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.