Breaking News Events

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by Jesse

Quake hit Japan today, 7.4 This was only moments ago. It is actually still considered an aftershock. Tsunami warning issued.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42473172...s-asiapacific/

Damn! Japan sure is getting big time after shocks. This would measure as some quake anywhere. I hope the hell nothing more happens to the nuke plant.

These could go on for months!

[Corkey]

Originally Posted by AtLastHome

Damn! Japan sure is getting big time after shocks. This would measure as some quake anywhere. I hope the hell nothing more happens to the nuke plant.

These could go on for months!

They are on the ring of fire, it will go on til the earth is no more.

[AtLast]

Glenn Beck's Fox show dropped as ratings sag

10:14 AM, Apr. 7, 2011

NEW YORK — Glenn Beck's talk show is being dropped by the Fox News Channel after sinking in the ratings and suffering financially due to an advertiser boycott.

Fox and Beck's company, Mercury Radio Arts, said Wednesday they will stay in business creating other projects for Fox television and digital, starting with some documentaries Beck is preparing.


Beck was a quick burn on Fox News Channel. Almost immediately after joining the network in January 2009, he doubled the ratings at his afternoon time slot. Fans found his conservative populism entertaining, while Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert described Beck's 'crank up the crazy and rip off the knob' moments.


He was popular with Tea Party activists and drew thousands of people to the National Mall in Washington last August for a 'restoring honor' rally.


Yet some of his statements were getting him in trouble, and critics appealed to advertisers to boycott his show last summer after Beck said President Barack Obama had 'a deep-seated hatred for white people.'


Beck said that he went to Roger Ailes, Fox News chairman and CEO, in January to discuss ways they could continue to work together without the daily show.


'Half of the headlines say he's been cancelled,' Ailes said. 'The other half say he quit. We're pretty happy with both of them.'


Beck said he noted on his show Tuesday that 'how many times can I tell the (George) Soros story,' referring the liberal donor that Beck has made a target of attacks.


'We felt Glenn brought additional information, a unique perspective, a certain amount of passion and insight to the channel and he did,' Ailes said. 'But that story of what's going on and why America is in trouble today, I think he told that story as well as could be told. Whether you can just keep telling that story or not ... we're not so sure.'


More than 400 Fox advertisers told the company they did not want their commercials on Beck's show. Beck's advertisers were dominated by financial services firms, many touting gold as an investment.


http://www.courierpostonline.com/art...yssey=nav|head

[Corkey]

One of our Pro-Life Senators voted to fund Planned Parenthood and Title X.
If the other one gets his head out of the tea party's ass he might survive a recall. Naaaaaa.

[AtLast]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...,2410014.story

Japan raises nuclear crisis rating to highest level
The level 7 rating for the crisis at the quake- and tsunami-stricken Fukushima power plant is based on the amount radiation released. A day earlier, three new quakes hit as Japan announces plans to expand the evacuation zone.



April 12, 2011
Reporting from Tokyo and Rikuzentakata, Japan— Japanese nuclear regulatory officials Tuesday raised the severity rating at the earthquake- and tsunami-damaged Fukushima Daiichi power plant to the highest level by international standards, equaling the 1986 Chernobyl meltdown in the former Soviet Union.

The country's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency announced that because of the amount of radioactive material released from the plant after the magnitude 9 earthquake a month ago, the rating would be changed to level 7, a "major accident" on the International Atomic Energy Agency's scale, up from a level 5, an "accident with wider consequences."


In a nationally televised news conference, the agency's spokesman, Hidehiko Nishiyama, said the decision was based on the amount of radioactive iodine and cesium spewed from the power plant in Fukushima, north of Tokyo.

Nishiyama stressed that the radiation from the Fukushima nuclear plant was 10% of the amount at Chernobyl. He also said that unlike at Chernobyl, there had been no deaths linked to the accident at Fukushima.

"At Chernobyl, the reactor itself exploded," he said. "At Fukushima some radioactivity has leaked from the reactor, but the reactor itself continues to keep most of the radioactive material inside. In that sense, this is different from Chernobyl."

Before the rating was elevated, the disaster had been rated at the same level as the 1979 Three Mile Island accident near Middletown, Pa.

But Minoru Ogoda of Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said the change in the severity rating came because "the impact of radiation leaks has been widespread from the air, vegetables, tap water and the ocean," the Associated Press reported.

Measuring severity on the international scale involves factors including the amount of radiation released, how wide an area it reaches and how long any problems may last.

Officials said the rating reflects the severity of the problem at the outset, when radiation levels were highest. Those levels have since fallen sharply, they said.

Experts, nevertheless, say it will take years to recover from the damage incurred at the Fukushima plant.
More than 27,000 people were left dead or missing as the disaster last month, centered in the northeast, destroyed fishing towns and caused severe damage to homes, businesses and almost everything else along more than 200 miles of coastline. The government has estimated economic losses of as much as $300 billion, not including costs such as the cleanup of the Fukushima plant, which is operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co.

