Category: News

The Foundry – by Ted R. Bromund, Ph.D.

One of the most discussed issues at the U.N.’s Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) conference is whether ammunition should be fully included in the scope of the treaty. Predictably, opinion at the conference is strongly (though not universally) in favor of full inclusion. This mistake illustrates the broader fallacies of the ATT.

Currently, ammunition is included in the draft ATT, but exporters are not required to seek to prevent its diversion to the illicit market. That is because since ammunition is a consumable commodity and is exported in tens of millions of rounds, the methods the U.S. uses to prevent the diversion of F-18s cannot work for ammunition. An importer could simply divert a few thousand rounds and then claim they were shot off in a training exercise.   Continue reading “Is Ammunition a Flash Point in the UN Small Arms Trade Treaty Negotiations?”

Aljazeera – by Nadia Hijab

The schedule for President Barack Obama’s first visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories next week has just been released and it is no surprise that the occupied Syrian Golan Heights is not on his travel agenda.

And yet Israel put it on the international agenda less than a month ago with its award of a licence to a US energy firm to explore for oil in the Golan Heights. Oil drilling by the New Jersey-based Genie Energy Ltd in the occupied Golan Heights could well result in a lawsuit claiming that Israel is engaged in an illegal act of pillage as defined inthe Hague Convention. Perhaps Israel is now so used to living off the fat of other people’s land – Palestinian and Syrian soil and water, among other resources – it has seemingly thrown caution to the wind.   Continue reading “Israel, Obama, and other people’s oil”

FCW – by Frank Konkel

In a move sure to send ripples through the federal IT community, FCW has learned that the CIA has agreed to a cloud computing contract with electronic commerce giant Amazon, worth up to $600 million over 10 years.

Amazon Web Services will help the intelligence agency build a private cloud infrastructure that helps the agency keep up with emerging technologies like big data in a cost-effective manner not possible under the CIA’s previous cloud efforts, sources told FCW.   Continue reading “Sources: Amazon and CIA ink cloud deal”

The Daily Caller – by Caroline May

In a terse exchange with ICE Director John Morton on Tuesday, South Carolina Republican Rep. Trey Gowdy accused the department head of endangering the safety of Americans with the recent release of over 2,200 illegal immigrant detainees, including aggravated felons.

The exchange, during a House Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “The Release of Criminal Detainees by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement: Policy or Politics,” got heated as Gowdy assailed the administration’s response to sequestration.   Continue reading “Gowdy presses ICE Director Morton on aggravated felons released”

Times Union – by JENNIFER PELTZ, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Wednesday blasted a plan to create an inspector general for the New York Police Department, vowing if needed to veto a proposal that he said would undermine the city’s crime-fighting success.

A day after City Council Speaker Christine Quinn signaled that the measure would likely pass the council, Bloomberg urged lawmakers to oppose it, saying it would usher in an era of second-guessing for a police force that has worked to drive crime to record lows.   Continue reading “Bloomberg says he’d veto proposal for NYPD monitor”

RIA Novosti

BEIJING, March 19 (RIA Novosti) – Russia and China will coordinate their reactions to US plans to boost its missile defense in the Asia-Pacific region, a senior Chinese diplomat said on Tuesday.

The remarks follow Washington’s recent announcement this it has shelved plans for a European-based missile shield in favor of boosting its defenses in Alaska, which would give it coverage from a potential North Korean attack.   Continue reading “China, Russia to Stand Together on Missile Defense in AsPac”

Global Post – by Agence France-Presse

The South Korean military raised its cyber attack warning level Wednesday after computer networks crashed at major TV broadcasters and banks, with initial suspicions focused on North Korea.

The state-run Korea Internet Security Agency said computer networks at three TV broadcasters — KBS, MBC and YTN — as well as the Shinhan and Nonghyup banks had been “partially or entirely crippled”.   Continue reading “S. Korean TV networks, banks suffer suspect cyber attack”

Huffington Post – by COLLEEN LONG

NEW YORK — Police brass in the Bronx were not concerned with whether patrol officers were saving lives or helping people, they were focused on one thing: numbers, said a New York City police officer testifying in a federal challenge to some street stops.

