Big Parkway sinkhole that damaged 18 vehicles

A sinkhole suddenly formed on the Garden State Parkway during today’s morning rush and quickly became a hidden trap door that flattened tires, bent rims and frayed nerves.
The 6-foot wide, 4-foot long hole was caused by an underground drain pipe that separated, weakening the road above it, officials said.
The sinkhole was several feet deep and caused damage to the vehicles of 18 unsuspecting drivers on the southbound Parkway leading to the Alfred E. Driscoll Bridge — requiring 15 of the vehicles to be towed, officials said.
Feeney said there were no significant delays related to the sinkhole in the morning. Temporary repairs to the deep rut were completed at 4:40 p.m., after eight-mile delays were reported. The far right lanes were reopened along that stretch of the Parkway in Woodbridge but residual delays continued through the evening.
"There is a 15-inch drain pipe under the roadway and it separated — it didn’t collapse, it pulled apart," said Tom Feeney, spokesman for the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, which runs the Parkway and Turnpike. "Then the earth filled the void where the pipe separated and it weakened the road surface above it."
Permanent repairs will require fixing the pipe in the coming weeks, he said.
Travelers on the southbound Turnpike who planned to connect to the Parkway at Exit 11 were advised to head one exit south to Exit 10 and take Route 440 to the Parkway.
The car-crunching sinkhole was reported by drivers just after 6 a.m.
Sal DeFilippo of Toms River was heading home from work when he noticed seven or eight cars on the shoulder of the Parkway, with their blinkers on.
"The next thing you know, bang! You’re in that hole," he said. "I just fell in line with the rest of them."
Both tires on the left side of his red Hyundai sedan were blown and both rims on that side ruined.
"It was a rude awakening, that’s for sure," said DeFilippo, who had his car towed away.
Eighteen drivers, including DeFilippo, discovered the highway rut the hard way as they approached the bridge.
The majority of the cars ended up with flat tires from the impact, and pulled over to the shoulder in a long line ending on the bridge, said Sgt. Adam Grossman of the New Jersey State Police.
Motorists with damaged vehicles from potholes, construction mishaps, windshield damage or snow plows can file damage claims with the Department of Treasury’s risk management division, said Tim Greeley, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation.
But Bill Quinn, a Treasury spokesman, said damage claims from Parkway potholes would be handled by the Turnpike Authority.
Ironically, the sinkhole formed just hours after the Reason Foundation released a report showing that roads and bridges in New Jersey — and most of the rest of the nation — had improved over a 20-year period.

 

Cyberattacks using US IPs' target Chinese military

The military has been the target of a "considerable number'' of cyberattacks, the Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

china.org/Military computers suffered "a large number" of overseas attacks, with "a considerable number" of them originating from the US judging from the IP addresses, said ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng.

Every country should handle cybersecurity in a "professional and responsible way", Geng stressed.

But he did not directly accuse the US government of being behind the attacks as IP addresses can be disguised, he said.

The remarks came in response to a report on Tuesday by US computer security firm Mandiant that accused China's military of hacking US websites.

Cybersecurity is a new way for Washington to levy pressure on the Chinese military, observers said.

The report alleged that a military unit in Shanghai was behind a series of cyberattacks against US companies.

 

Obama Waives Bush Law Banning Child Soldier

constitutionschool/Here’s a headline we’ll guarantee you simply won’t find in the mainstream media –

On October 3, 2008, President George W. Bush signed into law “Child Soldiers Prevention Act of 2008,” a law that made it a federal crime to recruit or use soldiers under the age of 15. The law also gave the United States authority to “prosecute, deport or deny entry to individuals who have knowingly recruited children as soldiers.”

The bipartisan law, which was passed unanimously by both houses of Congress, drew the applause of several international human rights organizations:

“The US is saying to the world that using child soldiers is a serious crime and that it will take action,” said Jo Becker, children’s rights advocate for Human Rights Watch. “Military commanders who use children can no longer come to the United States without the risk of ending up in jail.”

Over the weekend, while most Americans were too busy spending time with their children and keeping up with the latest sporting events to worry about executive orders, President Obama removed the teeth from this law; effectively making it void in the nations most guilty.  The result - thousands of children throughout the Middle East and Africa may be drafted into foreign militaries, with the full blessings of the United States.

Sunday afternoon, President Obama signed a Presidential memorandum, stating the following:
“I hereby determine that it is in the national interest of the United States to waive the application of the prohibition in section 404(a) of the CSPA [Child Soldiers Prevention Act of 2008] with respect to Libya, South Sudan, and Yemen…  and the issuance of licenses for direct commercial sales of U.S. origin defense articles; and I hereby waive such provisions accordingly.”

Section 404(a) deals with exporting arms to countries that allow child-soldiers.

With the stroke of a pen, President Obama did two very frightening things:

1. He authorized the United States to sell military weaponry to the nations of Libya, South Sudan, Yemen and Congo.

At a time with such unrest in the world, there is now a very significant chance that American weaponry will soon be delivered to a Yemen and Libyan port.

