Author: Admin

Politico – by Elana Schor

President Barack Obama may decide to kill Keystone XL for good, but that could be no easy task — thanks in part to the North American Free Trade Agreement.

The 21-year-old free-trade pact allows foreign companies or governments to haul the U.S. in front of an international tribunal to face accusations of putting their investments at risk through regulations or other decisions. The CEO of Keystone developer TransCanada has raised the prospect as a potential last resort if Obama rejects the $8 billion project, although for now the company is focused on getting him to say yes.   Continue reading “TransCanada could use NAFTA to challenge U.S. on Keystone XL, exec says”

USA Today – by Doug Stanglin

Nine people were found shot to death early Friday in at least four crime scenes in a small community in south central Missouri, according to local media reports.

Texas County Sheriff James Sigman told the Houston Herald Friday that as many as six crime scenes may be involved in the shootings in an area around the unincorporated community of Tyrone, but would not elaborate.   Continue reading “9 shot dead at multiple crime scenes in rural Missouri”

Wired – by Adam Rogers

Not since Monica Lewinsky was a White House intern has one blue dress been the source of so much consternation.

(And yes, it’s blue.)

The fact that a single image could polarize the entire Internet into two aggressive camps is, let’s face it, just another Thursday. But for the past half-day, people across social media have been arguing about whether a picture depicts a perfectly nice bodycon dress as blue with black lace fringe or white with gold lace fringe. And neither side will budge. This fight is about more than just social media—it’s about primal biology and the way human eyes and brains have evolved to see color in a sunlit world.   Continue reading “The Science of Why No One Agrees on the Color of This Dress”

Newsday – by MATTHEW CHAYES

Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration has negotiated a tentative pact with the labor union representing the NYPD’s 4,600 sergeants, signaling a rapprochement between the mayor and one of his fiercest police critics.

The deal with the Sergeants Benevolent Association, announced Thursday, calls for an 11 percent gradual raise over the life of the seven-year contract, which is retroactive to Aug. 30, 2011, the day after the union’s last agreement expired.   Continue reading “NYC reaches labor deal with police sergeants union”

Sent to us by a reader.

Freedom Outpost – by William Federer

Washington was unanimously chosen as the Army’s Commander-in-Chief, unanimously chosen as President of the Constitutional Convention, and unanimously chosen as the first U.S. President.

As General, Washington acknowledged God after victories throughout the Revolution and as President thanked God for the Constitution, October 3, 1789:   Continue reading “George Washington & the Providence of God”

Fox News

The Federal Communications Commission is driving toward a landmark vote Thursday on a sweeping plan that critics warn would impose a new era of regulation for how Americans use and do business on the Internet, even as 11th-hour appeals inject added drama behind the scenes.

The so-called net neutrality proposal has been the subject of fierce debate, in part because the 332-page plan is being kept from public eyes. President Obama’s vocal push for aggressive Internet rules also has raised questions on Capitol Hill over undue influence by the White House — but House Republicans who had planned a hearing on that very subject said Wednesday they would postpone after Chairman Tom Wheeler allegedly refused to testify.      Continue reading “‘Locked and Loaded’: FCC primed for vote on Internet regs, amid 11th-hour drama”

National Review – by Andrew Johnson

Two prominent House committee chairs are “deeply disappointed” in Federal Communications Commission chairman Tom Wheeler for refusing to testify before Congress as “the future of the Internet is at stake.”

Wheeler’s refusal to go before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday comes on the eve of the FCC’s vote on new Internet regulations pertaining to net neutrality. The committee’s chairman, Representative Jason Chaffetz (R., Utah), and Energy and Commerce Committee chairman Fred Upton (R., Mich.) criticized Wheeler and the administration for lacking transparency on the issue.   Continue reading “FCC Chair Refuses to Testify before Congress ahead of Net Neutrality Vote”

Electronic Frontier Foundation – by CORYNNE MCSHERRY

For many months, EFF has been working with a broad coalition of advocates to persuade the Federal Communications Commission to adopt new Open Internet rules that would survive legal scrutiny and actually help protect the Open Internet. Our message has been clear from the beginning: the FCC has a role to play, but its role must be firmly bounded.

