From the Trenches World Report

Navy Times – by Jeff Schogol

The U.S. has a massive force of ships and aircraft in the Persian Gulf for the air campaign against the Islamic State in Iraq.

The first airstrikes against the Islamic State were carried out by two aircraft from the aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush, which is in the Persian Gulf along with the amphibious assault ship Bataan; the amphibious dock landing ship Gunston Hall; the cruiser Philippine Sea; and the destroyers Arleigh Burke, O’Kane and Roosevelt, according to the Defense Department. Continue reading “More than 100 aircraft, 8 ships ready for Iraq air campaign”

Police State USA

OAKLAND, CA — An officer who violently attacked a group of civilians — including an incapacitated man bleeding from a head injury and the people who tried to help him — has been reinstated to the department with back pay for the nearly 3 years of missed work.   Continue reading “Oakland officer reinstated with back pay after throwing grenade at unconscious man, bystanders”

Cop Block – by Pete Eyer

It’s occurred yet again – another instance of puppycide. This time, in Lancaster, PA, about 80-miles west of Philly.

Meredith Wilterdink, who works at a nearby eatery, described the scene:The dog’s owner said the use of deadly force was unwarranted. Multiple witnesses echoed that sentiment, including one many who physically tried to stand between the police employees and the dog.   Continue reading “Puppycide – the “Service” From A Still-Unnamed Lancaster PA Police Employee”

The Baltimore Sun – by David Beasley

ATLANTA (Reuters) – Three homeless people in Atlanta have died of tuberculosis infections as Georgia public health officials work to contain an outbreak affecting shelters, state authorities said on Friday.

The outbreak has infected 47 people, including two volunteers, linked to four shelters in Atlanta’s Fulton County, said Nancy Nydam, a spokeswoman for the Georgia Department of Public Health. Continue reading “Atlanta confronts tuberculosis outbreak in homeless shelters”

Contra Corner – by David Stockman

The late, great critic of the American Imperium, Chalmers Johnson, popularized the salient concept of “blowback”. That is, the notion that if you bomb, drone, invade, desecrate and slaughter—collaterally or otherwise— a people and their lands, they might find ways to return the favor.

But even Johnson could not have imagined the kind of blowback coming ferociously Washington’s way now. Namely, the mayhem being visited on much of Iraq by American tanks, armored personnel carriers, heavy artillery, anti-aircraft batteries and other advanced weaponry that has fallen into the hands of the very jihadist radicals that have been the ostensible target of Washington’s entire multi-trillion “war on terrorism”.   Continue reading “Washington Opened The Gates Of Hell In Iraq: Now Come The Furies”

Dark Reading – by Kelly Jackson Higgins

LAS VEGAS — Black Hat USA — A Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) system at airport security checkpoints contains default backdoor passwords, and one of the devices running at the San Francisco Airport was sitting on the public Internet.

Renowned security researcher Billy Rios, who is director of threat intelligence at Qualys, Wednesday here at Black Hat USA gave details on security weaknesses he discovered in both the Morpho Detection Itemiser 3 trace-explosives and residue detection system, and the Kronos 4500 time clock system used by TSA agents to clock in and out with their fingerprints, which could allow an attacker to easily gain user access to the devices.   Continue reading “TSA Checkpoint Systems Found Exposed On The Net”

Concealed Nation – by Maureen

The Wall Street Journal recently published an article about smaller restaurant chains welcoming gun owners into their businesses.  Although many larger national chains such as Chili’s Grill and Bar, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Starbucks, and Sonic are prohibiting guns (or asking customers to leave them at home), many independent restaurants are particularly welcoming to armed patrons, whether in a concealed or open manner.  Some restaurants post signs saying that guns are welcome, while others even offer discounts to customers who arrive armed.   Continue reading “More And More Smaller Restaurant Chains Welcoming Gun Owners Into Their Businesses”

Concealed Nation – by Brandon

And some say that citizens aren’t responsible enough to own firearms in a safe way. Here is a bit of proof that illustrates that the 4 Rules of Gun Safety is to be followed by everyone at all times, regardless of your background with firearms.

The off-duty Metropolitan Transportation Authority police officer has been identified through our sources as Jon Gigantiello, and this incident is being called an accident A NEGLIGENT DISCHARGE. Before I even get into the specifics of this incident, let’s be perfectly clear that ‘accidental discharges’ do not ever happen. If a firearm goes off unintentionally, it is called a negligent discharge. There needs to be a stronger emphasis on this, as wording plays an important role in the public perception of firearms. You cannot be injured from a firearm going off by having an accident. You can however, be injured from a firearm if you are negligent.   Continue reading “Off-duty NY Cop Accidentally Shoots Himself And His 3-year-old Son While Unloading Firearm”

Guns Save Lives – by Dan Cannon

Rep. Mike Honda, a Democrat in the California state legislature, wants to ban body armor in the Golden State.

According to press release on Honda’s website,

Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA17) today introduced the Responsible Body Armor Possession Act of 2014, which allows law enforcement to respond to active shooters more effectively. It accomplishes this by prohibiting the sale, purchase, use, or possession of enhanced military-grade body armor by anyone who is not a member of law enforcement, active duty military, or other authorized users. Continue reading “California Rep. Wants to Ban Body Armor For Civilians”

Guns Save Lives – by Dan Cannon

First off, as ludicrous as this sounds, it is not a joke. Former White House Press secretary James Brady (the namesake of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence) has just been ruled a homicide.

NBC News is reporting the following,

The death of James Brady — President Ronald Reagan’s press secretary who was wounded in the attempt on Reagan’s life in March 1981 — was a homicide, the District of Columbia medical examiner ruled Friday. Continue reading “(Not a Joke) James Brady’s Death at Age 73 Ruled Gun Homicide From 1981 Shooting”

Daily Mail – by Will Payne

The Sheriff leading the investigation into the brutal slaying of a Border Control Agent by two illegal immigrants has revealed local farmers in his county have reported spotting gangs of armed Mexicans ‘in military fatigues’ marching through their fields.

Sheriff Larry Spence’s department played a key role in catching Ismael Hernandez and Gustavo Tijerina after they allegedly gunned down hero officer Javier Vega Jr. in front of his mother, father, wife and three sons while they were on a family fishing trip.   Continue reading “Sheriff leading probe into murder of Border Patrol agent claims armed illegal immigrants in military fatigues have been spotted on Texas ranches”

Yahoo

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia further tightened its control of the Internet on Friday, requiring people using public Wifi hotspots provide identification, a policy that prompted anger from bloggers and confusion among telecom operators on how it would work.

The decree, signed by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on July 31 but published online on Friday, also requires companies to declare who is using their web networks. The legislation caught many in the industry by surprise and companies said it was not clear how it would be enforced.   Continue reading “Russia demands Internet users show ID to access public Wifi”

Yahoo News – by Noelle Swan

An overwhelming majority of Americans believe undocumented immigrants pose a threat to the American way of life, according to a new poll.

Some 70 percent of Americans and 86 percent of Republicans believe that undocumented immigrants threaten traditional US beliefs and customs, according to an online Reuters/Ipsos poll released Thursday. Nearly two-thirds of respondents – 63 percent – said that undocumented immigrants place undue burden on the US economy.  Continue reading “70 percent of Americans see immigration as threat to American way of life”