activistpost--2020-12-03--The Digital “Iron Curtain” Descends

The Digital “Iron Curtain” Descends

What is a ‘ digital Iron Curtain ’ ?
It is when Big Digital , as Professor Michael Rectenwald terms these Western Tech Goliaths , become ‘ governmentalities ’ , using a word originally coined by Michel Foucault to refer to the means by which the ‘ governed ’ ( i.e .
‘ we the people ’ ) assimilate , and reflect outwardly , a mental attitude desired by the élites : “ One might point to masking and social distancing as instances of what Foucault meant by his notion of governmentality ” , Rectenwald suggests .
And what is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is to embrace the transfiguration of American and European identity and way-of-life .
The presumptive U.S. President Elect , the European élites , and top ‘ woke ’ élites moreover , are publicly committed to such “ transformation ” : “ Now we take Georgia , then we change the world , ” ( Chuck Schumer , Senate Minority Leader , declared , celebrating Joe Biden ’ s ‘ victory ’ ) ; “ Trump ’ s defeat can be the beginning of the end of the triumph of far-right populisms also in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former president of the European Council .
In short , the ‘ Iron Curtain ’ descends when supposedly private enterprises ( Big Digital ) mutually inter-penetrate with – and then claim – the State : No longer the non-believer facing this coming metamorphosis is to be persuaded – he can be compelled .
Regressive values held on identity , race and gender quickly slipped into a ‘ heresy ’ labelling .
And as the BLM activists endlessly repeat : “ Silence is no option : Silence is complicity ” .
With the advent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ reach ’ , the diktat can be achieved through weaponising ‘ Truth ’ via AI , to achieve a ‘ machine learning fairness ’ that reflects only the values of the coming revolution – and through AI ‘ learning ’ mounting that version of binary ‘ truth ’ , up and against an adversarial ‘ non-truth ’ ( its polar opposite ) .
How this inter-penetration came about is through a mix of early CIA start-up funding ; connections and contracts with state agencies , particularly relating to defence ; and in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ governmentalist ’ narratives .
These U.S. Tech platforms have , for some time , become effectively fused into the ‘ Blue State ’ – particularly in the realms of intelligence and defence – to the extent that these CEOs no longer see themselves as state ‘ partners ’ or contractors , but rather , as some higher élite leadership , precisely shaping and directing the future of the U.S. Their objective , however , is to advance beyond the American ‘ sphere ’ , to a notion that such an élite oligarchy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planetary governance ’ .
One , in which their tech tools of AI , analytics , robotics and machine-learning , would become the mathematical and digital scaffold around whose structure , the globe in all its dimensions is administered .
There would be no polity – only analytics .
The blatant attempt by Big Tech platforms and MSM to write the narrative of the 2020 Facebook and Twitter U.S. Election – coupled with their campaign to insist that dissent is either the intrusion of enemy disinformation , ‘ lies ’ coming from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is but the first step to re-defining ‘ dissenters ’ as security risks and enemies of the good .
The mention of ‘ heresy and disinformation ’ additionally plays the role of pushing attention away from the gulf of inequality between smug élites and skeptical swathes of ordinary citizenry .
Party élites might be notoriously well-known for unfairly enriching themselves , but as fearless knights leading the faithful to battle , élites can become again objects of public and media veneration – heroes who can call believers ‘ once more unto the breach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already being prepared – as Whitney Webb notes : A new cyber offensive was launched on Monday by the UK ’ s signal intelligence agency , GCHQ , which seeks to target websites that publish content deemed to be “ propaganda ” , [ and that ] raise concerns regarding state-sponsored Covid-19 vaccine development – and the multi-national pharmaceutical corporations involved .
Similar efforts are underway in the U.S. , with the military recently funding a CIA-backed firm … to develop an AI algorithm aimed specifically at new websites promoting “ suspected ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the U.S. military–led Covid-19 vaccination effort known as Operation Warp Speed … The Times reported that GCHQ “ has begun an offensive cyber-operation to disrupt anti-vaccine propaganda being spread by hostile states ” and “ is using a toolkit developed to tackle disinformation and recruitment material peddled by Islamic State ” to do so … The GCHQ cyber war will not only take down “ anti-vaccine propaganda ” , but will also seek to “ disrupt the operations of the cyberactors responsible for it , including encrypting their data so they can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with each other.
” The Times stated that “ the government regards tackling false information about inoculation as a rising priority as the prospect of a reliable vaccine against the coronavirus draws closer , ” suggesting that efforts will continue to ramp up as a vaccine candidate gets closer to approval .
This larger pivot toward treating alleged “ anti-vaxxers ” as “ national security threats ” has been ongoing for much of this year , spearheaded in part by Imran Ahmed , the CEO of the UK-based Center for Countering Digital Hate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Steering Committee on Countering Extremism Pilot Task Force , which is part of the UK government ’ s Commission for Countering Extremism .
Ahmed told the UK newspaper The Independent in July that “ I would go beyond calling anti-vaxxers conspiracy theorists to say they are an extremist group that pose a national security risk.
” He then stated that “ once someone has been exposed to one type of conspiracy it ’ s easy to lead them down a path where they embrace more radical world views that can lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think tank tied to U.S. intelligence argued in a research paper published just months before the onset of the Covid-19 crisis that “ the U.S. ‘ anti-vaxxer ’ movement would pose a threat to national security in the event of a ‘ pandemic with a novel organism.
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Just to be clear , it is not just the ‘ Five Eyes ’ Intelligence Community at work – YouTube , the dominant video platform owned by Google , decided this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Institute video , with more than 1.5 million views , for challenging aspects of U.S. policy on the Coronavirus .
What on earth is going on ?
The Mises Institute as ‘ extremist ’ , or purveyor of enemy disinformation ?
( Of course , there are countless other examples . )
Well , in a word , it is ‘ China ’ .
Maybe it is about fears that China will surpass the U.S. economically and in Tech quite shortly .
It is no secret that the U.S. , the UK and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their handling of Covid , and may stand at the brink of recession and financial crisis .
China , and Asia more generally , has Covid under much better control .
Indeed , China may prove to be the one state likely to grow economically over the year ahead .
Here ’ s the rub : The pandemic persists .
Western governments largely have eschewed full lockdowns , whilst hoping to toggle between partial social-distancing , and keeping the economy open – oscillating between turning the dials up or down on both .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( pandemic under control ) , nor the other ( saving themselves from looming economic breakdown ) .
The only exit from this conundrum that the élites can see is to vaccinate everyone as soon as possible , so that they can go full-steam on the economy – and thus stop China stealing a march on the West .
But 40 % -50 % of Americans say they would refuse vaccination .
They are concerned about the long-term safety for humans of the new mRNA technique – concerns , it seems , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make way for the “ required ” saturation of pro-vaccine messaging across the English-speaking media landscape .
There is no evidence , yet , that either the Moderna or the Pfizer experimental vaccine prevented any hospitalizations or any deaths .
If there were , the public has not been told .
There is no information about how long any protective benefit from the vaccine would persist .
There is no information about safety .
Not surprisingly there is public caution , which GCHQ and Big Digital intend to squash .
The digital Iron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. algorithms , and social media , saturate Europe too .
And Europe has its ‘ populists ’ and state ‘ deplorables ’ ( currently Hungary and Poland ) , on which Brussels would like to see the digital ‘ Curtain ’ of denigration and political ostracism descend .
This month , Hungary and Poland vetoed the EU bloc ’ s €1.8 trillion budget and recovery package in retaliation for Brussels ’ plan effectively to fine them for violating the EU ’ s ‘ rule of law ’ principles .
As the Telegraph @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depending on the cash and , given the ‘ second wave ’ of coronavirus hitting the continent , Brussels fears that the Visegrád Group allies ” could hold a recovery hostage to their objections to the EU ‘ rule-of-law ’ ‘ fines ’ ) .
What ’ s this all about ?
Well , Orbán ’ s justice minister has introduced a series of constitutional changes .
Each of them triggering ‘ rule-of-law ’ disputes with the EU .
The most contentious amendment is an anti-LGBT one , stating explicitly that the mother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a man .
It will add further restrictions for singles and gay couples adopting children , and it will confine gender transition to adults .
Orbán ’ s veto is yet more evidence of a new Iron Curtain descending down the spine of – this time – Europe .
The ‘ Curtain ’ again is cultural , and has nothing to do with ‘ law ’ .
Brussels makes no secret of its displeasure that many Central and Eastern European member-states will not sign up to ‘ progressive ’ ( i.e .
woke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tension that “ whilst Western Europe is de-Christianising , Europe ’ s central and eastern states are re-Christianising – the faith having been earlier a rallying point against communism ” , and now serving as the well-spring to these states ’ post-Cold War emerging identity .
( It is not so dissimilar to some ‘ Red ’ American conservative constituencies that also are reaching back to their Christian roots , in the face of America ’ s political polarisation . )
These combined events point to a key point of inflection occurring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of state and state-extended apparatuses has openly declared war on dissent ( ‘ untruths ’ ) , foreign ‘ disinformation ’ and opinion unsupported by their own ‘ fact-checking ’ .
It takes concrete form through Big Digital ’ s quiet sanctioning and punitive policing of online platforms , under the guise of tackling abuse ; through nation-wide mandatory re-education and training programmes in anti-racism and critical social theory in schools and places of work ; by embedding passive obedience and acquiescence amongst the public through casting anti-vaxxers as extremists , or as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mounting a series of public spectacles and theatre by ‘ calling out ’ and shaming sovereigntists and cultural ‘ regressives ’ , who merit being ‘ cancelled ’ .
In turn , it advances an entire canon of progressivism rooted in critical social theory , anti-racism and gender studies .
It has too its own revisionist history ( narratives such as the 1619 Project ) and progressive jurisprudence for translation into concrete law .
But what if half of America rejects the next President ?
What if Brussels persists with imposing its separate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will descend with the ring of metal falling onto stone .
Why ?
Precisely because those adhering to their transformative mission see ‘ calling out ’ transgressors as their path to power – a state in which dissent and cultural heresy can be met with enforcement ( euphemistically called the ‘ rule of law ’ in Brussels ) .
Its ’ intent is to permanently keep dissenters passive , and on the defensive , fearing being labelled ‘ extremist ’ , and through panicking fence-sitters into acquiescence .
Maintaining a unified Western polity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conditions .
Should the losers in this struggle ( whomsoever that may be ) , come to fear being culturally overwhelmed by forces that see their way-of-being as a heresy which must be purged , we may witness a powerful turn towards political self-determination .