2. President Obama has undone much of the progress made in the fight against child-soldiers won over the past decade.  Jesse Eaves, a senior policy advisor for child protection at World Vision stated the following:
“At a time when Congress is locked in one of the most difficult budget battles I’ve ever seen, it is shameful that a portion of federal funding continues to help support governments who are abusing children. At its core, this is a missed opportunity to show leadership on this issue and protect thousands of vulnerable children around the world,” adding, “Frankly, we expected more from our nation’s leaders.”

Unfortunately, as originally stated, this is a headline that you simply will not see ran across the screen of MSNBC.

 

Open Carry Demonstration On Feb. 8th!

bobpowell/I got up at 0700 after only an hour of fitful sleep and traveled 120 miles to the only open spot in a concealed weapon licensing class - The only reason I got in at all was because I "know a guy", as CPL classes in Michigan are booked solid for at least two months - and spent the entire day brushing up on the law; taking written exams to prove I knew it, and then spending another three hours qualifying on the gun range for my Michigan Concealed Pistol License.



My classmates ranged from an older (70-ish) 1st MarDiv Marine to a young couple in their early 20's. We were all there for one purpose; to be certified to carry a concealed pistol in Michigan. But why?

Northern Michigan is a beautiful place, and it is also a place where folks stop to help you back out of the snow drift that suddenly jumped out in front of you (me), where the owner of a LOCAL tire store drives your wife and son (mine) back to the car they had abandoned when the tire blew, puts on a used tire for them and charges only $30, and where most people don't even lock their doors unless they are leaving town for an extended trip. Every now and then a snowmobile will get stolen, or someone will get busted for drugs, petty theft, or shoplifting; but by and large there is not much in the way of violent crime here.

Other than a general desire for personal protection, I can't say why the others were there; but after the world intruded on our little paradise in the form of threats of my murder and the rape of my wife simply for something I said, there is no way I can NOT carry a gun. I RESENT having to carry a gun up here, it's totally cheesing my calm; but I refuse to be a victim or to allow my family to be anyone's victims either. Until the people who made these threats are in jail, I will be forced to carry a gun for our protection.

Since the government has no interest in tracking down and prosecuting those who have made threats against not only me, but every NRA member, Tea Partier, and Republican - basically anyone who isn't all up on Obama's jock - in the United States; OR in allowing us to defend ourselves, it is up to every free man, woman and child to take up that responsibility themselves.

Part of that responsibility is standing up to protect our God-given rights as enumerated in the Constitution, and thousand of Michigan gun owners are going to join me on the capitol steps in Lansing this Friday, Feb. 8th. Even more exciting is the fact that this Open Carry demonstration is going to take place simultaneously in each of the fifty states, and with one voice we are going to say, "No More! No more blaming an entire culture for the horrific acts of of a few deranged DEMOCRATS as an excuse to limit access to guns, or take them away entirely. No more stupid, unconstitutional laws that are passed without even being read by those who vote on them. NO MORE!"

Now that Obama has been reelected he is going to pull out all of the stops in order institute a demonically inspired, Communistic Tyranny on these fifty individual, free, and Sovereign states. Not one to shy away from doing whatever the hell he pleases through the use of Executive Orders, you all can expect one to gut the Second Amendment any time.

This demonstration is the most important event in which I have ever taken part, or covered as a reporter. It is the most important event in which YOU will ever take part, as I believe it is our last opportunity to use our voices to defend our rights. If the Obama administration actually does institute the Draconian gun laws many observers expect it to, the time for talking will be over and a new American Revolution will be the result.

I'm not advocating violence against any person or entity in any way, shape or form; I never have, and I never will. I am simply stating what I fear will come true, no matter how badly we wish it wouldn't.

Since I didn't sleep last night and I've been up all day shooting and scooting, I am dead beat and my back is killing me. I'm going to bed early tonight, and after church tomorrow I am going to get busy setting up my new computer. With individual donations ranging from $1 to $100, about twenty of my viewers donated a little over $450 towards the near $800 it cost, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Thanks are due also to those who could not afford to make a monetary donation, but donated their time by sharing the show wherever they could, and to those who have offered to send used computer parts and even a whole computer. I've got a guy who is going to help out by putting those parts together to create a backup system so this never happens again.

However, with the demonstration now just days away I couldn't sit around waiting and hoping for more donations to come in, so I borrowed the balance - plus the estimated cost of driving to Lansing and back - from our household budget for February; I guess we'll see if the Lord really does provide. I'm betting everything He will, through you. Three of the donations were for $100, from people digging deep to do their part; but the rest came in $1, $5, $10, and $25 at a time. Even the small donations add up, and they are greatly appreciated.

A few have said that they would help if they could mail their donation, but with the nature of the threats that have been made, coupled with the anonymity of the Internet, I am extremely hesitant to provide anyone with my actual address. So on Monday I will set up a P.O. box for those who wish to help out that way. If that seems like a slap in the face to those who have so generously offered to help, I truly do apologize and I hope that you understand that I just can not take a chance on compromising the safety of my family by publishing my home address, even in a private message.

