Blog Posts

My regular blog posts are written at Breitbart News, now at The Conversation, where I publish a daily column entitled Cyber Beat Daily that covers a variety of social media, hacking, technology and gamer stories – many of which are often crime-focused.  Please visit my contributor page there for my current posts at The Conversation and an archives of my previous articles at Big Government, Big Journalism, Big Hollywood and Big Peace.

You can also visit my author page at Legal Insurrection, where I post as well on a wide variety of topics.

The remainder of this blog exists to provide resources to citizen journalists who are interested in investigative writing.

Thank you for visiting!

TROOPATHON 2013: Help #TeamCOINS in Supporting our Troops!

Help #TeamCOINS raise money for care packages for our troops!  DONATE HERE.

Troopathon is a once-a-year event held by Move America Forward (MAF) which is a non-profit charity dedicated to serving those who protect us: our brave troops. Troopathon 6 is a month-long care package drive that culminates in a star-studded 8-hour web-a-thon broadcast. This year’s broadcast will go live on June 27th from the Richard M. Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, CA.

Leading up to the live broadcast, Troopathon runs a blogger competition to help in the fundraising activities.  Teams of bloggers compete to see which can raise the most.  I am the team captain this year for Team COINS, and am joined by several other excellent bloggers, including:

Marooned in Marin, on Twitter: @MaroonedInMarin

The Minority Report Blog, on Twitter: @stevenfoley

Help our team raise money for care packages for the troops.

VISIT OUR TEAM COINS PAGE TO DONATE FOR TROOP CARE PACKAGES

$25 – Small Pack – Serves 1 – 2 Troops
$50 – Large Pack: Serves 3 – 4 Troops
$100 – Squad Pack: Serves 8 – 10 Troops
$200 – Platoon Pack: Serves 15 – 20 Troops
$600 – Company Pack: Serves 25 – 30 Troops
$1000 – Battalion Pack: Serves 50 – 60 Troops

You can also help by spreading the word and tweeting about Troopathon’s donation drive, using the #troopathon hashtag.  Support our blogger team by adding #TeamCOINS!

Here’s a suggested tweet, or make up your own:

Help #TeamCOINS in supporting our troops. Donate to #Troopathon to raise money for care packages. Time’s running out! http://libertychick.com/2013/06/19/troopathon-2013-help-teamcoins-in-supporting-our-troops/

If you’re a fellow blogger, post a banner or button on your blog.  Download from a variety of design choices at the Troopathon Media page.

Bartender Sarah Majoras Missing in Lambertville NJ – New Hope PA Area

** BREAKING NEWS **

During a news conference tonight, authorities confirmed that a body found in the D&R canal during the search for Sarah Majoras is believed to be that of Sarah’s. Foul play is not suspected, but authorities are not ruling it out and will continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.  The public is asked to continue to contact authorities with information that can aid in the remaining investigation.

More information at ABC 6.

** ONGOING UPDATES APPENDED TO THE END OF THIS POST **

Family and friends of Sarah Majoras need your help.

The 39 year old resident of Lambertville, NJ went missing in the early hours of the morning of Saturday, January 26th.  She is a popular bartender of 16 years at the well-known John and Peter’s bar in New Hope, PA – a favorite spot for checking out local bands – just on the other side of the bridge that connects the two towns.  She was not working on Friday evening; she is said to have gone to John and Peter’s to hang with friends and listen to live music, then left at about 2:00am Saturday morning for the usual walk to her home from the bar.  She walked home alone and has not been seen since.  Authorities have said that video from closed circuit cameras on the bridge shows that Majoras successfully made it across the bridge.

As a former nearby resident of the area, I’ve spent much time in the bucolic sister towns of New Hope, PA and Lambertville, NJ.  And every year for the last several years, my mother and I have also spent time there exhibiting artwork at the Greater New Hope Chamber of Commerce’s annual New Hope Arts and Crafts Festival.  Walking alone in that area is not something that is typically considered very unsafe.  It’s a quiet, beautiful area, with a friendly tight-knit community, lined with historical colonial homes and charming village shops.

This morning, I received the following email from the Greater New Hope Chamber of Commerce:

Your help is urgently needed to help find our friend and local John and Peters bartender, Sarah Majoras.  She was last seen leaving John and Peters at approximately 2am on Jan 26th.  She did not make it home and did not report to work last night for her shift at 9pm.  If you have any information, heard anything strange, have surveillance video from your house or storefront, please call New Hope police (215) 862-3033 .  Someone must know something or have seen something that can help.  Please help to spread the word to the local community, press, social media, anyone.  See picture below on twitter…we are using #findsarah on twitter.

pic.twitter.com/IBjBvxwJ

Thank you!

