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Police raid and detain indie journalists in the days leading up to the Repub Conve...
MINNEAPOLIS POLICE TARGET AND OBSTRUCT INDEPENDENT PRESS COVERAGE IN THE DAYS LEADING UP TO THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION
Repeated attacks on the civil liberties of independent press and activists before and during the election process emerge as a pattern
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (August 30, 2008) – FBI and Minneapolis police continue attacks on independent journalists in the days leading up to the Republican National Convention, obstructing coverage of important concurrent events. On Saturday morning an FBI officer and a chief deputy from the Douglas County Sheriff’s dept. along with approximately 30 St. Paul police officers bearing firearms, tasers, pepper spray and at least one AR-15 surrounded a house where members of I-Witness Video Collective and journalist Elizabeth Press from Democracy Now were meeting. National Lawyer’s Guild Legal Observer Sarah Coffey was detained in handcuffs outside the building while acting as a liaison with the police. Occupants of the building did not consent to a search and were forced to lock themselves in the building. At approximately 3:00 p.m. (CDT) police officers tried to serve a warrant that had the wrong address. After being denied entry they stormed the building through the attic by gaining access to an adjacent property. The warrant covered all of journalistic equipment including privileged notes, computers, cameras, video tapes and communication devices. People inside were forcefully detained, photographed and police made a record of their names and addresses. After a 45 minute search the police released all detainees and left without seizing any of the equipment. Five other members of I-Witness video who were not present at the house were also simultaneously detained. Three of them detained as they were riding their bicycles a mile away from the scene of the search and the other two as they were driving in a car. The three-hour detainment stopped the media group from documenting three other raids happening simultaneously against activist groups in Minneapolis and St Paul.
This follows an incident from earlier this week when three members of Glass Bead Collective were illegally detained and had their equipment and notes confiscated by the Minneapolis police.
I-Witness Video is an independent media group using video to protect civil liberties. During the 2004 Republican National Convention in NYC, video evidence provided by I-Witness Video exonerated 400 arrestees by exposing lies stated by the NYPD in sworn legal affidavits. MINNEAPOLIS POLICE TARGET AND OBSTRUCT INDEPENDENT PRESS COVERAGE IN THE DAYS LEADING UP TO THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION ... more -
The Grand Old Bait and Switch
From Clarence Thomas to Sarah Palin, nobody plays cynical identity politics like the GOP.
John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as the GOP vice presidential nominee has re-inserted the "woman" question into the presidential debate.
By choosing the second white female vice presidential candidate, McCain is trying to fashion himself, Sarah Palin, and, by extension, the entire Republican Party as more committed feminists than the Democrats.
But what is being called a "maverick" decision by McCain, is in fact just another version of the old Republican game of bait and switch with identity politics. Starting with George H. W. Bush's nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court, the GOP has been trying to convince Americans that any "woman," "African American" or "candidate of color" will do. And while the argument can be made that any diversity is better than no diversity, this Republican version is especially egregious because it often appoints minority candidates who vote against public legislation that insure that other members of their group have the same opportunities, choices and paths to success as they did. In effect, diversity, which dismantles affirmative action programs and women's reproductive rights, is the worse form of political fraud.
In 1991, when Thomas succeeded Thurgood Marshall, the Republicans created a new playbook for identity politics. Instead of re-creating an all-white Supreme Court, President George H. W. Bush maintained symbolic racial diversity while also appointing a judge who would vote against long-term diversity measures such as racial preference and affirmative action programs.
Even more cleverly, he nominated a significantly inexperienced African-American candidate whose presence reiterates the anti-affirmative rhetoric of unqualified minorities unfairly taking the jobs of more competent whites. With Thomas, the Republicans not only overlooked the exceptional and better qualified African-American men and women who did exist (and therefore could reinforce the benefits and necessity of affirmative action), but they appointed him with the intent of destroying that racial equity policies for which Marshall has so valiantly fought.
Unfortunately, because McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as a stand-in for Hillary Clinton may help galvanize those McCain-weary, anti-choice, evangelical members of the Republican Party, it is even more important that we do not misread his decision as "maverick," "fresh" and anti-Bush.
