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Medusa Complex
Never look directly at our VP candidate. The Pailn campaign would have her rule from behind a curtain of personality like the Wizard of Oz. Never look directly at our VP candidate. The Pailn campaign would have her rule from behind a curtain of personality like the Wizard o... more
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The Storm Before the Calm
The McCain campaign starting to unravel, showing the consistency of the Palin thought process.
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One in three recent Atlanta Police Academy graduates have criminal records
More than one-third of recent Atlanta Police Academy graduates have been arrested or cited for a crime, according to a review of their job applications. The arrests ranged from minor offenses such as shoplifting to violent charges including assault. More than one-third of the officers had been rejected by other law enforcement agencies, and more than half of the recruits admitted using marijuana.
“On its face, it’s troubling and disturbing,” said Vincent Fort, a state senator from Atlanta. “It would be very troubling that people might be hitting the streets to serve and protect and they have histories that have made them unqualified to serve on other departments.”
But Atlanta police say it’s not so simple. Officials have been trying without success for more than a decade to grow the department
to 2,000 officers, an effort hurt by this year’s budget crisis. With competition for recruits intense among law enforcement agencies, Atlanta has had to make concessions.
“We would like, in an ideal world, to see every applicant with a clean record, but obviously that’s not reality,” said Atlanta police Lt. Elder Dancy, who runs the department’s recruitment unit. “I don’t think you’ll find any departments who hire only applicants with squeaky-clean records.”
Three decades ago, a police officer with a criminal record was much less common than it is now, said Robert Friedmann, a criminal justice professor at Georgia State University. But times have changed and many agencies have had to relax their hiring policies, Friedmann said.
Other local police agencies have hiring guidelines similar to Atlanta’s. Police departments for Cobb, DeKalb and Gwinnett counties don’t hire recruits with felony convictions but do hire those with misdemeanor arrests, on a case-by-case basis.
Dancy would not divulge all of Atlanta’s restrictions but said the department won’t hire anyone with felony convictions, or those with convictions for obstruction of justice, sex or domestic crimes.
Even so, police documents show that many of their recruits have blemishes on their records.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, through an Open Records Act request, asked in mid-August for the job applications of the Atlanta Police Department’s two most recent graduating classes. The department provided 36 applications for police recruits who graduated June 10 and Aug. 4. All the graduates are currently Atlanta police officers. More than one-third of recent Atlanta Police Academy graduates have been arrested or cited for a crime, according to a review of their... more -
McCain and the Mob Mentality
Barack Obama has become a metaphor for those who are considered culturally different. Disturbingly, we have been down this road of hatred and divisiveness before. Who can forget the chilling memories of America's civil rights leaders being slain, segregation being fostered, synagogues being burned, black citizens being lynched, and law-abiding Muslims being shot and killed after 9/11?
This is the dark side of America that I'd rather forget, but once again has reared its ugly head through the campaign discourse of John McCain and Sarah Palin. McCain and Palin’s campaign rhetoric directed against Barack Obama has fueled the basest instincts of many misguided Americans.
McCain's effort to link Obama to a terrorist Muslim script is rooted in the most despicable form of hatred and bigotry. The fire has been stoked, and now his supporters are cheering McCain and Palin with chants of… "Obama is a terrorist, kill him!" Having crossed that ugly line, even the candidates themselves have been unable to stave off the damage they have wrought.
This pattern of inflaming the bigotry of the masses through divisiveness and venom is frighteningly reminiscent of the Nazi regime during World War II. Adolf Hitler and the German Nazis, under the elitism of white Anglo-Saxon Protestantism, sought and successfully slaughtered those who they perceived as ethnically and racially different. As Germany fell on hard economic times during the global depression, they looked for scapegoats to explain their financial decline. It wasn’t long ago that the Jews, those associated with Jews, Russians, the mentally ill, the physically disabled, artists, and the intelligentsia were sent to concentration camps and murdered. The mob mentality had worked and "cleansed" Germany of those who were perceived as funny looking and different.
