From the Trenches World Report

MassPrivateI

The Brennan Center for Justice report: What The Government Does With Americans’ Data

Federal and state agencies must maintain databases to carry out legitimate governmental purposes, including the provision of services, the management of law enforcement investigations, and intelligence and counterterrorism functions. In addition, where law enforcement agencies have reasonable suspicion of possible criminal activity or intelligence components are acquiring information on foreign targets and activity, they must retain information to track investigations, carry out lawful intelligence functions, and ensure that innocent people are not repeatedly targeted.   Continue reading “What the U.S. gov’t. does with Americans’ data”

ABC News – by MATTHEW DALY Associated Press

Under pressure from governors, the Obama administration said Thursday it will allow some shuttered national parks to reopen — as long as states use their own money to pay for park operations.

Governors in at least four states have asked for authority to reopen national parks within their borders because of the economic impacts caused by the park closures. All 401 national park units — including such icons as the Grand Canyon and Yosemite and Zion national parks — have been closed since Oct. 1 because of the partial government shutdown. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees have been furloughed, and lawmakers from both parties have complained that park closures have wreaked havoc on nearby communities that depend on tourism.   Continue reading “Feds Will Let States Pay to Reopen National Parks”

Town Hall – by Nicole Bailey

A bill attempting to authorize the use of America’s full military force against Iran is being introduced to Congress on Thursday by Rep. Franks (R-AZ).

Franks argues that the bill, which offers advance consent to President Obama to strike Iran, would give the U.S. the edge it needs in diplomatic negotiations. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) agrees; he has indicated in the past that he would support such an authorization in case the negotiations fail. According to some sources, Graham has already co-sponsored the bill.   Continue reading “Another War? New Bill to Authorize Military Force Against Iran”

World Events and the Bible

WEB Notes: Make a good note of this article. Why did the United States block aid to Egypt?Because of the crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood. NOT because Christians are being killed and their churches destroyed by Muslims. Are you still sure your president is a “Christian”?    Continue reading “Obama cuts military aid to Egypt over continuing crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood”

World Events and the Bible

WEB Notes: Issues like this separate the real Christians from the pretenders. So which are you? Will you stand with your Father against those who break His laws and want you to be an accomplice to it? Or will you try to rationalize murder in your mind so your little world isn’t upset? Christ died on the Cross for you, how big of a sacrifice are you willing to make for Him?

(World Tribune) – Christians need to engage in peaceful civil disobedience against President Obama’s signature health care law.   Continue reading “Christians with a Conscience Cannot Abide Obamacare”

Before It’s News

Bitter Government Dismantles Drinking Fountains On Federal Land

How Low can they go?

The Guardian – by Sadhbh Walshe

Are Americans dumb? This is a question that has been debated by philosophers, begrudging foreigners and late night TV talk show hosts for decades. Anyone who has ever watched the Tonight Show’s “Jaywalking” segment in which host Jay Leno stops random passersby and asks them rudimentary questions like “What is Julius Caesar famous for?” (Answer: “Um, is it the salad?”) might already have made their minds up on this issue. But for those of you who prefer to reserve judgement until definitive proof is on hand, then I’m afraid I have some depressing news. America does indeed have a problem in the smarts department and it appears to be getting worse, not better.   Continue reading “Are Americans Dumb? No, It’s The Inequality, Stupid”

Wired – by DAVID KRAVETS

The President Barack Obama administration has “chilled the flow of information on issues of great public interest,” according to a Thursday report that amounts to an indictment of the president’s campaign pledge of a more open government.

The report from the Committee to Protect Journalists, a non-profit dedicated to global press freedoms, said Obama has “fallen short” on his promises of a transparent government while at the same time forging ahead with an unprecedented effort — the “most aggressive” since the President Richard M. Nixon administration —  to silence government officials and the media at large.   Continue reading “Obama’s Efforts to Control Media Are ‘Most Aggressive’ Since Nixon, Report Says”

RT News

Nearly two dozen of the commentators who appeared on major media outlets to discuss a possible US military strike on Syria had relationships with contractors and other organizations with a vested interest in the conflict, according to a new report.

The Public Accountability Initiative, a non-profit research group dedicated to “investigating power and corruption at the heights of business and government,” determined that 22 of  the pundits who spoke to the media during the public debate over whether the US should bomb Syria appeared to have conflicts of interest. Seven think tanks with murky affiliations were also involved in the debate.   Continue reading “US media failed to cite pundits’ ties to defense industry in Syria strike debate”

MSNBC – by Morgan Whitaker

Congress has suffered from increasingly lower approval ratings during the now eight-day long government shutdown, and on Tuesday we got some new comparisons to help put that into perspective. As new  poll finds that Congress is less popular than hemorrhoids, potholes, and even dog poop.

Those are the findings of the latest survey from Public Policy Polling, which also found that Congress’s approval rating is a dismal 8%, with a whopping 86% of Americans disapproving of their work.   Continue reading “Congress less popular than dog poop, more so than Miley Cyrus, twerking”

Reuters – by Teresa Carson

(Reuters) – A Canadian environmentalist pleaded guilty on Thursday to setting a string of fires across the U.S. West that torched a ski resort and other buildings in what the Justice Department has called the “largest eco-terrorism case” in U.S. history.

Rebecca Rubin, who surrendered to authorities a year ago after a decade on the run, was accused of helping the Earth Liberation Front and Animal Liberation Front carry out 20 acts of arson across several U.S. states between 1996 and 2001.   Continue reading “Canadian environmental activist pleads guilty to arson attacks in U.S. West”

Fox News

WASHINGTON –  President Obama signed a bill late Thursday to pay death benefits to families of fallen soldiers during the partial government shutdown.

The move came after the White House drew heavy criticism from Republicans over White House press secretary Jay Carney’s comment earlier in the day that  it was “not necessary” to sign the bill since a charity already had stepped in to foot the expenses.   Continue reading “Obama signs bill to pay death benefits to families of fallen soldiers”

NBC News – by Domenico Montanaro

Throw the bums out.

That’s the message 60 percent of Americans are sending to Washington in a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, saying if they had the chance to vote to defeat and replace every single member of Congress, including their own representative, they would. Just 35 percent say they would not.   Continue reading “NBC/WSJ poll: 60 percent say fire every member of Congress”