French New Year: Cars Burned by Youths

It is a sign of a deteriorating West. Poverty and despair always lead to bad things.

Youths burned 1,137 cars across France overnight as New Year's Eve celebrations once again turned violent, the French Interior Ministry said on Friday.

Car burnings are regular occurrences in poor suburbs that ring France's big cities, but the arson is especially prevalent during New Year's Eve revelry.

The number of vehicles torched was only 10 short of the record 1,147 burned this time last year, even though the Interior Ministry mobilized 45,000 police during the night -- 10,000 more than 12 months ago.

It said police detained 549 people overnight, compared with 288 in 2009 New Year celebrations. However, unlike in previous years, there were no direct clashes between police and youths. "The few disturbances that did take place were brought swiftly under control," the ministry said in a statement.

It's that same terrible poverty that leads people to do terrible things to other people:

Tribal elders in a Pakistani village where a suicide car bomber killed nearly 100 people insisted Saturday that residents will keep defying the Taliban, even as the bloodshed laid bare the risks facing the citizens' militias that make up a key piece of Pakistan's arsenal against extremism.

The New Year's Day attack on the northwest village of Shah Hasan Khel was one of the deadliest in a surge of bombings that has killed more than 600 across Pakistan since October. Police believe the attacker meant to detonate his 550 pounds (250 kilograms) of explosives at a meeting of tribesmen who supervise an anti-Taliban militia. Instead, the blast went off at a nearby outdoor volleyball court, killing at least 96 people.

The explosion leveled some three dozen mud-brick homes and covered the village with dust, smoke and the smell of burning flesh. On Saturday, numerous homes received visitors offering condolences, and funeral prayers were held. Many of the residents in the village of 5,000, which lies near Pakistan's militant-filled tribal belt, were too scared to name any possible culprits, but others were defiant.

"The people are in severe grief and fear -- it is a demoralizing thing," said Raham Dil Khan, a rifle-toting, 70-something member of the tribal council. "We want the government to provide security, but one thing is very clear: The committee will stand against every type of terrorism and despite this great loss we will continue our work."

None of the elders at the gathering was killed. The 28-member council had been debating punishing relatives of militants suspected in the recent killing of a fellow tribal leader, Khan said.

Across Pakistan's northwest, where the police force is thin, underpaid and under-equipped, various villages and tribes have taken security into their own hands over the past two years by setting up citizen militias to fend off the Taliban.

The government has encouraged such "lashkars," and in some areas they have proven key to reducing militant activity. In the Bajur tribal region, for instance, the militias helped turn the tide against militants during a 2008-2009 army offensive. And in the northwest's Swat Valley, citizens have set up militias to prevent militants from staging a comeback as the army continues an offensive there.

Rush Limbaugh: I Got the Best Medical Treatment Money Could Buy

Rush Limbaugh once got into trouble because of getting access to powerful medication from different sources to treat an addiction that would not have been possible for you and I.

Now he is bragging about getting superior medical treatment from the best health care system in the world. You can bet he did not spend 8 hours waiting to be taken care of. He did not die because he was waiting for medical care in a hospital that was overwhelmed. And he doesn't have to worry about insurance or medical bills. After all, he's a millionaire.

In turned out Limbaugh was not having a heart attack. But you can bet he got a battery of tests. Just to make sure:

...Those tests can include an EKG to test the heart's electrical rhythm, a blood test for enzymes that may indicate damage to heart tissue, and a chest X-ray.

Patients could be given a stress test to see how the heart functions under pressure.

Doctors could also order an angiogram, in which dye is injected to examine the coronary arteries.

"Sometimes there may be one that's blocked and one or two, it's amenable to a stent. Put a stent in there to allow the blocked area to open up," Zunin said.

Treatment could involve a stent or angioplasty to open a clogged artery. The patient might have open heart surgery with a multiple bypass.