***Read More*** From Clarence Thomas to Sarah Palin, nobody plays cynical identity politics like the GOP. ... more -
Journalist Amy Goodman, arrested at an anti-RNC protest, tells her story
Amy Goodman, the host of the popular radio and television program "Democracy Now!" was at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul on Monday, interviewing members of the Alaska delegation, when her phone rang with alarming news.
“I got a call that two of our producers had been bloodied by the police,” Goodman said. “I did not stop running until I got to where they were.”
The producers, Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar, had been reporting on the protest targeting the Republican convention that was unfolding several blocks away. Most of the estimated 10,000 people in the march were peaceful. But, according to police, a group of about 200 had fractured off and were breaking windows, slashing tires and harassing delegates.
Police arrested 286 people, according to the Associated Press. Kouddous and Salazar were among them. Matt Rourke, a photographer with the Associated Press, was also arrested.
News gathering is a constitutionally protected activity in the United States. But although Kouddous, Salazar and Rourke were wearing credentials that identified them as members of the press, they were held on riot charges. Salazar suffered a bloody nose after being dragged, face-down on the ground, according a statement released by "Democracy Now!"
When Goodman arrived at the scene 20 minutes later, she asked the riot police if she could see her producers, who were being held in police vehicles. “I just said, 'I want to talk to a commander,' ” said Goodman, who had her own press badge slung around her neck. “They didn’t skip a beat; they just started arresting me.”
The scene was captured on video -- a clip that was one the most-viewed videos on YouTube.com on Tuesday. In it, Goodman is seen pleading with the police while her arms are twisted behind her back and into plastic handcuffs.
All four journalists were released hours after being arrested. Goodman was officially charged with obstruction of a legal process and interference with a peace officer.
"Democracy Now!" plans to continue its coverage of the protests and the police presence, which Goodman described as "overly aggressive."
"I was very angry. This was a violation of my rights," Goodman said. "But
it’s so much bigger than us. When the press is shut down, it's closing the eyes and ears of a critical watchdog in a democratic society." Amy Goodman, the host of the popular radio and television program "Democracy Now!" was at the Republican National Convention... more -
15 Reportedly Killed in U.S.-led Pakistan Attack
Women and children were among 15 people killed in an attack Wednesday involving U.S.-led forces in a Pakistani village near the border with Afghanistan, officials and a resident said.
1st Lt. Nathan Perry, a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan, said it had "no information to give" about the alleged operation, while a spokesman for NATO troops there denied any involvement.
The United States and Pakistan, allies in the war on terror, have had tensions over cross-border attacks, including a series of suspected American missile strikes which have killed two senior al-Qaeda operatives in Pakistani territory this year.
Officials gave differing accounts of the pre-dawn raid in the South Waziristan region, part of the tribal belt where officials suspect Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahri are hiding. It was unclear whether any militant leaders had been killed or captured.
The governor of North West Frontier Province, the chief administrator for the tribal belt, said three coalition helicopter gunships and commandos carried out an "outrageous" attack on a village. Women and children were among 15 people killed in an attack Wednesday involving U.S.-led forces in a Pakistani village near the border... more -
McCain Strategist Blasts Media
Sen. John McCain's top campaign strategist accused the news media Tuesday of being "on a mission to destroy" Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin by displaying "a level of viciousness and scurrilousness" in pursuing questions about her personal life.
In an extraordinary and emotional interview, Steve Schmidt said his campaign feels "under siege" by wave after wave of news inquiries that have questioned whether Palin is really the mother of a 4-month-old baby, whether her amniotic fluid had been tested and whether she would submit to a DNA test to establish the child's parentage.
Arguing that the media queries are being fueled by "every rumor and smear" posted on left-wing Web sites, Schmidt said mainstream journalists are giving "closer scrutiny" to McCain's little-known running mate than to Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.
The McCain camp has been unusually aggressive in pushing back against the media, and it seems to hope to persuade journalists to back off in their scrutiny of Palin. Obama campaign officials have complained to news organizations that their man has been subjected to considerably more investigative reporting than McCain has, but they have done so in more low-key fashion.
