October 29, 2018

Press and social media sites equating ‘conspiracy theories’ with anti-Semitism. “The relaxed rules (at Gab) opened the door for content such as anti-Semitic posts and conspiracy theories.”   https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/nation-now/2018/10/28/pittsburgh-synagogue-shooting-what-gab-fringe-site-used-suspect/1798862002/   Thousands of architects and engineers who don’t buy the government’s explanations for the World Trade Center building collapses? People who don’t believe the ‘lone gunman’ theory of the JFK assassination? Was the government involved in the MLK assassination? Is it conducting warrantless mass surveillance? Sorry, you can’t post that, it’s too offensive. Well, except the last one, which is not a ‘conspiracy theory’ anymore.

Federal judge rules that undercover surveillance by Memphis police violated rights of political activists. “A federal judge in Memphis ruled Friday that the city’s failure to properly train members of its police department caused it to violate a 1978 agreement not to collect political intelligence on activists exercising their First Amendment rights.”   https://www.courthousenews.com/judge-finds-memphis-illegally-spied-on-activists/

Lawsuit accuses Trumps of involvement in fraudulent multi-level marketing scheme. “Seeking punitive damages and an injunction, the lawsuit alleges violations of federal anti-racketeering law, false advertising, fraud and negligent misrepresentation.”   https://www.courthousenews.com/class-takes-on-trump-over-multilevel-marketing-scheme/

More than 300 human rights activists killed in 2017. “Governments, companies, and other powerful figures are harassing, spying on, jailing, torturing, and even killing human rights defenders—just for defending the fundamental rights of their communities.”   https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/10/29/300-human-rights-defenders-killed-last-year-global-activists-hammer-out-new-action

Far right candidate wins presidential election in Brazil. “He’s often depicted wrongly in the Western media as being Brazil’s Trump … he’s actually much closer to Filipino President Duterte.”   https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/10/28/far-more-dangerous-trump-extremist-far-right-bolsonaro-wins-brazils-presidency

Trump accused of stoking the fear that may have provoked Pittsburgh gunman. “Trump renewed the offensive on Monday with a tweet that warned of an “invasion” of immigrants, echoing the hate-filled writings of accused synagogue gunman Robert Bowers.”   https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/29/donald-trumps-rhetoric-has-stoked-antisemitism-and-hatred-experts-warn   Jewish group blames president’s rhetoric for previous attacks. “You have also deliberately undermined the safety of people of color, Muslims, LGBTQ people, and people with disabilities. Yesterday’s massacre is not the first act of terror you incited against a minority group in our country.”   https://www.democracynow.org/2018/10/29/headlines/jewish_leaders_to_trump_massacre_is_not_the_first_act_of_terror_you_incited

Turkish artillery shells Kurdish leftist positions in Syria. “The bombardment targeted the Zor Magar area to the west of northern Syria’s Ayn al-Arab region and was aimed at preventing ‘terrorist activities’, including construction of trenches and barricades by the YPG…”   https://www.dailysabah.com/war-on-terror/2018/10/28/turkish-military-shells-terrorist-ypg-positions-in-syrias-zor-magar

Violence flares on Gaza/Israel border. “Israeli fighter jets struck dozens of sites across the Gaza Strip early on Saturday as (Hamas) fighters fired about 30 rockets into Israel, in the heaviest exchange of fire in several weeks.”   https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/10/israeli-jets-hit-80-targets-gaza-rocket-fire-protests-181027060228965.html

Trump once again calls the press an ‘Enemy of the People’, CNN receives another pipe bomb. “This is, for all practical purposes, a call for more violence against the press.”   http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ny-news-kellyanne-conway-synagogue-shooting-20181029-story.html

October 27, 2018

Suspect in Pittsburgh synagogue shooting reportedly participated in alt-right social media, hated Jews and immigrants. “(The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) likes to bring invaders in that kill our people.”   https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/27/us/active-shooter-pittsburgh-synagogue-shooting.html   President Trump blames synagogue for not having an armed security guard. “If there was an armed guard inside the temple, they would have been able to stop him.”   https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/27/politics/trump-jba-death-penalty-pittsburgh/index.html

President Trump claims that Central American refugee caravan includes ‘Middle Easterners‘. “… U.S. President Donald Trump… quickly took to Twitter to announce that ‘criminals and unknown Middle Easterners are mixed in’ with the caravan and that ‘I have alerted Border Patrol and Military that this is a National Emergy [sic]’.”   https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/inconvenient-truth-bound-migrant-caravan-181027071034920.html

Undercover FBI agent accused of paying for catering at fundraiser for candidate for Florida governor. “Attached is the invoice for the dinner you graciously offered to sponsor.”   https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article220673190.html

Family of man shot by police officer, who claims she thought he was in her apartment, sues Dallas. “The suit argued that Amber Guyger used excessive force when she gunned down Botham Jean, a 26-year-old native of St. Lucia, inside his own apartment on Sept. 6…. The lawsuit also contends the department did not adequately train Guyger, and adds the agency trains its officers to use deadly force ‘even when there exist no immediate threat to themselves or others’.”   https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/family-botham-jean-files-lawsuit-against-ex-dallas-officer-who-n925116

Georgia election officials accused of losing thousands of absentee ballot requests. “Fears of voter suppression were again ignited in Georgia on Thursday after state Democratic officials said that more than 4,700 vote-by-mail applications were missing in DeKalb County, one of Georgia’s most populous and liberal-leaning regions.”   https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/25/us/politics/senate-house-elections.html

Kansas town accused of moving the city’s only polling station outside the city limits to thwart Hispanic voters. “The lawsuit, filed Friday, seeks a temporary restraining order that would force Ford County to open a second voting location in Dodge City in time for the Nov. 6 election after the county sent newly registered voters an official certificate of registration that listed the wrong place to cast a ballot in the general election.”   http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-dodge-city-voting-20181026-story.html

FBI director says mail bombs were not ‘hoax devices’. “Several prominent conservatives, including Lou Dobbs of Fox Business, have suggested that the reports about the attempted attacks were planted by Democrats to make Republicans look bad.”   https://www.thisisinsider.com/fbi-director-mail-bomber-conspiracy-theories-not-hoax-devices-2018-10   Former Clinton spokesperson blames Trump’s tweets for setting off mail bomber. “If you look at who they’ve targeted so far, it’s almost as if they’re following Donald Trump’s Twitter feed.”   https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ex-clinton-adviser-says-trumps-twitter-messages-may-have-inspired-bomb-suspect   CNN reporter also fingers Trump. “CNN chief political correspondent Dana Bash said Friday that President Trump is responsible for ‘stoking’ hatred of the cable channel, as reflected in the ‘CNN sucks’ chants that frequently pop up at his rallies…. Bash noted that the white van, which has a number of conservative political stickers on it, including a ‘CNN Sucks’ sticker.”   https://thehill.com/homenews/media/413365-cnns-bash-criticizes-trump-for-stoking-cnn-sucks-chants-draws-link-to-stickers   Geraldo Rivera reverses himself after sharing ‘false flag’ theory. “I have to say that I believe that this whole thing was an elaborate hoax.”   https://www.rawstory.com/2018/10/fox-news-geraldo-rivera-forced-backpedal-false-flag-conspiracy-push-magabomber-arrest/

Twitter accused of not taking mail bomb suspect’s death threats seriously. “That Twitter moderators evidently reviewed and OKed what appears to have been a direct, personal threat on a user’s life might come as a surprise to some. But to a lot of people who have experienced abuse and harassment on the platform, the company’s response was sadly familiar.”   https://slate.com/technology/2018/10/twitter-account-linked-to-cesar-sayoc-made-death-threats-and-twitter-declined-to-suspend-him.html

60% of Americans polled say tax cuts should be reversed to reduce federal budget deficit. “The GOP tax law and a bipartisan spending bill helped fuel a 17 percent spike in the 2018 deficit, which hit $782 billion.”   https://thehill.com/policy/finance/413338-most-prefer-rolling-back-tax-cuts-to-reduce-deficit-poll

Saudi diplomat says its unfair to blame the country’s government for the murder of a journalist at its consulate. “Unfortunately, there has been this hysteria in the media about Saudi Arabia’s guilt before the investigation is completed.”   https://www.cbsnews.com/news/saudi-arabias-top-diplomat-calls-global-outcry-over-khashoggi-killing-hysterical-2018-10-27/   Maybe Jamal Khashoggi was rude to the consulate’s Turkish employees?

