UK Chancellor exempts families of "Politically Exposed Persons" from money laundering scrutiny

Cory Doctorow 5:10 am Wed Apr 20, 2016

George Osborne, the Tory chancellor of David Cameron's UK government, has amended the Bank of England and Financial Services Bill to exempt the families of "Politically Exposed Persons" — Members of Parliament and other elites — from money laundering investigations.

The amendment was introduced by Tory MP Charles Walker, who refuses to publish his tax return. He compared the mandatory publication of MPs' tax returns to a law that banned curtains.

UK's Osborne Exempts Members of Parliament, Other "Politically Exposed Persons" From Money Laundering Oversight [Yves Smith/Naked Capitalism]

This YouTube video just hit one billion views

Yesterday, a video on YouTube hit one billion views twelve years after it was posted. Watch the rather shocking news report above. And here's a link to the official upload of the video that hit one billion. To understand the clip's unique history, start with this oral history published last year in MEL Magazine. It… READ THE REST
Please enjoy "Goodnight Moon," the vintage filmstrip

From the 1940s until the low-cost videocassette boom of the 1980s, audio filmstrips were commonly used in classrooms as an alternative to 16mm film projectors that were more expensive and fiddly to keep working. Uncommon Ephemera does the yeoman's work of saving these vintage filmstrips from the dustbin of dead media history and digitally archiving… READ THE REST
What are these strange videos of quick-cut random images accompanied by chaotic beeping noises?

About 6 years ago, someone, or some thing, posted a slew of videos to YouTube of strange images quick-cut together with a backing track of chaotic electronic beeps. There are hundreds of them and each is 11 seconds long. The channel is called dailybleep. While there are other projects online with that name, I'm not… READ THE REST
33 Black Friday deals on gadgets anyone would love to find under the tree this year

We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. Thinking up great gifts for everyone in your life can be incredibly difficult, leaving you overwhelmed and left scrambling for products you don't even know anyone really wants. This year, change… READ THE REST
Take 70% off these eLearning course libraries and a VPN this Black Friday

We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. Have you wanted to learn more about internet security, but don't know where to begin? This online course bundle might be the perfect launch point to start. Each year, our lives… READ THE REST
Take advantage of Black Friday pricing on a lifetime subscription to VPN Unlimited

We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. In today's digitally-based world, protecting your sensitive information is paramount. You've probably heard of compromising data leaks or cyber thieves who can pull credit card, bank account, or even social security… READ THE REST