An undated aerial handout photo shows the National Security Agency (NSA) headquarters building in Fort Meade, Maryland.  REUTERS/NSA/Handout/FilesReuters – by PATRICIA ZENGERLE AND MARK HOSENBALL

The U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill on Wednesday that would end spy agencies’ bulk collection of Americans’ telephone data, setting up a potential showdown with the U.S. Senate over the program, which expires on June 1.

The House voted 338-88 for the USA Freedom Act, which would end the bulk collection and instead give intelligence agencies access to telephone data and other records only when a court finds there is reasonable suspicion about a link to international terrorism.   Continue reading “House votes to end spy agencies’ bulk collection of phone data”

Palestinians walk past houses that witnesses said were destroyed during Operation Protective EdgeJerusalem Post

In one of her most dramatic interviews to date, International Criminal Court Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda told the Associated Press that Israel must provide her information on alleged 2014 Gaza War crimes or she may be forced to decide whether to launch a full criminal investigation based solely on information likely provided to her by human rights critics of Israel.

In the interview, which broke early Wednesday Israel-time but took place in New York on Tuesday leading up to a major speech by Bensouda to the UN Security Council, the ICC Prosecutor said that neither Israel nor the Palestinians had provided any official information to date.   Continue reading “ICC prosecutor urges Israel to provide information for Gaza war crimes probe”

AP BEARS CHOCOLATE BAIT A FILE USA NHUSA Today – by Mary Bowerman

Police in Massachusetts offered some words of wisdom Monday night: Getting drunk and chasing bears through the woods with a dull hatchet is “not advised.”

The North Adams Police Department posted on Facebook that a “Davy Crockett” wannabe was taken into “protective custody” after police found him chasing a bear through the woods with a hatchet.   Continue reading “Police: Don’t chase bears with hatchet while drunk”

Verizon buying AOL for $4.4 billionAJC

If you get your cell phone service from either Sprint or Verizon, then you may be due for a refund.

The two companies have agreed to settle complaints that they charged customers for services they did not order, PIX11 reported.

As WTIC reported, Sprint and Verizon partnered with vendors that sold premium text services that delivered horoscopes, trivia and scores.  The problem is that some customers who had not signed up for the service were being billed the nearly $10 monthly charge.   Continue reading “Refund may be in order for Verizon, Sprint customers”

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The Captain’s Journal – by HERSCHEL SMITH

Salt Lake City:

HOLLADAY, Utah – Unified Police are looking for four suspects in a home invasion robbery overnight.

Police said four Polynesian men dressed in all black kicked the door in at a basement apartment in Holladay. Continue reading “Criminals Perpetrate A No-Knock Raid Claiming To Be Police”

Yahoo News

WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. military helicopter carrying six Marines and two Nepalese Army soldiers went missing during a mission in Nepal delivering aid to earthquake victims, U.S. defense officials said Tuesday, but so far there have been no indications that the aircraft crashed.

U.S. Army Col. Steve Warren said an Indian helicopter in the air nearby at the time heard radio chatter from the Marine aircraft about a possible fuel problem. He said the Huey, carrying tarps and rice, had dropped off supplies in one location and was en route to a second site when contact was lost. He said officials are hopeful that the aircraft is simply missing because there has been no smoke or other signs of a crash.   Continue reading “US Marine helicopter missing in Nepal earthquake aid mission”

ABC News

The U.S. Navy says one of its fighter jets has crashed in the Persian Gulf, and the plane’s two pilots ejected and were rescued without serious injury.

The Navy’s 5th Fleet said the F/A-18 Super Hornet crashed shortly after taking off Tuesday from the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, operating in the Gulf.   Continue reading “Navy Fighter Crashes in Persian Gulf; Pilots Safe”

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The Last Bastille – by Kyle Rearden

“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out, because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out, because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out, because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak out for me.”

Martin Niemöller   Continue reading “Chilling Dissent: How Government Demonizes Americans”

From their Facebook Page:

We have allowed CHFS to inspect our property and interview our children multiple times. After every visit they have confirmed, and confirmed again today that our children are happy, healthy and well cared for and that our property is sufficient for their needs. Despite that, the judge decided as a result of the deliberations in today’s hearing that our children will remain in CHFS care while they continue their investigation.   Continue reading ““Off Grid” Kentucky Family Update”

CBS News

DUNDALK, Md. – A Maryland man is recovering after being violently beaten by a group of teenagers in an attack caught on video, reports CBS Baltimore.