As soon as I get the computer set up, I'll be extremely busy until after Friday editing two new shows - one shot on location at the gun range - as well as putting the finishing touches on my speech. Trust me, it's not easy to channel Voltaire, James Madison, Ron Paul, and William Wallace; but I'm doing my best to make sure that this speech will never be forgotten. It has to be that epic; that is how important this is.

So I'm going to count on you, my loyal viewers - my friends - to continue to spread the word about this demonstration in particular, and The Truth Is Viral in general. Thanks to you, TTiV gained 627 new subscribers and nearly 67,000 views in the last thirty days alone. TTiV is well on its way to becoming a driving force in New Media, but now is not the time to rest on our laurels.

Now is the time to redouble our efforts and work harder than ever to save lives by waking people up while we still can.

Bird populations being poisoned

Ok, now this one will piss you off!

(NaturalNews) Not all the mysterious bird die-offs that have been witnessed around the globe recently are due to unexplained causes. A recent mass die-off event witnessed in Yankton, South Dakota was traced back to the USDA which admitted to carrying out a mass poisoning of the birds.

After hundreds of starlings were found dead in the Yankton Riverside Park, concerned citizens began to investigate. Before long, a USDA official called the local police and admitted they had poisoned the birds. "They say that they had poisoned the birds about ten miles south of Yankton and they were surprised they came to Yankton like they did and died in our park," says Yankton Animal Control Officer Lisa Brasel, as reported by KTIV (http://www.ktiv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13865540).

The USDA then confirmed the story and explained it was all "part of a large killing" in Nebraska. Some of the birds that ate the poison apparently flew all the way to Yankton before succumbing to the poison.

Watch the video yourself, as reported from KTIV:
http://naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=191572F79E8B2C64705B4AB182AF54F9

USDA mass-murders birds on a regular basis

So why was the USDA poisoning birds in the first place? A Nebraska farmer was apparently complaining that the starlings were defecating in his feed meal. The answer to this conundrum apparently isn't to cover your feed meal but rather call the USDA and ask them to poison thousands of birds.

The USDA complied, apparently agreeing this was a brilliant idea. So they put out a poison called DRC-1339 and allowed thousands of birds to feed on that poison.

Carol Bannerman from USDA Wildlife Services ridiculously claimed the bird kill was also to protect "human health."

"We're doing it to address, in this case, agricultural damage as well as the potential for human health and safety issues," she said. That's just a lie, of course. In what universe do starlings pose a threat to human health and safety?

The USDA Wildlife Services website, by the way, is http://www.aphis.usda.gov

The USDA even has a name for this mass poisoning program: Bye Bye Blackbird. Through the use of poisons such as DRC-1339, the USDA has killed more than four million birds over the last several years, reports Truthout (http://www.truth-out.org/bye-bye-blackbird-usda-acknowledges-a-hand-o...).

They even proudly publish an online spreadsheet showing just how many they've murdered with poison: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/prog_data/2009_prog_data/PD...

Remember, these are mass bird killings that are funded with your tax dollars. It all makes you wonder whether the government is, in fact, responsible for many of the other mysterious animal deaths that have been reported across the country (and around the globe).

It also makes you wonder: If the federal government thinks nothing of murdering 4 million living, breathing birds, then what else might they be capable of doing out of a total lack of respect for wildlife?

And if the USDA poisons birds because certain groups become too populous, what do you suppose is planned for when human population grows too large?

Be sure to check out the video at: http://naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=191572F79E8B2C64705B4AB182AF54F9

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/031076_USDA_bird_deaths.html#ixzz2JhESh600

 

Debt Collectors Are Infiltrating Facebook

Debt collectors have time and again proven to be ruthless in tracking down delinquent borrowers, so perhaps it was only a matter of time before social media became their go-to hunting grounds.
In a report on the government's attempt to tighten laws on collection practices, attorney Billy Howard tells Bloomberg's Carl Dougherty about his client's run-in with social media loan sharks:

"Howard said he’s seen more aggressive use of social media by debt collectors, including rude postings on a person’s “wall,” the part of a Facebook account that a person’s friends can see. Some collectors masquerade as friendly personalities to catch an alleged debtor’s attention.

“You get a friend request from some chick in a bikini,” said Howard, a lawyer with Morgan & Morgan P.A. in Tampa, Florida. “You say yes, and then somebody says ‘‘by the way, I’m a debt collector.’"