Muslims being held in Chinese ‘re-education’ camps reportedly being held for minor offenses. “Abstaining from alcohol and cigarettes. Having too many children. Owning a tent or a compass. Refusing to let officials take a retinal scan or a DNA sample. Giving a deceased relative a traditional Muslim burial instead of cremation. Traveling abroad, or just having spoken with someone who has.”   https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/million-muslims-are-held-detention-camps-china-now-portrays-humane-n922041

An estimated 68 Kurdish leftists killed during Islamic State surprise attacks, 100 wounded. “A ‘sandstorm allowed an ISIS counterattack… but now the air is clear, the coalition will continue to increase air and fire support to assist our partners’, (U.S.) spokesman Sean Ryan said, using an alternative acronym for IS.”   https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-6323617/IS-kills-41-US-backed-fighters-eastern-Syria-monitor.html   French volunteer killed during offensive. “Volunteers have come traveled from around the world to join the Kurdish forces in their fight against ISIS and the creation of the self-autonomous region of Rojava, built on the political ideology of PKK founder Abdullah Ocalan.”   http://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/syria/101020181   German government estimates 249 of its citizens, mostly leftists or Kurds, have traveled to Syria or Iraq to fight Islamic State. “Twenty-one of of those who embarked on the journey since 2013 were killed.”   https://www.dw.com/en/more-than-120-anti-islamic-state-fighters-returned-to-germany-since-2013/a-46060177

EU court rules that criticizing dead religious figures is off limits, upholds Austrian ‘hate speech’ conviction. “The woman, in her late 40s and identified only as E.S., claimed during two public seminars in 2009 that Muhammad’s marriage to a young girl was akin to ‘pedophilia’. According to Islamic tradition, the marriage between Muhammad and a 6-year-old girl was consummated when she was 9 years old and he was about 50.”   https://www.foxnews.com/world/defaming-muhammad-does-not-fall-under-purview-of-free-speech-european-court-rules

Irish voters overturn blasphemy law. “Three years ago, Irish police investigated comments made by comedian Stephen Fry on TV, when he described God as ‘capricious’, ‘mean-minded’, and an ‘utter maniac’. They ultimately dropped the case, deciding that not enough people had been outraged.”   https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/27/ireland-votes-to-oust-blasphemy-ban-from-constitution

Gina Haspel travels to Turkey, listens to audio of Jamal Khashoggi’s torture and murder. “After listening to it and talking with Turkish officials, Haspel returned to Washington.”   https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/saudi-arabia-says-khashoggis-killing-was-premeditated-in-latest-reversal/2018/10/25/d517f406-d7c4-11e8-8384-bcc5492fef49_story.html   I wonder if it caused a change of heart over ‘enhanced interrogations’?

Stock markets experiencing extreme volatility. “The Dow is down 5.9 percent in October, on pace for its worst month since it lost 6.57 percent in August 2015.”   https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/26/its-been-a-wild-24-hours-on-wall-street-heres-what-you-should-know.html

Some college graduates are fleeing abroad to find work and avoid student loan collectors. “Any rational person who learns that people are fleeing the country as a result of their student loan debt will conclude that something has gone horribly awry with this lending system.”   https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/26/he-moved-to-a-jungle-in-india-to-escape-his-student-debt–and-hes-not-alone-.html

Flu hit U.S. hard during 2017-18 flu season. (The Centers for Disease Control estimate) that 48.8 million people came down with the flu, with 959,000 hospitalizations and 79,000 deaths.”   https://gizmodo.com/cdc-report-offers-new-insights-into-last-winters-histor-1830046953

Trump administration opens federal waters in Alaska to oil drilling. “Hilcorp plans to build a nine-acre artificial island about 20 miles east of Prudhoe Bay, not far from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.”   https://www.democracynow.org/2018/10/26/trump_admin_opens_up_alaska_for

$5.8 billion in military aircraft may have been destroyed by Hurricane Michael. “(Tyndall Air Force Base) is the home of a fleet of 55 F-22 stealth fighters…. at least 17 of the planes, costing about a third of a billion dollars each—$339 million each—were likely left behind and possibly destroyed, because they weren’t airworthy at the time.”   https://www.democracynow.org/2018/10/26/while_trump_calls_climate_change_a

Army study on lessons of Iraq War not released to the public. “Our military, Congress, and the American people deserve nothing less than total transparency on the lessons the Army has identified so that we may use those lessons to avoid costly, and too often deadly, mistakes of the past.”   https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2018/10/25/armys-detailed-iraq-war-study-remains-unpublished-years-after-completion/   Like not invading and occupying other countries?

Indian police arrest an estimate 2,000 people blocking women from entering Hindu temple. “Conservative Hindu groups last week prevented women from entering the Sabarimala hill temple, clashing with police and damaging cars and buses, in defiance of a Supreme Court ruling that lifted a centuries-old ban on women or girls aged from 10 years to 50.”   https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-india-court-temple/indian-police-arrest-more-than-2000-people-after-hill-temple-protests-idUKKCN1N01Z2

Air Force identifies California Air National Guard pilot killed while flying Ukrainian jet. “Lt. Col. Seth ‘Jethro’ Nehring, 44, was flying a Ukrainian Su-27UB aircraft Tuesday when it crashed in the Vinnytsia region, about 175 miles southwest of Kiev, Ukraine’s capital, the Air Force said in a statement.”   http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-american-pilot-dies-20181018-story.html

Head of EPA’s Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee allegedly claiming there is no connection between air pollution and health problems. “(Tony Cox) has worked as a consultant for more than a dozen companies or industry groups that lobby against clean air or worker safety rules and are major sources of pollution, according to his website.”   https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2018/10/tony-cox-trumps-air-pollution-adviser-clean-air-saves-no-lives/

October 26, 2018

Coral Springs, Florida police officer caught punching subdued 14 year-old girl in the ribs during ‘disruptive behavior’ arrest. “The girl is black. The police officer, who has not yet been identified, is white.”   https://heavy.com/news/2018/10/watch-police-beat-girl-14-in-coral-springs-florida-video/

Tons of used nuclear fuel rods stored ‘Fukushima style’ around the Great Lakes. “Scientific research has shown a radioactive cloud from a spent fuel pool fire would span hundreds of miles, and force the evacuation of millions of residents in Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, Toronto or other population centers, depending on where the accident occurred and wind patterns.”   https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/10/19/nuclear-waste-great-lakes/1417767002/

Journalist to sue governor of Georgia over voter purge. “We are suing him—and I say ‘we’, including civil rights organizations—to find out why he’s removed 340,134 Georgians on supposed evidence that they’ve left the state or left their county. And they are still in their home registration addresses. They haven’t left.”   https://www.democracynow.org/2018/10/24/greg_palast_sues_georgias_brian_kemp

Texas voters claim paperless electronic voting machines not working properly. “We have heard from a number of people voting on Hart eSlate machines that when they voted straight ticket, it appeared to them that the machine had changed one or more of their selections to a candidate from a different party.”   https://www.yahoo.com/news/texans-voting-machines-changing-straight-ticket-choices-163523540–election.html

Man sues cops for arresting him over cell-phone checkpoint warning sign. “A Connecticut man who warned motorists about ‘cops ahead’ with a hand-drawn sign brought a federal complaint Monday to protest his arrest.”   https://www.courthousenews.com/arrest-over-police-trap-warning-spurs-federal-suit/

