From the Trenches World Report

Sacramento Bee – by RUSSELL CONTRERAS

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Federal agents paid a struggling addict in crack cocaine for his help with an undercover investigation into a Las Vegas, New Mexico drug operation, a new lawsuit claims.

According to court papers filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque, Aaron Romero, 38, was approached by DEA agents in 2011 to assist with drug deals in exchange for portions of the drugs obtained by authorities. But Romero’s participation in “Operation Smack City” reignited a previous crack addiction as he became a victim of recklessness on behalf of DEA agents, causing severe emotional and physical harm, the lawsuit said.   Continue reading “Lawsuit: DEA paid New Mexico man with crack”

Washington Post – by Radley Balko

A couple of themes we explore here at The Watch are the increasing criminalization of just about everything and the use of the criminal justice system to address problems that were once (and better) handled by families, friends, communities and other institutions.A few examples from recent headlines show those themes intersecting with parenthood.

The first story comes from South Carolina, where a mother was jailed and charged with “unlawful conduct toward a child” for . . . leaving her 9-year-old daughter alone to play in a park. Lenore Skenazy of “Free Range Kids”comments:

Continue reading “And now: The criminalization of parenthood”

MassPrivateI

Integrating unmanned flight systems (UAV’s) into use for domestic surveillance can provide first responders with key information in responding to fires, earthquakes and man-made disasters, said John Hill, director of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.

Professor Richard Baker, director of ISU’s Center for Unmanned Systems and Human Capital Development, said the expo is designed to bring civilian and military organizations together, as each “has some technology, or equipment or capability that can help in an area of domestic response for disasters, either man-made or natural.” Continue reading “DHS wants to use UAV’s as hearses to transport the dead”

ABC News – by NEDRA PICKLER Associated Press

The White House is defying a congressional subpoena by keeping a top political aide to President Barack Obama from testifying at a hearing Wednesday, setting up a potential new legal battle in this midterm election year.

The White House argued that Obama adviser David Simas is immune from the “extraordinary demand” of being forced to testify before the House Oversight Committee as part of its investigation into the White House Office of Political Strategy and Outreach, which he directs.   Continue reading “White House Defying Aide’s Congressional Subpoena”

The Blaze – by Jason Howerton

The Internet is relentlessly mocking Rolling Stone’s new photo slideshow outlining the “5 most dangerous guns in America,” with one reader calling it “maybe the worst piece of journalism of all-time.” Making the publication’s list are pistols, revolvers, rifles, shotguns, and even Derringers.

As one commenter asks, “what’s left?” Here’s Rolling Stone’s list, starting with the “most dangerous.”   Continue reading “See Why Rolling Stone’s List of ‘Most Dangerous Guns’ Is Being Called ‘Maybe the Worst Piece of Journalism of All-Time’”

NC Renegade – by David DeGerolamo

Under Arizona state law, it is a felony to introduce disease into the state:

13-2912. Unlawful introduction of disease or parasite; classification

A. It is unlawful for a person to knowingly introduce into this state a disease or parasite of animals or poultry that constitutes a threat to:

1. Livestock or poultry industry in this state.
2. Human health.
3. Human life.   Continue reading “The Federal Government Must Arrest President Obama for Recklessly Endangering the Entire Country by the Intentional Release of Communicable Diseases”

Times of Israel – by ARON DÓNZIS AND HAVIV RETTIG GUR

Two weeks after the brutal slaying of East Jerusalem teen Muhammed Abu Khdeir, and nearly 10 days after the apprehension of seven suspects in his killing, the Shin Bet security service released the results of its investigation Monday, including a complete timeline of events on the night of Abu Khdeir’s killing.

Of the seven people arrested, four were released to house arrest July 10 after police determined they had not taken part in the killing, despite being linked to those suspected in the crime. The three primary suspects, who are related to one another, were remanded in custody on Monday.

Continue reading “‘Suspects hit Abu Khdeir with a tire iron before burning him’”

Khaosad

BANGKOK — Protesters rallied in front of the Israel Embassy in Bangkok today to voice their anger over Israeli air strikes in Gaza, despite the Thai military junta’s ban on public gatherings.

The activists, many of whom were Muslim, held up signs denouncing Israel’s operations in the Gaza Strip and burned Israel’s national flag.  

