Saturday, December 31, 2011

Michelle Obama: Can You Spare $3?

After spending over $4 million on a 17-day Hawaiian vacation and wearing a $2,000 sundress, the First Lady, Michelle Obama, sent out a campaign email asking supports to donate $3 or more before the end of the year.

The email as follows:

Over the next 11 months we’ve got an organization to grow, voters to register, and people to get fired up.
I hope you’ll close out this year by donating $3 or more now to help make sure we’re ready for the next one . . .
Thank you so much, and happy new year,
Michelle

Additionally, with the issues regarding the extension of the Payroll Tax Cut, Michelle and the girls left early for the family vacation and cost the taxpayers an extra $100,000.

Friday, December 30, 2011

12 Occupy Protesters are Arrested in Des Moines, IA

Des Moines police arrested 12 Occupy protesters outside of the Iowa Democratic headquarter on December 29th, as they protested that President Obama has not made good on his promise to shut down the Guantanamo detention center and about corporate donations to campaigns.

In a press release the Occupy Des Moines organization released the following demands of President Obama.

  • Ease the mortgage crisis by ending foreclosures
  • Stop accepting campaign contributions from Wall Street
  • Restore civil liberties by ending indefinite detentions
  • Finally step up as President and start listening to the issues of the 99% instead of the issues of Wall Street

 So far, there have been 27 arrests of Occupy the Caucus and Occupy Des Moines protesters.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

France Approves Soda Tax

France's Constitutional Council approved a new soda tax as part of the government's fight against obesity and to raise more revenue. This tax is also part of France's austerity measures to keep the government afloat.

The tax is about one euro cent per can of soda. The new tax is expected to bring in 120 million euros ($156 million) in revenue.

The government has said that it needs to make 100 billion euros in savings to balance the budget by 2016.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Occupy Protesters in Iowa for Republican Caucus

Hundreds of Occupy protesters from nearly 10 different states have converged Iowa to disrupt the Republican caucus.

The protesters will be attending their own "People's Caucus" near Des Moines. They are promising to disrupt the candidates at events and camp out at their campaign offices.

In order to further cause problems, Occupy protesters are urging protesters who live in Iowa to go to the caucus and vote "No Preference".

According to the protest organizations, the caucuses are meaningless, because the parties cater to the wealthy and special interest groups.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

9 People Arrested at Mall of America for Fighting

Police in Bloomington, Minnesota, arrested 9 people at the Mall of America on December 26th after multiple fights had broken out throughout the mall.

As many as 200 people could have been involved. The fights started over a rumor that rappers Lil' Wayne and Drake were visiting the mall.

30 police officers responded to the fighting that had started in the north food court.

Although the mall maintained normal business hours, some stores closed early.

Monday, December 26, 2011

Iran Ready to Expand Its Ties to Iraq

Iranian General Hassan Firouzabadi, in statements made to his Iraqi counterpart, Lieutenant General Babaker Zebari, said that Iran is "ready to expand its military and security ties with Iraq."

Zebari led a delegation of Iraqi military officers to Iran to discussion cooperation between the two military forces.

Firouzabadi stated that the determination of the Iraqi people forced the US and its allies to leave the country and that it should be a lesson to them.

US analysts have expressed concern that Iran will exploit the vacuum left by the US and seek to bolster its relationship with the Shiite-led government.

Sunday, December 25, 2011

US Security Think Tank, Straffor, Hacked

According to a recently published Associated Press article, global security think tank, Stratfor, was hacked this morning. Almost 200GB of emails and credit card information was stolen by the hacking movement known as "Anonymous".

The hacking movement promises a week-long assault on a long list of targets. In a recent Twitter posting, the group posted, "Not so private and secret anymore?"

The group said that it was able to get credit card details, in part, because Stratfor failed to encrypt them. George Friedman, chief executive of Stratfor, said that the company is "working closely with law enforcement to identify who is behind the breach.

Stratfor's website is currently down and has the following banner up.

2 Christian Churches Were Bombed in Nigeria

2 Christian churches were bombed on Sunday as worshippers were attending Christmas Day services.

The first struck a Catholic church in Madala, west of the capital. The second explosion struck the Mountain of Fire Ministries church in Jos, northeast of the capital.



According to authorities, at least 39 people are dead with a majority of them killed on the steps of the St. Theresa Catholic Church after celebrating Christmas mass.

A radical Muslim sect has claimed responsibility for the bombings.

Saturday, December 24, 2011

New York Man Brings Cheer By Becoming a Christmas Tree

A Staten Island resident and self-proclaimed activist decided to protest a recent rule imposed at the Staten Island ferry terminal by the Department of Transportation.

The rule banned Christmas decorations. Their reason was very simple. They wanted to avoid lawsuits.

Scott LoBaido decided to protest the rule in a very positive way. Instead of camping out in the terminal or banging a drum all day, he found a loophole and exploited it. He dressed up as a Christmas tree and wandered the terminal.

People smiled and cheered to see LoBaido roaming the St. George terminal as a Christmas tree. He stated that it is just a costume and that he just happened to wear it that day. LoBaido spent about $400 of his own money to make the costume.

According to LoBaido, the rule is "political correctness gone crazy."


Friday, December 23, 2011

Nike's New Air Jordans Causing Shopping Frenzy Across US

Shoppers stood in long lines through the night to get their hands on the $180 retro version of the Air Jordan basketball shoes by Nike.

In several instances at malls, violence broke out. At a suburban shopping mall in Seattle, police had to use pepper spray on about 20 customers to break up a a fright. In Lithonia, Georgia, at least 4 people were arrested for breaking down a store's door. One woman, in Atlanta, Georgia, left here two children in the car to buy the shoes. Police had to break the car's glass to get the toddlers.

In Taylor, Michigan, 100 people forced their way into a shopping center and damaged decorations and overturned benches.

At Hilltop Mall in Richmond, CA, shots were fired around 6AM. An estimated 3,000 people were in line.

In Austin, Texas, at least 3 people including a police officer were injured at local malls. Almost 2,000 people were reported each at Barton Creek and Highland malls.



In addition to the violence, people are selling the shoes on eBay for as much as $500.

Ft. Lauderdale Gives Homeless People Free Rides Out of Town

In an effort to help the homeless reunite with families and friends in other cities, Ft. Lauderdale's city commission, on Tuesday, approved a $25,000 program to give free one-way bus tickets to the homeless in order to reunite them with friends and families who can take care of them.

Under the terms of the program of the program, a participant may only receive one free ticket.

So far, 100 homeless individuals have expressed an interest in the program.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Payroll Tax Cut Deal Struck

Speaker of the House John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid have agreed to a two-month extension of the payroll tax cut.

Boehner said that there will be a new vote on Friday on the two-month payroll tax cut.

In a press conference at 1PM (ET), President Obama speaks out against House Republicans. In order to make his point, the President invited people to join him on stage.

Bombings in Baghdad Kill 57, Injury Nearly 200

Within days of American forces leaving Iraq, a series of coordinated attacks devastated the Iraqi capital.  The bombings killed at least 57 people and injured almost 200 people.

The blasts were the worst violence since a political crisis erupted between Iraq's Sunni and Shiite factions over the weekend.

All of this is occurring after American military forces have left Iraq and as the country navigates its own political future.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

One Year Away from Doomsday

According to the Mayan calendar, the last day will be December 21, 2012 and, needless to say, it is being hyped. The Mexico tourism agency is forecasting a record 52 million tourist to the regions of Chiapas, Yucatan, Quintana Roo, Tabasco and Campeche. During an average year, there are 22 million visitors.

There has been a great debate on whether or not the world would come to an end on December 21, 2012. Some believe it will while others say that the Mayan calendar will simply start over.

In either case, people are cashing in on the Mayan prediction. Books, movies and television programs fuel the notion that the world will come to an end. At an archaeological site near Izapa, Mayan priests will be burning incense, chanting and offering prayers. In Chiapas, the town of Tapachula on the Guatemalan border will start a countdown clock today to mark the march to the last day. An 8-foot digital clock, will be displayed in the town's main park.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

President Obama: Comparing His Accomplishments with Other Presidents

In a recent "60 Minutes" interview with Steve Kroft, President Obama had this to say about his presidency.