People with an angioplasty usually stay in a hospital for a day or two and are then asked to avoid strenuous activity for two weeks. Bypass surgery usually means several days in a hospital and a six to 12-week recovery.

And how many of us can afford to be vacationing in Hawaii at the time we're feeling chest pains. That's what you call going in style:

The Republican Party here in Hawaii says Limbaugh had been staying in Kona, not far from another high ranking democrat, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. And since President Obama is also here so is the national press corp. who have been staking out the hospital following the Limbaugh story.

Limbaugh arrived in Hawaii December 23 and planned to stay until January 4. It's unknown if he will return to the mainland sooner. A statement on his website says he appreciates your prayers and well wishes.

The greatful patient even found the time, in a conference room alloted to him, something not done for just anybody, to give medical advice. He conveniently ignored the fact that many millions of Americans neglect their health because they lack health insurance. This is something Mr.Limbaugh didn't mention while opposing health care reform:

With the physician who treated him, Dr. Joana Magno, by his side, Limbaugh made a plea for others who may have a similar experience not to wait around before calling 911.

"I'm 58, will be 59 in a couple of weeks - you start thinking about these kinds of things. Don't mess with it,” he said. “Any time you have heart pain or chest pain and you have no idea what it is and it's something you've never experienced before, turn it over to professionals right off the bat."

Limbaugh thanked well wishers who have reached out to him over the past two days.

Report: Guns Drawn in NBA Locker Room

This is insane. Violence by professional athletes has become an epidemic. We have a sports industry that puts profit above education and personal responsibility. An athlete is basically treated like a god in our culture. That has to change. They are viewed as role models in the poor communities they come from. This behavior sends the wrong message. Is it any it wonder that gun violence has gotten out of control. Although the greatest factor in the profusion of guns in our society is the NRA, and the whore politicians they've bought off. Even this President has remained silent on this issue because of the fear of the powerful gun lobby. If true, both of players should be suspended for at least one year from the NBA. And I guarantee that won't happen. No one wants to do the right thing.

in reference to:

"The last-place Washington Wizards might have wanted a new run and gun offense - but not like this. Star point guard Gilbert Arenas has been tweeting about reports that the locker room of the team (formerly known as the Bullets) almost became the OK Corral, when Arenas and teammate Javaris Crittendon allegedly drew guns on each other during an argument over a gambling debt: Wizards player Mike Miller told reporters he'd never seen Arenas and Crittendon argue in the locker room at the Verizon Center, and had never seen firearms there. Arenas responded with a flurry of messages on Twitter, at times making light of the news but also making one tweet that read somewhat like a denial: "I understand this is serious..but if u ever met me you know i dont do serious things im a goof ball this story today dont sound goofy to me." Arenas later tweeted he couldn't talk about the report the way he wanted to."
- Report: Guns Drawn in NBA Locker Room - CBS News (view on Google Sidewiki)

Obama Ties Failed Plane Attack to Al Qaeda

Not very reassuring. This failure is no where near as that of Bush. But it was bad enough. Can we trust the government to do everything to public us. I'm not convinced. How about hearings about how to fix something that should have been fixed by now. Better yet, we need a non-partisan commission on reform our terrorism fighting strategy. In those hearings, there should be consideration of new agency/department set up specifically to fight terrorism. That's what's really lacking. Homeland Security is a toothless and worthless agency. And CIA and FBI are not cutting it.

in reference to:

