Trump says Kellyanne 'must have done some bad things' to George Conway
By Dylan Stableford
Yahoo News
November 22, 2019
Last week, Kellyanne Conway, special counselor to President Trump, berated CNN's Wolf Blitzer on air for suggesting there were "issues" in her marriage to George Conway, a conservative Washington, D.C., lawyer and prominent Trump critic.
In a live phone interview with "Fox & Friends" Friday, Trump speculated about those same issues — and suggested Kellyanne Conway may to be blame for them.
The president did so virtually unprompted.
Trump was asked by "Fox & Friends" co-host Ainsley Earnhardt about George Conway's recent assertion Nikki Haley, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, is gunning to be his running mate in 2020.
"Kellyanne is great but she's married to a total wack job," Trump said. "She must've done some number on him, Ainsley. I don't know what Kellyanne did to that guy because I don't even know him. I met him for a second. He's got to be some kind of a nutjob because she must have done some bad things to him because that guy is crazy."
Trump did eventually address the question, saying, "Mike Pence is a great vice president — he's our man."
It's not the first time Trump has publicly disparaged George Conway, who has emerged as one of his most persistent critics.
Conway frequently uses his Twitter feed and newspaper op-eds to draw attention to what he calls the president’s malignant narcissism.
In March, for instance, he questioned Trump’s mental health, posting sections of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders to his Twitter feed.
Trump, in return, called George Conway “a stone cold LOSER & husband from hell!”
In her interview with Blitzer, the CNN host asked Kellyanne Conway to respond to George Conway's assessment that testimony of career diplomats in the first public impeachment hearings was damning for her boss.
“Where is the shame?” Kellyanne Conway said. “What you just quoted is said every single day by other voices, but you wanted to put it in my husband’s voice because you think somehow that that will help your ratings or that you’re really sticking it to Kellyanne Conway.
“And let me make very clear. You didn’t stick it to Kellyanne Conway,” she added. “I think you embarrassed yourself, and I’m embarrassed for you.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is hard to believe, but it’s not fake news. What an asshole! Blaming his most loyal and outspoken defender for her husband’s hatred of him is a new low. Kellyanne should quit and tell Trump she won’t lie for him anymore and for him to go and fuck himself.
Saturday, November 23, 2019
LEGAL WEED PRICE GOING UP AGAIN IN CA
by Bob Walsh
It is estimated that between 2/3 and 3/4 of the money spent on weed in CA is spent in the black market. Legal weed sold in CA has to be tested for THC content and contaminants so the buyers know what they are getting. This costs money. Also the taxes on the sellers are significant. (Black market sellers do not collect sales tax, shocking as that may sound.)
The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration determines the legal markup of legal weed every six months. The CA excise tax is based on this figure, which will go up to 15% as of January 1. The markup rate is determined by the CDTFE and the excise tax is levied against that figure. (So a legal weed dealer will pay a 15% excise tax on 80% of his gross as of January 1. That does not count normal city and state sales taxes and other general fees, as well as special fees levied against legal weed dealers. Some of these special fees run well into six figures per year.
Nobody KNOWS yet what this increase will do to the legal weed market. The tax will go up from $9.25 per dry ounce weight to $9.65 per dry ounce weight on cannabis flower products. (I guess the days of a $5 lid of Bakersfield Brown or Indiana Ditch Weed are long gone.)
EDITOR'S NOTE: I predicted this. Ha ha ha! The cartels must be rubbing their hands in glee. And they are increasing their shipments of meth in anticipation that pot legalization will lead to an increased use of this dangerous drug.
It is estimated that between 2/3 and 3/4 of the money spent on weed in CA is spent in the black market. Legal weed sold in CA has to be tested for THC content and contaminants so the buyers know what they are getting. This costs money. Also the taxes on the sellers are significant. (Black market sellers do not collect sales tax, shocking as that may sound.)
The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration determines the legal markup of legal weed every six months. The CA excise tax is based on this figure, which will go up to 15% as of January 1. The markup rate is determined by the CDTFE and the excise tax is levied against that figure. (So a legal weed dealer will pay a 15% excise tax on 80% of his gross as of January 1. That does not count normal city and state sales taxes and other general fees, as well as special fees levied against legal weed dealers. Some of these special fees run well into six figures per year.
Nobody KNOWS yet what this increase will do to the legal weed market. The tax will go up from $9.25 per dry ounce weight to $9.65 per dry ounce weight on cannabis flower products. (I guess the days of a $5 lid of Bakersfield Brown or Indiana Ditch Weed are long gone.)
EDITOR'S NOTE: I predicted this. Ha ha ha! The cartels must be rubbing their hands in glee. And they are increasing their shipments of meth in anticipation that pot legalization will lead to an increased use of this dangerous drug.
PG&E NOW RESTORING POWER TO 40,000 IN NORCAL
by Bob Walsh
PG&E is now restoring power to 40,000 customers in northern California that were shut off two days ago in the third round of Public Safety Power Shutoffs. These things are done to prevent PG&E equipment from starting fires when they interact with flora of one sort or another. This round of shutoffs was much smaller than had originally been announced. It is hard to tell if that means the danger area was determined to be smaller of it PG&E is getting more sensitive to the political ramifications of these actions.
I do know I wish I was a Generac dealer up there.
PG&E is now restoring power to 40,000 customers in northern California that were shut off two days ago in the third round of Public Safety Power Shutoffs. These things are done to prevent PG&E equipment from starting fires when they interact with flora of one sort or another. This round of shutoffs was much smaller than had originally been announced. It is hard to tell if that means the danger area was determined to be smaller of it PG&E is getting more sensitive to the political ramifications of these actions.
I do know I wish I was a Generac dealer up there.
HOROWITZ 2.0
by Bob Walsh
The talking heads are now pretty much all in agreement that the Horowitz report in alleged FISA court abuses is going to come out on December 9, with very little redaction. They are also now pretty much all saying that at least one FBI attorney, or possibly FORMER FBI attorney, is said to have altered reports that were presented to the FISA court, presumably in an attempt to help justify surveillance of Trump campaign staff. It is not clear how much of an effect, if any, this "tweaking" may have had. I would guess that it would be significant as a lawyer would not lay his ass on the line for something trivial, but then what do I know?
Hope clouds reason. I HOPE this report is significant. That makes my opinion suspect.
Also, it is said that the Dunham criminal investigation has moved into the Pentagon and is looking at large sums of money paid to "experts" for foreign intelligence "reports" which is cool but these experts appear to maybe-probably be Trump haters peddling bullshit.
EDITOR'S NOTE: What do you bet the report will turn out to be a 'so what' report.
The talking heads are now pretty much all in agreement that the Horowitz report in alleged FISA court abuses is going to come out on December 9, with very little redaction. They are also now pretty much all saying that at least one FBI attorney, or possibly FORMER FBI attorney, is said to have altered reports that were presented to the FISA court, presumably in an attempt to help justify surveillance of Trump campaign staff. It is not clear how much of an effect, if any, this "tweaking" may have had. I would guess that it would be significant as a lawyer would not lay his ass on the line for something trivial, but then what do I know?
Hope clouds reason. I HOPE this report is significant. That makes my opinion suspect.
Also, it is said that the Dunham criminal investigation has moved into the Pentagon and is looking at large sums of money paid to "experts" for foreign intelligence "reports" which is cool but these experts appear to maybe-probably be Trump haters peddling bullshit.
EDITOR'S NOTE: What do you bet the report will turn out to be a 'so what' report.
CALIFORNIA SUPREMES TELL GOVERNOR NEWSOM TO BUGGER OFF
by Bob Walsh
You might recall that California recently enacted a law to required that persons registering for the primary election for President in CA must release their tax returns. They knew they could not get away with it in the general election, which has much more federal control, but kinda-sorta hoped they could get by with it in the primary.
Two days ago the California State Supreme Court, by a unanimous ruling, invalidated the statute.
The statute was specifically aimed at Donald Trump, who has thus far declined to release tax returns.
You might recall that California recently enacted a law to required that persons registering for the primary election for President in CA must release their tax returns. They knew they could not get away with it in the general election, which has much more federal control, but kinda-sorta hoped they could get by with it in the primary.
Two days ago the California State Supreme Court, by a unanimous ruling, invalidated the statute.
The statute was specifically aimed at Donald Trump, who has thus far declined to release tax returns.
MUST BE A SERIOUSLY SEXUALLY REPRESSED PROSECUTOR IN UTAH
by Bob Walsh
A Utah woman is being charged with a misdemeanor sex offense that could make her a registered sex offender. Her crime. Her step children saw her topless in her own home.
This horrible crime was committed in the home Tilli Buchanan, 27, shared with her husband and three two children, ages 9 thru 13. She and her husband were hanging sheet rock and they were both shirtless, to prevent their shirts from getting covered in sheet rock dust and mud residue.
The children's biological mother reported the incident to the cops.
A Utah woman is being charged with a misdemeanor sex offense that could make her a registered sex offender. Her crime. Her step children saw her topless in her own home.
This horrible crime was committed in the home Tilli Buchanan, 27, shared with her husband and three two children, ages 9 thru 13. She and her husband were hanging sheet rock and they were both shirtless, to prevent their shirts from getting covered in sheet rock dust and mud residue.
The children's biological mother reported the incident to the cops.
CALIFORNIA ABOUT TO MAKE YOU SAFE FROM PEOPLE SENDING YOU NUDE PHOTOS
by Bob Walsh
The formerly great state of California is about to make it illegal for it's residents to send unsolicited nude photographs to other people. Just thought you might want to know. Just in case.
The formerly great state of California is about to make it illegal for it's residents to send unsolicited nude photographs to other people. Just thought you might want to know. Just in case.
‘IF FACEBOOK WERE AROUND IN THE 1930S, HITLER WOULD HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO POST ADS AGAINST THE JEWS’
Sacha Baron Cohen slams Mark Zuckerberg for not fact-checking political ads while calling out tech companies for acting as the ‘greatest propaganda machine in history’ for hate groups
By Ariel Zilber
Daily Mail
November 21, 2019
Sacha Baron Cohen blasted Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday, saying that if his social network was around during the 1930s, he would have allowed Hitler to post ads targeting the Jews.
The British actor-comedian also took aim at the heads of tech giants Google and Twitter on Thursday for acting as ‘the greatest propaganda machine in history’ for hate groups while allowing fake news to overtake real news.
Cohen slammed the social media sites and search engines for ‘facilitating...all this hate and violence’ that has led to ‘surging’ hate crimes and a rise in ‘murderous attacks on religious and ethnic minorities.’
‘All this hate and violence is being facilitated by a handful of internet companies that amount to the greatest propaganda machine in history,’ the Borat star said during his keynote address before the Anti-Defamation League in New York on Thursday.
The ADL is one of the country’s oldest and most influential anti-hate groups.
In his remarks, Cohen blasted Zuckerberg and five other tech executives that he dubbed collectively as ‘the Silicon Six’ - a group that includes Google CEO Sundar Pichai; Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin; YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki; and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.
‘The Silicon Six—all billionaires, all Americans—who care more about boosting their share price than about protecting democracy,’ Cohen said.
‘This is ideological imperialism - six unelected individuals in Silicon Valley imposing their vision on the rest of the world, unaccountable to any government and acting like they’re above the reach of law.’
Cohen saved most of his criticisms specifically for Zuckerberg.
‘It’s like we’re living in the Roman Empire, and Mark Zuckerberg is Caesar,’ the Ali G funnyman said.
‘At least that would explain his haircut.’
Cohen took Zuckerberg and Google to task for refusing to ban Holocaust deniers from the social network.
‘[Zuckerberg] said that he found posts denying the Holocaust “deeply offensive,” but he didn’t think Facebook should take them down “because I think there are things that different people get wrong”,’ Cohen said.
‘At this very moment, there are still Holocaust deniers on Facebook, and Google still takes you to the most repulsive Holocaust denial sites with a simple click.
‘One of the heads of Google once told me, incredibly, that these sites just show “both sides” of the issue.
‘This is madness.’
DailyMail.com has reached out to Facebook, Google, YouTube, and Twitter for comment.
Cohen said that tech companies have played a role in allowing fake news to supplant real news, thus enabling the spread of false information and conspiracy theories that he says threatens to undermine democratic societies.
'On the internet, everything can appear equally legitimate,' Cohen said.
'Breitbart resembles the BBC. The fictitious Protocols of the Elders of Zion look as valid as an ADL report.
'And the rantings of a lunatic seem as credible as the findings of a Nobel Prize winner.
'We have lost, it seems, a shared sense of the basic facts upon which democracy depends.'
Cohen also rejected Zuckerberg's claim that he could not act as a censor to limit what people can say.
'Freedom of speech is not freedom of reach,' Cohen said.
'Sadly, there will always be racists, misogynists, anti-Semites and child abusers.
'But I think we could all agree that we should not be giving bigots and pedophiles a free platform to amplify their views and target their victims.'
Cohen said that social media sites and internet search engines have the legal right to ban hate speech.
'If a neo-Nazi comes goose-stepping into a restaurant and starts threatening other customers and saying he wants kill Jews, would the owner of the restaurant be required to serve him an elegant eight-course meal?' he asked rhetorically.
'Of course not!
'The restaurant owner has every legal right and a moral obligation to kick the Nazi out, and so do these internet companies.'
Cohen took Facebook to task for allowing the gunman who perpetrated the massacres at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, earlier this year to live stream the slaughter.
'It was a snuff film, brought to you by social media,' Cohen said.
'Why can't we have more of a delay so this trauma-inducing filth can be caught and stopped before it’s posted in the first place?'
Tech companies like Facebook, Google, Twitter, and others have come under fire from regulators for not doing enough to limit hate speech.
Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, who is running for the Democratic Party's nomination for the presidency, has called for the breakup of the company.
At a speech last month at Georgetown University, Zuckerberg defended Facebook's policies, saying that the company placed premium on free expression.
'People having the power to express themselves at scale is a new kind of force in the world - a Fifth Estate alongside the other power structures of society,' Zuckerberg said.
He said that despite the obstacles, 'the long journey towards greater progress requires confronting ideas that challenge us.'
By Ariel Zilber
Daily Mail
November 21, 2019
Sacha Baron Cohen blasted Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday, saying that if his social network was around during the 1930s, he would have allowed Hitler to post ads targeting the Jews.
The British actor-comedian also took aim at the heads of tech giants Google and Twitter on Thursday for acting as ‘the greatest propaganda machine in history’ for hate groups while allowing fake news to overtake real news.
Cohen slammed the social media sites and search engines for ‘facilitating...all this hate and violence’ that has led to ‘surging’ hate crimes and a rise in ‘murderous attacks on religious and ethnic minorities.’
‘All this hate and violence is being facilitated by a handful of internet companies that amount to the greatest propaganda machine in history,’ the Borat star said during his keynote address before the Anti-Defamation League in New York on Thursday.
The ADL is one of the country’s oldest and most influential anti-hate groups.
In his remarks, Cohen blasted Zuckerberg and five other tech executives that he dubbed collectively as ‘the Silicon Six’ - a group that includes Google CEO Sundar Pichai; Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin; YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki; and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.
‘The Silicon Six—all billionaires, all Americans—who care more about boosting their share price than about protecting democracy,’ Cohen said.
‘This is ideological imperialism - six unelected individuals in Silicon Valley imposing their vision on the rest of the world, unaccountable to any government and acting like they’re above the reach of law.’
Cohen saved most of his criticisms specifically for Zuckerberg.
‘It’s like we’re living in the Roman Empire, and Mark Zuckerberg is Caesar,’ the Ali G funnyman said.
‘At least that would explain his haircut.’
Cohen took Zuckerberg and Google to task for refusing to ban Holocaust deniers from the social network.
‘[Zuckerberg] said that he found posts denying the Holocaust “deeply offensive,” but he didn’t think Facebook should take them down “because I think there are things that different people get wrong”,’ Cohen said.
‘At this very moment, there are still Holocaust deniers on Facebook, and Google still takes you to the most repulsive Holocaust denial sites with a simple click.
‘One of the heads of Google once told me, incredibly, that these sites just show “both sides” of the issue.
‘This is madness.’
DailyMail.com has reached out to Facebook, Google, YouTube, and Twitter for comment.
Cohen said that tech companies have played a role in allowing fake news to supplant real news, thus enabling the spread of false information and conspiracy theories that he says threatens to undermine democratic societies.
'On the internet, everything can appear equally legitimate,' Cohen said.
'Breitbart resembles the BBC. The fictitious Protocols of the Elders of Zion look as valid as an ADL report.
'And the rantings of a lunatic seem as credible as the findings of a Nobel Prize winner.
'We have lost, it seems, a shared sense of the basic facts upon which democracy depends.'
Cohen also rejected Zuckerberg's claim that he could not act as a censor to limit what people can say.
'Freedom of speech is not freedom of reach,' Cohen said.
'Sadly, there will always be racists, misogynists, anti-Semites and child abusers.
'But I think we could all agree that we should not be giving bigots and pedophiles a free platform to amplify their views and target their victims.'
Cohen said that social media sites and internet search engines have the legal right to ban hate speech.
'If a neo-Nazi comes goose-stepping into a restaurant and starts threatening other customers and saying he wants kill Jews, would the owner of the restaurant be required to serve him an elegant eight-course meal?' he asked rhetorically.
'Of course not!
'The restaurant owner has every legal right and a moral obligation to kick the Nazi out, and so do these internet companies.'
Cohen took Facebook to task for allowing the gunman who perpetrated the massacres at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, earlier this year to live stream the slaughter.
'It was a snuff film, brought to you by social media,' Cohen said.
'Why can't we have more of a delay so this trauma-inducing filth can be caught and stopped before it’s posted in the first place?'
Tech companies like Facebook, Google, Twitter, and others have come under fire from regulators for not doing enough to limit hate speech.
Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, who is running for the Democratic Party's nomination for the presidency, has called for the breakup of the company.
At a speech last month at Georgetown University, Zuckerberg defended Facebook's policies, saying that the company placed premium on free expression.
'People having the power to express themselves at scale is a new kind of force in the world - a Fifth Estate alongside the other power structures of society,' Zuckerberg said.
