Sunday, June 30, 2013

Video: Massive Protest in Egypt Against Morsi

Cirque du Soleil Artist Killed in Fall from Stage

From the Las Vegas Sun:
Sarah Guyard-Guillot, an artist in "Ka" at MGM Grand and a mother of two young children, was killed Saturday night after a fall from the show's stage at MGM Grand. The Clark County Coroner's Office said this afternoon that Guyard-Guillot, 31, was pronounced dead at 11:43 p.m. Saturday at University Medical Center.

No formal cause of death has been determined pending further examination of Guyard-Guillot's body. She was born in Paris and had spent more than 22 years as an acrobatic performer. She was a graduate of Anne Fratellini Art & Circus Academy, named for the famed French circus clown and actress. The official website for Cirqeufit, where Guyard-Guillot served as a coach, said she was an acrobatic and aerialist specialist. She was hired by "Ka" as the production opened at MGM Grand in 2004.

Also this afternoon, MGM Resorts International, Cirque's artistic and business partner in Las Vegas, issued a statement about the tragedy:
"Our company is deeply saddened by the loss of one of the talented KA artists Saturday night. The thoughts and prayers of our employees are with the performer's family, the cast of KA, and the entire Cirque family during this difficult time."

Obama Administration Spied on EU

The most transparent administration in history. Amazing how none of this came out during the election season, eh?

From CBS:
A top German official accused the United States on Sunday of using "Cold War" methods against its allies, after a German magazine cited secret intelligence documents to claim that U.S. spies bugged European Union offices.

Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger was responding to a report by German news weekly Der Spiegel, which claimed that the U.S. National Security Agency eavesdropped on EU offices in Washington, New York and Brussels. The magazine cited classified U.S. documents taken by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden that it said it had partly seen.

"If the media reports are accurate, then this recalls the methods used by enemies during the Cold War," Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger said in a statement to The Associated Press.

"It is beyond comprehension that our friends in the United States see Europeans as enemies," she said, calling for an "immediate and comprehensive" response from the U.S. government to the claims.

Other European officials demanded an explanation from the U.S.

Friday, June 28, 2013

Who the Heck is Gallup Polling? Poll Shows Obama Approval Up 11%, Drastically Opposing Other Polls

Since June 24, there have been five major polls released on President Obama's approval rating. All except one showed more people disapprove of Mr. Obama's performance than those who approve. Of those polls, the closest Approval/Disapproval spread for the President was negative six; that is, six percent more people disapproved of Mr. Obama than approved.

In fact, that poll, conducted by The Economist/YouGov, was Mr. Obama's strongest performance, save one poll. The others, conducted by Reuters, Fox News, and Rasmussen, showed the President at, respectively, -7, -8, and -8.

And then you have Gallup, which has the President at +7. That's 13 points away from the closest poll since June the 24th. In fact, on June 23, Gallup had the President down four percent, with an approval rate of 45% and a disapproval rate of 49%. That's an 11 point swing.

In trying to piece together how the Gallup could get such vastly different numbers, I looked at who they polled. First, their questionnaire was anonymous. Rasmussen polled likely voters, while Fox and YouGov polled registered voters. However, Reuters polled anonymously as well, so that alone as a factor is out.
President Obama
Second, I looked at how the poll is taken. Gallup tracked its poll via a "rolling average," while Reuters, Fox, and YouGov did not. However, Rasmussen used a rolling average too, so that is out as a stand-alone factor.

Third, I tried to look at who exactly each pollster asked, and found at least some reason for the discrepancy. Other than Gallup, each news organization included very specific numbers on who they polled and what they found. These include demographics, party alignment, age, gender, and so on.

Literally all the information that Gallup provided, other than the poll numbers they found and previous poll numbers, was this short statement:
Gallup tracks daily the percentage of Americans who approve or disapprove of the job Barack Obama is doing as president. Daily results are based on telephone interviews with approximately 1,500 national adults; Margin of error is ±3 percentage points.
That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. The fact that they, essentially, are hiding who they're asking questions too speaks to how they are so opposed to every single other poll out there.

Twins are Ruining My Life - Mom Speaks after Dad's Essay

You may remember the dad that was wishing away the impending birth of his twins.  His wife has decided to speak out as well:
 I don't want to read the message boards that talk about what a joy twins are and how it's so worth it and how "this too will pass" and what a blessing it is. When I complain that this pregnancy feels extremely more difficult than my first one, I don't want to hear another doctor say, "Well it's different - there are two." None of this makes me feel any better. Quite frankly, it just pisses me off.
Before pursuing fertility I was a positive person, a cheerleader type with the mindset that everything happens for a reason. Now I find my mindset has shifted. While I am grateful we are pregnant, I am changed. There has been too much pain, too much struggle, and not enough learning. The "glass half full" person is no longer. The twins are coming fast, and I don't feel a sense of joy. Instead, I feel responsible. We only wanted one.
She doesn't want to read on message boards about the joy of the situation?  Well. one must ask why did you and your husband decide to make your complaints so publicly?  Do you think you are doing some sort of public service by talking about how you don't really want both of the children that you are carrying?
There is no denying that it is somewhat human nature not to be able to see another point of view when you are going through an emotional time.  But the selfishness of both of these people is nothing short of stunning.  At least her husband didn't put his name on his essay, but the wife decided to put it out there for all the world to see.  One of the biggest problems with that is that it will last forever and it may very well be read by her children one day.

I don't have twins so I have no idea what that is like.  But I do have several friends who do.  If they felt this way, they certainly didn't share it with me.  One of my friends that had twins didn't use fertility drugs/procedures, which would make it even more of a shock when it did happen.  Using fertility drugs does make it more likely that you will have multiple babies.  That is part of the process that was fully explained to this couple.  They admit that themselves.

But I will tell you I was a person who desperately wanted children, I got ovarian cancer at a relatively young age and that dream was not very likely to come true.  It was heartbreaking.  I know people who have tried virtually everything under the sun to have a biological child and it just won't happen.  It is not in God's plan.  These families would give their eye tooth to be in this position.