I have also spent much time at John and Peter’s over the years, and while I did not know Sarah, I was shocked and saddened when I opened the email and recognized her young and vibrant face.

Merchants in the area are being urged to check any available surveillance video for potential information that could be helpful to the investigation.

The community is also urging those who wish to assist to please help spread the word in any way you can – blogs, social media, phone, and on foot if you’re nearby.  Again, if you’re tweeting, they are using #findsarah as the hashtag.

There is a Facebook page that has been set up to assist in helping to communicate information about the search for Sarah.  The group has recently added an Information Portal tab to the page that includes photos and downloadable posters, donation information and more.

The following flyer is also available to post online and to print and pass around in nearby areas.

Local and national media outlets have since picked up the story, you can read a few of them below.

NJ.com/Hunterdon County Democrat: Scuba divers search beneath canal ice for missing Lambertville woman

PhillyBurbs.com: 100 volunteers join officials in search for missing Lambertville woman

NBC News: Missing Bartender Made it Across Bridge: Investigators

Daily Mail: Scuba divers search under frozen canal for woman, 39, who went missing after walk home alone from nightclub

FOX News: Divers search Delaware River for missing bartender

Once again, if you have any information, or surveillance video that you think can assist in the investigation, please contact the New Hope Police at (215) 862-3033 or the Lambertville Police Department at (609) 397-3132.

————————————————————

UPDATE on 1/30/2013 at 3:30pm EST:

The prosecutor’s office and investigators on the case are holding a live press conference today to begin sometime between 3:30 and 4:00 pm EST.  Livestream is available here at ABC-6.  Hunterdon County, NJ prosecutor to press: “You are our mouthpiece.”

I will add that the area of New Hope, PA and Lambertville, NJ  is a popular tourist area in NJ.  Visitors from out of town could have been in the area and seen or heard something before leaving the area without ever having known about Sarah having gone missing – this is why spreading this story outside of the immediate community is so important.

UPDATE on 1/30/2013 at 12:00pm EST:

No new leads; the search continues.

“Underwater searches are focused on the canal and are no longer taking place in the Delaware River, since authorities determined Majoras made it into Lambertville.”
More at LehighValleyLive.

UPDATE on 1/29/2013 at 2:30pm EST:

Planet Princeton reports that the prosecutor’s office has released an update, as well as footage of Sarah Majoras crossing the bridge from New Hope, PA into Lambertville, NJ in the hopes that “it may trigger someone’s memory if they saw her that night.”  View their article to see still photos of the footage.

ABC / Action News has also posted a complete set of photos of the search activities, including additional photos of the surveillance footage.

Call for a Helping Hand

It’s usually not my style to prompt people to hit the Tip Jar (my Donate page).  However, this month has been an extraordinary one for me.  So, after a good deal of prompting from friends, I finally decided to post this message.

Some of my friends are aware that I’ve suffered with Lupus since being diagnosed 15 years ago.  Creating awareness of the disease is a public advocacy effort of mine.

While usually manageable, once every few years or so, it can get extremely difficult. Unfortunately, that’s where I’ve been for a few months now.  It’s been quite a roller coaster ride.

Recently, I had an unexpected ambulance trip to the hospital and some significant additional unexpected medical expenses … with still more to come.  As most of you who are bloggers know, health insurance is hard to come by in this profession.  I usually do just fine paying my own way, but as I’ve noted, these have been unusual circumstances of late.

I’ll continue to fight through the rough patches and carry on with my work no matter what. I always do.  But as much of the “paid” work in the movement is only part-time and has been spotty lately, I really could use a hand right now. A good portion of my activism is done on my own time and at my own cost.  It’s difficult for me to ask for help, and it’s rare that I do so.  But at this time, I ask that if you enjoy my work and you find it useful, please consider hitting the tip jar.

I’ve come to make many friends in this movement over the years, and I remain always grateful for your support and encouragement – from old friends and new ones alike.

Thank you.

PS – Please also consider spreading awareness of this disease – there are 1.5 million other Americans with Lupus, and the Lupus Foundation of America reports that “awareness of the disease lags behind many other illnesses.”

National Day of Blogger Silence

Dear Brett Kimberlin,

I learned about you in 2010, and I wrote this article about you on October 11, 2010.