By contrast, Schmidt spoke on the record in denouncing as "an absolute work of fiction" a New York Times account of the process by which the McCain campaign vetted Palin. He also charged that Newsweek columnist Howard Fineman was predicting that the governor might have to step down as McCain's vice presidential choice.
Fineman said that he has "never, ever said that," and that he has pointed out positive aspects of Palin's candidacy. "They decided a long time ago that they were going to work the refs," he said. Sen. John McCain's top campaign strategist accused the news media Tuesday of being "on a mission to destroy" Alaska Gov... more -
Aides say team interviewed Palin late in the process
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was not subjected to a lengthy in-person background interview with the head of Sen. John McCain's vice presidential vetting team until last Wednesday in Arizona, the day before McCain asked her to be his running mate, and she did not disclose the fact that her 17-year-old daughter was pregnant until that meeting, two knowledgeable McCain officials acknowledged Tuesday.
Palin was one of two finalists in the vice presidential sweepstakes who were interviewed last week by former White House counsel Arthur B. Culvahouse Jr., just days before McCain introduced her to the nation as his choice. The other finalist was Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty. One of the officials said Culvahouse was chasing down last-minute information about Pawlenty at the request of the campaign as late as last Thursday, the day McCain offered the job to Palin and she accepted.
The new details of the selection process provide a fuller picture of how and when McCain made his decision. Despite the late interview of the little-known Palin, senior McCain advisers said Tuesday night that she was chosen only after a lengthy and deliberative process that included the same background investigation given to others on McCain's shortlist and considerable debate among the candidate's inner circle about all his choices.
McCain did not speak face to face with Palin until Thursday morning, at his retreat in Sedona, Ariz. He also talked to her by telephone the previous Sunday. McCain had spoken with all of the others on his shortlist over the course of a selection process that went on for several months, but he was least familiar personally with the person he finally chose.
***Read More*** Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was not subjected to a lengthy in-person background interview with the head of Sen. John McCain's vice pr... more -
10 Reasons to NOT Vote for Palin as our VP
Now I know that we are not really voting for VP, they just sorta fall into the role with the president. I have to wonder, of all the members of the republican party, this was the best that John McCain could come up with as a running mate. But if Palin’s résumé is limited, to put it politely, she possesses the only two qualities that McCain now seems to consider essential: She is a right-wing religious ideologue with female gender characteristics. Having only served as Governor of Alaska for less then two years and mayor of a small town before that, her qualifications are minimal to none.
While being interviewed many times John McCain always said that the person he would select as his running mate would be the “person most prepared to take my place,”. What happened to the experience factor from the McCain party, that was their chief argument against Mr Obama. I do say that I believe we will hear little about experience for the rest of the election cycle.
#1: Palin opposes a woman’s right to choose what to do with her own body, opposing the right to an abortion even for rape victims.
#2: Palin believes that Creationism should be taught in public schools, which runs both counter to well-settled evolutionary science, and to the Constitutional separation of church and state.
#3: Palin is a global warming denier, who (as with her views on evolution) has expressed skepticism about the well-settled science.
#4: Palin opposes listing polar bears as an endangered species, because it means oil and gas companies might have to be just a little bit careful out there.
#5: Palin is rabidly dedicated to drilling in the Artic wildlife refuge, known as ANWR.
#6: Palin is in the midst of a growing ethics scandal, involving the alleged abuse of her gubernatorial power to punish a State Trooper who is her sister’s ex-husband, firing a State Commissioner who refused to go along.
#7: Palin called Hillary Clinton a “whiner”, even as she cynically tries to woo Clinton voters to the McCain ticket.
#8: Palin has very little experience for the Vice Presidential job, serving less than two years so far of her first term as Governor of a state with fewer residents than Fort Worth, Texas. (Previously, she was Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, pop. 8,500.)
#9: Palin has no foreign policy experience at all, so little in fact that her supporters are reduced to citing Alaska’s proximity to Russia.