It seems that the desire to have additional children was not even something that they necessarily wanted:
Yet despite these challenges, we still wanted another child - a sibling for our son, mind you, not so much for us. We spent the next two years trying to conceive. Every month when I would get my period, I didn't just feel grief or disappointment - I was losing hope. I was exhausted and depressed. The emotional pain was incomprehensible to me. I was eroding as a person, losing weight and not being the best mom, wife, or professional.
Did this woman think that having even one newborn with a three-year old would be easy?  Newborns need a great deal of attention, feedings, diaper changes, hugs, baths, and everything else that goes with it.  It would never be easy even if you had only one child.  You don't have a child simply because you think your existing child needs a sibling.  That isn't a very good reason.
I wonder how much strain having two infants at the same time will put on my marriage and older son. We are not rich. We work hard to provide a good life for our son, and we have dreams, as all families do, of going to Disney, college, etc. I worry about how much of our attention and resources will be taken away from our firstborn. We also now need a bigger car and a bigger house. What had I done?
I thought of colic, and the change that postpartum depression had inflicted on me the first time around. Why would the universe, God, karma, whatever, whomever think it was a good idea to bring forth twins in our lives? When would anything go my way? Before I had children, it seems like it used to.
None of my friends that have twins are rich either.  They make due.  But it seems pretty clear that it comes down to this:
I completely acknowledge that for many, the journey to conceive is more difficult than our story. I realize better people than me are out there feeling joyful and benefiting from a far sunnier perspective. For anyone who is worried about me and my husband, our son brings us a ton of joy. We are always amazed by how much we love him, and I'm sure this indescribable love will extend to his brothers. But for now, I'm having trouble seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
Worried about you and your husband?  Honey, don't you realize that most people are worried about your three sons?  They are the issue here, not how things are not going your way.

If these parents don't realize that there are many, many childless couples that would happily adopt one of those boys, they are sadly mistaken.

Unreal.

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Attack on Damascus Christian Neighborhood Claims 4

 
Through out the entire Syrian civil war there has been one sizable yet quiet portion of the population that has mostly decided remaining on the sidelines would be better than to risk life and limb for potentially supporting the wrong side: and that would be Syria's more than two million worshippers of Christianity.
 
Who, despite their longstanding neutrality, were targeted last night by what government officials called a suicide bomber and rebel forces a mortar attack in a Christian neighborhood of Damascus, near the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church, which claimed the lives of four innocent souls.
 
Which is just another reason for the Syrian Christian community to remain on the sidelines in their fellow countryman's increasingly bloody and barbaric battle for control. As if the example of Egyptian tolerance falling by the wayside following Mubarak's fall wasn't bad enough, they now have to contend with the fear of partisan attack within their own land.
 
What say you?
 
P.S. - Some might note that the Christian community has even supported al-Assad's regime in Syria's ongoing civil war, and they would be correct. Mostly due to fears of an Islamic takeover and the fact Assad's sect of Islam, Alawite, is historically tolerant of other religions and even at one point mingled both Christianity, Islam and other faiths in their worship.

Schoharie Valley Braces for More Flash Flooding - June 27, 2013

In the aftermath of bad, localized flooding just two weeks ago in Upstate New York's Schoharie Valley, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is the messenger of yet another opportunity for mother nature to soak this repeatedly flooded area with this afternoon's storms.

The Schoharie Valley is under a flash flood watch, along with most of New York.

With NOAA predicting 1.5-2 inches of rain and wind gusts reaching 15 miles per hour near five o'clock this evening, the Village of Middleburgh (which suffered severe flash flooding two weeks ago) has been bracing with work crews monitoring the streets and the highway department preparing sandbags, just in case.
 
It has been two years since the devastation of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee ravaged the Schoharie Valley and with residents and businesses coming to the area in the droves, the last thing we need is yet another flash flood to sake the confidence of our people in the ability to survive and prosper in this beautiful area.
 
The next couple of days will be a test for the Valley... We handled the last flash flood with professionalism and community spirit, let us hope that is the case once more as mother nature unleashes her fury on us for potentially the third time today.

Not So Fast There Dems - Progressive Groups Not Targeted According to IG

As much as the democrats would like it to be true, it just isn't.  According to a letter to democratic congressman Sandy Levin from Russell George:
“Our audit did not find evidence that the IRS used the ‘progressives’ identifier as selection criteria for potential political cases between May 2010 and May 2012,"
He goes on:
“While we have multiple sources of information corroborating the use of Tea Party and other related criteria we described in our report, including employee interviews, e-mails and other documents, we found no indication in any of these other materials that ‘progressives’ was a term used to refer cases for scrutiny for political campaign intervention,"
It is time that we stop playing the quid pro quo game and the dems need to admit that IRS did target groups based on their politics.  Which is a clear violation of law and everything that our constitution holds dear.  We need to get to the bottom of why these employees decided that this was an acceptable course of action and where this originated from.

This shouldn't be a partisan issue, if this is allowed to stand somewhere along the line the next time it will be people who you happen to agree with that will be next.  I would say the exact same thing if it were progressive groups that were targeted under a republican administration.

We have not only the right, but the responsibility, as American citizens to question our government.  This is a fundamental part of our founders vision for our country.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Aaron Hernandez Charged with Murder

Aaron Hernandez Arrested

No word on the charges yet.

From ABC News:
New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was taken into police custody Wednesday, a week after his friend's body was found about a mile away from his home.

ESPN reports that Hernandez was taken away in handcuffs, and it is believed he will be charged with obstruction of justice.

Law enforcement officers were seen wearing wetsuits while searching near both Hernandez' home and the industrial park where Odin Lloyd's body was found.

Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player for the Boston Bandits, was found slain June 17. His relatives said he was dating the sister of Hernandez' fiancee, that the two men were friends and that both men were out together on the last night of Lloyd's life.

The arrest warrant was prepared last week after police discovered that the security system at Hernandez' home, along with his cellphone, were destroyed, sources told ABC News.

Hernandez hasn't commented on the homicide investigation.