When political differences become irreconcilable , the only ( non-violent ) alternative might come to be seen to lie with the fissuring of political union .
Alastair Crooke is a former British diplomat , founder and director of the Beirut-based Conflicts Forum .
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By Alastair Crooke
What is a ‘digital Iron Curtain’? It is when Big Digital, as Professor Michael Rectenwald terms these Western Tech Goliaths, become ‘governmentalities’, using a word originally coined by Michel Foucault to refer to the means by which the ‘governed’ (i.e. ‘we the people’) assimilate, and reflect outwardly, a mental attitude desired by the élites: “One might point to masking and social distancing as instances of what Foucault meant by his notion of governmentality”, Rectenwald suggests.
And what is that desired ‘mentality’? It is to embrace the transfiguration of American and European identity and way-of-life. The presumptive U.S. President Elect, the European élites, and top ‘woke’ élites moreover, are publicly committed to such “transformation”: “Now we take Georgia, then we change the world,” (Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader, declared, celebrating Joe Biden’s ‘victory’); “Trump’s defeat can be the beginning of the end of the triumph of far-right populisms also in Europe”, claimed Donald Tusk, former president of the European Council.
In short, the ‘Iron Curtain’ descends when supposedly private enterprises (Big Digital) mutually inter-penetrate with – and then claim – the State: No longer the non-believer facing this coming metamorphosis is to be persuaded – he can be compelled. Regressive values held on identity, race and gender quickly slipped into a ‘heresy’ labelling. And as the BLM activists endlessly repeat: “Silence is no option: Silence is complicity”.
With the advent of Silicon Valley ideology’s ubiquitous ‘reach’, the diktat can be achieved through weaponising ‘Truth’ via AI, to achieve a ‘machine learning fairness’ that reflects only the values of the coming revolution – and through AI ‘learning’ mounting that version of binary ‘truth’, up and against an adversarial ‘non-truth’ (its polar opposite). How this inter-penetration came about is through a mix of early CIA start-up funding; connections and contracts with state agencies, particularly relating to defence; and in support for propaganda campaigns in service to ‘governmentalist’ narratives.
These U.S. Tech platforms have, for some time, become effectively fused into the ‘Blue State’ – particularly in the realms of intelligence and defence – to the extent that these CEOs no longer see themselves as state ‘partners’ or contractors, but rather, as some higher élite leadership, precisely shaping and directing the future of the U.S. Their objective, however, is to advance beyond the American ‘sphere’, to a notion that such an élite oligarchy eventually would be directing a future ‘planetary governance’. One, in which their tech tools of AI, analytics, robotics and machine-learning, would become the mathematical and digital scaffold around whose structure, the globe in all its dimensions is administered. There would be no polity – only analytics.
The blatant attempt by Big Tech platforms and MSM to write the narrative of the 2020 Facebook and Twitter U.S. Election – coupled with their campaign to insist that dissent is either the intrusion of enemy disinformation, ‘lies’ coming from the U.S. President, or plain bullsh*t – is but the first step to re-defining ‘dissenters’ as security risks and enemies of the good.
The mention of ‘heresy and disinformation’ additionally plays the role of pushing attention away from the gulf of inequality between smug élites and skeptical swathes of ordinary citizenry. Party élites might be notoriously well-known for unfairly enriching themselves, but as fearless knights leading the faithful to battle, élites can become again objects of public and media veneration – heroes who can call believers ‘once more unto the breach!’.
The next step is already being prepared – as Whitney Webb notes:
A new cyber offensive was launched on Monday by the UK’s signal intelligence agency, GCHQ, which seeks to target websites that publish content deemed to be “propaganda”, [and that] raise concerns regarding state-sponsored Covid-19 vaccine development – and the multi-national pharmaceutical corporations involved. Similar efforts are underway in the U.S., with the military recently funding a CIA-backed firm … to develop an AI algorithm aimed specifically at new websites promoting “suspected” disinformation related to the Covid-19 crisis, and the U.S. military–led Covid-19 vaccination effort known as Operation Warp Speed … The Times reported that GCHQ “has begun an offensive cyber-operation to disrupt anti-vaccine propaganda being spread by hostile states” and “is using a toolkit developed to tackle disinformation and recruitment material peddled by Islamic State” to do so … The GCHQ cyber war will not only take down “anti-vaccine propaganda”, but will also seek to “disrupt the operations of the cyberactors responsible for it, including encrypting their data so they cannot access it and blocking their communications with each other.” The Times stated that “the government regards tackling false information about inoculation as a rising priority as the prospect of a reliable vaccine against the coronavirus draws closer,” suggesting that efforts will continue to ramp up as a vaccine candidate gets closer to approval. This larger pivot toward treating alleged “anti-vaxxers” as “national security threats” has been ongoing for much of this year, spearheaded in part by Imran Ahmed, the CEO of the UK-based Center for Countering Digital Hate, a member of the UK government’s Steering Committee on Countering Extremism Pilot Task Force, which is part of the UK government’s Commission for Countering Extremism. Ahmed told the UK newspaper The Independent in July that “I would go beyond calling anti-vaxxers conspiracy theorists to say they are an extremist group that pose a national security risk.” He then stated that “once someone has been exposed to one type of conspiracy it’s easy to lead them down a path where they embrace more radical world views that can lead to violent extremism … Similarly, a think tank tied to U.S. intelligence argued in a research paper published just months before the onset of the Covid-19 crisis that “the U.S. ‘anti-vaxxer’ movement would pose a threat to national security in the event of a ‘pandemic with a novel organism.’”
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Just to be clear, it is not just the ‘Five Eyes’ Intelligence Community at work – YouTube, the dominant video platform owned by Google, decided this week to remove a Ludwig von Mises Institute video, with more than 1.5 million views, for challenging aspects of U.S. policy on the Coronavirus.
What on earth is going on? The Mises Institute as ‘extremist’, or purveyor of enemy disinformation? (Of course, there are countless other examples.)
Well, in a word, it is ‘China’. Maybe it is about fears that China will surpass the U.S. economically and in Tech quite shortly. It is no secret that the U.S., the UK and Europe, more generally, have botched their handling of Covid, and may stand at the brink of recession and financial crisis.
China, and Asia more generally, has Covid under much better control. Indeed, China may prove to be the one state likely to grow economically over the year ahead.
Here’s the rub: The pandemic persists. Western governments largely have eschewed full lockdowns, whilst hoping to toggle between partial social-distancing, and keeping the economy open – oscillating between turning the dials up or down on both. But they are achieving neither the one (pandemic under control), nor the other (saving themselves from looming economic breakdown). The only exit from this conundrum that the élites can see is to vaccinate everyone as soon as possible, so that they can go full-steam on the economy – and thus stop China stealing a march on the West.
But 40%-50% of Americans say they would refuse vaccination. They are concerned about the long-term safety for humans of the new mRNA technique – concerns, it seems, that are destined to be rigorously de-platformed to make way for the “required” saturation of pro-vaccine messaging across the English-speaking media landscape.
There is no evidence, yet, that either the Moderna or the Pfizer experimental vaccine prevented any hospitalizations or any deaths. If there were, the public has not been told. There is no information about how long any protective benefit from the vaccine would persist. There is no information about safety. Not surprisingly there is public caution, which GCHQ and Big Digital intend to squash.
The digital Iron Curtain is not just about America. U.S. algorithms, and social media, saturate Europe too. And Europe has its ‘populists’ and state ‘deplorables’ (currently Hungary and Poland), on which Brussels would like to see the digital ‘Curtain’ of denigration and political ostracism descend.
This month, Hungary and Poland vetoed the EU bloc’s €1.8 trillion budget and recovery package in retaliation for Brussels’ plan effectively to fine them for violating the EU’s ‘rule of law’ principles. As the Telegraph notes, “Many European businesses are depending on the cash and, given the ‘second wave’ of coronavirus hitting the continent, Brussels fears that the Visegrád Group allies” could hold a recovery hostage to their objections to the EU ‘rule-of-law’ ‘fines’).
What’s this all about? Well, Orbán’s justice minister has introduced a series of constitutional changes. Each of them triggering ‘rule-of-law’ disputes with the EU. The most contentious amendment is an anti-LGBT one, stating explicitly that the mother is a woman, the father is a man. It will add further restrictions for singles and gay couples adopting children, and it will confine gender transition to adults.
Orbán’s veto is yet more evidence of a new Iron Curtain descending down the spine of – this time – Europe. The ‘Curtain’ again is cultural, and has nothing to do with ‘law’. Brussels makes no secret of its displeasure that many Central and Eastern European member-states will not sign up to ‘progressive’ (i.e. woke) values. At its root lies the tension that “whilst Western Europe is de-Christianising, Europe’s central and eastern states are re-Christianising – the faith having been earlier a rallying point against communism”, and now serving as the well-spring to these states’ post-Cold War emerging identity. (It is not so dissimilar to some ‘Red’ American conservative constituencies that also are reaching back to their Christian roots, in the face of America’s political polarisation.)
These combined events point to a key point of inflection occurring in the Western polity: A constellation of state and state-extended apparatuses has openly declared war on dissent (‘untruths’), foreign ‘disinformation’ and opinion unsupported by their own ‘fact-checking’.
It takes concrete form through Big Digital’s quiet sanctioning and punitive policing of online platforms, under the guise of tackling abuse; through nation-wide mandatory re-education and training programmes in anti-racism and critical social theory in schools and places of work; by embedding passive obedience and acquiescence amongst the public through casting anti-vaxxers as extremists, or as security risks; and finally, by mounting a series of public spectacles and theatre by ‘calling out’ and shaming sovereigntists and cultural ‘regressives’, who merit being ‘cancelled’.
In turn, it advances an entire canon of progressivism rooted in critical social theory, anti-racism and gender studies. It has too its own revisionist history (narratives such as the 1619 Project) and progressive jurisprudence for translation into concrete law.
But what if half of America rejects the next President? What if Brussels persists with imposing its separate progressive cannon? Then the Iron Curtain will descend with the ring of metal falling onto stone. Why? Precisely because those adhering to their transformative mission see ‘calling out’ transgressors as their path to power – a state in which dissent and cultural heresy can be met with enforcement (euphemistically called the ‘rule of law’ in Brussels). Its’ intent is to permanently keep dissenters passive, and on the defensive, fearing being labelled ‘extremist’, and through panicking fence-sitters into acquiescence.
Maintaining a unified Western polity may no longer be possible under such conditions. Should the losers in this struggle (whomsoever that may be), come to fear being culturally overwhelmed by forces that see their way-of-being as a heresy which must be purged, we may witness a powerful turn towards political self-determination.
When political differences become irreconcilable, the only (non-violent) alternative might come to be seen to lie with the fissuring of political union.
Source: Strategic Culture
Alastair Crooke is a former British diplomat, founder and director of the Beirut-based Conflicts Forum.
Image: Pixabay
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activistpost--2020-12-02--“Dumb” Smart Meters “Fail to Serve Purpose” (Forbes UK) and Other Complaints