While consumers are protected by abusive collections practices under The Fair Debt Collections Practices Act, the law took effect more than 30 years ago –– well before anyone could have dreamed up a world with Facebook stalking.
That's why regulators have been calling for new regulations that could add social media protections explicitly to the list. As of January, most large debt collectors were officially herded under the regulatory umbrella of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
In tangent with the Federal Trade Commission, the CFPB's already issued rules that would force collectors to streamline consumer complaint practices, keep borrowers informed of any legal actions from start to finish, and tone down aggressive language. It might also restrict them from contacting borrowers on sites like Facebook, Google Plus, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
But chances are that the debt industry won't take kindly to its young new Sheriff. The CFPB estimates as many as 30 million consumers are being pursued by collectors today, accounting for more than $12 billion in revenue per year.
It's a lucrative business, and since many forms of debt –– including medical bills and student loans –– can be sold off multiple times to different collectors, persistent collectors can easily chase borrowers well into their retirement years.
"In just a few months I'm going to turn 62 years old," said a former Psychology student in a debt story posted on studentdebtcrisis.org. "I've been attempting to pay back my [$44,000 in private] student loan debt for 22 years."
Word to the wise: If you're being hounded by debt collectors the old fashioned way (by phone) or otherwise, the best way to report aggressive tactics is to either alert the FTC or submit a complaint to the CFPB. And don't forget you have rights, too.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/debt-collectors-pose-as-facebook-friends-student-debt-cfpb-2013-1#ixzz2JhB8Cob2

 

Chemtrails-Eve Of Destruction

Marine Writes Letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein: ‘I will not be disarmed’ (VIDEO)

A letter written by an 8-year Marine veteran to U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, the architect of the comprehensive 2013 Assault Weapons Ban, has gone viral.

The author of the letter, Cpl. Joshua Boston who was deployed to Afghanistan between 2004-05, told CNN that he opposes gun registration because it will lead to confiscation.  Moreover, that passing more gun control laws will only serve to disarm law-abiding citizens, leaving them defenseless.
“I own the guns I own because I acknowledge mankind’s shortcomings instead of pretending like they don’t exist. There are evil men in this world and there just may be a time when I need to do the unthinkable to protect me or my family,” Boston said.
Here is the letter Boston wrote, courtesy of CNN’s iReport:

Senator Dianne Feinstein,
I will not register my weapons should this bill be passed, as I do not believe it is the government’s right to know what I own. Nor do I think it prudent to tell you what I own so that it may be taken from me by a group of people who enjoy armed protection yet decry me having the same a crime.
You ma’am have overstepped a line that is not your domain. I am a Marine Corps Veteran of 8 years, and I will not have some woman who proclaims the evil of an inanimate object, yet carries one, tell me I may not have one.
I am not your subject. I am the man who keeps you free. I am not your servant. I am the person whom you serve. I am not your peasant. I am the flesh and blood of America.
I am the man who fought for my country. I am the man who learned. I am an American. You will not tell me that I must register my semi-automatic AR-15 because of the actions of some evil man.
I will not be disarmed to suit the fear that has been established by the media and your misinformation campaign against the American public.
We, the people, deserve better than you.
Respectfully Submitted,
Joshua Boston
Cpl, United States Marine Corps
2004-2012

Very well said.  Particularly the point about “We deserve better than you.”  It’s not clear as to whether Sen. Feinstein has actually seen this letter.
Nevertheless, it stands to reason that the majority of the 5.1 million Post 9/11 veterans, many returning from combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, feel the way Cpl. Boston does.  In fact, it stands to reason that the majority of all veterans identify with Cpl. Boston’s letter.
We often hear politicians, on both sides of the aisle, say we need to “support the troops” – well, the question needs to be asked, how does stripping our veterans of their Constitutional right to keep and bear arms via an AWB fit within that popular meme?
Brave men and women put their lives on the line to protect and defend this country and its founding principles yet politicians are going to repay these heroes by gutting their Second Amendment rights?
Any logical person would admit that that’s not supporting the troops; that’s spurning the troops and the sacrifices they made for this country.
Though, given Sen. Feinstein’s past remarks about guns, it’s clear we’re not dealing with a logical individual (see video).
Here is a brief recap of Sen. Feinstein’s 2013 AWB (for a more detailed version, click here).

• Bans the sale, transfer, importation, or manufacturing of:
o 120 specifically-named firearms;
o Certain other semiautomatic rifles, handguns, shotguns that can accept a detachable magazine and have one or more military characteristics; and
o Semiautomatic rifles and handguns with a fixed magazine that can accept more than 10 rounds.
• Strengthens the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban and various state bans by:
o Moving from a 2-characteristic test to a 1-characteristic test;
o Eliminating the easy-to-remove bayonet mounts and flash suppressors from the characteristics test; and
o Banning firearms with “thumbhole stocks” and “bullet buttons” to address attempts to “work around” prior bans.
• Bans large-capacity ammunition feeding devices capable of accepting more than 10 rounds.
• Protects legitimate hunters and the rights of existing gun owners by:
o Grandfathering weapons legally possessed on the date of enactment;
o Exempting over 900 specifically-named weapons used for hunting or sporting purposes; and
o Exempting antique, manually-operated, and permanently disabled weapons.
• Requires that grandfathered weapons be registered under the National Firearms Act, to include:
o Background check of owner and any transferee;
o Type and serial number of the firearm;
o Positive identification, including photograph and fingerprint;
o Certification from local law enforcement of identity and that possession would not violate State or local law; and
o Dedicated funding for ATF to implement registration.
Video Link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=blXkl9YVoHo

 

Testosterone Partly to Blame for Washington Dysfunction.