#10: Palin is virtually untested, unvetted and unknown to Americans, a fact which throws into relief the hypocrisy of the many unfair criticisms leveled at Barack Obama during this campaign. Now I know that we are not really voting for VP, they just sorta fall into the role with the president. I have to wonder, of all the m... more -
Palin's Small Alaska Town Secured Big Federal Funds
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin employed a lobbying firm to secure almost $27 million in federal earmarks for a town of 6,700 residents while she was its mayor, according to an analysis by an independent government watchdog group.
There was $500,000 for a youth shelter, $1.9 million for a transportation hub, $900,000 for sewer repairs, and $15 million for a rail project -- all intended to benefit Palin's town, Wasilla, located about 45 miles north of Anchorage.
In introducing Palin as his running mate on Friday, Sen. John McCain cast her as a compatriot in his battle against wasteful federal spending. McCain, the Republican presidential candidate, hailed Palin as a politician "with an outstanding reputation for standing up to special interests and entrenched bureaucracies -- someone who has fought against corruption and the failed policies of the past, someone who's stopped government from wasting taxpayers' money."
McCain's crusade against earmarks -- federal spending sought by members of Congress to benefit specific projects -- has been a hallmark of his campaign. He has said earmarks are wasteful and are often inserted into bills with little oversight, sometimes by a single powerful lawmaker.
Palin has also railed against earmarks, touting her opposition to a $223 million bridge in the state as a prime credential for the vice presidential nomination. "As governor, I've stood up to the old politics-as-usual, to the special interests, to the lobbyists, the big oil companies, and the good-ol'-boy network," she said Friday.
As mayor of Wasilla, however, Palin oversaw the hiring of Robertson, Monagle & Eastaugh, an Anchorage-based law firm with close ties to Alaska's most senior Republicans: Rep. Don Young and Sen. Ted Stevens, who was indicted in July on charges of accepting illegal gifts. The Wasilla account was handled by the former chief of staff to Stevens, Steven W. Silver, who is a partner in the firm.
***Read More*** Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin employed a lobbying firm to secure almost $27 million in federal earmarks for a town of 6,700 residents while ... more -
$10 million dollar woman: Palin a hit with GOP donors
The McCain campaign raised more than $10 million in the two and a half days after Alaska Governor Sarah Palin was named as the vice presidential running mate, bringing the total raised in the month of August to more than $47 million, campaign officials tell ABC News.
The final, official figures are expected to be reported in the next few days, but the amount appears to be a record for the McCain campaign, almost twice as much as it has raised in any other single month.
"We're still counting," said campaign spokesman Brian Rogers. The McCain campaign raised more than $10 million in the two and a half days after Alaska Governor Sarah Palin was named as the vice pr... more -
The lesson of Bristol Palin
Bristol Palin's pregnancy may be the ultimate teachable moment. It just might not be the lesson that John McCain intended.
My first thought on hearing the news was: What was Sarah Palin thinking? Assuming, as the campaign says, that she knew about her 17-year-old's pregnancy and informed McCain in advance, how could she expose her daughter to the inevitable spotlight that Palin's vice presidential nomination would bring?
The unwed mother -- or at least, the not-yet-wed mother -- has become a more common (this is bad) and less shameful (this is good) phenomenon in 21st-century America. It's the unusual celebrity (the Hollywood type, not the Obama type) who bothers to get hitched before getting pregnant. The baby bump has become a badge of honor, not a scarlet letter.
Yet no one feels good about a pregnant 17-year-old, whether it's Bristol Palin or Jamie Lynn Spears. As Sarah and Todd Palin put it with decided understatement yesterday, this will "make her grow up faster than we had ever planned."
And it will be that much more difficult in the media glare. "We ask the media to respect our daughter and (the father) Levi's privacy as has always been the tradition of children of candidates," the Palins said in their statement.
As a parent, I sympathize. But as a parent in the media, I also know that the Palins assumed this risk. Anyone who watched coverage of the Bush twins' barroom exploits knew that the avert-your-eyes stance toward candidates' children has its limits.
It's naive to imagine, in the anything-goes Internet era, that Palin's daughter's pregnancy would go unremarked upon. It's also mistaken, I think, to expect it. Like it or not, Bristol Palin's pregnancy is intertwined with an important public policy debate about which the two parties differ and on which Sarah Palin has been outspoken.