The announcement by nuclear agency officials came the day after three powerful aftershocks struck already jittery northeastern Japan within the span of 10 minutes, as the government announced new plans to expand the evacuation area near the stricken nuclear plant due to high radiation levels.

Japan is trying to rebuild after the March 11 quake triggered a deadly tsunami that also left tens of thousands homeless. The tsunami has caused several fires and explosions at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, which has leaked dangerous isotopes into the air, soil and water.

The first of Monday's temblors, which trapped some victims in collapsed homes and vehicles, hit at 5:16 p.m. near the coast in Fukushima prefecture, registering a magnitude 7.1 at a depth of 6 miles underground, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

It was sizable enough to rock buildings in Tokyo, about 150 miles to the south. A magnitude 6 quake hit a minute later in the same area, followed by another temblor, measuring magnitude 5.6, nine minutes after that.

Aftershocks continued hours later, the agency said. In neighboring Ibaraki prefecture, one man died after falling and hitting his head during the shaking, according to the local Ryugasaki fire department.

The quakes also triggered a landslide that buried three homes in Iwaki city. Two people died in the landslide, including a 16-year-old girl, according to public broadcaster NHK. Three other men pulled from the rubble were unconscious and taken to a hospital, NHK said. Rescuers continued their efforts Tuesday.

Officials issued a tsunami warning after the quakes but later lifted it.

The quakes temporarily knocked out the power to the Fukushima plant and led to a 50-minute stoppage in the water-spraying operations to cool four of the plant's six reactors. Highways were closed, bullet train services to the region were halted briefly, and as many 220,000 homes in Fukushima prefecture were without power.

Tokyo Electric Power Co. said a fire broke out on the plant's premises Tuesday morning at a building where batteries are stored. Within minutes, firefighters put out the blaze, and there appeared to be no impact on workers' efforts to cool four of the reactors, the company said in a statement.

On Monday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said the government would expand a 12-mile evacuation area near the nuclear plant, adding to the ranks of the thousands who have already been told to leave their homes.

Unlike the government's previous evacuation orders, the new one is based on data that show higher than normal radiation levels extending to towns and villages that lie beyond the 12- to 18-mile zone around the plant. The government has advised residents in the zone to stay indoors.

It was unclear how many residents would be affected by the new order, which the government plans to carry out over the next month. Edano noted that the risk of a massive radiation leak from the Fukushima plant was "considerably lower."

[Greyson]

April 19 2011



Republicans paying $575 an hour to defend DOMA

House Republicans issued a contract today to pay former Solicitor General Paul Clement $575 an hour, up to $500,000 to defend the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act. Sacramento Rep. Dan Lungren, chair of the House Administration Committee and a big supporter of the idea, signed the contract.

Republicans claim they will take the money out of the Justice Department's budget, as if that will hold taxpayers harmless. But a cost is a cost and taxpayers will pay it either way. Any funds removed from DOJ are funds removed from other work.

Drew Hammill, spokesman for House minority leader Nancy Pelosi said, "The hypocrisy of this legal boondoggle is mind-blowing."

But it's great bait for social conservatives whose support the GOP needs to shore up.


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/...#ixzz1K01vpraC

[Greyson]

House GOP hires top-flight lawyer to defend DOMA

House Speaker John Boehner has hired former Bush administration Solicitor General Paul Clement to defend the Defense of Marriage Act, signaling a robust legal strategy and bid for his party's social conservatives, who have taken a back seat to the budget fight./p>

Clement argued the administration's cases to the Supreme Court as the nation's highest ranking lawyer. He is now a partner at King & Spaulding and won't come cheap. The defense could cost millions.

Human Rights Campaign chief Joe Solmonese said the pick means Boehner is "ready to go to great lengths, and the great expense of a high-power law firm, to try to score some cheap political points on the backs of same-sex couples. King & Spaulding were not required to take up this defense and should be ashamed of associating themselves with an effort to deny rights to their fellow citizens."

Boehner also wrote House minority leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco informing her that Republicans plan to defund part of the Justice Department because of its finding that DOMA is unconstitutional. Purportedly to offset the costs to taxpayers of high-priced outside defense counsel.

Notably, another (and more luminous) former Bush Solicitor General, Ted Olson, is fighting FOR same-sex marriage, teaming with Democrtic lawyer David Bois to fight California Proposition 8..
Brian Brown, head of the anti-gay-marriage National Organization for Marriage, said, "At last we have a legal eagle on this case who actually wants to win in court! Paul Clement is a genuinely distinguished lawyer...who we are confident will win this case....Speaker Boehner is also quite right that the money to defend DOMA should be deducted from the Justice Department's budget, since they will be doing the job DOJ should have done, but refused to do."