Horrifying cell phone video shows a group of teens kicking and hitting Richard Fletcher, a 61-year-old Dundalk man, until he drops to the ground.

Fletcher reportedly suffered broken eye sockets, a broken nose, broken ribs and a brain bleed in the April 22 attack. He has since been released from the hospital.   Continue reading “Maryland man violently beaten by group of teens”

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Zero Hedge – by Tyler Durden

One year ago, we reported that while the west was scrambling to assure the world that it wasn’t collapsing courtesy of record central bank debt monetization even as number of people not in the US labor force steadily approaches 100 million, while peripheral Europe is saddled with 25% unemployment and 50%+ youth unemployment (but… but.. the stock markets are at all time highs), China was busy colonizing a new continent not only infrastructurally…..   Continue reading “China To Build Military Base In Africa Next To Critical Oil Transit Choke Point”

A Mexican soldier of the 88th infantry brigade patrols as smoke rises after a military helicopter was shot down in Jalisco on Saturday.Sent to us by a reader.

The Guardian – by Jo Tuckman, May 4, 2015

Mexico has declared an all-out offensive against the relatively new drug cartel which shot down an army helicopter during a weekend of coordinated attacks across the western state of Jalisco which prompted fresh concerns over the latest escalation of the country’s drug wars.

Six soldiers were killed when gunmen from the New Generation Jalisco Cartel used a rocket-propelled grenade to bring down an army helicopter that was pursuing a cartel convoy on Friday, the national security commissioner, Monte Alejandro Rubido, told Televisa.   Continue reading “Mexico declares all-out war after rising drug cartel downs military helicopter”

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KCRA – by David Bienick

FAIR OAKS, Calif. (KCRA) —Feather are flying over a proposal to ban roosters in the unincorporated areas of Sacramento County.

But county leaders said the proposal has been largely misunderstood.   Continue reading “Proposed rooster ban ruffles feathers in Sacramento County”

Lonnie James Pebley shot nearly 70 bullets from an AK-47 at police officers and sheriff's deputiesSent to us by a reader.

Daily Mail – by Evan Bleier

A Colorado man who fired nearly 70 bullets from an AK-47 at police officers and sheriff’s deputies on Independence Day in 2012 was sentenced to 736 years in prison by a judge on Friday.

Lonnie James Pebley, 43, opened fire on 27 Castle Rock police officers and Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputies from his home in Castle Rock during one of biggest shootouts in county history.   Continue reading “736 years in prison for man who sprayed hail of AK-47 bullets at cops after they shot his dogs”

UPI – by Doug G. Ware

WASHINGTON, May 6 (UPI) — A federal audit has found that some employees at the Pentagon used government-issued credit cards to pay for things like gambling and prostitutes, a source close to the investigation reportedly said.

The audit, reported by Politico on Wednesday, was conducted by the Pentagon’s inspector general and found that a number of defense employees used the cards for such activities.   Continue reading “Report: Pentagon workers used gov’t credit cards for gambling, prostitutes”

From zombies to Jade Helm 15, some conspiracy theories just never dieSent to us by a reader who said: It seems the media is now going all out trying to make anyone who worries about Jade Helm 15 into kooks. If you have concerns about Jade Helm 15 then you must believe in zombies as well.

Yahoo News – by Caitlan Dickson

“We are not taking over anything,” an exasperated Pentagon spokesman assured reporters this week, in response to rumors that a military exercise planned this summer is actually an excuse to impose martial law on parts of seven Southwestern states. The eight-week exercise by the Army’s Special Operations Command, called Jade Helm 15, is actually aimed at training soldiers to fight in a variety of overseas terrain, but has been the subject of Internet conspiracy theories since it was first announced in March. These theories have been fueled by the release of a map labeling the states that would host the training as either “hostile,” “permissive,” uncertain (leaning hostile)” and “uncertain (leaning friendly).”   Continue reading “From zombies to Jade Helm 15, some conspiracy theories just never die”