Flashback: Progressives Embrace Convicted Terrorist

You wanted me to shut up then, and you threatened to sue me.

Liberty Chick Threatened With Lawsuit

I did not go quiet.  And when you hit the radar again, as did you and your friends’ tactics, I didn’t shut up then, either.

As Hacked ChamberLeaks Emails Break, Left Scrambles to Hide Ties to Domestic Terrorist

Since then, you’ve done everything you could to try and shut me up, including falsely accusing me of crimes and inserting me into lawsuits.  And threatening even more lawsuits, based on more false accusations.  Your associates have bragged for a year that their relentless harassment of me, my family and those friends close to me has been all for your benefit. They have hounded people that I work with, trying to get me fired. They have defamed me repeatedly with false accusations of everything from drug use to murder.  They know every detail of my private life and they share it with the world.  They have terrorized me and others and tried to make us fear for our lives.  They, and you, have terrorized us long enough.

Convicted Bomber Brett Kimberlin, Neal Rauhauser, Ron Brynaert, and Their Campaign of Political Terrorism

Today, I go silent.  But that does not mean that I do not act. I take action.  And you should, too:

Going dark to urge congressional action: Who will protect the freedom to blog?

Mr. Kimberlin, Mr. Rauhauser and friends – when I am silent, I am strong.  It means that I am busy working.  And I assure you, I am anything but weak.  Count on it.  Always.

There are times when silence has the loudest voice.  ~Leroy Brownlow

Also, be sure to tell these attorneys the story of Aaron Walker.  And demand action.

John McCarthy

State’s Attorney for Montgomery County

50 Maryland Avenue, 5th Floor

Rockville, Maryland  20850

states.attorney@montgomerycountymd.gov.

240-777-7300

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Assistant United States Attorney Robert Dugdale

The United States Attorney’s Office

Central District of California

Criminal Division

312 North Spring Street

Los Angeles, California 90012

(213) 894-2400

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

For some background on the harassment of me, read the summary I wrote months ago, before the incidents reached the peak level at which they are now.  For a larger picture of the long-term harassment and attempts to silence us, read Patterico’s summary.  I am named as a third party in one lawsuit in an obvious attempt to subpoena my emails, and Brett Kimberlin and his crew have crafted a false narrative to try and add me to another lawsuit, directly (read their wild conspiracy theories online that I was a “paid hatchet person” for the Chamber of Commerce and HB Gary (I was not), which they craftily weaved around the fact that HB Gary’s CEO knew how to Google).

Occupy Protester, 19 Year Old Stevie Bates, Still Missing – How You Can Help

DOWNLOAD AND PRINT/POST FLYERS to help spread the word about Missing Occupier Stevie Bates:

Download Flyer 1    |    Download Flyer 2

Stevie Bates, a 19 yr old woman who is an Occupy supporter has gone missing.  Her mother, Vivian Bates, is looking for information regarding her daughter’s whereabouts.  Anyone who has heard from Stevie, or who has any information that might be able to assist in finding her is encouraged to contact the mother at (646) 345-3410 or (646) 648-8458.

The Daily News published a thorough story on the last known whereabouts of Stevie Bates.  (NOTE: according to Ms. Bates, the last sentence in the article with her quote should read, “And this is unlike her not to at least be somewhere where I can find her or where her friends know where she was. I don’t know what to think. I haven’t heard anything.”)

I have spoken with Vivian Bates directly, and her mother is very concerned.  While Stevie is an adult, Ms. Bates indicates that her daughter had kept in touch with her regularly.  She says that it is unusual for Stevie to have gone this long without being in contact with her family and/or friends.  The family filed a Missing Persons report with the police in Yonkers, New York, which I have also confirmed directly with police.

Regardless of your political beliefs, this is a daughter whose mother has not heard from her for over two weeks, and she is very concerned.  She has been visiting Union Square and handing out flyers to Occupy Wall Street protesters, canvassing the area and asking people if they have seen or heard from Stevie or know anything about her whereabouts.  While some protesters claim they think they may have seen Stevie in Union Square, NY on May Day, there has been no definitive confirmation of this to date.