Today the Senate will make history, swearing in a record-breaking 20 female senators -- four Republicans and 16 Democrats -- in office.
As the 113th Congress is sworn in today on Capitol Hill, ABC "World News" anchor Diane Sawyer has an exclusive joint interview with the historic class of female senators.
Diane Sawyer's complete interview will air on "World News" and "Nightline" tonight.
"I can't tell you the joy that I feel in my heart to look at these 20 gifted and talented women from two different parties, different zip codes to fill this room," Sen. Barbara Mikulksi, D-Md., said while surrounded by the group of women senators. "In all of American history only 16 women had served. Now there are 20 of us."

Senator-elect Deb Fischer, R-Neb., today becomes the first women to be elected as a senator in Nebraska.
"It was an historic election," Fischer said, "But what was really fun about it were the number of mothers and fathers who brought their daughters up to me during the campaign and said, "Can we get a picture? Can we get a picture?' Because people realize it and -- things do change, things do change."

Martin H. Simon/ABC

When the 113th Congress is sworn in it will... View Full Size

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The women senators all agree that women will be getting things done in this new Congress, a sign of optimism felt for the new Congress, after the bruising battles of the 112th Congress.
"We're in force and we're in leadership positions, but it's not just the position that we hold. I can tell you this is a can-do crowd," Mikulski said of both Democrats and Republican senators in the room. "We are today ready to be a force in American politics."
And while the number of women in the Senate today makes history, many of the women agreed that they want to keep fighting to boost those numbers.
Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., said that women are still "underrepresented" in the Senate.
"I think that until we get to 50, we still have to fight because it's still a problem," Boxer said. "I think this class as you look around, Republicans and Democrats. ... I think that because of this new class and the caliber of the people coming and the quality of the people coming, I think that hopefully in my lifetime -- and I really do hope and pray this is the case -- we will see 50 percent. "
No Sorority Here, Even With the Will to Work Together
The cooperation does not make them a "sorority," Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., says. There are real differences in ideology and personality and they don't want their gender to define them as senators.
But the women also admit that they believe having more women in the room would help in fierce negotiations, compromise and legislating on Capitol Hill, traits they say do not come as naturally to their male colleagues in the Senate. That sentiment enjoys bipartisan support among the women of the Senate.
"What I find is with all due deference to our male colleagues, that women's styles tend to be more collaborative," Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said.
Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., said by nature women are "less confrontational." Sen-elect Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, says that women are "problem solvers."
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., says that women have a camaraderie which helps in relationships that are key to negotiations on Capitol Hill, something she says comes natural to women more than men.
"I think there's just a lot of collaboration between the women senators and... advice and really standing up for each other that you don't always see with the men," she said.
Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/meet-class-senate-swears-historic-20-female-senators/story?id=18113363#.UOYJBXd52Sq

Smokers set to be taxed out of habit

NA/TOBACCO taxes are set to be repeatedly increased over the next five years, potentially raising billions of dollars in extra revenue for the commonwealth and pushing the price of a packet of cigarettes above $20.

The proposal is contained in the latest National Tobacco Strategy, which for the first time lists as its top priority the battle to "protect public health policy, including tobacco control policies, from tobacco industry interference".
This is in Australia.

South Reno Home Explodes: Explosion Update #34

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Bloomberg wants to ban New Yorkers smoking in their OWN homes

Anti-smoking police are set to patrol New York neighbourhoods and stop people smoking in their own homes, secret new documents reveal.
Community groups will be sent out to convince landlords and tenants across the city to turn their private buildings into smoke-free zones, according to the documents seen by the New York  Post.
The community groups would 'work with property managers, tenants, and others on adoption of voluntary smoke-free policies', the document says.
In return for their work, each community group will collect a $10,000 bounty — paid for out of a Centers for Disease Control grant.
The news comes one year after the city banned smoking in parks and beaches, despite promises by Mayor Bloomberg that there were no plans to extend a ban to apartment buildings.
The document explains how neighbourhood contractors would help develop New York health department's agenda in tobacco, alcohol, exercise and diet.
Contractors would improve community awareness and promote 'voluntary adoption of smoke-free policies to reduce tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke'.

Critics called the plan an affront to personal freedom and suspect that it has long been in the pipeline and waited for the public to get used to the public smoking ban before introducing one in homes.

City politicians denied there was any such plan.
Bloomberg spokesperson Samantha Levine said: 'The city is not banning smoking in private residences; as part of this federal grant, organizations can apply to fund projects that, among other things, educate the community on voluntary smoke-free housing policies.

