Edward Snowden has taken the world on a wild ride over the last two and a half weeks, revealing first a pair of massive NSA surveillance programs, and then his own identity, motives, and level of access to the sort of information he revealed. This weekend, Snowden himself became the focus of the story. On […]
Archive | Politics
Just Because You’re Paranoid… Part 1: Securing Your Email
The news has been awash with stories lately of how the National Security Agency has the ability to access the telephone records and internet usage patterns of Americans and possibly others around the globe. Our own website featured an article on this subject when the story first broke over a week ago. While bringing down a […]
NSA Demands Verizon Turn Over Caller Database
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. Do […]
Motorola And Apple Look To Texas For Made In U.S.A. Tech
Pop quiz: What was the last smartphone to be built in the United State of America? If you gave any answer other than “none,” you’re wrong. Back at the start of 2012, the New York Times detailed why so much tech manufacturing is based out of China, which basically boils down to infrastructure. Odds are […]
Kindle Worlds: What’s The Harm?
Guest writer Greg Hatcher has been a professional magazine writer and editor for 21 years and currently writes the weekly Fridays With Hatcher feature, now in its eighth year at Comics Should Be Good. In addition to that, he teaches writing for high school and middle school students as part of the Young Authors program […]
Unimpressive 3D Printed Zip Gun Drives Internet Insane
I’ve got to admit that I’m not nearly as impressed with crypto-anarchist Cody Wilson, his Defense Distributed organization, or its 3D printable handgun, the Liberator, as the rest of the internet seems to be. Most everywhere I’ve looked for the last several days I’ve seen headline after overwrought headline claiming that this new handgun design is a radical game changer […]
Buycott Helps You Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
Have you ever wondered if the money you spend ends up funding causes you oppose? The front page of Buycott’s website poses this question to visitors. In a political landscape where a dollar for Stephanie Meyer turns into a boon for anti-gay rights organizations and cash-flooded lobbyists have just as much of a say in […]
Government Seizes Bitcoin Trading Site’s Bank Account
The United States Department of Homeland Security shut down Mt. Gox’s ability to accept or send transfers using mobile payment service Dwolla last night. According to the warrant, a Homeland Security special agent believes Mt. Gox is guilty of the crime of operating an “unlicensed money transmitting business.” After an undercover informant used the service […]
Is Newt Gingrich Trolling Us With His Smartphone Video?
Come on, Newt. You’ve got to be kidding us with this. Failed presidential candidate Newt Gingrich released a humdinger of a video on Friday through his company’s YouTube channel. Gingrich is concerned with what to call these newfangled walkie-talkies that play moving pictures and point you to the local McDonald’s. “Cellular telephone” doesn’t cut it, […]
State Department Tries To Muzzle 3D Printed Firearms
Remember all the hubbub about 3D printed guns? No? Not even when the U.S. government gave a firearms licence to Defense Distributed, the biggest name in renderable firearms? This past week was another huge one for DD, as it printed and tested the new Liberator gun, an all plastic gun that only needs the addition of a nail to serve […]