You can help by spreading the word.  Vivian Bates has provided the flyers that she herself has been handing out in NY.  If you are so inclined, please download and print them and pass them out (as appropriate – please follow any local rules), especially if you are in the NYC area.  Stevie was last known to have spoken with her mother on April 27th at 7:52 pm ET while in Pittsburgh on a Greyhound bus layover stop – Stevie was expected to board the bus again as it headed for Port Authority in New York to arrive at 5:40 am that morning.  It is not known whether or not she made it there.  The bus schedule indicates that there were two other scheduled stops along the bus route that Stevie might have traveled – one in Slippery Rock, PA at 10:50 pm for 15 mins, and a stop in Philadelphia at 3:20 am for 20 mins.  If you are in those areas, it would also be helpful to spread the word about Stevie Bates.

Thank you to all who have been so helpful thus far, especially to Michelle Malkin, who has elevated the exposure of this story.  Stevie’s mother conveyed her thanks and appreciation to all of you who have taken an interest in this and helped to spread the word.  As Michelle said, every second counts.

DOWNLOAD AND PRINT/POST FLYERS to help spread the word about Missing Occupier Stevie Bates:

Download Flyer 1    |    Download Flyer 2

All communication helps:  Blog Posts, Facebook, Twitter, Email, please help spread the word.

Thank you.

Activists, Law Enforcement Face Off on Eve of ‘American Spring’

It’s been an extraordinarily busy few months for the FBI and cyber-related task forces.  The arrests of several prominent hackers associated with Anonymous have had the hacker collective pointing fingers at suspected “snitches” on the inside and lowering their profiles in recent months.  But as Occupy gears up for its American Spring, Anons are trying to gain footing again and mobilize for the cause.

Read the entire post at Big Government

The #DJBreitbart Project: Tune in to Twitter on March 11th, Beginning at Midnight

---

WHAT: The #DJBreitbart Project, a musical tribute to Andrew Breitbart, is an online event.  24 friends will each tweet-DJ an hour of song selections.

WHEN: Begins March 11th at Midnight PST/3am EST and goes straight through until Midnight PST/3am EST on March 12th.  I will be hosting the 10pm PST/1am EST time slot.

WHERE:  Simply go to Twitter and follow along at the #DJBreitbart hashtag.

The schedule of DJs and their real-time playlists & tweets follows the introduction below, followed by my planned playlist.

---

Introduction:

We’re all missing Andrew Breitbart since his sudden, untimely passing last week.  He was my boss and my mentor, but most of all, he was my friend.

Andrew was a master at Twitter.  He truly grasped the importance of social media as a tool in networking, activism, mining for and disseminating information, spotting trends and at crafting and driving a story.  Most of all, Andrew recognized its importance as a weapon in the arsenal of this battle of media narratives today.  One of his trademark moves was to retweet all the hate directed at him – there is no better way to illustrate the intolerance of the militant left than to simply allow them to expose themselves.

But Andrew wasn’t just a warrior.  He was a funny, bright, interesting guy who charmed even his opponents once they met him.  He was fiercely loyal and painfully human.  The caricature of Andrew Breitbart created by so many on the left was nothing like the real Andrew Breitbart.  It provided those who really knew him with an endless source of amusement.

Every so often, for those who followed Andrew on Twitter, we were treated to Andrew Breitbart, the DJ.  His love of retro and 70’s/80’s Brit Synth-Pop music was an undeniable trait of Andrew’s persona.  And he’d occasionally take a break from taunting his adversaries on Twitter or retweeting hate tweets to share some of his favorite music tracks with tweeps, hash-tagging them #DJBreitbart.

In keeping with that tradition, some wonderful friends have organized a tribute in Andrew’s honor this weekend:  The #DJBreitbart Project.

For 24 hours beginning this Sunday, March 11th, 24 bloggers & personalities will take to Twitter to spend one hour each to DJ a selection of 10 tracks, tweeting the title and link to each song and adding their own commentary.  Simply go to Twitter and follow the hashtag #DJBreitbart to listen along.  I’ll be spinning for the 10pm PST/1am EST hour.

It’s a fitting tribute that I know Andrew himself would have loved.  I suspect he’ll be up there in heaven on Sunday, retweeting every song.

Thanks to @EvanPokroy for organizing this grooooovy event, and to @PruPaine, @HLawver, @texicalirose, @rdbrewer4, @rpetty, @juleslalaland and the rest of the gang.

Rest easy, my friend, we’ll carry your sword.  I miss you.

The event begins at Midnight on March 11th, on Twitter at the #DJBreitbart hashtag .  The schedule of DJs and real-time playlist and tweets is below, followed by my planned playlist for 10pm PST/1am/EST.