World’s billionaires reaped huge profits in 2017. “According to the Swiss bank UBS’s fifth annual billionaires report published on Friday, billionaires across the globe increased their wealth by $1.4 trillion last year—an astonishing 20 percent—bringing their combined wealth to $8.9 trillion.”   https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/10/26/while-rest-world-burned-billionaires-made-more-money-2017-any-other-year-history

Trump attempts to deflect blame for political hate onto the media, even though it was one of his supporters who was allegedly mailing pipe bombs, not angry CNN viewers. “A very big part of the Anger we see today in our society is caused by the purposely false and inaccurate reporting of the Mainstream Media that I refer to as Fake News.”   https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/10/25/trump-gaslights-entire-nation-about-package-bombs-will-go-down-history-clear-moment

Women rescue sick calf from pile of dead cows, get charged with felonies. “On Sunday, October 21, three women were charged with a grand theft felony each for attempting to rescue a dying calf found in a pile of dead cows on at Ray-Mar Ranches, a factory farm in Oakdale, California which supplies calves to Harris Ranch, and beef to companies like Costco and In-N-Out Burger.”   https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/10/24/three-women-charged-grand-theft-felony-saving-thrown-away-baby-cow

President Trump accused of trying to scare voters into staying home on election day. “All levels of government and Law Enforcement are watching carefully for VOTER FRAUD, including during EARLY VOTING. Cheat at your own peril. Violators will be subject to maximum penalties, both civil and criminal!”   https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/10/22/two-weeks-midterms-trump-attacks-democracy-one-most-naked-attempts-promote-voter

News sites accused of failing to disclose that David Rothkopf is a paid UAE lobbyist. “This indefensible, deceitful and blatantly unethical practice – presenting paid lobbyists and messaging ‘consultants’ for foreign governments and corporations as news analysts without disclosing those ties – has been going on for years inside the U.S’s largest corporate media outlets.”   https://theintercept.com/2018/10/22/msnbc-and-daily-beast-feature-uae-lobbyist-david-rothkopf-with-no-disclosure-a-scandalous-media-wide-practice/

 

October 18, 2018

Military’s new ‘crowd control’ plasma weapon uses a laser to vaporize skin. “As a so-called ‘scalable’ weapon, it will be able to shoot not only piercing sounds, but also ‘burn off’ or ‘vaporize’ human skin, and ultimately could be used to kill its target.”   https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/10/18/next-weapon-anti-protest-arsenal-us-military-building-plasma-gun-capable-vaporizing

Japanese government seeking to dump Fukushima reactor water into the ocean. “Its plan to release the approximately 1.09 million tons of water currently stored in 900 tanks into the Pacific has triggered a fierce backlash from local residents and environmental organizations, as well as groups in South Korea and Taiwan fearful that radioactivity from the second-worst nuclear disaster in history might wash up on their shores.”   https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/10/18/local-fury-and-health-concerns-japan-plans-dump-million-tons-radioactive-fukushima

Democrats unlikely to pursue ambitious climate change legislation, even if they retake Congress. “It’s going to be, I think, more of an opportunistic strategy, where, in various pieces of legislation, across the board, we’re going to insert measures that address climate change.”   https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/411766-dems-damp-down-hopes-for-climate-change-agenda

President Trump praises Congressman who body-slammed a journalist. “Greg is smart. And by the way, never wrestle him. You understand. Never.” As the cheers rang out across an aircraft hangar in Missoula, Trump went on to say: “Any guy that can do a body slam … he’s my guy.”   https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/18/trump-greg-gianforte-assault-guardian-ben-jacobs

Man pleads guilty to shooting Hurricane Katrina refugees. “Roland Bourgeois Jr, who is white, will face five to 10 years in prison for the shooting which occurred in the chaotic aftermath of Katrina, and after which he allegedly shouted racial slurs and said: ‘Anything coming up this street darker than a brown paper bag is getting shot.'”   https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/18/hurricane-katrina-roland-bourgeois-jr-shooting-hate-crime

Florida state agency invests $200 million with private equity firm one week after the firm’s CEO donated $500,000 to the governor’s pro-Trump Super PAC. “(Stephen) Feinberg made another $975,000 contribution to Scott’s Super PAC one month later, on November 3, making Feinberg its fifth-largest donor.”   https://theintercept.com/2018/10/18/rick-scott-florida-pension-fund/

Unnamed source alleges Jared Kushner has advised the President that criticism of Saudi leader will pass. “Mr. Kushner has argued that the crown prince can survive the outrage just as he has weathered past criticism.”   https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/18/world/middleeast/jamal-khashoggi-killing-saudi-arabia.html#click=https://t.co/h7FlIQ9vVd

Amnesty International accuses Nicaraguan government of repression. “Not only did President (Daniel) Ortega deploy police to arbitrarily arrest and torture demonstrators, he also used heavily armed pro-government groups to kill, wound and intimidate all those brave enough to stand up to his repressive strategy.”   https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/10/nicaragua-intensified-crackdown-protesters-amnesty-181018104530666.html

Saudi Arabia donates $100 million to U.S. for military expenses in Syria. “The United States received a $100 million payment from Saudi Arabia Tuesday, the same day Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his father King Salman in Saudi Arabia to discuss the disappearance of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.”   https://www.democracynow.org/2018/10/18/headlines/saudis_transfer_100_million_to_us_as_khashoggi_killing_crisis_deepens

Early voting in Tennessee almost four times larger than in last mid-term election. “In all, 120,893 people voted Wednesday in Tennessee in the midterm general election…. 32,565 people… voted on the first day of early voting for the 2014 midterm election.”   https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2018/10/18/tennessee-early-voting-turnout-massive-midterms-approaches-presidential-level/1683568002/

‘Trigger happy’ Connecticut police officer fired. “If anybody wants to fight or run, I’m a little trigger happy, guys. I’m not gonna lie, and I get paid a ton of money in overtime, if I had to shoot somebody.”   https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/18/us/connecticut-trigger-happy-officer-fired-trnd/index.html

Democrats and Republican seem to be living in different countries, differ widely on ‘most serious’ issues facing country. “… 72 percent of Democrats see climate change as a big problem, compared with just 11 percent of Republicans.”   https://www.npr.org/2018/10/18/658485101/poll-wide-partisan-gaps-on-americas-biggest-problems

Georgia police fatally shoot man with replica sub-machine gun. “At a Thursday afternoon news conference, GBI Public Affairs Director Nelly Miles said the officers found a man wearing what may have been a shower curtain and holding a gun.”   http://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/gbi-responding-to-police-shooting-in-monroe

EPA says greenhouse gas emissions are down, claims Trump administration deserves credit. “It’s ridiculous and insulting that the very person currently shredding the Obama era policies responsible for the greenhouse gas reductions is now trying to hoodwink the American people into believing his anti-environmental policies are responsible for the reductions.”   https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-administration-touts-greenhouse-gas-reductions-regulation-rollbacks/story?id=58588704

October 17, 2018

Texas high school students learning how to interact with police during traffic stops. “When the officer approaches your vehicle, certain movements such as reaching and searching for required documents, could be interpreted as a threat to the officer’s safety or indicate possible criminal activity.”   https://www.texastribune.org/2018/10/02/texas-education-agency-traffic-stop-police-interaction-law/

Florida’s supreme court rules that outgoing governor can’t appoint three new judges as his term expires. “Under the state constitution, their terms expire on Jan. 8, 2019; by tradition, the next governor would be scheduled to be sworn in at noon on that same day. Thus, (Florida Governor Rick) Scott intended to replace the justices just before his successor took the oath of office.”   https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/10/florida-supreme-court-rick-scott.html

Consumer group ‘fails’ 22 major burger chains for using beef raised with antibiotics. “Overuse of antibiotics in livestock can cause resistant bacteria to spread, putting humans at risk of developing life-threatening infections.”   https://www.cbsnews.com/news/beef-antibiotics-mcdonalds-burger-king-five-guys-among-22-burger-chains-failing-grade/

President Trump compares assassination accusations against Saudi prince with sexual assault allegations against Brett Kavanaugh. “Here we go again with, you know, you’re guilty until proven innocent. I don’t like that. We just went through that with Justice Kavanaugh and he was innocent all the way as far as I’m concerned.”   https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/skbaer/trump-saudi-arabia-khashoggi-kavanaugh   The prince denied he was involved, therefore, in Trumpworld, he must be innocent.