John McCain and Sarah Palin have sought out the politics of personal destruction. They have willingly tried to demonize Barack Obama by painting him as an evil outsider who is a threat to the security of our democracy. Amazingly, some Christians have made this a personal vendetta by suggesting that Obama is the anti-Christ. On the other hand, other so-called God-fearing Christians have suggested that he portrays himself as a messianic figure. Barack Obama has become a metaphor for those who are considered culturally different. Disturbingly, we have been down this road of hat... more -
Percentage of uninsured under 65 high in Florida
In the Livingston-Averill home, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol go untreated.
Without insurance, only a catastrophic event such as a heart attack or a stroke can draw medical attention.
"It's horrible," Debbie Livingston-Averill of Port Orange said of the stress of knowing her husband has these conditions that could mean tragedy around the corner -- and the medicine that could avert it is out of reach.
The Census Bureau released figures Thursday that show Florida residents suffer that stress more than most. Twenty-four percent of Floridians younger than 65 are without insurance, compared to the 17.2 percent nationwide. The survey also shows that blacks and Hispanics are without insurance even more: 26.7 percent of Florida blacks younger than 65 don't have it, and neither do 38.6 percent of Florida Hispanics.
Locally, the number without insurance in Flagler County is slightly higher than the state average: 24.4 percent of residents younger than 65. In Volusia County, that number is 21 percent.
Nationwide, only Texas and New Mexico had a higher percentage of uninsured people younger than 65. Minnesota, Hawaii and Wisconsin have the lowest percentage of people in that category.
How these numbers compare with the Census Bureau's 2000 survey is unclear because the categories of ages were not separated the same way. But Patrick Johnson, Flagler County Health Department administrator, said the health insurance status of Flagler County residents doesn't appear to be improving.
Not only does Johnson see the number of people seeking assistance increasing. He also has noticed a change in the job market. In the Livingston-Averill home, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol go untreated. ... more -
All is forgiven; McCain returning to Letterman
David Letterman and Sen. John McCain will get a chance to make up.
The Republican presidential candidate is scheduled to appear on Letterman's "Late Show" on Thursday.
It will be McCain's 13th visit to the CBS program but his first since he angered Letterman by canceling last month.
Letterman was unhappy when McCain sat for an interview with Katie Couric instead of him on Sept. 24.
At the time he said he first felt like a "patriot" to let McCain off his commitment to deal with the economy but "now I'm feeling like an ugly date."
A McCain spokeswoman said at the time that because of the economic crisis, the campaign "felt this wasn't a night for comedy." David Letterman and Sen. John McCain will get a chance to make up. ... more -
Support Obama, sell your unused gold jewelry. Preserve American Democracy
My suggestion is to have Obama supporters sell their old gold jewelry at the Obama campaign centers or on their own. We should all be vastly concerned that even if we get the message out that these criminals will tamper with the Voting Process and other ways.
PLEASE NOTE:
This idea is independent of Obama Campaign but I thought I would throw it out there.
I have used KITCO ( see link) in the past and found it easy and they seem to pay fairly...you can donate all or a fraction of the payment. Please use your own judgment on best option for selling. My suggestion is to have Obama supporters sell their old gold jewelry at the Obama campaign centers or on their own. We should all be ... more -
precursor to the "community organizer" scandal we are going thru today
This was a video that i had seen thought about the current ACORN scandal with Obama and thought there was a strong connection to the two.
I think the McPalin Camp was trying to make something of this from that very new and contrived speech Palin gave to the GOP.
watch and listen to the connection of his point on community origanizers.
THENUMBERTOO
myspace.com/liquidiq2
2ndshow.wordpress.com This was a video that i had seen thought about the current ACORN scandal with Obama and thought there was a strong connection to the t... more -
One is the Loneliest Number - claymation
One is the Loneliest Number, with a claymation video.
