The Groundtruth from a combat veteran, backed up by independent research and historical study. Information beneficial to the Troops. And a touch of objective politics, as it relates to the subjects at hand.
This site is unabashedly Pro-American and Pro-Military however none of the views expressed here are to be considered as endorsed, proposed, or supported by the Department of Defense or any other Agency, government, public, or private. http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/
SSgt Workman is featured in the Hall of Heroes and a book review on this from Marine Till Death that read it as it was written: http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2008/12/shadow-of-the-sword-by-jeremiah-workman-w-john-bruning.html
http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2008/12/ssgt-jeremiah-workman-navy-cross-usmc-iraq-marion-oh.html and links to prior articles.
This is the document that clearly authorizes what the Federal government is allowed to do, what authorities and responsibilities the separate entities of the Government have. It is what Our Troops swear to defend and what our politicians and judges have sworn to uphold:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
As is pointed out within that article, the US Constitution is but four (4!!!) pages of simple language setting out what America is/will be, and what it is NOT. The foundations upon which a great nation was based seem to have been shaken to the core in recent years, as the current crop of politicians seem determined to over-reach the very clear limits placed upon them within that framework. Today, from where I sit, America is under attack by those very 'servants' of the people who - as noted above - swore to uphold the Constitution.
'Support the Troops' is what Red Shirt Friday is all about. The concept is not just restricted to Canada; it reaches across America too. One American Veteran who is speaking out, reaching out on issues facing our Troops - our WarFighters - is Boone Cutler. Take a look and really LISTEN!
The United States Postal System (USPS) has announced the recommended mailing dates for packages and envelopes going to APO/FPO/DPO addresses. Unlike years past, there are really only two sets of dates.
For almost all APO/FPO/DPO addresses:
Priority Mail Express Military Service: December 17th First Class mail: December 10th
Priority mail: December 10th PAL mail: December 3rd SAM mail: November 26th Standard Post: November 12th
For APO/FPO/DPO addresses that begin with 093:
Priority Mail Express Military Service: not available First Class mail: December 3rd Priority mail: December 3rd PAL mail: December 3rd SAM mail: November 26th Standard Post: November 12th Please keep in mind that these are recommendations and not guarantees. Earlier is always going to be cheaper and more likely to arrive on time. I can’t believe we’re dealing with Christmas already.
For decades, there has been one man in Tennessee politics that was so powerful, so well financed, that no one dared to challenge him. Sure, there were some sacrificial lambs that were put on the ballot, but not the kind that put up a fight or had a real chance. The former presidential candidate, former governor, and current Senator, Lamar Alexander, has long lost touch with the people of Tennessee.
When Veterans of Tennessee went to Washington in 2008, Alexander couldn't be bothered. They asked for an appointment with him. They stopped by his office. He just wasn't available for Veterans. Alexander has voted with the current Administration more than he has voted with the people of Tennessee.
In 2014, there is finally a choice. There is finally a real challenger to Alexander. There is finally a Tennessean unafraid of the massive war chests Alexander has accumulated. Joe Carr knows that it will take a lot to defeat the incumbent. It costs money to get the message out. The incumbent has won by 2-1 margins for decades, but that was when the voter had no other real choices.
It costs money to run a campaign, but money doesn't cast a vote. Regardless of what's in the campaign coffers, voters can get the message out, with tweets, FB comments, and letters to the editors. YouTube videos are a great way to reach voters turned off by TV attack ads. Keep it clean Joe! The people of Tennesse are more tired of the incumbent than the politicians realize.
Words may be cheap, but we know that Alexander's actions are not in support of Veterans. Joe Carr's position on Veterans stand in contrast to the actions of Alexander:
"Our veterans sacrifice so much for our country, and we must provide them the best healthcare and support we can possibly give them. We will never be able to repay them for their sacrifices, but that reality must not stop us from doing our best to care for them and their families." Joe Carr for Tennessee 2014
Joe Carr will not be a rubber stamp for Obama, Reid, and McConnell. He understands the need to reduce the deficit. He has helped keep Tennessee's budget balanced.
It is time that Alexander retire. It is time that we replace those politicians that have been in Washington for too long.
I am sorry, but let me be clear: What
you have done to our precious Fallen Heroes (and their families) of our
Military, has crossed MY 'red line'. For your betrayal of that most
sacred trust we all must hold with them, YOU are not fit to hold the
highest office in the land I know and love as America. You are also not
remotely qualified - or worthy - to have the privilege of being
Commander In Chief of one of the world's most dedicated armed forces:
the United States Military.
Not only are you unqualified to be the
President of the United States, you are also an out and out liar, and
our Military and their families now are left in no doubt how hollow your
words are.
In March 2009 you said, as part of another of your never-ending empty rhetoric diatribes:
"For their service and sacrifice, warm words
of thanks from a grateful nation are more than warranted, but they
aren't nearly enough. We also owe our veterans the care they were
promised and the benefits that they have earned. We have a sacred trust
with those who wear the uniform of the United States of America. It's a
commitment that begins at enlistment, and it must never end. But we know
that for too long, we've fallen short of meeting that commitment. Too
many wounded warriors go without the care that they need. Too many
veterans don't receive the support that they've earned. Too many who
once wore our nation's uniform now sleep in our nation's streets."
-President Barack Obama, March 19, 2009
Yes, I got that from *your own* White House site,
where you then go on to post "Guiding Principles. This under a huge
sign that says, in what must be irony, 'Due to Congress’s failure to
pass legislation to fund the government,
the information on this web site may not be up to date.
I suggest that your website is most
certainly NOT up to date, as your actions, and those of your
administration prove, time and again, that your flowery oratory has been
more than outpaced by your actions.
Not only
have you consistently showed America how unfit you are to be CinC,
because all the photo-ops and speechifying contradict what you have
DONE, but the rest of the world also has watched as Emperor Obama has
been shown for the empty suit you really are.
"All right all here is the story. I road to the Dicks Sporting good in San Diego off of Sports Arena Blvd. I put two locks on my bike both to a bike stand. I went in the store. In roughly three to five minutes I went to check on my bike (I had a bad feeling) and it was gone."
Matthew walked back out of Dick's Sporting Goods Store with the clothes on his back and his cellphone. He not only lost his bike, but all his equipment and clothing that he had carried on his cross-country journey!
To recap.....Matthew is an Iraq Veteran who decided (while serving in Iraq) to ride across the United States to raise awareness about veteran suicides. He was in San Diego, California and had stopped at Dick's Sporting Goods Store, the one off Sports Arena Blvd. He needed some gear.
After double-locking his bike to the bike stand he went inside. After being in the store less than 5 minutes, he had a bad feeling, so he went outside to check on his bike only to find it was gone!!
Store personnel were less than helpful and the police department ambivalent.....they took the report and that was about it.
The idea for his biking adventure came back in 2003 when he was active duty in Iraq with the U.S. Army. He never done any long-distance biking prior to this trip.
Civilian pilots volunteer to beat sequester for Arlington flyover
Washington, D.C., Sept. 20 -- Eight civilian pilots will take to the skies Monday and fly over Arlington National Cemetery on their own dime to honor two fellow military members who were Killed in Action.
The remains of USAF Majors James Elmo Sizemore and Howard Andre, who were both killed in action in Laos, Southeast Asia in 1969, were recently discovered, and will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery Monday.
Flyovers are approved for Arlington funerals and interments when the military member fits the strict criteria for the aerial tribute. But sequestration has stripped any current funding for this honor so a group of civilian aviators, let by the Warrior Flight Team, decided to cover the gap.
The flyover will consist of four tactical jet aircraft and five historical war bird aircraft including the type Majors Sizemore and Andre were shot down in. All participating aircraft and their respective pilots -- most veterans themselves -- have been donated by their owners.
The flyover will took place over Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA on September 23, 2013 at approximately 12:00 pm. Interviews available with pilots at the Manasass Airport after the flyover at 2 p.m.
Majors Sizemore and Andre’s aircraft was shot down by enemy fire on 8 July 1969. They were initially listed as Missing- in- Action and later reclassified as Killed-in-Action. Their crash site was located and excavated in 2012 and their remains were recovered and positively identified in 2013.
Warrior Flight Team, along with their affiliate Warrior Aviation, a non-profit organization that provides scholarships in aviation related fields and job-related training to wounded serviceman from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, committed to the flyover at their own expense and had to gain waivers, flight plans and clearances from the Department of Homeland Security, Secret Service and Federal Aviation Administration. The USAF declined to support the flyover mission due to funding shortfalls as a result of the sequestration.
“While doing this, I met a Marine who had just got home from Afghanistan,” said Lewis. “He lost his legs at the hips, and nobody knew he was home until they called for an honor guard, and I folded the flag for his funeral when he died by suicide.”
Story by Lance Cpl. Justin Rodriguez)-MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - The military suicide rate has increased dramatically over the last several years, and a Vietnam veteran is walking across country to raise awareness for suicide prevention.
According to a recent Department of Defense preliminary report, more than 349 service members across the four branches died by suicide during 2012, setting a record for the highest rate of military suicides ever. Since 2005, more active-duty service members were lost to suicide than combat.
Chuck Lewis, a former sergeant and now Walking for the Fallen founder, is walking from Everett, Wash., to the Vietnam Wall in Washington, D.C., to remember those who have fallen in combat and through suicide.