People worldwide DO NOT WANT utility “ Smart ” Meters – electric , gas , and water .
Tens of millions have been installed and millions more are planned despite all their problems – fires , explosions , higher bills , serious cybersecurity risks ( see 1 , 2 ) , and more .
They DO NOT save meaningful amounts of energy , and customer bills are usually increased for their installation AND frequent replacement ( see 1 , 2 , 3 ) .
UK “ Smart ” Meter complaints and utility shenanigans continue to be published by Telegraph UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 , 2 , 3 ) .
Proponents seem to be losing their enthusiasm for them as well .
More than 22 million smart meters have now been installed in homes and small businesses across Great Britain , according to the latest figures from the government ’ s Department of Business , Energy & Industrial Strategy… The government has targeted energy firms to offer the devices to every home and small business across Great Britain by 30 June 2025 as part of its promise to deliver net zero emissions by 2050 .
However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a third of all smart meters are currently being used in ‘ smart ’ or ‘ advanced ’ mode – which means they are successfully able to transmit rolling data to the energy supplier via a national infrastructure run by the Data Communications Company ( DCC ) .
This is because many smart meters are still first-generation ( SMETS1 ) , which lose their smart functionality if customers switch energy suppliers – known as going ‘ dumb ’ .
Despite all the problems with “ Smart ” Meters , they are extremely profitable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are 2-way transmitting , they allow them to collect customer minute-by-minute usage data 24/7 .
Utilities collect and analyze usage data so they can market more products and services to customers and/or sell data to 3rd parties .
They also allow them to remotely turn off services as well as ration energy .
“ Smart ” Meters emit high levels of electromagnetic radiation that can and have made people and animals sick ( see 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ) .
Online documentary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more despicable details about “ Smart ” Meters and Grids .
Some utilities now allow customers to “ opt out ” because of all the complaints .
Activist Post reports regularly about “ Smart ” Meters and other unsafe technology .
For more information , visit our archives and the following websites : Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE !
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By B.N. Frank
People worldwide DO NOT WANT utility “Smart” Meters – electric, gas, and water. Tens of millions have been installed and millions more are planned despite all their problems – fires, explosions, higher bills, serious cybersecurity risks (see 1, 2), and more. They DO NOT save meaningful amounts of energy, and customer bills are usually increased for their installation AND frequent replacement (see 1, 2, 3).
UK “Smart” Meter complaints and utility shenanigans continue to be published by Telegraph UK as well as other sources (see 1, 2, 3). Proponents seem to be losing their enthusiasm for them as well.
From Forbes UK:
More than 22 million smart meters have now been installed in homes and small businesses across Great Britain, according to the latest figures from the government’s Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy… The government has targeted energy firms to offer the devices to every home and small business across Great Britain by 30 June 2025 as part of its promise to deliver net zero emissions by 2050. Failure to serve purpose However, the figures also show that only a third of all smart meters are currently being used in ‘smart’ or ‘advanced’ mode – which means they are successfully able to transmit rolling data to the energy supplier via a national infrastructure run by the Data Communications Company (DCC). This is because many smart meters are still first-generation (SMETS1), which lose their smart functionality if customers switch energy suppliers – known as going ‘dumb’. Read full article
Despite all the problems with “Smart” Meters, they are extremely profitable to utility companies. Because these meters are 2-way transmitting, they allow them to collect customer minute-by-minute usage data 24/7. Utilities collect and analyze usage data so they can market more products and services to customers and/or sell data to 3rd parties. They also allow them to remotely turn off services as well as ration energy.
Activist Post Recommended Book: The Age of Surveillance Capitalism
“Smart” Meters emit high levels of electromagnetic radiation that can and have made people and animals sick (see 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8). Online documentary – Take Back Your Power – reveals more despicable details about “Smart” Meters and Grids. Some utilities now allow customers to “opt out” because of all the complaints.
Activist Post reports regularly about “Smart” Meters and other unsafe technology. For more information, visit our archives and the following websites:
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Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE! Follow us on SoMee, HIVE, Parler, Flote, Minds, MeWe and Twitter.
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activistpost--2020-12-02--IRS Sent $1,200 Stimulus Checks to Random European Citizens, New Reporting Shows