Which brings me to the teachable moment: What should teenagers be taught about sexual activity and contraception? By whom? What access should they have to condoms or other forms of birth control? Specifically, is abstinence-only education enough?
The 2008 Republican Party platform acknowledges that "each year, more than 3 million American teenagers contract sexually transmitted diseases, causing emotional harm and serious health consequences, even death." It expresses support for "efforts to educate teens and parents about the health risks associated with early sexual activity and provide the tools needed to help teens make healthy choices." Bristol Palin's pregnancy may be the ultimate teachable moment. It just might not be the lesson that John McCain intended. ... more -
Ways to Help Hurricane Victims
If you've been watching the images of destruction from Hurricane Gustav and wishing you could do something to help those affected by the storm, here's a guide to just a few of the many charities looking for assistance.
1) AMERICAN RED CROSS
So far, the American Red Cross has spent $12 million getting their 3,500 volunteers in place to help run the 344 shelters that are providing assistance to Gustav victims.
But in a year that's has seen devastating floods and wildfires, spokesperson Rosemary Mackey said the organization is in dire need of monetary donations.
"We are literally running on empty," Mackey said. "Our coffers are depleted."
Donations can be made either through the Red Cross's Web site or by calling 800-733-2767 or 800-257-7575 (for Spanish speakers).
2) SALVATION ARMY
The Salvation Army is also seeking cash contributions through its Web site or by calling 800-SAL-ARMY. It has asked that in the immediate wake of the hurricane, people withhold donating what it calls “kinding goods” --like clothing and furniture -- until damage can be assessed, needs can be determined and spaces can be found that can hold these items.
Maj. Gene Hogg, who is the Division Secretary overseeing Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi in the wake of Gustav, advised people who want to help in rebuilding to go to the site and sign up as a volunteer, where they can register their skill sets and availability.
3) AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
The preparation, on all levels, for Gustav has hands-down been better than the preparation for Katrina -- right down to making arrangements for the Gulf's four-legged friends. During Katrina, many evacuee shelters would not accept animals. As a result, hundreds of pets were left behind and had to be rescued after the flood.
This time around, animal advocacy groups like the Humane Society worked with local animal shelters to provide pick-up points for pet owners to drop off their pets and provide shelter for them to ride out the storm.
"We are caring for over 1,000 pets -- the majority are cats and dogs, but we have rabbits, hamsters, birds, and even one hermit crab," says Allison Cardona, senior director of Disaster Preparedness for the ASPCA. "People can stay at the Red Cross shelter and have their pets next door. They can come walk over and feed them and check in on them."
To provide assistance for the ASPCA and this project, visit the Web site.
4) CATHOLIC CHARITIES
Catholic Charities has seven assessment teams on the ground across the Gulf, ready to provide immediate aid like food and shelter. President Larry Snyder says right now the best way to help is by contributing direct monetary assistance.
"Once we have ascertained what peoples' needs are, then we can let people know that there's need for diapers, for children's clothing, for things like that," said Snyder. "Right now, the worst thing you can do is send those things because at this point, it will just get in the way."
The organization also provides assistance for long-term, post-recovery issues such as evacuees' transitions back to home and work.
5) NETWORK FOR GOOD
This nonprofit Web site was started in 2001 by Cisco (CSCO: 24.27, +0.22, +0.91%), AOL (TWX: 16.72, +0.35, +2.13%) and Yahoo (YHOO: 19.39, +0.01, +0.05%) with the aims of making it easy to access charities online.
The site lists charities that are accepting donations for Gustav relief and link to direct volunteer opportunities. In addition, people can sign up for email bulletins and can be notified through Network for Good's listserve when there are specific monetary and volunteer needs.
6) USA FREEDOM CORPS
The USA Freedom Corps offers potential donors a place to connect with nonprofit organizations.
"It's a one-stop shop for any and all volunteer opportunities," said spokeswoman Rebecca Neale. "We work with 11 national nonprofits. If you've been watching the images of destruction from Hurricane Gustav and wishing you could do something to help those affected... more -
Slim Down or Pay Up?
