Author: Admin

The New Yorker – by ANDY BOROWITZ

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—Secretary of State John Kerry said today that he was “shocked and flabbergasted” that the Russians heeded his suggestion about Syria’s chemical weapons, telling reporters, “After four decades in public life, this is the first time someone has taken me seriously.”

“Whether as a senator, a Presidential candidate, or Secretary of State, I’ve devoted countless hours to thunderous and droning speeches that people have consistently tuned out,” he said. “So naturally, to be listened to all of a sudden came as something of a shock.”   Continue reading “Satire: Kerry Shocked to be Taken Seriously”

USA Today – by Martha T. Moore

Million-dollar campaigns, saturation advertising and massive canvassing have become commonplace in U.S. elections, especially in a swing state such as Colorado. A campaign underway there has all of the above – in a recall vote for two state senators that has become a showdown over gun policy and political dominance in a changing state.   Continue reading “Colo. recall over gun control turns into national fight”

Prezbyter

“For the highest reach of injustice is to be deemed just when you are not.” Socrates – Plato’s Republic

My first awareness of the term Continuity of Government (CoG) came from reading former terror-czar Richard Clarke’s take on the US government failures on 9/11, Against All Enemies. While describing all the fancy high tech systems in place to ultimately be foiled by either human inefficiency (the official story) or nefarious planning (also the official story), Clarke expanded on the implementation of CoG on that world shaking day.   Continue reading “Continuity of Genocide”

Raw Story – by David Edwards

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is planning to roll out a meat inspection program nationwide that will allow pork plants to use their own inspectors, but it has a history of producing contaminated meat at American and foreign plants.

The Washington Post reported on Monday that documents and interviews showed that a plan to allow hog plants to replace federal USDA inspectors with their own private employees had produced “serious lapses that included failing to remove fecal matter from meat” in three of the five plants that had participated in a pilot program for more than a decade.   Continue reading “USDA privatizing meat inspections with program that allowed ‘chunks’ of feces”

NPR – by Associated Press

EL-ARISH, Egypt (AP) — Egyptian troops and tanks backed by helicopter gunships swept through villages in the northern Sinai Peninsula near the border with the Palestinian Gaza Strip on Monday, the third day of a major offensive against Islamic extremists, a military official said. So far, some 20 suspected militants have been killed and 20 captured in the operation, he added.

Explosions rocked el-Mahdiya and Naga Shabana, two of several villages south of the town of Rafah, the official said, where the military hit targets and shelters used by militants wanted for the killing and abduction of Egyptian soldiers over the past year.   Continue reading “Egyptian Tanks, Helicopters Push Through Sinai”

The Guardian – by Patrick Wintour

The US secretary of state has said that President Bashar al-Assad has one week to hand over his entire stock of chemical weapons to avoid a military attack. But John Kerry added that he had no expectation that the Syrian leader would comply.

Kerry also said he had no doubt that Assad was responsible for the chemical weapons attack in east Damascus on 21 August, saying that only three people are responsible for the chemical weapons inside Syria– Assad, one of his brothers and a senior general. He said the entire US intelligence community was united in believing Assad was responsible.   Continue reading “John Kerry gives Syria week to hand over chemical weapons or face attack”

The Guardian – by Simon Tisdall and Josie Le Blond

President Bashar al-Assad did not personally order last month’s chemical weapons attack near Damascus that has triggered calls for US military intervention, and blocked numerous requests from his military commanders to use chemical weapons against regime opponents in recent months, a German newspaper has reported , citing unidentified, high-level national security sources.

The intelligence findings were based on phone calls intercepted by a German surveillance ship operated by the BND, the German intelligence service, and deployed off the Syrian coast, Bild am Sonntag said. The intercepted communications suggested Assad, who is accused of war crimes by the west, including foreign secretary William Hague, was not himself involved in last month’s attack or in other instances when government forces have allegedly used chemical weapons.   Continue reading “Assad did not order Syria chemical weapons attack, says German press”

Washington’s Blog

Obama Ramps Up War Pitch Even As Basic Arguments Fall by the Wayside

Obama is going on a whirlwind media blitz this week in an attempt to sell a very skeptical public on war with Syria.

Yet the Washington Post notes:   Continue reading “U.S. Admits No Imminent Threat from Syria, No Clear Evidence Assad Ordered Chemical Weapons Attack”

Washington Examiner -by PAUL BEDARD

Washington police are operating under orders to arrest tourists and other non-residents traveling with spent bullet or shotgun casings, a crime that carries a $1,000 fine, a year in jail and a criminal record, according to a new book about the city’s confusing gun laws.

“Empty shell casings are considered ammunition in Washington, D.C., so they are illegal to possess unless you are a resident and have a gun registration certificate,” pens Emily Miller in her investigative book, “Emily Gets Her Gun: … But Obama Wants to Take Yours.”   Continue reading “Warning: D.C. cops under orders to arrest tourists with empty bullet casings”

CTV Calgary News – by Colleen Schmdit

Police in High River entered dozens of homes during the floods to ensure people and property were safe but some say their actions were inappropriate and an invasion of privacy.

Glenys Russell is still fixing the damage done to her house during the flood but she’s not focused on the water anymore.   Continue reading “High River residents angry over actions of RCMP during flood”

USA Today, January 21, 2013

Saudi Arabia has sent death-row inmates from several nations to fight against the Syrian government in exchange for commuting their sentences, the Assyrian International News Agencyreports.

Citing what it calls a “top secret memo” in April from the Ministry of Interior, AINA says the Saudi offered 1,239 inmates a pardon and a monthly stipend for their families, which were were allowed to stay in the Sunni Arab kingdom. Syrian President Bashar Assad is an Alawite, a minority Shiite sect.   Continue reading “April 2012 Report: Saudis sent death-row inmates to fight Syria”

TribLive – by Associated Press

TRIPOLI, Libya — Libya’s prime minister heard increasing calls for his ouster on Saturday as strikes by government employees at oil export terminals cost the North African country more than $5 billion.

Bilqasim Shindeer el-Shibany, a board member of Libya’s National Oil Corp., said oil exports almost entirely have stopped. Late last month, officials said exports were about 300,000 barrels per day, down dramatically from pre-war levels in early 2011.   Continue reading “Libyan leader under pressure to step down”

Washington Post – by Ylan Q. Mui and Amrita Jayakumar

Americans are participating in the workforce at the lowest level in 35 years, according to government data released Friday, as lackluster job growth fails to offset the droves of people who have given up looking for work.

According to the Labor Department, the economy added a disappointing 169,000 jobs in August. In addition, the government lowered its estimate of the number of jobs created in June and July by 74,000 positions.   Continue reading “Unemployment dips to 7.3 percent, but only 63% of Americans are in labor force”