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The Last Bastille – by Kyle Reardon

Individual cognitive traits possess a high degree of variety amongst humans. Institutions, such as organized religion and corporate media, take advantage of the predilection some folks have for immersing themselves in speculative fantasy; consider the popularity of television shows like Jeremiah, Jericho, and even The Walking Dead franchise. The problem here, though, is that hypothetical lifeboat scenarios encourage people to reorient their entire lives around waiting (or “preparing”) for their calamity to occur, usually at the expense of everything and everyone else in their lives.   Continue reading “Modeling Threats & Analyzing Risk: A Rebuttal Against “Doom Porn””

CNN – by Ralph Ellis

Somebody has shot four moving vehicles on I-10 in Phoenix in the last three days, Arizona Department of Public Safety Director Frank Milstead said Monday.

“The best we know right now it’s random,” Milstead said, asking members of the public to call if they have information.

Two shootings occurred about 11 a.m. Saturday, one about 10:15 p.m. Saturday and one about 4:25 a.m. Monday, he said.   Continue reading “4 vehicles shot on I-10 in Phoenix”

Fox News

Authorities say an Atlanta-area police officer was shot and critically injured Monday night after officers responding to a call about a suspicious person showed up at the wrong house.

DeKalb County Police Chief Cedric Alexander said the officer was shot in the thigh after he and two colleagues entered a home through the back door and identified themselves. Alexander said the officer, whom he did not identify, had lost a lot of blood and was in surgery at a local hospital.   Continue reading “Atlanta-area police officer shot after responding to wrong home”

USA Today – by John Bacon and Peter Eisler

The man accused of fatally shooting a Texas deputy sheriff execution-style at a Houston-area gas station was arraigned Monday on a capital murder charge that could bring the death penalty.

Also Monday, Gov. Greg Abbott ordered Texas flags be flown at half staff who honor Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Darren Goforth, 47, who was shot in the back while filling his cruiser Friday night.   Continue reading “Prosecutors: Killer fired 15 shots at Texas deputy”

Zero Hedge – by Tyler Durden

Much as Brazil is the poster child for the great EM unwind unfolding across emerging economies from LatAm to AsiaPac, Illinois is in many ways the mascot for America’s state and local government fiscal crisis.

Although well documented before, the state’s financial troubles were thrown into sharp relief in May when, on the heels of a state Supreme Court ruling that struck down a pension reform bid, Moody’s downgraded the city of Chicago to junk.    Continue reading “Illinois Pays Lottery Winners In IOUs After $30K/Month Budget “Guru” Fails To Produce Deal”

The Anti-Media – by Carey Wedler

Portsmouth, VA – A 24-year-old mentally ill black man died in a Virginia jail last Wednesday. He had spent four months at a regional facility for allegedly stealing $5 worth of snacks from a convenience store. While jail officials say his body had “no obvious signs of injury,” according to his family he had refused food and medication due to his mental state. His body “deteriorated” until he died, though the jail where he died claims to specialize in mentally ill inmates.   Continue reading “Mentally Ill Man Dies in Police Custody After Stealing $5 Worth of Food”

The Washington Post – by Elahe Izadi

A man arrested Saturday in the shooting death of a sheriff’s deputy at a Houston gas station Friday has been charged with capital murder, Harris County Sheriff Ron Hickman told reporters at a news conference Saturday evening.

Shannon J. Miles, 30, was picked up for questioning early Saturday, Hickman said, according to a Reuters report. The sheriff said the suspect apparently targeted sheriff’s Deputy Darren Goforth only because of his uniform.   Continue reading “Texas sheriff’s office identifies defendant in deputy’s ‘execution-style killing’”

ABC 7 – AP

WASHINGTON — A federal appeals court on Friday ruled in favor of the Obama administration in a dispute over the National Security Agency’s bulk collection of telephone data on hundreds of millions of Americans.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit reversed a lower court ruling that said the program likely violates the Constitution’s ban on unreasonable searches.   Continue reading “Ruling that Found NSA Program Illegal Reversed by Appeals Court”

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Doug Ross@Journal – by David Mills

In 2013, in a little-heralded case, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit rejected the Obama Labor Department’s attempt to punish voluntary retirement plan service providers. The DOL, under the direction of the controversial, radical leftist Tom Perez, had tried to force providers of 401(k), 403(b), IRA, and related services to adopt a massive new set of regulations known as “fiduciary” responsibilities.   Continue reading “Obama Labor Dept. Sets Stage for Nationalizing Retirement Accounts”

Reuters

A police officer shooting at a fleeing suspect during an undercover gun buy that went wrong killed a 61-year-old bystander in the New York City suburb of Mount Vernon, police said on Saturday.