“Five years ago, my wife and I were sitting home on Christmas Eve,” said Lewis. “And I realized none of our six children will be home for the holiday, they were busy with schooling and jobs. I remembered what it was like being away during those holidays.”
Lewis later stood in uniform on the corner of an intersection of his hometown to show his dedication to the families who wouldn’t be together for the holiday.
Before starting the walk, Lewis stood in his hometown of Rowan, Mont., on Christmas Day with a sign stating “Standing here today in respect of those away.” News channels and local media approached Lewis and interviewed him to learn about his journey.
Lewis was later invited to stand at military appreciation events and gun shows. He used Vietnam-era equipment to raise awareness, give knowledge about past wars and invite people to donate money for wounded and disabled veterans.
“While doing this, I met a Marine who had just got home from Afghanistan,” said Lewis. “He lost his legs at the hips, and nobody knew he was home until they called for an honor guard, and I folded the flag for his funeral when he died by suicide.”
Lewis still follows the Marine Corps leadership traits and leads by example, nearly 40 years after leaving the Corps.
“Lewis is doing an amazing thing,” said Bo Pennock, retired captain. “He’s a strong man, and he’s still serving our country in a special way.”
Walking for the Fallen is more than just a walk, it’s a cross country journey for those Marines, sailors, soldiers and airmen who have lost their lives to suicide and combat, said Lewis.
One can only hold their tongue for so long. After considerable head shaking I finally said, enough is enough and want to express my personal views here.
I cannot believe that it has been at least 8 years since Congress has done much of anything except bicker about how the other side of the aisle is being unreasonable and that "they" are the cause of the problem which has resulted in little effective legislation moving through Congress.
Heaven forbid that Congress should be called back into session early, have to stay late, miss a paid vacation day or forgoe a raise during these "tough times" that our country has been experiencing.
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan - Sept. 11 is never too far from the hearts and minds of the 105th Security Forces Squadron deployed here from Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, N.Y. Through each other and mementos, they remember one unit member who was killed during the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. During the writing of this article, the 105th SFS lost another security forces member, Staff Sgt. Todd ‘T.J.’ Lobraico during an outside the wire mission here Sept. 5, 2013. In keeping with their tradition, the 105th SFS will now carry a flag in his honor. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Rob Hazelett)
Much has happened in the lives of Americans since September 11, 2001, when we were attacked on our own soil.
There are many memorial sites and videos out there, each offering a fitting tribute to those people who died that day, to their families, to the survivors and to the brave men and women who turned towards the destruction to help, many of whom lost their lives also. i.e. 911 digital archive and this special page from my good friend Steve aka "Snakecharmer .
I would ask that people take time to stop and reflect on where this country would be today if not for those who ran into the buildings, towards the flames, towards the airplane cockpits, who deployed overseas seeking those who attacked us.
Remember also that we still have men and women who were there helping that day and for days afterwards that are still serving in our Armed Forces right this very minute.
The worst thing (in my mind) would be to forget those sacrifices that were made, those lives that were unexpectedly taken that day.
Please take a moment today to stop and honor those who gave their all, their families, members of our Armed Forces, our firefighters, EMT's, police officers and citizens who stepped up that day. Whether you choose to spend a moment in silence, offer a pray, hoist a drink to them, it matters not, just REMEMBER!!!!!
Former US Navy pilot and medal of honor recipient Thomas Hudner, seen here arriving at Pyongyang airport July 20, 2013, is greeted by North Korean officials. (VOA/S. Herman)
July 20, 2013 PYONGYANG — A U.S. Navy pilot from the Korean War arrived in North Korea on a commercial flight Saturday to search for the remains of the fellow aviator he unsuccessfully tried to rescue 63 years ago - an act for which he was awarded America's highest military honor.
Thomas Hudner, who is 88, is part of a private American search team given permission by North Korean authorities to look for the remains of his friend, U.S. Navy Ensign Jesse Brown, and their F4 Corsairs at Hagaru-ri at the foot of the Chosin reservoir.
“Jesse Brown is entitled to every bit of help he can get even though it's well after death,” Hudner told VOA.
The unprecedented mission in the country, which has no diplomatic relations with the United States, hopes to shed light on a poignant story from combat aviation history.
NATICK, Mass., June 21, 2013 – What it all comes down to is keeping soldiers' minds on their missions in Afghanistan, rather than on their feet.
Ben Cooper, left, and Bob Hall have been working on the development of phase two of the Hot Weather Mountain Combat Boot at the U.S. Army's Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center in Massachusetts. Courtesy photo (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.
That's how Ben Cooper views the development of the Hot Weather Mountain Combat Boot, at the U.S. Army’s Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center here.
Development of the new boot began in early 2011, and Cooper thought it was so important that he got permission to continue working on the boot after leaving the Footwear Performance Laboratory to become a senior materials engineer for the Air Force, still located at Natick.
"Ben was so involved in the early phases of this and had been really running this project superbly, I thought that it was a good idea that he was able to continue on this project," said Bob Hall, the current Army footwear engineer for the boot.
"Obviously, in these fiscal times, being able to join together and work toward a common goal for the warfighter and for our country, I think, is the most important thing," Cooper said. "My supervisors have been very supportive about me taking time to help out and support the Army with this effort, and we're all happy to do it.
"The Air Force has been a team player in this," he continued. "It's a sister service -- one team, one fight."
Cooper and Hall are working with Program Executive Office Soldier and Product Manager Soldier Clothing and Individual Equipment to unveil phase two of the boot. Phase one -- a lighter, more breathable version of the popular Mountain Combat Boot -- has been issued to every soldier deploying to Afghanistan for the past year. As many as 200,000 pairs of the boots have been fielded with great success.
"[For] the amount of boots that are out there, we've had very, very few complaints," Hall said.
"Soldiers will give you honest feedback," Cooper said. "We haven't heard bad things. In this business, silence is a great thing."
Cooper pointed out that nothing like the HWMCB existed before soldiers in Afghanistan began asking for it two years ago.
"We were trying to develop and identify the salient characteristics of a Hot Weather Mountain Combat Boot," Cooper said. "Since it was a new item, it's not commercially available. We evaluated three different material solutions at that time from three different manufacturers."
Using soldier feedback from phase one, which included requests for more breathability, Cooper and Hall confidently strode into phase two.
"We cherry-picked the very best features on each of the boots, and we provided that feedback to industry," Cooper said. "They responded and provided new solutions, updated solutions."
Three new styles are now being evaluated at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif., by units from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, based at Fort Carson, Colo. Each boot is nearly a half-pound lighter than the original mountain boot.
"Due to Afghanistan's unique climate and environment, they needed a boot that not only would provide them ankle stability and traction and durability, but they also needed greater breathability," Cooper said. "It's a balancing act. We were constantly walking that fine line. I think that we have worked with industry tirelessly on trying to make sure that we accomplish exactly what the warfighter wants and needs."
Industry made the boots more breathable by including moisture-wicking linings, perforating the leather, and inserting textiles wherever possible between the leather and rubber, without compromising stability.
"It took some creative approaches to be able to do that," Cooper said. "If you're kicking rocks, and you're crawling, and you're in the prone position, you need to be able to not have this thing rip."
Cooper will travel to Fort Irwin at the end of June with Chris King, of the Operational Forces interface Group at Natick, to collect data from soldiers on the 285 pairs of boots that had been issued to them.
"We're going to go meet them as soon as they get out of the box at NTC," Cooper said. "I think the phase one boots were fairly well received. We would expect to find more positive feedback. We're hopeful that we're going in the right direction."
The goal is a technical specification for a boot that could be supplied by any manufacturer. When it's achieved, it will be because of the collaborative atmosphere at Natick, Cooper said.
"I can walk down the hall and speak with the foremost expert in [fire-resistant] clothing and apparel," he said. "I can walk down the other end of the hall and talk to the foremost expert in cold-weather equipment, in mountaineering gear, in footwear.
"I think that's just part of the culture that is here, and I'm proud to be a part of that," Cooper continued. "We were able to leverage all the resources that we have available to us."
Boston Marathon bombing victim J.P. Norden (seated) was greeted at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., June 14, 2013, by Walter Reed patient Staff Sgt. Travis Mills, one of only five quadruple amputees from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to survive his injuries.
BETHESDA, Md. (Army News Service, Jun 19, 2013) -- Sgt. Ryan Long met with Boston Marathon bombing victim J.P. Norden at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., June 12, 2013, to encourage him on his road to recovery.
While on patrol in Afghanistan last year, Long was injured when the vehicle he was traveling in encountered a roadside bomb. He lost his right leg as a result of the explosion.
Norden also lost his right leg, April 15, 2013, when the second bomb went off at the Boston Marathon. Long told him the road to recovery has it challenges, but there are also rewards along the way.
Long shared an anecdote with Norden about how his 3-year-old daughter had accepted the changes to her father.
Before he got his prosthetic, she observed "you got one foot." And then just recently, after he received his artificial limb, another matter-of-fact observation from his girl: "you have two feet."
Long said it's "the little things" that are rewarding.
"It gets better," Long told Norden and other victims of the Boston Marathon bombings. He told them their recoveries will depend a lot on their attitudes and how they approach their rehabilitation.
"Right now, it may seem [difficult]," Long said. "I know I had days when I was down. I thought, 'I can't do this anymore.'"
Long said he found inspiration and motivation to push forward by being around his fellow wounded warriors and seeing how hard they worked to get better.