"In his first radio and Internet address of the new year, Mr. Obama also rebutted attacks by former Vice President Dick Cheney and other Republicans who since the incident have accused him of not recognizing that the struggle against terrorists is a war. Mr. Obama said he was well aware that “our nation is at war against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred.” The president’s speech, taped from Hawaii where he is nearing the end of a 10-day holiday vacation, was the third time he has publicly addressed the failed attack on Northwest Flight 253 bound for Detroit on Dec. 25. Mr. Obama noted that he has received preliminary reports about the incident but gave no more details about how a Nigerian man with known radical views was allowed to board a flight to the United States with explosives in his underwear. Mr. Obama’s comments about the involvement of Al Qaeda, however, were the most direct to date by the highest reaches of the American government. Administration officials and intelligence analysts previously had said they were increasingly confident that Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, as the Yemeni branch calls itself, was involved, as it claimed. But the president until now had shied away from referencing that until analysts were further along in their assessment of the group’s activities and its ties to Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the 23-year-old Nigerian charged with attempting to blow up the airliner. “We’re learning more about the suspect,” Mr. Obama said in the Saturday address. “We know that he traveled to Yemen, a country grappling with crushing poverty and deadly insurgencies. It appears that he joined an affiliate of Al Qaeda and that this group, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, trained him, equipped him with those explosives and directed him to attack that plane headed for America.”"
- Obama Ties Failed Plane Attack to Al Qaeda - NYTimes.com (view on Google Sidewiki)

Heritage Foundation: “Term Limits: The Only Way to Clean Up Congress”

Public support for term limits has not wavered since this article was written over 15 years ago.

in reference to:

"Such substantial public support suggests widespread distaste for careerism in politics, as well as a conviction that continual infusion of fresh blood into the federal legislature will be good for both the Congress and the country. Support for term limits extends to significant majorities of diverse demographic groups: polls show that majorities of men, women, blacks, whites, Republicans, Democrats, and Independents all favor term limits, typically by 60 percent or better. (New York Times/CBS survey of 1,515 adults, April 1990.) Such politically diverse figures as Ed Koch, Doug Wilder, Ralph Nader, Paul Tsongas, and George Will support term limits; over 100 Members of Congress have signed a discharge petition to force a vote in the House of Representatives on a constitutional amendment; and both Ross Perot and numerous United We Stand America chapters have made term limits a central goal. The United States Supreme Court has preempted a major argument of opponents — that term limits are clearly unconstitutional — by accepting a state case for review. Regardless of the outcome of the case, however, term limits are here to stay as an important issue on the American political landscape. Term limits are a powerful political force, as demonstrated by the results of numerous state referenda, state legislative outcomes, and candidate election results. Term limits are a vital political reform that would bring new perspectives to Congress, mandate frequent legislative turnover, and diminish incentives for wasteful election-related federal spending that currently flourish in a careerist congressional culture."
- Heritage Foundation: “Term Limits: The Only Way to Clean Up Congress” « People's Term Limits Blog (view on Google Sidewiki)

“Time to Resurrect the Term Limits Movement”

Obviously elections have become meaningless. The only solution for beginning to take back our government, now, is the People's Term Limits movement.

in reference to:

"Why must the importance of issues that impact our daily lives, and what they portend for our progeny, be degraded by relating them to the personal desires of our duly elected representatives to retain their access to cushy benefits and the perks of power? Are not the ramifications to our collective interests of national fiscal responsibility, defense of our country, energy independence, and health care policy more important than the career longevity of our congressmen? It seems we elect serious and sincere individuals to go to Washington on our behalf and tend to our national interests. And for the most part, they are that. But once they become accustomed to the special benefits self-endowed by themselves and their antecedents, their interest turns from the merits of the issues to how their positions on the issues will impact their ability to retain the accouterments of power and representation. In this context, the issues become “all about them.” The quest to maintain membership among the favored few becomes a barrier to voting their conscience and tending to what is in the best interests of those who sent them there."
- People's Term Limits Blog (view on Google Sidewiki)

Somalia: Plane Attack Attempted in November

Could these two incidents be trial runs for a larger attack? Are you confident the government will prevent it? I'm not confident.

in reference to:

