Michael Krieger

My name is Michael Krieger, and I am the creator and editor of Liberty Blitzkrieg. I'm originally from New York City.

As far as my academic and professional background, I attended college at Duke University where I earned a double major in Economics and Spanish. After completing my studies in 2000, I took a job at Lehman Brothers where I worked with the Oil analyst in the Equity Research Department.  In 2005, I joined Sanford C. Bernstein where I served as the Commodities Analyst on the trading floor. About halfway through my time there, I started to branch out and write opinions on bigger picture "macro" topics that no one else at the firm was covering. These opinion pieces were extremely popular throughout the global investment community, and I traveled around providing advice to some of the largest mutual funds, pension funds and hedge funds in the world.

I loved my job, but as time passed I started to educate myself about how the monetary and financial system functions and what I discovered disgusted me. I no longer felt satisfied working within the industry, and I resigned in January 2010.  At that point, I started a family investment office and continued to write macro pieces on economic, social and geopolitical topics. That summer, I drove cross country for six weeks and ultimately decided to leave the crowded streets of Manhattan for the open spaces of Boulder, Colorado, where I currently reside.

In the years that followed, I gradually recognized that my true passion centers upon writing on issues of significant societal importance given the extremely challenging times we live in. This realization culminated with me losing interest in financial markets and eventually launching this website in early 2012.

If you are interested in a more detailed description, replete with colorful anecdotes, of how I ended up making this bizarre professional transition, take the time to watch the video below.

https//www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/DcqMN-FXCIE?rel=0

In Liberty,
Michael Krieger

Interview with Dr. Dave Janda – July 2013: Why Aren’t There More Wall Street Whistleblowers?

by

This past Sunday, I sat down with the always excellent Dr. Dave Janda for the first time since April. As usual, we had a lively, intellectually stimulating conversation on a wide variety of topics. From why there aren’t more Wall Street whistleblowers, to Bradley Manning, Edward Snowden as a “second generation whistleblower,” whether or not Chief … Read more

The Most Ridiculous 30 Seconds of News You’ve Ever Seen

by

This is so crazy I almost can’t believe it happened. In its reporting of Asiana Airlines flight 214’s frightening crash landing at San Francisco airport, bay area television station KTVU identified the pilots of the plane as: Captain Sum Ting Wong, Wi Tu Lo, Ho Li Fuk, and Bang Ding Ow. This happened on air. … Read more

Privacy Focused Storage Device “Plug” Raises Over $350,000 on Kickstarter in Five Days

by

I’m not sure that the NSA would find great interest in analyzing my life and conversations. However I do like the idea of being protected and of having control. And I love the idea that Plug can bring this control back to non-geek people.

– Severin Marcombes, CEO of Cloud Guys, maker of “Plug”

One of the most exciting trends to have emerged in 2013, is the explosion of extremely smart, privacy focused entrepreneurs creating products that will ultimately free us from the oppressive, centralized state humanity has been forced to live under for so long. Whether we are talking about the efforts of Kim Dotcom, DuckDuckGo, Xmission, or Cloud Guys, this trend is hear to stay and makes me extremely optimistic about the future.

Every single macro trend I see on the planet at the moment seems to be pushing us toward decentralization, such as Bitcoin and other crypto-currencies, 3D-printing, alternative media and crowd funding sources such as Kickstarter. The future looks very bright once we forever shed the shackles of centralized power and brute force. From the Huffington Post:

Support for a data-storage device that could potentially combat the government’s data-collection surveillance program known as PRISM has skyrocketed online. In just two days, the developers have received more than $200,000 in donations via Kickstarter.

As I mentioned, this number is now up to $365,000. The initial goal was $69,000, which was achieved in 12 hours.

Plug is a small USB adapter that can store and transfer all content without the need for the Cloud or third-party services. The device, which has been in development for two years, was created by the brains at Cloud Guys Corporation, a start-up company based in Colorado.

Go Colorado!

With Plug, all storage is private, and files are not uploaded to the Cloud, the group explains. No external company is involved, and nothing is sent to a server. Communication between devices is encrypted for added security, and website developers can use Plug for storage.

Read more

Like this post?
Donate bitcoins: 35DBUbbAQHTqbDaAc5mAaN6BqwA2AxuE7G


Follow me on Twitter.

Montana Passes Sweeping Anti-Government Spying Bill

by

What is so interesting about Montana’s House Bill 603, which passed overwhelmingly the state Senate by a 96-4 margin, is that it was passed in April, or several months before Edward Snowden’s NSA revelations. Talk about some foresight. Hopefully, we will see many more such bills sweep across the nation, as “change” will have to be done at the local level. The central government in D.C. is hopelessly corrupt and I don’t see that changing. We must just decentralize away from the District of Criminals on our own. From the Atlantic Wire:

Privacy advocates, behold the Montana legislature and House Bill 603, a measure that requires the government to obtain a probable cause warrant before spying on you through your cell phone or laptop. HB 603 was signed into law this past spring, effectively making Montana the first state to have an anti-spy law long before anyone heard of Edward Snowden. To be clear, HB 603 passed the state Senate overwhelmingly by a vote of 96-4 in April and was signed into law on May 6.

At the time, the law might have seemed extraneous, or even paranoid. But knowing what we know now, the law seems prophetic. The law is pretty straightforward—the government can’t spy on Montanans through their electronic devices unless they obtain a warrant:

Read more

Like this post?
Donate bitcoins: 35DBUbbAQHTqbDaAc5mAaN6BqwA2AxuE7G


Follow me on Twitter.