Two suspects were taken into custody during the investigation into the sale of illegal guns, the New York Police Department said in a statement. The undercover officer in the Bronx on Friday met a suspect who said he had guns for sale and directed the officer to drive to Mount Vernon. A second suspect got into the back seat of the officer’s car, pointed a gun at his head and demanded money, the NYPD said.   Continue reading “Police kill bystander when New York undercover gun buy goes bad”

Fox News

New Mexico Republican Secretary of State Dianna Duran was charged on Friday with embezzlement, fraud, money laundering and campaign finance violations by the state’s attorney general Democrat Hector Balderas.

Balderas’ officer filed the 64-count complaint in state district court in Santa Fe. Balderas didn’t make a statement of hold a news conference to announce the complaint against Duran, one of the high-ranking GOP lawmakers in the state.   Continue reading “New Mexico secretary of state charged with theft, money laundering”

Update: ABC 13

HOUSTON — A person of interest is in custody after the deadly ambush of a Harris County sheriff’s deputy, fatally gunned down without warning Friday night while filling up his patrol car at a northwest Harris County gas station.

Deputy Darren Goforth, 47, has just left an accident scene when he stopped by a gas station on Telge and West Road. As he was pumping gas, a man approached him from behind, said nothing and fired multiple shots. Once the deputy fell to the ground, the suspect fired more shots. Deputy Goforth was pronounced dead on the scene.   Continue reading “Update: Man in Custody After Deadly Ambush on Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy”

WCRZ

Heads up to you, or anyone you know that may travel along I-69 or I-94 in West Michigan, or Northern Indiana.

Authorities say one car has been hit, and others may possibly have been hit while traveling along I-94 between I-69 and Battle Creek. WXYZ reports that others may have been hit while traveling on I-69 south of the Indiana border.   Continue reading “Authorities Warn of Possible Freeway Sniper Along I-69, I-94 in West Michigan Read More: Police Warn of Possible Freeway Sniper Along I-94, I-69 in West Michigan”

Fox News – by Todd Starnes

Educators in the Volunteer State are very concerned that students might be offended by the usage of traditional pronouns like she, he, him and hers, according to a document from the University of Tennessee – Knoxville’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

“With the new semester beginning and an influx of new students on campus, it is important to participate in making our campus welcoming and inclusive for all,” wrote Donna Braquet in a posting on the university’s website. “One way to do that is to use a student’s chosen name and their correct pronouns.”   Continue reading “Call me ‘ze,’ not ‘he’: University wants everyone to use ‘gender inclusive’ pronouns”

Mediaite – by Alex Griswold

The father of murdered journalist Alison Parker slammed politicians “in the pocket of the NRA” on CNN’s New Day, saying they prevented sensible gun laws from being passed.

“It’s senseless that her life and Adam’s life were taken by a crazy person with a gun. If I have to be the John Walsh of gun control–” Andy Parker said (Walsh, the former host of America’s Most Wanted, became an advocate for missing children after his own son was abducted).   Continue reading “Murdered Journalist’s Father Slams Politicians ‘In the Pocket of the NRA’”

Reuters – by Isela Serrano

Countries behind a treaty to regulate the international arms trade have agreed future decisions will be made by majority vote, avoiding the risk of veto, and picked Geneva as the seat of the body to police the accord, Mexico’s government said on Wednesday.

Officials from 121 governments have been meeting in the Mexican resort of Cancun to agree details of how the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) will oversee the multi-billion dollar industry.   Continue reading “Arms treaty conference agrees decisions by majority in Mexico”