He said that despite the obstacles, 'the long journey towards greater progress requires confronting ideas that challenge us.'
MASSIVE ROBBERY OF NFL FANS OUTSIDE THE AZTECA STADIUM
The fans were victims of armed robbery at the bridge that connects the Azteca Stadium with the Calzada de Tlalpan. The delinquents took cell phones, wallets, and in some cases even their tennis shoes
Yucatan Times
November 21, 2019
At least 100 fans, mainly from other states of the Republic and foreigners, faced the Mexico City delinquency at the exit of the game between the Kansas City Chiefs vs the de Los Ángeles Chargers at the Azteca Stadium.
Those fans were victims of armed robbery at the bridge that connects the Azteca Stadium with the Calzada de Tlalpan. The delinquents took their cell phones and wallets, and some cases even their tennis shoes.
In an operation that supposedly grouped more than three thousand police officers implemented by the Secretary of Citizen Security of the capital did nothing to inhibit several gangs of assailants, especially young people and women who blended amongst the fans taking advange of the moment.
Joel Williams an American expat living in CDMX who attended the game, was one of the victims of theft of his cell phone, and although he identified the perpetrator and reported him to several police officers, they alluded that it was very difficult to stop the thief and let him escape.
John Michael Smith, a tourist from Kansas City, United States, was stripped of his wallet, cell phone and tennis shoes in the same place. Complaints to police intensified when the game ended, without any operation to arrest those responsible for the assaults.
The Secretariat of Citizen Security of Mexico City (SSC-CDMX) proudly said that no complaint was filed for the “alleged” thefts suffered by fans at the start or end of the NFL game between the Kansas Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers at the Azteca Stadium.
“The SSC did not receive any complaint for theft or any major incident, and the District Attorney’s Office in the mayor’s office also did not make any inquiry or record for dispossession of belongings before, during, or after the game of the NFL” said the capital dependence through a statement.
Except that most of the people who were assaulted left Mexico city the next day in order to return to their homes. Some of the people interviewed in the place, mentioned that Claudia Sheinbaum´s security operation was a joke.
When asked about filing a “denuncia”, most of the people affected said: “For what? Nothing will happen… most likely the cops are colluded with the robbers”.
Yucatan Times
November 21, 2019
At least 100 fans, mainly from other states of the Republic and foreigners, faced the Mexico City delinquency at the exit of the game between the Kansas City Chiefs vs the de Los Ángeles Chargers at the Azteca Stadium.
Those fans were victims of armed robbery at the bridge that connects the Azteca Stadium with the Calzada de Tlalpan. The delinquents took their cell phones and wallets, and some cases even their tennis shoes.
In an operation that supposedly grouped more than three thousand police officers implemented by the Secretary of Citizen Security of the capital did nothing to inhibit several gangs of assailants, especially young people and women who blended amongst the fans taking advange of the moment.
Joel Williams an American expat living in CDMX who attended the game, was one of the victims of theft of his cell phone, and although he identified the perpetrator and reported him to several police officers, they alluded that it was very difficult to stop the thief and let him escape.
John Michael Smith, a tourist from Kansas City, United States, was stripped of his wallet, cell phone and tennis shoes in the same place. Complaints to police intensified when the game ended, without any operation to arrest those responsible for the assaults.
The Secretariat of Citizen Security of Mexico City (SSC-CDMX) proudly said that no complaint was filed for the “alleged” thefts suffered by fans at the start or end of the NFL game between the Kansas Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers at the Azteca Stadium.
“The SSC did not receive any complaint for theft or any major incident, and the District Attorney’s Office in the mayor’s office also did not make any inquiry or record for dispossession of belongings before, during, or after the game of the NFL” said the capital dependence through a statement.
Except that most of the people who were assaulted left Mexico city the next day in order to return to their homes. Some of the people interviewed in the place, mentioned that Claudia Sheinbaum´s security operation was a joke.
When asked about filing a “denuncia”, most of the people affected said: “For what? Nothing will happen… most likely the cops are colluded with the robbers”.
TRIP TO MEXICAN PARADISE TURNED INTO A NIGHTMARE
Canadian Woman Beaten and Raped in her Tulum Hotel Room and Feminicides Have Increased 17% in Michoacán
By Yaqui from MND y Debate
Borderland Beat
November 21, 2019
Mexico City man arrested after Canadian woman beaten in her Tulum hotel. Leslie York underwent nine hours of reconstructive surgery in Cancún.
A Canadian woman’s trip to paradise turned into a nightmare when she was attacked in her hotel room last week in Tulum. Leslie York of Ottawa, Ontario, was beaten so badly while staying at Tulum’s Grand Bahia Principe resort that she required over nine hours of reconstructive surgery.
Leslie York, 29, arrived alone on November 10, planning to meet her mother there the next day.
Around midnight, York left her room to get something to eat. She met two couples also staying at the resort and remained with them in the restaurant until around 3:00am.
After she returned to her room, she heard a knock on her door. It was one of the men she had met at dinner, who authorities have since identified as Ricardo S.P., a 34-year-old chauffeur from Mexico City who was staying at the hotel with his wife.
e managed to feel her way out of the room to seek help. York was first taken to a private hospital in Playa del Carmen and later transferred to a hospital in Cancún. Local media reported she had been sexually assaulted as well as beaten.
Her mother arrived on November 11, and her brother Matthew York joined them the next day.
“She had nine hours of plastic surgery. She has nerve damage in her face. The swelling is kind of going down now, but at the time it was quite bad,” she told CBC News.
Leslie York remained in Cancún as of Monday, recovering from her injuries and it was not clear when she would be well enough to travel. “Every time she lifts her head up she gets dizzy,” her brother said.
A spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada said the family is being provided consular services and that Canadian officials are working with Mexican authorities to resolve the case.
The Quintana Roo Attorney General’s Office said Ricardo S.P. had been arrested connection with the attack.
Meanwhile, in the West Coast state of Michoacán there is an increase in feminicide which will inevitably reflect this years statistics countrywide.
Of the 113 municipalities of Michoacán in 14 of them there is a Gender Alert and the murders against women continue to grow, says Deputy Zenaida Salvador.
The stats for feminicides have increased 17% in the last two years in the state of Michoacán , deputy Zenaida Salvador Brígido claimed today before the Michoacán State Congress .
It should be emphasized that since 2014 the Gender Alert was issued in 14 of the 113 municipalities of the entity to work in the fight against violence against women, but this has not helped, on the contrary "homicides are increasing towards women with excessive cruelty and violence in different modalities. In the same way it seems to be related to the involvement of Mexican women in the struggle for their rights, " lamented the deputy of the Morena party.
According to information provided by Salvador Brígido in the Chamber of Deputies, the Attorney General's Office of Michoacán (FGM) registered 138 murdered women in 2016, by 2017 the figure rose to 139; In 2018, the increase was greater until reaching 162 feminicides, which is equivalent to an increase of 17% in this period.
The deputy announced on the subject of feminicides , ie , murders of women, that this year alone year from January to June already 53 women were deprived of life who were added to the list. Feminicides have increased 17% , Salvador Brígido claimed today before the Michoacán State Congress.
He emphasized that since 2014 the Gender Alert was issued in 14 of the 113 municipalities of the entity to work in the fight against violence against women, but this has not helped, on the contrary "homicides are increasing towards women with excessive cruelty and violence in different modalities. In the same way it seems to be related to the involvement of Mexican women in the struggle for their rights, " lamented the deputy of the Morena bench.
According to information provided by Salvador Brígido in the Chamber of Deputies, the Attorney General's Office of Michoacán (FGM) registered 138 murdered women in 2016, by 2017 the figure rose to 139; In 2018, the increase has reached 162 feminicides, which is equivalent to an increase of 17% in this period.
"Feminicide is not an exclusive issue for women, it is a social problem where men should be included and their way of relating to women, feminicide is a complex problem, all as a population we must be aware of what this implies", Zenaida Salvador Brígido explained.
Given these figures, the legislator exalts that there is a legal vacuum in political and activist fields in relation to women, so she asked to add adequate protection through her initiative.
"Given this wave of violence that has been unleashed in recent years, it is necessary that the State pay attention to legislation on this matter, which guarantees security, integrity, equity, equality, protection, justice and respect for human rights to women, " concluded Deputy Zenaida. She hopes that this figure does not increase considerably before the end of the year, although they have already reported the murder of other women, even with their children.
By Yaqui from MND y Debate
Borderland Beat
November 21, 2019
Mexico City man arrested after Canadian woman beaten in her Tulum hotel. Leslie York underwent nine hours of reconstructive surgery in Cancún.
A Canadian woman’s trip to paradise turned into a nightmare when she was attacked in her hotel room last week in Tulum. Leslie York of Ottawa, Ontario, was beaten so badly while staying at Tulum’s Grand Bahia Principe resort that she required over nine hours of reconstructive surgery.
Leslie York, 29, arrived alone on November 10, planning to meet her mother there the next day.
Around midnight, York left her room to get something to eat. She met two couples also staying at the resort and remained with them in the restaurant until around 3:00am.
After she returned to her room, she heard a knock on her door. It was one of the men she had met at dinner, who authorities have since identified as Ricardo S.P., a 34-year-old chauffeur from Mexico City who was staying at the hotel with his wife.
e managed to feel her way out of the room to seek help. York was first taken to a private hospital in Playa del Carmen and later transferred to a hospital in Cancún. Local media reported she had been sexually assaulted as well as beaten.
Her mother arrived on November 11, and her brother Matthew York joined them the next day.
“She had nine hours of plastic surgery. She has nerve damage in her face. The swelling is kind of going down now, but at the time it was quite bad,” she told CBC News.
Leslie York remained in Cancún as of Monday, recovering from her injuries and it was not clear when she would be well enough to travel. “Every time she lifts her head up she gets dizzy,” her brother said.
A spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada said the family is being provided consular services and that Canadian officials are working with Mexican authorities to resolve the case.
The Quintana Roo Attorney General’s Office said Ricardo S.P. had been arrested connection with the attack.
Meanwhile, in the West Coast state of Michoacán there is an increase in feminicide which will inevitably reflect this years statistics countrywide.
Of the 113 municipalities of Michoacán in 14 of them there is a Gender Alert and the murders against women continue to grow, says Deputy Zenaida Salvador.
The stats for feminicides have increased 17% in the last two years in the state of Michoacán , deputy Zenaida Salvador Brígido claimed today before the Michoacán State Congress .
It should be emphasized that since 2014 the Gender Alert was issued in 14 of the 113 municipalities of the entity to work in the fight against violence against women, but this has not helped, on the contrary "homicides are increasing towards women with excessive cruelty and violence in different modalities. In the same way it seems to be related to the involvement of Mexican women in the struggle for their rights, " lamented the deputy of the Morena party.
According to information provided by Salvador Brígido in the Chamber of Deputies, the Attorney General's Office of Michoacán (FGM) registered 138 murdered women in 2016, by 2017 the figure rose to 139; In 2018, the increase was greater until reaching 162 feminicides, which is equivalent to an increase of 17% in this period.
The deputy announced on the subject of feminicides , ie , murders of women, that this year alone year from January to June already 53 women were deprived of life who were added to the list. Feminicides have increased 17% , Salvador Brígido claimed today before the Michoacán State Congress.
He emphasized that since 2014 the Gender Alert was issued in 14 of the 113 municipalities of the entity to work in the fight against violence against women, but this has not helped, on the contrary "homicides are increasing towards women with excessive cruelty and violence in different modalities. In the same way it seems to be related to the involvement of Mexican women in the struggle for their rights, " lamented the deputy of the Morena bench.
According to information provided by Salvador Brígido in the Chamber of Deputies, the Attorney General's Office of Michoacán (FGM) registered 138 murdered women in 2016, by 2017 the figure rose to 139; In 2018, the increase has reached 162 feminicides, which is equivalent to an increase of 17% in this period.
"Feminicide is not an exclusive issue for women, it is a social problem where men should be included and their way of relating to women, feminicide is a complex problem, all as a population we must be aware of what this implies", Zenaida Salvador Brígido explained.
Given these figures, the legislator exalts that there is a legal vacuum in political and activist fields in relation to women, so she asked to add adequate protection through her initiative.
"Given this wave of violence that has been unleashed in recent years, it is necessary that the State pay attention to legislation on this matter, which guarantees security, integrity, equity, equality, protection, justice and respect for human rights to women, " concluded Deputy Zenaida. She hopes that this figure does not increase considerably before the end of the year, although they have already reported the murder of other women, even with their children.
REMOTE CAR SMUGGLING COMES TO SCREECHING HALT
Teen Arrested On Suspicion Of Using Remote-Controlled Car To Smuggle Drugs Across Border
LAPPL News Watch
November 22, 2019
A 16-year-old boy was arrested early Sunday on suspicion of using a remote-controlled car to transport methamphetamine across the border near the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, authorities said.
Border Patrol agents believe someone on the south side of the U.S.-Mexico border was able to slip the drug-laden car through a gap in the bollard-style fencing and then drive it to the teen waiting on the north side of the fence, said Border Patrol spokesman Theron Francisco.
An agent spotted the boy hiding in thick brush near the border, about a mile north of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, about 12:30 a.m. Sunday. The teen had two large duffel bags and a remote-controlled car with him, and agents found 50 packages of methamphetamine weighing more than 55 pounds in his bags.
The boy was arrested on drug-smuggling charges and has been booked into juvenile hall. Francisco said he didn’t know where the boy lived.
LAPPL News Watch
November 22, 2019
A 16-year-old boy was arrested early Sunday on suspicion of using a remote-controlled car to transport methamphetamine across the border near the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, authorities said.
Border Patrol agents believe someone on the south side of the U.S.-Mexico border was able to slip the drug-laden car through a gap in the bollard-style fencing and then drive it to the teen waiting on the north side of the fence, said Border Patrol spokesman Theron Francisco.
An agent spotted the boy hiding in thick brush near the border, about a mile north of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, about 12:30 a.m. Sunday. The teen had two large duffel bags and a remote-controlled car with him, and agents found 50 packages of methamphetamine weighing more than 55 pounds in his bags.
The boy was arrested on drug-smuggling charges and has been booked into juvenile hall. Francisco said he didn’t know where the boy lived.
WAR ON DRUGS VICTORY IN HONG KONG
Hong Kong customs officers in terrorist drug bust as they seize HK$245 million shipment of ‘chemical courage’
By Christy Leung
South China Morning Post
November 20, 2019
A HK$245 million shipment of a terrorist drug nicknamed “chemical courage” has been seized in Hong Kong, officials revealed on Wednesday.
In the biggest such bust in the city’s history, customs officials found 1.57 million fenethylline tablets when they searched a suspicious container full of furniture being shipped to Saudi Arabia from Syria, via Hong Kong and mainland China.
The pills contain amphetamine as an active ingredient, and are popular with Isis fighters looking to stay alert in battle. The drug causes a sense of euphoria, impairs judgement, and over the long term can lead to extreme depression and tiredness.
Customs and Excise Department officers made the discovery on November 8 at the Kwai Chung Customhouse Cargo Examination Compound.
“The shipment manifest declared it was a furniture product consignment. Upon inspection, customs officers found the batch of suspected drugs concealed beneath the seat base of 84 sofas,” the department said in a statement.
“Further investigation revealed the drugs were not for the local market. It is believed the drug trafficking syndicate made a circuitous routing of different stops in an attempt to escape from the law enforcement agencies, by transporting the drugs from the Middle East and back to the same region.
“The drug has been exploited by criminal groups for profit-generating purposes.”
Syria is a major amphetamines exporter and also consumer, as the synthetic drugs can keep jihadists on their feet, and selling it generates money for more weapons.
A Hong Kong government source said the drugs were in no way related to the anti-government protest movement in the city, and “the contraband was only transiting through Hong Kong”. No arrests had been made so far, the source said.
“It caught our attention as it made such an unnecessary detour for a shipment originating from Syria to the Saudi Peninsula. So our officers inspected the shipment,” the source added.
The insider said each synthetic pill costs around US$20 and smugglers use complicated trafficking routes to try to avoid being caught, with law enforcement agencies around the world engaged in a tough battle against the drugs.
According to a registered pharmacist, William Chui Chun-Ming, who is also president of The Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Hong Kong, the drug keeps users awake for long periods of time and is highly addictive.
“It creates a sense of euphoria and impairs judgment. Overuse can cause extreme depression and tiredness,” he said.
He said while amphetamines were abused in Hong Kong, fenethylline was also popular in the Middle East, especially in Saudi Arabia.
In July, Greek authorities seized what they described as the world’s largest single haul of supercharged amphetamine Captagon pills shipped from Syria, worth more than half a billion euros. Enforcement officers seized three containers containing 5.25 tonnes of the drug, about 33 million pills.
By Christy Leung
South China Morning Post
November 20, 2019
A HK$245 million shipment of a terrorist drug nicknamed “chemical courage” has been seized in Hong Kong, officials revealed on Wednesday.
In the biggest such bust in the city’s history, customs officials found 1.57 million fenethylline tablets when they searched a suspicious container full of furniture being shipped to Saudi Arabia from Syria, via Hong Kong and mainland China.
The pills contain amphetamine as an active ingredient, and are popular with Isis fighters looking to stay alert in battle. The drug causes a sense of euphoria, impairs judgement, and over the long term can lead to extreme depression and tiredness.
Customs and Excise Department officers made the discovery on November 8 at the Kwai Chung Customhouse Cargo Examination Compound.
“The shipment manifest declared it was a furniture product consignment. Upon inspection, customs officers found the batch of suspected drugs concealed beneath the seat base of 84 sofas,” the department said in a statement.
“Further investigation revealed the drugs were not for the local market. It is believed the drug trafficking syndicate made a circuitous routing of different stops in an attempt to escape from the law enforcement agencies, by transporting the drugs from the Middle East and back to the same region.
“The drug has been exploited by criminal groups for profit-generating purposes.”
Syria is a major amphetamines exporter and also consumer, as the synthetic drugs can keep jihadists on their feet, and selling it generates money for more weapons.
A Hong Kong government source said the drugs were in no way related to the anti-government protest movement in the city, and “the contraband was only transiting through Hong Kong”. No arrests had been made so far, the source said.