“The issue here is not going be a list of accomplishments. As you said yourself, Steve, you know, I would put our legislative and foreign policy accomplishments in our first two years against any president — with the possible exceptions of Johnson, F.D.R., and Lincoln — just in terms of what we’ve gotten done in modern history. But, you know, but when it comes to the economy, we’ve got a lot more work to do.”

Aborted Fetus Found in a Gift Box Under Christmas Tree

Ruby Lee Medina, 31, and Javier Gonzalez, 37, of Mission, Texas, have been charged with abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence after an anonymous tip lead police to discover the body of an aborted 7-month-old fetus in a gift box under the couple's Christmas tree.

According to authorities, police believe that Medina used pills to induce an abortion. When she began bleeding, she was taken by ambulance to a local medical facility. She told doctors that she did not know where the fetus was.

The couple had attempted to flush the fetus down the toilet, but were unable to do so. Then, they planned to bury it in the backyard, but police discovered the fetus.

Autopsy results are pending. The couple's bonds were set at $20,000 each after they had surrendered voluntarily.

Monday, December 19, 2011

France Could Be Stripped of Its Triple-A Credit Rating by Christmas

According analysts, Standard and Poor's expected downgrade of France's sovereign credit rating could come within in a couple of days. Many analysts believe that the downgrade could cause panic in the global financial markets and make the euro zone crisis even worse.

The downgrade of France's credit rating would make it difficult for France to contribute to the bailout of the euro zone.

Along with Standard and Poor's possible downgrade of France, Fitch is expected to downgrade Belgium's credit rating along with Spain, Italy, Slovenia, Cyprus and Ireland. Fitch kept France at triple-A; however, it downgraded its outlook for the country to "negative".

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Man Charged with the Burning Death of Brooklyn Woman

47-year-old Jerome Isaac of Brooklyn was charged with two counts of murder and one count of arson after he had doused Deloris Gillespie with gasoline and lit her on fire while she was in elevator.

Isaac walked into a Brooklyn police station Sunday morning and told them that he had started the fire.

Gillespie, a single mother who was returning from shopping trip, was in an elevator. When the doors opened, Isaac doused her with gasoline and used a lighter to ignite the fuel. The attack was caught on a surveillance camera.

According to Rickey Causey, Gillespie's nephew, Isaac had worked for Gillespie until he was fired for stealing from her. This may have been the cause for the attack.

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Anti-Putin Protesters Go Topless

In a story from Reuters, an Ukrainian feminist group goes topless outside Moscow's most important cathedral to show their support for Russia's opposition.

Approximately 100 topless demonstrators protested outside of the Christ the Savior Cathedral in central Moscow. They wanted to show their support to the thousands of Russians who protested over the recent parliamentary elections.

Friday, December 16, 2011

Pelosi: Extending Unemployment Will Create 600,000 New Jobs

In her weekly briefing, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said that by extending the unemployment insurance, 600,000 new jobs will be created.

"The unemployment insurance extension is not only good for individuals. It has a macroeconomic impact. As macroeconomic advisers have stated, it would make a difference of 600,000 jobs to our economy," House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said at a briefing on Capitol Hill.

Representative Louis Gohmert Discusses Federal Spending

Representative Louis Gohmert talked about congressional effort to complete key end of year items such as extending the payroll tax cut, and unemployment benefits, and funding the federal government. He also responded to telephone calls and electronic communications.

Michelle Obama and the Girls Head to Hawaii

With the payroll tax holiday and extension of unemployment benefits still on the table, President Obama has decided to stay in Washington. The First Lady, on the other hand, has decided to leave the cold of Washington behind and take the Obama girls to warm and sunny Hawaii.

Instead of paying for one trip, the US taxpayers will be paying for 2 separate trips to Hawaii. It is estimated that Michelle's solo trip will cost more than $100,000. The military jet flight alone will cost more than $60,000.

The President had signed an executive order on November 9, 2011, Executive Order 13589, which is called "Promoting Efficient Spending". Section 3 of the order talks about travel.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Walmart Remains Open After Man Stabs Wife to Death in the Store

Avery L. Blandin, 46, was arrested and charged with the stabbing death of his wife, Lilia Blandin, 38, who worked in a Woodforest Bank branch inside the Greenville County Walmart in South Carolina.

According to eyewitnesses, Mr. Blandin had a verbal argument with Mrs. Blandin and then he stabbed her repeatedly. A shopper, Phillip Tallent, intervened by hitting Mr. Blandin with a chair.

Blandin then fled the scene and was apprehended after he was involved in an auto accident.

Instead of closing down the store, Walmart managers roped off the area for police investigators and continued normal store operations.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Washington DC Woman Fined for Not Recycling Cat Litter

Patricia White, a Dupont Circle resident, says that she has been fined eight times for not recycling her homemade cat litter. The fines total $2,000.

Instead of buying cat litter, White has been taking her old newspaper and junk mail and shredding them to make her homemade cat litter. She believed that she was helping the environment by reusing the paper and avoiding cat litter.

According to the Department of Public Works, the inspector who cited and fined White for not recycling her newspaper and junk mail admitted to going through her trash to find violations. White appealed the violations; however, Judge Audrey Jenkins agreed with with the inspectors.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Radio Talk Show Host Michael Savage Offers $1 Million to Gingrich to Drop Out

Radio talk show host, Michael Savage, has offered Newt Gingrich $1 million to drop out of the Republican presidential field.

Savage believes that Gingrich, although impressive, does not possess what it will take to beat President Obama.

Visit Savage's website for the details of the challenge.

Lowe's Pulls Ads from "All-American Muslim" Reality Show

Lowe's Home Improvement is dealing with a backlash after it pulled its ads from a reality show about American Muslims.

"Occupy" Protesters Disrupting Operations at Port Terminals

Yesterday, "Occupy" protesters manage to disrupt or shut down some operations at terminal ports located in Oakland, CA, Portland, OR and Longview, WA.

The protesters have said that they will continue their blockade and also ramp up their attempts to completely shut down the ports.

"Occupy" protesters are most upset with SSA Marine and grain exporter EGT. Goldman Sachs, a frequent target of the protesters, owns a major stake in SSA Marine which operates the port terminals.

Oakland Mayor Jean Quan has asked protesters to go home and allow the longshoremen and truckers to return to work.

"This is joke. What are they protesting?" said Christian Vega, who sat in his truck carrying a load of recycled paper. He said the delay was costing him $600. "It only hurts me and the other drivers.

"We have jobs and families to support and feed," he said. "Most of them don't."

Baltimore Police Remove "Occupy Baltimore" Protesters

Around 3:30AM on Tuesday, Baltimore police officers in full riot gear moved into McKeldin Square and began removing the "Occupy Baltimore" protesters who had been camped there for months.

According to City police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi, the scene was "extremely peaceful, very, very civil" as police removed the protesters and moved them to homeless shelters.

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake issued a statement saying that the city is "committed to protesting individuals' rights to protest". However, the property in and around McKeldin Square should not be treated a permanent campground.

The City of Baltimore has recently denied the "Occupy Baltimore" protesters a permit to continue their protests.

Earlier in the month, a woman was charged with assault in stabbing at the site.

Monday, December 12, 2011

North Korea Threatens South Korea with "Unexpected Consequences"

North Korea warned its neighbor to the south, South Korea, that there will be "unexpected consequences" if they turn on their Christmas lights and displays near the border.

North Korea views this act as propaganda attempts and "a mean attempt for psychological warfare" against the communist country. They also threaten immediate retaliation when the lights are turned on.

According to the North Korean web site, Uriminzokkiri, "The enemy warmongers... should be aware that they should be held responsible entirely for any unexpected consequences that may be caused by their scheme."

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Romney's $10,000 Bet

During the Republican debate in Des Moines, Iowa, last night, Mitt Romney challenged Rick Perry on his assertions regarding Romney's health care record.