Markey Wins Massachusetts Senate Election


Longtime Democratic Congressman Ed Markey won himself a promotion yesterday to the U.S. Senate with a solid victory over Republican businessman Gabriel Gomez in the special election caused by John Kerry's appointment as Secretary of State earlier in the year.

Markey, who had the entire Democrat machine behind him in order to prevent another Brown massacre, captured 55% of the vote and will replace temporary Senator William Cowan as Massachusetts's junior Senator within the next day. Simply taking a short walk to his new job, however, with no seniority whatsoever.

What say you?

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Homefront Review


So two years after release, I recently picked up a copy of Homefront, a futuristic reality depicting an unified Korea as a global superpower that after the U.S. staggers due to war in the Middle East and a debilitating economic recession, succumbs to this unified Korean war machine in an imperialist path similar to Japan's rise in the 1940's.

And I must say, despite the GameStop associate's attempt to dissuade me from purchasing the game, Homefront was really worth the time I put into it, although I do have a few gripes with the shortness of aforementioned time.

But let's focus on the positives first.

The layout for a superpower Korea is freaking creepy, mainly because the early timeline seems to be following reality right now - from King Jun Il's death to North Korean nuclear testing - it is lining up too perfectly for my liking... If the two Korea's somehow unite in the next five years, I'll fucking shit myself.

Even better was the depiction of occupied America. From the cheesy propaganda to the executions of resistors in the public square to former veterans being relocated to "education camps," and the overall harshness of occupation, this game does a damn fine job of making you hate your enemy in this game and in light of recent events, real life.

It was just a game that set the conditions perfectly to make them both believable as an observer and enjoyable as a gamer.

But now to my gripes...

You only played in three locations: an occupied city in Colorado, an open space in Colorado and the Golden Gate Bridge. And even worse, just as you survive an enemy assault on your position on the Golden Gate, being saved by your one comrade's last act of sacrifice. the game ends with a English telecast informing you of victory....

....Wait, what? Yup, you don't actually take part in the liberation of San Francisco, just the Battle for the Golden Gate Bridge that you busted your ass for half an hour taking from those North Korean bastards.

Pissed doesn't remotely come close to describing my feelings when that occurred. I literally stared at my screen in silent angry at the idiot who decided leaving you on a cliffhanger was a good idea. No asshole, you should give us some form of resolution to our gaming experience after we just watched the fall of a loyal comrade.

But, it's only a video game, so I digress.

In summary, Homefront is a really well thought out and enjoyable video game, despite the annoying ending and short runtime, and I can't wait for the sequel to be released next year, hopefully bringing the end to Kim Jung Un's reign of terror in the world.

What say you?

Video Review: The Last of Us


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Monday, June 24, 2013

Burlesconi Gets Seven Years in Prison, Banned from Office Holding

Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Burlesconi has the heavy arm of the law on him for sleeping with an underage prostitute. There are still two appeals to go through, but not good news for the former "Bunga bunga" man himself. He was convicted and sentenced to seven years in jail. Even harder for the 76 year old is that the ruling also bars him from holding office for the rest of his life.

His lawyer, Niccolo Ghedini, immediately announced an appeal and said the sentence was as expected as it was unjust.

"This is beyond reality," Ghedini told reporters outside the courthouse. The sentence was even stiffer than the six-year prison term and lifetime ban on public office that prosecutors had originally requested.

"I'm calm because I've been saying for three years that this trial should never have taken place here," Ghedini said.

Daily Kos, Democratic Underground Blast "Sociopathic," "Evil" Obama

To say that the Daily Kos, Democratic Underground, and other progressive sites have carried the water for Obama since he emerged on the national stage is a drastic understatement. They've covered up lies, downplayed scandals, accused Republicans of everything from rape to murder, and through it all declared Barack Obama as one of their greatest heroes.

It takes a lot to turn the opinions of blinded sheep like these. And while they have yet to awaken to who the President really is, the NSA scandal and the government's stance on Edward Snowden has started to make them hate the man they once considered "the chosen one."

A mere month ago threads such as, "Obama Masterfully Uses Code Pink Heckler To Make His Case That GITMO Must Be Closed" were the norm on Democratic Underground. Responses such as, "Have you had a chance to to watch the speech in full, it was excellent" made up the comment sections.
Yet now, Obama's name brought up with Edward Snowden's elicits a much different reaction. Their hatred for George W. Bush unswayed, "DU" now compares their once beloved President to the bane of their existence. In the thread "Obama should treat Snowden the same way he treated Bush's torturers and Wall Street banksters," comments like this are common:
Obama basically said it was OK for the Powerful... to commit crimes with impunity...

Obama should be forced to eat his "Looking Forward, Not Backward" words. That was a stupid think for a lawyer to say and as President he is encouraging law breaking by the Powerful.
Elsewhere, threads like "The real problem Snowden revealed, and why Obama is especially dangerous" have DUers in a tizzy, angrily trying to bash Obama in the worst ways possible.

One user writes:
Early on I suspected obama was not what he seemed I posted my thoughts and got mightily chewed out..My question is being a constituonal scholar you know he knows how to get around it. I knew he was no real dem,however I kept that to myself. But to see how evil he is in subverting the constitution this way it's obvious he has no consoience.He is a fucking corporate sociopath.He might as well be worshipping leo strauss with the rest of them.
The response, in part, reads:
We're a long long long way from that now. Trusting any individual with the kind of power the US President gets these days is just stupid. The first step to reining those powers in could be this whole NSA controversy.
This amazing turn-around can also be seen at the Daily Kos, a progressive factory of tilted news. Much like the Democratic Underground, Daily Kos used to be in love with President Obama. They have always hated President Bush. Yet mention the name "Snowden," and their hatred shows.
In an article that was written for their front page, "State Dept. Refuses to Comment on Snowden Passport Revocation to...WAIT FOR IT...Protect His Privacy," the Daily Kos blasts the State Department and President Obama's handling of Snowden.

