The Plug Nickel Times is proud to bring you website links to news information that you may not find through your local media. All links are offsite unless otherwise noted - followed links should open in another browser window. Links can become dated or otherwise fail to function, for this reason we quote the actual headline of an article. This may allow you to find an alternate copy of the article through a news index or search engine. Some sites we link to may require a registration process to view an article - this website may be useful to you in those instances. Comments, corrections and submissions are welcome - an email link is at the bottom of the page.
August 1-15, 2005
August 15, 2005
Secret courts for terror cases (UK)
Secure 'jail within jail' to be set up for hardline extremists (UK)
Bush signs bill creating electronic prescription monitoring
Wireless World: Chips track license plates
US shoots ahead in stun gun design
"Weapons designed to fire 'electric bullets' into crowds are being developed for police and border protection agencies in the US.
The Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency, the domestic equivalent of the defence agency DARPA, has launched an 'innovative less-lethal devices for law enforcement' programme to radically expand the capabilities of electric shock weapons."
3M and Milan City Police Department Join Forces to Battle Document Falsification
"3M announced it has signed an agreement with the document forensics team of the City Police Department of Milan, Italy. Under the agreement, 3M will provide the Milan document forensics team with a 3M full page reader to collect high resolution images of passports and identity documents. In turn, 3M will receive images of those documents, with personal information omitted to continue expanding the 3M authentication system database of international travel and identification reference documents."
Eyeballing the Bush Ranch Protest from Cryptome
(Graphics rich - long download for dial-up users)
August 8, 2005
Iraqi leaders seek to break constitution deadlock
"After ushering delegates into his Baghdad residence, Jalal Talabani, a veteran Kurdish guerrilla commander who fought Saddam Hussein, told reporters they would discuss differences on the federal structure of the new state and sharing oil revenues.
Earlier, he met the U.S. ambassador, who has stepped into the debate by issuing a clear warning to Shi'ite Islamists now in government that Washington would not tolerate Iranian-style clerical rule that might disadvantage women or minorities.
Like some McFreedom to go with that McLiberation?!
British, U.S. lied about justification for pre-war Iraq airstrikes
"Britain and America’s reasons for stepping up bombing of Iraq in the ten months leading up to the war in Iraq was a sham, official figures released by the British Ministry of Defense show.
U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, and Geoff Hoon, his UK counterpart, said the stepped-up attacks by U.S. and Royal Air Force aircraft patrolling the southern no-fly zone were a response to increased attacks by Iraqi air defences.
...
But figures released last month by the British Ministry of Defense show that in the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, with American officials predicting moves to oust Saddam Hussein, Iraq dramatically scaled back its attacks on allied aircraft."
Arrests mark launch of UK protest law
"Five demonstrators were arrested in central London yesterday during a rally against a new law restricting the right to protest near Britain's parliament."
Robin Cook is killed in fall
"Former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook died yesterday after collapsing and falling while hill-walking in Scotland."
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Mauritanian coup leaders dissolve National Assembly
"Mauritanian coup leaders on Thursday declared the dissolution of the National Assembly, or parliament, a day after they ousted President Ould Taya who had been in Saudi Arabia attending the funeral of King Fahd.
According to the Mauritanian radio broadcast monitored here, the Military Council for Justice and Democracy, which was established after the widely condemned coup, said it would maintain the constitution passed on July 20, 1991, but would supplement 'a Military Council charter' to the constitution."
Mauritania calm after military coup
Saudis to retrieve $360 billion abroad
Venezuela Leader Accuses DEA of Espionage
Pro-Israel lobbyists charged in US Pentagon case
"A federal grand jury indicted two former officials of the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC Thursday on charges they received classified national defense information from a Pentagon analyst, court documents show."
War Plans Drafted To Counter Terror Attacks in U.S.
"The U.S. military has devised its first-ever war plans for guarding against and responding to terrorist attacks in the United States, envisioning 15 potential crisis scenarios and anticipating several simultaneous strikes around the country, according to officers who drafted the plans.
...
Civil liberties groups have warned that the military's expanded involvement in homeland defense could bump up against the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which restricts the use of troops in domestic law enforcement. But Pentagon authorities have told Congress they see no need to change the law.
According to military lawyers here, the dispatch of ground troops would most likely be justified on the basis of the president's authority under Article 2 of the Constitution to serve as commander in chief and protect the nation. The Posse Comitatus Act exempts actions authorized by the Constitution."
Documents Tell of Brutal Improvisation by GIs
FCC Issues Rule Allowing FBI to Dictate Wiretap-Friendly Design for Internet Services
"Today the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a release announcing its new rule expanding the reach of the Communications Assistance to Law Enforcement Act (CALEA). The ruling is a reinterpretation of the scope of CALEA and will force Internet broadband providers and certain Voice-over-IP (VoIP) providers to build backdoors into their networks that make it easier for law enforcement to wiretap them. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has argued against this expansion of CALEA in several rounds of comments to the FCC on its proposed rule."
Halliburton announces 284 percent increase in war profits
Soldier's mom protests near Bush's ranch
"Sheehan, 48, didn't get to see Bush, but did talk about 45 minutes with national security adviser Steve Hadley and deputy White House chief of staff Joe Hagin, who went out to hear her concerns.
Appreciative of their attention, yet undaunted, Sheehan said she planned to continue her roadside vigil, except for a few breaks, until she gets to talk to Bush. Her son, Casey, 24, was killed in Sadr City, Iraq, on April 4, 2004. He was an Army specialist, a Humvee mechanic."
Girl, 11, to go on trial for rock incident
Beer festival barmaids face cleavage ban
"Buxom barmaids in Bavaria could be forced to cover up if a 'loony' EU directive comes into force over levels of sun exposure, it emerged today.
The proposal, currently working its way through the European Parliament, would force bosses to monitor how much sunlight their employees receive in a working day."
Man jailed for urinating on tree
"David Jollands, 72, of Caythorpe, Lincolnshire, feared that the dreaded trees, which can grow to 80ft (25m), would tower over his garden - so he used his own gardening expertise to retaliate.
He started going for late-night walks to water the trees with his own urine. To his delight, the trees became brown and withered. Russell Brooks, his neighbour, also spotted the decline of his trees, so kept watch over his garden to catch the culprit on camcorder."
August 2, 2005
Uncle Sam orchestrates Vancouver pot busts
"Pot advocate Marc Emery was arrested Friday in Halifax after his marijuana-seed shipping business on Hastings Street was shut down by police as part of a sweeping investigation instigated by U.S. authorities.
Vancouver police raided Emery's multi-million-dollar business on a request from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), while angry protesters gathered outside chanting 'Go home USA'."
On a related note, Loretta Nall of the US Marijuana Party finds herself in need of financial assistance.
Pentagon to Increase Domestic Surveillance for Counterterrorism
"The Department of Defense has developed a new strategy in counterterrorism that would increase military activities on American soil, particularly in the area of intelligence gathering."
Third prosecutor critical of Guantanamo trials
"A third US military prosecutor has walked out of the commissions process set up to try Guantanamo Bay detainees because of concerns it was unfair, the ABC has learned."
Electronic Record Costs May Soar
"President Bush's proposal to create a national network of electronic health records could cost more than $200 billion initially to build and operate, researchers said Monday."