Ban: Landords will be able to change the wording on the lease and implement ban when lease comes up for renewal

Landlords interested in introducing a smoking ban need only change the wording on the lease once it comes up for renewal. Tenants would then have the choice of signing the new lease and accepting the terms or moving on.
There are no laws prohibiting a landlord from banning smoking, according to real-estate lawyer Adam Leitman Bailey. Landlords need only change the language of the lease, and once it’s time to renew, the smoker can decide to move or stay.
Landlord owners of condominiums would need a 66 per cent majority vote among their tenants in favour of a ban in order to implement it.
Most restaurants in the city outlawed smoing in 1995, followed by bars and bar areas of restaurants in 2002.
The document revelas that although the number of smokers in the city has dropped,  850,000 adults and about 18,000 high school students still smoke.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2249355/Mayor-Bloomberg-ban-New-Yorkers-smoking-OWN-homes.html#ixzz2FRFU4u2y

SWAT cops to ask for IDs from everyone in Arkansas town

Reuters/Marcus Donner

There isn’t a lot to do in Paragould, Arkansas, but residents of the town of barely 25,000 seem to have no problem finding trouble. Now in order to curb the rising crime rate, the city is proposing heavily armed police patrol the streets on foot.
At a town hall meeting on Thursday, Mayor Mike Gaskill and Police Chief Todd Stovall endorsed a plan to send cops dressed in full-fledged SWAT gear and equipped with AR-15s into downtown Paragould starting in 2013.
The militarized police force will be tasked with trying to control a crime rate that has made Paragould an increasingly dangerous place to live in recent years. According to statistics collected by city-data.com, Paragould has had a property crime index rating more than double the national average since 2007. Rapes, burglaries, thefts and assaults per capita are also well above the mean there, statistically suggesting Paragould is perhaps the least-safe among area cities.
"This fear is what's given us the reason to do this. Once I have stats and people saying they're scared, we can do this," Stovall said, according to the Paragould Daily Press. "It allows us to do what we're fixing to do."
In order to bring crime down, residents of Paragould may soon have to endure police officers brandishing semi-automatic assault riddles on the regular. What’s more, Stovall says, is he intends to have the cops collecting identification from everyone and anyone in an attempt to discourage criminal activity.
“If you're out walking, we're going to stop you, ask why you're out walking, check for your ID,” the Daily Press reports him saying during last week’s meeting.
"To ask you for your ID, I have to have a reason," he said. "Well, I've got statistical reasons that say I've got a lot of crime right now, which gives me probable cause to ask what you're doing out. Then when I add that people are scared…then that gives us even more [reason] to ask why are you here and what are you doing in this area."
"They may not be doing anything but walking their dog," added Mayor Gaskill, "but they're going to have to prove it."
Soon after the Paragould Daily Press picked up the story, news of the small town’s efforts to enforce martial law began making headlines outside of Arkansas. On Sunday, Stovall authored an explanation on the Paragould Police Department website to clarify how exactly the proposed Street Crimes Unit will interact with citizens.
“Most often, this identification process will be nothing more than making contact with a subject, handing them a business card, and asking if they live in the area and if there's anything we can do for them,” he says. During hours in which crime seems to be more prevalent, however, Chief Stovall says their process “will become more stringent.”
“We will be asking for picture identification. We will be ascertaining where the subject lives and what they are doing in the area. We will be keeping a record of those we contact.”
Stovall adds that they program would not violate the constitutional rights of Paragould citizens, claiming, “Once we have an area that shows a high crime rate or a high call volume, it is our duty and obligation to find out why this is occurring and what we can do to prevent the trend from continuing. Therefore, identifying subjects in those problem areas help us to solve crimes, and hopefully to prevent future crimes.”
Paragould has scheduled two more town hall meetings to discuss the Street Crimes Unit.

 

Your federal tax dollars being used zombie apocalypse

Watch Video
WE/The above film clip is not a “behind the scenes” of the latest Dawn of the Dead straight-to-DVD ripoff. It is the actual footage of first responder seminar in San Diego, California. The Department of Homeland Security deemed the event an allowable expense, enabling participants to use federal grant funding to pay to go.
That’s according to “Safety at Any Price: Assessing the Impact of Homeland Security Spending in U.S. Cities” a report compiled by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., who chairs the investigations subcommittee of the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee. The report focuses on grants made by the DHS and the Urban Areas Security Initiative. Coburn says the report shows that DHS was “directing scarce dollars to low-priority project and low-risk areas.”
Coburn found that, among other things, DHS was spending money on teaching first responders how to stop flesh-eating ghouls. The report said the event was held by the HALO Corporation “at the Paradise Point Resort & Spa on an island outside San Diego 9 (and) the 5-day summit was deemed an allowable expense by DHS, permitting first responders to use grant funds for the $1,000 entrance fee.”
Coburn’s report explained further:

The marquee event over the [San Diego] summit, however, was its highly-promoted “zombie apocalypse” demonstration. Strategic Operations, a tactical training firm, was hired to put on a “zombie-driven show” designed to simulate a real-life terrorism event. The firm performed two shows on Halloween, which featured 40 actors dressed as zombies getting gunned down by a military tactical unit. Conference attendees were invited to watch the shows as part of their education in emergency response training. Barker explained that, “the idea is to challenge authorities as they respond to extreme medical situations where people become crazed and violent, creating widespread fear and disorder.”
According to the firm’s public relations manager, the exercise was brought about “utilizing Hollywood magic,” and setup in a “parking lot-sized movie set [with] state-of-the-art structures, pyrotechnic battlefield effects, medical special effects, vehicles and blank-firing weapons.” [HALO President Brad] Barker added, however, “This is a very real exercise, this is not some type of big costume party.” (Emphasis added.)

