News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014

[oilgun]

[...]
You want to blame authorities, why don't you blame supposed reporters, as MH was, and have
them invesitgate this if all these people believe it was murder. Why aren't they doing that?
Maybe the reporters did it themselves for their own agenda? (Is that not as plausible, or just
an eye roll?)
[...]

FBI sued for keeping secret their file on journalist Michael Hastings

Two investigative journalists are suing the FBI after the government failed to respond on time to a pair of Freedom of Information Act requests filed for details on the death of reporter Michael Hastings.
Jason Leopold and Ryan Shapiro filed a joint suit on Friday after the Federal Bureau of Investigation neglected to respond to their FOIA requests within the 20-working day period required by law.
Leopold and Shapiro both sent FOIA requests to the FBI following Hastings’ untimely death last month, and are now taking legal action in an attempt to expedite pleas that have so far been ignored by the bureau.
[...]
http://www.educateinspirechange.org/2013/07/fbi-sued-for-keeping-secret-their-file.html

[Lyle (Mooska)]

Good, if they're not follwing the rules, go after them.

Sort of like NOM keeps getting ruled against for not dislcosing their campaign donors,
but they still have not done anything about it.  Courts rule, but don't enforce. We
shall see what happens.

***

Tony, thanks for your recent posts, and Doodler, too, both of your back and forth
replies were interesting.

And I don't know what to make of your Oprah post, Tony, people are so touchy when
it comes to her.  And the few things I googled baout the incident which I'd heard very
little about all have subtle but pronounced differences so it's hard to know what exactly
occured.

[doodler]

FBI sued for keeping secret their file on journalist Michael Hastings

Two investigative journalists are suing the FBI after the government failed to respond on time to a pair of Freedom of Information Act requests filed for details on the death of reporter Michael Hastings.
Jason Leopold and Ryan Shapiro filed a joint suit on Friday after the Federal Bureau of Investigation neglected to respond to their FOIA requests within the 20-working day period required by law.
Leopold and Shapiro both sent FOIA requests to the FBI following Hastings’ untimely death last month, and are now taking legal action in an attempt to expedite pleas that have so far been ignored by the bureau.
[...]
http://www.educateinspirechange.org/2013/07/fbi-sued-for-keeping-secret-their-file.html

I'll believe there is something to your assumption of murder if Leopold and Shapiro die or disappear.

[Tony_]

...And I don't know what to make of your Oprah post, Tony, people are so touchy when
it comes to her.  And the few things I googled baout the incident which I'd heard very
little about all have subtle but pronounced differences so it's hard to know what exactly
occured.

   I wasn't aware that people were touchy about Oprah, Lyle. Thought I was the only one  .
 Anyway, it turns out the handbag was a lobanza $38,000 item.  Clearly, the clerk would have wanted to have her look it over, for the prospects of a very good sale, and, maybe, commission.
 But, since people often like to handle things of considerable value, which wears them out, and also, as a courtesy, the clerk made her mistake.
  A minor one. The real problem is that Oprah has deluded herself that she is widely known outside of the United States. And that NOBODY on this planet, tells her no.  And that's ignorant. As is the immediate playing of the race card. Which she has done, before, in Europe.
 She gets an award, soon, from the U.S. government.  FWIW, am giving her another award today : Phony of the Year.
Billionaires who have zero empathy or respect for working people, are, IMO, garbage.

[Tony_]

....I'll believe there is something to your assumption of murder if Leopold and Shapiro die or disappear.

  Nah....they're safe.  If murder, the creepies wouldn't risk another 1 or 2.  The usual MO is for the government to buy off the reporters with exclusives, in other areas.  That's what they did with Mike Gooding, of WVEC tv, in Norfolk, who was going to run a story on the Weinmann case, based on my own info.
  Meanwhile, CNN, not referencing the Hastings death, had a segment on how easily new cars can be hacked.  The steering wheel, the brake lines, and the accelerator.  They showed it being done. Sheesh, makes you want to stick to classic cars, if only you can afford them.
******
Where is Paul?  Me like reading his posts  .  Also Jeff and Brokeback Tom. And others.  Please post, even if it's doodlebugging.

[doodler]

BO may be The President
but Oprah's the queen.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Well, once more, into the breach.
Switzerland apologizes to Oprah Winfrey for a racist cashier?  Others may not believe it, or if they did, say it, but...

Oprah Winfrey is a bully and a phony !
  