"That's what makes it easier when you're in this situation," he said.
During his day at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, or WRNMMC, Norden visited the medical center's Gait Lab, which uses a large open space for patients to walk, run and do various forms of physical activity, including range-of-motion exercises that help evaluate, measure and improve their gait, balance, and walking.
He also visited the CAREN Lab, a computer assisted rehabilitation environment, and the Military Advanced Training Center, where he saw numerous wounded warriors and other patients go through the rigors of rehabilitation so that they could either resume duty or succeed in the civilian community.
Norden described what he saw at the Nation's Medical Center as amazing.
"I was shocked seeing all those people there with the same type of injuries [as mine], or worse, doing stuff I didn't know I would be able to do," he said. "I really just want to walk again, more than anything."
Staff Sgt. Travis Mills, 26, is one of only five quadruple amputees from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to survive his injuries. He also greeted Norden.
This wasn't the first time they Mills had met with Norden, however. Mills and other wounded warriors visited Boston Marathon bombing victims in Boston not long after the incident. At that time, they had been able to visit J.P.'s brother, Paul, 29, who also lost one of his legs. The brothers had been injured near the finish of the marathon while shielding other spectators during the second blast.
At WRNMMC, Norden used his cell phone to call his brother. He then handed the phone to Mills, who urged the younger Norden to visit WRNMMC to see firsthand the recovery of the nation's heroes.
"There's life after amputation," Mills told him.
Marine Corps Sgt. Luis Remache, who lost both his legs and suffered other injuries during a 2011 grenade attack in Afghanistan, also met Norden.
"It's all on you," Remache said. "It takes a little time, but you still will make it."
Norden's surgeon, Dr. E.J. Caterson, serves as the chief of plastic and reconstructive surgery at Harvard Medical School's Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. He arranged for Norden's trip to WRNMMC. The surgeon had worked briefly with other surgeons at WRNMMC a few years ago, and remembered the wounded warriors he saw recovering there.
"This is an incredible place. I know about [WRNMMC], and I remember seeing J.P. have a down day," Caterson explained. "I knew I had to get him some place where he could see people recovering. [Walter Reed Bethesda] was kind enough to allow us to tour the facility and interact with wounded warriors."
"Walter Reed has the most experience with amputees," Caterson said. "[The doctors] shared with us their expertise because there are some difficult decisions we're making in fitting patients with prosthetics and providing rehabilitation programs."
Wounded warriors at the medical center are eager and work hard to get better, said Air Force Lt. Col. Eric Holt, a doctor at WRNMMC.
"They push the limits," Holt said. "For us to be able to show [the Boston Marathon bombing victims and their doctors] what we do here is motivational for us and for them, hopefully."
FARGO, N.D., April 29, 2013 - As the North Dakota National Guard begins its second week supporting flood-response efforts here, the number of soldiers and airmen on duty increased briefly today as missions shifted from traffic control to quick-reaction forces for flood emergencies.
Guard members have been supporting Fargo since April 22. The teams of soldiers from the 191st Military Police Company have provided as many as 15 traffic control points at a time during around-the-clock operations to facilitate movement of trucks hauling clay and sandbags for levee construction.
"Our soldiers did extremely well over the past week of service here," said Army Capt. Ryan Boom, 191st Military Police Company commander. "We really didn't see as much stress as we have in the past, and we responded with a great deal of knowledge from the previous fights, which helped us take off in stride in order to accomplish the mission and assist the Fargo [Police Department] with the traffic control.
Army Sgt. Tobias Mathern of the 815th Engineer Company, North Dakota Army National Guard, performs routine maintenance on a light medium tactical vehicle at a quick-reaction force team location at the Cass County Highway Department facility, West Fargo, N.D., April 29, 2013. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp
"I was very pleased to see the public respond by slowing down and being very courteous and being very generous to my soldiers," he continued. "I couldn't appreciate them more for their support and good attitudes throughout this flood fight."
More than 70 Guard members were on duty last week, with a dip to about 40 over the weekend across six traffic control points as the city finished buttoning up areas needing protection. The need for Guard support for traffic control is expected to end late today, officials said.
As the Guard's military police wrap up their flood support, members of the 815th Engineer Company are joining the mission. The engineers are forming a quick-reaction force team that will respond to emergency flood-related needs in Cass County.
The team reported at 7 a.m. today and is ready 24 hours a day in West Fargo with 5-ton dump trucks loaded with sandbags and three high-wheeled light medium tactical vehicles, or LMTVs, for evacuation. One LMTV is pulling a skid steer loader, and the team also is using a Humvee with a Blue Force Tracker, a GPS-enabled device used for precise location and communication.
"In past flood operations, the [quick-response force] teams have been instrumental in saving homes and protecting families and livestock," said Army Maj. Gen. David A. Sprynczynatyk, North Dakota adjutant general. "We're thankful that lower crest predictions will lessen the burden on many of our neighbors, but the Guard remains ready to support the county should there be overland flooding emergencies, as we've seen come up quickly many times in the past several years."
Since 2009, the North Dakota National Guard has contributed more than 125,000 duty days to flood operations in the state.
That military support effort is again being enhanced by the U.S. Coast Guard. A pararescue helicopter arrived yesterday at the North Dakota Air National Guard base in Fargo and will be on standby for search and rescue missions.
The Guard continues to coordinate with city and county agencies and the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services to monitor areas across the state that may be impacted by flooding as well as wildfires, officials said
6:21PM ET: A letter addressed to an unknown Senator has been intercepted, containing Ricin, a potent chemical weapon. The envelope was tested three times with results positive for Ricin. No Further Details at this time. Updates as facts become available.
6:40 ET Letter addressed to Sen. Roger Wicker, R-MS. Possible suspect in custody. Letter being tested a 4th time in Maryland at this time.
17 APR 2013: A 2nd letter containing ricin has been intercepted, which was addressed to President Obama. Evidently the letters were postmarked Memphis, TN and contained the initials "KC."
The arrest of Paul Kevin Curtis, 45, related to the case, has been made in Tupelo, MS, apparently by the FBI, based on information provided by the DC Police.
23 APR 2013: Charges against Paul Kevin Curtis were dropped. No evidence of ricin had been found in any place the government had searched. No new suspect has been named.
Three were killed and more than 100 were injured. Two explosive devices (at least) were used. The target was not the military, or even government officials that could be characterized as having a legitimate role in military affairs. That makes it terrorism. Terrorism has a goal of inflicting terror in an otherwise unafflicted population. It does so by making a population feel as if the terrorists can strike at will against whomever they desire. It does so by making security and government officials appear incapable of protecting the populace from the terrorists. It has a goal of convincing the population to force the government to bow to its desires. It does so, for a profit.
It does not matter if the terrorists are white, arab, asian, black, or hispanic. An act of terrorism is terrorism, period. Terrorism is not just a prank, like setting a trashcan on fire, and not just a crime conducted by organized crime.
It is not just a crime, but also an act of war. It is not just an act of war, but a war crime. As an act of war, the Geneva Convention affords that those involved can be held, without trial, until the cessation of hostilities. As war criminals, the Geneva Conventions hold that they can be tried, and if convicted, held beyond the end of hostilities. In particular circumstances, the Geneva Conventions afford a death penalty to war criminals, including those who use terrorism as a tactic or strategy.
While there is no substantial proof in public that this was an act of international terrorism, there is less evidence that it was a case of domestic terrorism. While the media pontificated yesterday that it could have been an innocent natural gas explosion, and when they finally abandoned that theory turned to suggesting it was domestic, their reasoning for both suggestions was flawed.
One of their "explanations" was that the devices were too crude and too small. Everyday, more crude and smaller bombs, aka IED's, are used in places like India, Israel, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, Mali, and Pakistan. In fact, the documented cases of using a pressure cooker bomb have ties to the Taliban, in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and even in New York City's Times Square.
Another of their suggestions was that it was "tax day." The McVeigh types have less connection to 4/15 than they do to 4/19. The 19th of April is the anniversary of Waco, of Ruby Ridge, and of the Murrah Building attack in Oklahoma City, and events deeper in History. One would hope that the backlash from OKC would be enough to force the McVeigh types re-think such a tactic. In the aftermath, American recoiled against such groups, and McVeigh's hopes that it would turn into a Revolution fell flat on the reality that we don't like people killing kids, or attacking unarmed civilians. The terrorist attack in OKC hurt his "cause" far more than anything the government has ever done.
Moreover, the McVeigh types have a beef with the government, not those running the Boston streets. Their target is far more likely to be a federal government installation than a sporting event.
Some have suggested that the Boston Marathon was "not international" or "not global enough" to be a viable target for Islamist terrorists. First, Islamists don't need a target to be international, but this was by far international. More than 90 countries were represented by the runners. Nearly half the nations in the world were represented. That's international! Al-Qaeda in particular does not need an international flavor to an attack. The Times Square attack was less international than this. They gain financial support by attacking Americans. They have a stated position that ALL Americans are considered to be militants, regardless of whether they are running the streets of Boston, or defending a base in Eastern Afghanistan.
Some whackos have suggested that US Government agents conducted the attack on orders of top US politicians. Simply idiotic. Politicians will use any event that pops up to make themselves sound more compassionate, stronger, and get their pet legislation passed, but they have no need to create the events. There are enough psychos out there that will create the events for them.