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Barack Obama on Racists Attacks
"We don't give the American People enough credit for having undergone a dramatic change in the last 40-years in terms of racial attitudes," Barack Obama in Essence, September 2008. "We don't give the American People enough credit for having undergone a dramatic change in the last 40-years in terms of rac... more
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Buy Erotic Lingerie
Buy erotic lingerie, sextoys, sex books to not only learn about sex, explore your sexuality as adults but to gain knowledge about your body and its response to sexual stimulation, sexual arousal and have consistent orgasms. Buy erotic lingerie, sextoys, sex books to not only learn about sex, explore your sexuality as adults but to gain knowledge about your... more
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we already have laws-they just aren't enforced.
ok, my 2 youngest children are now registered to vote. but unfortunately, it wasn't easy....i have mentiond several time we are of diverse ethnicity. and my children are all 18-22 in age. we do currently live in an area near "deckerville"( yes i got into fist fights with little jimmy nickols. because i'm not 'all white'.
so, i went into the tuscola county , caro, branch of the local secretary of state, of michigan, to go with my kids. we we're so excited for my son to register to vote. it was 2 weeks before his 18th birthday, and he couldn;t wait to be a responsible. american, young adult.
unfortunately we were told adamantly by the clerk(a twisted snipe of a 'man?'), that my son was unable to register for voting.
after some research online we desided to skip the sec. of republicans-i mean 'state', and simply went to our local library. we were able to mail in the registration forms on time.
the internet was colorblind that day, and so were the postage stamps.
unfortunately , yhough i am out raged, i can't afford $75.00 an hour for a lawyer, and no-one seems to know how i can hold this clerk acountable for his actions.
oh and they are alo telling anyone convucted of a midemeanor that they are no longer eligible to vote in the u.s.!
i was raised in oakland/macomb county, where i have never heard people say : yes, they are aware of the problem, but it has always been like this"
how can i make sure this doesn't happen to anyone alse- please remember, i am low on funds, and i am told deckerville is a big kkk area.. the caro courthouse has a manger on the front lawn every year, and people get fired if it's discovered they are 'indian' because we 'will get our first check and drink it', then never show up for work... ok, my 2 youngest children are now registered to vote. but unfortunately, it wasn't easy....i have mentiond several time we are o... more -
Hide and seek world champs
Somebody posted this sign above the 'Missing Children's Network' notice board in a US town. Totally sick in a good way or a bad way?
More magnificent pictures at incredimazing.com Somebody posted this sign above the 'Missing Children's Network' notice board in a US town. Totally sick in a good way... more -
Christians flee Iraqi city after killings - convert to Islam or face death
At least 900 Christian families have fled Mosul in the past week, terrified by a series of killings and threats by Muslim extremists ordering them to convert to Islam or face possible death, officials said Saturday.
The attacks may have been prompted by Christian demonstrations ahead of provincial elections, which are to be held by the end of January, the deputy governor of Nineveh province said.
Deputy Gov. Khasro Goran said 13 Christians have been slain in the past two weeks inMosul, about 260 miles (420 kilometers) north of Baghdad. Fleeing Christians have sought refuge in monasteries and churches and with family members in other towns, an Interior Ministry official said.
The attacks began after hundreds of Christians took to the streets in Mosul and surrounding villages and towns, seeking greater representation on provincial councils, whose members will be chosen in the local elections.
Duraid Mohammed Kashmoula, Nineveh's governor, told The Associated Press that the exodus was "a major displacement."
"Of course, al Qaeda elements are behind this campaign against Christians," Kashmoula told AP.
The Interior Ministry official said the homes of three families were destroyed with explosives Saturday after the occupants left. No injuries were reported.
A week ago, leaflets were distributed in several predominantly Christian neighborhoods, threatening families to "either convert to Islam or pay the jizyah or leave the city or face death," said the Interior Ministry official.
Historically, jizyah is a tax paid by non-Muslims in exchange for protection.
Goran said that a few days after the leaflets were passed out, gunmen set up checkpoints in parts of Mosul, stopping vehicles to inspect identification papers, searching for Christian names or other signs of religious affiliation. Many of the Christians killed were targeted in this way, he said.