Georgia seniors being bused to the polls ordered off by Jefferson county officials. “According to County Administrator Adam Brett, the event was a ‘political activity’ because a Jefferson County Democratic Party member helped organize the event. Jefferson County administration felt uncomfortable with allowing senior center patrons to leave the facility in a bus with an unknown third party.”   https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/talalansari/black-senior-citizens-voter-intimidation-georgia   Voting while black.

Treasury Department employee arrested, accused of leaking info on suspicious financial transactions of Trump associates to journalists. “The 18-page criminal complaint details a search of (Natalie) Edwards’s phone and a flash drive she possessed, on which FBI agents say they found a lengthy digital trail of her interactions with the reporters, in which she shared (the Suspicious Activity Reports).”   https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/senior-treasury-employee-charged-with-leaking-documents-related-to-russia-probe/2018/10/17/74f67faa-d226-11e8-83d6-291fcead2ab1_story.html

New York Times accused of running ‘puff piece’ on Proud Boys’ violence glorifying gang leader Gavin McInnes. “Some critics of the Times were hoping the paper had learned its lesson after the backlash to its 2,000-word feature on ‘the Nazi sympathizer next door’…. Reader, the Times did not learn its lesson.”   https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/new-york-times-gavin-mcinnes-profile_us_5bc735e7e4b0d38b5873da87

Joe Arpaio sues New York Times over critical opinion piece. “(Michelle) Cottle accused him of ‘racial profiling on a mass scale and terrorizing immigrant neighborhoods with gratuitous raids and traffic stops and detentions’…. Times spokeswoman Eileen Murphy told Politico that, ‘We intend to vigorously defend against the lawsuit’.”   https://www.foxnews.com/us/arpaio-files-libel-suit-against-the-new-york-times

Woman allegedly sexually assaulted by Maryland police officer was reportedly in the country illegally. “We believe she was targeted…. It’s not coincidental that she would be stopped and asked for that type of favor in exchange for her not to be reported or be cited.”   https://www.foxnews.com/us/woman-allegedly-raped-by-on-duty-maryland-police-officer-is-illegal-immigrant-reports-say

40% of U.S. children now born to unmarried parents. “The U.S. fertility rate hit a historic 30-year low last year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”   https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-17/almost-half-of-u-s-births-happen-outside-marriage-signaling-cultural-shift

President Trump blamed for the thousands of refugees fleeing Honduras. “(President) Hernandez was declared the winner in mid-December, and US recognition of his victory consolidated what was widely viewed as election fraud.”   https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/10/migrant-caravan-activists-trump-blame-honduras-situation-181016213544549.html

Some Facebook shareholders want to fire Mark Zuckerberg. “Several public funds that hold shares in Facebook Inc on Wednesday backed a proposal to remove Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg as chairman, saying the social media giant mishandled several high-profile scandals.”   https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/facebook-shareholders-back-proposal-remove-zuckerberg-chairman-n921346

Turkish newspaper claims Saudi interrogators cut journalist Jamal Khashoggi into pieces while he was still alive, then dissolved his body in acid. “The (Turkish newspaper Yeni Safak) said Khashoggi was tortured and then dismembered while still alive…. The execution lasted seven minutes, the newspaper said.”   https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/10/17/jamal-khashoggi-new-claims-over-how-saudi-journalist-allegedly-killed/1667973002/

Some Cobb county, Georgia voters wait in line for 3 hours as early voting starts. “On October 15, the first day of early in-person voting, 69,049 people statewide cast their ballots. Data from the Secretary of State’s office shows that this is a sharp increase compared to the first day of in-person early voting in the 2014 midterms, when 20,898 people showed up.”   https://www.courthousenews.com/early-voter-turnout-soars-in-georgia-leading-to-hours-long-wait-at-polls/

Heritage Foundation group accused of failing to report names of donors. “The (Campaign Legal Center) claims there is evidence to suggest that Heritage Action donors’ contributions went to 12 candidates running for House seats in the upcoming November election.”   https://www.courthousenews.com/campaign-watchdog-claims-heritage-foundation-skirted-rules/

Some New York prosecutors say regulating them is unconstitutional. “Set to take effect in January, the independent 11-member commission would investigate allegations of prosecutorial misconduct.”   https://www.courthousenews.com/ny-prosecutors-sue-to-stop-misconduct-watchdog/   Apparently they feel only the ‘little people’ have to answer for their conduct.

International Criminal Court warns Israel about demolition of Bedouin village. “It bears recalling, as a general matter, that extensive destruction of property without military necessity and population transfers in an occupied territory constitute war crimes…”   https://www.courthousenews.com/icc-prosecutor-issues-warning-on-bedouin-village-demolition/

Facebook accused of deleting video detailing crimes against indigenous populations committed by colonial powers. “(George) Monbiot’s piece of video journalism was about the airbrushing of history,” noted Mendez. “Therefore, there is a great irony in the fact it has now been airbrushed from their platform.”   https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/10/17/latest-fit-censorship-facebook-deletes-video-detailing-brutal-legacy-christopher

Pennsylvania Congressman accused of looking out for the interests of his own family construction business. “In Congress, (Lloyd) Smucker supported a range of legislation that would allow companies to pay lower wages, weaken labor unions, and avoid safety regulations, including a special measure to provide corporations with as many as 85,000 temporary, low-skilled, foreign laborers to work in non-farm positions such as home construction.”   https://theintercept.com/2018/10/17/lloyd-smucker-family-drywall-osha/

Owners of yet another building having the word ‘Trump’ removed from the facade. “Workers will pry the letters off the front and back of (Trump Place at) 200 Riverside Boulevard, a 46-story building between 69th and 70th Streets. The building will simply be called: 200 Riverside Boulevard…. Nearly 70 percent of the condo owners who voted said they wanted to ‘remove the signage’ on the building.”   https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/17/nyregion/trump-place-sign-condo-manhattan.html

 

October 16, 2018

NYPD accused of letting ‘Proud Boys’ gang members walk away from beating. “At no point do any of the Proud Boys seem the least bit concerned about the three police officers who witnessed the tail end of their beatdown. Likewise, the NYPD officers do not apprehend or question any of the Proud Boys as they walk away.”   http://gothamist.com/2018/10/15/proud_boys_nypd_arrest.php

Republican candidate for U.S. Senate included swastika in TV ad, claims it was an accident. “If this was filmed inside a Michigan school, someone needs to tell the principal there that there’s a swastika on the wall in one of the hallways…. If this was filmed somewhere made to look like a hallway of a Michigan school, who put the swastika there?”   https://thelivingstonpost.com/theres-a-swastika-in-john-james-campaign-video/

Columbus, Ohio police officer warns black kids he could have shot them for possession of a BB gun. “Do you think I want to shoot an 11-year-old? Do you think I want to shoot a 13-year-old?”   https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/columbus-pd-says-video-officer-stopping-two-black-boys-bb-n920671   Are BB guns illegal in Ohio? Or just for black kids?