But the question of the common man is "What can or should I do?!?!" The answer is to reach down inside, and find your resolve, your resolve to not be afraid. There were more people killed and injured on the streets of Massachusetts by traffic accidents, than by explosives, last week. Of 310 Million Americans, this act of terrorism only killed 3 people. We don't fear cars, nor phones on which text messaging has become the number one factor in accident fatalities.
That does not mean that you should pretend terrorism does not exist. You should have a plan for what you would do if someone entered your building or office or shopping mall with a bomb, or even a firearm. You should think about this NOW. You should decide NOW, under what circumstances you would KILL the attacker, and consider the means you would use. You should decide NOW how you would assist the injured, learn how to help the injured, and when your duties would require instead that you protect your child or others.
And you should come to grips with the fact that following an explosive event, your pure intentions to help, could mean that you're just a person in the way. You should come to grips with the fact that an explosion occurs in a split second. You need not fear it. An explosion will kill some, injure others, and leave others unscathed. It is over in an instant. There is little anyone can do about it, and most victims of it have no idea it is coming. You can keep your eye out for suspicious behavior, for suspicious packages, and avoid them, or report them.
What else can you do? You can give to Pro-Troop and Catastrophic events Non-Profits. The American Red Cross not only runs blood banks, but assists with victims, in these types of events, as well as natural catastrophies. If you give in the name of this event, they may use your money for the next one. Our Troops are on the front lines, risking their lives on a daily basis for your safety.
You can pressure your politicians, your Congressman, your Senator, to call terrorism what it is, and to continue to take the fight to the enemy, rather than to bow to pressure to prematurely "end" a war the enemy has no intention of ending.
You can educate yourself on the enemy. You don't have to know the differences in theology of Sunni, Shia, Bahai, Salafi, and Sufi, but you should have a concept of the atrocities of Hezbollah, Hamas, Al-Qaeda, the Weather Underground, and the Animal Liberation Foundation. You should understand the difference between Islamsists and Muslims.
You must come to grips with the fact that evil does exist in the world, that there are a minority of psychotic people who will kill, maim, injure, or steal from you, for nothing more than their own personal entertainment, but possibly by justifying their actions as "part of the greater good," or even to "teach you a lesson." What stands between you and evil, are the Sheepdogs, Military and Law Enforcement, but when the Wolf knocks on your door, it is YOU that is your first defense, no matter how willing the Sheepdog is to deal death to the Wolf that would do you harm.
"Situational Awareness" or being observant and alert to the world around you, to the possibility of evil knocking on your door, is your most potent defense. Paranoia is your enemy, as is anger and blissful ignorance, but recognizing when someone is behaving abnormally can save your life. If the hair on the back of your neck stands up, don't ignore it. Explore why your subconscious is warning you.
Having a plan, preconceived, of what you would do, if you were confronted with any variety of bad situations will help you, if you face any of them. The fewer responses you can identify for the greatest number of incidents is the best. People "freeze" because their mind is overwhelmed, and cannot decide between responses. Decide, and consider, ahead of time, for as many events as you can imagine.
But don't stick your head back in the sand, and don't allow fear to stop you from doing the things you must do. Live your life, but be aware of your surroundings. Support Our Troops, and their mission to keep you safe, but be ready if the enemy slips in, to your door. The Israelis have done it for decades. Our Troops volunteered to fight the enemy in their backyard, so you could be safe in yours.
Laughing Wolf has additional tips for planning for and acting in an emergency situation (natural disaster or terrorist attack) and Assoluta Tranquillita has more common sense to add to the discussion.
Two explosions have been reported near the finish line of the Boston Marthon at 4 hours and 9 minutes and 45 seconds into the Marathon, at approximately 2:50PM ET. Reports indicate one of the explosions occurred inside the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel, and another a few buildings down, approximately 50-100 yards away. The Marathon has been halted and an unknown number of people have been injured. Law Enforcement and medical personnel are on the scene and rendering aid. 3:15PM ET More to follow as facts are known.
Approximately half the field had finished the marathon at the time of the explosion.
A suspicious package has been reported at the Mandarin Hotel. 3:27PM ET.
Lennox Hotel evacuated as a precaution. NYC has increased security around landmarks as a result. 3:45 ET
Two fatalities and 22 injuries are reported. 4:04PM
Two other devices reportedly found. 4:25PM 28 injured.
A third explosion occured at the JFK Library in Boston, at approximately 4:30PM ET, according the Boston Police Spokesman. 4:53 ET A device has been reportedly detonated by EOD, but it is unclear whether this was the device at JFK Library or at another location.
Bridges over Charles River closed. 49 Injured. Security increased in NYC, San Francisco, and Washington DC. 5:08 ET
JFK School of Government evacuated. 5:12ET
NY Post reports Saudi National detained in connection to bombing at Boston Hospital. Los Angeles security tightened. 5:25 ET More than 100 injured.
JFK device reported to be incendiary device or unrelated fire. 5:59pm
POTUS states we "don't know who did this and should not jump to conclusions." Does not mention terrorism, despite MSM stating prior that he had no choice but to call it that, politically. All news agencies and multiple government agencies are now stating that this was a "terrorist attack," not a "gas explosion" as they had previously speculated. MSM has decreased but not completely ended speculation that it was a case of "domestic extremism." 6:10pm
One of the two fatalities reported to be an 8 year old child. 6:35PM ET
Three fatalities have now been reported. Hospitals are reporting the removal of ball bearings from victims. Police are reportedly searching for a man with dark skin, dark clothes, a dark backpack, and possibly a foreign accent, who had previously attempted to gain access to a restricted area. A suspect with injuries is reportedly being held. 141 injured. 11PM ET
RIP Martin Richard, 8 years old, Boston, MA RIP Krystle Campbell, 29 years old, Medford, MA A Chinese national graduate student whose family has requested privacy
Authorities are now reporting that they believe the explosive devices used a timer, BB's, and ball bearings inside pressure cookers, and hidden in backpacks, a technique that has been used in Afghanistan and Pakistan and the Times Square bombing in NYC, by the Taliban. The explosive compound used was a "slow burning" explosive, meaning it traveled at speeds less than 3300 feet per second.
The Saudi Arabian national previously reported as a suspect is in the US on a valid student visa, and it was his apartment in Revere, MA that was searched. He was injured in the explosion, but LE officials in Boston are downplaying their interest in him as being connected to this act of terrorism. Law Enforcement denied reports at the time of his detention that they had anyone in custody.
Meanwhile, they are searching for a man seen in video carrying two backpacks, for a rental van seen in the area, and for a man photographed on a nearby roof acting suspiciously following the attack. They are asking the public to send all pictures and videos they took of the event in hopes of finding evidence, and have stated that EOD sweeps of the area had occurred prior to the marathon, and again at about 1 hour prior to the bombing. Assuming the areas where the bomb had been placed had been properly searched by a qualified explosives working dog, it would indicate that the bombs had been placed within an hour of detonation. 16 April 2013
The FBI released pictures and video of 2 "suspects." Unfortunately, the quality of the releases was insufficient to distinguish anything of value. It is insufficient to even identify the race of the subjects, or the logos on their hats and clothing.
Earlier, it had released pictures of components of the bomb, and a light colored bag placed in one of the locations of the bombs, which does not match the bags carried by their two suspects. The components included the twisted metal of the pressure cooker, 14 gauge wire made in China, and a battery made in China. 18 April 2013
At approximately midnight, police got in a shootout with two men they claim were the suspects, killing the one listed as "Suspect #1" Tamarlan Tsarnaev, in the black ball cap, and an MIT Police officer, in Watertown, MA. As of 0630, Suspect #2, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, is still on the loose.
More recent news reports indicate the pair are brothers and Russian Chechen residents, while the AP are reporting that the 2nd suspect is a Cambridge, MA resident.
The brothers reportedly immigrated to the US in 2002, and Dzorkhar was reportedly receiving scholarship money for his studies at MIT from the City of Cambridge and the US Government. Tamarlan dropped out of Community College, after studying engineering.
Law Enforcement officials locked down 1 Million plus Americans, as they searched 60-100% of the homes in Watertown, MA, without finding Dzorkhar. All forms of travel were forbidden to those in the search area. The University of Massachusetts- Dartmouth was also shut down as the University reported that a suspect in connection with the crime was reported to be amongst their student body. LE has indicated that they are also looking for a 3rd suspect but have not released a name or picture of anyone new.
The younger brother, the 2nd suspect, was arrested at approximately 8:45PM ET hiding in a boat in a residential neighborhood.
It is now quite apparent that this was an act of Islamist Terrorism. 19 APR 2013.
“In 1948 Earl Shaffer told a friend he was going to “walk off the war” to work out the sights, sounds, and losses of World War II. Four months later, Earl Shaffer became the first person to hike the entire length of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine.” …….WarriorHike.com
Mark and Sean had begun planning their next mission before they even finished their tour with the Marine Corps. Little did they know that it would lead to the “Walk Off The War” Program, a program designed to help veterans transition from military service back to civilian life.
Various news agencies are reporting that former Navy Seal Chris Kyle has been shot and killed at a gun range at Rough Creek Lodge, in Glen Rose, Texas Saturday. Another man also was killed, his name has not yet been released.
A suspect is in custody, Eddie Routh. Routh who was arrested in connection with the shooting, was driving Chris Kyle’s truck at the time he was stopped and arrested by local police in Lancaster Texas.