"A man tried to board a commercial airliner in Mogadishu last month carrying powdered chemicals, liquid and a syringe that could have caused an explosion in a case bearing chillingly similarities to the terrorist plot to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner, officials told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The Somali man - whose name has not yet been released - was arrested by African Union peacekeeping troops before the Nov. 13 Daallo Airlines flight took off. It had been scheduled to travel from Mogadishu to the northern Somali city of Hargeisa, then to Djibouti and Dubai. A Somali police spokesman, Abdulahi Hassan Barise, said the suspect is in Somali custody. "We don't know whether he's linked with al Qaeda or other foreign organizations, but his actions were the acts of a terrorist. We caught him red-handed," said Barise. A Nairobi-based diplomat said the incident in Somalia is similar to the attempted attack on the Detroit-bound airliner on Christmas Day in that the Somali man had a syringe, a bag of powdered chemicals and liquid - tools similar to those used in the Detroit attack. The diplomat spoke on condition he not be identified because he isn't authorized to release the information."
- Somalia: Plane Attack Attempted in Nov. - CBS News (view on Google Sidewiki)

Underwear Bomber: The Government's Ineptitude Continues to Endanger American's

Nothing demonstrates more the governments lack of concern for American lives than the fact that the agency in charge of airport security does not have a boss almost a year into Obama's presidency.

Two federal agencies charged with keeping potential terrorists off planes and out of the country remain without their top leaders.

The Obama administration took more than eight months to nominate anyone to head the Transportation Security Administration and the Customs and Border Protection agency. Those two agencies will be at the forefront of discussions as security policies are reviewed in the aftermath of the attempted Christmas Day terrorist attack on an international flight bound for Detroit.

But the Senate hasn't set a date for hearings on the Customs position, with other matters such as health care dominating the agenda. Former U.S. attorney Alan Bersin is Obama's nominee for the post.

Meanwhile South Carolina Republican Sen. Jim DeMint has placed a hold on the president's choice for TSA, police detective Erroll Southers, over his concerns that Southers might let TSA screeners join a labor union.

Too many lists. Are they any good? And is anyone actually looking into them?

The man accused of trying to blow up a U.S.-bound airliner was not flagged in Britain as a potential terror suspect — he was merely put on a standard watch list of people whose visa applications were rejected, British officials said Monday.

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a Nigerian who had graduated from a London university last year, had his subsequent visa application denied in May 2009. Government officials said the school on his application form was not a government-approved institution.

[...]Home Secretary Alan Johnson said U.S. authorities should have been informed that Abdulmutallab had been placed on the U.K.list and believed all procedures had been followed correctly.

So what now? No one is saying it. Does airline security in future ask everyone to take off their underwear? And if not, why not? And doesn't this show stupidity of having people taking their shoes off at airports? Demand a explanation. And while you're at it, ask some politician why don't we have an agency/department that will prevent, investigate and spy on terrorists. Clearly neither the FBI or CIA are up to the job.

Looking back, analysts say there were many aspects of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Nigerian charged with trying to blow up the plane, that could have raised red flags. He had no checked luggage, and he paid for his ticket with cash. Mr. Abdulmutallab’s name had already surfaced on the National Counterterrorism Center’s database of known or suspected international terrorists, but that information was never made it to US airlines.

“Eight years after the 9/11 attacks, this is someone who makes it on one list only to disappear into a bureaucratic black hole,” says Bruce Hoffman, a professor at the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University in Washington. "Eight years after the 9/11 attacks, it’s a compound failure in intelligence and physical security. Once again, valiant and alert passengers are the last line of defense.”

The incident, which ended when passengers tackled the suspect and put out the flames of his failed bomb, is refocusing attention on Capitol Hill. The question is whether the post-9/11 reforms, including the creation of a Department of Homeland Security and Director of National Intelligence, are working as Congress intended.