 As someone who enjoys social history, I do see her as a pivotal figure in our times.  She broke ground on lowering racial tensions, and proving women have a right to a perspective and to bonding, as men have done. And her contributions there have been historic.  On television.
 But in real life?  No way.  She's a phony.  Same-old, same-old, ghetto mentality of making it big, sashaying around with the middle-class whites, and trashing working people.
  The Swiss cashier who suggested a purse was too expensive, and asked to show her other handbags, made a minor, non-racial mistake.  Oprah is known for flouncing around in foreign countries, frumpy-dressed, and expecting that she be recognized and fanned with ostrich feathers.  She's done this before.  Some years back, she demanded that a Department Store in Paris stay open, past closing hours, for....her.  When the manager, very sensibly, said no, she cried: RACISM !!!!  International story.  
  She's ghetto, and she's studied how to get past that by being a phony.  Well-bred people never trash wait-staff, cashiers, or clerks.  Poor people who better themselves, commercially, never get it......you do not jump to accusations and trashing, when you don't get your way.  And if of poor black origins, you don't play sweet to get ahead, and then play the race card if somebody makes the slightest mistake.
 She doesn't get it.  When you trash other people.....you are trash.  She pissed me off the first time she did this. About that time, I broke off with a friend for abusing a fast-food worker, over nothing.  Oprah now has a pattern.
 Anyway, she was in Switzerland for Tina Turner's marriage.  THAT one is, IMO, the major breakthrough in female sensuality. Please, Tina, don't ever show up as low-bred as your friend  .
 At any rate, I am glad to see an emerging political force for respecting low-paid workers.  It's been long overdue.

Good post, Tony.

I especially like this comment:

Well-bred people never trash wait-staff, cashiers, or clerks.

I'd just add bartenders to your list--and also that they say "please" and "thank you" to them.

[chapeaugris]

Where is Paul?  Me like reading his posts  .  Also Jeff and Brokeback Tom. And others.  Please post, even if it's doodlebugging.

OK, since you extended the invitation to "others", I'll contribute a little. I lurk on here sometimes but haven't posted in a long time because it feels kind of like barging in, especially when I don't have time to hang here on a regular basis.

In my opinion, the majority of people are not truly worried about the NSA thing because they can't imagine that their emails and phone calls, representing a few molecules of H2O in that Mississippi-sized river of data, would be of any interest to the government. I think most people are worried about individuals -- an employer, credit-rating service, identify thief, ex-spouse -- checking them out on Facebook, Googling them, Google-Earthing them (where I live, the authorities use GE to see who has a swimming pool, which must have certain expensive safety features, or is building something on their property without a permit) in order to steal from them or wreak havoc on their personal lives.

As for the Oprah incident, for the luxury shop in question it's a similar question of balance -- not exactly between security and privacy but rather between security and bad PR.  Does this person look both rich enough and crazy enough to buy a $40K handbag to risk letting her handle the thing? vs What is the risk of offending this person? For me, the bigger question is, why would Oprah even admit she was contemplating wasting that much money?

[Paul029]

Where is Paul?  Me like reading his posts  .

Golly. Have I been missed since Page 8?

 Also Jeff and Brokeback Tom. And others.  Please post, even if it's doodlebugging.

Even if it's doodlebugging, Tony?

Isn’t that “a seismic method for exploring for oil which sets off explosions at measured intervals, and recording the passage of shock waves through different strata?” 

I’m taking a short break (but have enjoyed the colloquy, especially the issue of morality in “The Intriguing Case of a Handbag”) so will leave that to les autres... until I get back my breath.

(No solecisms for me.)

[Jeff Wrangler]

Where is Paul?  Me like reading his posts  .  Also Jeff and Brokeback Tom. And others.  Please post, even if it's doodlebugging.

Um, if you meant me, I have been staying away deliberately because sometimes this thread just makes me too angry, and I tell myself I really don't need that sort of emotion in my life. I don't enjoy being made angry by posts on a news group.

But I did post a reply to your's about Oprah Winfrey and how well-bred (or well-brought-up?) people behave. See above. 

[Tony_]

....OK, since you extended the invitation to "others", I'll contribute a little. I lurk on here sometimes but haven't posted in a long time because it feels kind of like barging in, especially when I don't have time to hang here on a regular basis.

  I know what you mean, there, Kim, as I go to some of the other threads, but don't hang out, and so don't post, for fear of intruding.  But I do like to go around and see what others are doing.  It's fun, enjoying the company, but staying a little detached.
 As far as extending an invitation to others, I was just wondering about everybody. I feel uneasy, now, over how that was written by me, because it is not my place to extend invitations to this thread (or any other). I probably should be more careful.  Even when I have strong opinions here, I really, seriously, don't want to seem brash. Or over-post. Or, whatever.
 Even so, what you wrote was very level-headed, and gave me a calmer perspective, for which am grateful. Thanks !  Sometimes people show up here, briefly, and that usually tends to re-balance those here often.  Thanks, again !