"I'm just saying, you're for individual mandates, my friend," Perry said to Romney.

"You've raised that before, Rick, and you're simply wrong," Romney responded, extending his hand toward Perry. "Rick, I'll tell you what: 10,000 bucks?"

Perry laughed it off: "I'm not in the betting business."

Romney is now drawing more fire for his privileged life and personal wealth. The Democratic National Committee has already created an ad stating that $10,000 is almost three times more than what an average family spends on groceries in a year and more than a year's worth of mortgage payments for the typical American home purchased today.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Denver Broncos Quarterback Tim Tebow Calls Boy Battling Cancer

No one knows how Denver Broncos Quarterback Tim Tebow found out about Blake Appleton, but Tebow did and he called the young boy who is fighting cancer.

Tebow told a reporter that talking to Blake was the most memorable moment of the week.

Thanks, Tim, you are an inspiration to a lot of people.


 

Rosie O'Donnell Attacks Newt Gingrich and Calls Him a "Joke"

Rosie O'Donnell, while appearing on the Joy Behar Show, called the former Speaker of the House a "joke" and suggested that he read a history book.

Tulsa Woman Arrested for Making Meth in a Walmart

45-year-old Elizabeth Alisha Greta Halfmoon was arrested by Tulsa police for mixing chemicals to make meth inside a south Tulsa Walmart on December 8th.

Surveillance video shows Halfmoon in the store since noon. After about 6 hours, security noticed that she was acting suspicious so they notified Tulsa police.

Halfmoon told the police officers that she was "too broke to buy the chemicals."

According to Officer, David Shelby, Halfmoon "didn’t have the money to make the purchases of the chemicals that were needed so she was taking what was needed in the bottle."

Shoppers inside the store had no idea that Halfmoon was manufacturing meth.

“When firefighters were on the scene she made statements to them that is what she was doing, she was attempting to obtain these chemicals and was in the process of trying to manufacture meth. However, she said she was not very good at it,” says Shelby.

Woman Charged with Manslaughter for Injecting Silicone into Man's Penis

34-year-old Kasia Rivera of East Orange, New Jersey was arrested on December 9th and charged with manslaughter and unauthorized practice of medicine in the death of 22-year-old Justin Street also of East Orange.

According the police, Street was seeking to have his penis enlarged. He went to Rivera's home, where she gave him injections of silicone into his penis. Street died from a fatal blood clot as a result of the injections.

The medical examiner determined Street's cause of death as silicone embolism as a result of the injections.

Rivera's bail was set at $75,000.

Friday, December 9, 2011

White House Rejects Republican Proposal for Payroll Tax Cut

The White House rejected the Republican's proposal for the payroll tax cut. According to the White House, the plan did not take a balanced approach to pay for the tax cut. It insisted that the Republican approach cut too much from the federal budget while avoiding taxes on the rich.

"We are open to looking at other ways to pay for this, but they have to be economically responsible and fair,'' White House spokesman Jay Carney said. "It is important that the overall package meet the standards the president has set.''

AG Eric Holder Told Congress that Weapons Sold in "Fast and Furious" Will Be Used for "Years to Come"

Attorney General Eric Holder, in his testimony before Congress, suggested that the weapons sold through the "gunrunning" program, "Fast and Furious", may be used to commit crimes "for years to come" in the US and Mexico.

"Although the department has taken steps to ensure that such tactics are never used again, it is an unfortunate reality that we will continue to feel the effects of this flawed operation for years to come," he said. "Guns lost during this operation will continue to show up at crime scenes on both sides of the border."
"The documents produced to date also belie the remarkable notion that this operation was conceived by department leaders, as some have claimed," Holder said. "It is my understanding that department leaders were not informed about the inappropriate tactics employed in this operation until those tactics were made public and, as is customary, turned to those with supervisory responsibility over the operation in an effort to learn the facts."

Nevada DMV Clerk Pleads Guilty to Selling Licenses to Illegal Immigrants

Nancy Brown, a 28-year-old Department of Motor Vehicle clerk in Las Vegas, NV, entered a plea of guilty to one count of federal program bribery. Brown faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. She will be sentenced March 6th.

According authorities, Brown used third parties to recruit customers and charged between $1,500 to $3,000 per license. It is estimated that she issued 214 licenses illegally between February, 2010 and April, 2011.

Good Samaritan Finds and Returns Lost Wedding Ring

It’s a fear every wife has- losing her wedding ring. It’s no surprise how important a wedding ring is and that’s why one recently wed Minnesota woman says she can’t thank the man who returned hers enough after he stumbled upon the family heirloom in the parking lot of their gym, reports MyFox9.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Texas Town Vows to Defend Nativity Scene


A group of east Texas pastors has decided enough is enough — declaring their intentions to to fight back against Wisconsin atheists who are demanding that a Nativity located on the lawn of the Henderson County courthouse be torn down.

“It’s time that Americans stand up and take America back for the faith that we were founded upon,” said Nathan Lorick, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Malakoff. “We’re going to stand up and fight for this.”

Couple Suing Car Dealer for SUV that Smells Like Rotting Human Remains

A couple from New Baltimore, Mich., is raising a stink with a car dealership for selling an SUV with what they say is a terrible odor -- and they believe it may have been caused by a dead body.


 

Amarillo School Teacher Accused of Having Sex with 15-Year-Old Boy

Julie Ann Moore, a 34-year-old Sanborn Elementary School third-grade teacher, was released on bond Tuesday after turning herself in on a charge she had sex with a 15-year-old at an Amarillo High football game this fall. The Amarillo Independent School District placed Moore on paid leave shortly after authorities last month seized her iPhone.

Moore could face punishment for sexual assault of a child which is a second-degree felony punishable by two to twenty years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

According to the police, an investigation was launched last November after Moore was seen by a Texas ranger acting suspiciously with a young boy at an Amarillo High School football game.

Investigators said that Moore invited the boy to her car during the game's half-time show and showed him a box of condoms in the car's center console.

Moore then allegedly drove the boy to a nearby apartment complex parking lot where the two had sex in the back seat of her car. The pair then returned to the school in time to watch the second half of the football game.

The student told police that he and Moore had exchanged dozens of sexually explicit text messages and inevitably had sex on three separate occasions.

His parents voluntarily surrendered the boy's cell phone and two computers to police for forensic analysis.

Although the arrest report centers on one victim who Moore allegedly had sex with, investigators listed three 15-year-old boys Moore was allegedly sexting with.

In November, Texas Rangers served a search warrant at Moore's home, seizing several electronic devices including a laptop computer, USB flash drives and an AT&T SIM card.

Dinner with President Obama Costs $35,800...Per Person

President Obama attended a re-election campaign dinner in Washington at the Jefferson hotel. The cost per person was $35,800 which went to a joint Democratic party and Obama Victory account.

According to Democratic party officials, 20 people attended the dinner.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Michael Moore Talks about Obama's Campaign Funding from Wall Street

MICHAEL MOORE, ON CNN: Well, "The Washington post" three weeks ago had this investigation and they said that President Obama has now raised more money from Wall Street and the banks for this election cycle than all -- than all eight Republicans combined. I don't want to say that, because if that's the truth, that Wall Street already has their man and his name is Barack Obama, then we've got a much bigger problem.

But I think President Obama, if he were here in the room, the question I would ask him is why are they your number one contributors? Why are you taking this money?

MORGAN: It's fascinating to find out why they're doing it. I'll ask him.

MOORE: What are they expecting in return in the second term from you? Right now, here's what we do know. Goldman Sachs was your number one contributor the 2008 election. And we have not seen anyone from Goldman Sachs go to jail. We have not seen the regulations, Glass/Steagall, put back on to Wall Street now three years after the crash.

Why hasn't that happened? President Obama, we the people need you to take them by the throat and say, damn it, this is the United States of America; you don't steal from the working people of this country. And this is the way it's going to be.

Michael Moore to Pier Morgan: "Even though I do well, I don't associate myself with those who do well. I am devoting my life to those who have less."