Adhyl Polanco said his superiors told him that he needed 20 summonses, five street stops and one arrest per month. It didn’t matter whether the stops were done properly, he said Tuesday.   Continue reading “NYPD Stop-And-Frisk Trial: Officer Testifies Quota Numbers, Police Brass Dictate Arrests”

Natural News – by Mike Adams

Microwaves absolutely decimate the nutritional value of your food, destroying the very vitamins and phytonutrients that prevent disease and support good health. Previous studies have shown that as much as 98% of the cancer-fighting nutrients in broccoli, for example, are destroyed by microwaving.

To understand why, you have to understand the nature of vitamins and phytonutrients (plant-based nutrients). These are very delicate molecules which are fragile. They are easily destroyed by heat, which is why raw plant foods contain more plant nutrients than cooked foods. Carotenoids, antioxidants and other molecules like DIM (in broccoli) or anthocyanins (in purple corn) are all easily destroyed by microwave energy.   Continue reading “Why cooking with a microwave destroys cancer-fighting nutrients in food and promotes nutritional deficiencies”

Apparently the banksters do not approve of the vote. Nice!

SOTT – Independent.ie

Germany’s finance minister has warned that it is unclear whether the banks in Cyprus will ever be able to open again.

Banks in Cyprus have been shut since Saturday to avoid a run while the tiny Mediterranean country tries to negotiate a rescue for its economy.    Continue reading “Cyprus banks ‘may never reopen’ threatens German Finance Minister”

Zero Hedge – by Gordon T. Long

As a young man, I voraciously read George Orwell’s “1984”,  Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” and Alvin Toffler’s trilogy which included “Future Shock”‘, “The Third Wave” and “Power Shift”. During the era of the Vietnam War, I wondered seriously about the future and how it was destined to unfold. Now being considerably older, I have the vantage point to reflect back on my early ruminations and expectations. Unfortunately, I am too old to alter the lessons that are now so painfully obvious. Instead, I pass the gauntlet to those who can understand and take action on what I have unavoidably come to expect for America.   Continue reading “An Orwellian America”

Bob Owens

Be wary of the crocodile tears associated with the “killing” of Diane Feinstein’s expansive and unconstitutional assault weapons ban. Harry Reid dropped the bill because he knew that if it was attached to the other gun control legislation his statist party hopes to pass, it would doom that legislation as well.

By separating Feinstein’s language, his other gun control bills stand a better chance as a package, and she has the opportunity to attempt to attach her ban to popular legislation as an amendment, making it more likely of passage, not less.  Continue reading “Reid kills Feinstein AW ban, making it even more dangerous”

NBC News – by Matthew DeLuca

The executive director of Colorado’s department of corrections was shot dead by an unknown gunman at his home on Tuesday night, authorities in Colorado confirmed to NBC News.

Why the director, Tom Clements, was shot and by whom was not clear.

“The initial information was the doorbell had rung and when Mr. Clements answered the door he was shot,” El Paso County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Lt. Jeff Kramer said. Investigators were working to confirm that information.   Continue reading “Colorado department of corrections chief shot dead in home”

Free North Carolina

Magpul Industries Corp.

Apparently Gov Hickenlooper has announced that he will sign HB 1224 on Wednesday. We were asked for our reaction, and here is what we said:

We have said all along that based on the legal problems and uncertainties in the bill, as well as general principle, we will have no choice but to leave if the Governor signs this into law.   Continue reading “Magpul Confirms Plan To Immediately Leave Colorado”

Free Beacon – by Bill McMorris

The Department of Justice whistleblower who resigned over the New Black Panther Party voter intimidation case said President Barack Obama’s labor secretary nominee Thomas Perez is the “most extreme cabinet nominee in 70 years.”

J. Christian Adams, who worked for Perez at the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, sent a stern warning to the U.S. Senate about Perez’s policies.   Continue reading “Justice Whistleblower Warns Senate on Labor Pick”

RT News

It’s bad enough that a US Marine lost both his legs in combat. But after TSA agents forced the wheelchair-bound man to stand up, walk and remove his prosthetic legs at an airport in Phoenix, he was publicly humiliated for his disability.

Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) sent a letter to the Transportation Security Administration this week, condemning TSA officers for mistreating the wounded soldier on March 13. The Marine, who is still on active duty, had lost both of his legs in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast while deployed. The man is now confined to a wheelchair. He showed up at the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport with an escort that helped him get around.   Continue reading “Double-amputee Marine humiliated by TSA”

New York Times – by JENNIFER STEINHAUER

WASHINGTON — The Senate next month will consider a bill to increase the penalties for people who buy and sell illegal guns, a measure greatly reduced in scope and reach from the gun safety agenda sought by President Obama.