"The Troubadour" explains the "enraging" actions of the President and his minions:
Seems rather appropriate, though, considering the U.S. government is charging Snowden with, of all things, spying after he revealed the NSA's massive, unconstitutional spying on U.S. citizens and people around the world.

Nope. No irony there.

It would all be so funny if it weren't deeply enraging.
One of the tags on the article even reads, "not the onion."

My question is, now that these liberal sites are blasting the President, does this make them all racist? Applying the logic they so often used on conservatives, the answer is yes.

Berlusconi Convicted; Gets Seven Years

Game, set, and match.

From the AP via Yahoo:
A Milan court on Monday convicted former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi of paying for sex with an underage prostitute during infamous "bunga bunga" parties at his villa and then using his influence to try to cover it up.

Berlusconi, 76, was sentenced to seven years in prison and barred from public office for life — a sentence that could mean the end of his two-decade political career. However, there are two more levels of appeal before the sentence would become final, a process that can take months.

Berlusconi holds no official post in the current Italian government, but remains influential in the uneasy cross-party coalition that emerged after inconclusive February elections.

Both he and the Moroccan woman at the center of the scandal have denied ever having sex.

His lawyer, Niccolo Ghedini, immediately announced an appeal and said the sentence was as expected as it was unjust.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Wallenda Tighropes the Grand Canyon LIVE

You can watch the death-defying feat on Wallenda's website here: http://skywire.discovery.com/.

Snowden Seeks Asylum in Ecuador

From Reuters:
Fugitive former U.S. spy agency contractor Edward Snowden is seeking asylum in Ecuador, the Quito government said on Sunday, after Hong Kong let him leave for Russia despite Washington's efforts to extradite him on espionage charges.

In a major embarrassment for the Obama administration, an aircraft thought to have been carrying Snowden landed in Moscow, and the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks said he was "bound for the Republic of Ecuador via a safe route for the purposes of asylum."

Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino, visiting Vietnam, tweeted: "The Government of Ecuador has received an asylum request from Edward J. #Snowden."

Ecuador has been sheltering WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange at its London embassy for the past year, and Ecuador's ambassador to Russia said he expected to meet Snowden in Moscow on Sunday.

Snowden, who worked for the U.S. National Security Agency in Hawaii, had been hiding in the former British colony, which returned to China in 1997, since leaking details about U.S. surveillance activities at home and abroad to news media.

Mountain House Food Sale!

Next week will be the biggest (not just our biggest but the biggest) Mountain House foods http://www.campingsurvival.com/freezedriedfoods.html sale ever. Mountain House for the first time is reducing their MAPP pricing on July 1st. On top of that we have applied for and been approved for discounted rates (off the new lower prices) for one week July 1 to July 7. And better yet, we placed our largest order with Mountain house last week and will have them all late this week to be ready for the sale. This stuff couldn't be any fresher!

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Paula Deen Fired from Food Network After Slavery, N-Word Remarks

From Deadline:
Paula Deen’s statement today: “I would like to thank The Food Network for 11 great years. Because of the gift The Food Network gave me, I have had the pleasure of being allowed into so many homes across the country and meeting people who have shared with me the most touching and personal stories.”

The Food Network told Deadline just now that it would not renew Paula Deen’s contract when it expires at the end of June. The announcement came following the popular Southern comfort food cook’s no-show for an interview on The Today Show and release of a pair of videos apologizing for her use of racial slurs - including the N-word — stemming from a 2012 discrimination lawsuit and specifically a May 17th deposition filed Monday in U.S. District Court. This follows another Deen controversy when she revealed in 2012 that her high-sugar, high-fat, high-calorie cooking had caused her to become a Type 2 diabetic — and then immediately began hawking drugs for the disease in profitable endorsement deals. But that backlash was nothing compared to the public outrage over this latest scandal. The Food Network did issue a statement on the matter early on, saying the channel “does not tolerate any form of discrimination and is a strong proponent of diversity and inclusion. We will continue to monitor the situation.” Today the Food Network did not say why Deen was dropped. But a media frenzy mounted over the revelations in that deposition for the lawsuit filed by a former manager of one of Deen’s family restaurants. In the document, Deen admitted that in her past she used racial slurs in her family life and tolerated racist jokes in the workplace, all of which ran counter to her beloved image. It also sparked a national debate about what constitutes ”acceptable” old and new Southern attitudes towards race.

Friday, June 21, 2013

Watch Live: Nik Wallenda Tightropes Across the Grand Canyon

You can watch the death-defying feat on Wallenda's website here: http://skywire.discovery.com/.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Syria's Growing Sectarian War Threatens Iraq Neutrality, Middle East as Whole


Stuck in the middle of Iran's pivotal supply route to Bashar al-Assad's brutal Syrian regime and sectarian fighters on both sides, Iraq is warning the conflict's regional conflict is threatening the rebuilding country's neutrality in the devastating civil war that has claimed over 90,000 lives.

With the conflict spreading from anti-Assad disdain to sectarian bloodshed between his Alawite Shiite sect and the primarily Sunni opposition, both supported by their respective sects in nearby nations and regional powers, international observers have been left with the uncomfortable task of deciphering the conflict's players and often unsavory outside supporters.

Leaving governments in Lebanon and Iraq, both remembering their own civil conflicts, trying to remain on the sidelines and avoid this all-consuming clusterfark while thousands of young men, fueled by Islamic sect loyalty and already trained in this form of street, guerilla violence not only entering the fight - but bringing it to their own streets.

The threat for regional war is very plausible if the Syrian debacle continues to snowball towards disaster and western powers remain slack jawed in and out of the Security Council, watching as Shiite allies during the Iraq War team up with Hezbollah to support Assad while Sunni al-Qaeda sends fighters in support of the rebel opposition.

The time for indecision has long past, and now we must not act just for Syria's sake - but the entire Middle East - before the region is engulfed in war and our interests are tied in the performances of multiple unsavory characters and there's nothing left we can do.

What say you?

Silver Blocks MMA & Legal Reform


After weeks of writing articles on why New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver should be removed for violating ethics and covering up sexual harassment cases committed by Democrat Assemblymen, the NY Post published the perfect story highlighting what is wrong with him as leader politically.