In this video clip from CNN's Pier Morgan Tonight show, Michael Moore was the guest for the live "Piers Morgan Tonight" town hall, with a full studio audience. The discussion of the 99% led to a discussion of the 1% – and whether Moore was part of it.

"How could I be in the 1%?" he told Piers Morgan, refuting the claim. "I do really well, but what's the point though?"

Moore continued, "Even though I do well, I don't associate myself with those who do well. I am devoting my life to those who have less."

2 More Elderly Women Come Forward About Their Experiences with the TSA

Two elderly women came forward about their experiences with the TSA screeners at the JKF International Airport.

Ruth Sherman, 88, of Sunrise, Florida on November 28th, was asked about a bulge in her pants. Agents took Sherman to a private room and, according to her, made her lower her sweatpants. The bulge was Sherman's colostomy bag. She was forced to stand with her arms and legs outstretched while agents examined her colostomy bag.

In another incident, another woman was to lower her pants and underwear so that agents could examine her back brace.

The TSA released a statement Tuesday morning, saying, "TSA screens nearly 1.8 million passengers each day to ensure the safety of the traveling public. We do not conduct "strip searches" as part of passenger screening. Our officers are committed to treating every passenger with dignity and respect and we take complaints seriously. TSA is currently reviewing recent allegations of passengers who flew out of JFK. Our preliminary review of each of these claims indicates all screening procedures were followed."

In June, a 95-year-old woman, Lena Reppert, could not board her flight due to a wet adult diaper. Reppert's daughter had to change her mother's diaper so that she could board her flight.

Woman Who Denied Food Stamps Kills Herself and Shoots Her Children

A standoff at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission office in downtown Laredo, Texas ended in tragedy with a woman who killed herself and critically wounded her two children.

A 38-year-old woman who recently moved to Texas from Ohio went into the office and demanded to speak to a supervisor. As some point, the woman pulled out a handgun and began to threaten several employees.

According to Joe Baeza, an investigator with the Laredo Police Department, the woman "had issues and felt that she had been let down by social services in general."

The woman took an office supervisor hostage in a room in the office. A SWAT team was able to evacuate the rest of the office and clear the area.

After 2 hours of negotiations, the woman released the office supervisor. The woman remained in the room with her two children, a 10-year-old boy and a 12-year-old-girl.

At 11:45PM Monday, the woman hung up the phone with negotiators and three shots were heard. The woman had shot each child and then fatally shot herself. The two children were critically wounded and they were airlifted to a hospital in San Antonio, Texas.

The woman had arrived in Laredo about 8 months ago and had lived in various locations in Laredo. The woman had applied for food stamps in July, but was denied. According to Stephanie Goodman, a spokeswoman for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, the woman's application was incomplete and they could not determine if she would be eligible for assistance.

N Korea Building Mobile ICBM Capable of Striking US

In a letter from Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, it was made public that North Korea is working on an intercontinental ballistic missile that is capable of reaching the US. The other disturbing feature of this system is that it is road-mobile. This means that the missiles can easily be hidden and moved from location to location.

This weapon system has caused the Republicans to pressure the Pentagon for a long-range interceptor to protect the US from a possible pre-emptive strike.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Crime Definitely Does Not Pay for a Mugger

Anthony Miranda was charged and arrested for robbery of a man who turned out to be an ultimate fighter and martial arts expert.

According to the police report, Miranda, 24, around 11:30PM on Friday, walked up to a car parked at 55th Street and Kenneth Avenue in Chicago, and asked the driver for a light. Then, Miranda pulled out a handgun and demanded the driver's money.

The driver compiled and gave Miranda some of his money. However, Miranda was not satisfied. He ordered the driver out of the car. At some point, Miranda got distracted and the driver grabbed the gun and the two began to wrestle.

Miranda managed to shoot himself in the ankle with his own gun. The victim had Miranda pinned down to the ground when police arrived.

Police found Miranda had a face full of lacerations and two black eyes and was taken to Holy Cross Hospital for treatment.

Miranda, a convicted felon, was charged with armed robbery and aggravated discharge of a firearm.

Former MF Global Employee Accused Clinton of Collecting $50,000 per Month

A former employee of MF Global accused former President Bill Clinton of taking $50,000 per month through his Teneo advisory firm months prior to MF Global financial meltdown.

According to the former employee who wished to remain anonymous, Teneo was hired by MF Global's former CEO Jon S. Corzine to improve his image and to enhance his connections with the Clinton political family.

The contract between MF Global and Teneo lasted for at least 5 months.

S&P Warns Euro Zone on Downgrade

The US rating agency, Standard & Poor's, put 15 countries on negative creditwatch.

Feeling the sting of the massive debt crisis, 6 AAA-rated euro zone countries (Germany, France, Austria, Finland, the Netherlands and Luxembourg) may lose that coveted rating within the next 90 days.

S&P will conclude their review "as soon as possible" following this week's summit of EU leaders on Friday.

The 6 countries with the AAA have been warned that their ratings would be lowered to AA+ if they do not convince its expert.

Although many felt that France would be downgraded, few expected Germany to be on the list.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Drugs Suspected in Death of "Occupy Denton" Protester

Police, on Sunday, identified the body of Darwin Cox, 23, who was found dead in a tent at the "Occupy Denton" protest campsite on the University of North Texas campus.

University and city police found his body after someone contacted the authorities between 5:00 PM and 5:30PM on Saturday.

Although the cause of death has not been positively established, it is suspected that it is drug-related. The exact determination is pending the results of a toxicology examination.

According to an "Occupy Denton" press, Cox was described as a "a fellow occupier, a kind and idealistic young man and a friend" whose "lifelong struggle with drug addiction" was suspected to be a factor in his death.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Boston First Grader Being Investigated for Sexual Harassment

A 7-year-old boy in Tynan Elementary School in South Boston is being investigated for sexual harassment after allegedly punching another boy in the groin during a school bus altercation.

According the boy's mother, Tasha Lynch, her son was defending himself. The other boy was attempting to choke her son on the school bus and he had to protect himself.

Her son is now afraid to return to his school since the fight.

School officials have not commented on the incident or why this is being investigated as a case of sexual harassment.

9-Year-Old Boy Suspended from School for Calling His Teacher "Cute"

In North Carolina, a 9-year-old boy was suspended by the school the principal of Brookside Elementary in Gastonia for calling his teacher "cute".

According the boy's mother, Chiquita Lockett, the principle said that the comments was a form of "sexual harassment" and therefore, the boy needed to be suspended for 2 days for his inappropriate behavior.

Reid to Introduce Compromise Bill on Payroll Tax Holiday

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid plans to introduce a compromise bill to continue with the payroll tax holiday on Monday according to Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND), the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee.

Conrad further stated that the payroll tax holiday will be paid for. The extension will take more than $120 billion away from Social Security.

This payroll tax cut is one of President Obama's key issues and would increase the cut from 2% off of the 6.2 percent that Americans pay into Social Security to 3.1%. This would effectively increase the amount that Americans save from an average of $1000 to $1500 for 2012.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

85-Year-Old Woman May Sue TSA for Being Strip Searched

Lenore Zimmerman, an 85-year-old grandmother, threatens to sue the TSA after being subjected to a strip search at JFK airport.

Zimmerman, after visiting her son, was on her way back home to Florida when she was taken aside by two female TSA agents to a private room and stripped.

According to TSA spokeswoman, Lisa Farbstein, the agents followed proper procedures.

After Zimmerman had checked her bags and reached the security checkpoint, she asked the agents if she could forgo the advanced image technology screening. She feared that it might interfere with her defibrillator.

Zimmerman said that, in the past, the agents would just simply pat her down. In this instance, two female agents escorted her to a private room and began to remove her clothes. She further stated that when she tried to lift her walker off her lap, one of the metal bars banged her leg and caused her to bleed.

The agents, according to Zimmerman, continued to remove her pants and showed no sympathy to her as she bled during the search.

The TSA claims that the closed circuit television footage does not show any sign of injury to Zimmerman.

