President Obama’s DragnetWithin hours of the disclosure that federal authorities routinely collect data on phone calls Americans make, regardless of whether they have any bearing on a counterterrorism investigation, the Obama administration issued the same platitude it has offered every time President Obama has been caught overreaching in the use of his powers: Terrorists are a real menace and you should just trust us to deal with them because we have internal mechanisms (that we are not going to tell you about) to make sure we do not violate your rights.

Social media and opposition to blame for protests, says Turkish PMThousands of protesters have controlled Istanbul’s main square once more after two days of violent clashes with rampaging riot police, as Turkey’s prime minister vowed to press on with the controversial redevelopment that provoked the clashes. Calling the protesters an “extremist fringe”, Recep Tayyip Erdogan blamed the opposition Republican People’s party for provoking the protests.

American Fascism: Ralph Nader Decries How Big Business Has Taken Control of the U.S. GovernmentThis is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form. AARON MATÉ: For the rest of the hour, we’re joined by Ralph Nader, consumer advocate, corporate critic, attorney, author, activist and former presidential candidate. For well over four decades, Ralph has helped us drive safer cars, eat healthier food, breathe better air, drink cleaner water and work in safer environments.

Public Banking Conference good news: all solutions already here for deficits, debt, full-employmentPublic Banking Institute’s 2013 conference explains, documents, and proves that economic solutions for deficits, debt, and full-employment are structurally: easy to understand and self-evident upon inspection easy to implement would improve our economy amazingly quickly and thoroughly How? The conference link contains a complete schedule for access to each speaker’s contributions.

The next corporate revolution will be power to the peonsComputerworld – SAN FRANCISCO — Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Dell and Intel have something in common: They all came late to the mobile revolution. Why? Because they’re companies where management is top-down and responsibility for innovation and change is concentrated among executives with strict bureaucratic control over workers.

Former Teacher Speaks Out, “Everything I loved about teaching is extinct”Parents aren’t the only ones fed up with the education system in America. Teachers often get a bad rap for the failure of America’s education system and its inferiority to the pedagogic successes of countries like China.

After Your Job Is GoneDo you have a job? Do you like having a job? Then I have some bad news for you. The Guardian is worried “today’s technologies are going to remove people from economic activity completely.” Techonomy says “America’s real worker crisis is not immigration, it is jobs.” Om M..

The 9/11 Phone Calls: Disturbing Irregularities Uncovered in the Calls that Flashed around the World – WSJ.comNEW YORK, May 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — America first learned of the 9/11 hijackings from Solicitor-General Ted Olson, who reported two calls from his wife, well-known CNN commentator Barbara Olson. From American Airlines Flight 77, Barbara Olson fleshed out the drama of diminutive Muslim hijackers using knives and box-cutters to herd dozens of passengers to the rear of the plane.

Obama Expands Militarization of PoliceAmong items transfered to local law enforcement agencies have been assault rifles and grenade launchers, even Blackhawk helicopters and .50 caliber machine guns; In fiscal year 2011 alone, the Pentagon transferred almost $500 million worth of materials to domestic law enforcement – near double the previous year’s total

Why Austerity Kills: From Greece to U.S., Crippling Economic Policies Causing Global Health CrisisIn their new book, “The Body Economic: Why Austerity Kills,” economist David Stuckler and physician Sanjay Basu examine the health impacts of austerity across the globe. The authors estimate there have been more than 10,000 additional suicides and up to a million extra cases of depression across Europe and the United States since governments started introducing austerity programs in the aftermath of the economic crisis.

Ceiling suspended: US takes on $300bn in new debt after hitting $16.7 trillion – RT BusinessAmerica’s ticking debt bomb has been reset. Washington has suspended the debt ceiling, setting a date, and not a concrete dollar sum as a deadline, an unprecedented first in US history. Citing ‘extraordinary measures’, the US Treasury has further delayed tackling America’s debt, and will wait until Labor Day, September 2nd, to revisit the burgeoning crisis.

Federal Reserve: rising inequality jeopardizes economic recovery – RT USAA top ranking member of the United States Federal Reserve cautioned economists this week that growing inequality within the US was worsening the odds of a quick return to the conditions of the pre-recession days.

Bitcoins, Wikileaks, 3D printers, PGP and the gov’s battle against informationThe U.S. government has a hard enough time parrying foreign threats like terrorist groups and hostile nations but it’s the unfettered distribution of information in the form of software that could pose the greatest threat of all. In the past few years we’ve seen the emergence of Wikileaks, Bitcoins and 3D printers – paradigm busters that resist regulation or control by outside forces.

Urge NYT Public Editor to Investigate Biased Reporting on Venezuela & Honduras | NYTimes eXaminerSource: NYTX The following petition, signed by over a dozen experts on Latin America and Media including Noam Chomsky and Greg Grandin, was sent today to Margaret Sullivan, Public Editor for The New York Times. Join the campaign below.

Dept. of Homeland Security freezes accounts between Dwolla and bitcoin exchange Mt. GoxIn the first governmental action against bitcoins, the Department of Homeland Security served the Dwolla mobile payment service with a court order requiring it to immediately cease all account activities with the Mt. Gox bitcoin exchange. Dwolla has complied with this order.

Are you in a cult? | Terry PattenHere’s the short answer: “You bet.” And, worse, it’s most likely an invisible cult! Okay, you’re probably not a member of “a new religious movement or other group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre by the larger society”.

Why this is the worst economic recovery on recordWe’re now witnessing what happens when all of the economic gains go to the top, and the rest of the population doesn’t have enough purchasing power to keep the economy going.