Several news agencies are reporting that the other person who was shot was a neighbor of Chris Kyles. They were at the gun range helping another soldier with his recovery from PTSD. The shooting occurred around 3:30pm Saturday.
Kyle had recently been interviewed about his feelings on the call for more restrictions on gun owners. “He told the website guns.com that he favored arming teachers who have been screened and trained and spoke against restrictions on gun owners.”
Chris Kyle served in Iraq, was awarded two Silver Stars, five Bronze Stars with Valor, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals along with one Navy and Marine Corps Commendation. He wrote a book, “American Sniper” and has a new book coming out in May called "American Gun - A History of the U.S. in Ten Firearms."
I need to extend a huge THANKS to two very important people in my life.....one an Army veteran and the other a Marine!
The 2012 MCM was fast approaching, along with Hurricane Sandy. The runners were gathered in D.C. and surrounding areas watching the news, carbo loading, thinking about their race day strategy. Would the hurricane cancel the race? What would it be like running through wind and rain being pushed by a hurricane?
For this runner, it was a notable year as a first timer running the MCM 10k race.
Despite the facts, some are arguing that long metal tubes embedded in plastic, ie. rifles, are evil. Senator Feinstein is arguing that we should ban and confiscate the tools of self-defense, though she owns and carries firearms herself, and works behind the protection of armed security.
Several politicians have stepped up to the podium to bemoan the electoral muscle of the NRA, but the NRA cannot pull a lever or push a button for any candidate. What it does do, is monitor the politicians and tell the voters how a particular candidate has voted on gun legislation. The influence of the NRA is that the majority of voters are against unConstitutional gun restrictions, in most of America.
Paul Howe, a 20 year Special Operations veteran and weapons instructor, explored the possibilities of how gun confiscation programs would be executed. In essence, he concluded that a forcible attempt to take firearms from the People would result in violent resistance, and that those officials that attempted it would be run out of town. In places like Texas, where Mr. Howe works, and in places like Tennessee, he is possibly correct. In places like Chicago, California, and New York, things could very well be different. In fact, much of the Northeast and the Left Coast have already voluntarily given up huge parts of their 2nd Amendment Right, voluntarily, without a fight. These days, I don't underestimate the people's willingness to tolerate "small" abuses of tyranny, by the government they "know."
“Confiscation could be an option. Mandatory sale to the state could be an option. Permitting could be an option — keep your gun but permit it.”– Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D-N.Y.
Others have opined that the gun control debate is just a distraction technique, to get people's attention off the fact that Obama just raised taxes on 100% of America's workers, and other negatives out of Washington. At a minimum, FICA taxes went up by 2% on the first dollar (and most of the rest)you made this year, and 2% on your employer for paying you to work, as well as the ObamaCare taxes. These tax increases won't pay for the new subsidies to DNC special interests, like "green energy." In their arguments, the politicians know that the House will prevent gun grabs, and are happy that the economy and fiscal cliff are finally seeing reduced air time in the media.
Even General McChrystal decided now was the time to break his silence. He opined that M4's belong on the battlefield, not in schools. Who could argue with that? I'll argue that airplanes belong in the air and airports, not on the roads and rivers, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't be allowed to land one on your own cornfield, or keep one in your barn. When I was on the battlefield, I preferred that I had better weapons than the enemy, and that the bystanders be unarmed, but that doesn't mean I shot someone just because they had an AK-47, or even took it away from them. It just would have been easier to identify the actual enemy if non-combatants didn't have weapons, and that I could have shot all those that did, from a distance beyond the AK's effective range.
Then again, General McChrystal was fired by the politician he voted for, and ordered that Our Troops unload their weapons inside our bases in Afghanistan. Perhaps, he should have weighed in on why that politician ignored him and his recommendations on Afghanistan, instead of whether or not American Citizens should be stripped of their Rights. Perhaps, he should protect the Constitution he swore to protect, rather than the party he voted to put in power.
The gun industry and sports stores got an economic boost from the "debate," as law abiding citizens stocked up on what they feared would be taxed out of the supply system, or banned outright. Or as others have opined, Americans aren't stocking up before a ban, but preparing for a Civil War.
While the state legislature in Tennessee along with county and municipal officials discuss meaningful means to safeguard Our Children, politicians in other States are passing new laws that infringe the 2nd Amendment Rights of their subjects. Some of the new measures do include armed officials at the schools, as well as controlled entry points into those schools, with locked doors and key cards to get inside. Tennessee is considering the authorization of armed teachers, which has worked in Utah and Texas. The discussion of School Security did not start after Newton, but it was given greater prominence as a result.
On the other hand, Govenor Cuomo is pushing for banning even more rifles in the State of New York. The mayor of Burlington, VT has enacted new laws against rifles, though there appears to be no history of rifles being used in Burlington crimes.
And while the MSM returns to using the Aurora, CO massacre as an emotionally charged call for banning the means of self-defense, it ignores the more recent San Antonio theater shooting, in which a massacre was prevented by a woman with a gun. They ignore the Aurora church shooting which preceded the theater shooting, where an Armed Citizen prevented another massacre. They ignore thousands of such stories every year, because it doesn't fit their argument.
Some are claiming that the NRA and gun-owners are out of touch, and short on facts, or unskilled in debate. I contend that those that defend the Constitution, and Individual Liberty, are instead poor at executing their "marketing campaign." History and facts are clearly behind Liberty and small government leading to prosperity, and national prominence.
I would argue that the MSM's monopoly on information dissemination has hamstrung those that oppose their view. While the internet provides the tools for information to be disseminated outside of the MSM monopoly, even those that report information on websites rely on the MSM for their sources of information. This has created a circuitous cycle where the MSM still controls the debate, while individuals can falsely conclude that they are immune from its influence. The MSM talks about Aurora, or Newton, or Karzai, and the bloggers and Facebookers cite them. If you don't believe me, just look at the topics you discuss on Twitter and Facebook versus what the MSM is talking about.
While there are occasions that the internet buzz forces the MSM to address that which they attempt to ignore, like the Green Movement in Iran, or the Islamist takeover in Egypt, or Benghazi terrorist attack, it is both rare, and again slanted to their views. While CNN has no qualms publishing classified information from the US, it bowed to the demands to keep its reporters out of the streets of Tehran. And as they ignore the persistance of Islamist terrorists taking over the revolution in Syria, their female reporters are indicators as they cover their hair in the presence of Islamists. The more their hair is covered, the more extreme the Islamist faction.
Some facts: 33,808 Americans were killed in automobile accidents in 2009. 4,872 of those killed were not even in a vehicle. 4,092 of those killed were simply walking along. In contrast, 351 people were murdered with a rifle in 2009 (323 in 2011). Personal objects (817 murders) such as hand and feet, blunt objects such as hammers (623), knives (1,836), and shotguns (423) were used in more murders than were rifles of ANY kind in 2009.
Hopefully, there will never be a call to ban hands and feet, though more people are killed with them. It is impractical to attempt to ban hammers, though there are probably fewer of them. And despite the fact that cars kill more people than firearms, by more than 100 times the rate, I haven't heard anyone call for a ban on automobiles, other than the environmental whackos, and that's for an entirely different reason. Ten times as many pedestrians were killed by cars than were all Americans killed by rifles, and yet, there's no call to ban Sports Cars, or Limos, or even Pintos.
And let's look at England, as "gun murders" there are often used as proof that dis-arming the People leads to lower crime rates. The reality is that it does change the weapons used, but that England has a far greater violent crime rate, per capita, than does America. We could look at Mexico, but there are far more similiarities between the English and Americans than there are between Mexicans and Americans. Still, the gun murder rate in Mexico is far greater than in either, and they've banned guns for far longer. More than 12,000 were murdered over drugs alone in our less populous Southern Neighbor in 2011.
In England and Wales, 615 murders occurred in the 2009-10 timeframe, along with 588 attempted murders. Of the 54,509 sexual crimes, 13,991 women and 1,174 men were raped, making Detroit's 427 rapes look like a safe haven. There were 1,868 kidnappings. England and Wales had 55,240,000 people at the end of that period, or roughly 1/6th the US population. There were 871,712 violent crimes in that period, which includes part of 2009 and part of 2010. There were 32,491 charges of illegal weapon possession, along with 9,962 conspiracies to commit murder, in 2007/08. 19% of violent crimes involved a weapon, including 7,995 involving firearms and 33,771 involving a knife.
Only 45% of violent crimes were reported to the Police in England. Of those not reporting, 52% said they believed the Police could not or would not do anything about it (or it was "too trivial"), while 36% said they dealt with it themselves. Another 3% said they didn't report it because it was "a common occurrence." There were an estimated 2.2 Million violent crimes committed in England & Wales in 2010/2011.
England and Wales have a violent crime rate of 1,574 per 100,000 in 2009/10 and far worse than even America's most violent cities, such as Chicago's 1,050 per 100,000 or Washington DC's 1,326/100,000. And far worse than the US National rate of 405 per 100,000. What do Chicago, DC, and England have in common? Anti-gun laws. In contrast, Chicago is far more urban than England, and England is less urban than America as a whole.
Many argue that we "must do something." The "something" so many argue for ignores the facts, and plays on emotion. The "something" almost always calls for greater government interference in the lives of individual Citizens. It may feel like we have "done something" by holding a protest or signing a petition, and sometimes those are the best ways for Individual Citizens to "do something," but the most important "something" we can do is educate ourselves, and point Our Friends and Family to the base information, so that they can as well. It may be emotionally satisfying to "do something" but before we do, we should look at the facts, and make the decision based on logic and reason, not just jerk our knee in reaction.