Herman Cain Suspends Presidential Campaign

In an announcement in front of what would be his Georgia campaign headquarters, Herman Cain with his wife, Gloria, by his side let a crowd of supporters know that he was suspending his campaign for president. The allegations of sexual misconduct and infidelity had become too big of a burden for him and his wife.

Cain stated that the accusations were false; however, they have impacted his family as well as caused him to be "sidetracked and distracted" from the campaign. The allegations have also impacted his ability to raise money to sustain his bid for the White House.

"I am suspending my presidential campaign because of the continued distraction, the continued hurt caused on me and my family," Cain said, adding that he reached the decision "with a lot of prayer and soul-searching."

Although Cain has given up his run for the White House, he said that he would continue to be a "voice for the people." Cain announced his new web site, www.cainsolutions.com.

Oklahoma Girl Shows What Christmas is All About

Instead of buying things for herself, Alexis decided to take her birthday money to help another child.

On a trip to a local Walmart, she adopted an Angel's Wish List child and purchased gifts for the adopted child.

Alexis explained that she did not know why Santa did not give gifts to all children. So, she would help by giving another little girl Christmas presents. Her desire is to one day meet her adopted friend.


Friday, December 2, 2011

Obama to Take 17-Day Vacation

According to a recent story on Drudge Report, President Obama will be taking a 17-day vacation in Honolulu, Hawaii.

On Saturday, December 17th, 2011, the President will travel to Honolulu, Hawaii. He will return to Washington, DC on Monday, January 2nd, 2012.

On the very same day that this announcement came out about the President's vacation, President Obama told Congress that they will be working on the payroll tax cut even if it means staying in Washington over Christmas.

“We need to get this done. And I expect that it’s going to get done before Congress leaves,” Obama said. “Otherwise, Congress may not be leaving and we can all spend Christmas here together.”

Television Ownership Declining

According to a recent report, "Television Audience", by Nielsen, television ownership is on the decline and will continue its decline in the future. The rising trend of the past years has leveled off and has begun to drop.

Ownership for the group of key adults which include people between 18 and 49 have dropped. The drop in ownership started 2010 with a small drop but has been accelerated this year.

Why the drop? According to Nielsen, two factors are at play. One, more and more people are viewing television programming online. The other is that the downturn in the economy is taking its toll.

Cain: Gave Money to White and His WIfe Didn't Know that They were Friends

In an interview with the New Hampshire Union Leader, Herman Cain acknowledged that he had given money to Ginger White to help her with "month-to-month bills and expenses" without telling Gloria, his wife.

Cain admitted that his wife did not know that they were friends until White came forward with her story about their 13-year affair. Cain continues to deny these and other allegations of sexual misconduct.

He further stated that he believed that someone offered White money to make the allegation.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Obama: My Kids will be Fine Even If America Isn't

In a speech given in New York to campaign supporters, President Obama had this to say about his children.

"Our kids are going to be fine. And I always tell Malia and Sasha, look, you guys, I don't worry about you -- I mean, I worry the way parents worry -- but they’re on a path that is going to be successful, even if the country as a whole is not successful. But that’s not our vision of America. I don't want an America where my kids are living behind walls and gates, and can’t feel a part of a country that is giving everybody a shot."

"Occupy Wall Street" Protesters Turn on Obama

Last night, over 100 "Occupy Wall Street" protesters marched to a Midtown hotel to protest at a fund-raiser for President Obama.

Protesters, escorted by police, started their march from Bryant Park and headed to the Sheraton hotel where President Obama was expected to appear at 9PM.

They carried signs saying, "Obama is a corporate puppet." Another one read, "War crimes must be stopped, no matter who does them". One man wearing a mask with the president's face was carrying a cigar and a sign that read, "I sold out!"

Ben Campbell, the 28-year-old who organized the protest, said, "President Obama is coming to town solely to raise money from the richest of the rich."

Gingrich over Obama

In a new national Rassmussen poll, Newt Gingrich now leads President Obama by 2 percentage points. Gingrich moves ahead of Obama with 45% of those polled to Obama's 43%.

Although the lead is within the margin of error, it signals to the Republicans that the once-thought to be invincible President Obama is suffering from the lagging economy and his poor job performance.

Obama the Tax-Cutter

In Scranton, PA, President Obama is now claiming to be a tax-cutter in order to woo the middle-class.

"I know you hear a lot of folks on cable TV claiming that I am this 'big tax and spend liberal.' Next time you hear that, you just remind the people who are saying it that since I've taken office, I've cut your taxes. Your taxes -- your taxes today, the average middle class family, your taxes today are lower than when I took office. Just remember that. We have cut taxes for small businesses, not once, not twice, but 17 times. The average family's tax burden is among the lowest it's been in the last 60 years. So the problem is not that we've been raising taxes. We've been trying to give families a break during these tough times," Obama said at a campaign event in Scranton, Penn.

Horses Could Be Slaughtered for Meat in US

Congress quietly lifted a 5-year-old ban on funding horse meat inspections. The ban was lifted in a spending bill that would fund the government until mid-December. It was signed into law by President Obama on November 18th.

Horse slaughterhouses could be up and running in less than a month. According to the USDA, there are currently no horse slaughterhouses in the US. The last slaughterhouse that butchered horses for meat for human consumption closed in 2007 and was located in Illinois.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Cain: Family Comes First

Herman Cain is talking with his family about his campaign and whether or not he should stay in the race.

Ginger White, the latest woman to come out, was on ABC's "Good Morning, America" to tell her story again. She said that she was disappointed by Cain's characterization of her. She went on to say that her relationship with Cain was "a very casual affair". Cain would take her on trips and give her gifts and money. She claimed that the money was not for sex.

Cain said that he should have an final answer regarding his campaign in one week.

Enough is Enough: LA and Philly Police Evict Protesters

Both LA and Philadelphia Police departments moved against the Occupy protesters in their cities.

LA had given notice to the protesters to vacate their area after being there for a little over 2 months. Around midnight, police in riot gear armed with batons and guns with rubber bullets moved in to the area in order to dismantle the protesters' camp site two days past the deadline outlined in a notice to vacate had been given.

In Philadelphia, the same scene was repeated. Police went into the area and evicted the protesters. Several of the protesters had to be removed by cherry pickers from trees.

For the most part, there were no reports of significant violent confrontations from either LA or Philadelphia.

Over 200 people were arrested in LA and 50 in Philadelphia.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Cain Reassessing His Presidential Campaign

A day after Ginger White came forward to tell her story regarding a 13-year affair with Herman Cain, Cain announced to his staff that he will be reassessing his campaign according to one of his aides.

Cain announced, in a Tuesday morning conference call with his staff, that he will be making a decision on whether or not he will continue his run for the Republican nomination in the next couple of days.

Considering that there is five weeks until the Iowa caucuses, Cain acknowledged that the latest accusation will be more difficult to overcome.

Atlanta Business Woman Claims She had a 13-year Affair with Herman Cain

Ginger White, an Atlanta businesswoman, decided to break her silence and come forward to tell her story of a 13-year affair with Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain.

In an interview between her and Fox 5 senior I-Team reporter Dale Russell, White said that she had met Cain in the late 90s in Louisville, Kentucky, when she was president of the National Restaurant Association. According to White, she was impressed with him after he had given a presentation. They went out for drinks and ultimately ended up back at his hotel room.

White said that Cain wanted to continue the friendship and invited her to meet with him in Palm Springs and that is where the affair started.

During the course of the interview, White showed copies of her phone bill and indicated that Cain had called or texted her 61 times from his private number during a period of 4 different months with the latest being in September of this year. White and Russell texted the number and Cain called back.

When asked about the affair, Cain responded that this is just another false accusation.

In the past, White had filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against an employer in 2001, declared bankruptcy 23 years ago in Kentucky and has a string of eviction notices over the past 6 years including one that happened this month. She is currently unemployed.

For the full interview with Dale Russell, click here.

Washington Post Blogger Asks Twitter Followers for Dirt on Gingrich

Washington Post blogger Aaron Fix put out a twit to his followers asking them to send him ideas about Gingrich. Here is the twit.