That’s a good thing because a zombie apocalypse is something that could totally happen. And the training is necessary too because it is not like there is any film or television show you could watch to give you clues on what to do when the zombies do attack.

 

House explosion sparks blaze near Devil's Lake

13abc/Lenawee County Sheriff's Department confirms there was a house explosion near Devil's Lake Thursday evening. It happened near Glenwood Drive and Round Lake Highway.
The explosion is suspected to have been the result of a gas leak. Two homes were destroyed by the blast and ensuing fire.
Both homes are occupied, but no one was home at the time.
Five fire departments responded to the scene.
Witnesses reported hearing the explosion up to two miles away.
No fatalities or injuries have been reported.

Obama's opening "fiscal cliff" bid seeks debt limit hike,

(Reuters) - The Obama administration's opening bid on Thursday in negotiations to avert a year-end fiscal crunch included a demand for new stimulus spending and authority to unilaterally raise the U.S. borrowing ceiling, a Republican congressional aide said.
The proposal, made by Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to congressional Republican leaders on Capitol Hill, was seen as offering little the Republicans could agree to and was greeted with laughter, the aide said.
"We can't move any closer to them because they're not even on our planet," the aide said. "It was not a serious proposal."
Obama and congressional Republicans are returning to the bargaining table to prevent across-the board tax increases and deep spending cuts, the so-called fiscal cliff, from taking effect next year.
The president wants Bush-era tax breaks to be extended for all but the wealthiest earners, but Republicans have balked at tax hikes of any kind.
In the maiden bargaining session, Geithner, the president's lead negotiator, proposed raising tax revenues by $1.6 trillion, congressional aides confirmed. That figure is in line with what Obama has said is necessary to achieve long-term deficit reduction of $4 trillion over 10 years.
The administration also sought at least $50 billion in new economic stimulus spending.
Obama's negotiators also sought the ability to raise the nation's borrowing limit unilaterally. Currently, Congress must approve an increase in the debt ceiling, and it was an impasse over that issue that brought the country perilously close to default in 2011.
The administration's proposal would put off across-the-board spending cuts for a year.
In exchange the administration agreed to make $400 billion in spending cuts to entitlement programs, an aide confirmed.
The White House had no comment on the details of the offer.
"The only thing preventing us from reaching a deal that averts the fiscal cliff and avoids a tax hike on 98 percent of Americans is the refusal of congressional Republicans to ask the very wealthiest individuals to pay higher tax rates," a White House official

 

1,200-foot sinkhole opens up in Ohio

1,200-foot sinkhole opens up in Ohio: Pipeline exposed and hanging — Gas company working to fix problem — “I’ve never seen anything like this… very unusual situation” (PHOTOS)enews/

Times-Reporter , Nov 28, 2012:

Source: 19 Action News

A section of land the length of four football fields collapsed Wednesday afternoon leaving a gaping hole [...]
The collapse left about 70 to 80 feet of a 4-inch natural gas line exposed, and hanging [...]
[...] an Ohio Department of Natural Resources geologist was at the scene to assist in determining the cause of the collapse.

WTOV, Nov 28, 2012:

“I’ve worked for ODOT 16 years now and I’ve never seen anything like this,” said [ODOT District Deputy Director Lloyd] MacAdams. “This is very unusual situation. You would never think this pond would make it to the state route.”

19 Action News, Nov 29, 2012:

Dover Fire Captain Mike Mosser said that the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, ODOT and the gas company are working to fix the problem. The gas company has addressed an exposed gas line that is no longer a hazard to the surrounding community.

U.S. Birth Rate Hits Record Low

AP Photo/Mary Altaffer

nationaljournal/The U.S. birth rate plummeted in 2011 to the lowest level since the beginning of the Great Depression, led by a drop among immigrants.

The U.S. birth rate dropped to its lowest level since the beginning of the Great Depression, led by a drop among immigrants, according to a report data released Thursday by the Pew Research Center.

In 2011, the overall birth rate was 63.2 per 1,000 women of childbearing age, the lowest since at least 1920, Pew reported, citing numbers from the National Center for Health Statistics. The birth rate reached 122.7 in 1957, the peak of the Baby Boom. After the mid-1970s, the birth rate stabilized at about 65 to 70 births per 1,000 women annually, until the beginning of the Great Recession.

Since 2007, both the U.S. birth rate (the number of live births per 1,000 women ages 15-44) and the number of births have dropped significantly, according to the report.