There are Over 50,000 SWAT Team Raids Annually in America

by

Yesterday, Salon published a fantastic interview with Radley Balko, author of a new book, Rise of the Warrior Cop. The interview focused on the fact that the number of SWAT team raids has soared from a few hundred annually in the 1970’s to more than 50,000 per year by 2005. To make matters worse, most of these raids are focused on non-violent crimes.  Radley identifies three main forces behind this disturbing trend. The “war on drugs,” the national overreaction to 9/11, and the creation and massive funding behind the Department of Homeland Security. Moreover, once these SWAT teams are in place, the individual police departments feel pressured to use them in order to justify their existence. More from Salon:

Radley Balko’s new book, “Rise of the Warrior Cop,” details how America’s police forces have grown to look and behave more like soldiers than neighborly Officer Krupkes walking the beat. This new breed of police, frequently equipped with military weapons and decked out in enough armor to satisfy a storm trooper, are redefining law enforcement.

Since 9/11, the newly formed Department of Homeland Security has distributed billions in grants, enabling even some small town police departments to buy armored personnel carriers and field their own SWAT teams.

Once you have a SWAT team the only thing to do is kick some ass. There are more than 100 SWAT team raids every day in this country. They’re not chasing murderers or terrorists. For the most part they go after nonviolent offenders like drug dealers and even small time gamblers. As you’d expect when there is too much adrenaline and too much weaponry, there have been some tragedies.

Balko talked to Salon about the decline of community policing, the warrior cop mentality, why so many dogs get killed by police. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

There are several levels of militarization. The rise of SWAT teams nationwide, the number of annual SWAT deployments in the U.S., has gone from a few hundred in the ’70s, to 30,000 per year in the early ’80s, to 50,000 in 2005. That’s 100, 150 times a day in this country you have these heavily armed police teams breaking into homes, and the vast majority of times it’s to enforce laws against consensual crimes.

Read more

Like this post?
Donate bitcoins: 35DBUbbAQHTqbDaAc5mAaN6BqwA2AxuE7G


Follow me on Twitter.

German Artist Faces Criminal Charges for Projecting Kim Dotcom Image on U.S. Embassy

by

In case you missed it, last Sunday German artist Oliver Bienkowski projected a giant image of Kim Dotcom on the U.S. embassy in Berlin coupled with the phrase “United Stasi of America.” The entire thing lasted about 30 seconds and was extremely good natured and humorous. However, it seems German “authorities” don’t appreciate being out-Stasied by the … Read more

Another Reason Why CNBC is Dying

by

A couple of days ago there was an excellent article on Zerohedge discussing the continued ratings death spiral at CNBC. While it may be tempting to blame it all on Andrew Ross Sorkin, who Matt Taibbi described as “a shameless, ball-gargling prostitute for Wall Street,” there are plenty of examples to point to. Another notable example … Read more

DARPA Unveils “Atlas”: A 6 Foot Tall Humanoid Robot

by

Earlier this year I highlighted DARPA’s Argus, the world’s highest resolution video surveillance platform.  Well it appears DARPA has a new toy it wants to introduce you to.  It’s named Atlas and it is a 6-foot, 2-inch-tall humanoid robot. Coming for your taxes in 2020!  From The Verge: It’s not quite Terminator, but it’s not that far … Read more

Meet Xmission: The ISP Focused on Privacy

by

Earlier this week, I highlighted alternative search engine DuckDuckGo, which focuses on privacy and claims that: “if the NSA demanded data there would be none to hand over.” Today’s article focuses on a little known internet service provider (ISP) called Xmission, which is based in Utah and has 30,000 subscribers. Ironically, it is situated close to the NSA’s new multi-billion dollar spy center and it has received rave reviews from the always excellent Electronic Freedom Foundation (EFF). It’s founder, Pete Ashdown is a brave man who, unlike his larger tech peers, has consistently stood up to the government and intelligence services to protect his customers’ Constitutional rights. From The Guardian:

Silicon Valley’s role in US government surveillance has triggered public anxiety about the internet, but it turns out there is at least one tech company you can trust with your data. The only problem: it’s a relative minnow in the field, operating from offices in Utah.

Xmission, Utah’s first independent and oldest internet service provider, has spent the past 15 years resolutely shielding customers’ privacy from government snoops in a way that larger rivals appear to have not.

The company, a comparative midget with just 30,000 subscribers, cited the Fourth Amendment in rebuffing warrantless requests from local, state and federal authorities, showing it was possible to resist official pressure.

“I would tell them I didn’t need to respond if they didn’t have a warrant, that (to do so) wouldn’t be constitutional,” the founder and chief executive, Pete Ashdown, said in an interview at his Salt Lake City headquarters.

Read more

Like this post?
Donate bitcoins: 35DBUbbAQHTqbDaAc5mAaN6BqwA2AxuE7G


Follow me on Twitter.

New Interview with Gold Money: Tear Down Those Pyramids!

by

It’s only been a few hours since my interview with Gold Money News’ Félix Moreno was posted to youtube, but I’ve already experienced a flood of positive feedback.  It’s almost impossible to fathom the tremendous ground covered.  We start off discussing some of the more interesting aspects of my time on Wall Street (a topic I … Read more