Fix writes a political blog for the Washington Post called "The Fix".

Monday, November 28, 2011

Utah Professor Arrested for Allegedly Watching Child Porn on Flight

Grant D. Smith, a 47-year-old University of Utah professor in material sciences and engineering department, was arrested Saturday afternoon for allegedly watching child pornography on a Delta Airlines flight from Salt Lake City, UT to Boston, MA.

According to a passenger, Smith, who was seated in First Class, was looking at pornographic pictures of children engaged in sexual activities on his laptop. The passenger took a picture of Smith while he was looking at the pictures and notified a flight attendant as well as emailed a friend. The passenger told the friend to contact police which he did.

Smith tried to erase the pictures after the flight attendant told him to turn off his computer. He was arrested at the airport gate by state police and charged with possession of child pornography after Smith had voluntarily allowed the officers to view the contents of his laptop. Smith is being held on $75,000 bond and has plead not guilty to the charge.

In addition to the bond, the judge has ordered that Smith have no unsupervised contact with children under 16 years old and that his passport be surrendered. Smith cannot use the Internet except for business provided that he is able to make bail. The university has placed Smith on administrative leave pending the outcome of the case.

Longtime Democratic Liberal Representative Barney Frank Calling It Quits

Longtime liberal democrat, Representative Barney Frank (D-Mass), is calling it quits after serving 16 terms in the US House of Representatives. He cites that the 2012 campaign will be too strenuous for him due to redistricting.

Frank also said that he wants to devote his time to teaching, writing and lecturing. He said that he would not become a lobbyist.

Frank is now the 17th House Democrat to flat-out retire or step aside to seek other office. Republicans have announced seven retirements this cycle.

If Attacked by Israel, Iran Threatens to Launch Missiles in Response

The Iranian Defense Minister General Ahmad Vahidi, speaking before 50,000 army volunteers in Bushehr, threatened to launch 150,000 missiles at Israel if it takes any military action against the Islamic Republic according to Iran Independent News Service on Sunday.

The minister went on to say, "Iran is not Iraq or Afghanistan, if the Americans make the mistake and attack Iran, we will show them how to fight,” adding “Israel has to be punished for what it has done to the Muslims in Palestine and Lebanon."

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Thanksgiving Weekend Sales Way Up!

For those keeping score, consumers’ voracious appetites for great deals on Thanksgiving and Black Friday this year helped secure this weekend’s place in the record books. According to a National Retail Federation survey conducted by BIGresearch over the weekend, traffic and spending were up both online and in stores, reaching historic highs.

According to the survey, a record 226 million shoppers visited stores and websites over Black Friday weekend, up from 212 million last year. Digging deep into their holiday budgets, the average holiday shopper spent $398.62 this weekend, up from $365.34 last year. Total spending reached an estimated $52.4 billion. Additionally, shoppers also checked out retailers’ deals online, spending an average of $150.53 on the web – 37.8 percent of their total weekend spending.

“Stuffed to the brim from their holiday meals and eager to shop, more consumers than ever turned out for retailers’ Black Friday promotions, a promising sign for the economic recovery,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. “After an historic holiday weekend, retailers know the holiday season is far from over and will continue to look for ways to excite holiday shoppers and build on the momentum we’ve seen thus far.”

The survey found 28.7 million people shopped online and at stores on Thanksgiving Day – up from 22.2 million last year. More people than ever before also shopped online and in stores on Black Friday, as 86.3 million shoppers braved the crowds that day alone.

For the first time, NRF asked how shoppers would use their smartphones and tablets over the weekend as well. More than one-quarter (25.7%) of Americans with tablet devices said they did or will purchase items with their devices, and 37.4 percent will or have researched products and compared prices with their tablets. Overall, more than half (57.1%) said they have or will use their tablet devices to shop for gifts this weekend.

Further Discussions regarding the Break Up for the Euro Zone

Germany and France have made a stability pact in order to get the European Central Bank to take a more forceful position and more aggressive stance in combating the euro zone debt crisis.

However, British ministers are not so sure about the stability of the euro zone. Once thought unthinkable, the break up of euro zone has turned more from idle academic conjecture to something that is more plausible.

British diplomats are being instructed on how to help Britons who are abroad during a possible banking collapse. There is a fear that event rioting may be the result if the debt crisis continues to engulf Europe.

A senior British minister has said that Britain is now preparing for the collapse of the euro on the basis that is just a matter of time.

Diplomats have been told that they need to prepare for social unrest and riots and deal with thousands of British citizens who may not be able to access their bank accounts or withdraw funds.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

President Obama Fails to Mention God in His Thanksgiving Address

Republicans and conservatives are upset by President Obama's failure to give thanks to God or even mentioning God in his Thanksgiving Address.

A conservative columnist, Ben Shapiro, tweeted that Obama is a "militant atheist" and added, "Unreal that Obama doesn't mention God in Thanksgiving message...to whom does he think we are giving thanks?"

Dana Perino, former White House Press Secretary for George W. Bush, argued that if you review the last three presidencies, God is usually mentioned. However, it does happen from time to time that God is left to of the the address. God was not included in President Bush's last Thanksgiving address. It depends on the speech writer.

 

Break Up of the Euro Zone?

Banks including Merrill Lynch, Barclays Capital and Nomura issued a cascade of reports this week examining the likelihood of a breakup of the euro zone. “The euro zone financial crisis has entered a far more dangerous phase,” analysts at Nomura wrote on Friday. Unless the European Central Bank steps in to help where politicians have failed, “a euro breakup now appears probable rather than possible,” the bank said.

Given these dire predictions, euro zone leaders are still hopeful and not swayed. Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany said that the break up of the euro zone will not happen.

With the downgrading of Belgium by S&P from AA+ to AA, there is a lot of pressure to make changes quickly. There are discussions that France could lose its AAA rating if their financial situation continues. Portugal and Hungary were downgraded to "Junk" status.

Banks are preparing for the worst and formulating their own plans to handle the euro zone debt crisis.

Black Friday: Spending Flat

Some retailers reported that the season started off with a bang while others report that it is fizzling out. The number of individuals who hit the stores was up, but spending may have remained flat.

It will be interesting to see the final numbers for the weekend. With the increase in mobile shopping and more deals online, brick and mortar businesses may still end up a little short.

Obama Out on the Links...Again

With the warm weather in the Washington area, President Obama went out golfing. This is the 30th time this year and 88th time during his Presidency.

Friday, November 25, 2011

'Occupiers' Target Black Friday

Occupy Wall Street-inspired protesters are eyeing a new target -- Target. And dozens of other companies. A campaign under the name "Occupy Black Friday" is trying to enlist supporters to boycott just about every major retailer, and quite a few mid-sized ones, the day after Thanksgiving. The protesters are casting a wide net, urging people to demonstrate against the top retail stores -- a list that includes everything from Wal-Mart to Target to Dick's Sporting Goods to Dollar Tree. "The idea is simple, hit the corporations that corrupt and control American politics where it hurts, their profits," the group's Facebook page reads, describing Black Friday as the "one day where the mega-corporations blatantly dictate our actions." But retailers, who are monitoring the mini-movement, warn that a blanket boycott could end up hurting local communities. "Retailers, regardless of their size, are an important part of the community, and they employ friends and neighbors of that community across the country," said Joseph LaRocca, a senior adviser to the National Retail Federation specializing in loss prevention. He said retailers have security plans in place and will "work through" any protests and disruptions that occur this weekend. (Fox News)

Occupy Protests Cost Nation's Cities at Least $13M

During the first two months of the nationwide Occupy protests, the movement that is demanding more out of the wealthiest Americans cost local taxpayers at least $13 million in police overtime and other municipal services, according to a survey by The Associated Press. The heaviest financial burden has fallen upon law enforcement agencies tasked with monitoring marches and evicting protesters from outdoor camps. And the steepest costs by far piled up in New York City and Oakland, Calif., where police clashed with protesters on several occasions. The AP gathered figures from government agencies in 18 cities with active protests and focused on costs through Nov. 15, the day protesters were evicted from New York City's Zuccotti Park, where the protests began Sept. 17 before spreading nationwide. (AP)

Company Declares: 'We Are Not Hiring Until Obama is Gone''

A west Georgia business owner is stirring up controversy with signs he posted on his company's trucks, for all to see as the trucks roll up and down roads, highways and interstates: "New Company Policy: We are not hiring until Obama is gone." "Can't afford it," explained the employer, Bill Looman, Tuesday evening. "I've got people that I want to hire now, but I just can't afford it. And I don't foresee that I'll be able to afford it unless some things change in D.C." (NBC-Atlanta)

Black Friday, 2011: One of the Best in Recent Years

With the afternoon not even over, some retailers are already saying that this Black Friday is one of the best ones in recent years. An estimated 152 million shoppers went out early to snatch up bargains.

