STATE OF FEAR

7 Ways To Get Yourself Detained Indefinitely

Debate continued to rage over a short, loosely worded segment of the new 565-page 2012 National Defense Authorization Act that critics, lawmakers and now a federal judge say makes permanent a controversial, post-9/11 loophole that opened a dangerous door to approving the indefinite detention of U.S. citizens without a trial.

U.S. District Judge Katherine Forrest found Section 1021 unconstitutional in a lawsuit brought by a group of journalists and activists. The measure had a "chilling impact on first amendment rights," she wrote in her ruling, deconstructing arguments from the president's lawyers several times.

That didn't sway House lawmakers, however, who shortly thereafter voted against a bill to guarantee civilian trials for any terrorism suspect arrested in the United States.

THE CLEAN BEE

Mayan people join action to keep honey GE free

Recently members of the Mayan people living on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico joined Greenpeace activists and said no to genetically engineered crops. Using their own bodies to form the message ‘MA OGM’ or ‘No to GE’, 2000 activists gathered at eight different Mayan archaeological sites to draw attention to the risks of contamination of honey production by Monsanto’s genetically engineered (GE) soy.

 

STATE OF PARANOIA

Canadian security geek jailed for taunting G20 security theatre

Canadian judicial system's response is so insanely paranoid that it makes Sonne look extremely reasonable by comparison.

Sonne's story is the sad tale of a geek who lost everything -- his marriage, his home, his livelihood -- because he couldn't figure out how to contain or express his disgust with the state's increasing encroachment on personal liberty. If the authorities wanted to make an object lesson to scare activists into quietly accepting "security" measures, the response to the Toronto G20 (including the arrest and jailing of Sonne for almost a year) is absolutely fit for purpose.

CASHLESSNESS

Smartphone-based cash transfer system makes the card redundant at MasterCard

 

AUSTRALIAN consumers will soon be able to ditch their plastic and use their smartphone or tablet to pay for goods.

 

MasterCard's Head of Market Development and Innovation Matt Barr says the new PayPass Wallet will allow customers to make quicker, faster payments online and in-store.

 

``It will become a mainstream electronic wallet across multi channels...it's a very exciting step into a world beyond plastic,'' he says.

 

``You are not typing in 16-digit numbers, you are not typing in your home address, it's all being securely stored for you in the PayPass Wallet Service.

PayPass services will be phased in from the third quarter of 2012 in Australia, the UK, Canada and the US.