Prince George’s County, Maryland police officer charged with sexually assaulting motorist. “A police investigation found that (Officer) Macklin forced the driver to perform a sexual act as they were both seated in her car.”   https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/prince-georges-county-police-rape_us_5bc5d43ce4b0d38b58718f3b

Republican candidate accuses opponent of supporting treason in debate for Arizona U.S. Senate seat. “I want to ask right now whether you’re going to apologize to the veterans and me for saying it’s OK to commit treason, Kyrsten.”   https://www.foxnews.com/politics/martha-mcsally-accuses-kyrsten-sinema-of-supporting-treason-in-fiery-arizona-senate-debate

Canada to become second country in the world to legalize recreational marijuana. “(Prime Minister Justin) Trudeau made it a key point of his campaign, arguing that prohibition was clogging the court system with nonviolent offenders and enriching criminal enterprises.”   https://www.freep.com/story/news/2018/10/16/canada-legal-marijuana-october-17/1603310002/

U.S. pilot dies while flying Ukrainian jet. “The Ukrainian Defense Ministry said two pilots aboard the Su-27 had been killed in the crash, which took place in the Khmelnytskyi region located in the western part of the country about 200 miles west of the capital of Kiev.”   https://www.foxnews.com/world/american-pilot-killed-in-ukrainian-air-force-fighter-jet-crash   An American pilot was training someone how to fly a Russian jet? Probably more to this story…

Orthodox Christian church schism as Russian church cuts ties. “The break came after the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople recognised the independence of the Ukrainian Church from Moscow.”   https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-45870939

International group to spearhead battle against climate change in response to foot-dragging by some governments. “The Global Commission on Adaptation is being led by (former U.N. General Secretary) Ban Ki-Moon, Bill Gates and Kristalina Georgieva, CEO of the World Bank.”   https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/16/leaders-move-past-trump-to-protect-world-from-climate-change

Ecuador puts conditions on restoration of Julian Assange’s internet access. “Ecuador has ordered Julian Assange to stick to a new set of house rules, including avoiding contentious political issues, cleaning his bathroom and looking after his cat if he wants the internet reconnected.”   https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-16/ecuador-asks-julian-assange-to-curb-speech-look-after-cat/10382992

U.S. mercenaries were reportedly hired to assassinate key religious and political leaders in Yemen. “(Spear Operations Group founder Abraham) Golan said that during his company’s months-long engagement in Yemen, his team was responsible for a number of the war’s high-profile assassinations, though he declined to specify which ones.”   https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/aramroston/mercenaries-assassination-us-yemen-uae-spear-golan-dahlan

Sears files for bankruptcy. “The company, which owns the discount chain Kmart, has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in New York as it struggles with a debt burden of $5.6bn (£4.3bn) and was unable to make a $134m repayment due on Monday.”   https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/oct/15/us-sears-bankruptcy-kmart-close-stores   It’s not just the internet that is killing traditional retailers, hedge funds are also to blame. “From Toys ‘R’ Us to Sears, these financial predators are extracting the value out of these retail establishments, forcing the closure of thousands of stores, and throwing tens of thousands of workers into the streets.”   https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/16/investing/retail-sears-private-equity/index.html

Unarmed black man walking in Silicon Valley traffic reportedly tasered to death by sheriff’s deputies. “San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said two deputies tased (Chinedu) Okobi to get him under control and handcuff him, which is when Okobi went into cardiac arrest.”   https://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Family-of-man-tased-killed-in-San-Mateo-County-13311591.php

Federal court sides with students, orders Trump administration to stop blocking rule protecting students from for-profit schools that suddenly shut down. “Under the Obama rule, students whose school closed mid-program or shortly after completion, will become eligible for automatic loan discharge.”   https://www.apnews.com/60ba4b2478404aabb4ec1dce5da80cf6

California judge says she may reduce dying man’s jury award from $289 million to $8 million in Roundup herbicide case. “Gary Kitahata and Robert Howard are among the jurors who unanimously found that Monsanto was liable for $289 million in damages, to be paid to former school groundskeeper Dewayne Johnson, who was diagnosed with terminal cancer after spending years using Monsanto’s products at his job.”   https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/10/16/judge-considers-letting-monsanto-hook-jurors-demand-court-respect-their-historic

Fiscal year 2018 federal budget deficit hits $779 billion. “It was larger than any year since 2012, when it topped $1 trillion.”   https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/15/us-budget-deficit-expands-to-779-billion-in-fiscal-2018-as-spending-surges.html   Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell blames Social Security and Medicare for federal budget deficit, says programs need to be ‘reformed’. “Republicans in December 2017 also passed a tax cut projected to add more than $1 trillion to the debt over a decade after leaders gave up on creating a plan that wouldn’t increase the debt under the Senate’s scoring rules.”   https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-16/mcconnell-blames-entitlements-not-gop-for-rising-deficits

Federal court allows children’s global warming lawsuit to proceed. “The young people ‘proffered uncontradicted evidence showing that the government has historically known about the dangers of greenhouse gases but has continued to take steps promoting a fossil fuel based energy system, thus increasing greenhouse gas emissions,’ said (Judge Ann) Aiken in her ruling.”   https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/10/16/blockbuster-ruling-judge-says-youths-climate-case-against-trump-administration-can

French police raid offices of leftist party. “The raids – part of twin inquiries into the alleged misuse of European parliament funds and suspected funding irregularities in Mélenchon’s presidential campaign last year – took place on Tuesday at the offices of his party, France Unbowed, and (at a) private apartment.”   https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/16/french-leftwinger-jean-luc-melenchon-reacts-angrily-to-police-raids

Video of police officer shooting unarmed Chicago teen Ricky Hayes released. “At roughly 1:25 a.m. on August 13, 2017, his caretaker checked his room and found that he wasn’t there. She immediately called the police to report him missing.”   https://theintercept.com/2018/10/16/chicago-police-shooting-video-ricky-hayes/   Slipping out of the house while black.

White men threaten black Uber driver with a gun, Milwaukee police let them walk. “(Darnell) Smith said he stopped at about 2 a.m. Saturday to clean out trash left in his car by his last passengers when a resident walked up, drew a gun and demanded to know what he was doing.”   https://www.wisn.com/article/uber-driver-confronted-by-man-with-gun-blames-concealed-carry-law/23835210

Thinking about dressing up as Hitler for Halloween? “I don’t understand the mentality on the social media, because some people are saying, ‘It shouldn’t be a big deal, it’s just a costume,’” she said. “No, for people that had family there and in concentration camps, this is a big deal.”   https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/boys-hitler-costume-at-boulder-city-halloween-event-raises-an-uproar/   You might want to give that fashy haircut a pass, too.

Wisconsin cops reportedly slammed into black woman’s car, smashed out her window and arrested her at gunpoint as she waited outside an Applebee’s for a job interview. “The only thing (Robin) Anderson had in common with the (cell phone) thieves is that she is also African-American.”   https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/crime/2018/10/15/bayshore-arrest-woman-accuses-glendale-police-racial-profiling/1602473002/   Applying for a job while black.

Georgia county accused of rejecting almost 10% of mail in ballots as state rejects 53,000 voter registrations. “(Stacey) Abrams and civil rights groups have accused (Secretary of State) Brian Kemp of using minor discrepancies in voters’ registrations and ID cards to bar them from casting a ballot, a system that has resulted in 53,000 voter applications being put on hold.”   https://www.democracynow.org/2018/10/16/headlines/georgia_county_rejects_nearly_1_in_10_mail_in_ballots

 

October 15, 2018

New White House painting portrays Donald Trump with previous Republican presidents. “The painting, showing former Republican presidents (which some have likened to Dogs Playing Poker) was painted in oil by Andy Thomas, who is more often found painting cowboys.”   https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/oct/15/president-trump-new-painting-white-house-republican

Elizabeth Warren DNA test reveals Native American ancestry. “(Prof.) Bustamante calculated that Warren’s pure Native American ancestor appears in her family tree ‘in the range of 6-10 generations ago’.”   https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2018/10/15/warren-addresses-native-american-issue/YEUaGzsefB0gPBe2AbmSVO/story.html   President Trump denies ever offering Warren $1 million to take a DNA test to prove she is a descendant of Native Americans. “I will give you a million dollars, paid for by Trump, to your favorite charity if you take the test and it shows you’re an Indian … we’ll see what she does.”   https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/15/politics/donald-trump-elizabeth-warren-dna-1-million/index.html

President Trump highlights Saudi king’s denial of involvement in assassination of journalist. “It wasn’t like there was a question in his mind. The denial was very strong.”   https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/15/politics/trump-saudi-king-tweet/index.html   As judges and prosecutors know, if someone denies committing a crime it’s usually a strong indicator of innocence!