Online retailers are expecting the same thing this year. Mobile traffic via smartphones was also up. Mobile shopping was up to 11.09% which is almost triple last year's number.

Given the preliminary data, Black Friday, 2011 could easily surpass expectations.

Shots Fired Near a Mall in Fayetteville, N.C.

Police officers were called to the Cross Creek Mall early Friday morning after receiving a report that shots were fired.

According to authorities, a fight broke out near the entrance of the food court at around 2AM which resulted in the shooting. From indication, the intended target of the shooting ran into the mall near Macy's. The shooter ran in after the individual and continued firing shots.

People had gathered outside the mall for Black Friday specials when the fight and subsequent shooting occurred.

Police are still looking for the people involved.

20 People Injured After Woman Uses Pepper Spray

In an incident shortly after 10:20 at a Wal-Mart located near Los Angeles, California, a female shopper used pepper spray during a confrontation and injures 20 people while trying to gain the upper hand on electronic items she wanted.

Police are looking for the woman. No arrests have been made. According to Shawn Lenske, a Los Angeles fire spokesperson, the 10 of the injuries resulted from "rapid crowd movement."

This incident occurred during the Wal-Mart's Black Friday sale.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

"Occupy Wall Street" Protest Movement Urging Supporters to Stay out of Stores

The "Occupy Wall Street" protesters are asking their supporters to boycott retail stores on Black Friday as a show of support and to hurt companies that they have identified as those that are "corrupt and control American politics."

According to the group's Facebook page, the protesters describe Black Friday as the "one day where the mega-corporations blatantly dictate our actions."

Targets of their ire include the following retailers.
  • Target
  • Dick's Sporting Goods
  • Dollar Tree
  • Wal-Mart
  • Best Buy
  • Macy's
  • Abercrombie & Fitch
  • Amazon.com
  • AT&T Wireless
  • Burlington Coat Factory
  • Home Depot
  • Neiman Marcus
  • OfficeMax
  • Toys R'Us
  • Verizon Wireless
This is only a few of the retailers that have been blacklisted by the "Occupy Black Friday" protesters.


Iran Claims to Have Arrested 12 CIA Agents

According to an Iranian official on Thursday, the Iranian government has exposed an US spy ring in the Islamic Republic and arrested 12 CIA agents.

Parliamentarian Parviz Sorouri, a member of the foreign policy and national security committee, claimed that the agents were planning a strike against Iranian targets with the aid of Israel. Sorouri further said that the spy ring had the goal of damaging security, military and nuclear targets inside of Iran.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Stock Markets Slide on Anxiety

With a dismal German bond auction, a less than stellar manufacturing data from China and a slight uptick in first time unemployment claims, US stock markets are in the red.

With the continuing debt crisis in Europe that is affecting the global economic climate, Wall Street has been on a roller coaster ride. US banks have been hit the heaviest with the problems.

Reports on China's manufacturing are showing that the second largest economy in the world is contracting. Additionally, reports on European countries are showing that they are contracting as well.

Russian President Threatens Targeting US Missile Defense Sites in Europe

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said that Russia will target US missile defense sites in Europe with its missiles if a deal is not reached regarding US missile defense plans.

Medvedev said that Russia will deploy missiles in its westernmost Kaliningrad region and other areas if the Russia and NATO fail to reach a deal on US-led missile defense plans. He further stated that Russia may not participate in further arms reduction negotiations if the US proceeds with its plans to deploy a missile defense shield in Europe.

Medvedev considers the missile defense shield as a threat to Russia's nuclear force.

Neo-Nazis Adopt a Section of Highway

The Cedar Grove Road is located in a rural eastern Delaware and it has become the center for a First Amendment battle. State officials approved a neo-Nazi splinter group's application to adopt a 2-mile portion of the road as part of the state's litter-control programs.

Residents near that stretch of road are upset by the fact that this organization is picking up litter and will have its name on a state road sign. After discussions, the group will not be referred to as the "Nazi Party" but rather the "Freedom Party" on the roadsign. Residents are still upset even with the change.

Edward McBride, III, 24, filed the application with the Delaware Department of Transportation and listed the group's name as the "National Socialist Freedom Movement Nazi Party". The original application was denied stating that the Nazi Party name could be thought as an endorsement by the state of a hate group. McBride offered to change the name to "NSFM88 Nazi Party".

According to DELDOT, they did not deny an individual's request to pick up litter along the roadside. However, since the sign placed at the location belongs to the state, they denied the request to display "Nazi Party" on the it.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

German Gynecologist Caught with Pictures of Female Patients

A 56-year-old German gynecologist is being investigated by German authorities after secretly taking pictures of his patients. Almost 700 female patients have filed criminally charges. He is being charged with taking 35,000 pictures of his female patients while they were naked inside his office.

It is estimated that as many 3,000 women were unknowingly photographed by the doctor while undergoing clinical examinations. The doctor, who was practicing in the small town of Schifferstadt, is no longer practicing and could face up to one year in prison.

"Occupy Wall Street" Protesters Target Black Friday

In order to protest against retailers who are in the pockets of Wall Street, "Occupy Wall Street" protesters plan on demonstrating in front of retailers this Friday.

The Friday after Thanksgiving, Black Friday, is the traditional start of the Christmas shopping holiday and is the day when merchants make a majority of their sales. The term comes from an accounting phrase of being "back in the black" or profitable.

Protesters have put up a website and are organizing their protests. They have also identified publicly-traded retailers on their blacklist. The goal of the "Occupy Black Friday" is to disrupt shopping in order to "rattle Wall Street".

Anti-Obama Clothing Outselling Pro-Obama

CafePress, an online custom merchandising company, launched its "Election Meter" at the beginning of November to monitor sales of merchandise for the 2012 Presidential Elections.

Early indications show that 79% of qualifying items for the "Election Meter" were anti-Obama while only 21% were pro-Obama.

According to CafePress, its "Election Meter" successfully predicted Obama's 2008 victory.

Real Clear Politics polling averages show Obama with a very slight edge of 43.8% over an unnamed Republican with 43%.

CafePress' "Election Meter" also shows trends. It shows that Herman Cain merchandise has a plurality of 39%.

TSA Agent Arrested for Sexual Assault

Harold Rodman, a 52-year-old Transportation Security Administration employee, is accused of sexually assaulting a 37-year-old woman in Manassas, Virginia.

According to the police, the woman and a friend were approached by Rodman near the 10500 block of Winfield Loop. He came up to them and flashed his badge and then sexually assaulted the victim.

Rodman was arrested on November 20th and charged with aggravated sexual battery, object sexual penetration, forcible sodomy and abduction with intent to defile.

A TSA spokesperson has confirmed that Rodman works for the the agency, but declined to comment about what his job was and where he worked.

Those in Rodman's neighborhood were shocked by the charges. According to one, he seemed "like a normal guy."

Flash Mob Shoplifts at 7-Eleven in Maryland

Shoplifting flash mobs have become more and more prevalent. The size and frequencies of these types of flash mobs are growing larger and happening more often.

Approximately 50 people came into a Silver Spring, Maryland, 7-11 Saturday night and began to simultaneously shoplift. The shoplifters were described as teens and young adults. According to the police report, they primarily took snacks and drinks.

