From the Trenches World Report

Activist Post – by Phil Coffers

In 2011, Consumers Digest predicted that “Smart” Meters “represents little more than a boondoggle that is being foisted on consumers by the politically influential companies”:   “Why Smart Meters Might Be a Dumb Idea.”

So it’s not all that surprising that so far – hundreds of thousands of “Smart” Meters have been recalled and/or replaced throughout North America due to various reasons including fires, explosions, general failure, and measurement errors.  There are utility companies who are already making plans to replace hundreds of thousands more.   Continue reading ““Smart” Meters: Recalls, Replacements, Fires, Explosions, General Failure, Measurement Errors, Privacy Concerns, Cybersecurity Risks, and Sick People”

Zero Hedge – by Tyler Durden

Update: It’s past 10 pm in Moscow, and while many didn’t expect a response from the Russian government to the news of its Winter Olympics ban, a representative from Russian state television said it will not broadcast the Winter Olympics unless its national team is allowed to compete, according to Interfax.

Meanwhile, the president of the Russian skating union says the IOC decision to ban Russia from the Olympics is offensive and insulting, and will ultimately harm the Olympic movement.   Continue reading “Russia Says Won’t Broadcast Winter Olympics After National Team Barred From 2018 Games”

RT

Donald Trump has informed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of his intention to move the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, a spokesperson for Abbas said. The Palestinian president told Trump the move would have “dangerous consequences.”

“President Mahmoud Abbas received a telephone call from U.S. President Donald Trump in which he notified the President (Abbas) of his intention to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem,” spokesman Nabil Abu Rdainah said in a statement, which did not specify when the move could happen.    Continue reading “Trump informs Abbas of intention to move US Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem”

Mail.com

WASHINGTON (AP) — His vote likely to decide the outcome, Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy voiced competing concerns Tuesday about respecting the religious beliefs of a Colorado baker who wouldn’t make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple, and the gay couple’s dignity.

Kennedy, the author of all the court’s major gay-rights cases, worried early in a riveting argument at the high court that a ruling in favor of baker Jack Phillips might allow shop owners to put up signs saying “We do not bake cakes for gay weddings.”   Continue reading “Kennedy wrestles with wedding cake case at Supreme Court”

Mail.com

WASHINGTON (AP) — Arrests at border crossings plunged to a 45-year low, but detentions by deportation officers away from the U.S.-Mexico border soared during President Donald Trump’s first months in office, as his efforts to overhaul the nation’s immigration system took effect.

In all, the Border Patrol made 310,531 arrests during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, a decline of 25 percent from a year earlier and the lowest level since 1971. But U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, whose officers pick up people for deportation, made 143,470 arrests, an increase of 25 percent. After Trump took office, ICE arrests surged 40 percent from the same period a year earlier.   Continue reading “Border arrests drop, deportations soar in Trump’s first year”

Mail.com

DETROIT (AP) — Besieged by allegations of sexual harassment, Democratic Rep. John Conyers resigned from Congress on Tuesday, bringing an abrupt end to the Detroit liberal’s nearly 52-year career in the House.

The 88-year-old civil rights leader becomes the highest-ranking figure on Capitol Hill to be brought down by the sexual misconduct allegations that have toppled powerful men in Hollywood, the media and politics in recent weeks.   Continue reading “Conyers resigns from Congress amid harassment allegations”

SHTF Plan – by Mac Slavo

Just as it appears that Madagascar is slowly containing their outbreak of the air-borne plague, South Africa is hit with Listeriosis. The food-borne illness has killed 36 people so far.

Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said a total of 557 cases had been detected this year alone and at least 36 people have died in the last 11 months. According to Times Live,the country usually records 60-80 cases a year. “Most cases have been reported from Gauteng province,” Motsoaledi said‚ adding that the province had accounted for 345 or 62% of the cases reported. The Western Cape had the second-most reported cases, at 71, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 37 cases. “As you can see the three provinces alone are responsible for 82% of the total cases. The remaining 18% is distributed in the remaining six provinces‚” Motsoaledi said.   Continue reading “Outbreak Alert: 36 DEAD In South Africa Of Food-Borne Disease Listeriosis”

The Ron Paul Institute – by Ron Paul

Do we need a third major political party? I often joke that I’d be happy if we actually had a second party, as when it comes to the big issues – war, monetary policy, civil liberties – the Republicans and Democrats are more alike than different. Perhaps that’s why a recent NBC News poll has found that nearly two-thirds of young people surveyed do not believe either the Republicans or Democrats are doing a good job and that a third major political party is needed.   Continue reading “Good News: Young Americans Want a New Political Party”

The Newspaper

A New York motorist imprisoned after being falsely accused of driving under the influence (DUI) settled his case against the Pennsylvania State Police. Wilfredo Ramos Jr spent 158 days behind bars despite repeatedly testing free from drugs or alcohol.

The trouble began on the evening of June 16, 2014, while Ramos was passing through Upper Macungie Township on State Route 100. Pennsylvania trooper Justin M. Summa spotted the New York plates on the 2010 Toyota Corolla Ramos was driving and decided to pull him over. Not knowing why he was being stopped, Ramos complied, handing the officer his valid New York license and registration.   Continue reading “Pennsylvania Cops Settle After Sober Man Jailed For DUI”

Zero Hedge – by Tyler Durden

Over the weekend we noted that Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s top FBI investigator into ‘Russian meddling’, agent Peter Strzok, was removed from the probe due to the discovery of anti-Trump text messages exchanged with a colleague (a colleague whom he also happened to be having an extra-marital affair with).

Not surprisingly, the discovery prompted a visceral response from Trump via Twitter:  Continue reading “Dismissed FBI Agent Is One Who Changed Hillary Email Scandal Language From “Grossly Negligent” To “Extremely Careless””

Fox News

A police officer in San Marcos, Texas, was shot and killed Monday afternoon when he was serving a warrant, police said.

Officer Ken Copeland, a veteran of the San Marcos Police Department since March 1998, was serving a warrant in the El Camino Real subdivison of the city when he was fatally shot, Police Chief Chase Stapp confirmed during a press conference Monday night.  Continue reading “Texas cop shot dead in line of duty while serving warrant”