Kit O'Connell

A gonzo journalist from Austin, Texas and Staff Writer for MintPress News, Kit O'Connell's writing has also appeared at Truthout, the Texas Observer, and The Establishment.

Despite Safeguards, 2016 Sees Rise In Heat-Related Police Dog Deaths

Of 16 police dogs which have died this year, 11 died as the result of being left unattended in vehicles parked in areas with soaring temperatures.

Kit O'Connell
By Kit O'Connell
K9 officer John Greene and his dog Nitro sit in their car at the DPS station in Detroit before a chase. Some police K-9 vehicles are now equipped with alarms that are meant to alert officers when the vehicle starts heating up inside. But if alarms and air conditioning fail, temperatures can soar to dangerous heights in a matter of minutes, putting dogs’ lives at risk.

AUSTIN, Texas --- High summer temperatures have claimed the lives of 16 police dogs this year, most of which died as a result of being left unattended in sweltering vehicles, according to figures reported by an animal rights organization and a group that tracks canine law enforcement deaths. Police dog deaths increased from last summer, when 12

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American Legion Asks Congress To Reschedule Cannabis As Vets Continue To Suffer Under War On Drugs

The American Legion, which represents 2.4 million military veterans, wants the DEA to recognize therapeutic potential of cannabis to treat PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, and other conditions frequently encountered by veterans.

Kit O'Connell
By Kit O'Connell
Former U.S. Marine Mike Whiter, who uses marijuana to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, displays some of his photographs of military personnel published in a magazine, as he sits at a desk in his home in Philadelphia. A growing number of states are weighing whether to legalize marijuana to treat PTSD.

AUSTIN, Texas --- The American Legion has called on the U.S. government to reconsider its stance on medical cannabis in order to benefit some of the millions of veterans the organization represents. With a membership of about 2.4 million veterans, the Legion’s become a powerful voice in the growing debate over the potential benefits of the plant

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Neoliberalism: ‘Profit Goes To Apple And Microsoft, Not To The Taxpayer’

In conversation with noted political philosopher Noam Chomsky, former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said neoliberalism is “just 19th century power politics of crushing anyone who dares stand up to them and say a simple word, ‘No.’”

Kit O'Connell
By Kit O'Connell

AUSTIN, Texas --- According to noted political philosopher and scholar Noam Chomsky, neoliberal politicians are hypocrites who prioritize corporate finances over both taxpayers’ well-being and their own economic principles. In April, Chomsky sat down with Yanis Varoufakis, the former Greek finance minister and founder of the Democracy in Europe

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Prison Strike Organizer Melvin Ray: ‘International Human Rights Issues’ In Prisons Would Embarrass The US

‘If you’re compassionate about human rights, support what we’re doing,’ says Melvin Ray, an inmate who was placed in a solitary confinement unit in an Alabama prison for organizing with the Free Alabama prison reform movement.

Kit O'Connell
By Kit O'Connell
A prison guard on horseback watches inmates return from a farm work detail at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, La.

AUSTIN, Texas --- Inmates around the country are demanding an end to inhumane conditions behind bars by participating in a growing wave of work stoppages, strikes, and other forms of activism. A major nationwide strike began on Friday to mark the 45th anniversary of the Attica Prison riots. Prisoners in 24 states and 40 facilities were expected

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SpaceX Explosion Slows Facebook & Israeli Efforts To Control Online Content

In their ‘space race’ to expand internet access to remote, impoverished areas of the world, Facebook and Google are actually vying for control o fthe online experiences of millions of people.

Kit O'Connell
By Kit O'Connell
Facebook's Secret Censorship Rules Protect White Men From Hate Speech But Not Black Children

AUSTIN, Texas --- When a rocket operated by space startup SpaceX burned up on the launch pad, it was a setback to the prospects of commercial space travel, as well as efforts by Facebook to control the online experiences of millions of rural internet users. Facebook’s project, Internet.org, is described by founder Mark Zuckerberg in charitable

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Israel’s Ongoing Blockade Of Gaza Could Force Palestinians To Drink Sewage

Gaza’s sewage treatment plant can’t function without reliable electricity, and Israel’s ongoing blockade on supplies like cement has hampered efforts to improve the region’s infrastructure.

Kit O'Connell
By Kit O'Connell
A Palestinian man walks near a sewage reservoir after it has collapsed causing a flood and damaging farms in Sheikh Ejleen neighborhood of Gaza City, Wednesday, May 4, 2016. A sewage reservoir in Gaza has collapsed, flooding about 25 acres of farmland and signaling yet another warning over the need to address the exacerbating water and sewage crisis. On Wednesday, sewer trucks were still sucking wastewater pools from unpaved lanes, groves, chicken farms and beehives in Sheikh Ejleen neighborhood, south Gaza City, a day after one side of the pond collapsed.

AUSTIN, Texas --- Unreliable electricity, an ongoing blockade on building supplies, and a failing waste treatment plant have spawned a sewage crisis in Gaza that experts warn could permanently damage Palestinians’ access to clean water. The crisis is now spilling over into Israel and threatening its water supply. According to an Aug. 25 report

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‘Let’s Get Back To The Data’: Relentless Attacks On Assange Distract From Content Of WikiLeaks Releases

According to media literacy expert Mickey Huff, the treatment of Julian Assange and whistleblowers like Chelsea Manning sends a message that the government will ‘punish people in the United States and around the world if they’re going to tell our secrets.’

Kit O'Connell
By Kit O'Connell
A figure depicts Julian Assange on a cross on top of a supporter of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange during a vigil outside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. (AP /Sang Tan)

AUSTIN, Texas --- Attacks on WikiLeaks’ founder Julian Assange, including accusations of collusion with foreign governments, are growing more commonplace in the media as Election Day approaches. As the political establishment pushes back against WikiLeaks’ revelations of U.S. war crimes and corruption, political pundits have even threatened

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