Monthly Archives: September 2013

Apple’s Fingerprint ID May Mean You Can’t ‘Take the Fifth’

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“For the privilege to apply, however, the government must try to compel a person to make a ‘testimonial’ statement that would tend to incriminate him or her. When a person has a valid privilege against self-incrimination, nobody — not even a judge — can force the witness to give that information to the government. But a communication is ‘testimonial’ only when it reveals the contents of your mind. We can’t invoke the privilege against self-incrimination to prevent the government from collecting biometrics like fingerprints, DNA samples, or voice exemplars. Why? Because the courts have decided that this evidence doesn’t reveal anything you know. It’s not testimonial.”

http://www.wired.com/opinion/2013/09/the-unexpected-result-of-fingerprint-authentication-that-you-cant-take-the-fifth/

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Brazil hackers accidentally attack NASA as payback for NSA surveillance

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“Hackers have hit back in retaliation for US cyber-spying on Brazil but mistook the US space agency NASA for the National Security Agency (NSA), a news website reported here Tuesday.  ‘Some activists decided to protest this US practice but it seems that they picked the wrong target,’ a specialized blog of the Brazilian news portal Uol said.  ‘They hacked NASA’s web page and left the message: Stop spying on us,’ it said.  The hackers’ message also called on the United States not to attack Syria.  A NASA spokesman confirmed that a Brazilian hacker group last week posted a political message on a number of NASA websites.”

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/09/17/brazil-hackers-accidentally-attack-nasa-as-payback-for-nsa-surveillance/

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What Do the Latest NSA Leaks Mean for Bitcoin?

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“Could the intelligence community have a secret exploit for Bitcoin? It’s rather obvious that Bitcoin presents a very strong financial incentive to break its cryptography, since such a vulnerability could allow an attacker to claim large amounts of virtual currency for themselves. But given the decentralized nature of the currency, it may also be a target for intelligence officials looking for ways to track its use.  Clearly, Bitcoin is on the government’s radar. Knowing how much effort the NSA, amongst others, has placed on cracking encryption, has it tackled Bitcoin too? First, we need to look at how Bitcoin works.”

http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/what-do-the-latest-nsa-leaks-mean-for-bitcoin

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FATCA: a Tool of the Electronic Surveillance State

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“If FATCA’s sole purpose were to ‘recover’ tax revenues from assets squirreled away offshore by American ‘fat cats,’ it seems odd that it targets only individuals and specifically exempts reporting on accounts held by U.S. corporations. On the other hand, targeting individuals makes a lot of sense if FATCA’s purpose is directed towards something else: adding to U.S. government agencies’ global electronic ‘map’ of personal information. It should be further understood that any data transmitted by foreign financial institutions will not be confined to the IRS but will be handed over (‘upon request,’ of course) to other ‘three-letter’ agencies of the U.S. government.”

http://www.repealfatca.com/index.asp?idmenu=4&title=News&idsubmenu=135

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Alaskan border town may use Canadian dollars, but they’re ‘100% American’

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“Hyder is a good example of the close connection between our two countries and the tribal nature of national identity; of how a line on a map, drawn forever ago, and a Canadian border crossing staffed by some presumably bored Canadian Customs officers (there is no U.S. Customs in Hyder) can seem as wide as the Grand Canyon — even when the metaphorical price of admission is being counted in loonies.”

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/09/11/folks-living-in-this-tiny-outpost-on-the-alaskan-border-may-use-canadian-dollars-but-theyre-still-100-american/

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Senators want to ban Russian Banks from the United States over Syria

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“In a joint letter, the senators urged Secretary Lew to enforce sanctions that prevent Russian banks that have propped up the Syrian government from doing business in the United States.  ‘Russian bank support violates international sanctions by enabling Syria to pay for imports and receive funds for exports. This assistance eases much of the financial burden on the Assad regime, allowing it to continue military purchases and pay the soldiers that sustain the war in Syria,’ the senators wrote. ‘It is now more critical than ever that you swiftly designate those financial institutions that have profited from violating sanctions to prop up the Syrian regime.'”

http://isaacbrocksociety.ca/2013/09/17/gop-and-dem-senators-want-to-ban-russian-banks-from-the-united-states-over-syria/

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Dual Canadian-American citizens: We are not tax cheats

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“If China, Russia, Mexico, Iran or Eritrea were demanding Canadian banks and other financial institutions submit private financial information on Canadian citizens and residents to those countries, there would be outrage.  If Canadian banks were spending millions of dollars preparing to develop systems to report information on Canadian citizens and residents to those countries, there would be outrage.  If the Canadian government were ‘actively seeking a solution that both countries will find agreeable,’ there would be outrage.  If Canadian media were calling Canadian citizens and residents born in those countries ‘tax cheats,’ and advising them to ‘come clean,’ there would be outrage.”

http://opinion.financialpost.com/2013/09/17/dual-canadian-american-citizens-we-are-not-tax-cheats/

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Banks lock out Americans over new tax law

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“Americans, take your money elsewhere!  Jimmy Sexton, an American, was forced to close his checking account at Volksbank in Austria earlier this year. And Genevieve Besser, an American living in Germany, was given two months notice last year to close her securities account at ING-Diba, the German arm of Dutch bank ING (INGVF).  The U.S. Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, which requires businesses to report all assets held by Americans, aims to recoup the hundreds of billions the U.S. says it loses each year from tax evasion. But it’s also leading global banks big and small to dump U.S. customers rather than wrestle with the complicated law.”

http://money.cnn.com/2013/09/15/news/banks-americans-lockout/

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‘China is taking a leap forward to control world currency’

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“It is obvious that China is up to something hoarding gold like a dragon. In fact, it is taking a leap forward to control the world currency and to replace it with the yuan, Dr. Thorsten Pattberg, China expert at the Peking University, told RT.  China is vowing to make more reforms, among them cutting red tape and establishing the yuan as a world currency. The 7th Annual Meeting of the New Champions is opening in the Chinese city of Dalian, the gathering has become known as a ‘summer Davos’. RT has talked to Dr. Pattberg about China’s prospects for introducing a new world currency.”

http://rt.com/op-edge/china-control-world-currency-707/

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Bitcoin Segment on China State Television

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Bitcoin Segment on China State Television

“Most people are enthusiasts who use it but a lot of people use it all over the world for various reasons. The most popular use is for speculation. The currency has seen some massive price increases over the last year. But the most important application for it is for remittances, particularly in Africa.  Bitcoin is one of the first payment systems that doesn’t have anyone to tell you that you can’t use it. You can create your own account at home and use it to receive and send money. You don’t have to go and apply for an account. No one will tell you where to send or receive money anywhere in the world.”

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