In this particular case, the fact is that about 1 in One Million Americans are killed by a rifle, so banning rifles, much less a particular type of rifle would have negligible or no effect on anything. The problem is not the means by which a life is taken, but the person who takes the life. As the trend in China demonstrates, evil, or psychotic individuals if you prefer, will use the weapons on hand to commit violence. In their case, is mass stabbings at schools, since that is the weapon to which they have access, and all guns are banned.
And if the government banned cars, more people would be killed in horse accidents.
A Pakistani man pled not guilty Monday in an alleged al-Qaida plot to set off terrorist bombs in New York and Manchester, England.
Abid Naseer entered his plea in a U.S. federal court in Brooklyn, New York — where he was extradited from Britain last week. The judge ordered him to remain in jail at least until his next scheduled court appearance in March.
The European Court of Human Rights rejected Naseer's appeal against extradition to the United States. Naseer argued that he could wind up back in Pakistan, where he says he would be tortured.
Naseer is charged in separate plots to set off bombs in Manchester and in the New York City subway at the height of rush hour to maximize casualties.
A co-defendant, Adis Medunjanin, is already spending life in prison for his role. Naseer faces the same sentence if he is also convicted. VoA.
Police in New York City have arrested a couple after finding a substance used to make explosives as well as bomb-making manuals in their apartment.
U.S. authorities say the 31-year-old man, Aaron Greene, and his 27-year-old girlfriend, Morgan Gliedman, are being charged with possessing weapons.
They say detectives discovered seven grams of HMTD, an explosive commonly used in homemade bombs. Police also found numerous written items containing instructions on manufacturing explosives, including a cover page entitled The Terrorist Encyclopedia.
Greene appeared in court Sunday and is being held without bail, while Gliedman is still awaiting an initial court appearance. She is the daughter of a prominent Manhattan doctor. VoA.
The U.S. Senate has overwhelmingly approved a five-year extension of a law allowing the government to conduct wiretapping on foreign citizens without a warrant.
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, passed by the House of Representatives earlier this year, cleared the Senate Friday by a 73-23 margin with broad bipartisan support. The legislation now goes to President Barack Obama for his signature.
The law, first passed after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, also allows intelligence gathering on Americans when they communicate abroad with foreigners designated by security agencies as potential terrorist suspects [with approval of a FISA court].
The legislation covers telephone calls, emails and other types of electronic communications.
Critics, including privacy advocates, argue the law allows for government abuse because investigators do not need [open] judicial approval to conduct surveillance.
Ahead of Friday's vote, lawmakers rejected proposed amendments, including one that would have compelled the National Security Agency to estimate how many U.S. citizens have been monitored under the law. VoA.
In the practice of special counter-drug patrols, cars and semi-trucks are pulled over on excuses of small infractions. The targets have out of state license plates. They are then "asked" if they will allow a search of their vehicle. (Just say NO!) The police are looking for cash. The cash is then seized on the suspicion that it is drug profits. The driver is pushed to deny ownership to make the legal proceedings simpler. The cash is then kept by the law enforcement agencies involved in seizing it. If the Citizen wants his money back, the prosecutor's office requires them to fight for it, with lawyers, sometimes for years, at considerable cost.
While it was Tennessee's journalists that uncovered it here, these shakedowns are not just happening here. News Channel 5, WSMV, Nashville has been investigating the illegal seizures of property for two years, since the Institute for Justice came out with their report. What they found was an abuse of power, greed, and corruption. It is clear from the words of those in power, those stealing from The People, that it is a breach of the Constitution. The people of Tennessee are outraged over it, even though the police are targeting guests of our great state.
The Institute of Justice points out that this practice is happening elsewhere. It includes Michigan, Texas, and Georgia in its reports as being worse than Tennessee, and more than half the Nation gets graded at least as bad. It found that in 2008, more than $1 Billion had been seized from individual Citizens and was being held by the Department of Justice's Assets Forfeiture Fund.
Download Inst for Justice - Policing for Profit
I encourage you to watch the video series. The defense of the practice by prosecutors and police officers should enrage you. When a police officer says "he didn't prove it wasn't drug money," it demonstrates a practice of "guilty until proven innocent."
"It is illegal to have proceeds." [of criminal activity], District Attorney General Kim Helper. The "fact that no one ever claimed the money proves it was illegal."
"The doctrine of in rem forfeiture arose from Medieval ideas, rooted in the ancient law of “deodand.”Kings, for instance, could seize an instrument that caused the death of another in order to finance the deceased’s funeral mass.The idea arose from a superstitious belief that objects acted independently to cause death." Policing for Profit, Institute of Justice
There is nothing illegal about using and/or having cash. I understand that in today's world few people use cash, but short of gold and silver, paper currency is still the closest thing to real money.
Constitutionally, it is the burden of the prosecutor and police to prove guilt in a crime, not the accused to prove innocence. This fundamental premise must be upheld in law, in legislation, and in practice.
Constitutionally, you and your property cannot be searched without proof of cause. It cannot be seized without Warrant.
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures shall NOT be violated.." 4th Amendment, Bill of Rights, US Constitution
".. nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation." 5th Amendment, Bill of Rights, US Constitution
If you are pulled over and asked to forfeit your Rights, i.e., "Can we look in your vehicle?" Just say NO! It may be the practice, but it is un-Constitutional, for the government to presume you are guilty because you retain your rights.
What should happen now? The Governor and Legislature of Tennessee should act to remove the excuse for unlawful search and seizure. The Judges should clamp down on the practice and protect the Constitution they swore to uphold. And beginning with the DAG Kim Helper, and including every official uncovered in Channel 5's investigation, demonstrating the corrupt and un-Constitutional "justification" for these roadside shakedowns should be fired, and stripped of any chance of ever being in a position of authority again. Ms. Helper should be disbarred.
And Citizens of other States should press for their governments to do the same. I'm all for seizing the finances of criminal organizations, but that money is not guilty of anything. The owner of the money must be proven to have gained it through criminal activity, before it can be seized.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a sailor who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Lt. Leonard Robinson, 29, of Spring Lake, N.C., died Dec. 15, of non-combat related injuries while home on leave in Fayetteville, N.C. Robinson was assigned to the Naval Hospital Sigonella, Italy detachment located at the Naval Branch Health Clinic in Bahrain.
"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.
News reports in Connecticut say 26 people – most of them young children – were killed in a mass shooting at an elementary school.
By mid-afternoon, a Connecticut state police spokesman told reporters the crime scene had been secured. He said the first emergency call came shortly after 9:30 a.m. Police descended on the scene and immediately entered the school. Eighteen of the children and six adults, including the shooter, were found in one section of the school in two separate rooms. Two other children died in area hospitals.
The shooter, Adam Lanza, 20 years old shot and killed his mother, stole her car and then drove to the elementary school, where he opened fire on her kindergarten class, and another classroom. The gunman's 24-year-old brother, Ryan, was undergoing police questioning late Friday.
Adam Lanza used two 9mm pistols that he had stolen from his mother. He had a history of mental illness.
An official from the governor's office says Governor Dannel Malloy was “horrified” by tragedy and rushed to meet with the children's family members.
President Barack Obama called authorities in Connecticut to express his sadness, and pledged to help with federal resources.
The shooting took place Friday morning at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, 60 miles from New York City.
Photos and video images from the scene showed children being rushed out of the school, but it took several hours before the full scope of the tragedy to become known. VoA.
Gun laws broken: 1) Theft of a firearm (3 counts). 2) Possession of a firearm by someone under 21 years of age, without supervision (3 counts). 3) Matricide with a firearm. 4) Possession of a firearm by a mentally defective individual (3 counts). 5) Theft of a vehicle. 6) Possession of a firearm within 300 feet of a school (3 counts). 7) Discharge of a firearm within city limits (Minimally 28 counts). 8) Discharge of a firearm on school grounds (Minimally 27 counts). 9) Murder by discharge of a firearm (Minimally 27 counts). 10) Commission of a crime while in possession of a firearm (76 counts).
It seems the criminal was not stopped by the laws on the books. What might have stopped him would have been an armed guard and metal detector at the entrance of the school.
A dark haired, white-masked gunman, wearing a bullet proof load bearing equipment vest, opened fire on customers at approximately 3:30 PM Pacific time, near the Food Court at the Clackamas shopping mall near Portland, Oregon Tuesday, killing two people and wounding an unknown number of victims.
Police say the gunman is also dead, but it is not clear if he was shot by police or took his own life.
More than 100 police officers were searching the mall late Tuesday looking for more victims.
Witnesses say panicked shoppers fled the mall when the shooting started. Those who could not get outside hid in back rooms in stores at the Clackamas Town Center. Some witnesses say as many as 60 shots were fired.
UPDATE: The gunman has been identified as 22 year old Jacob Tyler Roberts. The fatalities were identified as Cindy Ann Yuille, 54, and Steven Mathew Forsyth, 45. The semi-automatic weapon was identified as stolen.
Friends of Roberts expressed disbelief that he could commit such a crime, that he was a High School dropout, and said he'd recently broke up with a girlfriend and planned to move to Hawaii.