Two important issues were brought before the Assembly recently - legal reform and Mixed Martial Arts legalization - one would have reformed the Scaffold Law travesty which places businesses and contractors responsible for accidents that aren't their fault, and the other would have brought tens of millions of dollars in tax revenue.

And not just the revenue, but it would have brought New York into date with the rest of the nation in allowing Mixed Martial Arts matches to occur in this state, when they are currently banned due to its violence, but apparently boxing and hockey do not fall into the violent checklist, or something...

Silver's response to both issues? Refuse to bring them to the Assembly floor for valid debate and by any measure, block badly needed sports and legal reform in New York State from even reaching a vote due solely to his political whims, even after the Senate approved legalizing MMA earlier in the session.

He runs the Assembly as if it is his court and sits upon it as king, corrupt as the worst monarchs and as stubborn as the vainest tyrants. It is time for Sheldon Silver to go, we need a leader in the people's house; not a monarch.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

James Gandolfini Dead at 51

From Yahoo:
Terrible news for TV fans: James Gandolfini, who played mobster Tony Soprano on HBO's seminal drama "The Sopranos," died suddenly today at the age of 51, Variety is reporting.

Gandolfini was traveling in Italy on vacation when he fell ill; various reports have him suffering a heart attack and a stroke. He is survived by his wife, Deborah Lin, and a son, Michael, from a previous marriage.

He won three Emmys and one Golden Globe for his performance as Tony Soprano on the HBO drama, a conflicted, sometimes villainous role that launched the current wave of TV antiheroes. "The Sopranos" remains HBO's highest-rated series ever, with 13.4 million viewers tuning in for the Season 4 premiere in 2002.

In addition to "The Sopranos," Gandolfini appeared in dozens of movies, including memorable supporting turns in "True Romance," "Get Shorty," and last year's "Zero Dark Thirty."

Dow Drops 200 as Fears Grip Wall Street That Easy Money Will Stop

From CNBC:
Stocks accelerated their selloff in the final hour of trading to end near session lows Wednesday, after the Federal Reserve said it will maintain its bond-buying program, though Chairman Ben Bernanke hinted that the central bank plans to moderate purchases later this year.

"They don't tie themselves officially into anything but it's clearly what they're going to do," said Jim Paulsen, chief investment strategist at Wells Capital Management. "I think he's more clearly said today than at any other time that he's going to taper before the end of the year, and there's a possibility he could be done by the middle of next year."

The Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled 206.04 points, or 1.35 percent, to end at 15,112.19, wiping out most of its gains from the last two sessions. All 30 Dow components finished in the red, dragged by Verizon and AT&T. The blue-chip index logged its seventh-straight triple-digit move.

The S&P 500 slumped 22.88 points, or 1.39 percent, to finish at 1,628.93. And the Nasdaq fell 38.98 points, or 1.12 percent, to close at 3,443.20.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Tuareg Rebels, Malian Government Reach Peace Deal


The end has finally been reached in a conflict birthed in animosity and blood in the Saharan nation of Mali today, as government officials and Tuareg separatists have signed a peace deal that paves the way for the return to normalcy with elections within the next month.

In what started as a simple revolt by a nomadic people long oppressed by the national government quickly spread to a French led intervention to put down an al-Qaeda insurgency that took over the rebel's mantle, proclaimed Northern Mali their own and destroyed thousands of years worth of historical artifacts.

And with the al-Qaeda insurgency squashed by French and Chadian forces over the winter, Mali was able to resolve their own differences and come to today's agreement fostered by Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore, which will allow for a new Malian President to be elected and hopefully a final and lasting peace.

This deal isn't the end entirely, as Tuareg rebels will not lay down their weapons yet, but it sets the table for further negotiations that will hopefully lead to a stronger and more prosperous Mali after a year of miserable conflict that devoured the entire north and almost led to a complete jihadist takeover of the country.

What say you?

Monday, June 17, 2013

Graham: Immigration Bill will have "Breakthrough" Passage, Over "70 Votes"

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Saudi Arabia Pushes Missiles for Syrian Rebels

What could possibly go wrong?

From the AFP:
Saudi Arabia plans to supply the Syrian opposition with anti-aircraft missiles to counter President Bashar al-Assad's air force, German news weekly Der Spiegel reported Sunday.

The article, citing a classified report received by the German foreign intelligence service and the German government last week, said Riyadh was looking at sending European-made Mistral-class MANPADS, or man-portable air-defence systems.

Der Spiegel noted the shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles can target low-flying aircraft including helicopters and had given mujahideen fighters in Afghanistan a decisive edge against Soviet troops in the 1980s.

Saudi Arabia is a key supporter of the Syrian rebels and has long advocated providing them with better weaponry.

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Mexico City Earthquake Information 6/16/2013

Blackouts are being reported after the quake. More from CNN:

A 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck southwestern Mexico early Sunday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
The quake took place 22 kilometers (14 miles) from Jolalpan, Mexico, and about 122 kilometers from Mexico City, the USGS said.
There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries from the quake.

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Surprise: NSA Admits Listening to U.S. Phone Calls without Warrants

From CNet:
The National Security Agency has acknowledged in a new classified briefing that it does not need court authorization to listen to domestic phone calls.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler, a New York Democrat, disclosed this week that during a secret briefing to members of Congress, he was told that the contents of a phone call could be accessed "simply based on an analyst deciding that."

If the NSA wants "to listen to the phone," an analyst's decision is sufficient, without any other legal authorization required, Nadler said he learned. "I was rather startled," said Nadler, an attorney and congressman who serves on the House Judiciary committee.

Not only does this disclosure shed more light on how the NSA's formidable eavesdropping apparatus works domestically it also suggests the Justice Department has secretly interpreted federal surveillance law to permit thousands of low-ranking analysts to eavesdrop on phone calls.
Because the same legal standards that apply to phone calls also apply to e-mail messages, text messages, and instant messages, Nadler's disclosure indicates the NSA analysts could also access the contents of Internet communications without going before a court and seeking approval.