Pelosi again asked Boehner for an estimate of how much the defense will cost.

Ironically, the DOMA case at issue involves estate taxes, to which Republicans are opposed on principle, at least for straight couples.

The case of Edie Windsor is in federal court in New York. Windsor spent more than 40 years with her partner, Thea Spyer, before they were married in 2007. When Spyer died, Windsor was unable to claim the federal estate marital tax benefit because of DOMA and the federal government imposed estate taxes of more than $360,000 on the money left to her.

Can you say hypocrisy?


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/...#ixzz1K04TtFVn

[dykeumentary]

http://youtu.be/QWZbSB9k-w4
This links to a video we made exposing the racism behind Cornell University's decision to change the status of the Africana Center.
Read more about it here: http://saveasrc.blogspot.com/p/support-asrc.html

If identify as any kind of person who strives for justice, be aware: they will come for you.

[Toughy]

Originally Posted by dykeumentary

http://youtu.be/QWZbSB9k-w4
This links to a video we made exposing the racism behind Cornell University's decision to change the status of the Africana Center.
Read more about it here: http://saveasrc.blogspot.com/p/support-asrc.html

If identify as any kind of person who strives for justice, be aware: they will come for you.

While I understand and agree with the protest over the process and lack of involvement of the faculty and students in this decision, I don't understand why it's a huge problem to move the Center to the College of Arts and Sciences. It seems to be a logical place for administrative purposes.

I am surprised other minority groups, particularly Native Americans, have not wanted their own stand alone Center.

Anyone care to help me understand why this is a bad idea?

[Nat]

Roommate indicted in Rutgers University suicide case


(CNN) -- The roommate of the Rutgers University freshmen who killed himself after his sexual encounter with another man was broadcast online was indicted Wednesday on privacy and bias charges, the prosecutor of Middlesex County in New Jersey announced.

A grand jury indicted Dharun Ravi, 19, on 15 counts including invasion of privacy, bias intimidation, tampering with physical evidence, witness tampering, and hindering apprehension or prosecution.

[Nat]

Originally Posted by Nat

Roommate indicted in Rutgers University suicide case


(CNN) -- The roommate of the Rutgers University freshmen who killed himself after his sexual encounter with another man was broadcast online was indicted Wednesday on privacy and bias charges, the prosecutor of Middlesex County in New Jersey announced.

A grand jury indicted Dharun Ravi, 19, on 15 counts including invasion of privacy, bias intimidation, tampering with physical evidence, witness tampering, and hindering apprehension or prosecution.

Question - filming a person having sex without their knowledge - is that not a sex crime?

[MsDemeanor]

Tennessee Senate being assholes

Bill seeks to make saying the words “gay” or “homosexuality” illegal in Tennessee schools.

Stupid homophobes

Kentucky Church not being assholes

Church refuses to sign marriage licenses until gays can wed.

Good for them!

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by MsDemeanor

Tennessee Senate being assholes

Bill seeks to make saying the words “gay” or “homosexuality” illegal in Tennessee schools.

Stupid homophobes

Kentucky Church not being assholes

Church refuses to sign marriage licenses until gays can wed.Good for them!

With all the garbage going on with Repug-i-Cons, Tea Party zealots and the TN, senate- this warms my heart!

Lately, I have a really difficult time even watching media that fights homophobia. What is wrong with people? Please tell me sane people get the nuttiness of this stuff!!

[afixer]

Originally Posted by MsDemeanor

Tennessee Senate being assholes

Bill seeks to make saying the words “gay” or “homosexuality” illegal in Tennessee schools.

Stupid homophobes

i'm sure it's so our kids don't go around calling each other gay and homo.

[Apocalipstic]

Yeay again for my home state

[MsDemeanor]

Originally Posted by afixer

i'm sure it's so our kids don't go around calling each other gay and homo.

Hahahahaha. Yeah, right. From what I hear about how those words roll off of kids tongues these days, the line at the principal's office would be out the door every day.

[Gemme]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0...1_lnk3%7C57631

Darn. They moved it.

Try this:

mike.mcauliff@huffingtonpost.com

9/11 Responders To Be Warned They Will Be Screened By FBI's Terrorism Watch List (EXCLUSIVE)

First Posted: 04/21/11 04:24 PM ET Updated: 04/21/11 05:22 PM ET

WASHINGTON -- A provision in the new 9/11 health bill may be adding insult to injury for people who fell sick after their service in the aftermath of the 2001 Al Qaeda attacks, The Huffington Post has learned.

The tens of thousands of cops, firefighters, construction workers and others who survived the worst terrorist assault in U.S. history and risked their lives in its wake will soon be informed that their names must be run through the FBI’s terrorism watch list, according to a letter obtained by HuffPost.