When police arrived, they saw individuals milling around the parking lot and side streets. After seeing the police, the group immediately dispersed.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Budget-Cutting Super Committee has Failed to Come to an Agreement

The "Super Committee" has failed to reach an agreement to reduce deficit spending.

In as statement released by the committee's co-chairs, the committee was unable to to come to an agreement and that "after months of hard work and intense deliberations, we have come to the conclusion today that it will not be possible to make any bipartisan agreement available to the public before the committee's deadline."

The stock market reacted to the failure of the super committee as well as the European debt crisis. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell to 300 points and then staged a small recovery to end still in the red with a 248-point drop.

The President's Press Secretary, Jay Carney had this to say, "Congress assigned itself a job; assigned 12 of its own members a task -- a task that wasn't really that difficult to achieve if there was a willingness to compromise."

In a press conference this afternoon, President Obama, in response to the GOP's action to "defuse the automatic spending cuts in defense spending, said, "I'll veto any effort to get rid of automatic spending cuts if Congress fails to reach a deficit deal."

Defusing the Automatic Budget Cuts for Defense

As the clock ticks towards the deadline for the budget-cutting super committee and nothing has been done by either party, Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham are now working on legislation to stop the automatic trigger that would cut the defense budget.

The bill would only stop the cuts from occurring in defense while allowing the other budget cuts to take effect. The house is also considering the same thing. Democrats in both houses refuse to allow social programs to be the only items have their budgets cut.

In the face of this new legislation, President Obama has stated that he "will not accept any measure that attempts to turn off the automatic cut trigger."

Sunday, November 20, 2011

"Occupy Oakland" Protesters Plan on Shutting Down ALL West Coast Ports

As if vandalism and violence were not enough, the general assembly of the "Occupy Oakland" protesters unanimously voted on Friday to launch "a coordinated shutdown of ports on the entire West Coast on December 12."

According to a statement from Occupy Oakland, this move is in “response to coordinated attacks on the occupations and attacks on workers across the nation.”

They went on further to say, “We call on each West Coast occupation to organize a mass mobilization to shut down its local port.”

The Occupy Oakland statement also complained about “continued union-busting and attacks on organized labor, in particular the rupture of Longshoremen jurisdiction in Longview, Washington.”

During a protest by 500 longshoremen in Longview, Washington, they stormed the new $200 million terminal with baseball bats and damaged offices and rail cars, smashed windows and dumped tons of grain from rail cars.

In the statement released by the Occupy Oakland, they said, “Should there be any retaliation against any workers as a result of their honoring pickets or supporting our port actions, additional solidarity actions should be prepared.”

They further stated, “In the event of police repression of any of the mobilizations, shutdown actions may be extended to multiple days.”

"Occupy Wall Street" Leader Enjoying While 5-Star Hotel

Peter Dutro, one of the leaders of the "Occupy Wall Street" protesters, and Brad Spitzer, a California-based analyst, spent their time in a 5-Star hotel while their fellow protesters lived in tents.

Spitzer, a 24-year-old analyst for Deloitte, participated in the protests while he spent a week in New York. Deloitte netted $29 billion in revenue last year.

Dutro, 35, one of only a handful of OWS leaders in charge of the movement’s $500,000 in donations, checked in on Wednesday, the night after police emptied Zuccotti Park.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Supercommittee Failure Could Cause Downgrade to US Credit Rating

The bi-partisan congressional committee is responsible for finding $1.2 trillion is budget cuts by November 23rd. However, most economists believe that if the supercommittee fails to come up with a plan, the US credit rating could be downgraded.

Although the deadline is November 23rd, the supercommittee has until Monday to let the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) of the impact of the cuts to the government.

If the supercommittee fails to come to an agreement and submit their plan, a series of automatic budget cuts will be triggered. The cuts will not occur until 2013 which is after the 2012 elections.

"Occupy San Francisco" Camp Declared a Public Health Nuisance

The San Francisco Public Health Department has declared the "Occupy San Francisco" site in Justin Herman Plaza a public health nuisance on Thursday. Protesters have been asked to leave the plaza; however, they have not budged.

Barbara Garcia, head of the public health department, said that the grassy area is being used by the protesters as a toilet. The areas contains human waste. Conditions for the spreading of respiratory illnesses as well as canine illnesses are present.

The protesters feared that the San Francisco Police Department would forcible evict them. So far, nothing has happened.

Foreign Computer Hackers Attacked Water Plant

In a recently released state report, a water plant in Illinois was attacked by foreign computer hackers last week. The plant was caused to fail. If the report's findings are confirmed, this would be the first known instance that a system that supplies water, power or other essentials.

In blog entry from November 6th, it was reported that there is an increase in the number of cyber-attacks on ICS (Industrial Control Systems). These systems are responsible for controlling valves, doors and routing systems.

The FBI and Department of Homeland Security are investigating this situation to determine if this attack was perpetrated by hackers. According to the preliminary findings, the cyber-attack may have originated in Russia. The attack caused minor problems that ultimately caused the pump motor to fail.

Industrial Control Systems are thought to be vulnerable to cyber-attack and need to be protected even more.

Friday, November 18, 2011

12-year-Old Boy Pleads Guilty to Dropping Shopping Cart on Woman

One of the two 12-year-old boys accused of dropping a shopping cart four stories on a 47-year-old mother who was buying Halloween candy for underprivileged children pleaded guilty to a charge of felony assault.

The boy admitted to the judge that he held the cart over the edge and knew that people were down there and could be injured.

The boy faces a punishment ranging from probation to 18 months in a state juvenile facility.

Proposed Balanced Budget Amendment Fails in House

After months of campaigning by congressional conservatives for a Constitutional amendment that would require a balanced budget, the bill came to the floor of the House today for a vote and failed.

The vote was 261 in support of the bill to 165 against. Since this bill is proposing an amendment to the US Constitution, a two-thirds majority is requirement which is 284 votes.

Although a few Republicans voted against the bill, the GOP blamed Democrats for defeating the bill.

President Obama and Bush Having Problems with Doors

President Obama, while in Bali for a conference with East-Asian nations, suffered from a problem that President George W. Bush had when he visited.

If you remember, President Bush, after a press conference, used the wrong door to exit. He became fodder for all of the comedy shows and a source of one-liners.

President Obama and his party had difficulty opening a door to enter the official signing of a massive aircraft deal between  Boeing and Indonesia's Lion Air. A secret service agent had to open the door for them. The problem lasted for less than a minute.

Since the event occurred outside of the room, there was no video capturing the moment.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Energy Secretary Chu: Taxpayers Probably Won't See the Money

In his testimony to the House committee, Energy Secretary Steven Chu said that taxpayers will probably not see most of the $528 million provided to Solyndra as a government loan. He further stated that the situation was "extremely unfortunate".

Although he did not offer an apology, Chu expressed disappointment and said that the decisions on Solyndra's loan stop with him. He went on to say that he was looking after the taxpayers all along the way.

Chu pointed out that Solyndra went bankrupt due to the sudden drop in price for solar panels partly because of China.

When asked about the restructuring of the loan which placed two private investors ahead of taxpayers, Chu responded by saying that he was responsible for that decision as well.

NYPD Officers Injured During "National Day of Direct Action"

Two New York Police Department officers were injured as the "Occupy Wall Street" protesters marched through lower Manhattan as part of their "National Day of Direct Action".

This protest march was organized to shut down Wall Street by taking their message to the people.

In clashes with police, two officers were injured. One officer's thumb was cut when a sharp object was thrown at him. Another officer had some sort of irritant thrown in his eyes. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital to have his eyes flushed.

Roughly one hundred people were arrested.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu on the Hot Seat for Solyndra

Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu will be on the Congressional hot seat today to answer questions about the Solyndra loan which may need up costing the taxpayer $528 million.

The House committee will also be asking Chu about the restructuring of the loan so that the taxpayers will be last line for repayment while two private investment companies move to the head of the line in the case of default.

There are many unanswered questions about the loan and its restructuring and the events that led the company to declaring bankruptcy and laying off 1,100 employees.