"Judgmental Map" of Baltimore

God knows I loathe the jargon word "judgmental" (and loads of other words, phrases, and locutions -- I'm an insufferable schoolmarm and long overdue for a post or two or three pertaining thereto), but this site, Judgmental Maps, is hilarious. 

Though I'm not a native Baltimorean, I've lived here so long and love the city so much I consider it my hometown. This map is a riot. And very un-pc. So if you're one of those p.c. types, just skip it. This is black humor, folks, "black" in the literary, not racial, sense. It's dark. It's meant to be. My god, how pathetic that I have to explain this. Thanks to Meg of the brilliant blog Pigtown Design for alerting me to this map. As always with images here, click to enlarge (or go to the original site at link):  

Guns in America: Suffer the Little Children to Come Unto Me

Nah, this country isn't fucked up.  

Police State USA: Supreme Court Refuses to Hear NDAA Challenge

The U.S. is a fucking police state. I don't care how many people don't get it, I don't care how many of them have their heads up their asses, the U.S. is a police state. Thank god my activist friends get it; at least I have a few people I can talk to.

The latest from the Supreme Rubber Stampers of the land, via the Rutherford Institute:

Dianne Feinstein the Hypocrite, Part Deux

As I wrote on March 12, 2014, Dianne Feinstein is a hypocrite. She was fine with the egregious, relentless spying on us peons by the "intelligence" agencies, but got her knickers in a twist when that spying was suddenly turned on her.

It's the same with hypocrites everywhere: it's always okay when other people take it on the chin; it's just not okay when you or yours do.

DHS TSA corruption - so what else is new?

A report came out last week exposing corruption at the Department of Homeland Security, with the DHS inspector general in cahoots with other officials high up in the administration.

United State of Authoritarianism

Macho posturing with deadly results in the United States of Authoritarianism:

"Now ask yourself: What sort of person would be attracted to a career in law enforcement based on the images and activities depicted in that video? And is that the sort of person you’d want wearing a badge and carrying a gun in your neighborhood?" Balko asked in the online edition of the Washington Post.“

Police State USA: FBI Uses No-Fly List as Retribution

This country is a fucking police state.

Suit Charges FBI Used No-Fly List as Retribution Against Muslim Men 

Muslim-Americans say FBI used list to coerce them into informing on their communities

“I do not want to become an informant, but the government says I must in order to be taken off the no-fly list,” said Awais Sajjad, a plaintiff in the lawsuit. “How can the government tell me that the only way I can see my family again is if I turn my back on my community?” 

The men say they believe that the FBI used the no-fly list in attempt to coerce and intimidate them into being spies for the bureau. Some were told that infiltration could get their names wiped from the list, while others were threatened with being placed on the list if they resisted recruitment. 

Being placed on the no-fly list had severe repercussions in all of their lives, including loss of jobs, stigma, and being cut off from family members and loved ones.

The manner in which the US government manages the no-fly list remains secret. People who find themselves on this list do not receive explanations or due process. According to CCR, there were over 21,000 people on the list as of 2012. 

We've out-Orwelled Orwell, out-Huxleyed Huxley, and out-Kafkaed Kafka. 

Stacey Armato settles lawsuit against TSA

*UPDATE BELOW. Stacey Armato, the lawyer and mother who was bullied, harassed, and made to miss her flight by the TSA in 2010, has reached a settlement in her lawsuit against the TSA. We've written about Armato and her case several times. Information about her case is also in the Master List of TSA Crimes and Abuses.  

TSA still groping children - video proof

The TSA has been saying for years now that they don't give "enhanced pat-downs" to children. Even though we have loads of evidence -- verbal and visual -- to the contrary, the agency and its mouthpieces continue to spout these lies. Here's yet more proof.

This video was published at YouTube on April 18, 2014. The accompanying text reads:

Ted Rall, Obama, and American Hypocrisy

The great Ted Rall. As always, click to enlarge.

Meanwhile, Obama continues to murder people. Here's your hope and change, Obamabots.

More Pre-Check propaganda and more TSA fraud

Another bs article about the bs program that is Pre-Check. And, of course, a discussion thread full of comments by the Special People o-woe-is-me-ing their fate. Pardon my impatience, but we've been writing about Pre-Check for over two years now, pointing out its fraud, and I do get sick of having to repeat the same things every time some ill-informed article appears in the mainstream media.  

Fuck the Rich

Every time you think the hypocrisy, barbarity, and venality of this country can't be topped, you're proven wrong. It's not enough that states and municipalities have criminalized poverty, all over the country, in all sorts of ways, now they've taken it one step further: they're actually crowing about it, and boo-hoo-ing over their terrible plight in being forced to witness homelessness.

TSA anticipates matzo transportation spree

The Jewish holiday of Passover is on the way (April 14th-22nd). And rest assured: the crack teams of the TSA are ready for it. Since we all know how respectful the TSA is of people's private belongings, dignity, and integrity, you can count on safe passage for your religious artifacts.

John Brennan ordered to pay $500 for TSA protest

We have an update on the case of John Brennan, the man who stripped naked at a TSA checkpoint in April of 2012. We first wrote about Brennan here. We then providesd updates here, where he said he wanted a trial, and here, where he was found Not Guilty of "public indecency."

The Remains of the Day -- Rather, of Our Insanity

As always, click to enlarge.

Political cartoonist Ted Rall once again hits the nail squarely on the head.

He addresses not only the hypocritical posturing of people who claim to "support the troops" while simultaneously baying for bloodlust, ignoring those troops when they come home, and cheering the shredding of the social safety net, but he also skewers the hysteria over the downed Malaysian jet.

TSA's new All Surround Security

Today marks a milestone.

Another year has passed since we reported on the TSA's 50-million-dollar new uniform budget. You'll recall that it was the source of some controversy, though in the end, $50 million is a drop in the bucket of this agency's $8 billion annual budget.