Twitter DJ	Pacific Time	Mountain Time	Central Time	Eastern Time
@Stranahan	Midnight – 1AM	1AM – 2AM	2AM-3AM	3AM-4AM
@TheKellieJane	1AM – 2AM	2AM-3AM	3AM-4AM	4AM-5AM
@Killpundit	2AM-3AM	3AM-4AM	4AM-5AM	5AM-6AM
@KatiePavlich	3AM-4AM	4AM-5AM	5AM-6AM	6AM-7AM
@EvanPokroy	4AM-5AM	5AM-6AM	6AM-7AM	7AM-8AM
@MaryChastain	5AM-6AM	6AM-7AM	7AM-8AM	8AM-9AM
@Kurt_Loder	6AM-7AM	7AM-8AM	8AM-9AM	9AM-10AM
@MichelleMalkin	7AM-8AM	8AM-9AM	9AM-10AM	10AM-11AM
@KurtSchlichter	8AM-9AM	9AM-10AM	10AM-11AM	11AM-Noon
@VodkaPundit	9AM-10AM	10AM-11AM	11AM-Noon	Noon-1PM
@ThadMcCotter	10AM-11AM	11AM-Noon	Noon-1PM	1PM-2PM
@GaltsGirl	11AM-Noon	Noon-1PM	1PM-2PM	2PM-3PM
@RobGeorge	Noon-1PM	1PM-2PM	2PM-3PM	3PM-4PM
@DerekAHunter	1PM-2PM	2PM-3PM	3PM-4PM	4PM-5PM
@ExJon	2PM-3PM	3PM-4PM	4PM-5PM	5PM-6PM
@BradThor	3PM-4PM	4PM-5PM	5PM-6PM	6PM-7PM
@Flynn1176	4PM-5PM	5PM-6PM	6PM-7PM	7PM-8PM
@dloesch	5PM-6PM	6PM-7PM	7PM-8PM	8PM-9PM
@jtLOL	6PM-7PM	7PM-8PM	8PM-9PM	9PM-10PM
@Ben_Howe	7PM-8PM	8PM-9PM	9PM-10PM	10PM-11PM
@ChrisLoesch	8PM-9PM	9PM-10PM	10PM-11PM	11PM-Midnight
@StephenKruiser	9PM-10PM	10PM-11PM	11PM-Midnight	Midnight – 1AM
@Liberty_Chick	10PM-11PM	11PM-Midnight	Midnight – 1AM	1AM – 2AM
@CnservativePunk	11PM-Midnight	Midnight – 1AM	1AM – 2AM	2AM-3AM

Twitter DJ	Playlist Page
@Stranahan	http://djbreitbart.in/post/19107037090/stranahans-playlist
@TheKellieJane	http://djbreitbart.in/post/19109954650/thekelliejanes-playlist
@KatiePavlich	http://djbreitbart.in/post/19111673075/katiepavlichs-playlist
@EvanPokroy	http://djbreitbart.in/post/19112463186/evanpokroys-playlist
@MaryChastain	http://djbreitbart.in/post/19114200002/marychastains-playlist
@Kurt_Loder	http://djbreitbart.in/post/19115286951/kurt-loders-playlist
@MichelleMalkin	http://djbreitbart.in/post/19117166315/michellemalkins-playlist
@KurtSchlichter	http://djbreitbart.in/post/19119229516/kurtschlichters-playlist
@VodkaPundit	http://djbreitbart.in/post/19122014637/vodkapundits-playlist
@ThadMcCotter	http://djbreitbart.in/post/19124510001/thadmccotters-playlist
@GaltsGirl	http://djbreitbart.in/post/19127868602/galtsgirls-playlist
@RobGeorge	http://djbreitbart.in/post/19131212056/robgeorges-playlist
@DerekAHunter	http://djbreitbart.in/post/19136263388/derekahunters-playlist
@ExJon	http://djbreitbart.in/post/19139539406/exjons-playlist
@BradThor	http://djbreitbart.in/post/19142700802/bradthors-playlist
@Flynn1176	http://djbreitbart.in/post/19146733329/flynn1776s-playlist
@dloesch	http://djbreitbart.in/post/19150337371/dloeschs-playlist
@jtLOL	http://djbreitbart.in/post/19153682158/jtlols-playlist
@Ben_Howe	http://djbreitbart.in/post/19158202303/ben-howes-playlist
@ChrisLoesch	http://djbreitbart.in/post/19161798611/chrisloeschs-playlist
@StephenKruiser	http://djbreitbart.in/post/19165003568/stephenkruisers-playlist
@Liberty_Chick	http://djbreitbart.in/post/19167488167/liberty-chicks-playlist
@CnservativePunk	http://djbreitbart.in/post/19169563938/cnservativepunks-playlist