“It caught our attention as it made such an unnecessary detour for a shipment originating from Syria to the Saudi Peninsula. So our officers inspected the shipment,” the source added.
The insider said each synthetic pill costs around US$20 and smugglers use complicated trafficking routes to try to avoid being caught, with law enforcement agencies around the world engaged in a tough battle against the drugs.
According to a registered pharmacist, William Chui Chun-Ming, who is also president of The Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Hong Kong, the drug keeps users awake for long periods of time and is highly addictive.
“It creates a sense of euphoria and impairs judgment. Overuse can cause extreme depression and tiredness,” he said.
He said while amphetamines were abused in Hong Kong, fenethylline was also popular in the Middle East, especially in Saudi Arabia.
In July, Greek authorities seized what they described as the world’s largest single haul of supercharged amphetamine Captagon pills shipped from Syria, worth more than half a billion euros. Enforcement officers seized three containers containing 5.25 tonnes of the drug, about 33 million pills.
A FIFTH COMMONALITY: ALL MASS SHOOTERS HAD THEIR UMBILICAL CORDS CUT
Almost all mass shooters since 1966 have four things in common: Childhood trauma, a personal crisis, examples that validate their feelings, and access to a firearm
By Ralph R. Ortega
Daily Mail
November 20, 2019
Mass shooters in the US have been found to have four commonalities, according to a new government study which has redefined the profile of killers as violence has escalated in the US over the past half century.
A Department of Justice-funded study released Tuesday details how shooters who killed at least four or more people since 1966 have typically had an experience with childhood trauma, a personal crisis or specific grievance, and a 'script' or examples that validate or provide a roadmap.
There is also access to a firearm, according to the study, The Violence Project.
The project includes a database of mass shootings involving four or more victims, which is the FBI benchmark for a 'mass murder', and uses the 1966 University of Texas massacre as a starting point.
The killing spree set in motion from the bell tower of the school by sniper Charles Whitman after he killed his mother and wife the morning of August 11 and which left 16 people dead and 32 wounded was chosen by researchers because it was the first to be widely covered on radio and TV.
The database has almost every shooting of four or more victims since the Texas slaying. It does not include the mass shooting in Santa Clarita, California, on Thursday. Nathaniel Belrhow, 16, was named by authorities as the gunman who shot five fellow students - killing two - before turning the gun on himself.
As policy makers have debated what triggers a mass shooting -- blaming the problem on either shooters suffering from mental illness or access to firearms -- the researchers say they hope findings will encourage approaching the issue from a more evidenced-based perspective.
'Data is data,' says Jillian Peterson, a psychologist at Hamline University and co-author of the study, VICE reports. 'Data isn't political. Our hope is that it pushes these conversations further.'
The study released by the project, a nonpartisan think tank created to reduce societal violence, also found that mass shootings are becoming more frequent and deadly.
A review of 167 incidents over the 53-year period found 20 per cent happened in the last five years, and half since 2000. The deadly mayhem also is increasingly motivated by racial, religious, or misogynist hatred, especially since 2014.
And the findings reveal that more than half of all mass shooters in the database obtained their guns legally. Researches noted that many mass shooters also displayed symptoms of of being in some sort of crisis prior to unleashing carnage.
'Those are opportunities for prevention', said Peterson.
Researchers detailed personal characteristics that they say align with locations targeted by shooters and put them into five categories.
There is the 'K-12' shooter, who is typically white, a student or former student of the school, with a history of trauma. Most are suicidal and have invested time planning the slaying. Multiple guns are used, often stolen from a family member.
Then there is the 'college and university shooter'. This person is usually a non-white male who is a current student of the school, is suicidal, and has a history of violence and childhood trauma. They usually use legally-obtained weapons and leave a manifesto.
A 'workplace shooter' was found to typically be a male in his 40s of no specific race. This shooter often targets the place of their employment, which is usually a blue-collar establishment they have a gripe with. Legally-purchased handguns and assault rifles are used.
A 'place of worship shooter' is usually a white male in his 40s, often motivated by hate or domestic violence that goes beyond the home. Little planning is involved in the mayhem.
Shooters at commercial locations such as stores or restaurants have usually been white men in their 30s with a violent history, who have criminal records. They have no connection to the business and use a single, legally-obtained firearm. About one third displayed some kind of 'thought disorder', or mental condition, including schizophrenia, resulting in scattered thinking, paranoia and delusions.
The study noted hate on the rise with shooters motivated by racism, religious hate, and misogyny increasing since the 1960s, especially in the last five years.
There were 75 mass shootings between 1966 and 2000, of which 9 per cent were motivated by racism, 1 per cent by religious hatred and 7 per cent by misogyny.
By comparison, of 32 mass shootings that happened in the US since 2015, 18 per cent were motivated by racism, 15 per cent by religious hatred and 21 per cent by misogyny.
That database also shows that two thirds of mass shooters had a documented history of mental health problems.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Another complete waste of taxpayer money. Except for the access to firearms, there is nothing we can do about the other three commonalities to prevent a mass shooting. And unless the possession of all firearms is banned, a potential mass shooter is likely to have one or more firearms.
By Ralph R. Ortega
Daily Mail
November 20, 2019
Mass shooters in the US have been found to have four commonalities, according to a new government study which has redefined the profile of killers as violence has escalated in the US over the past half century.
A Department of Justice-funded study released Tuesday details how shooters who killed at least four or more people since 1966 have typically had an experience with childhood trauma, a personal crisis or specific grievance, and a 'script' or examples that validate or provide a roadmap.
There is also access to a firearm, according to the study, The Violence Project.
The project includes a database of mass shootings involving four or more victims, which is the FBI benchmark for a 'mass murder', and uses the 1966 University of Texas massacre as a starting point.
The killing spree set in motion from the bell tower of the school by sniper Charles Whitman after he killed his mother and wife the morning of August 11 and which left 16 people dead and 32 wounded was chosen by researchers because it was the first to be widely covered on radio and TV.
The database has almost every shooting of four or more victims since the Texas slaying. It does not include the mass shooting in Santa Clarita, California, on Thursday. Nathaniel Belrhow, 16, was named by authorities as the gunman who shot five fellow students - killing two - before turning the gun on himself.
As policy makers have debated what triggers a mass shooting -- blaming the problem on either shooters suffering from mental illness or access to firearms -- the researchers say they hope findings will encourage approaching the issue from a more evidenced-based perspective.
'Data is data,' says Jillian Peterson, a psychologist at Hamline University and co-author of the study, VICE reports. 'Data isn't political. Our hope is that it pushes these conversations further.'
The study released by the project, a nonpartisan think tank created to reduce societal violence, also found that mass shootings are becoming more frequent and deadly.
A review of 167 incidents over the 53-year period found 20 per cent happened in the last five years, and half since 2000. The deadly mayhem also is increasingly motivated by racial, religious, or misogynist hatred, especially since 2014.
And the findings reveal that more than half of all mass shooters in the database obtained their guns legally. Researches noted that many mass shooters also displayed symptoms of of being in some sort of crisis prior to unleashing carnage.
'Those are opportunities for prevention', said Peterson.
Researchers detailed personal characteristics that they say align with locations targeted by shooters and put them into five categories.
There is the 'K-12' shooter, who is typically white, a student or former student of the school, with a history of trauma. Most are suicidal and have invested time planning the slaying. Multiple guns are used, often stolen from a family member.
Then there is the 'college and university shooter'. This person is usually a non-white male who is a current student of the school, is suicidal, and has a history of violence and childhood trauma. They usually use legally-obtained weapons and leave a manifesto.
A 'workplace shooter' was found to typically be a male in his 40s of no specific race. This shooter often targets the place of their employment, which is usually a blue-collar establishment they have a gripe with. Legally-purchased handguns and assault rifles are used.
A 'place of worship shooter' is usually a white male in his 40s, often motivated by hate or domestic violence that goes beyond the home. Little planning is involved in the mayhem.
Shooters at commercial locations such as stores or restaurants have usually been white men in their 30s with a violent history, who have criminal records. They have no connection to the business and use a single, legally-obtained firearm. About one third displayed some kind of 'thought disorder', or mental condition, including schizophrenia, resulting in scattered thinking, paranoia and delusions.
The study noted hate on the rise with shooters motivated by racism, religious hate, and misogyny increasing since the 1960s, especially in the last five years.
There were 75 mass shootings between 1966 and 2000, of which 9 per cent were motivated by racism, 1 per cent by religious hatred and 7 per cent by misogyny.
By comparison, of 32 mass shootings that happened in the US since 2015, 18 per cent were motivated by racism, 15 per cent by religious hatred and 21 per cent by misogyny.
That database also shows that two thirds of mass shooters had a documented history of mental health problems.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Another complete waste of taxpayer money. Except for the access to firearms, there is nothing we can do about the other three commonalities to prevent a mass shooting. And unless the possession of all firearms is banned, a potential mass shooter is likely to have one or more firearms.
Friday, November 22, 2019
DRIVING ACROSS THE OCEAN FROM HONG KONG TO MACAO
The Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge, is a group of bridges and tunnels in the Pearl River Delta. It is 55 kilometres (34 mi) long and is made up of three bridges, one tunnel, and four artificial islands. It is the longest sea crossing on Earth.
US AND CHINA COULD BE HEADED TOWARD A MEGA WAR
Kissinger Says U.S. and China in ‘Foothills of a Cold War’
Bloomberg News
November 21, 2019
Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said the U.S. and China were in the “foothills of a Cold War,” and warned that the conflict could be worse than World War I if left to run unconstrained.
“That makes it, in my view, especially important that a period of relative tension be followed by an explicit effort to understand what the political causes are and a commitment by both sides to try to overcome those,” Kissinger told a session of the New Economy Forum. “It is far from being too late for that, because we are still in the foothills of a cold war.”
Kissinger said China and the U.S. were countries of a magnitude exceeding that of the Soviet Union and America, and that the world’s two largest economies, who are locked in a protracted trade war, “are bound to step on each other’s toes all over the world, in the sense of being conscious of the purposes of the other.”
“So a discussion of our mutual purposes and an attempt to limit the impact of conflict seems to me essential,” he said. “If conflict is is permitted to run unconstrained the outcome could be even worse than it was in Europe. World War 1 broke out because a relatively minor crisis could not be mastered.”
Kissinger, 96, said he hoped trade negotiations would provide an opening to political discussions between the two countries.
“Everybody knows that trade negotiations, which I hope will succeed and whose success I support, can only be a small beginning to a political discussion that I hope will take place,” he said.
Kissinger spoke hours after Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan addressed the NEF, saying his country was committed to peace and would follow through on policy changes despite facing challenges at home and abroad.
“Between war and peace, the Chinese people firmly choose peace. Humanity cherishes peace,” he said. “We should abandon the zero-sum thinking and cold war mentality.”
The U.S. and China are trying to assemble a partial trade agreement amid wider tensions ranging from human rights concerns over pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong and the detention of Muslims in China’s Xinjiang region to strategic competition in the South China Sea. Kissinger said he thought a solution to the unrest in Hong Kong was possible, if not likely, and that he hoped it would be resolved via negotiation.
Bloomberg News
November 21, 2019
Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said the U.S. and China were in the “foothills of a Cold War,” and warned that the conflict could be worse than World War I if left to run unconstrained.
“That makes it, in my view, especially important that a period of relative tension be followed by an explicit effort to understand what the political causes are and a commitment by both sides to try to overcome those,” Kissinger told a session of the New Economy Forum. “It is far from being too late for that, because we are still in the foothills of a cold war.”
Kissinger said China and the U.S. were countries of a magnitude exceeding that of the Soviet Union and America, and that the world’s two largest economies, who are locked in a protracted trade war, “are bound to step on each other’s toes all over the world, in the sense of being conscious of the purposes of the other.”
“So a discussion of our mutual purposes and an attempt to limit the impact of conflict seems to me essential,” he said. “If conflict is is permitted to run unconstrained the outcome could be even worse than it was in Europe. World War 1 broke out because a relatively minor crisis could not be mastered.”
Kissinger, 96, said he hoped trade negotiations would provide an opening to political discussions between the two countries.
“Everybody knows that trade negotiations, which I hope will succeed and whose success I support, can only be a small beginning to a political discussion that I hope will take place,” he said.
Kissinger spoke hours after Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan addressed the NEF, saying his country was committed to peace and would follow through on policy changes despite facing challenges at home and abroad.
“Between war and peace, the Chinese people firmly choose peace. Humanity cherishes peace,” he said. “We should abandon the zero-sum thinking and cold war mentality.”
The U.S. and China are trying to assemble a partial trade agreement amid wider tensions ranging from human rights concerns over pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong and the detention of Muslims in China’s Xinjiang region to strategic competition in the South China Sea. Kissinger said he thought a solution to the unrest in Hong Kong was possible, if not likely, and that he hoped it would be resolved via negotiation.
FREE SPEECH NOT STONE DEAD AT BERKELEY
It Is, However, On Life Support
by Bob Walsh
On Wednesday night, at UC Berkeley, conservative lightning rod Ann Coulter gave a 30 minute presentation and answered questions. A previous presentation by Ms. Coulter was cancelled due to a combination of fears of violence and the imposition of a confiscatory "security fee" that the University wanted to charge for her presentation. Due to pressure by the federal government and threat of lawsuits, the University finally relented.
Six protesters were arrested inside the venue. The interesting thing to note is they were not there to protest her speaking, they were there to prevent her from speaking. There is a huge difference. They were not successful obviously.
I used to live in the Bay Area. I graduated from high school during "the summer" (1967). I spent a lot of time on University Avenue, at the Print Mint and Cody's and poking around the music and political scene. They actually believed in free speech then. After 50 years of political indoctrination most public universities are now foundations of fascism of the left. Only speech they like is protected, anything they don't like is "hate speech' and they work has hard as they can to prohibit it, by either legal or illegal means.
It is truly sad.
by Bob Walsh
On Wednesday night, at UC Berkeley, conservative lightning rod Ann Coulter gave a 30 minute presentation and answered questions. A previous presentation by Ms. Coulter was cancelled due to a combination of fears of violence and the imposition of a confiscatory "security fee" that the University wanted to charge for her presentation. Due to pressure by the federal government and threat of lawsuits, the University finally relented.
Six protesters were arrested inside the venue. The interesting thing to note is they were not there to protest her speaking, they were there to prevent her from speaking. There is a huge difference. They were not successful obviously.
I used to live in the Bay Area. I graduated from high school during "the summer" (1967). I spent a lot of time on University Avenue, at the Print Mint and Cody's and poking around the music and political scene. They actually believed in free speech then. After 50 years of political indoctrination most public universities are now foundations of fascism of the left. Only speech they like is protected, anything they don't like is "hate speech' and they work has hard as they can to prohibit it, by either legal or illegal means.
It is truly sad.
WILL NETANYAHU BE IMPRISONED FOR ACCEPTING CIGARS AND CHAMPAGNE?
Benjamin Netanyahu indicted on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust
By Saphora Smith and Paul Goldman
NBC News
November 21, 2019
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been indicted on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit announced Thursday, prolonging the country’s political uncertainty as it looks set to head into its third national election in a year.
Netanyahu, who has denied any wrongdoing and said he is the victim of a "witch hunt" and "political coup," faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of bribery and a maximum 3-year term for fraud and breach of trust, according to legal experts.
"I give my life to this state, I fought for it, I was wounded for it. I have to say this is a very hard day," Netanyahu said in a nationally televised address on Thursday night. "I think you need to be blind to see that something wrong is going on. This is a political coup."
The prime minister insisted the indictment is a political vendetta.
"It’s very disturbing what is going on here and how the police conducted this investigation," he said. "This is a contaminated process, we need to investigate the investigators, they didn’t want the truth, they were after me personally."
Netanyahu's chief political rival, former army chief Benny Gantz, said the indictment raises concerns that the prime minister "will make decisions in his own personal interest and for his political survival and not in the national interest."
The two were virtually tied after September’s elections and each failed to assemble a governing majority.
The move to indict Netanyahu was a "heavy-hearted decision,” Mandelblit told reporters on Thursday, in rejecting allegations the case is politically motivated.
In February, Mandelblit announced he was considering indicting Netanyahu on one count of bribery and three counts of fraud and breach of trust, in three different cases. The cases are known as Case 1000, Case 2000 and Case 4000.
Case 1000 alleges that Netanyahu received gifts, including cigars and champagne, worth “hundreds of thousands of shekels” from Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan and other supporters.
Case 2000 alleges that Netanyahu worked out a deal for favorable coverage with Arnon "Noni" Moses, the publisher of an Israeli newspaper, Yediot Aharonot, in exchange for backing a bill that would weaken a rival newspaper.
Case 4000 alleges that Netanyahu made regulatory decisions that favored the Bezeq telecommunications group in exchange for positive coverage on the news website Walla.
The indictment comes while Netanyahu is serving as Israel's caretaker prime minister after he failed to cobble together a government last month.
Netanyahu had hoped to pass legislation that would prevent him from being indicted but has been unable to do so because he failed to form Israel’s next government following the Sept. 17 election.
"What I’m going through is not easy ... on my family day after day, the blood of my family is poured," Netanyahu said Thursday night. "I’m not willing to succumb and let there be such injustice, I will continue to lead the country."
Netanyahu called for an independent committee to evaluate the charges and evidence against him.
"I’m not going to let the liars to win," the prime minister said. "I’m going to manage and to lead this country, according to the laws."
On Wednesday, Gantz announced that he had also failed to form a government.
Netanyahu still has the option to ask the Israeli Parliament for immunity. But this request would need to be approved by a special committee that has not been established due to ongoing political deadlock.
There are now 21 days in which any member of Parliament can become prime minister if they muster the 61 signatures needed to achieve a majority in the Knesset. If that does not happen, Israel will return to the polls.
If that happens, Netanyahu’s indictment potentially poses a new legal problem.
If he wins the next election, it will be the first time a candidate for government is under indictment, raising the question as to whether President Reuven Rivlin can give Netanyahu the mandate to form the next government.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The indictments mean that Netanyahu is now politically kaput. Even his strongest supporters will hesitate to vote for him when he has criminal charges hanging over his head. What a sad ending for a leader who served Israel so courageously and so well.