Congress is debating another round of COVID-19 stimulus legislation right now .
But as the details continue to be hashed out , new evidence keeps mounting that shows just how wasteful and inefficient the first stimulus bill was .
The $ 2 trillion+ CARES Act , passed in March , sent $ 1,200 “ stimulus ” checks to many Americans in hopes of providing relief and stimulating consumer spending .
The feds used outdated pre-pandemic tax information to determine eligibility and who to send checks to .
This meant that not only were the relief checks not meaningfully targeted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 lockdowns , but billions in checks were sent to dead people .
Now we ’ re learning that the Internal Revenue Service also sent checks to an untold number of random European citizens , not Americans , who aren ’ t even US residents .
“ The IRS now acknowledges that its own error caused some citizens of other countries to mistakenly receive $ 1,200 coronavirus relief payments — and that the mistake is likely to happen again if more stimulus money goes out , ” NPR reports .
For example , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received a check from the IRS .
“ This is so wrong , ” Wigforss told NPR , “ because I saw that a number of people were being evicted every month in Chicago , for instance , and I thought one of those families would have needed this stimulus check .
Why should a Swedish citizen living abroad receive $ 1,200 ?
” “ There ’ s no way I ’ m going to cash this money — it doesn ’ t belong to me , ” she added .
“ But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Treasury Department because of these [ misdirected ] stimulus checks , I wonder ?
” “ I didn ’ t ask for the money .
I didn ’ t expect any money , ” Australian citizen Van Shockley said .
“ But as soon as I got it , I stuck it in the bank .
You ain ’ t getting it back !
” Why did these mistakes happen ?
It ’ s unclear the precise reason beyond general incompetence , but it appears that many of the mistaken recipients had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while working in the US , despite not being citizens and no longer being residents .
The most maddening part of this whole episode of incompetence is that the IRS has acknowledged this problem yet has not taken any serious steps to correct it retroactively or for future stimulus efforts .
“ Since Congress passed its coronavirus relief package in a hurry in March , the US government has put no mechanisms in place to prevent these mistakes from happening again , ” NPR reports .
“ As a result , if a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passes in the final weeks of the Trump administration or during the Biden administration , some of that money is likely to mistakenly end up in mailboxes overseas again.
” The government has no idea how many checks were sent out incorrectly .
This is perhaps the most incredible part of the entire stimulus debate .
All of the major programs and initiatives in the CARES Act were consumed by rampant fraud or waste .
For example , the stimulus bill ’ s expansion of unemployment benefits lost $ 26 billion to fraud—more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2019 .
The Paycheck Protection Program was similarly consumed by fraud , and it ended up costing taxpayers a whopping $ 224,000 per job preserved .
Yet with the debate over a second stimulus bill , lawmakers are pushing to dump more money—the only debate is how much—into the same exact programs without fixing them or addressing the fraud and waste .
Taxpayers are right to find this infuriating .
But , unfortunately , they ought not be surprised .
Reckless disregard for efficiency and fraud is inherent to government spending , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ money on other people .
“ You can spend your own money on yourself , ” Nobel laureate economist Milton Friedman explained .
“ When you do that , why then you really watch out what you ’ re doing , and you try to get the most for your money.
” “ [ But ] if I spend somebody else ’ s money on somebody else , I ’ m not concerned about how much it is , and I ’ m not concerned about what I get , ” Friedman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government.
” So , unless something major changes , we should expect serious fraud , dysfunction , and abuse to plague future stimulus bills as well .
And yes , that may very well mean more taxpayer dollars ending up in the mailboxes of random European citizens .
Brad Polumbo ( @ Brad_Polumbo ) is a libertarian-conservative journalist and Opinion Editor at the Foundation for Economic Education .