Coming home while black. “The first video shows the woman demanding proof that (D’Arreion) Toles lives in the apartment building. She can be seen standing in front of the entrance, refusing to let him in.”   https://www.cbsnews.com/news/darreion-toles-st-louis-woman-fired-blocking-black-man-entering-apartment/

Idaho Fish and Game commissioner facing calls for his resignation after sharing photos from his African hunting trip. “First day (my wife) wanted to watch me, and ‘get a feel’ of Africa. So I shot a whole family of baboons.”   https://www.cbsnews.com/news/blake-fischer-idaho-fish-and-game-official-emailed-photos-of-animals-killed-on-african-hunting-trip/

Trump shares ‘alternative facts’ on climate change during ’60 Minutes’ interview. “Something’s changing and it will change back again.”   https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/15/climate/trump-climate-change-fact-check.html

State Department trainee accidentally sends out invitation to a ‘cat pajama’ party at U.S. Embassy in Australia. “It’s unknown how widely the email, sent by the US Department of State, was distributed.”   https://www.stuff.co.nz/oddstuff/107858968/us-embassy-apology-after-cat-pyjama-invite   Many stories mention a section of the invitation in Latin, but no one is reproducing it or translating it, which is a truly amazing coincidence.

Savanna, Georgia police will use surveillance camera footage to hunt statue ‘vandal’. “The (googly) eyes were quickly removed and did not appear to do any damage to the statue.”   https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/vandalism-revolutionary-war-statue-googly-eyes-prompts-police-probe-n920211

Women much more likely to be disciplined in prison. “Across the country, women in prison are disciplined at higher rates than men — often two to three times more often, and sometimes more — for smaller infractions of prison rules.”   https://www.npr.org/2018/10/15/647874342/in-prison-discipline-comes-down-hardest-on-women

Dept. of Veterans Affairs reportedly spending millions to guard Confederate cemeteries and monuments. “Records obtained by The Associated Press through the Freedom of Information Act show that the VA has spent nearly $3 million on the cemetery security since August 2017.”   https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/government-spends-millions-guard-confederate-cemeteries-58507574

Dallas officials refusing to release audio recording of 911 call and autopsy results in Botham Jean killing. “Other records that police and prosecutors refuse to release include: (Officer) Guyger’s personnel file, records related to her shooting of a man she said took her Taser during a struggle in 2017, Guyger’s clock-in and clock-out times the day of the shooting, Guyger’s annual salary, previous administrative leave with the department, other 911 calls about the shooting, Guyger’s work schedule, body camera and dash camera videos, and any off-duty jobs she was approved to work.”   https://www.dallasnews.com/news/dallas-police/2018/10/02/everything-city-dallas-wont-tell-death-botham-jean

Chinese internet celebrity reportedly spends five days in jail after singing the country’s national anthem on-line in a manner considered to be disrespectful. “The current law in China states those who sing the anthem in a ‘distorted or disrespectful way’ can be jailed for up to 15 days.”   https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/yang-kaili-china-insult-national-anthem-social-media-huya-a8584456.html

9/11 suspect deported to Morocco after serving 15 years in prison in Germany. “(Mounir) el Motassadeq was convicted of membership in a terrorist organization and accessory to the murder of the 246 passengers and crew on the four jetliners used in the 9/11 attacks in 2001.”   https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/germany-preparing-deport-convicted-sept-11-suspect-58500859   However, the Moroccan government has been accused of torturing prisoners in the past. “In Morocco (Binyam Mohammed) claims he underwent the strappado torture of being hung for hours from his wrists, and (suffered) scalpel cuts to his chest and penis, and that a CIA officer was a regular interrogator.”   https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/dec/11/politics.alqaida

Nicaragua arrests protest leaders ahead of planned demonstration. “The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights said on Twitter that it was deeply worried by the arrests, and called on the government to guarantee the security of the protesters.”   https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nicaragua-protests/nicaraguan-police-arrest-protesters-quash-anti-government-march-idUSKCN1MO0S8

Hungarian law bans homeless from sleeping on the street. “Rough sleeping will be banned in Hungary from Monday when the government’s law on homelessness comes into force, giving police the power to remove homeless people from the streets and destroy any shelters they may have built.”   https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/10/rough-sleeping-outlawed-hungary-law-force-181015045613103.html

Trump administration to end ‘Temporary Protect Status’ for refugees from six countries. “The result could be the removal – sometimes willingly, sometimes forced – of 98 percent of the 317,000 foreigners in the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program. It remains unclear what will happen to the 230,000 children they’ve had while in the U.S., all citizens by birth.”   https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/10/15/trump-team-uses-new-rationale-expel-300-k-legal-immigrants/1272247002/

Military communications and surveillance companies to merge. “Harris Corporation handles complex military communications networks for battlefield management and in military aircraft. It is also known for a brand of Stingray cellphone trackers used by U.S. law enforcement…. New York-based L3 Technologies’ most visible products are the 360-degree scanners that travelers encounter when they go through airport security…. It also makes night-vision equipment and sensor systems used in military aircraft.”   https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2018/10/14/l-harris-agree-merge-creating-billion-military-technology-giant/   A great business plan since the same equipment is now being used both at home and abroad!

Billionaire Jeff Bezos implies the Earth is disposable. “Earth is destined to run out of resources, he explains patiently to anyone questioning his priorities. Humans need a plan B…”   https://www.wired.com/story/jeff-bezos-blue-origin/   Or we could just wisely manage our extremely rare, jewel of a planet. Being forced to live on the moon or Mars because we trashed our planet would represent the ultimate failure of our species.

Canadians turned away at U.S. border for admitting they have smoked marijuana. “If you’re a Canadian tourist in Seattle and you’re over the age of 21, you can buy marijuana. But if on your next trip to the U.S., you’re questioned by border agents and you admit to using pot in the past, you can be banned,” he said. “It’s totally backwards and doesn’t make sense.”   http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-canada-marijuana-immigration-20181015-story.html

Cleaning crew arrives at Saudi Arabia’s Istanbul consulate ahead of Turkish investigators. “…video cameras captured a team of cleaners hauling several buckets of mops, two large cases of trash bags, Dixi cleaning solution, another carton of what appears to be bleach, and two cases of Pinar milk through the front door of Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Istanbul.”   https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/10/15/you-couldnt-make-bunch-mops-cleaners-and-trash-bags-delivered-saudi-consulate-ahead

Colin Kaepernick receives award from Harvard. “Last week Colin Kaepernick became one of eight new recipients of the W E B Du Bois Medal, presented by Harvard University to those it considers to have made significant contributions to African‑American history and culture.”   https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2018/oct/15/colin-kaepernick-alert-evil-raised-fists-black-power-salute-50-years

Some dare to call it fascism. “Fascist politics – which evoke a mythic past, which rely on a sense of unreality and victimhood, and which use the cloak of ‘law and order’ to hide corruption and attack scapegoats – can be used to flexible ends, writes Stanley, a professor of philosophy at Yale whose previous book was an analysis of propaganda.”   https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/15/how-fascism-works-jason-stanley-review-trump

Journalists find unsecured electronic voting machines. “WhoWhatWhy’s team on the ground discovered that several voting machines were left completely unguarded in an unlocked room at a polling place in Fulton County on the day before early voting started…. This stunning lack of security measures would have made it easy for any hacker to slip into the room undetected for the few minutes it takes to hack one of these machines.”   https://whowhatwhy.org/2018/10/15/exclusive-whowhatwhy-finds-voting-machines-unguarded/

Patriot Prayer group allegedly stationed snipers on roof of parking garage, but police just gave them a warning. “In an afternoon press conference regarding the latest’s Patriot Prayer rally, Portland Police Bureau (PPB) Assistant Chief Ryan Lee explained that before the August protest kicked off, officers found a number of people standing on the roof of a parking garage above with loaded guns. The garage was directly above where the afternoon protest was expected to take place.”   https://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2018/10/15/23710274/members-of-patriot-prayer-brought-loaded-firearms-to-roof-before-august-protest   And if this had been a Trump rally?