What Adan Schitt and his fellow Demoncrats wouldn’t give if they could charge Trump with some serious offenses like those Netanyahu is facing now.
By Saphora Smith and Paul Goldman
NBC News
November 21, 2019
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been indicted on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit announced Thursday, prolonging the country’s political uncertainty as it looks set to head into its third national election in a year.
Netanyahu, who has denied any wrongdoing and said he is the victim of a "witch hunt" and "political coup," faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of bribery and a maximum 3-year term for fraud and breach of trust, according to legal experts.
"I give my life to this state, I fought for it, I was wounded for it. I have to say this is a very hard day," Netanyahu said in a nationally televised address on Thursday night. "I think you need to be blind to see that something wrong is going on. This is a political coup."
The prime minister insisted the indictment is a political vendetta.
"It’s very disturbing what is going on here and how the police conducted this investigation," he said. "This is a contaminated process, we need to investigate the investigators, they didn’t want the truth, they were after me personally."
Netanyahu's chief political rival, former army chief Benny Gantz, said the indictment raises concerns that the prime minister "will make decisions in his own personal interest and for his political survival and not in the national interest."
The two were virtually tied after September’s elections and each failed to assemble a governing majority.
The move to indict Netanyahu was a "heavy-hearted decision,” Mandelblit told reporters on Thursday, in rejecting allegations the case is politically motivated.
In February, Mandelblit announced he was considering indicting Netanyahu on one count of bribery and three counts of fraud and breach of trust, in three different cases. The cases are known as Case 1000, Case 2000 and Case 4000.
Case 1000 alleges that Netanyahu received gifts, including cigars and champagne, worth “hundreds of thousands of shekels” from Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan and other supporters.
Case 2000 alleges that Netanyahu worked out a deal for favorable coverage with Arnon "Noni" Moses, the publisher of an Israeli newspaper, Yediot Aharonot, in exchange for backing a bill that would weaken a rival newspaper.
Case 4000 alleges that Netanyahu made regulatory decisions that favored the Bezeq telecommunications group in exchange for positive coverage on the news website Walla.
The indictment comes while Netanyahu is serving as Israel's caretaker prime minister after he failed to cobble together a government last month.
Netanyahu had hoped to pass legislation that would prevent him from being indicted but has been unable to do so because he failed to form Israel’s next government following the Sept. 17 election.
"What I’m going through is not easy ... on my family day after day, the blood of my family is poured," Netanyahu said Thursday night. "I’m not willing to succumb and let there be such injustice, I will continue to lead the country."
Netanyahu called for an independent committee to evaluate the charges and evidence against him.
"I’m not going to let the liars to win," the prime minister said. "I’m going to manage and to lead this country, according to the laws."
On Wednesday, Gantz announced that he had also failed to form a government.
Netanyahu still has the option to ask the Israeli Parliament for immunity. But this request would need to be approved by a special committee that has not been established due to ongoing political deadlock.
There are now 21 days in which any member of Parliament can become prime minister if they muster the 61 signatures needed to achieve a majority in the Knesset. If that does not happen, Israel will return to the polls.
If that happens, Netanyahu’s indictment potentially poses a new legal problem.
If he wins the next election, it will be the first time a candidate for government is under indictment, raising the question as to whether President Reuven Rivlin can give Netanyahu the mandate to form the next government.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The indictments mean that Netanyahu is now politically kaput. Even his strongest supporters will hesitate to vote for him when he has criminal charges hanging over his head. What a sad ending for a leader who served Israel so courageously and so well.
What Adan Schitt and his fellow Demoncrats wouldn’t give if they could charge Trump with some serious offenses like those Netanyahu is facing now.
FEDS BUST WOMAN FOR MAKING 911 CALLS THAT LED TO DEADLY HOUSTON POLICE RAID
Who is Patricia Garcia?
By Terrance Harris and Brittany Jeffers
Click2Houston
November 20, 2019
HOUSTON – Federal investigators said they believe they have the 911 caller who made false accusations that led to the botched raid of a Harding Street home, leaving two dead and two former officers looking at prison time.
Patricia Garcia, a 53-year-old woman, was picked up Wednesday morning from the house directly across the street from the scene of the deadly Jan. 8 raid. Garcia is alleged to have falsely stated her daughter was at the home located at 7815 Harding St. and that she believed there were guns and drugs inside of the residence. The caller wanted to remain anonymous.
When police arrived at the suspected residence in January, shots were fired and Rhogena Nicholas and Dennis Tuttle were left dead. Five Houston police officers were also injured in the gunfire. The indictment alleges Garcia gave false and misleading information in multiple 911 calls by claiming that her daughter was inside of the home and that the residents were addicts and drug dealers and had machine guns in their possession.
Her alleged motives remain unclear.
Garcia could face up to five years in prison if she is found guilty of conveying false information. She has an extensive arrest record dating back to 1996 for crimes such a s theft, assault, drug possession, assault and driving without a license.
Tommy Arce told KPRC 2 that the residence across the street is his father’s home and that Garcia dated his father, but he said Garcia does not live at the home.
Former officers also charged
Former Houston Police Officers Gerald Goines and Steven Bryant were also arrested on federal charges Wednesday.
In August, Goines was charged by local authorities with two counts of murder in connection with the deaths of Nicholas and Tuttle. Bryant faces a charge of tampering with government documentation.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Five years is not nearly enough for the bitch!
By Terrance Harris and Brittany Jeffers
Click2Houston
November 20, 2019
HOUSTON – Federal investigators said they believe they have the 911 caller who made false accusations that led to the botched raid of a Harding Street home, leaving two dead and two former officers looking at prison time.
Patricia Garcia, a 53-year-old woman, was picked up Wednesday morning from the house directly across the street from the scene of the deadly Jan. 8 raid. Garcia is alleged to have falsely stated her daughter was at the home located at 7815 Harding St. and that she believed there were guns and drugs inside of the residence. The caller wanted to remain anonymous.
When police arrived at the suspected residence in January, shots were fired and Rhogena Nicholas and Dennis Tuttle were left dead. Five Houston police officers were also injured in the gunfire. The indictment alleges Garcia gave false and misleading information in multiple 911 calls by claiming that her daughter was inside of the home and that the residents were addicts and drug dealers and had machine guns in their possession.
Her alleged motives remain unclear.
Garcia could face up to five years in prison if she is found guilty of conveying false information. She has an extensive arrest record dating back to 1996 for crimes such a s theft, assault, drug possession, assault and driving without a license.
Tommy Arce told KPRC 2 that the residence across the street is his father’s home and that Garcia dated his father, but he said Garcia does not live at the home.
Former officers also charged
Former Houston Police Officers Gerald Goines and Steven Bryant were also arrested on federal charges Wednesday.
In August, Goines was charged by local authorities with two counts of murder in connection with the deaths of Nicholas and Tuttle. Bryant faces a charge of tampering with government documentation.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Five years is not nearly enough for the bitch!
TOOTHLESS FEEL-GOOD RESOLUTION
Vote to make Montgomery County Gun Sanctuary County passes
By Phil Archer,
Click2Houston
November 19, 2019
MAGNOLIA, Texas – Montgomery County Commissioner Charlie Riley put together a resolution that he says will protect county citizen's rights to have guns.
Riley became concerned that gun control advocates are moving to enact new restrictions. He said he was heavily influenced by Beto O'Rourke's threat to confiscate assault rifles after the Walmart mass murder in El Paso, Texas.
The commissioners voted on the resolution during their meeting Tuesday, and according to a Facebook post, the resolution "passed unanimously."
"I think it's an issue 'cause when you got certain people running for office that makes comments and blurts out hollers out that. Hell yeah we will come get your AR," Riley said. "I think that's a pretty strong statement that something's up."
The resolution crafted by Riley and his staff reads:
"...the Montgomery County, Texas Government will not authorize or appropriate government resources for the purpose of enforcing or assisting in the enforcement of any element of such acts, laws, orders, mandates, rules or regulations, that infringe on the right by the people to keep and bear arms."
The resolution has no force in law. It's a statement of political policy, but Riley says it's still important.
"It may not create law but when the time comes and somebody does say, `Hey were going to start counting your guns or go see what kind of guns you own or see what kind of ammunition you have,'" Riley said. "We're going to tell em no, not in Montgomery County you're not."
The resolution has added Montgomery County to the handful of counties in Texas that have declared themselves gun sanctuaries, including Edwards and Hood counties.
By Phil Archer,
Click2Houston
November 19, 2019
MAGNOLIA, Texas – Montgomery County Commissioner Charlie Riley put together a resolution that he says will protect county citizen's rights to have guns.
Riley became concerned that gun control advocates are moving to enact new restrictions. He said he was heavily influenced by Beto O'Rourke's threat to confiscate assault rifles after the Walmart mass murder in El Paso, Texas.
The commissioners voted on the resolution during their meeting Tuesday, and according to a Facebook post, the resolution "passed unanimously."
"I think it's an issue 'cause when you got certain people running for office that makes comments and blurts out hollers out that. Hell yeah we will come get your AR," Riley said. "I think that's a pretty strong statement that something's up."
The resolution crafted by Riley and his staff reads:
"...the Montgomery County, Texas Government will not authorize or appropriate government resources for the purpose of enforcing or assisting in the enforcement of any element of such acts, laws, orders, mandates, rules or regulations, that infringe on the right by the people to keep and bear arms."
The resolution has no force in law. It's a statement of political policy, but Riley says it's still important.
"It may not create law but when the time comes and somebody does say, `Hey were going to start counting your guns or go see what kind of guns you own or see what kind of ammunition you have,'" Riley said. "We're going to tell em no, not in Montgomery County you're not."
The resolution has added Montgomery County to the handful of counties in Texas that have declared themselves gun sanctuaries, including Edwards and Hood counties.
NOT THE BRIGHTEST STAR IN THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE
¡Poncho! Livin' too large
By Scott Henson
Grits for Breakfast
November 21, 2019
It would be easy to take shots at Texas state Rep. Poncho Nevarez, a front runner among Texas Monthly's list of Worst Legislators of 2019, after he dropped four packets of cocaine in an envelope with his name printed on it while leaving the Austin airport and was charged with a 3rd degree felony. So let's do that now.
First, who transports cocaine in their personalized stationary? I suppose it's a tad more secure than lugging it through the airport in a satchel stamped with, "THIS IS WHERE I KEEP MY COCAINE." One imagines the Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee chairman getting to his final destination and consuming the product using a monogrammed crack pipe.
When captured on video dropping the cocaine, Nevarez was getting into a black SUV owned by his chief of staff in a special section of the airport used by state officials, having flown into Austin on a private plane owned by his solo-practitioner law firm. When you think about it, that's awfully convenient for government officials who want to smuggle drugs or anything else. No long line through a phalanx of drug dogs sniffing your stuff, no X-ray machine or questions from nosy TSA agents who might open your bags. Must be nice.
Still, an envelope with a Texas legislator's name on it isn't a diplomatic pouch. So when airport staff found the envelope, they opened it, found Poncho's blow, and we're off to the races.
In a way, the chairman is still getting the benefit of the doubt. Normally, cops might assume the guy in the fancy suit and flashy watch who brings drugs from the border in user-level packaging via private aircraft through an insecure part of the airport before being picked up by a driver in a black SUV might be a drug dealer. Maybe there was more cocaine in other envelopes, they might have surmised, and a flurry of search warrants, ancillary investigations, and even asset-forfeiture claims might ensue.
In Austin, though, everyone seems comfortable the dope was all for him. Two grams sounds like just a travel-size amount of nose candy for a guy living that large.
Nevarez said that, in a "weird" way, he was "grateful" he was caught. I feel the same.
As a policy matter, Grits believes Texas should reduce the penalty for possession of that quantity of cocaine to a misdemeanor charge and addicts should receive treatment, not incarceration. But I've little sympathy for a lawmaker who never lifted a finger to help with that agenda, attempts to thwart #cjreform bills that come before him, then is outed as a hypocrite.
Plus, Nevarez operated the Homeland Security committee with the demeanor of a snide frat boy. Texas Monthly's assessment of his performance was that he "sorely needed less testosterone and more humility."
Grits wishes him no special ill, but neither does he deserve special treatment. And I'm relieved he won't return to the capitol in 2021.
Poncho Nevarez is the kind of Democrat who would make bipartisan #cjreform efforts necessary even if the whole Legislature turned blue. Maybe Eagle Pass Dems can find a #cjreform proponent to replace him.
EDITOR’S NOTE: I agree with Henson about this jerk, but I disagree with him about changing possession of coke to a misdemeanor. Such a move would not discourage the use of cocaine.
By Scott Henson
Grits for Breakfast
November 21, 2019
It would be easy to take shots at Texas state Rep. Poncho Nevarez, a front runner among Texas Monthly's list of Worst Legislators of 2019, after he dropped four packets of cocaine in an envelope with his name printed on it while leaving the Austin airport and was charged with a 3rd degree felony. So let's do that now.
First, who transports cocaine in their personalized stationary? I suppose it's a tad more secure than lugging it through the airport in a satchel stamped with, "THIS IS WHERE I KEEP MY COCAINE." One imagines the Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee chairman getting to his final destination and consuming the product using a monogrammed crack pipe.
When captured on video dropping the cocaine, Nevarez was getting into a black SUV owned by his chief of staff in a special section of the airport used by state officials, having flown into Austin on a private plane owned by his solo-practitioner law firm. When you think about it, that's awfully convenient for government officials who want to smuggle drugs or anything else. No long line through a phalanx of drug dogs sniffing your stuff, no X-ray machine or questions from nosy TSA agents who might open your bags. Must be nice.
Still, an envelope with a Texas legislator's name on it isn't a diplomatic pouch. So when airport staff found the envelope, they opened it, found Poncho's blow, and we're off to the races.
In a way, the chairman is still getting the benefit of the doubt. Normally, cops might assume the guy in the fancy suit and flashy watch who brings drugs from the border in user-level packaging via private aircraft through an insecure part of the airport before being picked up by a driver in a black SUV might be a drug dealer. Maybe there was more cocaine in other envelopes, they might have surmised, and a flurry of search warrants, ancillary investigations, and even asset-forfeiture claims might ensue.
In Austin, though, everyone seems comfortable the dope was all for him. Two grams sounds like just a travel-size amount of nose candy for a guy living that large.
Nevarez said that, in a "weird" way, he was "grateful" he was caught. I feel the same.
As a policy matter, Grits believes Texas should reduce the penalty for possession of that quantity of cocaine to a misdemeanor charge and addicts should receive treatment, not incarceration. But I've little sympathy for a lawmaker who never lifted a finger to help with that agenda, attempts to thwart #cjreform bills that come before him, then is outed as a hypocrite.
Plus, Nevarez operated the Homeland Security committee with the demeanor of a snide frat boy. Texas Monthly's assessment of his performance was that he "sorely needed less testosterone and more humility."
Grits wishes him no special ill, but neither does he deserve special treatment. And I'm relieved he won't return to the capitol in 2021.
Poncho Nevarez is the kind of Democrat who would make bipartisan #cjreform efforts necessary even if the whole Legislature turned blue. Maybe Eagle Pass Dems can find a #cjreform proponent to replace him.
EDITOR’S NOTE: I agree with Henson about this jerk, but I disagree with him about changing possession of coke to a misdemeanor. Such a move would not discourage the use of cocaine.
NO SURPRISE HERE
U.N. Security Council Members Rebuke U.S. New Stance on Israel's West Bank Settlements
By Edith M. Lederer
Associated Press
November 20, 2019
UNITED NATIONS — In a sharp rebuke to the Trump administration, the 14 other U.N. Security Council members on Wednesday strongly opposed the U.S. announcement that it no longer considers Israeli settlements to be a violation of international law.
They warned that the new American policy undermines a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The council’s monthly Mideast meeting, just two days after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s announcement, was dominated by negative reaction to the new American policy from countries representing all regions of the world who said all Israeli settlements are illegal under international law.
Only Israel’s U.N. ambassador, Danny Danon, who is not a council member, spoke in support of the U.S. action, saying it “rights a historical wrong.” He also called the criticism an “obstacle to peace” that is “preventing direct negotiations” between Israelis and Palestinians.
“When the international community tries to force its solutions, it achieves the opposite effect,” Danon said. “When Palestinians see that their battles are being fought for them, why would they agree to come to the negotiating table where they would have to compromise?”
Before the meeting began, five European allies of the United States — Britain, France, Germany, Belgium and Poland — reiterated in a joint statement that “all settlement activity is illegal under international law.”
The Europeans called on Israel “to end all settlement activity, in line with its obligations as an occupying power,” saying such activity “erodes the viability of the two-state solution and the prospects for a lasting peace.”
They also reiterated concern “about the calls for a possible annexation of areas in the West Bank.”
Nickolay Mladenov, the U.N. special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, opened the meeting expressing “regret” at the U.S. action and reiterating the U.N. position that settlements under a December 2016 council resolution “are a flagrant violation under international law.”
He also warned that the situation in Gaza remains “highly volatile” after “the most serious recent escalation between Israel and Palestinian militants” that followed Israel’s targeted killing of a Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander.
Cherith Norman Chalet, a deputy U.S. ambassador, repeated Pompeo’s announcement on settlements, which repudiated a 1978 State Department legal opinion holding that civilian settlements in the occupied territories are “inconsistent with international law.”
She stressed that “this complex political problem” can be resolved only through direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.
“The U.S. government is expressing no view on the particular legal status of any individual settlement, nor are we addressing or prejudging the ultimate status of the West Bank — that is for Israelis and Palestinians to decide,” Chalet said.
Indonesian Ambassador Dian Triansyah Djani, whose country has the world’s largest Muslim population, called the U.S. announcement “irresponsible and provocative,” saying it “incontrovertibly constitutes a de facto annexation and is a barrier to peace efforts based on the two-state solution.”
After speeches by the 15 council members, Israel’s Danon and Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour, the council held closed consultations.
When that session ended, ambassadors from the 10 non-permanent council members who serve two-year terms stood before reporters while Deputy German Ambassador Jurgen Shultz read a critical joint statement.
“Israeli settlement activities are illegal, erode the viability of the two-state solution and undermine the prospect for a just, lasting and comprehensive peace” as affirmed by the 2016 council resolution, the statement said.