Government Incapable of Protecting Us

This is the second time in less than 2 months the government failed to protect our fellow citizens when they had been warned. There is a pattern here. As in Fort Hood, there was ample evidence to suggest that the individual trying to bomb that Delta jet on Christmas day had Jihadist tendencies. Not only did they fail but, like the administration, are claiming that somehow they had thwarted a terrorist attack. The media has failed to connect the dots. But you and I should not ignore the awful truth that not this White House but the Congress are clueless in fighting terrorism. It is why we need an agency set up specifically to fight terrorism. The alternative is making a passengers have a cavity check at the airport.
in reference to:

"The botched attack on an Amsterdam-Detroit flight is expected to have a limited impact on global air traffic, but the need for tighter security measures caps an already difficult year for the airline industry. Air travelers were facing stringent new security restrictions following the failed bombing of the US-bound aircraft last Friday that was claimed Monday by Al-Qaeda in a statement picked up by US monitors.... "Traffic is only affected by tragedies or war," Richard Aboulafia, an analyst with Teal Group Corp., told AFP. "Smaller incidents like these seldom have an impact, although a security overreaction could lead to even greater dissatisfaction among travelers, which helps weaken long-term traffic growth," he said. Oliver Fainsilber, a consultant with Oliver Wyman, agreed. He said the incident alone "will not have a lasting impact on traffic" unless "if two or three similar cases occurred in the weeks to come which refutes the idea of an isolated act.""
- Limited impact seen on air traffic after bombing bid (view on Google Sidewiki)

Meet The Press Video: Mayor Bloomberg, Newt Gingrich, Gov.Deval Patrick

"Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Newt Gingrich, Gov. Deval Patrick and Andrea Mitchell join NBC's David Gregory, moderator of "Meet the Press," to discuss the future of the nation as it enters a new decade." Video below (12-27-09):

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

We Need a New Government Agency to Prevent Terrorism

Once again we have failure to prevent an a terror attack. This time we were lucky. Obviously the CIA and FBI are inadequate or incapable of fighting terrorism. We need a spy/investigative government agency that deals exclusively with terrorism, domestic and foreign. 9-11 happened exactly because neither the FBI or CIA communicated with each other. Neither department was set up specifically to process, investigate or pursue terrorists. The CIA was defanged in the 70s and are not allowed to track terrorists domestically. This leaves and gaping hole. So lets scrap Homeland Security and create a department that actually does something to protect us. Obviously, no amount of airport security will stop the terrorists:

The alleged Christmas Day terrorist had been in one of the U.S. government's many terror databases since November, which is when his father brought him to the attention of embassy officials in Nigeria.

However, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab came to the attention of intelligence officials months before that, according to a U.S. government official involved in the investigation. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because it is ongoing.

Still, none of the information the government had on Abdulmutallab rose to the level of putting him on the official terror watch list or no-fly list. On Christmas Eve, the 23-year-old Nigerian - who later claimed to law enforcement that he was operating on orders from al-Qaida - was able to carry a concealed explosive device onto a U.S.-bound airplane.

...Four weeks ago, Abdulmutallab's father told the U.S. embassy in Abuja, Nigeria, that he was concerned about his son's religious beliefs. This information was passed on to U.S. intelligence officials.

Abdulmutallab received a valid U.S. visa in June 2008 that is good through 2010.

His is one of about 550,000 names in the Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment database, known as TIDE, which is maintained by the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center and was created in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Intelligence officials said they lacked enough information to place him in the 400,000-person terror watch list or on the no-fly list of fewer than 4,000 people who should be blocked from air travel.

Video: al Qaeda Terror Attack on board Delta Plane Thwarted

AP report (CBS news video below):

A passenger attempted to detonate a small explosive aboard a Delta-Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Detroit on Friday in what the U.S. government considers a failed terrorist attack, according to U.S. media reports.

The reports said the passenger, who was taken into custody, was identified as a Nigerian national and that the explosive device failed.

The Associated Press, quoting U.S. officials, said the passenger was acting on behalf of al-Qaida when he tried to blow up the flight.

The Northwest Airlines plane, an Airbus 330, was carrying 278 passengers. Delta Air Lines has taken over Northwest.