American Troops on Syrian Border, US Arms to Travel through Turkey to Syrian Rebels

From the Washington Post:
The CIA is preparing to deliver arms to rebel groups in Syria through clandestine bases in Turkey and Jordan that were expanded over the past year in an effort to establish reliable supply routes into the country for nonlethal material, U.S. officials said.

The bases are expected to begin conveying limited shipments of weapons and ammunition within weeks, officials said, serving as critical nodes for an escalation of U.S. involvement in a civil war that has lately seen a shift in momentum toward the forces of President Bashar al-Assad.

Syria experts cautioned that the opposition to Assad remains a chaotic mix of secular and Islamist elements, highlighting the risk that some American-provided munitions may be diverted from their intended recipients.

But U.S. officials involved in the planning of the new policy of increased military support announced by the Obama administration Thursday said that the CIA has developed a clearer understanding of the composition of rebel forces, which have begun to coalesce in recent months. Within the past year, the CIA also created a new office at its headquarters in Langley to oversee its expanding operational role in Syria...

The CIA does not have an established presence inside Syria, one official said. But it has been using bases in Turkey along the Syrian border, near where Idriss is based, since the outset of the conflict.

Hassan Rouhani is the New President of Iran

From the BBC:
Reformist-backed cleric Hassan Rouhani has won Iran's presidential election, securing just over 50% of the vote and so avoiding the need for a run-off.

Crowds gathered in Tehran to hail Mr Rouhani, who said he had achieved a "victory of moderation over extremism".

A turnout of 72.2% was registered of the 50 million Iranians who were eligible to vote for the successor to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf was well behind in second place.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei congratulated Mr Rouhani on his victory.

Friday, June 14, 2013

Government Allegedly Hacked CBS Reporter's Email During 2012 Election

I'm shocked, shocked I tells ya!

Iran Elects New President; Not Know Yet Who It Is, June 14, 2013

From Sky News:
Millions of Iranians have gone to the polls to elect a new president, with six candidates aiming to replace Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Iran's Guardian Council had restricted those who could stand in the election, banning women or other candidates with an agenda considered to be reformist or liberal.

There are no political parties in the conventional sense - just a contest between candidates who profess absolute loyalty to the Supreme Leader the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and others who are considered slighting more reformist but by no means moderate.

Mr Ahmadinejad has served two terms and was constitutionally barred from seeking a third.

With long queues forming outside voting stations in the capital, Tehran, and elsewhere, polls were kept open for several extra hours.

By evening, the Interior Ministry said voting had ended across the country.
This scumbag is gone; but which scumbag will be the new president?

Detroit Defaults

From the AP via ABC:
Detroit's emergency manager says the city is defaulting on about $2.5 billion of debt.

Kevyn Orr said Friday that Detroit is asking creditors to take about 10 cents on the dollar of what they're owed. Underfunded pension claims will get less.

Orr spent about two hours Friday morning with dozens of people representing banks, insurers and companies holding Detroit debt. He told reporters earlier at an airport hotel in Romulus he wants to fix fiscal problems that have made the city insolvent.

NOAA: 2013 Spring 0.5 Degrees Cooler Than Average


According to statistics released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (my dream job is to work for NOAA one day) concerning this year's Spring weather, one would be hard-pressed to explain how exactly "climate change" contributed to temperatures being 0.5 degrees colder than average.

This year's average temperature, 50.5 degrees fahrenheit, is the coldest spring the United States has had in nearly two decades and that is taking into account the warm spell we wilted under during the month of May.

Alaska had to deal with ice jams during its 20th coolest May that caused major flooding along the Yukon, parts of New England and New York had to deal with a late May snowstorm that dumped feet of snow in higher elevations and spring precipitation was 0.21 inches above average - marking one of our wettest springs in a long time.

Very interesting... Perhaps the weather is unpredictable and more relying on jet streams and natural climate, and not carbon dioxide levels after all...

No Fly Zone in Syria is Needed


Finally...

The Obama administration has announced plans to aid the rebels in their fight to oust Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad after two years of sitting on the sidelines and procrastinating over "red lines" and such as thousands of civilians have died and millions more have been displaced.

The decision comes after dire warnings from the United Nations and security analysts that if something is not done quickly, we will witness another Qusair in Aleppo, and likely the complete destruction of rebel forces - due to Assad's aggressive offensive led by fresh Hezbollah terrorists from neighboring Lebanon - and all will be lost.

There is still no information on what kind of aid we will send to the rebels, although it will likely include arms and desperately needed supplies, but one form of military assistance that could be deployed to give rebels a fighting chance is the "no fly zone," which would essentially be a blanket destruction of the Assad air force.

Its a tactic supported by Senator John McCain, one of the strongest proponents of Syrian intervention, that was pivotal in the NATO operation in Libya two years ago that turned the tide of that nation's uprising from facing certain massacre in Benghazi to executing Muammar Gaddafi several months later. A situation we are oddly confronting again.

Assad, like Gaddafi, has his main opposition cornered in a pivotal city that if lost would represent almost certain victory for his brutal regime, but also unfortunately for Assad - western governments are gearing up for intervention, once again, at the most important moment of the conflict - setting the stage for de ja vu all over again if the right strategy is adopted.

Heavy weapons will help the rebel forces match their Lebanese terrorists and Syrian military counterparts, but establishing a no fly zone would take Assad's air force out of the fight and allow our pilots to target and neutralize enemy fighters on the ground below.

What say you?

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Syria: The Conflict No One Cared About


Perhaps the western world's indifference towards Syria starts with our respective citizens, and not our governments, as Terry Glavin in The Ottawa Citizen argues in a sad column published yesterday that, simply, "no one cares about Syria."

And I have to agree with Glavin's assessment: Canadian aid organizations have raised only $306,000 in nearly three weeks of aggressive fundraising directed towards providing humanitarian relief in Syria, but devastating earthquakes brought in millions upon millions of Loonies in a matter of days.