It also called on Israel to end all settlement activity and expressed concern at calls for possible annexation of areas in the West Bank.
Kuwaiti Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi, the Arab representative on the council, then told reporters that 14 countries agreed in the private session on the press statement.
He said one country objected — a clear reference to the United States.
Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador, said he was grateful to the 14 council nations and their commitment to international law, saying that all 193 U.N. member nations are required to implement all Security Council resolutions, including on the illegality of all settlements.
In a response to Israel’s Danon, Mansour sharply criticized “the nonsense on one delegation inside the chamber saying that you, international community, if you abide by international law, you help the Palestinians not to come to negotiations.”
“If we abandon international law, including Security Council resolutions, it will be the law of the jungle,” he warned.
Mansour called the U.S. action “another step in our struggle to defend our rights, and our march to end the occupation” and have an independent state.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Israel should under no circumstances give up any of the settlements. If this scuttles any two-state solution, so what, when the real goal of the Palestinians is the obliteration of the Jewish state.
By Edith M. Lederer
Associated Press
November 20, 2019
UNITED NATIONS — In a sharp rebuke to the Trump administration, the 14 other U.N. Security Council members on Wednesday strongly opposed the U.S. announcement that it no longer considers Israeli settlements to be a violation of international law.
They warned that the new American policy undermines a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The council’s monthly Mideast meeting, just two days after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s announcement, was dominated by negative reaction to the new American policy from countries representing all regions of the world who said all Israeli settlements are illegal under international law.
Only Israel’s U.N. ambassador, Danny Danon, who is not a council member, spoke in support of the U.S. action, saying it “rights a historical wrong.” He also called the criticism an “obstacle to peace” that is “preventing direct negotiations” between Israelis and Palestinians.
“When the international community tries to force its solutions, it achieves the opposite effect,” Danon said. “When Palestinians see that their battles are being fought for them, why would they agree to come to the negotiating table where they would have to compromise?”
Before the meeting began, five European allies of the United States — Britain, France, Germany, Belgium and Poland — reiterated in a joint statement that “all settlement activity is illegal under international law.”
The Europeans called on Israel “to end all settlement activity, in line with its obligations as an occupying power,” saying such activity “erodes the viability of the two-state solution and the prospects for a lasting peace.”
They also reiterated concern “about the calls for a possible annexation of areas in the West Bank.”
Nickolay Mladenov, the U.N. special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, opened the meeting expressing “regret” at the U.S. action and reiterating the U.N. position that settlements under a December 2016 council resolution “are a flagrant violation under international law.”
He also warned that the situation in Gaza remains “highly volatile” after “the most serious recent escalation between Israel and Palestinian militants” that followed Israel’s targeted killing of a Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander.
Cherith Norman Chalet, a deputy U.S. ambassador, repeated Pompeo’s announcement on settlements, which repudiated a 1978 State Department legal opinion holding that civilian settlements in the occupied territories are “inconsistent with international law.”
She stressed that “this complex political problem” can be resolved only through direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.
“The U.S. government is expressing no view on the particular legal status of any individual settlement, nor are we addressing or prejudging the ultimate status of the West Bank — that is for Israelis and Palestinians to decide,” Chalet said.
Indonesian Ambassador Dian Triansyah Djani, whose country has the world’s largest Muslim population, called the U.S. announcement “irresponsible and provocative,” saying it “incontrovertibly constitutes a de facto annexation and is a barrier to peace efforts based on the two-state solution.”
After speeches by the 15 council members, Israel’s Danon and Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour, the council held closed consultations.
When that session ended, ambassadors from the 10 non-permanent council members who serve two-year terms stood before reporters while Deputy German Ambassador Jurgen Shultz read a critical joint statement.
“Israeli settlement activities are illegal, erode the viability of the two-state solution and undermine the prospect for a just, lasting and comprehensive peace” as affirmed by the 2016 council resolution, the statement said.
It also called on Israel to end all settlement activity and expressed concern at calls for possible annexation of areas in the West Bank.
Kuwaiti Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi, the Arab representative on the council, then told reporters that 14 countries agreed in the private session on the press statement.
He said one country objected — a clear reference to the United States.
Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador, said he was grateful to the 14 council nations and their commitment to international law, saying that all 193 U.N. member nations are required to implement all Security Council resolutions, including on the illegality of all settlements.
In a response to Israel’s Danon, Mansour sharply criticized “the nonsense on one delegation inside the chamber saying that you, international community, if you abide by international law, you help the Palestinians not to come to negotiations.”
“If we abandon international law, including Security Council resolutions, it will be the law of the jungle,” he warned.
Mansour called the U.S. action “another step in our struggle to defend our rights, and our march to end the occupation” and have an independent state.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Israel should under no circumstances give up any of the settlements. If this scuttles any two-state solution, so what, when the real goal of the Palestinians is the obliteration of the Jewish state.
IN 2013, 53 PERCENT OF HARRIS COUNTY VOTERS WANTED THE ASTRODOME TORN DOWN
What happened to Ed Emmett's plan for the Astrodome?
Bt Robert Arnold
Click2Houston
November 20, 2019
HOUSTON – Houstonians began 2019 with a plan to repurpose the Astrodome, but like many plans before, that too failed to come to fruition. KPRC 2 wanted to know happened and if there are any new potential plans for the Astrodome on the table?
What Happened to the Last Plan?
Commissioners Court signed off on a $100-million plan to raise the Dome’s floor to ground level, providing close to 9-acres of covered space that could be used for a variety of events. Below this would be a parking garage.
“What people have to understand is the Dome belongs to the taxpayers of Harris County, it’s fully paid for and it’s an integral part of what goes on at that whole NRG complex,” said former Harris County Judge and KPRC political analyst Ed Emmett.
According to officials with the County Engineer’s Office, $6.1 million was spent on design and planning for this project and construction was scheduled to begin after this year’s Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The plan was brought forth by Emmett after years’ worth of other ideas failed to either gain traction or find financing and the voters rejected a bid to turn the Dome in another convention space. However, the responsibility of seeing this plan to fruition fell largely to the office of the County Judge.
When Lina Hidalgo was elected to the position, she and her staff looked at this plan.
“The plan that had been designed wouldn’t have yielded, truly a usable building,” said Hidalgo. “It’s just not something that would have made it competitive against convention centers elsewhere.”
Hidalgo said she also felt the idea for a parking garage would not work.
“If you put in more parking you’re just going to get more congestion,” said Hidalgo.
In other words, that plan died.
Are there current plans for the Astrodome?
“Right now we don’t have specific plans for the Astrodome,” said Hidalgo. “It’s just not a priority right now.”
Hidalgo said issues like flooding and criminal justice reform take precedent over finding new ways to use the Astrodome. Hidalgo was also blunt in stating tax payer dollars could be better spent elsewhere in the county.
“We’d have to do a lot of work to understand what the right project is, we’d have to do a lot of community engagement,” said Hidalgo. “That would take a whole process that right now is just not a priority.”
However, executive director of the Astrodome Conservancy, Beth Wiedower Jackson said work is underway to identify new plans and secure private funding sources.
“It’s not a quick fix, we all know that,” said Jackson.
Jackson said her organization is working on market research that will hopefully provide a more targeted answer as to what Houstonians would like to see happen with the Dome, along with a way to form a public/private partnership when it comes to financing.
“Is that a year or two down the road before there is a plan on paper for folks to actually consider, probably so,” said Jackson. “They’re are some wonderfully creative and off-the-wall ideas. The rub has been the financing.”
Hidalgo said she is open to the Conservancy looking for new ideas.
“They’ll help lead the identification of a better project that will not put the burden on our limited budget,” said Hidalgo.
Executive director of the Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation, which manages NRG Park, Ryan Walsh said they too are looking for new ideas. However, finding a use for the Dome has to be agreeable to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and the Texans. Plus, the Dome is a state-antiquities landmark, which means the State Historical Commission also gets a say in the matter.
“Anything we do takes into account, not only the historical legacy but also the future, our tenants and of course the Commissioner’s Court,” said Walsh. “We got four buildings, 350 acres, including the Astrodome and how do we maintain that and revitalize that, renovate the park as a whole.”
How is the Dome holding up?
“(The) Dome is in great shape, it’s a very structurally sound building,” said Walsh.
Walsh said HCSCC spends a little under $100,000 a year in maintenance for the Dome.
“Maintaining the fire suppression systems we have to keep activated by the city of Houston ordinances, as well as light bulbs, security cameras, security alarms, things like that,” said Walsh.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Tear the damn thing down!
Bt Robert Arnold
Click2Houston
November 20, 2019
HOUSTON – Houstonians began 2019 with a plan to repurpose the Astrodome, but like many plans before, that too failed to come to fruition. KPRC 2 wanted to know happened and if there are any new potential plans for the Astrodome on the table?
What Happened to the Last Plan?
Commissioners Court signed off on a $100-million plan to raise the Dome’s floor to ground level, providing close to 9-acres of covered space that could be used for a variety of events. Below this would be a parking garage.
“What people have to understand is the Dome belongs to the taxpayers of Harris County, it’s fully paid for and it’s an integral part of what goes on at that whole NRG complex,” said former Harris County Judge and KPRC political analyst Ed Emmett.
According to officials with the County Engineer’s Office, $6.1 million was spent on design and planning for this project and construction was scheduled to begin after this year’s Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The plan was brought forth by Emmett after years’ worth of other ideas failed to either gain traction or find financing and the voters rejected a bid to turn the Dome in another convention space. However, the responsibility of seeing this plan to fruition fell largely to the office of the County Judge.
When Lina Hidalgo was elected to the position, she and her staff looked at this plan.
“The plan that had been designed wouldn’t have yielded, truly a usable building,” said Hidalgo. “It’s just not something that would have made it competitive against convention centers elsewhere.”
Hidalgo said she also felt the idea for a parking garage would not work.
“If you put in more parking you’re just going to get more congestion,” said Hidalgo.
In other words, that plan died.
Are there current plans for the Astrodome?
“Right now we don’t have specific plans for the Astrodome,” said Hidalgo. “It’s just not a priority right now.”
Hidalgo said issues like flooding and criminal justice reform take precedent over finding new ways to use the Astrodome. Hidalgo was also blunt in stating tax payer dollars could be better spent elsewhere in the county.
“We’d have to do a lot of work to understand what the right project is, we’d have to do a lot of community engagement,” said Hidalgo. “That would take a whole process that right now is just not a priority.”
However, executive director of the Astrodome Conservancy, Beth Wiedower Jackson said work is underway to identify new plans and secure private funding sources.
“It’s not a quick fix, we all know that,” said Jackson.
Jackson said her organization is working on market research that will hopefully provide a more targeted answer as to what Houstonians would like to see happen with the Dome, along with a way to form a public/private partnership when it comes to financing.
“Is that a year or two down the road before there is a plan on paper for folks to actually consider, probably so,” said Jackson. “They’re are some wonderfully creative and off-the-wall ideas. The rub has been the financing.”
Hidalgo said she is open to the Conservancy looking for new ideas.
“They’ll help lead the identification of a better project that will not put the burden on our limited budget,” said Hidalgo.
Executive director of the Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation, which manages NRG Park, Ryan Walsh said they too are looking for new ideas. However, finding a use for the Dome has to be agreeable to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and the Texans. Plus, the Dome is a state-antiquities landmark, which means the State Historical Commission also gets a say in the matter.
“Anything we do takes into account, not only the historical legacy but also the future, our tenants and of course the Commissioner’s Court,” said Walsh. “We got four buildings, 350 acres, including the Astrodome and how do we maintain that and revitalize that, renovate the park as a whole.”
How is the Dome holding up?
“(The) Dome is in great shape, it’s a very structurally sound building,” said Walsh.
Walsh said HCSCC spends a little under $100,000 a year in maintenance for the Dome.
“Maintaining the fire suppression systems we have to keep activated by the city of Houston ordinances, as well as light bulbs, security cameras, security alarms, things like that,” said Walsh.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Tear the damn thing down!
Thursday, November 21, 2019
8 PRIOR AT-FAULT CRSHES ….. HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIRED WITH THE 4TH CRASH
Atlanta cop was streaming a Grand Theft Auto video in his patrol car when he rear-ended deaf woman's SUV at nearly 70mph in horror crash that nearly killed her
Daily Mail
November 20, 2019
Gwinnett County Police officer Todd Ramsey had the video playing through his patrol car's onboard computer terminal when the crash occurred on Interstate 85 in Atlanta back in April.
Ramsey crashed into the back of 33-year-old Sarah Wood's SUV as she was traveling 6mph in the rush hour traffic. He was traveling at 68mph, wasn't wearing a seat belt and was dipping in and out of traffic at the time.
The officer, who has had eight prior at-fault crashes, was only cited for following too closely in the April crash.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Following too closely - an example of 'professional courtesy.' Nothing professional about that. He should have been charged with aggravated assault!
Daily Mail
November 20, 2019
Gwinnett County Police officer Todd Ramsey had the video playing through his patrol car's onboard computer terminal when the crash occurred on Interstate 85 in Atlanta back in April.
Ramsey crashed into the back of 33-year-old Sarah Wood's SUV as she was traveling 6mph in the rush hour traffic. He was traveling at 68mph, wasn't wearing a seat belt and was dipping in and out of traffic at the time.
The officer, who has had eight prior at-fault crashes, was only cited for following too closely in the April crash.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Following too closely - an example of 'professional courtesy.' Nothing professional about that. He should have been charged with aggravated assault!
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
By Bob Walsh
In 1783 the first manned untethered ballon flight took place over Paris. The flight lasted about 25 minutes and covered about 5.5 miles.
In 1877 Thomas Edison announced the development of the phonograph.
In 1916 the Britannic, sister ship to the Titanic, sank in the Aegean sea. She was at that time serving as a hospital ship. An explosion, possibly a torpedo, damaged the ship and the captain attempted to beach her. Unfortunately the nurses on board had opened the port holes previously to air out the wards and that did not help the situation. A total of 30 people died when she went down. Many of them were in life boats that were lowered when the ship was still moving pretty good. They were sucked into the propellers and chopped into kindling with the passengers on board. Interestingly enough one of the nurses on board who survived had also been on board the Titanic when she went down.
In 1980 350 million people tuned in to find out who shot J.R.
In 1783 the first manned untethered ballon flight took place over Paris. The flight lasted about 25 minutes and covered about 5.5 miles.
In 1877 Thomas Edison announced the development of the phonograph.
In 1916 the Britannic, sister ship to the Titanic, sank in the Aegean sea. She was at that time serving as a hospital ship. An explosion, possibly a torpedo, damaged the ship and the captain attempted to beach her. Unfortunately the nurses on board had opened the port holes previously to air out the wards and that did not help the situation. A total of 30 people died when she went down. Many of them were in life boats that were lowered when the ship was still moving pretty good. They were sucked into the propellers and chopped into kindling with the passengers on board. Interestingly enough one of the nurses on board who survived had also been on board the Titanic when she went down.
In 1980 350 million people tuned in to find out who shot J.R.
'EVIL' SHERIFF SACKS DEPUTIES WHO ALLEGEDLY RAN AWAY FROM TROUBLE
by Bob Walsh
Clayton County GA. Sheriff Victor Hill has just moved to sack two deputies who he described as cowards after they allegedly ran AWAY from the scene of a shooting that left one corpse on the ground. Their supervisor was also demoted for not reporting their actions to command staff.
The deputies, who were off-duty and working side gigs at something called The Oasis Event Center when Jorge Beltran, 17, was gunned down at a quinceanera party.
It should be noted that Sheriff Hill is not universally loved within the department, and the former Chaplain, who he fired, has called him an "evil" man. There may be some legit due process issues involved in the questions about the firings.
Clayton County GA. Sheriff Victor Hill has just moved to sack two deputies who he described as cowards after they allegedly ran AWAY from the scene of a shooting that left one corpse on the ground. Their supervisor was also demoted for not reporting their actions to command staff.
The deputies, who were off-duty and working side gigs at something called The Oasis Event Center when Jorge Beltran, 17, was gunned down at a quinceanera party.
It should be noted that Sheriff Hill is not universally loved within the department, and the former Chaplain, who he fired, has called him an "evil" man. There may be some legit due process issues involved in the questions about the firings.
PRINCE ANDREW WITHDRAWS FROM PUBLIC LIFE
Randy Andy Just Stepped On His Dick Too Many Times
by Bob Walsh
Prince Andrew, known far and wide in his youth as Randy Andy, has decided to withdraw from his royal duties and public life in a statement issued yesterday. Apparently after stepping on his dick several times while trying to avoid being tied to now-dead pedophile Jeffrey Epstein he decided it was smart to cut and run. Damn shame, the queen really liked him best I hear. Not unreasonable seeing as Prince Charles carried on an open and notorious affair while married to Diana, and eventually married the woman, who is known as The Rottweiller.
by Bob Walsh
Prince Andrew, known far and wide in his youth as Randy Andy, has decided to withdraw from his royal duties and public life in a statement issued yesterday. Apparently after stepping on his dick several times while trying to avoid being tied to now-dead pedophile Jeffrey Epstein he decided it was smart to cut and run. Damn shame, the queen really liked him best I hear. Not unreasonable seeing as Prince Charles carried on an open and notorious affair while married to Diana, and eventually married the woman, who is known as The Rottweiller.
ONE WOMAN’S BODY WAS BLOWN UP BY AN IED IN A MILITARY ‘BLAST TEST’ STUDY
Jury awards $58M in lawsuit against body donation firm that sold cadavers for military testing
By Jacques Billeaud
Associated Press
November 19, 2019
PHOENIX — A civil jury has awarded $58 million Tuesday to 10 people who alleged a now-closed body donation facility mishandled the donated remains of their relatives and deceived them about how the body parts would be used.
The trial against Stephen Gore, owner of the Biological Resource Center of Arizona, ended with jurors finding in favor of 10 of 21 plaintiffs, awarding $8 million in compensatory damages and $50 million in punitive damages.
An attorney for donor families said he believes jurors did not rule in favor of 11 other plaintiffs because they didn’t testify at trial.
