Police State

Lavabit wins court order to unseal National Security Letter than led to its shutdown. The FBI had demanded its root SSL key so it could read all data on its system. This tells us that no SSL key is safe. Instead of giving in, the owner heroically shut down the service.

"The filings show that Lavabit was served on June 28 with a so-called “pen register” order requiring it to record, and provide the government with, the e-mail “from” and “to” lines on every e-mail, as well as the IP address used to access the mailbox. Because they provide only metadata, pen register orders can be obtained without “probable cause” that the target has committed a crime.
In the standard language for such an order, it required Lavabit to provide all “technical assistance necessary to accomplish the installation and use of the pen/trap device”"

This is great insight into exactly how the government has betrayed the internet and the American people.

NSA revelations demand a complete internet security reboot based on lack of trust.

"Where Big Data collection is voluntary, I do not volunteer, thus I don’t use Facebook, Google, etc. When collection is involuntary, like with NSA’s Big Data, I work to limit their power, both to collect, and to use; and then I don’t believe they will follow the rules anyway, because of all the historical evidence. So I arrange my life to not leave a big data trail: I don’t use ATMs, I pay with cash, don’t carry identification, don’t use Apple or Google or Microsoft products, etc."

More of the decivilizing effect of government.

Former NSA technology chief calls corporate IT security "appalling".

DNI Clapper says NSA spying gives Americans piece of mind. This is a clown show.

Quick rundown of government's invasive spy programs.

NYPD tells officers not to confront large biker groups.

"“The people who are doing this aren’t stopping when police try to pull them over,” one source said, noting that the bikers can simply jump sidewalks and mow down pedestrians to flee cops."

Apparently the law no longer applies to them because they fight back.