Bashir Azoz, 45, told AP he fled his Mosul home after gunmen warned a neighbor to leave or be killed.
"Where is the government and its security forces as these crimes take place every day?" asked Azoz, a carpenter who is staying with his wife and three children in a town about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Mosul, according to AP.
The Rev. Bolis Jacob, of Mosul's Mar Afram Church, told AP he couldn't understand the attacks.
"We respect the Islamic religion and the Muslim clerics," he said. "We don't know under what religion's pretexts these terrorists work."
Goran said police have set up security checkpoints in Christian neighborhoods.
In response to the violence, Iraqi Defense Minister Abdul Qader al-Obaidi visited Mosul on Saturday morning, conducting meetings with local authorities and military commanders.
His spokesman, Mohammed al-Askari, said that in addition to ordering more checkpoints in Christian neighborhoods, al-Obaidi ordered more troops deployed, additional security patrols and an increase in aerial surveillance of Christian areas.
Al-Obaidi also ordered more guards for Christian clerics, al-Askari said. At least 900 Christian families have fled Mosul in the past week, terrified by a series of killings and threats by Muslim extremists o... more -
Evil dolls trying to kill your kids
Parents are outraged about the messages they're hearing from a doll. It's Fisher-Price's "Little Mommy Real Loving Baby Cuddle and Coo" doll. Some people claim they can hear it mumble "Satan is king" in one track; then clearly speak "Islam is the light" in another.
http://www.kjrh.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=5c... Parents are outraged about the messages they're hearing from a doll. It's Fisher-Price's "Little Mommy Real Loving... more -
Kids who photograph themselves naked are child pornographers and sex offenders
A fifteen year old girl in Newark, OH faces being labelled a "sex offender" for sending naked cellphone photos of herself (a minor) to other minors. If convicted, she'll spend the next ten years on public registries, classed as a producer of child pornography. No word on what compensation she (as the victim of the crime) will be able to get from herself (as the perp).
According to Ohio law, 2907.323(A)(3) states anyone possessing material that shows a minor in a state of nudity is guilty of a fifth-degree felony. The violation also might qualify the juvenile as a Tier I sexual offender, which requires annual registration for a decade.
The section of the law the girl, who is a foster child, was charged with allows parents or guardians to take photos of their unclothed children for a list of acceptable purposes but does not provide an exemption for the child themselves. A fifteen year old girl in Newark, OH faces being labelled a "sex offender" for sending naked cellphone photos of herself (a... more -
New killer drones could be piloted by teens fresh out of boot camp
Today, only experienced Air Force pilots are allowed to remotely-operate the American fleet of killer drones. Tomorrow, the heavily-armed robotic planes could be flown by 19 year-olds, barely out of basic training.
The Army and Marine Corps use Shadow unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to spy on suspected militants. Not only are they smaller, cheaper, lighter, and lower-flying than the Air Force's array of missile-laden Predator and Reaper drones. But Shadows are considered a "tactical assets," meant to watch over relatively small patches of ground, for relatively small units. Predators, on the other hand, are "theater" or "operational-level" assets -- controlled by generals, and sent all over.
As a result, ground forces often use the most junior of noncommissioned officers to fly their Shadows -- teenagers who've sometimes never even been in combat. In contrast, the Air Force only allows rated pilots -- guys trained to operate a B-52 or an F-15 -- to fly their Predators. "You have to understand flight, know how to talk to a controller," then Air Force Colonel Tom Ehrhard told me a few years back. "It takes an aviator to do that."
But those aviators are worn out from non-stop drone-piloting duty. And it often takes a while to get a big UAV like a Predator over to where a captain or a colonel needs it.
Which is why there's a new military development program underway to "weaponize Shadow" for Special Forces, Inside Defense reports. "The goal is to pair firepower with sophisticated visual sensors, giving lower-echelon UAV operators capabilities heretofore reserved for operational-level unmanned systems."