*****
  Paul, I did see your post.  Was just wondering what else you had to say  ......

*****
  Jeff, as far as some of what's here being angrifying, that probably is true for all of us.  But it is "Hot Topics".  Maybe some of us do go too far and need to rein ourselves in, as a courtesy to others.  But, it is kind of seductive to let it all hang out.
  Did see your post, and appreciated someone else weighing in about The Oprah. But was upstairs on my cranky computer, when I read it, and couldn't thank you, last night.

 For whatever reason, am feeling a little too conspicuous.  Will be back, toning down whatever posts I make. This can be a fun thread, but, myself, I admit I need to think before typing  .

[Jeff Wrangler]

  Jeff, as far as some of what's here being angrifying, that probably is true for all of us.  But it is "Hot Topics".  Maybe some of us do go too far and need to rein ourselves in, as a courtesy to others.  But, it is kind of seductive to let it all hang out.

That's the Internet for you! 

Did see your post, and appreciated someone else weighing in about The Oprah. But was upstairs on my cranky computer, when I read it, and couldn't thank you, last night.

NP. You've got a cranky computer and I've got an antique computer! 

I guess Oprah thinks she's entitled, or something. I don't mean to demean the woman's accomplishments, which are impressive, but I remember her when she was a not-much-of-anybody in Baltimore. 

[Tony_]

.....That's the Internet for you! 

  Amen, there  ......

[Lyle (Mooska)]

Odds and ends.

1.) PBS Newshour had some interesting things on it last night.  It's first segment was about
Eric Holder's speech about new policies concerning how we operate prisons and prison sentences,
etc.

One thing that was mentioned that I found quite astounding is that the United States has about 5%
of the world's population, but has 25% of the prison population of the world.  With a statistic like that
something is wrong somewhere.  (Although one panelist thought that was a good thing.)

***

2.) They also did a segment on the backlash from around the world that Russia is receiving for their
stance and new laws concerning GLBT issues and how the upcoming Sochi Olympics has become a
focal point for the issue. Apparently, everywhere Putin has visited in Europe has become a staging
area for protests against this. Boycotts have been called for all over the world, but that idea is not
gaining traction.  In NYC there were protests at Russia's ambassadors' residence and the ambassador
tried to alleviate any fear of GLBT persons participating in the Olympics or GLBT tourists attending them,
although he added, "...but we expect one to respect our laws."

This issue doesn't seem like it'll go away any time soon (good) and with Obama's support in this
area, I'm hoping more GLBT athletes will come out for the upcoming games. I, personally, am not
for boycotts of the olympics as I've stated previously, but I have no problem with people speaking
out in this area at the Olympics, which would make more impact if you ask me.  THere's also a TDS
news item about this in today's edition.

***

3.) The news hour also had a segment about police departments in the U.S. who are using
electronics to read people's car license plates and track them, store the information and
possibly use it against you.  (Example: The police in one city were reading all the license
plates of cars that were attending a certain Mosque and to subsequently track the places
where these cars were visiting or travelling to.)  Sound familiar?

***

4.) The Governor of North Carolina signed a stringent photo ID law into effect which will also
cut a week off current early voting periods in what the bill sponsors say will prevent rampant
voter fraud, even though NO rampant voter fraud is happening in North Carolina.  I suspect
it's rampant VOTING that they're really afraid of.

***

5.) And Bayard Rustin will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest possible civilian honor,
from President Obama.

[bubba]

JOHANNESBURG - A South African police spokesman says Oscar Pistorius will be served with an indictment now that police have completed an investigation into the shooting death of his girlfriend.

Spokesman Lt. Gen. Solomon Makgale said Tuesday the investigation team is convinced Pistorius has a charge to answer.

Pistorius will appear in a Pretoria court Monday. Makgale said it is expected Pistorius will be served with the indictment and a trial date will be set.

Pistorius says he accidentally shot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Feb. 14. The state alleges the couple may have argued and he intentionally killed her.

The double-amputee Olympian may face a life sentence in prison, with a minimum of 25 years, if convicted of a charge of premeditated murder. He was freed on bail Feb. 22.



http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/police-finalize-investigation-shooting-oscar-pistorius-serve-indictment-145637537.html




Finally, thank goodness!!