Watch CBS News Videos Online

Video: David Goldman Interview on board Plane Returning Home

This NBC news video interview of David Goldman is on board plane returning home after the return of his son, Sean. It took 5 long years for his son to be returned to him by the Brazilian Supreme Court.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Video: Michael Brewer is Returning Home Early from Hospital

This Today Show video is on the Florida burn victim teenager, Michael Brewer's, return home from the hospital.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Video: AIG Executives are Keeping Bonuses Despite Promises

In this video Dylan Ratigan exposes AIG's breaking promise to return the bonuses their executives are getting from the bailout money we gave them.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Report says 225,000 Haiti children work as slaves

It is shameful that this happens in our backyard.

in reference to:

"Poverty has forced at least 225,000 children in Haiti's cities into slavery as unpaid household servants, far more than previously thought, a report said Tuesday. The Pan American Development Foundation's report also said some of those children — mostly young girls — suffer sexual, psychological and physical abuse while toiling in extreme hardship."
- Report says 225,000 Haiti children work as slaves - Yahoo! News (view on Google Sidewiki)

Transcript: Meet The Press (12-20-09): David Axelrod

David Axelrod appeared on Meet the Press (12-20-09). Complete Transcript. Excerpt below:

You appear to have this compromise now in the Senate, 60 votes now that Ben Nelson is on board. Is this mission accomplished, or does this represent a selling-out of key principles that the president fought for initially on health care?

AXELROD: Oh, no, I think this -- this adheres to the key principles that the president set. It’s going to bring more security to people who -- who have insurance today, in relation to their insurance companies; it will reduce their costs over time as well.

It’s going to help people who don’t have insurance, including small businesses who can’t afford it or people who don’t get it through their employer, get it at a cost they can afford. It’s going to extend the life of Medicare and give seniors some -- some more support in terms of prescription drugs and better care.

And in the long run, it’s going to reduce our deficits, the CBO said yesterday, by $132 billion in the first 10 years, over a trillion in the second, and -- and stop the inexorable rise of health care costs that threatens to crush our budget...

GREGORY: Right.

AXELROD: ... family budgets, business budgets.

GREGORY: Well, we’ll -- I want to break some of these down. But do you describe it as mission accomplished?

AXELROD: No. I -- I think it is a -- it’s a landmark step, it’s a, it’s a great step. I agree with much of what Paul Krugman wrote in The New York Times last Friday, he’s been a strong advocate for health care reform, and he said this is a great foundation for the future. It is light years ahead of where we were.

Look, David, if you’re a person with a pre-existing condition today, you’re excluded from getting insurance by most insurance companies. I went through that with -- my child has a chronic illness, could not get her on insurance. A huge -- this was when I was a young reporter and couldn’t afford the out-of-pocket expenses. Millions of people are going through this in this country, and there are myriad other examples of -- of people who will benefit from these changes.

GREGORY: Let me back up, talk about just some procedure. Is this a done deal? Will this pass the Congress?

AXELROD: I think it will pass the Congress. I mean, obviously, it is a big step along the way. We’ve got additional steps to take. The House has a bill, the Senate has a bill, they’ll have...

GREGORY: And there are some key differences, including the House has a public option to create more competition, the Senate bill does not.

AXELROD: No. But the Senate, the Senate bill has some very tough restrictions in terms of how insurance companies can spend the money that they collect from premiums, it has a great accountability for insurance companies, it creates competition between private insurers and gives people options and choice, and that’s what we were after.

GREGORY: But how hard will it be to reconcile the two?

AXELROD: Well, I think we’re going to get it done. I think people understand that this is a historic crossroads, David. Seven presidents have tried to pass comprehensive health insurance reform, seven presidents have failed. We’ve been talking about it for 100 years. We’re on the doorstep of getting it done, and it’ll be a great victory for the American people.