Alabama is rolling out a creative but controversial program that will subject its 37,527 state employees to possibly humiliating at-work weigh-ins and fat tests. If they tip the scales, they'll be given a choice: slim down or pay up.
The state is trying to solve two of its biggest problems — health insurance costs and obesity — in one fell swoop.
Beginning in 2010, Alabama, which has the second highest obesity rate in the country, will start charging all of its employees an extra $25 per month for health insurance. (Currently, single workers pay nothing; family plans cost $180 a month.)
But there's a way to avoid the fee: Get a check-up at an in-office "wellness center," where nurses will check for diabetes and hypertension and measure blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose levels and Body Mass Index (BMI).
The idea is to encourage employees to act responsibly, lose weight and lower their health care needs. But critics say it will humiliate and stigmatize obese employees and amounts to nothing short of a "fat tax."
"There are folks walking around with diabetes and hypertension that don't even know it, and it's just a matter of time before something catastrophic happens to them," Ashmore said. "If we can get people to manage their health, we'll have healthier employees and less healthcare costs."
He said employees with a BMI of 35 or higher cost the state 40 percent more than those with a BMI under 35, and the program will help in many ways. "This is not a fat tax," Ashmore said. "It's not punitive."
Read more and take a BMI test online at:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,414861,00.html Alabama is rolling out a creative but controversial program that will subject its 37,527 state employees to possibly humiliating at-wo... more -
Democracy Now!’s Amy Goodman, Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar Released Af...
Democracy Now!’s Amy Goodman, Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar Released After Illegal Arrest at RNC
Goodman Charged with Obstruction; Felony Riot Charges Pending Against Kouddous and Salazar
ST. PAUL--Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman and producers Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar have all been released from police custody in St. Paul following their illegal arrest by Minneapolis Police on Monday afternoon.
All three were violently manhandled by law enforcement officers. Abdel Kouddous was slammed against a wall and the ground, leaving his arms scraped and bloodied. He sustained other injuries to his chest and back. Salazar’s violent arrest by baton-wielding officers, during which she was slammed to the ground while yelling, “I’m Press! Press!,” resulted in her nose bleeding, as well as causing facial pain. Goodman’s arm was violently yanked by police as she was arrested.
On Tuesday, Democracy Now! will broadcast video of these arrests, as well as the broader police action. These will also be available on: www.democracynow.org
Goodman was arrested while questioning police about the unlawful detention of Kouddous and Salazar who were arrested while they carried out their journalistic duties in covering street demonstrations at the Republican National Convention. Goodman’s crime appears to have been defending her colleagues and the freedom of the press.
Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher told Democracy Now! that Kouddous and Salazar were arrested on suspicion of rioting, a felony. While the three have been released, they all still face charges stemming from their unlawful arrest. Kouddous and Salazar face pending charges of suspicion of felony riot, while Goodman has been officially charged with obstruction of a legal process and interference with a “peace officer.”
Democracy Now! forcefully rejects all of these charges as false and an attempt at intimidation of these journalists. We demand that the charges be immediately and completely dropped.
Democracy Now! stands by Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar and condemns this action by Twin Cities’ law enforcement as a clear violation of the freedom of the press and the First Amendment rights of these journalists.
During the demonstration in which the Democracy Now! team was arrested, law enforcement officers used pepper spray, rubber bullets, concussion grenades and excessive force against protesters and journalists. Several dozen demonstrators were also arrested during this action, including a photographer for the Associated Press.
Amy Goodman is one of the most well-known and well-respected journalists in the United States. She has received journalism’s top honors for her reporting and has a distinguished reputation of bravery and courage. The arrest of Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar and the subsequent criminal charges and threat of charges are a transparent attempt to intimidate journalists.
Democracy Now! is a nationally-syndicated public TV and radio program that airs on over 700 radio and TV stations across the US and the globe.