By Brad Polumbo
Congress is debating another round of COVID-19 stimulus legislation right now. But as the details continue to be hashed out, new evidence keeps mounting that shows just how wasteful and inefficient the first stimulus bill was.
The $2 trillion+ CARES Act, passed in March, sent $1,200 “stimulus” checks to many Americans in hopes of providing relief and stimulating consumer spending. The feds used outdated pre-pandemic tax information to determine eligibility and who to send checks to. This meant that not only were the relief checks not meaningfully targeted to those actually experiencing financial duress amid the COVID-19 lockdowns, but billions in checks were sent to dead people.
Now we’re learning that the Internal Revenue Service also sent checks to an untold number of random European citizens, not Americans, who aren’t even US residents.
“The IRS now acknowledges that its own error caused some citizens of other countries to mistakenly receive $1,200 coronavirus relief payments — and that the mistake is likely to happen again if more stimulus money goes out,” NPR reports.
The IRS now acknowledges its own error caused some citizens of other countries to mistakenly receive $1,200 coronavirus relief payments — and says the error could likely happen again if more stimulus money goes out.https://t.co/jy87nBSQid — NPR (@NPR) November 30, 2020
For example, Stockholm resident and Swedish citizen Susanne Wigforss received a check from the IRS.
“This is so wrong,” Wigforss told NPR, “because I saw that a number of people were being evicted every month in Chicago, for instance, and I thought one of those families would have needed this stimulus check. Why should a Swedish citizen living abroad receive $1,200?”
“There’s no way I’m going to cash this money — it doesn’t belong to me,” she added. “But how much money is bleeding out from the Treasury Department because of these [misdirected] stimulus checks, I wonder?”
3 months ago, I broke the news that $1200 U.S. stimulus checks were going to foreigners overseas. A lot of liberals didn’t believe our government could be this incompetent and wasteful. Maybe they’ll believe it now that NPR has finally reported on it!https://t.co/ZQ5DxCXpbD https://t.co/8proN2Wu4e — Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) November 30, 2020
“I didn’t ask for the money. I didn’t expect any money,” Australian citizen Van Shockley said. “But as soon as I got it, I stuck it in the bank. You ain’t getting it back!”
Why did these mistakes happen? It’s unclear the precise reason beyond general incompetence, but it appears that many of the mistaken recipients had at some point paid into Social Security while working in the US, despite not being citizens and no longer being residents.
The most maddening part of this whole episode of incompetence is that the IRS has acknowledged this problem yet has not taken any serious steps to correct it retroactively or for future stimulus efforts.
“Since Congress passed its coronavirus relief package in a hurry in March, the US government has put no mechanisms in place to prevent these mistakes from happening again,” NPR reports. “As a result, if a new relief plan with more stimulus payments passes in the final weeks of the Trump administration or during the Biden administration, some of that money is likely to mistakenly end up in mailboxes overseas again.”
The government has no idea how many checks were sent out incorrectly. This is perhaps the most incredible part of the entire stimulus debate.
All of the major programs and initiatives in the CARES Act were consumed by rampant fraud or waste. For example, the stimulus bill’s expansion of unemployment benefits lost $26 billion to fraud—more than the entire unemployment system paid out in 2019. The Paycheck Protection Program was similarly consumed by fraud, and it ended up costing taxpayers a whopping $224,000 per job preserved.
Yet with the debate over a second stimulus bill, lawmakers are pushing to dump more money—the only debate is how much—into the same exact programs without fixing them or addressing the fraud and waste.
Taxpayers are right to find this infuriating. But, unfortunately, they ought not be surprised. Reckless disregard for efficiency and fraud is inherent to government spending, because elected officials are spending other peoples’ money on other people.
“You can spend your own money on yourself,” Nobel laureate economist Milton Friedman explained. “When you do that, why then you really watch out what you’re doing, and you try to get the most for your money.”
“[But] if I spend somebody else’s money on somebody else, I’m not concerned about how much it is, and I’m not concerned about what I get,” Friedman surmised. “And that’s government.”
So, unless something major changes, we should expect serious fraud, dysfunction, and abuse to plague future stimulus bills as well. And yes, that may very well mean more taxpayer dollars ending up in the mailboxes of random European citizens.
Source: FEE.org
Brad Polumbo (@Brad_Polumbo) is a libertarian-conservative journalist and Opinion Editor at the Foundation for Economic Education.


activistpost--2020-12-02--“No Exceptions” — UPS Places Shipping Limits On Major Retailers Amid Online Sales Boom

An internal memo reviewed by WSJ and confirmed by United Parcel Service workers outlines how the package delivery company imposed shipping restrictions on major retailers on Cyber Monday as the unprecedented pandemic-fueled online shopping season stretched delivery networks thin .
The memo informs delivery drivers that on Cyber Monday , they were not to pick up any packages from six major retailers , including L.L .
Bean Inc. , Hot Topic Inc. , New Egg Inc. , and Macy ’ s .
The temporary throttling of package intake comes as many retailers rely entirely on e-commerce as the shift in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus pandemic reducing foot traffic in brick-in-mortar-stores .
The National Retail Federation said online shopping soared 44 % over the five days , including Black Friday and Cyber Monday .
Shipping consultants told WSJ that limits were imposed on retailers if they surpassed their allowance for packages .
However , UPS had more than eight months to prepare for this year-end surge .
Surely they saw it coming that would warrant the delivery giant to expand capacity before the second wave of the pandemic and holiday shopping season .
The limits imposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ packages may have stressed its shipping network .
Citi ’ s Christian Wetherbee noted in a report that UPS ’ average on-time performance last week was 90.6 % compared with 97.6 % for FedEx .
Some retailers told WSJ that delays were experienced on Monday because of the huge surge in online orders .
“ We are happy with the performance of our parcel delivery network following the higher cyber week demand , ” a Gap spokeswoman said .
“ Knowing the unique constraints the industry is facing this peak season , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collectively build a strategic plan of execution.
” An L.L .
Bean spokeswoman said pickup delays were reported at several of its stores .
However , UPS is now “ actively picking up packages from our warehouse facility and our retail locations daily.
” Again , let us reiterate our point from above .
UPS had months to prepare for the huge year-end surge .
Why weren ’ t they prepared ?
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By Tyler Durden
An internal memo reviewed by WSJ and confirmed by United Parcel Service workers outlines how the package delivery company imposed shipping restrictions on major retailers on Cyber Monday as the unprecedented pandemic-fueled online shopping season stretched delivery networks thin.
The memo informs delivery drivers that on Cyber Monday, they were not to pick up any packages from six major retailers, including L.L. Bean Inc., Hot Topic Inc., New Egg Inc., and Macy’s.
WSJ sources confirmed the UPS memo was authentic.
The memo said: “No exceptions.”
The temporary throttling of package intake comes as many retailers rely entirely on e-commerce as the shift in retail to online has mainly resulted from the virus pandemic reducing foot traffic in brick-in-mortar-stores.
The National Retail Federation said online shopping soared 44% over the five days, including Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Shipping consultants told WSJ that limits were imposed on retailers if they surpassed their allowance for packages.
However, UPS had more than eight months to prepare for this year-end surge. Surely they saw it coming that would warrant the delivery giant to expand capacity before the second wave of the pandemic and holiday shopping season.
The limits imposed by UPS outlines how the influx in packages may have stressed its shipping network.
Citi’s Christian Wetherbee noted in a report that UPS’ average on-time performance last week was 90.6% compared with 97.6% for FedEx.
“We are sensitive to the potential for anomalies in our data and believe it’s too early to suggest UPS’s network is stressed,” Wetherbee said.
Some retailers told WSJ that delays were experienced on Monday because of the huge surge in online orders.
“We are happy with the performance of our parcel delivery network following the higher cyber week demand,” a Gap spokeswoman said. “Knowing the unique constraints the industry is facing this peak season, we worked with our carriers early on to collectively build a strategic plan of execution.”
An L.L. Bean spokeswoman said pickup delays were reported at several of its stores. However, UPS is now “actively picking up packages from our warehouse facility and our retail locations daily.”
Again, let us reiterate our point from above. UPS had months to prepare for the huge year-end surge. Why weren’t they prepared?
Source: Zero Hedge
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activistpost--2020-12-02--Owner Of NYC Bar Arrested Days After Declaring “Autonomous Zone” To Dodge Pandemic Restrictions