Eleanor Roosevelt had a career on radio
that began in the 1920s and expanded while Franklin Roosevelt was
president. She had commercial sponsors but gave the money she earned at
this time to charity, such as the American Friends Service Committee.
Speaking in a personal,
conversational style, with a high pitched voice and clear, upperclass
East Coast diction, ER delivered listeners for her sponsors and proved
that she was worth large sums to advertisers. She was especially
interested in the participation of women in civic life and issues of
education and youth. Between 1933 and 1945 Eleanor Roosevelt’s White
House broadcasts addressed the challenges that depression and war posed
as well as lighter topics and commentary. After 1945 ER continued her
radio broadcasts with a focus on human rights, the Cold War, and world
peace.
Beginning in October 1941 ER gave 26 Sunday evening broadcasts sponsored by the Pan-American Coffee Bureau (eight Latin American coffee growing nations), and earned a total of $28,000. Through these broadcasts she helped to ready the American people for war. On the fateful Sunday, December 7, she changed her prepared remarks to rally her listeners behind the administration as the country entered the war. (source)
For the last year I have been saving a YouTube video
of Eleanor Roosevelt's radio address about Pearl Harbor, only to find
this week that it has been removed from the internet, and I can't find
it anywhere. However, the transcript of her December 7 radio address still exists. From the FDR Library, here's an excerpt of the original draft:
U.S. authorities have charged four men with plotting to kill Americans overseas by joining al-Qaida and the Taliban.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation said late Monday the group was planning to engage in “violent jihad” with bombings of military bases and other government facilities.
The FBI says that in 2010, Sohiel Omar Kabir, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Afghanistan, introduced two of the men to the radical Islamic doctrine of cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who was killed last year by a U.S. drone strike in Yemen.
(Pictured: Anwar al-Awlaki, killed in Yemen)
They later recruited the fourth man, and Kabir traveled to Afghanistan where he planned to arrange meetings with terrorists.
Kabir is being held in Afghanistan. The other three men — a U.S. citizen, and U.S. residents born in Mexico and the Philippines — are in federal custody in California.
Each defendant faces up to 15 years in federal prison if convicted. VoA.
While it is disappointing that the most respected man in Washington has admitted to marital infidelity, that isn't a crime, at least not given that it occurred after he retired before the affair. Nor is it really difficult to understand it occurring. A younger, not unattractive woman was hanging on his every word, and literally writing a book about his life, and "genius." Every one of those medals, that reach the epaulette of his uniform, he wore in the military are just as earned today, as they were a year ago. He still turned the Iraq War around, and accepted a demotion to run the War in Afghanistan, for a President that had disrespected him. He is still an honorable man, even if he fell to human temptation.
But as the MSM and FBI continue into the mudpit of the affair, some common threads are becoming apparent. And those common threads are perhaps bigger than the original story, which took an honorable man out of the leadership of Our Nation's government. The common links are a Tampa socialite, Jill (Khawam-خاعم) Kelley, the FBI, and private emails.
"As they looked further, the FBI agents came across a private Gmail account that used an alias name. On further investigation, the account turned out to be Petraeus's." RICHARD LARDNER, AP
In the latest developments, the FBI conducted a middle of the night search of Paula Broadwell's house, General Allen is now being investigated, and the FBI agent that started the investigation on Jill Kelley's behalf has also been implicated. At the center of the web, remains Jill Kelley.
Mrs. Kelley appears to have great influence and access. She has enough influence to get the FBI to investigate what seems to have been anonymous emails from someone that simply knew too much about her private life. She's a civilian that has access to the top brass at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, those at Central Command that runs Military Operations in the Middle East, and to FBI agents. She is of Lebanese descent.
In contrast to initial reports, the email account used by Ms. Broadwell wasn't the General's/CIA Director's official account. It was instead a private email account, and anonymous, which means that the FBI conducted an in-depth search into private email, and IP addresses, and the personal computers attached to them, on behalf of a Tampa socialite. And they didn't just look at emails that were sent privately, but also the draft email folder, of emails that were never sent.
Apparently, the FBI struggled to find a justification for the investigation into an anonymous email account that sent unsavory emails to Mrs. Kelley, and the stricken FBI agent fired off letters to a Congressman to get the fire lit again. According to current reports, Mrs. Kelley did not know who Ms. Broadwell was.
So far, in all of this, no actual crimes or security threats have been confirmed. Marital infidelity is an issue of morality, and an issue for the parties involved: General and Mrs. Petraeus, and his biographer, Paula Broadwell. Sending email, or even using a draft folder in an anonymous, private email account to cover immoral, but not illegal activity is not a crime. Sending unsavory email is not a crime. Even the FBI agent's sending of an email with a topless picture of himself is not a crime, even though it was to a married woman.
The more troublesome details of the investigation are that so many FBI resources were diverted from investigating child-pornography (Cybercrimes Unit of FBI), and hunting terrorists, to satisfy the displeasure of a Tampa socialite and an FBI agent enamored with her, the amount of influence she appears to have attained, and perhaps more than anything the degree to which the FBI is willing to invade private communications in such a case.
"With subpoenas and warrants, the FBI and other investigating agencies routinely gain access to electronic inboxes and information about email accounts offered by Google, Yahoo and other Internet providers." RICHARD LARDNER, AP
And if the government is willing to go to such depths for a civilian socialite who was unhappy with the emails she received, what would they do for their political bosses? And evidently, if you want the FBI to have to get a warrant to look at your email, you need to delete the stuff that is 6 months old, though there is nothing in cyberspace that is truly deleted.
At present, at least two leaders troublesome to the Administration have gotten caught up in this: General Allen and General Petraeus.
The Department of Defense (DoD) remains fully engaged in the ongoing federal disaster response efforts underway in eastern and northeastern United States as a result of Hurricane Sandy. In the context of our current support activities the department is focusing on providing unique capabilities to support civilian efforts to restore power to vital facilities and to assist with the resumption of mass transit services in the New York and New Jersey area.
Here is today's update on DoD's response to Hurricane Sandy (as of 9 a.m. EST):
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY (DLA)
DLA is using its normal business funds and processes to purchase goods and services in support of disaster relief. Once the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) activates or places an order for fuel delivery, FEMA assumes control of contract assets after assets are deployed to FEMA designated locations. FEMA works with state emergency coordinators, who direct assets to the best locations. Once assets are with the states, the states determine how it's used and where it goes. DLA personnel are also on site to assist with logistics and fuel issues. The contractor has the capability to delivery bulk product into existing tanks as well as refueling first responder vehicles (ambulances, fire trucks, etc.) and fleet vehicles. DLA received commitments from various suppliers to provide up to 24 million gallons of fuel.
- As of today, DLA has supplied 253,000 gallons of gasoline and 157,000 gallons of diesel fuel to FEMA distribution centers within New York and New Jersey.
- DLA is executing the purchase of 12 million gallons of gasoline, 12 million gallons of diesel. 260 fuel trucks are on contract to support of fuel distribution.
- New York locations to distribute first responder fuel changed from armories to five commercial gas stations. New Jersey locations are still operating at five National Guard armories.
- DLA working with the National Guard Bureau (NGB) to use more than 50 heavy expanded mobility tactical truck refuelers at first responder fueling. More than 430,000 gallons have been delivered in four days.
- In total, more than two million meals have been delivered to FEMA facilities in West Virginia, New York and New Jersey. Another five million are in production. 500,000 meals are in transit to Lakehurst, N.J., and 500,000 meals in transit to Floyd Bennett Field, NY.
- DLA delivered 1,000 cots/1,000 blankets to Fort Hamilton, N.Y., for the National Guard. 3,000 cots were delivered to McGuire, N.J., for National Guard personnel in the area. 140,000 blankets were delivered to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JBMDL), N.J.
- 107 pumps (1,500 gallons per minute and up) delivered to JBMDL, Saturday.
- Five submersible pumps moved to Craven Point in support of Navy Salvage.
- 51 Generators (500-2000KW) are at or in transit to Lakehurst, N.J.
USACE has more than 600 personnel supporting Hurricane Sandy response operations. Priority missions include: unwatering, temporary emergency power, restoration of ports, and debris cleanup.
- At the Hoboken Terminal, USACE is working with city officials to increase the passenger capacity. USACE is moving two large generators to the site to support operations, both are expected to be on site today.
- Currently pumping at: Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, World Trade Center, Montague Tunnel, Passaic Valley Waste Water Treatment Plant, Jersey City PATH Train Tunnel, 14th Street Tunnel, and Rockaway Waste Water Treatment Plan.
- USACE has 176 additional pumps with varying capacities staged or available via contractor staged and ready for deployment as needed.
- USACE has installed 67 generators with another 30 installations in progress. Another 97 installations are projected over the next 24 hours.
- Special emphasis has been focused on 26 sites in Hoboken to include providing power to twelve high rise apartments. USACE has one generator on site, one enroute and one being prepared for movement from the incident support bases. This effort will continue until commercial power has been restored.
THE NATIONAL GUARD (Reports to State Governors)
The National Guard continues significant response and recovery efforts throughout the impacted region.
- 7,666 National Guard personnel are assisting in response and recovery efforts across region affected by Sandy.
- The New York National Guard (NYNG) is supporting power restoration, traffic control, debris removal, wellness checks, and food/water distribution throughout New York City. The NYNG is the designated water and petroleum distribution agent for all supported state agencies. There are five military police companies conducting presence patrols, traffic control points, and augmentation of local law enforcement agencies.