GREGORY: Some people have raised the question about whether the Senate rules ought to be changed. In order to avoid a filibuster you needed the 60 votes, and you were able to get there with Senator Nelson. But a lot of people, including Planned Parenthood, condemning the abortion agreement where it would place greater restrictions on getting abortions in the states in these exchanges that had to be struck to get Senator Nelson on board. He also got extra money for Medicaid.

Do you think it ought to be changed in the Senate so it doesn’t rely, all of this health care reform, on one senator?

AXELROD: Let me say first on the, on the issue of abortion, there have been concerns expressed both from the pro-choice groups and some anti-choice groups, pro-life groups on this.

But the fact is it really doesn’t change the status quo, and that’s what we were after. The president said this should not be the vehicle through which the abortion debate and changes in the abortion law should come. In terms of the Senate, look, I’m not -- these are time-honored rules. I’m not going to -- I mean, obviously it makes it more difficult; they were structured that way.

What we should be able to do, though, is move forward in -- in good faith, and what we’ve seen is the rules being used time and time and time again to delay votes, to try and scuttle the legislation by -- through parliamentary maneuvers, because there’s a majority of senators who support health insurance reform. We ought to have an up or down vote, and that’s what all of this has been about.

- Related Links:

• Face The Nation Transcript (12-20-09)
  

4 policemen killed in violent Mexico border city

What is Obama doing about this? He better start paying attention to this serious issue on our border. It is already spreading onto American soil. In fact, most of the violence comes as a result of the drug trade primarily intended to satisfy to the taste for drugs in America. And the weapons used come from American vendors. This is a national security matter. We should be helping the government of Mexico in it's struggle. I'm not hearing where the U.S. government is cooperate with the Mexican authorities.

in reference to:

"Mexican law enforcement officials say four police officers have died in a series of attacks on patrol cars in the border city of Ciudad Juarez.Chihuahua state police and prosecutors say two more officers are recovering from wounds suffered in three attacks by gunmen on Friday.State police spokesman Fidel Banuelos says the first attack killed two brothers who were patrolling together but worked for different agencies."
- Newsvine - 4 policemen killed in violent Mexico border city (view on Google Sidewiki)

Despite Recession Jump in Federal Workers Earning $100,000

It should be the opposite. This is why we the People's Term Limits: http://www.termlim.com

in reference to:

"The number of federal workers earning six-figure salaries has exploded during the recession, according to a USA TODAY analysis of federal salary data.Federal employees making salaries of $100,000 or more jumped from 14% to 19% of civil servants during the recession's first 18 months — and that's before overtime pay and bonuses are counted.Federal workers are enjoying an extraordinary boom time — in pay and hiring — during a recession that has cost 7.3 million jobs in the private sector.The highest-paid federal employees are doing best of all on salary increases. Defense Department civilian employees earning $150,000 or more increased from 1,868 in December 2007 to 10,100 in June 2009, the most recent figure available. When the recession started, the Transportation Department had only one person earning a salary of $170,000 or more. Eighteen months later, 1,690 employees had salaries above $170,000.The trend to six-figure salaries is occurring throughout the federal government, in agencies big and small, high-tech and low-tech. The primary cause: substantial pay raises and new salary rules."There's no way to justify this to the American people. It's ridiculous," says Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, a first-term lawmaker who is on the House's federal workforce subcommittee. Jessica Klement, government affairs director for the Federal Managers Association, says the federal workforce is highly paid because the government employs skilled people such as scientists, physicians and lawyers. She says federal employees make 26% less than private workers for comparable jobs."
- USATODAY.com (view on Google Sidewiki)

Insurgents Hack U.S. Drones

This is just what we needed. The best weapon in the war on terror can be neutralized. The Pentagon should have anticipated this. It is unacceptable. It also shows how clever the insurgency is. It is why they are prevailing and we are not.

in reference to:

"Insurgents Hack U.S. Drones"
- Insurgents Hack U.S. Drones - WSJ.com (view on Google Sidewiki)