Month: February 2016

Daily Signal – by Philip Wegmann

A Supreme Court justice nominee appointed by President Barack Obama could do much to shift the ideological weight of a bench split now evenly among justices nominated by Republican and Democrat presidents.

In particular, the new justice could provide the deciding vote to overturn the District of Columbia v. Heller decision. In that landmark case, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the Second Amendment protects the individual’s right to possess and own a firearm.   Continue reading “Four Pro-Gun Senate Dems Silent on Whether They’ll Vote for Obama’s Supreme Court Nominee”

Reuters

Thousands of people protested around the country on Saturday in support of a New York City police officer who was convicted of manslaughter this month for fatally shooting an unarmed black man, according to media reports.

The New York Times reported that several thousand gathered in Brooklyn to rally behind Peter Liang, who was found guilty in connection with the death of 28-yaer-old Akai Gurley.   Continue reading “Protests around U.S. support New York officer convicted in shooting: reports”

Reuters

Seven people were shot and killed and several others wounded in Michigan on Saturday night in a series of apparently random public shootings, according to authorities and local media.

The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety said on its Facebook page that six people had been shot and killed and several others seriously wounded in three shootings in Kalamazoo County, in southwest Michigan.   Continue reading “Seven people killed in random Michigan shootings, suspect in custody”

Reuters

Two New York City police officers were injured on Saturday during an exchange of gunfire with a male suspect who rammed a patrol car during a chase and was then shot and critically wounded, authorities said.

Jamal Funes, 34, was in critical condition after being shot several times inside the vehicle he was driving, the police department said. Both officers were hospitalized but alert and in stable condition. Their names were not immediately released.   Continue reading “Two New York police officers, suspect shot after chase”

Think Progress – by ALEX ZIELINSKI

Oily black liquid is coming out of residential faucets in the rural Texas town of Crystal City, and no one is sure who to alert. That’s because twelve days ago, the FBI arrested all but one the top elected officials in town for their involvement in an illegal gambling ring and immigrant smuggling.

The murky water force local schools to close early on Thursday, a decision made by the school district Superintendent Imelda Allen.   Continue reading “‘Black Sludge’ Pours Out Of Texas Town’s Faucets Days After FBI Arrests Nearly Every City Official”

The Advocate – by FAIMON A. ROBERTS III AND JIM MUSTIAN

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has recalled the head of its New Orleans field division amid a turbulent stretch for the agency that included the arrest of a task force member last month and a drug raid in the Lower 9th Ward that resulted in the shooting of a Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office deputy.

Adding to the turmoil are allegations of misconduct against a local DEA agent made in court papers this month that have been placed under seal.   Continue reading “Head of New Orleans DEA is recalled to Washington amid widening scandal”

Free Thought Project – by Justin Gardner

The legacy of death and misery from the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan continues today, and, once again, Dick Cheney plays a central role. A new book by Joseph Hickman, a former U.S. Marine and Army sergeant, titled “The Burn Pits: The Poisoning of America’s Soldiers” details how soldiers and local civilian populations were exposed to constant streams of toxic smoke from the burning of waste.

The infamous Kellog, Brown, and Root (KBR), which was a part of Dick Cheney’s corporate empire under Halliburton, operated about 250 burn pits which contributed to the $40 billion that Halliburton made during the Iraq occupation. “Every type of waste imaginable” was burned, including “tires, lithium batteries, asbestos insulation, pesticide containers, Styrofoam, metals, paints, plastic, medical waste and even human corpses.” Continue reading “Dick Cheney Poisoned Hundreds of US Troops in Iraq — They’re Dying — And the Media is Silent”

Reuters

A Mississippi policeman who worked in an anti-narcotics squad was killed on Saturday and three state troopers were wounded in a shootout with a suspect during a standoff in the northeastern corner of the state, according to local officials.

The suspect was also killed in the exchange early Saturday morning in a rural area of Tishomingo County near Iuka, about 118 miles east of Memphis, Tennessee, according to County Coroner Mack Wilemon.   Continue reading “Mississippi policeman killed, three wounded during standoff”

Oregon Live – by Les Zaitz

The dispatcher at the John Day 911 center hesitated when Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer radioed in for information about a roadblock after state police shot and killed Robert “LaVoy” Finicum.

Palmer was on his way south from John Day on Jan. 26 after hearing reports of the traffic stop and shooting, triggered when authorities moved in to arrest leaders of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge takeover.   Continue reading “Grant County sheriff viewed as ‘security leak’ as state seeks investigation”

Reuters

One of the final four militants arrested in the armed occupation of a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon was granted a pretrial release from jail on Friday on condition that she avoid contact with any of her co-defendants, including her husband.

Sandra Anderson, 47, along with her spouse, Sean Anderson, 48; Jeff Banta, 46; and the very last holdout, David Fry, 27; surrendered peacefully to the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Feb. 11, ending a 41-day standoff at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in remote eastern Oregon.   Continue reading “Oregon occupier freed from jail, barred from contact with husband”

Esquire – by David Downs

The Supreme Court of the United States — minus the late Justice Scalia — is set to take up the hot-button issue of marijuana legalization today in a highly watched case. The SCOTUS is hearing a challenge to Colorado legalization from two neighboring states Nebraska and Oklahoma as plaintiffs. The states are arguing that because of legalization, marijuana is unlawfully crossing over their borders. The federal Controlled Substances Act should override state legalization, they argue, under the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution. But SCOTUS is unlikely to take up Nebraska and Oklahoma v. Colorado, watchers say, partially because the plaintiffs’ case is so weak, and partially because one likely supporter of the case, Justice Scalia, is dead.   Continue reading “The U.S. Supreme Court Is Hearing a Huge Marijuana Legalization Case”

Yahoo News

The Apple ID passcode for the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone was changed less than 24 hours after authorities took possession of the device, a senior Apple executive said today.

And Apple could have recovered information from the phone had the Apple ID passcode not been changed, Apple said.   Continue reading “San Bernardino Shooter’s Apple ID Passcode Changed While in Government Possession, Apple Says”

New Zealand Foreign Affairs and Trade

The legally verified text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) was released on 26 January 2016 and can be accessed by chapter below. (This supersedes the version of the TPP text that was initially released by TPP Parties on 5 November 2015.) The French and Spanish language versions of the Agreement were released on this website on 2 February 2016.   Continue reading “Text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership”

First set of four books from Mary: Kevin

Second set of four books from Mary: Ed from Illinois

First CB radio from Mark: EJ Grunt

Second CB radio from Mark: Swifty Lomax

Copper coins and book from Mary: Deb

Congratulations!

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