Reason

Today the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 8-0 in favor of the Asian-American dance-rock band The Slants, holding that the First Amendment protects the rights of the band’s members to register a trademark in their band’s “offensive” name.

At issue in Matal v. Tam was a federal law prohibiting the registration of any trademark that may “disparage…or bring…into contemp[t] or disrepute” any “persons, living or dead.” The Patent and Trademark Office cited this provision in 2011 when it refused to register a trademark in the name of The Slants, thereby denying the band the same protections that federal law extends to countless other musical acts. Justice Samuel Alito led the Court in striking down the censorious rule. “We now hold that this provision violates the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment,” Alito wrote. “It offends a bedrock First Amendment principle: Speech may not be banned on the ground that it expresses ideas that offend.”   Continue reading “In Major Free Speech Victory, SCOTUS Rules for ‘The Slants’ and Strikes Down Federal Trademark Restriction”

Fox News

A grisly claim that 42 bodies were found in a single room in the London apartment tower that caught fire last week has swept the Internet, lending added drama to a horrific story.

The claim stems from J Smith’s YouTube video, and has been picked up by several UK newspapers, though fire officials have not verified it.

Authorities have confirmed that 79 people died in the blaze that started early Wednesday.   Continue reading “London fire: 42 bodies found in one room, video alleges”

US Army 4 Life

Legislators are trying to make the already draconian New York SAFE Act even more absurd.

According to this story from thetruthaboutguns.com, lawmakers from Brooklyn announced two proposed amendments to the package of firearms laws would limit how much ammunition New York residents could buy at a time.   Continue reading “NY Lawmakers: Limit Ammo Purchases To 20 Rounds Every 90 Days”

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Archive: TWFTT 6-19-17

RT

US defense contractor Lockheed Martin is in the final stages of negotiating a multibillion-dollar deal to sell a record 440 F-35 fighter jets to a group of 11 countries including the United States; Reuters reports.

The contract will be the biggest yet for the F-35 jets and will consist of three tranches over fiscal years 2018-2020.

According to people familiar with the talks, the pricing of the jets is not final, although the average price of the 440 jets was expected to be $85 million each.   Continue reading “Lockheed Martin about to close $37bn+ deal for F-35 jets”

RT

Saudi Arabia has detained three members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards near the offshore Marjan oil field, the Saudi Information Ministry has said in a statement. The military reportedly seized a boat packed with “weapons for [a] subversive purpose.”

The incident happened on Friday, when three boats entered Saudi territorial waters and headed towards offshore structures at the oilfield, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Monday, citing an official source.   Continue reading “Saudi Arabia detains three members of Iranian elite forces”

Mail.com

BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel says that the United States is “an important part” of the Group of 20 summit, which her country is hosting next month, and that “they will be most welcome by the German government despite all differences in opinion.”

Despite the warm words, Merkel, who was speaking at a pre-summit event in Hamburg on Monday, nonetheless renewed her criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to pull the U.S. out of the Paris climate accord, which she called a “bitter blow.”   Continue reading “Merkel says US ‘most welcome’ at G20 summit in Germany”

Mail.com

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Islamic extremists who stormed a resort area in Mali popular with foreigners killed five people, including a Portuguese soldier who had been serving in the European Union mission to stabilize this West African country wracked by mounting extremism, authorities said Monday.

The death toll rose after a Malian soldier who was wounded in the Sunday afternoon attack died of his injuries. Three civilians — a Chinese citizen, a Malian, and a French-Gabonese dual national — also were slain in the worst terror attack to strike Bamako since late 2015.   Continue reading “5 killed in jihadi attack on Mali resort outside capital”

New York Post – by Marisa Schultz

WASHINGTON — A Republican congressman who survived the horrific baseball shooting will offer legislation this week to allow lawmakers to carry guns throughout the nation’s capital.

“I’m going to be introducing legislation this week … to allow congressmen to carry a sidearm, should they so desire,” Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) told Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.”
Continue reading “Congressman To Push Bill That Lets Lawmakers Carry Guns”

The Daily Caller – by Amber Randall

Chicago experienced a bloody Father’s Day weekend with more than 50 people shot as the city still struggles with its violence.

Fifty-seven people suffered gunshot injuries and nine people died from Friday evening to Sunday night, reports DNA Info. Thirteen people were shot in a three-hour period alone.

A 16-year-old boy died while walking standing on the side of the street Sunday. A person inside a car shot him while driving by. The boy was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital where he later died from his wounds, police said.   Continue reading “Chicago Celebrates Father’s Day With More Than 50 People Shot”

End of American Dream – by Michael Snyder

Is it possible that the Yellowstone supervolcano is gearing up for a major eruption? If you follow my work on a regular basis, then you already know that I spend a lot of time documenting how the crust of our planet is becoming increasingly unstable. Most of this shaking is taking place far away from the continental United States, and so most Americans are not too concerned about it. But we should be concerned about it, because a major seismic event could change all of our lives in a single instant. For instance, a full-blown eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano would have the potential of being an E.L.E. (extinction level event). That is why it is so alarming that there have been 296 earthquakes in the vicinity of the Yellowstone supervolcano within the last 7 days. Scientists are trying to convince us that everything is going to be okay, but there are others that are not so sure.   Continue reading “There Have Been 296 Earthquakes In The Vicinity Of The Yellowstone Supervolcano Within The Last 7 Days”

CNN

Paris (CNN)An armed man who deliberately rammed his car into a police van in Paris on Monday afternoon has been taken down by officers and is dead, French authorities said.

The incident took place on the iconic Champs-Elysees boulevard in central Paris, the latest attack this year against security forces in the French capital.

Continue reading “Car rams police van on Champs-Elysees, armed suspect dead”

The Guardian – by Katherine J Cramer

Joe’s voice takes on a mocking tone.

“You gotta quit driving!” he says. “Don’t drive as much.” He rolls his eyes and looks around at his pals, a handful of them perched on moulded plastic lawn chairs in a tiny town in central Wisconsin. He’s talking about the way city people look down on rural folks like himself. In his normal voice he adds: “You gotta drive 20 miles to work? You can’t cut that in half.”   Continue reading “The great American fallout: how small towns came to resent cities”

NPR – by Maggie Penman

Thousands of people marched in the capital Kiev Sunday in support of LGBT rights and equality in Ukraine. The marchers were joined by several foreign diplomats and politicians in what organizers say is the largest Pride event the country has seen yet.

The annual Gay Pride parade is in just its fourth year in Kiev, and has twice been marred by violence. In 2015, clashes broke out between the pride supporters and protesters from far-right groups, who threw flares and injured two police officers. This year, the parade was flanked by a heavy police presence in riot gear. Despite a small group of protesters at the start, the parade was able to continue safely.   Continue reading “Organizer Says Pride Parade In Kiev More Of A ‘Celebration’ This Year”

THE WIND FIELD COULD EFFECT AREAS WEST AND NORTH FOR MANY MILES.

DISTURBANCE 6 is 21.5N 86.5 W or approx. 40miles NNE of Cancun MX.

Movement it to N at 10mph. Max tropical storm winds now reach out to 180miles.

Chances of further development are at 90%, but confidence in the forecast is still low, too many variables as yet.   Continue reading “Latest Storm Information Texas Coastline Landfall Corpus Christi”