Video of Amy Goodman’s Arrest: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYjyvkR0bGQ Democracy Now!’s Amy Goodman, Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar Released After Illegal Arrest at RNC ... more -
Hurricane Gustav: Louisianans disgusted with cable news networks
While CNN and the cable networks turn hurricane coverage into a pathetic reality show, Louisianans are disgusted. This page has a link to four live-streaming New Orleans TV news feeds giving actual news coverage of Gustav. While CNN and the cable networks turn hurricane coverage into a pathetic reality show, Louisianans are disgusted. This page has a link... more
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Diddy Begs for Gas?
Sean "Diddy" Combs wants you to know celebrities are feeling the rise in gas prices, too, and wants his "Saudi Arabia brothers and sisters" to help him out.
"Gas prices are too motherf-----g high," he says in his latest YouTube video. "As you know, I do have my own jet, but I've been having to fly back and forth to L.A. pursuing my acting career . Now, if I'm flying back and forth twice a month, that's like $200,000, $250,00 round trip. F--- that. I'm back on American Airlines."
The hip-hop mogul recorded the video blog in an unspecified airport while walking through the terminal and getting on a plane.
Diddy made a plea for some free oil.
"Give a shout out to all my Saudi Arabia brothers and sisters and all the brothers and sisters in all the countries that have oil — if you could please send me some oil for my jet, I would truly appreciate it," Diddy says, showing his commercial jet boarding pass to the camera.
Taking a stab at the upcoming political election, Diddy wants to make sure politicians understand his frustration.
"Can you believe this? I'm actually flying commercial — that's how high gas prices are. I'm at the gate right now. This is really happening — proof gas prices are too high. Tell whoever the next president is, we need to bring gas prices down. ... I can't believe I'm flying commercial. ... Even your boy is affected by gas prices." Sean "Diddy" Combs wants you to know celebrities are feeling the rise in gas prices, too, and wants his "Saudi Arabia b... more -
Spike-Kobe and basketball is show time
Spike Lee has just made a miracle. He has produced a movie, which title is “Kobe Bryant 04/13 /08”, where Los Angeles Lakers’ star put his talent into evidence . He used 30 cameras to highlight best actions of Kobe during the game Los Angeles Lakers-San Antonio Spurs. What’s more, Spike Lee filmed Kobe and Los Angeles Lakers roster in the dressing room before playing game.
The performance is marvellous. Spike Lee has just made a miracle. He has produced a movie, which title is “Kobe Bryant 04/13 /08”, where Los Angeles Lakers’ star pu... more -
Pawlenty NOT joining McCain for VP announcement
Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, among the contenders to be Republican John McCain's vice presidential candidate, said he would not be with McCain in Ohio on Friday when he announces his running mate.
Pawlenty, 47, a two-term governor, had been in Denver this week to help provide counterattacks as the Democrats held their convention to nominate Barack Obama as their presidential candidate for the November 4 election. There had been speculation that Pawlenty would be at McCain's rally Friday in Dayton, Ohio, when the Arizona senator introduced his running mate.
But on Friday Pawlenty told Minneapolis radio station WCCO-AM: "All I can say is that I'm not going to be there and I plan on being at the (Minnesota) State Fair and so you can draw your conclusions from that. I just can't comment further at this time.." Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, among the contenders to be Republican John McCain's vice presidential candidate, said he would not b... more -
Seller of Sexual Enhancement Product Gets 25 Years in Fraud Case
A business owner convicted of defrauding customers seeking male sexual enhancement products and a variety of herbal supplements was sentenced Wednesday to 25 years in prison.
Steve Warshak, 42, founder of Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals, also was ordered to pay $93,000 in fines. He was convicted in February on 93 counts of conspiracy, fraud and money laundering.
Federal prosecutors accused the company of bilking customers out of more than $400 million with deceptive ads, manipulated credit card transactions and refusal to accept returns or cancel orders.
U.S. District Judge S. Arthur Spiegel ordered Warshak, his mother, the company and another defendant to forfeit more than $500 million, including whatever was available from bank accounts, cars and homes, a grand piano and a membership in a California spa.
Spiegel said it was impossible to calculate exactly how much money was lost by customers, so he accepted a figure based on how much Warshak and the company took in from offenses alleged in the indictments.