Any of the responders who are not compared to the database of suspected terrorists would be barred from getting treatment for the numerous, worsening ailments that the James Zadroga 9/11 Health And Compensation Law was passed to address.

It’s a requirement that was tacked onto the law during the bitter debates over it last year.

The letter from Dr. John Howard, director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, informs medical providers and administrators that they should begin letting patients know before the new program kicks in this July.

“This is absurd,” said Glen Kline, a former NYPD emergency services officer. “It’s silly. It’s stupid. It’s asinine.”

“It’s comical at best, and I think it’s an insult to everyone who worked on The Pile and is sick and suffering from 9/11,” said John Feal, a former construction worker who lost half a foot at Ground Zero and runs the advocacy group Fealgood Foundation.

The provision was added in an amendment by Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) during the heated debate over the bill in the House Energy and Commerce Committee last May.

Sept. 11 responders in the committee room at the time mostly shook their heads at the move, which Democrats accepted on a voice vote after battling to bar other amendments on abortion and immigration that might have killed the bill.

But suddenly the point is no longer just a strategic concession to get a law passed.

As doctors and administrators begin acting on the federal instructions, participants in the 9/11 treatment and monitoring programs will soon be told that their names, places of birth, addresses, government ID numbers and other personal data will be provided to the FBI to ensure they are not terrorists.

Howard's instructions include a sample letter to responders designed to minimize alarm.

“Although neither we nor [the Centers for Disease Control]/NIOSH anticipate the name of any individual in the current Programs will be on the list, CDC/NIOSH is expressly required by law to implement this particular requirement of the Act,” it says.

“Thank you for your understanding. We look forward to working with you and ensuring that you continue to receive uninterrupted services under the new WTC Health Program,” it concludes.

Feal, who counts hundreds and first responders in his foundation's membership, predicted the letters would not go over well.

“When cops and firefighters get this at home, they’re going to hit the roof,” he said.

Kline, who sits on the Fealgood Foundation’s board, said he personally wasn’t offended, but couldn’t think of a good reason for cops and firefighters to be screened by the FBI in order to keep getting treatment.

“I mean, who are we even talking about -- the undocumented workers who cleaned the office buildings?” wondered Kline Thursday. “We know who all the cops, firefighters and construction workers were. They’re all documented.

“Is the idea that a terrorist stayed to help clean up? And then stayed all these years to try and get benefits?” he asked. “In all the things I’ve seen out of Washington, this probably takes the cake.”

Some are more understanding.

“Do we want terrorists getting money? No,” said Anthony Flammia, a former NYPD Highway Patrol officer and Sept. 11 responder. “How do you know if there were any terrorists there? Where they there as observers, watching? Probably.”

But he noted that his perspective likely would not be shared, especially if people whose names are similar to actual terror suspects get flagged, as happens with air travelers.

“I’ve got nothing to hide, so it’s no big deal for me, but there’s got to be safeguards in place to protect the people who are innocent,” Flammia said. “It’s going to be controversial,” he added. “It’s probably going to create an uproar, but I think it will dissipate. I hope they're ready to answer people's questions.”

Congressman Stearns said in a statement that his intent was to answer exactly the questions raised by Flammia.

“This amendment was adopted in the full Energy and Commerce Committee without opposition and it merely requires that the names of those receiving health benefits be cross-checked with the terrorist watch list to ensure that no terrorists get these benefits,” Stearns said.

“These benefits are not just for our first responders; nearly anyone who was in the vicinity or worked on a cleanup crew afterward is eligible,” he noted.

The prohibition is included in two parts of the bill. One specifically covers responders, while the other deals with all survivors, including office workers, bystanders and residents.

Feal acknowledged that the terrorist screening has to be done because it is the law, and that the letters have to go out.

But he holds Stearns responsible, as well as several other Republicans who were hostile to the 9/11 bill, and tried to tack all manner of amendments onto it.

“I think Congressman Stearns is stabbing at pettiness. He’s a buffoon,” Feal said. “We get sicker and die, and they’re going to disseminate a letter wondering whether we’re terrorists or not. ... I think everybody needs to start showing a little more compassion.”

[Greyson]

Originally Posted by Gemme

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0...1_lnk3%7C57631

I clicked on the link and it says, "Page Not Found." What was the story about?

[Gemme]

Originally Posted by Greyson

I clicked on the link and it says, "Page Not Found." What was the story about?

Sorry about that. It was there when I copied it but by the time I got the post up, they moved it. I edited my post to paste a copy of the article in.

Thanks for letting me know!

[Greyson]

Originally Posted by Gemme

Sorry about that. It was there when I copied it but by the time I got the post up, they moved it. I edited my post to paste a copy of the article in.

Thanks for letting me know!

Thank you for posting it. I am shaking my head. IMO, Congressman Stearns is an idiot and so are all the cowards in Congress who passed it with a voice vote. Hence, no record of how they voted.