Which means those young privates and corporals and specialists could be controlling killer drones, some day soon.
It's part of a broader Pentagon effort to make armed UAVs cheaper, and more plentiful. John Wilcox, with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, tells Inside Defense, "We're also going to look at weaponizing a couple more small UAVs." With one-to-five-pound weapons, these tny killers could take out high-value targets -- "or hold a target at risk until bigger and better operational platforms with more ordnance get onto the battlefield." Today, only experienced Air Force pilots are allowed to remotely-operate the American fleet of killer drones. Tomorrow, the heavily-ar... more -
12-year-old McDonald's hamburger, still looking good
The McDonald's hamburger on the right is from 2008; the one on the left is from 1996. And they both look fairly edible.
Wellness educator and nutrition consultant Karen Hanrahan has kept a McDonald's hamburger since 1996 to illustrate its nonexistent ability to decay. Aside from drying out and bit and having "the oddest smell," it apparently hasn't changed much in the past 12 years.
This isn't the first time someone kept an uneaten McDonald's hamburger for an extended period of time for the sake of science. Or in the case of the Bionic Burger Museum, multiple burgers for over 19 years. There are even instructions on how to start your own collection of old, self-preserving burgers.
Anyone else have experience with fast food that just won't rot? The McDonald's hamburger on the right is from 2008; the one on the left is from 1996. And they both look fairly edible. ... more -
Phillip Morris - "Mister Morris"
New video from Chicago artist Phillip Morris (myspace.com/phillipmorris). Directed by Miggy Downs. Look out for the upcoming Phillip Morris / Mix Syndicate mixtape! www.MixSyn.com New video from Chicago artist Phillip Morris (myspace.com/phillipmorris). Directed by Miggy Downs. Look out for the upcoming Phillip... more
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Militarizing the “homeland”: NORTHCOM’s joint task force - civil support
Antifascist Calling reported October 6 that nine months prior to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Donald Rumsfeld signed off on revisions for the Pentagon’s secretive Continuity of Operations Program (COOP).
Based on a document (AR 500-3) published by the whistleblowing website Wikileaks, it described “all hazards COOP planning” as the mechanism by which “the Army remains capable of continuing mission-essential operations during any situation, including military attack, terrorist activities, and natural or man-made disasters.”
The Wikileaks document is all the more relevant since a September report in Army Times described how the 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team (BCT) would be deployed October 1 “under the day-to-day control of US Army North,” the “service component” of NORTHCOM.
Since that article appeared September 8, Army Times has done a partial climb-down and now claims that the “non-lethal crowd control package” described earlier for operations in the heimat, “is intended for use on deployments to the war zone, not in the US, as previously stated.”
But this mendacious claim by Army Times is belied by current political trends in the US. Under cover of the “war on terror,” driftnet surveillance and moves toward suppressing dissent, most recently on display when protests during the Democratic and Republican National Conventions were criminalized and organizers were charged with “domestic terrorism” under the Patriot Act, are but the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
Wholesale spying on activists by the Pentagon’s now defunct Counterintelligence Field Activity (CIFA), as well as revelations that State police agencies in Maryland routinely spied on antiwar organizers, shared this information with the National Security Agency and classified them as “terrorists” in government-run databases, are viewed as exemplary means to “keep the rabble in line”–and under wraps, if necessary.
A highly disturbing report by Christopher Ketchum in the May/June 2008 issue of Radar Magazine, outlined how the top secret Main Core database linked to Continuity of Government contingency planning, “includes dissidents and activists of various stripes, political and tax protesters, lawyers and professors, publishers and journalists, gun owners, illegal aliens, foreign nationals, and a great many other harmless, average people.”
[...]
by Tom Burghardt
Global Research
Continued at above link.
Photo used with permission from http://stpaulrnc.shutterfly.com/20 Antifascist Calling reported October 6 that nine months prior to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Donald Rumsfeld signed off on revisions f... more
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