The co-owner of a bar on Staten Island which declared itself an ‘ autonomous zone ‘ after its liquor license was yanked over COVID-19 lockdown violations was arrested and perp-walked out of the business in handcuffs on Tuesday night .
According to Deputy Sheriffs , Mac ’ s Public House general manager and co-owner Daniel Presti was charged with several offenses , including obstructing governmental administration , for continuing to operate the establishment despite being in an ‘ orange zone ’ – where indoor dining is not allowed and there is a 10 p.m. dining curfew , according to NY1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules , Mac ’ s tried to offer free food and drinks with a suggested donation .
The state stripped the bar of its liquor license last week , and the city health department ordered the bar to close .
The state Liquor Authority had said offering alcohol for free is not a “ loophole ” and that a liquor license is needed to sell or serve alcohol .
On Tuesday , the city Buildings Department ordered the business to vacate .
Despite that order , investigators say plainclothes deputies saw 14 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Deputies arrested Presti and gave employees appearance tickets for violating city and state laws .
–NY1 Following the arrest , approximately 50 people gathered outside Mac ’ s for a peaceful protest .
“ You don ’ t selectively enforce .
You have all of these big box businesses that are wide open , making billions of dollars and these people , if they don ’ t survive , they ’ re going to go to ugly extremes , and that ’ s what ’ s going to happen , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus itself , ” said protester Scott Lobaido .
State Sen. Andrew Lanza ( R ) arrived on scene and delivered a speech to the crowd , which included dozens of restaurant owners from across Staten Island who came in support of Presti and co-owner Keith McAlarney .
“ This order simply says that they need to cease and desist , ” said Lanza .
“ Nowhere here is there an arrest warrant , nowhere here is anything about arresting anyone on their private property .
So I ’ ll ask , [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to answer … why was he arrested ?
I was told you would tell me why he was arrested and now I ’ m asking for that answer.
” Last week , the state of New York issued a Section 16 order from Health Commissioner Dr. Howard A. Zucker ordering Macs to follow coronavirus restrictions – with failure to do so resulting in possible fines of up to $ 10,000 per day .
Mac ’ s liquor license was suspended on Nov. 27 by unanimous vote , according to silive.com .
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By Tyler Durden
The co-owner of a bar on Staten Island which declared itself an ‘autonomous zone‘ after its liquor license was yanked over COVID-19 lockdown violations was arrested and perp-walked out of the business in handcuffs on Tuesday night.
According to Deputy Sheriffs, Mac’s Public House general manager and co-owner Daniel Presti was charged with several offenses, including obstructing governmental administration, for continuing to operate the establishment despite being in an ‘orange zone’ – where indoor dining is not allowed and there is a 10 p.m. dining curfew, according to NY1.
To try to get around those rules, Mac’s tried to offer free food and drinks with a suggested donation. The state stripped the bar of its liquor license last week, and the city health department ordered the bar to close. The state Liquor Authority had said offering alcohol for free is not a “loophole” and that a liquor license is needed to sell or serve alcohol. On Tuesday, the city Buildings Department ordered the business to vacate. Despite that order, investigators say plainclothes deputies saw 14 people inside eating and drinking inside Tuesday night. Deputies arrested Presti and gave employees appearance tickets for violating city and state laws. –NY1
NY 📍: Bar owner Danny Presti is taken away in handcuffs. Watch the full following Newsmax TV interview from outside the establishment: https://t.co/LG0liSsrHj pic.twitter.com/rRrhx6XEB8 — Newsmax (@newsmax) December 2, 2020
Following the arrest, approximately 50 people gathered outside Mac’s for a peaceful protest.
“You don’t selectively enforce. You have all of these big box businesses that are wide open, making billions of dollars and these people, if they don’t survive, they’re going to go to ugly extremes, and that’s what’s going to happen, it’s going to be worse than the virus itself,” said protester Scott Lobaido.
State Sen. Andrew Lanza (R) arrived on scene and delivered a speech to the crowd, which included dozens of restaurant owners from across Staten Island who came in support of Presti and co-owner Keith McAlarney.
“This order simply says that they need to cease and desist,” said Lanza. “Nowhere here is there an arrest warrant, nowhere here is anything about arresting anyone on their private property. So I’ll ask, [and] you don’t have to answer … why was he arrested? I was told you would tell me why he was arrested and now I’m asking for that answer.”
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Irene Spezzamonte (@irene.spezzamontej)
Last week, the state of New York issued a Section 16 order from Health Commissioner Dr. Howard A. Zucker ordering Macs to follow coronavirus restrictions – with failure to do so resulting in possible fines of up to $10,000 per day. Mac’s liquor license was suspended on Nov. 27 by unanimous vote, according to silive.com.
People are not happy…
Source: Zero Hedge
Top image: ABC7NY
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activistpost--2020-12-02--DOJ Quietly Amends Execution Protocols, Clearing the Way for Gas Chambers, Firing Squads

