From the Trenches World Report

Mail.com

WASHINGTON (AP) — Reports of sexual assaults by members of the military rose 50 percent after the Pentagon began a vigorous campaign to get more victims to come forward, prompting defense officials to order a greater focus on prevention programs, including plans to review alcohol sales and policies.

But officials are still unhappy with the low number of male victims who reported sexual assault, and they say there will be a greater emphasis in the months ahead on getting men to come forward and seek help. Final data obtained by The Associated Press show that about 14 percent of the reports filed last year involved male victims.   Continue reading “Military sex assault claims up 50 pct”

Mail.com

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — A Montana man is accused of setting a trap and blindly blasting a shotgun into his garage, killing a 17-year-old German exchange student. A Minnesota man is convicted of lying in wait in his basement for two teenagers and killing them during a break-in.

The two recent cases take the “stand your ground” debate to a new level: Do laws that allow private citizens to protect their property also let them set a trap and wait for someone to kill? “We don’t want it to be easy to be able to prosecute people. But we want to be able to hold individuals accountable when they have stepped outside the bounds of society,” David LaBahn, president of the Washington, D.C.-based Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, said Wednesday.

Continue reading “‘Stand your ground’ law tested in recent shootings”

Starving the Monkeys

I have kept quiet about the evolving Bundy situation because, simply, everything that has been needed to be said about this evolution has already been well said by others. I choose to not comment about who should do or should have done what and when. 

Instead, I want to discuss the paradox faced by the federal government in this, the latest SWAT-style kabuki of their own creation, and what their alternatives are, now that it has grown out of control of the original simple-minded script: “Hey, fellas, let’s gear up and put that hayseed rancher in his place.” Oops.
Continue reading “The Bundy Paradox”

Fuel Fix – by Jennifer A. Dlouhy

WASHINGTON — Legislation to fast track U.S. natural gas exports moved one step closer to House passage on Wednesday, after modifications brokered by a Houston Democrat.

On a mostly party line vote of 33-18, the Energy and Commerce Committee approved the bill that would force the Energy Department to make a decision on applications to sell natural gas overseas within 90 days. That would, for the first time, impose a deadline on the Energy Department’s currently open-ended process of determining whether proposed exports to most nations are in the public interest.   Continue reading “Houston Democrat brokers deal to advance US gas export bill”

Oil and Gas Journal

The US oil and gas industry recorded its highest volume of first quarter mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in more than a decade, PwC US Energy Practice said in an Apr. 30 report on transactions with value greater than $50 million. The movement was a result of rising upstream activities and increased interest from foreign entities.

Forty-three oil and gas deals with values greater than $50 million occurred through Mar. 31, accounting for $19.8 billion, compared with 41 deals in last year’s first quarter (OGJ Online, May 6, 2013). The first-quarter 2014 total included five megadeals, representing $10.1 billion, compared with eight megadeals worth $19.7 billion in first-quarter 2013.   Continue reading “US Mergers & Acquisitions activity reaches highest 1Q volume in more than a decade”

Tech Dirt – by Tim Cushing

It looks like the American public won’t be getting any answers on the government’s extrajudicial killings any time soon. An intelligence bill that passed the Senate late last year contained a stipulation requiring the administration to provide statistics on drone strikes, including number of combatants and noncombatants killed or injured in these strikes. That requirement has now been excised, thanks to the efforts of Sens. Feinstein and Chambliss and their buddy at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, as Spencer Ackerman reports.   Continue reading “Feinstein And Chambliss Let James Clapper Talk Them Out Of Requiring Transparency On The Administration’s Drone Strikes”

Huffington Post – by Laura Bassett

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam (R) signed a bill into law on Tuesday that is the first law in the country to authorize the arrest and incarceration of women who use drugs while pregnant. Reproductive and civil rights advocates had strongly urged Haslam to veto the legislation.

“I understand the concerns about this bill, and I will be monitoring the impact of the law through regular updates with the court system and health professionals,” Haslam said in a statement.   Continue reading “Tennessee Enacts Law To Incarcerate Pregnant Women Who Use Drugs”

The National Patriot – by Craig Andresen

Things are happening. Many things, stupid things, nonsense things and they’re happening at a rapid pace. Note of these things needs to be taken.

The BLM standoff at Bunkerville from which the BLM and this absurd federal administration had to retreat with their collective tails between their legs.

Harry Reid calling those who stood to defend a rancher…”Domestic terrorists.”   Continue reading “Is Obama’s Criminal Regime Facing Collapse?”

ABC News – by KAMI DIMITROVA

At least two people have died with more than 150 others injured after a gas explosion at a Florida jail, authorities said, tying the blast to recent flooding in the region.

The explosion happened around midnight at the Escambia County Central Booking and Detention Facility in Pensacola, county spokeswoman Kathleen Dough-Castro said.   Continue reading “2 Dead, More Than 150 Injured In Florida Jail Explosion”

Reuters – by Jennifer Dobner

(Reuters) – A congressman is calling for a probe into the activities of armed militiamen who are supporting a Nevada cattleman in a high profile showdown with federal authorities over grazing rights, citing allegations they set up armed checkpoints on local roads.

Rancher Cliven Bundy of Bunkerville became a symbol for conservative Republicans in April, particularly among the Tea Party movement, for his longstanding defiance of court orders to remove his cattle from federal land.   Continue reading “Nevada Congressman seeks probe of armed militia operations at Bundy ranch”

Canada Free Press – by Alan Caruba

April seems to be the month in which the Supreme Court devotes itself to decisions that have no basis in real science and can do maximum damage to the economy. Invariably, the cases are brought against the Environmental Protection Agency and are decided in its favor.

In April 2007, the Court decided that carbon dioxide, the second most essential gas for all life on the planet was “a pollutant”, the definition the EPA had applied to it in order to regulate it. Now comes word that the Court had concluded that the EPA may regulate power-plant emissions that blow across state lines as per a 2011 regulation, the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule. Not content having put nearly 150 or more coal-fired power plants out of commission, the Court’s rule now gives them the authority to do the same thing to about a thousand power plants in the eastern and western regions of the U.S. that will have to adopt new pollution controls or reduce operations.

Continue reading “The Supreme Court Helps the EPA Shut Off Electricity in America”

Washington’s Blog

“We Are No Longer a Nation Ruled By Laws”

Pulitzer prize winning reporter Chris Hedges – along with journalist Naomi Wolf, Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg, activist  Tangerine Bolen and others – sued the government to join the NDAA’s allowance of the indefinite detention of Americans.

The trial judge in the case asked the government attorneys 5 times whether journalists like Hedges could be indefinitely detained simply for interviewing and then writing about bad guys.   Continue reading “Supreme Court Refuses to Uphold the Constitution: Allows Indefinite Detention”

Yahoo News

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Flights to and from airports in the Los Angeles area were grounded for more than an hour Wednesday due to a computer failure at an air traffic control facility in the region, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

The problems rippled nationwide. Dozens of planes heading into the region were diverted elsewhere, and flights scheduled to take off to the Los Angeles area were held on the ground across the country.   Continue reading “Computer issues delay flights in Los Angeles”