- More than 800 NYNG personnel 200 vehicles expected to arrive at Floyd Bennett Field, N.Y., today.
- Using transportation companies to move generators to gas stations without power, followed by federal and local contractors performing generator installation and maintenance.
- The New Jersey National Guard (NJNG) is assisting New Jersey State Police and Fire Department with rescues, security, and evacuations. They are also conducting debris clearance/removal, high water vehicle operations, shelter support, food and water and fuel distribution, and power generation. NJNG is still conducting aerial support missions including FEMA damage assessments.
- The Pennsylvania National Guard is supporting Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency with sheltering, food/water distribution, and power generation, as well as providing assistance to New York.
- Connecticut National Guard personnel are conducting route clearance, high wheel transport, aviation, power generation, staging area support and security missions as part of recovery efforts.
- West Virginia National Guard (WVNG) personnel are conducting community assessments, medical evacuation, and debris removal. WVNG deployed aviation assets to assist with route reconnaissance and support response and recovery efforts.
A U.S. judge has sentenced a Massachusetts man to 17 years in prison for plotting to fly remote-controlled model planes packed with explosives into the Pentagon and the U.S. Capitol.
Rezwan Ferdaus read a statement to the court in Boston on Thursday. Ferdaus did not apologize for his actions, but said he accepts his fate and looks forward to a better future.
Federal agents arrested him Ferdaus last year after he exposed his plans to undercover agents posing as al-Qaida members.
Prosecutors say Ferdaus wanted to start a holy war against the United States. VoA.
Ferdaus was arrested on 28 September 2011 and pled guilty on 11 July 2012. He was born in Massachusetts of Bangladeshi parents. He graduated from Northeastern University with a degree in Physics. Prosecutors agreed to reduce his sentence to 17 years in return for a guilty plea.
"As part of our strong, ongoing commitment to America's military, The Home Depot is proud to announce a special one-day event across the nation: Mission:Transition"
"Unlike a job fair, these Civilian Career Workshops focus on helping service members and veterans transition successfully into the workforce in any industry. With service at the center of our core values, we are proud to arm service men and women with knowledge and resources to navigate a successful transition into a meaningful career. It is our goal to serve the military community."
"Register to participate in our October 27, 2012 Mission:Transition event and hear directly from hiring managers, human resources professionals and former military leaders currently working at The Home Depot. Attendees will learn:"
They say that neither rain, sleet or snow will stop the mail but I know for a fact that an approaching hurricane, being hit by a car, a stress fracture, running through burn pit smoke and dangerous heat and/or humidity has not stopped members of the team "For Those Who Can't."
Five years ago I learned how one man left his mark,literally, in the dirt on Okinawa. His wife "was first told that her husband probably wouldn’t make it through the night. The couple was then told that he would never walk again.
“I told them, ‘I’ll let you know my time when I run my first marathon,’” he said. "This year’s Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) will be the fifth he has run with the team he created."
How do you train for a marathon while on crutches? Simple! "Use your on-line training buddy for inspiration" relates one team member.
"Team For Those Who Can't" was founded by a Marine (Jon White) who refused to accept that he would never walk again. Back in 2007, he founded his team, running his first marathon along with his wife and son. Each year his goal is the same, "....I just want to cross that finish line."
One franchise restaurant owner needed to chose a charitable cause to support. Realizing that most of his customer's were connected to a Marine he picked the Semper Fi Fund which supports all services.
Have you ever wondered about what a marathon training schedule involves? Prepping for a marathon is not something one decides to do a few weeks out from the race.
First off, you should be running on a regular basis for at least 6 months and have a base mileage of 12-15 miles a week. Secondly, you will need to dedicate yourself to running/cross-training 5 days a week for the next 20 weeks.
Jon runs in various half-marathons throughout the year to stay in shape for the MCM. He only runs ONE marathon a year. Along the way he has collected a bit of bling! He has inspired friends and colleagues to run in the MCM each year also. This year, after crossing the finish line he will be able to join a special group, the MCM Runners Club. Not only will he have run the MCM 5 times, he will have done it in 5 successive years. Not such a big deal? He is still active duty, flying in from overseas several times, across the country and trained on multiple continents.
I have known Jon since 2005 and have recently taken several "working vacations" with him to a third world country. It took him a bit to convince me to come along. It is pretty hard to say no to him. I was shocked to realize that he spends most of his family vacations doing these "working vacations." Trust me, they are work, I came back exhausted but a better person for having gone!
I had my game plan for this year's race.....what to carry in my backpack, what mile markers I would be standing near to watch for the members of "Team For Those Who Can't" during the marathon. I even had my husband, his sister and nephew coming out to cheer them on. After all, this was to be my 2nd year watching the racers! I was excited!!! Suddenly I get an email notification saying my registration for the MCM 10k race had been confirmed.......say WHAT?!!!!!
Did you know that Marines can be downright sneaky??! That includes my daughter who was in on this! So much for my marathon day plans! Yes, I could have said, "No thanks!" I almost did, but I couldn't let Jon down. He is not one to set you up for failure, but he will set that bar high! His wife, a Marine veteran, signed up for the MCM 10k also. She has strict instructions to drag me across the finish line if I fall or can't make it under my own steam. It is only 6.2 miles..........that is chump change compared to the 26.2 miles you run for a marathon!
Right now though, they are in need of a boost. With the 2012 Marathon less than a week away, they are still 9% short of their team goal.
They are $468 short of their $5,000 goal for the team. Yes, some of the team members are above their goal, but this is a "team" effort and the team is looking for more donations!!
Every dollar donated goes to help our wounded military members. Jon was once part of that community of wounded in need of help.....now he is on the other side of that equation once again....and trying his hardest to earn your support while supporting his brothers-in-arms!
I have seen the following statement and I believe Jon lives up to this in more ways than one......
A Veteran is someone who, at one point in his life wrote a blank check Made payable to "The United States of America " for an amount of "up to and including my life". That is Honor, and there are way too many people in This country who no longer understand it."
Jon runs because he can, because in one day's time he went from being a normal healthy Marine to one who was paralyzed and had to be resuscitated several times in the hospital that first night.
Jon chose to run for the Semper Fi Fund. He could have just entered the MCM with no fundraising requirements. He and his wife have made way too many visits to various hospitals overseas and stateside visiting his Marines and their friends who have been injured. He not only walks the walk and talks the talk........he goes the distance......one marathon...a 26.2 mile race once a year "For Those Who Can't."
He truthfully can say........Been there, done that! Can you???
Lt. Gen. John Mulholland, commander of the U.S. Army Special Operations
Command and former commander of Task Force Dagger, addresses the
audience during the dedication and unveiling ceremony for the De
Oppresso Liber statue at the Winter Garden Hall in Two World Financial
Center near Ground Zero, Nov. 11, 2011. Members of Task Force Dagger, a
Special Operations team made up Green Berets from 5th Special Forces
Group (Airborne), aircrew members from the 160th Special Operations
Aviation Regiment (Airborne), and combat controllers from Air Force
Special Operations Command; joined Vice President Joseph Biden and
business leaders and veterans support organizations to unveil the
statue.(Photo by Staff Sgt. Andrew Jacob)
NEW YORK, N.Y. - "It was as if the Jetsons had met the Flintstones,"
stated Capt. Will Summers, former Special Forces team sergeant for the
5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), as his team linked up and operated
with members of the Afghan Northern Alliance just weeks after the 9/11
attacks.
A decade later those same words would resonate throughout the Winter
Garden Hall in Two World Financial Center near Ground Zero as Vice
President Joseph Biden, standing before the Ground Zero flag, spoke to
the audience assembled for the dedication of a larger than life bronze
statue depicting those same Green Berets.
Weekly claims for unemployment compensation surged in the U.S. last week, but the government said the increase was largely the result of a seasonal correction of the data.
A week ago, the government said the initial claims had fallen sharply. But Thursday, the U.S. said the number of initial applications for jobless aid jumped 46,000 last week to 388,000, the highest level in four months.
The Administration said both weeks' statistics were distorted by seasonal adjustments that often occur at the start of a new quarter of the year, such as at the beginning of October.
Analysts said the average of the number of claims the last two weeks — 365,000 — is in line with recent trends in the U.S. labor market that show a modest pace of new hiring.
The country's unemployment rate was pegged at 7.8 percent in September, the first time it had dropped below the 8 percent level in nearly four years. About 12 million workers remain unemployed, after millions of unemployed males were removed from the labor pool. VoA
For a few bucks more you can get a signed copy from the author himself! http://www.deltabravosierra.us/2011/02/10/a-word-about-the-new-book/comment-page-1/#comment-3383
Get your copy of this legendary cartoon now (or wait a few days for the signed copy!)
Go to War against the Nazis with SSG Smith of the 94th Infantry Division. Review: http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2010/04/everymans-war-vet.html.html
Ace Of Spades: Why Language Matters In this article, Ace of Spades demonstrates how the writing style of "journalists" and other writers is purposely used to influence the electorate. He explains this far better than I have been able to do, but this is the foundation of why I could no longer be silent.
This is the document that clearly authorizes what the Federal government is allowed to do, what authorities and responsibilities the separate entities of the Government have. It is what Our Troops swear to defend and what our politicians and judges have sworn to uphold:
Stumble It!
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