Playlist for @Liberty_Chick at 10pm PST/1am EST:

Frankie Goes to Hollywood – Relax
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WZ33w3B8Hw

Simple Minds – Don’t You Forget About Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfIcZtjAch8

Talking Heads – Burning Down the House
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNnAvTTaJjM

the The – Love Is Stronger Than Death
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2RtUv_PgGA

Duran Duran – Girls On Film
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gudEttJlw3s

Crowded House – Mean To Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Vv9iQ1TZZI

Split Enz – I See Red
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKj4upY1VYI

Devo –  Human Rocket
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZQhu1J4mtI

The Tubes- Mondo Bondage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nibDtxm4u4g

The Army You Have – Admin Eff  (Gary & Shelli Eaton’s tribute to the MSM)
http://www.thearmyyouhave.com/The_Army_You_Have/Admin_Eff.html

Echo & the Bunnymen – Nothing Lasts Forever
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLX_6WwXFUI

Nick Drake – Northern Sky  * (I’ll explain why this one on Twitter…)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAgPPoPBXQg

Dropkick Murphys -Amazing Grace
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4Af_TEN7Yc

For Andrew.

Anonymous Takes Out the FTC in Protest Over ACTA, Google Privacy

by Liberty Chick at BigGovernment

The hacker collective Anonymous has struck government websites again, this time the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the National Consumer Protection Week websites.  According to the Associated Press, “both sites were replaced with a violent German-language video satirizing the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, or ACTA.” A pastebin page to which some of the Anonymous associated Twitter accounts are linking outlines the message that was distributed by the hackers, as well as a link to the violent video mentioned in the AP article.

The hackings were in response both to Google’s recent changes to its terms of service and, more prominently, to the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), which  22 of the European Union’s 27 member states signed last month in Tokyo. Pressure from Anonymous and anti-ACTA activists caused Poland to suspend the bill last week, where members of its Parliament donned Guy Fawkes masks in protest. Poland and Slovenia are now distancing themselves from the treaty.

ACTA is an international treaty aimed at curtailing copyright infringement, counterfeit and pirated goods, and other forms of intellectual property theft across multiple member states.  The agreement is meant to provide a framework for member countries, which have differences in legal systems and practices, to work together cooperatively “to address the problem of infringement of intellectual property rights, including infringement taking place in the digital environment, in particular with respect to copyright or related rights, in a manner that balances the rights and interests of the relevant right holders, service providers, and users.”  In light of controversy over the Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect IP Act, ACTA has generated a good deal of discussion and debate in the same political and activism circles.  Some fear it’s too much government intrusion for a solution that they believe may not ultimately address the problem adequately anyway.  Others have argued that while such legislation may be flawed, the need to protect against international stealing online does exist.

(Read the rest at BigGovernment…)

More articles on Anonymous by Liberty Chick at Breitbart.com.

Denying Sexual Assaults at Occupy Victimizes Women All Over Again

by Liberty Chick at BigGovernment

For months, the Big sites have reported that the conditions at various Occupy camps have become a magnet for predators, and that the movement’s collectivist method of dealing with the incidents by way of “consensus” decision making, rather than through law enforcement when appropriate, has created an environment that is unsafe for women.  Numerous accounts of rapes and various sex offenses were reported in news outlets, though we’ll likely never know the real number of incidents because of the policies of many Occupy locations which favor internal resolution.

The now viral video of Andrew Breitbart confronting Occupy protesters at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington DC with chants of his own, like “Behave Yourselves” and “Stop Raping People,” may be something of a joke to left-wing pundits like Keith Olbermann and Cenk Uygur.  But rape is no joke, and what that video has done is bring the reality of how sex crimes at Occupy are treated – within and outside of the movement – to the forefront as a national discussion.

Supporters of the Occupy movement have been on the defense ever since, some rushing to say that rapes and sex offenses have been minimal and don’t represent the whole of Occupy, others blindly and willfully claiming the incidents are non-existent entirely.  The truth is, whether it’s been 20 sex crimes or 2,000, one is too many.  And denying that rapes have occurred is as equally abhorrent as raping those victims all over again.

But don’t take an evil “Breitbart blogger’s” word for it, take it from some of the women from Occupy.

(more at BigGovernment…)