As the massive human experiment in tyranny , censorship , and fear — otherwise known as 2020 — comes to a close , it just wouldn ’ t be complete without some government agency exhuming the ghost of despotism ’ s past .
In the cherry on top of the dumpster fire that is 2020 , the Justice Department has quietly amended its execution protocols , no longer requiring federal death sentences to be carried out by lethal injection and clearing the way to use other methods like firing squads and poisonous gas .
This news comes on the heels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barr restarted federal executions this year after a 17-year hiatus .
Despite bipartisan resistance to this measure , the DOJ has executed more Americans in 2020 than they have in the previous five decades .
Apparently , the feds have put so many people to death this year that they are seemingly bored with their methodology and have moved to bring back gas chambers and death by firing squads .
Last month , with very little coverage in the media , the DOJ ’ s amended rule was published in the Federal Register @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executions by lethal injection or use “ any other manner prescribed by the law of the state in which the sentence was imposed.
” But fret not , Land of the Free , the changes were done in an ostensible effort to support state ’ s rights — or something like that .
According to the Associated Press , a Justice Department official — who asked to remain anonymous — said the change was made to account for the fact the Federal Death Penalty Act requires sentences be carried out in the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the state in which the sentence is imposed , ” and some of those states use methods other than lethal injection .
The feds promise not to send convicts to gas chambers or firing squads unless the states allow it .
The official told the AP the federal government “ will never execute an inmate by firing squad or electrocution unless the relevant state has itself authorized that method of execution.
” One of those states is Utah , whose Republican-controlled House voted 39-34 in 2015 to resurrect the use of Utah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this method of state-sponsored murder claim that being shot to death by a group of marksmen is more humane than lethal injection .
To the contrary , the Washington , D.C.-based Death Penalty Information Center says that a firing squad is not a foolproof method because the inmate could move or shooters could miss the heart , causing a slower , more painful death .
One such case happened in Utah ’ s territorial days back in 1879 when a firing squad missed Wallace Wilkerson ’ s heart and it took him 27 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accounts .
The real issue at hand , however , capital punishment , seems to be taking a back seat to all of this .
For the state to claim the responsibility of justly ending life , it means that the state must never be wrong .
Even the most ardent of statists will have to concede that an infallible state is but a terribly written fiction .
When the state is more concerned about how to go about punishing the guilty , than protecting innocence , we have achieved peak oligarchy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ University of Michigan Law School reported that 2,696 falsely accused prisoners were exonerated since 1989 .
Some of these people were set to die at the hand of the state for their convictions .
It is no secret that prosecutors will seek the maximum punishment for the maximum charge , and their conviction percentages are in the upper 90s .
Does that mean that these prosecutors are flawless machines hell bent on distributing some mythical immaculate justice ?
Or , does it actually mean that the entire system wishes more to hand out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is important to note that this is not a call for crimes to go unpunished , that would be irresponsible .
However , the slaughter of innocence is a far more grave thought .
In criminal law , Blackstone ’ s formulation ( also known as Blackstone ’ s ratio or the Blackstone ratio ) is the principle that : In a perfect system , irrefutable evidence would exist in every conviction .
But as the constant flow of articles on this site about cops framing innocent people illustrates , this system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strive for a more perfect system , the manner in which death is dolled out by the hand of incompetence is of no significance other than tyrants pumping their chests about new ways to kill .
Matt Agorist is an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA .
This prior experience gives him unique insight into the world of government corruption and the American police state .
Agorist has been an independent journalist for over a decade and has been featured on mainstream networks around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Editor at Large at the Free Thought Project .
Follow @ MattAgorist on Twitter , Steemit , and now on Minds .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE !
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By Matt Agorist
As the massive human experiment in tyranny, censorship, and fear — otherwise known as 2020 — comes to a close, it just wouldn’t be complete without some government agency exhuming the ghost of despotism’s past. In the cherry on top of the dumpster fire that is 2020, the Justice Department has quietly amended its execution protocols, no longer requiring federal death sentences to be carried out by lethal injection and clearing the way to use other methods like firing squads and poisonous gas.
This news comes on the heels of the fact that Attorney General William Barr restarted federal executions this year after a 17-year hiatus. Despite bipartisan resistance to this measure, the DOJ has executed more Americans in 2020 than they have in the previous five decades.
Apparently, the feds have put so many people to death this year that they are seemingly bored with their methodology and have moved to bring back gas chambers and death by firing squads.
Last month, with very little coverage in the media, the DOJ’s amended rule was published in the Federal Register that allows the U.S. government to conduct executions by lethal injection or use “any other manner prescribed by the law of the state in which the sentence was imposed.”
But fret not, Land of the Free, the changes were done in an ostensible effort to support state’s rights — or something like that.
According to the Associated Press, a Justice Department official — who asked to remain anonymous — said the change was made to account for the fact the Federal Death Penalty Act requires sentences be carried out in the “in the manner prescribed by the law of the state in which the sentence is imposed,” and some of those states use methods other than lethal injection.
The feds promise not to send convicts to gas chambers or firing squads unless the states allow it.
The official told the AP the federal government “will never execute an inmate by firing squad or electrocution unless the relevant state has itself authorized that method of execution.”
One of those states is Utah, whose Republican-controlled House voted 39-34 in 2015 to resurrect the use of Utah’s firing squads. Proponents of this method of state-sponsored murder claim that being shot to death by a group of marksmen is more humane than lethal injection.
To the contrary, the Washington, D.C.-based Death Penalty Information Center says that a firing squad is not a foolproof method because the inmate could move or shooters could miss the heart, causing a slower, more painful death.
One such case happened in Utah’s territorial days back in 1879 when a firing squad missed Wallace Wilkerson’s heart and it took him 27 minutes to die, according to newspaper accounts.
The real issue at hand, however, capital punishment, seems to be taking a back seat to all of this. For the state to claim the responsibility of justly ending life, it means that the state must never be wrong. Even the most ardent of statists will have to concede that an infallible state is but a terribly written fiction.
John Adams once wrote:
It is more important that innocence should be protected, than it is, that guilt be punished; for guilt and crimes are so frequent in this world, that all of them cannot be punished….
When the state is more concerned about how to go about punishing the guilty, than protecting innocence, we have achieved peak oligarchy.
The National Registry of Exonerations at the University of Michigan Law School reported that 2,696 falsely accused prisoners were exonerated since 1989. Some of these people were set to die at the hand of the state for their convictions.
It is no secret that prosecutors will seek the maximum punishment for the maximum charge, and their conviction percentages are in the upper 90s.
Does that mean that these prosecutors are flawless machines hell bent on distributing some mythical immaculate justice? Or, does it actually mean that the entire system wishes more to hand out punishments, instead of seeking truth?
It is important to note that this is not a call for crimes to go unpunished, that would be irresponsible. However, the slaughter of innocence is a far more grave thought.
In criminal law, Blackstone’s formulation (also known as Blackstone’s ratio or the Blackstone ratio) is the principle that:
It is better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer.
In a perfect system, irrefutable evidence would exist in every conviction. But as the constant flow of articles on this site about cops framing innocent people illustrates, this system is far from perfect.
Until we strive for a more perfect system, the manner in which death is dolled out by the hand of incompetence is of no significance other than tyrants pumping their chests about new ways to kill.
Source: The Free Thought Project
Matt Agorist is an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA. This prior experience gives him unique insight into the world of government corruption and the American police state. Agorist has been an independent journalist for over a decade and has been featured on mainstream networks around the world. Agorist is also the Editor at Large at the Free Thought Project. Follow @MattAgorist on Twitter, Steemit, and now on Minds.
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activistpost--2020-12-02--Lawyers Petition for New Anthrax Investigation

David Meiswinkle and Mick Harrison of the Lawyers ’ Committee for 9/11 Inquiry join James to discuss their petition to @ @ @ @ @ grievances related to government misconduct in the investigation of the 2001 anthrax attacks .
• @ @ @ @ @ to Iraq with Graeme MacQueen • Episode 388 – False Flags and the Dawn of @ @ @ @ @ Patron for $ 1 per month at Patreon .
Watch on Archive / BitChute / @ @ @ @ @ or Download the mp4 Visit James Corbett at CorbettReport.com .
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By The Corbett Report
David Meiswinkle and Mick Harrison of the Lawyers’ Committee for 9/11 Inquiry join James to discuss their petition to Congress for a redress of grievances related to government misconduct in the investigation of the 2001 anthrax attacks.
SHOW NOTES:
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activistpost--2020-12-03--U.S. Air Force Uses IoT to Monitor Hundreds of Millions of Fitness Trackers, Cars, Computers, Router

U.S. Air Force Uses IoT to Monitor Hundreds of Millions of Fitness Trackers, Cars, Computers, Routers, and More

For many years experts have issued serious warnings about privacy AND cybersecurity risks associated with Internet of Things ( IoT ) technology ( see 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) .
Nevertheless , the U.S. Air Force plans to start using it to monitor hundreds of millions of devices .
Next Step in Government Data Tracking Is the Internet of Things U.S. Air Force experiments with monitoring peripherals—from autos to fitness trackers WASHINGTON—U .
S. government agencies from the military to law enforcement have been buying up mobile-phone data from the private sector to use in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criminals .
Now , the U.S. Air Force is experimenting with the next step .
The Air Force Research Laboratory is testing a commercial software platform that taps mobile phones as a window onto usage of hundreds of millions of computers , routers , fitness trackers , modern automobiles and other networked devices , known collectively as the “ Internet of Things.
” Even if the constant surveillance doesn ’ t bother you , maybe the constant radiation exposure will .
Last year , the World Health Organization warned that exposure to high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Electrosmog ” ) could cause health issues in a significant percentage of the population .
Sources of Electrosmog include all wireless technology – activity trackers , Apple AirPods , cell phones , home assistants ( Alexa , Google Nest , etc . )
, utility “ Smart ” Meters , WiFi routers , wireless chargers , etc .
Research has determined that wireless exposure can : • cause rashes , other skin irritations , and premature skin aging • reduce immunity to viruses and other illnesses Become an Activist Post Patron for $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pets ?
Exposure can affect animals too !
Wired internet connections are safer , more secure , and totally doable .
Activist Post reports regularly about unsafe technology .
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By B.N. Frank
For many years experts have issued serious warnings about privacy AND cybersecurity risks associated with Internet of Things (IoT) technology (see 1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Nevertheless, the U.S. Air Force plans to start using it to monitor hundreds of millions of devices.
From the Wall Street Journal:
Next Step in Government Data Tracking Is the Internet of Things
U.S. Air Force experiments with monitoring peripherals—from autos to fitness trackers
WASHINGTON—U. S. government agencies from the military to law enforcement have been buying up mobile-phone data from the private sector to use in gathering intelligence, monitoring adversaries and apprehending criminals.
Now, the U.S. Air Force is experimenting with the next step.
The Air Force Research Laboratory is testing a commercial software platform that taps mobile phones as a window onto usage of hundreds of millions of computers, routers, fitness trackers, modern automobiles and other networked devices, known collectively as the “Internet of Things.”
Read full article


activistpost--2020-12-04--Britain OKs Vaccine – UN Climate Agency Corruption? – Cuomo Wins Emmy — New World Next Week

