Former CIA Agent Trying to Reveal How the U.S. Runs Afghanistan’s Opium Trade Is in Jail

A retired CIA analyst claims the U.S. government is trying to frame him in order to quiet his tell-all book on drug smuggling in Afghanistan; Ronald Reagan’s offspring send Donald Trump a message; meanwhile, a Los Angeles man wakes up from a coma speaking ancient Hebrew. These discoveries and more below.

Retired CIA Agent: ‘We Run the Afghan Opium Trade’
A retired CIA agent recently convicted of possession of child pornography accuses the US government of trying to frame him as he is about to release a book that will “blow the lid off the CIA’s drug smuggling operations in Afghanistan” reveals the Cheyenne Herald this morning.

What Happened After 7 News Sites Got Rid of Reader Comments
Recode, Reuters, Popular Science, The Week, Mic, The Verge, and USA Today’s FTW have all shut off reader comments in the past year. Here’s how they’re all using social media to encourage reader discussion.

The Mobile Web: Another Nail in Serif’s Coffin
Serif fonts, holdovers from the days of print, are on the chopping block in the age of mobile.

How Absurdly Arbitrary Choices About Debates Are Shaping the GOP Race
Excluding credible candidates from the main debate is not just unfair, it helps Trump.

Jeb Bush’s Problem Isn’t Low Testosterone. It’s His Voice.
Jeb Bush has been working on some really good comebacks to burn Donald Trump at the Republican primary debate on Wednesday, according to The New York Times.

How Origami Is Informing Structural Engineering
An emerging design technique is based on a centuries-old Japanese art form.

The Sharp Rise of the Upper-Middle Class
Income inequality isn’t just about the 1 percent—wealth is increasing for the next 19 percent, too.

U.S. Intelligence Is More Privatized Than Ever Before
Despite hacks, leaks, and system failures, for-profit contractors are still getting lucrative intelligence contracts.

Analysis: Why It’s So Hard To Understand 2016 With Numbers Alone
The new breed of cool analytical election observers — from Nate Silver to the folks at the Upshot or Monkey Cage — roll their eyes and sigh deeply at the frenzy of coverage about Donald Trump, the media scrum about Hillary Clinton’s emails, and the speculation about whether Joe Biden will enter the presidential race.

How Social Media Is Revolutionizing Debates
Presidential debates have been governed by the same norms since the first televised debate in 1960: look good, don’t make a mistake, stay solid for the entire debate, and then have your campaign spin like hell as soon as it ends.

Will the Smartphone Foment an Ultra-Orthodox Revolution?
More and more Haredim have Internet access. Many wonder if the technology at their fingertips will make them lose the faith.

Ronald Reagan’s Sons Discuss Donald Trump and 2016
Ronald Reagan’s sons have one thing to say to Donald Trump: We knew Ronald Reagan. Ronald Reagan was our father. And you’re no Ronald Reagan.

When a Degree Is Just the Beginning
Today’s employers want more, say providers of alternative credentials.

Amnesiac Man Wakes from Coma Speaking Only Ancient Hebrew
A 53-year old man who spent six days in the coma after presumably being assaulted in August, still has no memory of his former life and can only speak… in ancient Hebrew!

What Are Innovation Spaces, and Do You Need One?
Spaces for makers, hackers and coworkers on campus could support better learning, and entrepreneurial, outcomes. But what do they look like?

Related Entries

• September 14, 2015 Garrisoning the Globe: How U.S. Military Bases Abroad Undermine National Security and Harm Us All
• September 11, 2015 U.S. Special Ops Missions in Africa Fail to Stem Terror Groups, Coups and Human Rights Abuses

Source: http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/former_cia_agent_trying_reveal_how_us_runs_afghanistans_opium_20150917/