But while helping victims of natural disasters is important, the number of people impacted by the horrific earthquake that struck Haiti is dwarfed by the nearly seven million displaced souls as a result of Assad's brutal massacres and two years of never ending conflict in Syria, which is still raging today - with nearly 100,000 dead due to human conflict.

We can berate the lack of charitable contributions from private donors all day long, however, the real situation caused by the western world's lack of interest are the fault of our national governments and international bodies, which despite years of warning, are still watching this disgusting civil war from the sidelines, even as rebel forces face defeat.

Overall, Glavin is absolutely correct: we simply do not care. Millions be damned in a conflict we could intervene ourselves into easily and without serious risk, but yet... We still refuse to do so.

What say you?

Shooting in Cherokee Street Building, St. Louis Leaves Four Dead

From St. Louis Today:
Four people were shot dead inside a building along Cherokee Street about 1:40 p.m. today, a police source said.

The shots were fired inside the Cherokee Place Business Incubator at 2715 Cherokee Street, police say.

The building was evacuated and police were interviewing at least three people across the street, police say. At least one man and two women were taken into custody

At least a dozen police cars and two ambulances had responded to the scene. Police had the block closed off between Ohio and Iowa avenues.
Source

Report: Obama Missed Boston Bombers Because his NSA Snooping Excludes Mosques

From Investor's Business Daily:
The White House assures that tracking our every phone call and keystroke is to stop terrorists, and yet it won't snoop in mosques, where the terrorists are.

That's right, the government's sweeping surveillance of our most private communications excludes the jihad factories where homegrown terrorists are radicalized.

Since October 2011, mosques have been off-limits to FBI agents. No more surveillance or undercover string operations without high-level approval from a special oversight body at the Justice Department dubbed the Sensitive Operations Review Committee.

Who makes up this body, and how do they decide requests? Nobody knows; the names of the chairman, members and staff are kept secret.

We do know the panel was set up under pressure from Islamist groups who complained about FBI stings at mosques. Just months before the panel's formation, the Council on American-Islamic Relations teamed up with the ACLU to sue the FBI for allegedly violating the civil rights of Muslims in Los Angeles by hiring an undercover agent to infiltrate and monitor mosques there.

Explosion at Louisiana Chemical Plant Leaves Dozens Injured, One Dead

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Reid Blocks Senate Vote on Border Security Amendment in Bait and Switch

From Breitbart:
On Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) blocked a vote on the border security amendment to the “Gang of Eight” immigration bill offered by Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA).

Grassley was pushing for an up-or-down vote by the Senate on his amendment, which would have required the border to be secured for six full months before any legalization of illegal immigrants in America began. Reid objected to Grassley’s motion, effectively implementing a 60-vote threshold that completely blocked any attempt at a fair vote on the amendment.

Grassley protested Reid’s plan, which the Senate Majority Leader laughed off. “I’m somewhat surprised at this request,” Reid said in response. “How many times have we heard the Republican Leader say on this floor and publicly that the new reality in the United States Senate is 60?"

Sarah Murnaghan Gets Lung

From the AP via Yahoo:
The 10-year-old Pennsylvania girl whose efforts to qualify for a transplant drew public debate over how organ donation should be done is getting a new lung.

A spokeswoman for Sarah Murnaghan's family said that Murnaghan, who suffers from severe cystic fibrosis, is receiving the transplant Wednesday.

The decision came just days after a federal judge granted her family's request to suspend a rule that prevented her from getting an adult lung.

Murnaghan's mother, Janet, says the family is "overwhelmed with emotions" and thanks all her supporters. She says, "Today is the start of Sarah's new beginning and new life."

Biden: Don't Trust a Spying President

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Russia Votes to Criminalize Homosexuality


I by no means support the gay rights agenda, as I cling to my beliefs on marriage and adoption, but I do not think any reasonable individual could agree with what the Duma, Russia's lower house of Parliament, voted unanimously to impose on the Russian citizenry yesterday.

With gay rights activists and orthodox believers clashing outside of Parliament, Russia lawmakers agreed to fine private individuals who promote homosexuality among youth $155, public officials up to ten times that amount and schools could be fined near $10,000. All a major handcuff on freedom of expression, and hell, even serious discussion involving sexuality.  

The bill is heading to the upper house of Parliament and then Vladimir Putin's desk, where it will be signed into law along with another act passed today that bans "offending the religious feelings of the faithful." Once again severely restricting the freedom of expression of a certain class of individuals.

There's standing up for traditional values... And then there's a witch hunt, which is what the Kremlin is making into official policy by today's vote and soon to be followed ratification of these two freedom of expression disasters.

What say you?

Candidate Obama debates President Obama on Government Surveillance

Turkish Police Raid Taksim Square

Things are starting to hit the fan in Turkey. Revolution looks in the offing.

From the New York Times:
Riot police officers moved into Taksim Square in central Istanbul on Tuesday, firing tear gas grenades and water cannons and enveloping the center of this city with smoke and the sounds of ambulance sirens. The square, which has become a sprawling and eclectic hub of grievance against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was transformed into a tableau of urban chaos.

The operation took all day and was still in progress as the workday ended, when more protesters began reoccupying the square and police officers cleared it again with tear gas. The scene took on the air of a movie set: fireworks lit by protesters and nonlethal sound bombs set off by the police punctuated the chants of “Istanbul is ours! Taksim is ours!”

At intervals during the day, the police would advance into part of the square, then retreat again to rest, as officers mingled with onlookers, smoked cigarettes or bought snacks from street vendors. Short outbursts of clashes with protesters alternated with intervals of calm, allowing onlookers and tourists to gather in relatively safe spots and watch the action unfold, and then flee down side streets when the tear gas became too thick.

The police advance was far from decisive in quashing the protest movement that has risen to challenge the rule of Mr. Erdogan and his conservative Justice and Development Party, which has roots in political Islam: Gezi Park, whose preservation was the initial focus of the protests, was left alone to its occupiers, who have erected a tent city there and have vowed to stay.
Credit

Putin to Obama: Don't Break the Law with the NSA

Tremendous irony.