Berkeley distributes various products alleged to boost energy, manage weight, reduce memory loss and aid sleep. The company's main product, Enzyte, promises sexual enhancement.
"This is a case about greed," Spiegel said as he reviewed the case. "Steven Warshak preyed on perceived sexual inadequacies of customers."
<more at link>
Smilin' Bob probably ain't smilin' any more. A business owner convicted of defrauding customers seeking male sexual enhancement products and a variety of herbal supplements was se... more -
Missouri Highway Patrol gets first Female Commander
The Missouri State Highway Patrol has promoted Lee Ann H. Kenley to the job of troop commander, marking the first time a woman has held that position in the patrol's 77-year history.
Kenley, 46, has been a lieutenant working out of Troop C headquarters in Town and Country since 2003. Her promotion, effective Monday, moves her to the rank of captain. She will be commander over Troop I, which includes the swath of Interstate 44 in south-central Missouri. Its headquarters is in Rolla.
The Missouri Highway Patrol has nine troops and more than 1,050 officers.
Kenley has been with the patrol since September 1985. She's had several stints within the patrol, including working with its Division of Drug and Crime Control. She was in St. Louis with the patrol's Troop C from 1994 to 1999, then was transferred to Rolla. She returned to Troop C in May 2003 and has been here since.
Kenley is a native of Kankakee, Ill. She graduated from the Northwestern University Traffic Institute School of Police Staff and Command in Evanston, Ill., in 1999. In 2001, she graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va.
Col. James F. Keathley, the patrol's superintendent, announced Kenley's promotion today. The Missouri State Highway Patrol has promoted Lee Ann H. Kenley to the job of troop commander, marking the first time a woman has hel... more -
Decomposing Body in Trunk
Results taken from air samples reveal that a body was decomposing in the trunk of a car driven by the mother of missing Florida toddler Caylee Anthony, a local TV station reported.
Detectives with cadaver dogs said in July they detected the smell of human decomposition coming from the trunk of the Pontiac that the mother, Casey Anthony, was driving when police began investigating the dispappearance of her little girl, who was last seen more than two months ago.
The University of Tennessee "Body Farm" conducted the tests on the car's air samples Aug. 10, and on Wednesday their conclusion was released: a human corpse had been decomposing there, according to WESH-2 TV.
Back in July, Caylee's grandmother Cindy Anthony initially made a frantic 911 call to report that her daughter's car smelled like a dead body. She later said the scent just as easily could have been that of rotting pizza.
Casey Anthony, 22, remains a person of interest in her daughter's disappearance on or around June 16. She has pleaded not guilty to charges of child neglect and lying to investigators. She is out on house arrest after posting a $500,000 bond and being released Aug. 21 after a month-long stint in the Orange County Jail.
Caylee was two years old when she vanished; her third birthday was Aug. 9.
The test results are reportedly the first scientific evidence that there was a corpse in Anthony's vehicle.
Anthony has been offered a conditional immunity deal by authorities if she helps with the search, MYFOXOrlando.com reported, but she only has until Thursday to accept the deal, which is contigent upon concrete information that leads to the discovery of Caylee or her remains.
State Attorney's Office spokeswoman Danielle Tavernier confirmed that Anthony had been invited to meet with authorities to "shed light" on the disappearance of her daughter. She declined further comment.
Also Wednesday, news emerged that a policeman was fired for allegedly lying about a rendezvous he had with Anthony.
Anthony Rusciano, a deputy with the Orange County Sheriff's Office, was terminated on the grounds that he wasn't truthful about meeting Anthony at a party, detectives wrote in a memo obtained by MyFOXOrlando.com.
On Tuesday, 400 pages of case documents released by police revealed, among other new details, that Anthony wanted to give Caylee up for adoption before she was born, but her mother Cindy Anthony convinced her not to.
Anthony has maintained that a baby sitter kidnapped her daughter, but police say they don't believe her. She didn't report Caylee missing until about a month after she said she dropped her off at the sitter's apartment. Results taken from air samples reveal that a body was decomposing in the trunk of a car driven by the mother of missing Florida toddle... more
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