Welcome to New World Next Week – the video series from Corbett Report and Media Monarchy that covers some of the most important developments in open source intelligence news .
This week : Story # 1 : Britain OKs Pfizer Vaccine and Will Begin Shots Within Days • A Vaccine Stimulus Is the Shot In the Arm Our Country Needs • State to Underwrite Virus Vaccine Firms to Reassure Patients As UK Approves Pfizer Jab • PDF : A PHASE 1/2/3 , PLACEBO-CONTROLLED , RANDOMIZED , OBSERVER-BLIND , DOSE-FINDING STUDY TO EVALUATE THE SAFETY , TOLERABILITY , IMMUNOGENICITY , AND @ @ @ @ @ @ @ IN HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS • Small Businesses That Took Federal Aid May Now Face Punishing Tax Bill • The ( Second ) Most Important Bank You ’ ve Never Heard Of • New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy Confronted While Having Dinner With Maskless Family Watch on Archive / BitChute / LBRY / Minds / YouTube or Download the mp4 Visit NewWorldNextWeek.com to get previous episodes in various formats to download , burn and share .
And as always , stay up-to-date by subscribing to the feeds from Corbett Report here and Media Monarchy here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at CorbettReport.com .
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By The Corbett Report
Welcome to New World Next Week – the video series from Corbett Report and Media Monarchy that covers some of the most important developments in open source intelligence news. This week:
Story #1: Britain OKs Pfizer Vaccine and Will Begin Shots Within Days
Story #2: UN Climate Agency Slapped With Corruption Allegations
Story #3: NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo Wins Emmy Award for COVID-19 TV Briefings
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activistpost--2020-12-04--San Diego Wants To Use Military Grade Drones To Catch Speeders

The Voice of San Diego recently revealed how the city of San Diego secretly considered using military grade drones to spy on motorists .
According to the article , San Diego officials secretly kicked around the possibility of using General Atomics ’ “ SkyGuardian ” drones to ID and track speeding vehicles .
They even went so far as to request General Atomics make no mention of the San Diego Police Department ( SDPD ) possibly using a 12,500 pound military drone for public safety use .
The article went on to illustrate how General Atomics sent emails to city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to inspect things like rail and power lines , monitor floods and conduct maritime surveillance .
Which brings us to Common Dreams who detailed exactly how this would play out in the future .
Four months ago , Common Dreams warned that “ a persistent eye ” in the sky would be coming to a city near you and they could not have been more right .
This past September , Maj. General James Poss , the Air Force ’ s top intelligence officer was preparing to join the FAA with plans to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ This plan was ordered by Congress in the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act .
It directed the Departments of Defense and Transportation to “ develop a plan for providing expanded access to the national airspace for unmanned aircraft systems of the Department of Defense.
” Gen. Poss was one of nearly two dozen ex-military officers who , starting in 2010 , were put into positions at the FAA to oversee drone integration research .
With little public scrutiny , the plan has been moving forward ever since.
” The article went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerned about law enforcement using military drones to monitor Americans .
Back in 2017 , military technology analysts were predicting that by 2025 , drones similar to those used in Afghanistan and Iraq would be hovering above U.S. cities , relaying high-resolution video of the movement of every citizen to police departments ( and who knows who else ) .
When there was public pushback to this police department drone use—even a pro-industry reporter called the idea dystopian—General Atomics changed the purpose of the flight from providing data to the police to mapping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If you are thinking San Diego is an isolated incident , think again .
This plan has been enacted and expanded under Presidents and Congresses of both parties .
If you ’ re uncomfortable with a President Biden having the ability to track the movements of every Tea Party or Q-Anon supporter , you should be .
Recently , CBP has expanded their reach , using these drones to assist police in Minneapolis , San Antonio and Detroit in the wake of protests against police brutality .
Over the past year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begun using drones to monitor suspicious people , and how some police departments are using them to respond to 911 calls .
And throughout , a disturbing pattern has emerged .
At first , law enforcement promises to only use drones in emergency circumstances like helping to locate a missing person or look for abducted children .
Next , without any explanation , they implement using drones to read vehicle license plates , monitor police protests .
Now they want to use them to catch speeders .
The questions I asked last month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are becoming more and more relevant with each passing day .
It is high time for Americans to demand that law enforcement keep their promise and only use drones in an emergency .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE !
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By MassPrivateI
The Voice of San Diego recently revealed how the city of San Diego secretly considered using military grade drones to spy on motorists. According to the article, San Diego officials secretly kicked around the possibility of using General Atomics’ “SkyGuardian” drones to ID and track speeding vehicles.
Records obtained by Voice of San Diego show that the city’s Office of Homeland Security had been supportive of General Atomics, a local defense contractor, in its attempt to open the skies above San Diego to new forms of surveillance. They wound up talking last year about how police might benefit from putting a massive vehicle with a camera above the metro.
They even went so far as to request General Atomics make no mention of the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) possibly using a 12,500 pound military drone for public safety use.
“Since SDPD is not involved in the public safety aspect of this project and IPP, they and the mayor’s office requested no inclusion/indication of public safety-specific use,” Harrison Andrew Pierce wrote.
The article went on to illustrate how General Atomics sent emails to city officials detailing how SkyGuardian could be used to inspect things like rail and power lines, monitor floods and conduct maritime surveillance.
Which brings us to Common Dreams who detailed exactly how this would play out in the future.
Four months ago, Common Dreams warned that “a persistent eye” in the sky would be coming to a city near you and they could not have been more right.
This past September, Maj. General James Poss, the Air Force’s top intelligence officer was preparing to join the FAA with plans to use SkyGuardian drones on the American public.
“This plan was ordered by Congress in the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act. It directed the Departments of Defense and Transportation to “develop a plan for providing expanded access to the national airspace for unmanned aircraft systems of the Department of Defense.” Gen. Poss was one of nearly two dozen ex-military officers who, starting in 2010, were put into positions at the FAA to oversee drone integration research. With little public scrutiny, the plan has been moving forward ever since.”
The article went on to explain why everyone should be concerned about law enforcement using military drones to monitor Americans.
Back in 2017, military technology analysts were predicting that by 2025, drones similar to those used in Afghanistan and Iraq would be hovering above U.S. cities, relaying high-resolution video of the movement of every citizen to police departments (and who knows who else). When there was public pushback to this police department drone use—even a pro-industry reporter called the idea dystopian—General Atomics changed the purpose of the flight from providing data to the police to mapping critical infrastructure in the San Diego region.
If you are thinking San Diego is an isolated incident, think again.
This plan has been enacted and expanded under Presidents and Congresses of both parties. If you’re uncomfortable with a President Biden having the ability to track the movements of every Tea Party or Q-Anon supporter, you should be. Recently, CBP has expanded their reach, using these drones to assist police in Minneapolis, San Antonio and Detroit in the wake of protests against police brutality.
Over the past year, I have reported on how police have begun using drones to monitor suspicious people, and how some police departments are using them to respond to 911 calls. And throughout, a disturbing pattern has emerged.
At first, law enforcement promises to only use drones in emergency circumstances like helping to locate a missing person or look for abducted children. Next, without any explanation, they implement using drones to read vehicle license plates, monitor police protests. Now they want to use them to catch speeders.
The questions I asked last month about police drones responding to 911 calls are becoming more and more relevant with each passing day.
What will happen to Americans privacy once police drones begin flying down our streets? Drones will fly over people’s yards while voyeuristic pilots invade everyone’s privacy. Was someone taking a shower or getting undressed in their window? Don’t worry, the police will have a real-time video of it. Was someone sunbathing in their backyard? The police will know.
It is high time for Americans to demand that law enforcement keep their promise and only use drones in an emergency.
Source: MassPrivateI Blog
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Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE! Follow us on SoMee, HIVE, Parler, Flote, Minds, MeWe and Twitter.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.