Gore’s business was accused of fraud by claiming the donated bodies would be used for medical research, when it knew some of the remains would be sold for military testing, such as crashes and explosions. A woman whose son’s remains were sold for military testing was awarded $6.5 million.
Donor families also said they were promised the cremated remains of relatives and received boxes with what they thought were their loved ones, only to later discover the bodies were sold to third parties or were still at the facility.
The families contended they were weren’t told the bodies would be used in ways they would not have approved. Jurors were shown the business’ price list, showing, for instance, that a torso without a head sold for $4,000.
Timothy O’Connor, an attorney for Gore, declined to comment on the verdict. He had argued that clients signed consent forms granting permission to dissect donated bodies, and that it was legal for the facility to make a profit.
Gwendolyn Aloia, who was awarded $5.5 million, said the verdict shows that the body donation industry needs more government regulation.
Her husband’s remains were donated after his 2013 cancer death, but she testified she wouldn’t have allowed it had she known his remains would be sold for profit. She doubts the cremated remains that she was given were his.
Lawyers representing the donor families had asked for $13 million for each plaintiff but acknowledged ahead of the verdict that Gore wasn’t likely to be able to pay a large award. They said they brought the case to trial to hold Gore and his business accountable.
Cadaver donation companies distribute remains to universities, medical device manufacturers and drug companies. The companies pay the associated costs and use the bodies for medical education and research, and families save burial or cremation costs.
Gore’s business was raided in January 2014 by FBI employees wearing hazardous-material suits and breathing through respirators. A retired FBI agent testified that body parts were piled on top of each other and had no identification.
He said he saw one torso that had its head removed and a smaller head sewn on, comparing the discovery to a character from Frankenstein. The retired agent also said the horrific discoveries during the raid led some FBI employees to undergo counseling.
Gore pleaded guilty in October 2015 to a felony charge for his role in mishandling the donated parts.
Though Gore denied the allegations in the lawsuit, he acknowledged when pleading guilty to illegally conducting an enterprise that his firm provided vendors with human tissue that was contaminated and used the donations counter to the wishes of the donors.
In a letter to the sentencing judge, Gore said he should have been more involved in the supervision of his employees and could have been more open about the donation process.
Michael Burg, an attorney representing donor families, said the industry will learn from the verdict that there are consequences for deceptive practices. “It sends a message to others that don’t want to be honest or trick people into doing this,” Burg said.
By Jacques Billeaud
Associated Press
November 19, 2019
PHOENIX — A civil jury has awarded $58 million Tuesday to 10 people who alleged a now-closed body donation facility mishandled the donated remains of their relatives and deceived them about how the body parts would be used.
The trial against Stephen Gore, owner of the Biological Resource Center of Arizona, ended with jurors finding in favor of 10 of 21 plaintiffs, awarding $8 million in compensatory damages and $50 million in punitive damages.
An attorney for donor families said he believes jurors did not rule in favor of 11 other plaintiffs because they didn’t testify at trial.
Gore’s business was accused of fraud by claiming the donated bodies would be used for medical research, when it knew some of the remains would be sold for military testing, such as crashes and explosions. A woman whose son’s remains were sold for military testing was awarded $6.5 million.
Donor families also said they were promised the cremated remains of relatives and received boxes with what they thought were their loved ones, only to later discover the bodies were sold to third parties or were still at the facility.
The families contended they were weren’t told the bodies would be used in ways they would not have approved. Jurors were shown the business’ price list, showing, for instance, that a torso without a head sold for $4,000.
Timothy O’Connor, an attorney for Gore, declined to comment on the verdict. He had argued that clients signed consent forms granting permission to dissect donated bodies, and that it was legal for the facility to make a profit.
Gwendolyn Aloia, who was awarded $5.5 million, said the verdict shows that the body donation industry needs more government regulation.
Her husband’s remains were donated after his 2013 cancer death, but she testified she wouldn’t have allowed it had she known his remains would be sold for profit. She doubts the cremated remains that she was given were his.
Lawyers representing the donor families had asked for $13 million for each plaintiff but acknowledged ahead of the verdict that Gore wasn’t likely to be able to pay a large award. They said they brought the case to trial to hold Gore and his business accountable.
Cadaver donation companies distribute remains to universities, medical device manufacturers and drug companies. The companies pay the associated costs and use the bodies for medical education and research, and families save burial or cremation costs.
Gore’s business was raided in January 2014 by FBI employees wearing hazardous-material suits and breathing through respirators. A retired FBI agent testified that body parts were piled on top of each other and had no identification.
He said he saw one torso that had its head removed and a smaller head sewn on, comparing the discovery to a character from Frankenstein. The retired agent also said the horrific discoveries during the raid led some FBI employees to undergo counseling.
Gore pleaded guilty in October 2015 to a felony charge for his role in mishandling the donated parts.
Though Gore denied the allegations in the lawsuit, he acknowledged when pleading guilty to illegally conducting an enterprise that his firm provided vendors with human tissue that was contaminated and used the donations counter to the wishes of the donors.
In a letter to the sentencing judge, Gore said he should have been more involved in the supervision of his employees and could have been more open about the donation process.
Michael Burg, an attorney representing donor families, said the industry will learn from the verdict that there are consequences for deceptive practices. “It sends a message to others that don’t want to be honest or trick people into doing this,” Burg said.
SMOLLETT’S LAWSUIT IS BEYOND OUTRAGEOUS ….. HE BELONGS LOCKED UP BEHIND BARS
Jussie Smollett sues the city of Chicago, the Nigerian brothers he 'paid to attack him' and police chief claiming they ignored potential suspects - and says EVERYONE lied apart from him
By Jennifer Smith
Daily Mail
November 20, 2019
Jussie Smollett is fighting back after months of silence, suing the City of Chicago, the brothers he is accused of paying to attack him, and the Chicago Police Department Chief claiming they all lied about him allegedly staging the incident.
The actor's attorneys filed their lawsuit on Tuesday as a counterclaim to the city's ongoing efforts to get him to pay for their investigation into the attack.
In it, he admits being friends with Nigerian-descent brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo and even spending time with them in the days before the incident but insists it was because he planned to take a nutrition program at Abel's direction.
It is the first time Smollett is laying bare his case in an extensive way since the scandal rocketed to notoriety in January this year.
Smolletts's counterclaim - in response to the city demanding that he repay $130,000 in overtime - is against the brothers, the city, Chicago PD Superintendent Eddie Johnson, Detective Edward Wodnicki and ten other unnamed people.
In the 50-page lawsuit, he repeatedly denies orchestrating the attack or paying the brothers for it, and says the city charged him 'without probable cause', 'maliciously' and 'in bad faith'.
He is asking for unspecified damages to be determined by a jury.
The lawsuit also alleges;
Chicago PD detectives deliberately ignored other potential suspects - specifically white ones - that witnesses described seeing at the scene of the night of the attack
The Osundairo brothers lied by confessing to their role in the alleged hoax 'at the 11th hour' and only to save themselves from prosecution
Smollett wanted to talk to them secretly because he wanted them to bring him illegal herbal steroids from Nigeria after their trip
The actor 'to this day' does not know who attacked him
'Aside from the substantial reputational harm the Osundairo Brothers’ false statements have caused him, Mr. Smollett has also suffered and continues to suffer substantial economic losses, including but not limited to lost employment opportunities and mounting legal fees, as well as severe mental anguish and distress.
'Mr. Smollett must also defend against the instant case by the City for investigative costs in a case in which he was the victim of a crime,' his lawyers write.
Smollett takes aim at the police department for leaks about the investigation which he said were all false and says Chief Superintendent Eddie Johhnson went out of his way to perpetuate a 'false narrative'.
Smollett says the entire case is based on the brothers' confession and that it is unreliable because, he says, they lied to save themselves from prosecution.
Listing the dozens of allegations leveled against him by the department, he admits and denies them variously.
Smollett said it was true that he knew the brothers but insists he did not pay them to attack him, saying instead that a $3,500 check he gave Abel was for personal training and nutrition.
He also offers an explanation for one of the most suspicious text messages he sent Abel in the days before the attack - where he asked to discuss something face to face, 'on the low' - saying he wanted to talk about him bringing illegal herbal steroids back from Nigeria for him.
Police used the text as purported proof of his intention to discuss the hoax plot.
He also says that cops ignored the 'loose ends' in their story for the same purpose.
One such loose end, he writes, is that the police department said Smollett told them not to bring their cell phones to the attack and that they 'complied', but that a taxi driver and an Uber driver who transported them that night said they had phones and were using them.
The actor's lawyers say that the notion Smollett had staged the attack came from only two places; untrust worthy websites and the brothers, under the instruction of their lawyer, Gloria Schmidt.
He claims that once they fed it to the cops, the police department worked to try to find evidence to support the theory and ignored all evidence that Smollett may be innocent.
The brothers, he said, only confessed to it after 47 hours of being held in custody because they were afraid they were about to be charged themselves.
Police could legally only hold them for 48 hours without charging or releasing them,
'The “eleventh hour” change in the Osundairo Brothers’ story, stating that they had been involved in the attack on Mr. Smollett, and that the attack was a hoax orchestrated by Mr. Smollett, was false and self-serving to avoid criminal charges being filed against them, which was clearly not reliable,' the lawsuit reads.
Smollett says it was inappropriate that they were not individually interviewed and he says it was their lawyer who gave them the idea to blame him.
He also claims that he 'does not know' if the brothers were even involved.
'To this day, Mr. Smollett does not know what involvement, if any, the Osundairo Brothers had in the attack on him on January 29, 2019,' the lawsuit reads.
Smollett also said that when the State's Attorney dropped the charges against him, the case should have been closed.
As part of the agreement, he paid $10,000 which he says is sufficient reimbursement for the city.
In January, he claimed he was attacked as he walked home to his apartment in subzero temperatures by two unidentified assailants with 'light' skin who he claimed called him a 'f****t' and the N word.
After spending weeks investigating it, the Chicago Police Department stunned the public by stating it had been a hoax.
They claimed Smollett ordered the brothers to attack him and that he planned to use it as leverage to get a higher salary on Empire.
He was charged by a grand jury with 16 felony counts of lying to police but all of the charges were sensationally dropped by SA Kim Foxx's office.
In exchange, Smollett did community service and paid $10,000. Foxx had been in touch with members of his family and had even semi-recused herself from the case by the time the deal was reached.
The outraged Chief of Police, Eddie Johnson, and former Mayor Rahm Emanuel were blindsided by the deal and later sued Smollett to try to get back some of the money they say was wasted investigating the allegedly bogus crime.
Smollett has been fired from Empire. He maintains his innocence.
EDITOR’S NOTE: For whatever unknown reason DA Kim Fox dropped all 16 felony counts against Smollett, her action has come back to bite the city of Chicago, Chief Johnson, and the investigating cops.
By Jennifer Smith
Daily Mail
November 20, 2019
Jussie Smollett is fighting back after months of silence, suing the City of Chicago, the brothers he is accused of paying to attack him, and the Chicago Police Department Chief claiming they all lied about him allegedly staging the incident.
The actor's attorneys filed their lawsuit on Tuesday as a counterclaim to the city's ongoing efforts to get him to pay for their investigation into the attack.
In it, he admits being friends with Nigerian-descent brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo and even spending time with them in the days before the incident but insists it was because he planned to take a nutrition program at Abel's direction.
It is the first time Smollett is laying bare his case in an extensive way since the scandal rocketed to notoriety in January this year.
Smolletts's counterclaim - in response to the city demanding that he repay $130,000 in overtime - is against the brothers, the city, Chicago PD Superintendent Eddie Johnson, Detective Edward Wodnicki and ten other unnamed people.
In the 50-page lawsuit, he repeatedly denies orchestrating the attack or paying the brothers for it, and says the city charged him 'without probable cause', 'maliciously' and 'in bad faith'.
He is asking for unspecified damages to be determined by a jury.
The lawsuit also alleges;
Chicago PD detectives deliberately ignored other potential suspects - specifically white ones - that witnesses described seeing at the scene of the night of the attack
The Osundairo brothers lied by confessing to their role in the alleged hoax 'at the 11th hour' and only to save themselves from prosecution
Smollett wanted to talk to them secretly because he wanted them to bring him illegal herbal steroids from Nigeria after their trip
The actor 'to this day' does not know who attacked him
'Aside from the substantial reputational harm the Osundairo Brothers’ false statements have caused him, Mr. Smollett has also suffered and continues to suffer substantial economic losses, including but not limited to lost employment opportunities and mounting legal fees, as well as severe mental anguish and distress.
'Mr. Smollett must also defend against the instant case by the City for investigative costs in a case in which he was the victim of a crime,' his lawyers write.
Smollett takes aim at the police department for leaks about the investigation which he said were all false and says Chief Superintendent Eddie Johhnson went out of his way to perpetuate a 'false narrative'.
Smollett says the entire case is based on the brothers' confession and that it is unreliable because, he says, they lied to save themselves from prosecution.
Listing the dozens of allegations leveled against him by the department, he admits and denies them variously.
Smollett said it was true that he knew the brothers but insists he did not pay them to attack him, saying instead that a $3,500 check he gave Abel was for personal training and nutrition.
He also offers an explanation for one of the most suspicious text messages he sent Abel in the days before the attack - where he asked to discuss something face to face, 'on the low' - saying he wanted to talk about him bringing illegal herbal steroids back from Nigeria for him.
Police used the text as purported proof of his intention to discuss the hoax plot.
He also says that cops ignored the 'loose ends' in their story for the same purpose.
One such loose end, he writes, is that the police department said Smollett told them not to bring their cell phones to the attack and that they 'complied', but that a taxi driver and an Uber driver who transported them that night said they had phones and were using them.
The actor's lawyers say that the notion Smollett had staged the attack came from only two places; untrust worthy websites and the brothers, under the instruction of their lawyer, Gloria Schmidt.
He claims that once they fed it to the cops, the police department worked to try to find evidence to support the theory and ignored all evidence that Smollett may be innocent.
The brothers, he said, only confessed to it after 47 hours of being held in custody because they were afraid they were about to be charged themselves.
Police could legally only hold them for 48 hours without charging or releasing them,
'The “eleventh hour” change in the Osundairo Brothers’ story, stating that they had been involved in the attack on Mr. Smollett, and that the attack was a hoax orchestrated by Mr. Smollett, was false and self-serving to avoid criminal charges being filed against them, which was clearly not reliable,' the lawsuit reads.
Smollett says it was inappropriate that they were not individually interviewed and he says it was their lawyer who gave them the idea to blame him.
He also claims that he 'does not know' if the brothers were even involved.
'To this day, Mr. Smollett does not know what involvement, if any, the Osundairo Brothers had in the attack on him on January 29, 2019,' the lawsuit reads.
Smollett also said that when the State's Attorney dropped the charges against him, the case should have been closed.
As part of the agreement, he paid $10,000 which he says is sufficient reimbursement for the city.
In January, he claimed he was attacked as he walked home to his apartment in subzero temperatures by two unidentified assailants with 'light' skin who he claimed called him a 'f****t' and the N word.
After spending weeks investigating it, the Chicago Police Department stunned the public by stating it had been a hoax.
They claimed Smollett ordered the brothers to attack him and that he planned to use it as leverage to get a higher salary on Empire.
He was charged by a grand jury with 16 felony counts of lying to police but all of the charges were sensationally dropped by SA Kim Foxx's office.
In exchange, Smollett did community service and paid $10,000. Foxx had been in touch with members of his family and had even semi-recused herself from the case by the time the deal was reached.
The outraged Chief of Police, Eddie Johnson, and former Mayor Rahm Emanuel were blindsided by the deal and later sued Smollett to try to get back some of the money they say was wasted investigating the allegedly bogus crime.
Smollett has been fired from Empire. He maintains his innocence.
EDITOR’S NOTE: For whatever unknown reason DA Kim Fox dropped all 16 felony counts against Smollett, her action has come back to bite the city of Chicago, Chief Johnson, and the investigating cops.
“I DON’T REGRET IT”
Memphis woman intentionally runs over mother, security guard outside elementary school
By Melissa Moon
News3
November 19, 2019
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphis woman said she's not sorry she ran down a security guard and a parent outside a South Memphis school.
Police said the security guard at Soulsville Charter School on Monday got a complaint about car that was double-parked and blocking other parents from dropping of their children. They said an argument between the driver of that vehicle and the security guard quickly turned violent.
Tameeka Tucker was at home recovering Tuesday after being hit by a car outside her daughter's school.
"Hit me from the back first, and then the security guard next and got by the whole left side," Tucker said of the incident.
Tucker said she was breaking up a fight between a school security guard and another mother who was behind the wheel when that mother turned her rage toward them, jumped a curb and hit them, knocking them to the ground.
"When she hit me, I jumped up because I thought she was going to hit me again," Tucker said.
Tucker and the security guard were both taken to the hospital with leg injuries.
Kristy Shipp was later arrested at her home and charged with aggravated assault.
Shipp claimed the security guard punched her, and she was just fighting back.
"I just tapped her with my car to teach her a little lesson," Shipp said.
Shipp admitted her 7-year-old daughter and 9-year-old niece were both in her car, but she didn't feel bad about what she did.
"I don't regret it," she said. "I'm still going to court this morning. Truth be told, I don't, because I'm pretty sure she doesn't feel bad either."
Tucker said she's concerned about the younger generation learning violence from incidents like this.
"l'm looking at the state of Tennessee and just in Memphis, the kids in this generation don't care about anything," Tucker said. "The first thing they relate to is violence."
Tucker says by the time the children realize the consequences of their actions, it's usually too late.
Shipp was arrested in September for driving with a revoked or suspended license.
The Soulsville Charter School said its working with police and cannot comment about the investigation. The school said investigators are looking over video of the incident.
By Melissa Moon
News3
November 19, 2019
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphis woman said she's not sorry she ran down a security guard and a parent outside a South Memphis school.
Police said the security guard at Soulsville Charter School on Monday got a complaint about car that was double-parked and blocking other parents from dropping of their children. They said an argument between the driver of that vehicle and the security guard quickly turned violent.
Tameeka Tucker was at home recovering Tuesday after being hit by a car outside her daughter's school.
"Hit me from the back first, and then the security guard next and got by the whole left side," Tucker said of the incident.
