http://reclaimliberty.org News Stories of Interest To Libertarians Sun, 11 May 2008 14:44:35 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Jamie Leigh Jones, a contractor for KBR (which was then part of Halliburton) was drugged and sexually assaulted in Iraq last year, and forced to spend a day in a cargo container so that she wouldn't report her attack.  Her employers insist that as part of her agreement with them, ... http://reclaimliberty.org/2008/05/11/judge-allows-kbr-rape-case-to-go-to-trial/ "From the article at Wired Blog: "The Internet Archive's case is only the third known court challenge to an NSL, all of which ended with the FBI rescinding the NSL, according to the ACLU's Melissa Goodman."  The FBI brought a national security letter to the Internet Archive, and Brewster Kahle ... http://reclaimliberty.org/2008/05/08/internet-archive-successfully-challenges-fbi-nsl/ As we've seen that lollipop ladies are now getting cameras, it would seem that things must be going pretty well with the CCTV system the UK has in place.  However, a senior Metropolitan policeman in the UK calls the system a "fiasco" with only "3% of crimes being solved by ... http://reclaimliberty.org/2008/05/06/only-3-of-crimes-solved-by-use-of-cctv/ The article says it best: "Your tax dollars at work. On one side, subsidize more roads, sprawl, and related infrastructure, on the other, subsidize various approaches to try to convince people to keep off the roads." http://reclaimliberty.org/2008/05/05/us-dot-gives-chicago-153m-to-reduce-congestion/ As if there weren't enough CCTV cameras in Britain already, now the crossing guards will be equipped with them.  (They're called "Lollipop Ladies" over there, as the signs they carry obviously resemble lollipops.) They're ostensibly going to be used to ensure the safety of the crossing guards themselves, which is admirable ... http://reclaimliberty.org/2008/05/01/uk-crossing-guards-get-cameras/ In the "more reasons not to be running Windows" department, it seems that Microsoft has given a tool to law enforcement that: "...contains 150 commands that can dramatically cut the time it takes to gather digital evidence, which is becoming more important in real-world crime, as well as cybercrime. It can ... http://reclaimliberty.org/2008/04/30/microsoft-device-helps-police-extract-evidence-from-computers/ A Federal appeals court has said that Customs can do whatever they want with your electronic files when you cross the border.  The ruling extends to all electronics: laptop, cell phone, digital camera, calculator - you name it - if it's got a file system, it's fair game. http://reclaimliberty.org/2008/04/29/feds-decide-they-can-search-any-electronic-files-at-the-border/ Update:  It will come as no surprise that millions of dollars of military expenditure is simply wasted. Alternet has an excellent story on how "60 years of enormous military spending is taking a dramatic toll on the rest of the economy".  It goes through several points, all of them excellently detailed ... http://reclaimliberty.org/2008/04/28/our-short-tenure-as-the-worlds-lone-superpower-has-come-to-an-end/ While it may not be an immediate prelude to an actual fight, it seems that the US is drawing up plans on how to go to war with Iran.  As if spending 12 BILLION dollars a week in Afghanistan and Iraq weren't enough, they are now making contingency plans for ... http://reclaimliberty.org/2008/04/27/us-prepares-readiness-for-war-against-iran/  Update:  The New York Sun has a similar story. With the clearest numbers yet, we can see the ugly toll that inflation is taking on this country.  As the government continues to print money (with nothing backing it) the value of the dollars that exist continues to go down, and prices ... http://reclaimliberty.org/2008/04/26/wsj-urges-americans-to-stock-up-on-food/