Two weeks ago, we learned that we had likely managed the first goal—the FCC is going to do the right thing and reclassify broadband as a telecommunications service, giving it the ability to make new, meaningful Open Internet rules.  But we are deeply concerned that the FCC’s new rules will include a provision that sounds like a recipe for overreach and confusion: the so-called “general conduct rule.”   Continue reading “Dear FCC: Rethink The Vague “General Conduct” Rule”

Sent to us by Bill in Illinois.

Here’s the latest from the People’s Republic of Illinois.  Yet another collectivist traitor form Illinois. . . .

Illinois General Assembly

Short Description:  FIREARMS REGISTRATION

Senate Sponsors: Sen. Jacqueline Y. Collins

Last Action: 2/20/2015, Referred to Assignments in Senate.   Continue reading “Illinois SB1413 – Firearms Registration Act”

ABC News

Suspected Israeli extremists have torched a Palestinian mosque in the West Bank and left Hebrew graffiti at the site.

Jibreen al-Bakri, governor of the Bethlehem region, says the mosque in the village of Jabaa near Bethlehem was set alight at dawn Wednesday, damaging the mosque’s walls and carpeted floor.   Continue reading “West Bank Mosque Torched by Suspected Israeli Extremists”

Sent to us by the author, SomeAnonymousGuy

I’ve been watching earthquake activity in Japan for a couple years now. The reason for that is that I expect a huge earthquake any time. I also expect that to signal ‘The Day’ for which everyone has been keeping an eye out. The day when all the rules go out the window, and it’s every man for himself.

I had always expected that quake to be a natural occurrence.

Along the way, though, something curious has cropped up, and I’m beginning to think the ‘Big One’ may turn out to be man-made when it occurs.   Continue reading “Is Japan Being Extorted?”

Yahoo News – by Josh Lederman

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defying the Republican-run Congress, President Barack Obama rejected a bill Tuesday to approve construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline, wielding his veto power for only the third time in his presidency.

Obama offered no indication of whether he’ll eventually issue a permit for the pipeline, whose construction has become a flashpoint in the U.S. debate about environmental policy and climate change. Instead, Obama sought to reassert his authority to make the decision himself, rebuffing GOP lawmakers who will control both the House and Senate for the remainder of the president’s term.   Continue reading “Defying GOP, Obama vetoes Keystone XL pipeline bill”

CBS Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A Republican state lawmaker says the al-Shabaab threat against the Mall of America means gun holders with permits should be able to take their weapons into the mall.

It currently has a “no guns allowed” policy, with mall officials claiming the entire facility is private property. State Representative Tony Cornish is the chair of the House Public Safety Committee.   Continue reading “Lawmaker Challenging Mall Of America’s Gun Policy After Threat”

CBS News Los Angeles

OXNARD (CBSLA.com) — A Metrolink train derailed Tuesday morning after it collided with a truck on the track in Ventura County, officials said.

The VC Line 102 train, which was headed southbound to Los Angeles, hit the car around 5:45 a.m. near 5^thAvenue and Rice Street in Oxnard, according to the Ventura County Fire Department.   Continue reading “Metrolink Train Derails In Oxnard, California After Colliding With Truck On Tracks”

CNN – by Dana Ford

Privately the same year, the Israeli spy agency Mossad assessed the threat as more remote, according to reports by Al Jazeera and The Guardian newspaper, which both cited leaked intelligence documents.   Continue reading “Reports: Netanyahu, spy agency at odds over Iran’s nuclear program”

Fox News

The U.S. government asked a federal judge Monday to lift a temporary hold on President Obama’s executive action to protect millions of immigrants from deportation, Fox News has confirmed.

Justice Department lawyers requested a “stay” to delay a federal judge’s decision to block Obama’s immigration order, which legally allows 5 million immigrants to stay in the country.   Continue reading “US seeks stay of ruling on Obama immigration action”

Reuters – by Erwin Seba

The largest U.S. refinery strike in 35 years entered its fourth week on Sunday as workers at 12 refineries accounting for one-fifth of national production capacity were walking picket lines.

Sources familiar with the negotiations said talks may resume by mid-week to end the walkout by 6,550 members of the United Steelworkers union (USW) at 15 plants, including the 12 refineries.

Representatives of both sides said no date has been set to restart negotiations, however.   Continue reading “U.S. refinery strike affects one-fifth of national capacity”