A group of anonymous “hacktivists” has reportedly launched “Operation Payback”—an online attack whose goal is to shut down the websites of banks and companies that have cut off business ties with Wikileaks. According to Huffington Post, the MasterCard website has been DOWN since approximately five o’clock this morning.
Continue reading ““Hacktivist” Supporters of Julian Assange Allegedly Shut Down MasterCard Website”
Birmingham Police Officers, employed as School Resource Officers in Birmingham City Schools, routinely use chemical weapons against schoolchildren to enforce basic school discipline. Mace was used against schoolchildren who were completely restrained and not a danger to themselves or anyone else. Adults taunted the children and celebrated their punishment.
The Birmingham City School System is 96% African American.
We recently discussed Govenor Steve Beshear (D-KY) and his support, and $37.5 million in tax breaks, for a theme park devoted to a recreation of Noah’s Ark called Ark Encounter, here. Who owns Ark Encounter? A private LLC whose membership includes a subsidiary of Answers in Genesis, whose CEO is Ken Ham.
Continue reading “Answers in The Flintstones”
A recently disclosed government report titled A Review of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Process for Handling Military Whistleblower Reprisal Allegations shows that because of insufficient resources, a lack of training for investigators, and a number of other problems, MRI—the system in the Defense Department that has been set up to investigate cases of retaliation against military whistleblowers—”has not been able to come close to resolving complaints within the statutory 180-day deadline.”
POGO—the Project on Government Oversight—obtained a copy of the 2009 report, which was written by the office of the Justice Department Inspector General. In a statement, POGO’s director of investigations Nick Schwellenbach said the following: “The Wikileaks experience is a reminder that there should be safe harbors inside the government for military personnel to blow the whistle. We are glad to see the DOD IG added resources into this essential program, but this is a problem that can’t be fixed just by throwing money at it – the laws need to be strengthened.”
Continue reading “DOJ Says Pentagon Isn’t Properly Protecting Whistleblowers”
A new Gallup poll ranks the popularity of American presidents, and taking the number one spot with an 85% approval rating is that “liberal” the conservatives love-to-hate, John F. Kennedy. The lore of Camelot “has legs” as they say, even to today’s generation. In close proximity with a 74% approval number, is that darling of the Right, Ronald Reagan. In the “Place” position, Bill Clinton has nudged out Jimmy Carter from last year. Carter still makes the top 10 with a sixth place showing.
The current, four decades old, organ transportation system uses an off-the-shelf cooler filled with ice to preserve the heart. With this method, transplantation should occur within 4 to 6 hours of harvesting. The longer the heart is on ice, the greater the chances of death or heart disease after the transplant.
TransMedics is going to revolutionize the organ transplant transportation methodology.
We have previously discussed John Freshwater, a controversial teacher in Mount Vernon, Ohio, who used a Tesla coil to brand crosses into the arm of a 7th grade student, here. The family of the student, Zachary Dennis, filed a civil suit against Freshwater and the school district. The school district settled. Freshwater filed a counter-claim asserting defamation and that it was his religious beliefs that were under attack, not the fact that he used a Tesla coil to burn students’ arms. His case had become a lightning rod for conservative Christians and their persecution complex.
On 6 April 2010, the judge issued a summary judgement on certain aspects of the case.
The United States Senate will convene with all 100 members this morning for the final arguments in the impeachment of Judge G. Thomas Porteous. Final motions arguments will commence at 9:45 am on the Senate floor.
Continue reading “THE PORTEOUS IMPEACHMENT: FINAL ARGUMENTS”
A Berlin butcher is several ham steaks richer tonight but about 5000 Euros poorer after a wild boar invaded his shop. Rainer Kraemer says the boar wandered in from nearby woods to wreak havoc on his store and its customers. The hour-long assault did about 5000 Euros (~$7,500.00) in damage and left the butcher shaken.
The School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) at Columbia University has acknowledged that it sent an email to its students with a warning that students refrain from
making comments about the leaked diplomatic cables on social media sites like Facebook or via Twitter and from posting links to the documents if they ever hope to work for the State Department in the future. The email from an unnamed individual at the school’s Office of Career Services reportedly relayed a recommendation made by a school alumnus in a telephone call to the school. According to the email, the alumnus works for the State Department at the present time.
St. Lucie County School Board and the St. Lucie County School Classroom Teachers Association in the Southern District of Florida have settled an incredible lawsuit that we previously discussed. The family of nine-year-old Alex Barton sued after teacher Wendy Portillo forced an autistic child to stand in front of the class and be criticized — and then invited the classmates to vote him out of the class. The school will now pay a $350,000 settlement — and Portillo will return to the classroom after a yearlong suspension.
Continue reading “Florida School To Pay $350K After Teacher Has Nine-Year-Old Autistic Child Voted Out of Elementary Class”
Circuit Court Judge F. Lee Russell in Shelbyville, Tenn., clearly does not get that whole “justice delayed is justice denied” thing. Russell has been reprimanded for “excessive delay” after he waited nearly 11 years to rule on a case.
Continue reading “Tennessee Judge Reprimanded For Waiting 11 Years To Rule On Case”
In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, families are celebrating the marriage of a young couple. Well, one of the couple is young by any measure. A 14-year-old girl, Siti Maryam Mahmod, has been married to a 23-year-old man in what we would classified as a case of obvious pedophilia in the United States. However, in Malaysia, intimate relations with a 14-year-old girl is called marriage rather than pedophilia.
Continue reading “Fourteen-Year-Old Girl Marries Man in Malaysia in Latest Child Bride Case Under Sharia”
The pressure continues to find ways to cut off support and access to WikiLeaks material. PalPal was the latest company to move against Wikileaks by cutting off the ability of people to make donations to support the whistleblower disclosures. The company waited until Friday (when coverage would be reduced) to make the move.
Continue reading “Whose Pal Are You Anyway? Company Cuts Off Financial Support for Wikileaks Through PayPal”
The United States Senate will convene with all 100 members on Tuesday, December 7th for the final arguments in the impeachment of Judge G. Thomas Porteous. Our weekend crew of contributors has agreed to keep the shop going until after the final vote — likely on Wednesday, December 8th.
Continue reading “THE PORTEOUS IMPEACHMENT: THE CLOSING ARGUMENTS TO BE HEARD ON TUESDAY”
