-starts-today-and-lots-of-people-were-shot-in-nyc-this-weekend Megan Seling <p><strong>Protests Continue in Turkey</strong>: "Since clashes erupted Friday, <a href="http://www.nationalturk.com/en/turkey-park-unrestturkish-cities-rebel-against-akp-goverment-brutalty-photos-breaking-news-38438">1,000 people have been wounded</a> in Istanbul and several hundred more in Ankara, according to medics." You can see photos from the protests in <a href="http://imgur.com/a/gKAsu">this Imgur gallery</a> that was posted on Reddit&#8212;take note, some are horrific and/or gruesome. </p> <p><strong>And</strong>: The government has <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/Turkey/comments/1fgnkg/facebook_and_twitter_access_has_been_restricted/">reportedly blocked access to Twitter and Facebook</a>, and Turkcell, the country's biggest mobile network, <a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-981808">may or may not have gotten pressure</a> from the government to block communications.</p> <p><strong>Police Can Take Your DNA Sample</strong>: The Supreme Court ruled five-to-four, that police can <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/04/us/supreme-court-says-police-can-take-dna-samples.html">take DNA samples</a> from people who are arrested for serious crimes.</p> <p><strong>25 People Were Shot in NYC This Weekend</strong>: Police say six people are dead and an <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/25-people-shot-48-hours-article-1.1361388">11-year-old girl will never walk</a> again.</p> <p><strong>Drive-By Shooting in Lake Stevens</strong>: A 15-year-old <a href="http://www.king5.com/news/local/Girl-shot-and-killed-in-drive-by-shooting-209839411.html">Seattle girl is dead</a> and police have no leads.</p> <p><strong>Michael Douglas Claims Oral Sex Caused His Throat Cancer</strong>: And some <a href="http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2013/06/03/michael-douglas-blames-his-throat-cancer-on-oral-sex">experts agree with him</a>.</p> <p><a href="http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-bradley-manning-court-martial-20130603,0,1979686.story#ixzz2VAdVWNI3">Bradley Manning's Trial Starts Today</a>:</p> <blockquote><p>Manning, who served as an intelligence analyst in Iraq, has admitted to leaking hundreds of thousands of classified documents &#8212; including diplomatic cables, Iraq and Afghanistan war logs and gunsight video footage of a 2007 U.S. helicopter attack that killed civilians in Baghdad &#8212; to the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks.</p> <p>The 25-year-old soldier faces charges including violating the Espionage Act and aiding the enemy. If convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison.</p></blockquote> <p>You can read the full text of Manning's <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/01/bradley-manning-wikileaks-statement-full-text">personal statement to the court here</a>.</p> <p><strong>Over 100 Dead in China Poultry Plant Fire</strong>: No word on what caused <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/03/us-china-fire-idUSBRE95202O20130603">the explosions and the fire</a> (locals think ammonia gas leaks are to blame), and many deaths are being attributed to blocked and/or not enough exits.</p> <p><strong>Now That Pot Is Legal</strong>: Washington police <a href="http://www.registerguard.com/rg/news/29952416-76/marijuana-dogs-police-dog-pot.html.csp">dogs are being retrained</a> to avoid smelling marijuana.</p> <p><strong>Morning Heart Attack</strong>: Dunkin' Donuts will soon introduce the <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-dunkin-donuts-bacon-doughnut-sandwich-20130603,0,2917882.story">bacon, egg, donut sandwich</a>.</p> <p><strong>Have You Had Your Coffee Today?</strong>: Caffeine withdrawal is officially <a href="http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/05/31/caffeine-withdrawal-is-now-a-mental-disorder/">a mental disorder</a>.</p> <p><strong>Gross and Neat</strong>: Huge, <a href="http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/20904">neon pink slugs</a> have been discovered in Australia.</p> <p>[ <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/03/the-morning-news-protests-in-turkey-rage-on-bradley-mannings-trial-starts-today-and-lots-of-people-were-shot-in-nyc-this-weekend#comments">Comment on this story</a> ]</p> <p>[ <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16940422&amp;id=comments">Subscribe to the comments on this story</a> ]</p> News http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/06/03/the-morning-news-protests-in-turkey-rage-on-bradley-mannings-trial-starts-today-and-lots-of-people-were-shot-in-nyc-this-weekend?show=comments#readerComments http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Rss.xml?oid=16940422&id=comments 28 Mon, 03 Jun 2013 09:53:34 -0700 The Stranger