“Jews is terrorists [sic]” one placard read. “I hate Jews. They are murderers,” proclaimed another.   Continue reading “Demonstrators Burn Israeli Flags At Embassy Protest in Bangkok”

Alt-Market – by Brandon Smith

In the mid-sixties at the height of the “social revolution” the line between democratic benevolence and outright communism became rather blurry. The Democratic Party, which controlled the presidency and both houses of Congress, was used as the springboard by social engineers to introduce a new era of welfare initiatives enacted in the name of “defending the poor”, also known as the “Great Society Programs”. These initiatives, however, were driven by far more subversive and extreme motivations, and have been expanded on by every presidency since, Republican and Democrat alike.   Continue reading “Is The Cloward-Piven Strategy Being Used To Destroy America?”

Breitbart – by AWR Hawkins

On July 14 citizens carrying American flags, Gadsden flags, and signs saying, “Seal Border” marched through Vassar, Michigan, in protest of the “invasion” by illegal immigrants and plans to house Central American children there.

Some of those who took part in the march also carried “semi-automatic rifles.”

According to the Detroit News, “the demonstrators… marched one mile, from city hall to a social services facility that would house the young undocumented immigrants.”   Continue reading “Armed Citizens Gather in Michigan, Protest ‘Invasion’ of Illegal Immigrants”

RT

Fourteen different rice paddies outside of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant evacuation zone were contaminated with radioactive material in August 2013, Japan’s agriculture ministry has found.

Despite the findings – which blamed the removal of a large piece of debris from the Fukushima No. 3 reactor building for the contamination – Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) is moving ahead with plans to remove more highly radioactive debris from the No. 1 reactor building later this month.   Continue reading “TEPCO failed to disclose crops over 20KM from Fukushima were contaminated”

The New American – by Ralph R. Reiland

Here’s a recent — and supposedly racist — message from the labor union that represents U.S. border patrol agents, as posted by the governing National Border Patrol Council: “New annual job rating areas: Babysitting, Diaper Changing, Burrito Wrapping, Cleaning cells. Law Enforcement? What’s that?”

The message was designed to acknowledge and publicize the frustration and anger of border patrol agents who’ve been pulled from their job of providing border enforcement and apprehending people who are illegally entering the United States and, instead, been assigned to multiple tasks of homemaking.   Continue reading “National Border Patrol Council: “Law Enforcement? What’s That?””

The Guardian

A man was saved by his laptop after a crossbow bolt was fired at him, before being wounded in the head with an axe on his driveway on the NSW central coast.

Police have charged a 49-year-old man with attempted murder over the attack, which took place on Tuesday afternoon.

Police say the 56-year-old victim was carrying a laptop on his driveway in Somersby when a man shot a loaded crossbow at him. When the bolt hit the man’s laptop, the attacker ran at the 56-year-old, striking him in the head with an axe.   Continue reading “Man saved by laptop and passerby after crossbow attack”

BGR – by Brad Reed

Comcast didn’t earn its reputation as America’s Worst Company overnight — it took years and years of hard work. From offering customers ridiculously overpriced bundle packages, to having the highest fees among any of its competitors, to offering some of the absolute worst customer service of any company in the United States, Comcast has toiled away tirelessly to perfect its craft of angering its own customers, who have little choice but to stick with the cable giant due to the sorry state of America’s home broadband market.   Continue reading “Comcast’s brilliant new way to retain subscribers: Refuse to let them cancel”

The Economic Collapse – by Michael Snyder

When scientists start using phrases such as “the worst drought” and “as bad as you can imagine” to describe what is going on in the western half of the country, you know that things are bad.  Thanks to an epic drought that never seems to end, we are witnessing the beginning of a water crisis that most people never even dreamed was possible in this day and age.  The state of California is getting ready to ban people from watering their lawns and washing their cars, but if this drought persists we will eventually see far more extreme water conservation measures than that.  And the fact that nearly half of all of the produce in America comes out of the state of California means that ultimately this drought is going to deeply affect all of us.  Food prices have already been rising at an alarming rate, and the longer this drought goes on the higher they will go.   Continue reading “20 Signs The Epic Drought In The Western United States Is Starting To Become Apocalyptic”