Lakeland, Florida city commissioner fatally shoots fleeing shoplifter. “Video from inside the Vets Army Navy Surplus store shows Dunn holding a gun in his right hand as Lopez tries to advance toward the door. Dunn pushes Lopez with his left arm, and Lopez goes for the door again.”   https://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/Surveillance-video-shows-Lakeland-city-commissioner-shooting-alleged-shoplifter_172671529

Black St. Louis hospital patient reportedly mauled by white security guard after sitting down in a wheelchair. “While the initial interaction takes place just outside the camera’s field of vision, Allen has said the guard struck her over her left eye with his fist, sending her falling into the sidewalk.”   https://www.riverfronttimes.com/newsblog/2018/10/15/video-shows-ssm-hospital-security-guard-taking-down-patient

Palestinian woman allegedly stoned to death by Israeli settlers. “Aisha Al-Rawbi, 47, and a mother of eight, was pronounced dead at hospital late on Friday from a head injury sustained in the stone-throwing incident, according to Palestinian news agency Wafa.”   https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/10/thousands-attend-funeral-palestinian-aisha-al-rawbi-181013120816302.html

 

October 14, 2018

Police shooting of fleeing black man leads to violent clashes between right and left-wing protesters. “The violence erupted after (Joey) Gibson and about three dozen people waving American flags and reciting patriotic chants walked toward a street memorial for Patrick Kimmons, 27, a black man who was fatally shot by Portland police last month. At the vigil, they were met by counter-protesters chanting ‘Black Lives Matter’.”   https://www.foxnews.com/us/patriot-prayer-rally-in-portland-turns-bloody-american-flag-saved-from-flames

Trump admits that separations of migrant families is intended to serve as a deterrent. “If they feel there will be separation, they don’t come.”   https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-trump/trump-says-family-separations-deter-illegal-immigration-idUSKCN1MO00C

Department of Justice contradicts Wilbur Ross’ testimony before Congress. “Secretary Ross (now) recalls that Steven Bannon called Secretary Ross in the Spring of 2017 to ask Secretary Ross if he would be willing to speak to then-Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach about Secretary Kobach’s ideas about a possible citizenship question on the decennial census.”   https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/doj-trump-advisers-discussed-adding-citizenship-question-2020/story?id=58446662

Pope Francis designates Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero a saint. “Romero, who had often denounced repression and poverty in his homilies, was shot dead on March 24, 1980, in a hospital chapel in San Salvador, the capital of the impoverished Central American country of El Salvador.”   https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/pope-paul-vi-oscar-romero-saints_us_5bc30c0ae4b040bb4e82fb15

Auto safety group demands recalls of Kias and Hyundais over fires. “The complaints involve the 2011 through 2014 Kia Sorento and Optima and the Hyundai Sonata and Santa Fe. Also included is the 2010 through 2015 Kia Soul.”   https://abc13.com/automotive/safety-group-wants-hyundai-and-kia-to-recall-29m-vehicles/4481796/

FAA reliance on self-reporting of aircraft incidents resulted in loss of voice recorder data in horrifying 2017 San Francisco near-miss. “The Air Canada captain, identified in NTSB documents as Dimitrios Kisses, was supposed to report the San Francisco incident to the airline as soon as possible but didn’t because he was ‘very tired’ and it was late. He waited until the next day. By that time, the plane was used for another flight, and the audio loop on the cockpit voice recorder was taped over.”   https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2018/10/14/air-canada-close-call-couldve-been-worst-aviation-accident/1641651002/

Bavarian Green Party doubles in popularity at expense of conservative ruling party. “Sunday’s biggest winners are likely to be the environmentalist Green Party, which is expected to win the second-most votes…”   https://www.npr.org/2018/10/14/657317822/merkels-allies-falter-in-regional-elections-as-rivals-gain-on-left-and-right

British journalist attempts to track down note found in Arizona woman’s Walmart purse. “Inmates in China’s Yingshan Prison work 14 hours a day and are not allowed to rest at noon. We have to work overtime until midnight. People are beaten for not finishing their work. There’s no salt and oil in our meals.”   https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2018/10/10/17953106/walmart-prison-note-china-factory

Ecuador to restore Julian Assange’s internet access after meeting with U.N. officials. “It is positive that through UN intervention Ecuador has partly ended the isolation of Mr Assange although it is of grave concern that his freedom to express his opinions is still limited.”   https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/oct/14/julian-assange-to-regain-internet-access-in-embassy-base

Little Rock, Arkansas police accused of violating residents’ constitutional rights. “First, the narcotics unit appears to be routinely violating the Fourth Amendment by serving nearly all of its warrants with no-knock raids. It’s asking for no-knock warrants without demonstrating why each suspect merits a no-knock entry, as required by federal law. Worse yet, Little Rock judges are then signing off on these warrants. Second, the LRPD is serving many of these warrants by using explosives that SWAT veterans I’ve interviewed say are reckless, dangerous and wholly inappropriate for use in drug raids.”   https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/opinions/wp/2018/10/14/little-rocks-dangerous-and-illegal-drug-war/

Saudi airstrike reportedly kills 17 civilians. “The attack presumably targeted a Houthi rebel checkpoint in the city’s Jebel Ras area, but instead destroyed a bus full of civilians, medical sources said.”   https://www.dw.com/en/new-saudi-airstrike-hits-bus-carrying-civilians-in-yemen/a-45877705

Amnesty International accuses U.S. of under-reporting civilian deaths in Raqqa. “At a news conference in the Lebanese capital, Amnesty International said 2,521 bodies from the battle for Raqqa have been recovered in the city, the majority killed by coalition airstrikes.”   https://www.heraldcourier.com/news/rights-group-criticizes-us-led-coalition-for-raqqa-deaths/article_1572676b-d929-5431-88d0-923b2fadf484.html

Congressman introduces ‘Internet Bill of Rights’. “… people should know what is happening to their data, people should be notified if there’s a breach, people should have the right to consent before their data is collected.”   https://www.democracynow.org/2018/10/12/rep_ro_khanna_introduces_internet_bill

 

October 13, 2018

Facebook and Twitter accused of deleting pages/accounts of alternative media. “Facebook has removed the pages of several police accountability/watchdog/critic groups, including Cop Block, the Free Thought Project, and Police the Police,” Washington Post journalist Radley Balko noted in a tweet following Facebook’s announcement. “They’ve also apparently severely restricted activity for the Photography Is Not a Crime page.”   https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/10/12/facebook-accused-full-frontal-suppression-dissent-after-independent-media-swept-mass   “The purge doesn’t appear to be too concerned about whether those caught up in it fall to the left or right on the political spectrum as accounts on both sides have been wiped out. Instead, the common theme is that people who buck corporate-friendly narratives are being suppressed.”   https://sputniknews.com/science/201810131068844306-twitter-follows-facebook-lead-purges-indie-media/

Conservative ‘dark money’ group rewards Susan Collins for ‘yes’ vote on Brett Kavanaugh appointment. “‘Judicial Crisis Network is launching a six-figure TV and digital ad campaign in Maine thanking Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) for supporting Justice Kavanaugh,’ writes the Judicial Crisis Network on its website.”   https://www.salon.com/2018/10/12/susan-collins-reaps-the-rewards-for-supporting-brett-kavanaugh/