Tucker said she was breaking up a fight between a school security guard and another mother who was behind the wheel when that mother turned her rage toward them, jumped a curb and hit them, knocking them to the ground.
"When she hit me, I jumped up because I thought she was going to hit me again," Tucker said.
Tucker and the security guard were both taken to the hospital with leg injuries.
Kristy Shipp was later arrested at her home and charged with aggravated assault.
Shipp claimed the security guard punched her, and she was just fighting back.
"I just tapped her with my car to teach her a little lesson," Shipp said.
Shipp admitted her 7-year-old daughter and 9-year-old niece were both in her car, but she didn't feel bad about what she did.
"I don't regret it," she said. "I'm still going to court this morning. Truth be told, I don't, because I'm pretty sure she doesn't feel bad either."
Tucker said she's concerned about the younger generation learning violence from incidents like this.
"l'm looking at the state of Tennessee and just in Memphis, the kids in this generation don't care about anything," Tucker said. "The first thing they relate to is violence."
Tucker says by the time the children realize the consequences of their actions, it's usually too late.
Shipp was arrested in September for driving with a revoked or suspended license.
The Soulsville Charter School said its working with police and cannot comment about the investigation. The school said investigators are looking over video of the incident.
CREMA ESPARZA HARA QUE TU PIEL BRILLE
Woman Charged In L.A. With Illegally Importing Mercury-Laden Skin Creams
LAPPL News Watch
November 20, 2019
A 30-year-old woman was arrested Tuesday on federal charges filed in Los Angeles related to skin care creams containing dangerous levels of mercury that she allegedly sold through advertisements on Facebook with promises that the illegal products could lighten skin color, remove age spots and treat acne.
Maria Estela Esparza Magallanes allegedly smuggled the creams into the United States from Mexico and marketed the products under the names Crema Esparza and Crema Jimena, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Magallanes — who would face up to 26 years in prison if convicted as charged — is expected to make her first court appearance Tuesday afternoon in federal court in Fresno.
LAPPL News Watch
November 20, 2019
A 30-year-old woman was arrested Tuesday on federal charges filed in Los Angeles related to skin care creams containing dangerous levels of mercury that she allegedly sold through advertisements on Facebook with promises that the illegal products could lighten skin color, remove age spots and treat acne.
Maria Estela Esparza Magallanes allegedly smuggled the creams into the United States from Mexico and marketed the products under the names Crema Esparza and Crema Jimena, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Magallanes — who would face up to 26 years in prison if convicted as charged — is expected to make her first court appearance Tuesday afternoon in federal court in Fresno.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS SHOULD OFFER MORE TRADE PROGRAMS LIKE PLUMBING AND ELECTRICAL TECHNOLOGY
By Trey Rusk
I think more public high schools should offer these programs. When was the last time you needed a plumber or electrician to do work that is up to code? These trades make a good living.
I have a friend who wants to retire but can't because his daughter attends Texas A&M. He works an extra job 3 days a week so she can have a degree to teach school at $40k a year?
Even in-state tuition is out of reach for many.
These trade programs work and cost nothing but school taxes that we are already paying.
I think more public high schools should offer these programs. When was the last time you needed a plumber or electrician to do work that is up to code? These trades make a good living.
I have a friend who wants to retire but can't because his daughter attends Texas A&M. He works an extra job 3 days a week so she can have a degree to teach school at $40k a year?
Even in-state tuition is out of reach for many.
These trade programs work and cost nothing but school taxes that we are already paying.
US POLICY SHIFT ON SETTLEMENTS LEAVES OBAMA’S LEGACY IN THE DUST
Washington's move is a constructive step towards Israel ahead of the Trump administration's introduction of the long-awaited "deal of the century"
by Prof. Abraham Ben-Zvi
Israel Hayom
November 20, 2019
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's announcement Monday that Israel's settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria is "not inconsistent" with international law, which stepped away from decades of White House policy, was also another step in the Trump administration's efforts to leave the legacy of President Barack Obama in the dust.
The American recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and President Trump's decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights are also staples on this new policy, which turned away from the thinking and action patterns of former presidents the likes of Obama and Jimmy Carter.
In this respect, a line can be drawn between the governments of Republican presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush and the current president. This also stands in contrast to the policy pursued by Democratic presidents Carter and Obama, who sought a completely different path.
Carter, for example, made it a point to foster a special affinity not with Israel but rather with the Palestinians, and he spent most of his term, especially during his first two years in office, trying to establish a "homeland for the Palestinian people" while recognizing the PLO as their legitimate representative.
No one disputes the fact that it was this approach that gave rise to Carter's firm opposition Judea and Samaria settlement enterprise, which he believed could undermine the chances of realizing the dream of the Palestinian state.
Nearly four decades later, it was Obama who produced another resounding expression of this policy, when he refrained from exercising the US veto to strike down UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which defined the settlements as "legally invalid." This was the final tier of a long line of presidential statements that defined the settlements as "legitimate".
This not only takes Obama right back to the Carter, but also ignored the basic American stance, formulated in the wake of the Six-Day War, which defined the settlements as a political issue that could impede the peace process in terms of political negotiation, but not as a legal issue expected to complicate the negotiations.
This uncompromising approach, based on a legal definition related to the status of the settlements, contradicted the position of Republican administrations. Those have had their reservations about the scope of settlement construction, but for the most part, they adopted a pragmatic approach on this issue. The latter created the occasional dispute between Jerusalem and Washington, but it never came close to jeopardizing the resilience and stability of the special relations between the two nations.
And so, not only did Reagan disapprove in 1981 of Carter's approach to this issue. President George W. Bush went further and in a letter sent to then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on April 14, 2004, he acknowledged the "new demographic reality" created in the territories after 1967.
This reality, he implied, ruled out the possibility that Israel would be required, within the framework of the Israeli-Palestinian peace deal, to execute a full withdrawal to the 1967 lines.
Against this backdrop, Pompeo's declaration can be seen not only as following in the footsteps of Reagan and Bush but more explicitly as an expression of the emphasis on the Trump administration placed on the historical dimension of the special US-Israel relationship.
It also puts a welcome end to the attempts by Carter and Obama to lend the issue of Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria a dimension pertaining to international law.
It also stands to reason that it is no coincidence that Pompeo's statement came a few days after the European Union's top court ordered the mandatory labeling of goods produced beyond the Green Line, as it seeks to be a staunch denial of any attempt to tackle this complex issue with legal instruments.
But above all, Washington's move can be seen as a constructive step towards Israel, hoping that on the basis of this solid friendship and demonstration of support over core issues, the Trump administration will be able to launch its "deal of the century" and expect that its Israeli partner will pull its weight in promoting it – all pending the establishment of a new government in Israel.
by Prof. Abraham Ben-Zvi
Israel Hayom
November 20, 2019
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's announcement Monday that Israel's settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria is "not inconsistent" with international law, which stepped away from decades of White House policy, was also another step in the Trump administration's efforts to leave the legacy of President Barack Obama in the dust.
The American recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and President Trump's decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights are also staples on this new policy, which turned away from the thinking and action patterns of former presidents the likes of Obama and Jimmy Carter.
In this respect, a line can be drawn between the governments of Republican presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush and the current president. This also stands in contrast to the policy pursued by Democratic presidents Carter and Obama, who sought a completely different path.
Carter, for example, made it a point to foster a special affinity not with Israel but rather with the Palestinians, and he spent most of his term, especially during his first two years in office, trying to establish a "homeland for the Palestinian people" while recognizing the PLO as their legitimate representative.
No one disputes the fact that it was this approach that gave rise to Carter's firm opposition Judea and Samaria settlement enterprise, which he believed could undermine the chances of realizing the dream of the Palestinian state.
Nearly four decades later, it was Obama who produced another resounding expression of this policy, when he refrained from exercising the US veto to strike down UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which defined the settlements as "legally invalid." This was the final tier of a long line of presidential statements that defined the settlements as "legitimate".
This not only takes Obama right back to the Carter, but also ignored the basic American stance, formulated in the wake of the Six-Day War, which defined the settlements as a political issue that could impede the peace process in terms of political negotiation, but not as a legal issue expected to complicate the negotiations.
This uncompromising approach, based on a legal definition related to the status of the settlements, contradicted the position of Republican administrations. Those have had their reservations about the scope of settlement construction, but for the most part, they adopted a pragmatic approach on this issue. The latter created the occasional dispute between Jerusalem and Washington, but it never came close to jeopardizing the resilience and stability of the special relations between the two nations.
And so, not only did Reagan disapprove in 1981 of Carter's approach to this issue. President George W. Bush went further and in a letter sent to then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on April 14, 2004, he acknowledged the "new demographic reality" created in the territories after 1967.
This reality, he implied, ruled out the possibility that Israel would be required, within the framework of the Israeli-Palestinian peace deal, to execute a full withdrawal to the 1967 lines.
Against this backdrop, Pompeo's declaration can be seen not only as following in the footsteps of Reagan and Bush but more explicitly as an expression of the emphasis on the Trump administration placed on the historical dimension of the special US-Israel relationship.
It also puts a welcome end to the attempts by Carter and Obama to lend the issue of Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria a dimension pertaining to international law.
It also stands to reason that it is no coincidence that Pompeo's statement came a few days after the European Union's top court ordered the mandatory labeling of goods produced beyond the Green Line, as it seeks to be a staunch denial of any attempt to tackle this complex issue with legal instruments.
But above all, Washington's move can be seen as a constructive step towards Israel, hoping that on the basis of this solid friendship and demonstration of support over core issues, the Trump administration will be able to launch its "deal of the century" and expect that its Israeli partner will pull its weight in promoting it – all pending the establishment of a new government in Israel.
ISRAEL ATTACKS SYRIA
“The rules have changed, anyone who attacks the State of Israel during the day will not be able to sleep at night”
Israel today
November 20, 2019
In response to yesterday’s missile attack by Iranian forces from Syrian soil on northern Israel, the Israel Air Force (IAF) struck dozens of Iranian al-Quds Brigade targets in Syria during the night. Among the precision strikes were military installations around Damascus, observation posts on the Syrian Golan Heights and weapon depots. After the Syrian army fired anti-aircraft missiles at the IAF warplanes and despite several warnings from Israel, the IAF also destroyed several Syrian air defense batteries.
In contrast to previous attacks in Syria, this time the IDF openly declared its intention to attack the Syrian installations, and even publishing a map of the specific targets.
“The Israeli army blames the Syrian regime for what is happening on its own territory and warns against engaging in or tolerating hostilities against Israel. Such actions will result in a violent response,” an IDF spokesman said.
“The Israeli army will continue with resolve to crack down on Iran’s infiltration into Syria. The army is prepared for various scenarios and will continue to work until the security of Israel’s civilian population is secure,” the spokesman added. The IDF attacks in Syria were coordinated with Russia and the United States.
Israel’s new Defense Minister, Naftali Bennet, said this morning about the Israeli attacks in Syria: “The rules have changed, anyone who attacks the State of Israel during the day will not be able to sleep at night. It was the same last week and again this week. Our message to Iran is clear: wherever you will stretch out your octopus-like poisonous arms, we will cut them off.”
Prime Minister Netanyahu also commented on the IAF’s nocturnal attacks: “I stated that anyone who harms us will be harmed by us. And that is what we did tonight against military targets of the Iranian Al Quds Brigade. We will continue to be very determined regarding the security of Israel.”
Israel today
November 20, 2019
In response to yesterday’s missile attack by Iranian forces from Syrian soil on northern Israel, the Israel Air Force (IAF) struck dozens of Iranian al-Quds Brigade targets in Syria during the night. Among the precision strikes were military installations around Damascus, observation posts on the Syrian Golan Heights and weapon depots. After the Syrian army fired anti-aircraft missiles at the IAF warplanes and despite several warnings from Israel, the IAF also destroyed several Syrian air defense batteries.
In contrast to previous attacks in Syria, this time the IDF openly declared its intention to attack the Syrian installations, and even publishing a map of the specific targets.
“The Israeli army blames the Syrian regime for what is happening on its own territory and warns against engaging in or tolerating hostilities against Israel. Such actions will result in a violent response,” an IDF spokesman said.
“The Israeli army will continue with resolve to crack down on Iran’s infiltration into Syria. The army is prepared for various scenarios and will continue to work until the security of Israel’s civilian population is secure,” the spokesman added. The IDF attacks in Syria were coordinated with Russia and the United States.
Israel’s new Defense Minister, Naftali Bennet, said this morning about the Israeli attacks in Syria: “The rules have changed, anyone who attacks the State of Israel during the day will not be able to sleep at night. It was the same last week and again this week. Our message to Iran is clear: wherever you will stretch out your octopus-like poisonous arms, we will cut them off.”
Prime Minister Netanyahu also commented on the IAF’s nocturnal attacks: “I stated that anyone who harms us will be harmed by us. And that is what we did tonight against military targets of the Iranian Al Quds Brigade. We will continue to be very determined regarding the security of Israel.”
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
BIDEN IS FLAT WRONG IN HIS OPINION ABOUT GATEWAY DRUG
Joe Biden says there is not enough evidence on whether marijuana is a 'gateway drug'
Speaking about marijuana during a campaign stop in Nevada this past weekend, Joe Biden said:
“The truth of the matter is, there's not nearly been enough evidence that has been acquired as to whether or not it is a gateway drug. It's a debate, and I want a lot more before I legalize it nationally. I want to make sure we know a lot more about the science behind it. It is not irrational to do more scientific investigation to determine, which we have not done significantly enough, whether or not there are any things that relate to whether it's a gateway drug or not.”
Biden is flat wrong. There is overwhelming empirical evidence that marijuana is a gateway drug. For instance, I spent about seven years in drug enforcement, both as a cop and parole officer. As such, I dealt with hundreds of heroin and other drug users. In questioning them, I found out that each and every one of them started out using marijuana.
I know that pot advocates will pooh pooh my findings and come back with the crap that everyone started out on milk, thus making milk the gateway drug.
By the way, as late as 2010, Biden called marijuana a gateway drug. Since he wasn’t running for any office then, Biden didn’t bother to call for any scientific evidence like he does now.
Whether Biden is wrong and I am right really doesn’t matter. America is well down the road to legalizing marijuana. Two-thirds of Americans back legalization of marijuana, according to a Pew Research Center survey released last week.
Meanwhile AOC said Sunday evening, “Marijuana should be legalized, and drug consumption should be decriminalized. These are matters of public health.”
When more people start using heroin, coke, meth and designer drugs due to the legalization of pot, the possession of these drugs will surely be decriminalized.
Speaking about marijuana during a campaign stop in Nevada this past weekend, Joe Biden said:
“The truth of the matter is, there's not nearly been enough evidence that has been acquired as to whether or not it is a gateway drug. It's a debate, and I want a lot more before I legalize it nationally. I want to make sure we know a lot more about the science behind it. It is not irrational to do more scientific investigation to determine, which we have not done significantly enough, whether or not there are any things that relate to whether it's a gateway drug or not.”
Biden is flat wrong. There is overwhelming empirical evidence that marijuana is a gateway drug. For instance, I spent about seven years in drug enforcement, both as a cop and parole officer. As such, I dealt with hundreds of heroin and other drug users. In questioning them, I found out that each and every one of them started out using marijuana.
I know that pot advocates will pooh pooh my findings and come back with the crap that everyone started out on milk, thus making milk the gateway drug.
By the way, as late as 2010, Biden called marijuana a gateway drug. Since he wasn’t running for any office then, Biden didn’t bother to call for any scientific evidence like he does now.
Whether Biden is wrong and I am right really doesn’t matter. America is well down the road to legalizing marijuana. Two-thirds of Americans back legalization of marijuana, according to a Pew Research Center survey released last week.
Meanwhile AOC said Sunday evening, “Marijuana should be legalized, and drug consumption should be decriminalized. These are matters of public health.”
When more people start using heroin, coke, meth and designer drugs due to the legalization of pot, the possession of these drugs will surely be decriminalized.
TUESDAY’S IMPEACHMENT CIRCUS
Witnesses say Trump’s call was unusual and improper while Cobra-man Schiff spars with Republican committee members
Tuesday’s impeachment circus turned out to be another bullshit day where the four witnesses testified that Trump’s call to the Ukranian president was unusual and improper. Adan Schitt sparred with the Republican committee members trying to out the whistleblower and other issues.
Making an unusual or improper phone call is not by any stretch of the imagination an impeachable offense. Neither is being wrong, inappropriate or dumb.
Every time I see Schitt’s beady eyes, it reminds me of a cobra’s face. Little Adam Schitt, the Cobra-man.
Tuesday’s impeachment circus turned out to be another bullshit day where the four witnesses testified that Trump’s call to the Ukranian president was unusual and improper. Adan Schitt sparred with the Republican committee members trying to out the whistleblower and other issues.
Making an unusual or improper phone call is not by any stretch of the imagination an impeachable offense. Neither is being wrong, inappropriate or dumb.
Every time I see Schitt’s beady eyes, it reminds me of a cobra’s face. Little Adam Schitt, the Cobra-man.
HITLER'S BIRTHPLACE TO BE TURNED INTO A JEWISH DELI
by Bob Walsh
Actually, that headline is a lie. About three years ago the government in Austria seized the building, essentially to keep it from being turned into a Nazi shrine. Since then, the owner and the government have been battling over the level of compensation. The courts finally awarded the family that has owned the building for about 100 years $900,000 for the property. The government will turn it into a police station, which will not only be functional but will give the government pretty much complete control over the building.
Actually, that headline is a lie. About three years ago the government in Austria seized the building, essentially to keep it from being turned into a Nazi shrine. Since then, the owner and the government have been battling over the level of compensation. The courts finally awarded the family that has owned the building for about 100 years $900,000 for the property. The government will turn it into a police station, which will not only be functional but will give the government pretty much complete control over the building.
EPSTEIN GUARDS CHARGED
by Bob Walsh
Yesterday morning the two federal correctional officers who were sleeping 15 feet away from the cell when Jerry Epstein assumed room temperature were charged with fraud and conspiracy. They each made the $100,000 bail (presumably put up by their union) and were released.