From RT:
Data surveillance is an acceptable measure if done within the law, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin told RT while visiting the channel in the capital.

“Such methods are in demand. But you can’t just listen to the phone call in Russia; you need a special order from court. This is how this should be done in civilized society while tackling terrorism with the use of any technical means. If it is in the framework of the law, then it’s ok. If not it is unacceptable,” Putin said answering the question of RT’s Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan. Commenting on Obama’s statement that “You can’t have 100 per cent security and 100 per cent privacy,” Putin disagreed, saying it is possible if done within the law.

Russia said it could consider the possibility of granting political asylum to 29-year-old Edward Snowden, if such request is made. The ex-CIA worker disclosed the existence of PRISM, the National Security Agency’s (NSA) massive data-mining surveillance program, to The Guardian.

“If we receive such a request, we will consider it,” President Vladimir Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov said.

Happy Father's Day - Richmond, VA Boasts a 60% Single Parent Home Rate

The City of Richmond, VA is one of the country's leaders in single parent households.  This past weekend the city sponsored a Celebrate Fatherhood celebration in order to draw some attention to this very serious problem.  The number grows to 86% percent in black community of the city.  

Think about that, barely over 1 in 10 black children grow up in a two parent home.  That number is not just stunning, but horribly tragic.  Lets face it, a single parent has a much more difficult time raising a child when they don't have another person in the home to help them.  There are things that have to be done, laundry, grocery shopping, cleaning, cooking, and all the other chores that have to be done to keep a household running.  When does this parent have time to read a book, throw a ball, help with homework?  I am not saying that single parents can't be wonderful.  Many single parents do a great job.  But the problems that go along with being a single parent can't be ignored.  

This isn't even an American issue:
The poverty rate for children living with a single parent has risen 15 per cent since 2001, up from 20.9 per cent to 24.1 per cent. The HILDA survey, managed by the University of Melbourne, has tracked social trends by interviewing the same 12,000 people each year since 2001.
In America:
Over one quarter of U.S. children under age 18 reside with only one of their parents, and as many as half of U.S. children may reside in a single parent family at some point in their childhood.  The vast majority - over 85% - of single parents are single mothers.
Poverty is widespread and severe in single mother families.  According to the recently released Census Bureau data on poverty in 2010, people in single mother families had a poverty rate of 42.2% and an extreme poverty rate of 21.6%.
There are very real reasons that women end up being single parents.  In some cases they leave an abusive relationship and are doing the very best that they can under difficult circumstances.  But one of the outcomes of so many children being raised in single parent homes is the fact they grow up thinking that men don't/won't stick around.  They grow up thinking that men are much more than a sperm donor.  It just creates more problems for future generations.  

Sadly, in the U.S. our government actually encourages single parent homes through our welfare system.  If you are married, you are basically punished.  It makes much more sense for a woman who is low-income to not marry.  While living on welfare certainly isn't an easy life, getting benefits is far better than getting none even though your job skills are no different if you are married or single.  

Lets take a look at crime rates in Richmond:

Richmond Crime Data

CRIME INDEX
8
(100 is safest)Safer than 8% of
the cities
in the US.
Richmond Annual Crimes
VIOLENTPROPERTYTOTAL
1,4569,36110,817
annual crimes per 1,000 residents
7.0845.5552.63

Violent Crime Comparison per 1,000 residents

NATIONAL MEDIAN3.9
MY CHANCES OF BECOMING A VICTIM
in Richmond 1 in 141
in  Virginia 1 in 508
7.08
1.97
RichmondVirginia
Population 205,533

Richmond violent crimes
MURDERRAPEROBBERYASSAULT
REPORT TOTAL3654686680
RATE PER 1,0000.180.263.343.31
Population 311,591,917

United States violent crimes
MURDERRAPEROBBERYASSAULT
REPORT TOTAL14,61283,425354,396751,131
RATE PER 1,0000.050.271.142.41

Property Crime Rate Comparison per 1,000 residents

NATIONAL MEDIAN29.1
MY CHANCES OF BECOMING A VICTIM
in Richmond 1 in 22
in Virginia 1 in 44
45.55
22.50
RichmondVirginia
Population 205,533

Richmond property crimes
BURGLARYTHEFTMOTOR VEHICLE THEFT
REPORT TOTAL1,9246,500937
RATE PER 1,0009.3631.634.56
Population 311,591,917

United States property crimes
BURGLARYTHEFTMOTOR VEHICLE THEFT
REPORT TOTAL2,188,0056,159,795715,373
RATE PER 1,0007.0219.772.30

Crimes Per Square Mile

NATIONAL MEDIAN 39.6
173
22
RichmondVirginia

92% of U.S. cities are safer than Richmond.  Which is really a shame.  If you have never been there, Richmond is a beautiful city filled with history.  But you need to be careful where you go or you will likely end up being a victim of crime.  Of course there will be some saying these two things are not connected.  The police chief disagrees with you.  
“I do know that a large of number of young folks we interact with do not have a father in their home and I think it’s on all of us to recognize a responsibility to help those children,” Chief Middleton said.
Wouldn't it be a good idea for the government to stop rewarding single parenthood?  From Web MD:
In the latest study, reported in the Jan. 25 issue of The Lancet, European researchers reveal that the risks facing children living with one parent may be even more widespread and immediate. They found the risk of suicide was more than twice as high among children in one-parent households compared with those living with both parents
Children in single-parent homes were also twice as likely to have a psychiatric disease, have alcohol-related problems, and were up to four times more likely to abuse drugs
Gee, what a good idea to support that.  
“We have a major father absenteeism issue in Richmond,” First Things First Executive Director Truin Huntle said. “I wish more people were discussing why this is such a major issue. We see more people beginning to give some credence to it because they are looking for the root cause of other issues like childhood poverty, poor performance in school. Father absenteeism, broken homes, broken marriages and teen pregnancy are continually being found as the root cause of those problems.”
This is a man who is on the front lines in Richmond, working every day to help children and fathers.  Maybe he is someone worth listening to.