An estimated 61,000 U.S. prisoners held in solitary confinement in 2017. “The report found 4,000 people placed in solitary who were identified by their jurisdiction as seriously mentally ill. It also found 2,000 inmates who had been in solitary for six or more years.”   https://reason.com/blog/2018/10/10/us-prisons-held-61000-inmates-in-solitar

Thousands reportedly missing after Hurricane Michael. “They expect the number of missing to go down most quickly when power and communications are restored, allowing people to more easily locate their loved ones.”   https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article219919660.html

North Dakota accused of voter suppression after state’s supreme court allows law requiring street addresses on ID to stand. “Tens of thousands of North Dakotans, including Native and non-Native residents, do not have residential addresses on their IDs and will now find it harder to vote.”   https://www.npr.org/2018/10/13/657125819/many-native-ids-wont-be-accepted-at-north-dakota-polling-places

Trump asks black voters to vote Republican in upcoming midterm elections, then praises Confederate general Robert E. Lee. “Addressing an open-air rally of around 4,000 supporters, Trump appeared buoyant as he declared that Lee was a ‘true great fighter’ and ‘great general’. He also said Abraham Lincoln once had a ‘phobia’ of the Southern leader, whose support of slavery has made his legacy a heavily contested and divisive issue.”   https://www.al.com/news/2018/10/trump-praises-robert-e-lee-calls-for-black-voters-to-honor-gop.html

Hillary Clinton not considered to be an asset by Democratic candidates, according to anonymous strategist. “Few Democrats are willing to embrace Clinton on the campaign trail, despite the party’s near-universal support for her just two years ago, with many concerned that a high-profile Clinton presence would only dampen the party’s prospects of retaking control of Washington from Republicans.”   https://www.foxnews.com/politics/democrats-fear-hillary-clintons-kiss-of-death-as-midterms-near

Republican club vandalized after hosting speech by right-wing gang leader. “(Gavin) McInnes, a Canadian, is a co-founder of Vice Media and leads the far-right group ‘Proud Boys’, whose members have been involved in several physical conflicts with left-wing and anti-fascist protesters.”   http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ny-pol-manhattan-republican-club-vandalized-20181012-story.html

Republican candidate’s plan to parade with .50 caliber machine gun throws Kansas town into political turmoil. “Parade organizers in a small Kansas town have decided they will not stop Kris Kobach, the Republican candidate for governor, mounting a replica machine gun on a jeep. The organizing committee for Iola’s Farm City Days had told Kobach’s campaign it would have to remove the replica gun if it wanted the jeep to be part of Saturday’s event.”   https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/13/kris-kobach-replica-machine-gun-jeep-donald-trump

Attorney General Sessions harshly criticizes Illinois’ plan to reform Chicago’s police department. “The reform plan now on the table foresees far stricter rules on the use of force by officers.”  https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/trump-administration-steps-kill-police-reform-plan-58471494   So much for states’ rights.

Only 41% of Americans approve of Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court appointment, according to poll. “Led by discontent among women, Americans by a 51-41 percent margin disapprove of Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court…”   https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/women-lead-support-investigation-kavanaugh-poll/story?id=58461716

Air Canada flight returns to airport after dispute between passenger and flight attendant over trash. “Police investigated but determined no criminal offenses had taken place.”   https://www.insideedition.com/grandmother-says-she-was-kicked-flight-asking-flight-attendant-remove-trash-47573

Uber security guard accused of tackling driver delivering petition. “Thom Hoffman, an Uber driver with a workers alliance called Gig Workers Rising, aimed to deliver a petition demanding protection from ‘unfair deactivation policies’ to Uber headquarters at 1455 Market Street Friday afternoon.”   http://www.sfexaminer.com/ridehail-driver-tackled-uber-security-guard-delivering-driver-petition/

Apple joins Google, Facebook and Amnesty International in opposing Australian law that would require tech companies to assist law enforcement. “For instance, the bill could allow the government to order the makers of smart home speakers to install persistent eavesdropping capabilities into a person’s home, require a provider to monitor the health data of its customers for indications of drug use, or require the development of a tool that can unlock a particular user’s device regardless of whether such tool could be used to unlock every other user’s device as well.”   https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/12/apple-rebukes-australias-dangerously-ambiguous-anti-encryption-bill/

Overwhelming majority of Americans are reportedly opposed to ‘political correctness’, whatever it may be. “… since the survey question did not define political correctness for respondents, we cannot be sure what, exactly, the 80 percent of Americans who regard it as a problem have in mind.”   https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/10/large-majorities-dislike-political-correctness/572581/

Federal judge issues injunction against San Diego to stop ticketing of homeless people living in their vehicles while hearing case. “These vehicles keep plaintiffs off the streets, where they would face dangerous and unsanitary conditions.”   https://www.courthousenews.com/homeless-san-diegans-lead-national-fight-of-vehicle-camping-laws/

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissents after court refuses to block improvised lethal injection execution. “The longer we stand silent amid growing evidence of inhumanity in execution methods like Tennessee’s, the longer we extend our own complicity in state-sponsored brutality. I dissent.”   https://www.courthousenews.com/sotomayor-reproachful-on-rush-to-execution-in-tennessee/

More than 200,000 march against far right in Berlin. “A dramatic political shift is taking place: Racism and discrimination are becoming socially acceptable. What yesterday was considered unthinkable and unutterable has today become a reality. Humanity and human rights, religious freedom and the rule of law are being openly attacked. This is an attack on all of us.”   https://www.newsweek.com/over-200000-protesters-march-berlin-immigration-rights-and-equality-1168434

Democratic Senate leadership accused of enabling Trump administration’s federal judge appointments. “Democrats allowed Mitch McConnell and Republicans in Congress to fast track 15 more of Donald Trump’s nominees, including David Porter and Mark Norris, whose biased views and extreme anti-choice records indicate they will shape our country in Donald Trump’s brutal image for decades to come.”   https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/10/12/pathetic-progressives-furious-schumer-rubber-stamps-15-more-right-wing-judges-trump

Ruling party in Russia accused of blocking election of Communist Party challenger in Siberia governor race. “The rule is this: if they win, it’s OK, and if they lose, then we start over.”   https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/13/communist-challenge-exposes-cracks-putins-power

Saudi government brands Khashoggi assassination stories ‘fake news’. “… major media outlets have cast the disappearance and apparent murder of Saudi dissident and Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi as a foreign conspiracy to denigrate the image of the kingdom.”   https://theintercept.com/2018/10/13/khashoggi-saudi-media/

Humanitarian groups point out connection between climate change and weather disasters. “In the 1970s, we used to be dealing with 80 to 100 severe weather-related shocks and hazards” each year, (Elhadj As Sy, Secretary-General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies) said, contrasting that to last year, when the number was around 400 — “four times more.”   https://www.rawstory.com/2018/10/climate-related-disasters-increasing-temperatures-rise-ngos-warn/

Republican activists in Arizona reportedly posed as communists while making political donation to Democrat. “On Friday afternoon in Flagstaff, two men who called themselves Jose Rosales and Ahmahd Sadia walked into the campaign office of first-term Democrat Tom O’Halleran, with $39.68 and an urgent desire for the ‘Northern Arizona University Communist party’ to be given a receipt for the donation.”   https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/12/arizona-republicans-communists-democrats-donation-attempt

Taliban militants reportedly blow themselves up as car bomb explodes prematurely. “At least nineteen, people including Taliban militants and ordinary civilians, were killed or wounded in a premature car bomb explosion in northern Faryab province of Afghanistan.”   https://www.khaama.com/taliban-militants-civilians-suffer-heavy-casualties-in-a-premature-car-bomb-explosion-06139/

U.S. and Taliban representatives reportedly meet in Qatar. “The (Wall Street) Journal, citing a person familiar with the gathering, said U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad met with Taliban officials in Doha, the second time in four months that American officials have held face-to-face talks with Taliban representatives.”   https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-envoy-afghan-peace-meets-taliban-officials-qatar-225017369.html

 

October 12, 2018

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