The charges come from pencil-whipping the bed checks and the conspiracy charge from attempting to cover the mess up.
They should have KNOWN they would not be able to buffalo their way thru this one. They might not actually go to prison, but their jobs and presumably their pensions are now in the shitter.
I hear Burger King is hiring. Amazon warehouse too. Of course neither one of them lets you sleep on the job.
Yesterday morning the two federal correctional officers who were sleeping 15 feet away from the cell when Jerry Epstein assumed room temperature were charged with fraud and conspiracy. They each made the $100,000 bail (presumably put up by their union) and were released.
The charges come from pencil-whipping the bed checks and the conspiracy charge from attempting to cover the mess up.
They should have KNOWN they would not be able to buffalo their way thru this one. They might not actually go to prison, but their jobs and presumably their pensions are now in the shitter.
I hear Burger King is hiring. Amazon warehouse too. Of course neither one of them lets you sleep on the job.
IN TRUMP’S FACE
Top Navy SEAL officer DEFIES Donald Trump's pardon for Eddie Gallagher and sends his case before military board for review that could result in his expulsion from the force
Daily Mail
November 19, 2019
Top Navy SEAL Rear Admiral Collin Green is sending Eddie Gallagher's case to a military review board which could result in his expulsion from the SEALs. He's also sending the case of three other SEALs who served with Gallager.
'This is a review of their suitability to be a SEAL,' a Navy source says. The action is in defiance of President Donald Trump's pardon last week where he reversed the demotion of Chief Petty Officer Gallagher, a move that was harshly criticized for ignoring international humanitarian law.
Gallagher was acquitted in July 2019 of murder charges but convicted of taking a picture with a corpse and demoted to Petty Officer First Class.
Daily Mail
November 19, 2019
Top Navy SEAL Rear Admiral Collin Green is sending Eddie Gallagher's case to a military review board which could result in his expulsion from the SEALs. He's also sending the case of three other SEALs who served with Gallager.
'This is a review of their suitability to be a SEAL,' a Navy source says. The action is in defiance of President Donald Trump's pardon last week where he reversed the demotion of Chief Petty Officer Gallagher, a move that was harshly criticized for ignoring international humanitarian law.
Gallagher was acquitted in July 2019 of murder charges but convicted of taking a picture with a corpse and demoted to Petty Officer First Class.
ANOTHER NUTJOB PSYCHOLOGIST
Therapist broke rules with sex predator at Cherokee facility, documents show
By Ryan J. Foley
Associated Press
November 19, 2019
IOWA CITY, Ia. — A psychologist in charge of treating Iowa's most dangerous sex offenders violated policies by developing an improperly close relationship with a violent predator who became obsessed with her, according to state documents.
Shannon Smith Sanders, who directed the treatment program at the Civil Commitment Unit for Sex Offenders in Cherokee, committed "boundary violations" and did special favors for the patient, according to a Sept. 16 termination letter obtained under Iowa's open records law.
Sanders shared secrets with the patient, did not apply the institution's rules to him and lied to protect him, the letter said. She also failed to report that the patient was having personal feelings for her.
Those actions created potential security problems for the institution, which houses about 120 sexually violent predators who have been ordered by the courts to be locked up for treatment following completion of their prison terms.
The letter did not identify the patient. But attorney Jason Dunn told the AP that it was his client, Jeffrey Goodwin, who has been locked up since committing a 1988 sexual assault in Keokuk. In custody, Goodwin has a record of expressing sexually violent fantasies and threats toward female guards and assaulting other patients and staff.
Dunn alleged that Sanders encouraged Goodwin, 55, to masturbate in front of her and that they watched pornography together at least once. He said Goodwin grabbed her buttocks a couple times and that they developed an "emotional affair" that included sexual discussions. He said his client frequently sent Sanders notes written in code.
Dunn alleged that Sanders encouraged Goodwin, 55, to masturbate in front of her and that they watched pornography together at least once. He said Goodwin grabbed her buttocks a couple times and that they developed an "emotional affair" that included sexual discussions. He said his client frequently sent Sanders notes written in code.
"She had Jeff so wound up that he was willing to kill himself or someone else if he dishonored her or someone else dishonored her," Dunn said in an interview. "He was really going crazy."
The Iowa Department of Human Services, which operates the program, allowed Sanders to resign in lieu of termination after a three-month investigation into the complaint, documents show.
Sanders, 38, declined to comment about the investigation's findings or Dunn's allegations.
Dunn recently asked the FBI to investigate, saying the relationship may have violated an Iowa law barring therapists from sexually exploiting their patients. He said Goodwin intends to pursue a lawsuit.
The Cherokee Police Department is investigating "claims that have been brought to our attention," according to police Chief Nate James, who declined to elaborate.
Sanders may avoid other professional consequences. Psychologists who work for government agencies in Iowa are exempt from licensing requirements, which means she cannot face investigation or public discipline from the Iowa Board of Psychology.
Dunn said he fears that Sanders will not be held accountable and that she could get another job at a similar facility.
Goodwin filed his complaint against Sanders in June after coming to believe that he was being manipulated by the psychologist, who told him she would deny everything to protect herself if they were caught, Dunn said.
Their relationship developed this year after Goodwin returned to the program following completion of a prison sentence at the Anamosa State Penitentiary.
He has been in and out of the treatment program for most of its 20-year existence. The Iowa Supreme Court in 2004 upheld a jury's ruling that Goodwin is a sexually violent predator who needs to be committed for treatment for sexual sadism, exhibitionism and anti-social personality disorder.
Sanders had been the program's treatment director for four years after previously working at a state hospital in Kansas, earning nearly $98,000 last year, records show.
The investigation revealed "boundary/security issues" that she failed to report, violating numerous program and department policies, according to the termination letter signed by DHS administrator Rick Schults. Sanders refused to sign the letter and resigned immediately.
Her husband also worked for DHS at the Cherokee Mental Health Institute, which houses the treatment program. Trevor Sanders was in charge of overseeing surveillance cameras and other electronic security systems. It's unclear whether any video of his wife's alleged misconduct exists.
Trevor Sanders also recently left his state job, and the couple's Cherokee home is listed for sale. Shannon Sanders would not say whether they have moved.
"I don't want anyone to know my whereabouts, for obvious reasons," she said.
By Ryan J. Foley
Associated Press
November 19, 2019
IOWA CITY, Ia. — A psychologist in charge of treating Iowa's most dangerous sex offenders violated policies by developing an improperly close relationship with a violent predator who became obsessed with her, according to state documents.
Shannon Smith Sanders, who directed the treatment program at the Civil Commitment Unit for Sex Offenders in Cherokee, committed "boundary violations" and did special favors for the patient, according to a Sept. 16 termination letter obtained under Iowa's open records law.
Sanders shared secrets with the patient, did not apply the institution's rules to him and lied to protect him, the letter said. She also failed to report that the patient was having personal feelings for her.
Those actions created potential security problems for the institution, which houses about 120 sexually violent predators who have been ordered by the courts to be locked up for treatment following completion of their prison terms.
The letter did not identify the patient. But attorney Jason Dunn told the AP that it was his client, Jeffrey Goodwin, who has been locked up since committing a 1988 sexual assault in Keokuk. In custody, Goodwin has a record of expressing sexually violent fantasies and threats toward female guards and assaulting other patients and staff.
Dunn alleged that Sanders encouraged Goodwin, 55, to masturbate in front of her and that they watched pornography together at least once. He said Goodwin grabbed her buttocks a couple times and that they developed an "emotional affair" that included sexual discussions. He said his client frequently sent Sanders notes written in code.
Dunn alleged that Sanders encouraged Goodwin, 55, to masturbate in front of her and that they watched pornography together at least once. He said Goodwin grabbed her buttocks a couple times and that they developed an "emotional affair" that included sexual discussions. He said his client frequently sent Sanders notes written in code.
"She had Jeff so wound up that he was willing to kill himself or someone else if he dishonored her or someone else dishonored her," Dunn said in an interview. "He was really going crazy."
The Iowa Department of Human Services, which operates the program, allowed Sanders to resign in lieu of termination after a three-month investigation into the complaint, documents show.
Sanders, 38, declined to comment about the investigation's findings or Dunn's allegations.
Dunn recently asked the FBI to investigate, saying the relationship may have violated an Iowa law barring therapists from sexually exploiting their patients. He said Goodwin intends to pursue a lawsuit.
The Cherokee Police Department is investigating "claims that have been brought to our attention," according to police Chief Nate James, who declined to elaborate.
Sanders may avoid other professional consequences. Psychologists who work for government agencies in Iowa are exempt from licensing requirements, which means she cannot face investigation or public discipline from the Iowa Board of Psychology.
Dunn said he fears that Sanders will not be held accountable and that she could get another job at a similar facility.
Goodwin filed his complaint against Sanders in June after coming to believe that he was being manipulated by the psychologist, who told him she would deny everything to protect herself if they were caught, Dunn said.
Their relationship developed this year after Goodwin returned to the program following completion of a prison sentence at the Anamosa State Penitentiary.
He has been in and out of the treatment program for most of its 20-year existence. The Iowa Supreme Court in 2004 upheld a jury's ruling that Goodwin is a sexually violent predator who needs to be committed for treatment for sexual sadism, exhibitionism and anti-social personality disorder.
Sanders had been the program's treatment director for four years after previously working at a state hospital in Kansas, earning nearly $98,000 last year, records show.
The investigation revealed "boundary/security issues" that she failed to report, violating numerous program and department policies, according to the termination letter signed by DHS administrator Rick Schults. Sanders refused to sign the letter and resigned immediately.
Her husband also worked for DHS at the Cherokee Mental Health Institute, which houses the treatment program. Trevor Sanders was in charge of overseeing surveillance cameras and other electronic security systems. It's unclear whether any video of his wife's alleged misconduct exists.
Trevor Sanders also recently left his state job, and the couple's Cherokee home is listed for sale. Shannon Sanders would not say whether they have moved.
"I don't want anyone to know my whereabouts, for obvious reasons," she said.
TRUMP PLEASES THE ISRAELIS, INFURIATES THE PALESTINIANS, PISSES OFF THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS AND IGNORES THE EU AND UN
Netanyahu celebrates US settlement decision in West Bank
Associated Press
November 19, 2019
ALON SHVUT, West Bank Israel’s prime minister traveled to the West Bank on Tuesday to celebrate the U.S.’s announcement that it does not consider Israeli settlements to violate international law.
Benjamin Netanyahu called the Trump administration’s declaration, which stepped back from four decades of U.S. policy and reversed the policies of President Barack Obama, a “huge achievement” that “fixed a historic wrong.”
“I think it is a great day for the state of Israel and an achievement that will remain for decades,” he said.
Netanyahu spoke Tuesday at a gathering of ecstatic supporters and settler leaders in Alon Shvut, a settlement outside of Jerusalem.
Israeli right-wing leaders welcomed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s announcement. Although it is largely symbolic, it fueled calls from settler supporters for increased construction or even the annexation of parts of the West Bank.
The Palestinians, who claim the West Bank as part of a future state, condemned the decision. They and other countries said the move undercuts any chances of a broader peace deal.
Over 400,000 settlers now live in the West Bank, in addition to more than 200,000 settlers in east Jerusalem, the Palestinian’s hoped-for capital.
The Palestinians and the international community say that settlements are illegal and prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state. Israel says the fate of the settlements should be determined in negotiations.
The head of the Arab League joined the large number of critics, condemning the Trump administration’s latest decision “in the strongest terms.”
The league’s secretary-general, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, said the decision would result in “more violence and cruelty” against the Palestinians at the hands of the Israeli settlers and “undermines any possibility” of achieving peace.
The White House says it has developed a Mideast peace plan, but it has not yet unveiled it. The Palestinians already have rejected the plan, accusing the U.S. of unfair bias in favor of Israel.
The Trump administration has made a number of moves in favor of Israel, recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, recognizing Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights and shuttering the Palestinian diplomatic offices in Washington.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Some analysts believe Trump made this move, not to please the Israelis, but to satisfy the Evangelicals in his base.
__________
2020 Democratic challengers slam Trump stance on settlements
Israel Hayom
November 19, 2019
The Democratic Party came out strong against US President Donald Trump’s dramatic policy shift regarding Israeli settlements.
A spokesman for Joe Biden’s campaign told the Jewish Insider on Monday night that “this decision harms the cause of diplomacy, takes us further away from the hope of a two-state solution, and will only further inflame tensions in the region. It’s not about peace or security. It is not about being pro-Israel. It is about undercutting Israel’s future in service of Trump’s personal politics.”
His spokesman also echoed a chorus often heard within US President Obama’s administration: settlement expansion is an obstacle to peace.
Other candidates took to Twitter last night to express their chagrin.
Elizabeth Warren slammed the move saying it was, “another blatantly ideological attempt by the Trump administration to distract from its failures in the region. Not only do these settlements violate international law—they make peace harder to achieve. As president, I will reverse this policy and pursue a two state solution.”
Unsurprisingly, Bernie Sanders lamented the move as well, calling the settlements in “occupied” territory “illegal.”
“This is clear from international law and multiple United Nations resolutions. Once again, Mr. Trump is isolating the United States and undermining diplomacy by pandering to his extremist base,” he said.
His most popular surrogates, Freshman Congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, too, blasted the announcement.
Omar called on “all who believe in the possibility of peace must speak up in this moment,” while Tlaib maintain trained that settlements are “illegal” “no matter what this corrupt and immoral Trump regime (yeah he is a lawless king-like dictator) say.”
Meanwhile, Pete Buttigieg said the move was a “step back” fostering peace and is just the latest in a “pattern of destructive decisions that harm our national interests.”
Similarly, Amy Klobuchar accused Trump of playing politics and taking Israel further from achieving a two-state solution.
Should the Democrats emerge triumphant in 2020, it remains to be seen which Israel-related initiatives led by Trump will dismantle.
While it’s unlikely they will move the embassy back to Tel Aviv or rescind recognition of the Golan Heights, former US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro explained on Twitter that this move is “seen as a green light to encourage settlement expansion or annexation” and continues Trump's efforts to bury the two-state solution. That's a posture that a Dem administration, come January 2021, will reverse.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: Fuck the fucking Democrats!
Associated Press
November 19, 2019
ALON SHVUT, West Bank Israel’s prime minister traveled to the West Bank on Tuesday to celebrate the U.S.’s announcement that it does not consider Israeli settlements to violate international law.
Benjamin Netanyahu called the Trump administration’s declaration, which stepped back from four decades of U.S. policy and reversed the policies of President Barack Obama, a “huge achievement” that “fixed a historic wrong.”
“I think it is a great day for the state of Israel and an achievement that will remain for decades,” he said.
Netanyahu spoke Tuesday at a gathering of ecstatic supporters and settler leaders in Alon Shvut, a settlement outside of Jerusalem.
Israeli right-wing leaders welcomed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s announcement. Although it is largely symbolic, it fueled calls from settler supporters for increased construction or even the annexation of parts of the West Bank.
The Palestinians, who claim the West Bank as part of a future state, condemned the decision. They and other countries said the move undercuts any chances of a broader peace deal.
Over 400,000 settlers now live in the West Bank, in addition to more than 200,000 settlers in east Jerusalem, the Palestinian’s hoped-for capital.
The Palestinians and the international community say that settlements are illegal and prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state. Israel says the fate of the settlements should be determined in negotiations.
The head of the Arab League joined the large number of critics, condemning the Trump administration’s latest decision “in the strongest terms.”
The league’s secretary-general, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, said the decision would result in “more violence and cruelty” against the Palestinians at the hands of the Israeli settlers and “undermines any possibility” of achieving peace.
The White House says it has developed a Mideast peace plan, but it has not yet unveiled it. The Palestinians already have rejected the plan, accusing the U.S. of unfair bias in favor of Israel.
The Trump administration has made a number of moves in favor of Israel, recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, recognizing Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights and shuttering the Palestinian diplomatic offices in Washington.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Some analysts believe Trump made this move, not to please the Israelis, but to satisfy the Evangelicals in his base.
__________
2020 Democratic challengers slam Trump stance on settlements
Israel Hayom
November 19, 2019
The Democratic Party came out strong against US President Donald Trump’s dramatic policy shift regarding Israeli settlements.
A spokesman for Joe Biden’s campaign told the Jewish Insider on Monday night that “this decision harms the cause of diplomacy, takes us further away from the hope of a two-state solution, and will only further inflame tensions in the region. It’s not about peace or security. It is not about being pro-Israel. It is about undercutting Israel’s future in service of Trump’s personal politics.”
His spokesman also echoed a chorus often heard within US President Obama’s administration: settlement expansion is an obstacle to peace.
Other candidates took to Twitter last night to express their chagrin.
Elizabeth Warren slammed the move saying it was, “another blatantly ideological attempt by the Trump administration to distract from its failures in the region. Not only do these settlements violate international law—they make peace harder to achieve. As president, I will reverse this policy and pursue a two state solution.”
Unsurprisingly, Bernie Sanders lamented the move as well, calling the settlements in “occupied” territory “illegal.”
“This is clear from international law and multiple United Nations resolutions. Once again, Mr. Trump is isolating the United States and undermining diplomacy by pandering to his extremist base,” he said.
His most popular surrogates, Freshman Congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, too, blasted the announcement.
Omar called on “all who believe in the possibility of peace must speak up in this moment,” while Tlaib maintain trained that settlements are “illegal” “no matter what this corrupt and immoral Trump regime (yeah he is a lawless king-like dictator) say.”
Meanwhile, Pete Buttigieg said the move was a “step back” fostering peace and is just the latest in a “pattern of destructive decisions that harm our national interests.”
Similarly, Amy Klobuchar accused Trump of playing politics and taking Israel further from achieving a two-state solution.
Should the Democrats emerge triumphant in 2020, it remains to be seen which Israel-related initiatives led by Trump will dismantle.
While it’s unlikely they will move the embassy back to Tel Aviv or rescind recognition of the Golan Heights, former US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro explained on Twitter that this move is “seen as a green light to encourage settlement expansion or annexation” and continues Trump's efforts to bury the two-state solution. That's a posture that a Dem administration, come January 2021, will reverse.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: Fuck the fucking Democrats!
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