Overall, the birth rate declined 8 percent from 2007 to 2010.  Among U.S.-born women, the birth rate dropped 6 percent. The decline among foreign-born women was 14 percent. Among Mexican women, the birth rate fell even more, to 23 percent.
(RELATED: State Education Data Reveal Large Racial Achievement Gaps)

Despite the recent decline, foreign-born moms continue to give birth to a disproportionate share of the country’s babies, the report said. In 2010, immigrants represented about 13 percent of the U.S. population while foreign-born mothers accounted for 23 percent of all births.

After 2007, the number of U.S. births, which had been rising since 2002, fell abruptly, according to the report. This decrease was also led by immigrant women. Overall the number of births between 2007 and 2010 dropped 7 percent, pulled down by a 13-percent drop in births to immigrants. By comparison, births to U.S.-born women dropped only 5 percent.

The Pew researchers attributed that drop to a change in behavior (the falling birth rates) rather than a change in the number of women (those born in the U.S. or immigrants) of childbearing age.

An earlier Pew report attributed the recent fertility decline to “economic distress.” The study showed that states with the largest economic declines between 2007 and 2008 were most likely to experience relatively large fertility declines the following year.
Hispanic women - both those born in and those born outside the U.S. - experienced larger birth-rate declines from 2007 to 2010 than other groups. They also experienced greater percentage declines in household wealth than white, black, or Asian households between 2005 and 2009, according to the report. Latinos also experienced a greater rise in poverty and unemployment than non-Latinos after the Great Recession began.

The recent decline in births to foreign-born moms reversed a trend in which immigrant women accounted for a rising share of the country’s births, according to the report. In 2007, immigrant mothers accounted for a quarter of all U.S. births, compared to 16 percent in 1990. By 2010, foreign-born moms accounted for 23 percent of all births.

Despite the drop-off among the foreign-born, Pew population projections indicate that immigrants who arrived since 2005 and their descendants will account for 82 percent of U.S. population growth by 2050. Even taking the recent decline in immigration into account, new immigrants and their descendants are still expected to lead most of the nation’s population increase by mid-century, according to the report.

Other findings:

• The majority of births (66 percent) to U.S.-born women were to white mothers. That share has dropped since 1990 when it was 72 percent. The majority of births to foreign-born mothers were to Hispanic moms.
• Teen mothers make up a greater share of births among U.S.-born women (11 percent in 2010) than foreign-born mothers (5 percent).
• Mothers ages 35 and older make up a higher share of births to immigrants (21 percent in 2010) than to moms born in the U.S. (13 percent). Mothers born outside the country accounted for more than a third of births to women ages 35 and older that year.

 

Residents Alerted to Obamas' Hawaiian Holiday Plans

hawaiireporter/Residents living near the beachfront homes where President Barack Obama and First Family vacation with their friends every year since 2008 were alerted on Monday to some specifics of the Obamas' holiday vacation plans.
The report delivered to residents living along the ocean and canal that surrounds the multi-million dollar homes at Kailuana Place where the President stays, informed  them of restrictions that will be implemented for 20 days beginning December 17 and running through January 6.
In a matter of weeks, Kailua residents will see the familiar street barricades fronted by U.S. Secret Service agents and Navy Seals and the U.S. Coast Guard stationed in canal and ocean waters.
The President, who spent some of his childhood years in Hawaii, brings his wife, two daughters, Sasha and Malia, with dog Bo in tow, each holiday season. They settle into the small town community known for its spectacular sparkling beaches, warm turquoise ocean, rolling surf, country shops and restaurants and friendly people.
The homes where they stay are just a two-minute drive from Kaneohe Bay and the Marine Corps Base Hawaii, where the Obamas and friends can access private white sand beaches and military workout facilities.

Kailua Beach

While many residents welcome the First Family, others are disheartened by the restrictions put on air, water and road travel while the President and family are in town, especially because it is the holiday season and many families on vacation want to use their boats or surf and paddle in the welcoming ocean waves fronting the Kailua homes. In addition, the President's caravan of at least 22 vehicles including an ambulance can easily overwhelm the community that typically has single lane streets.
Adding to the controversy surrounding the President's visit is the cost of the trip.
With the staff, special forces, local police presence and equipment, the President's visit adds up annually to at least a $4 million vacation courtesy of the Hawaii and federal taxpayers.
While the President and his friends pay for their own rental homes, taxpayers pick up the cost of security and waterfront housing for the Secret Service, Navy Seals and Coast Guard as well as staff accommodations at a plush beachfront Waikiki hotel.
TRAVEL: $3,629,622
The biggest expense is President Barack Obama’s round trip flight to Hawaii via Air Force One.
A Congressional Research Service report released in May 2012 said the plane typically used by the President, a Boeing 747, costs $179,750 per hour to operate. The U.S. Air Force has listed the cost of travel as high as $181,757 per flight hour.
Travel time for Air Force One direct from Washington D.C. to Hawaii is about 9 hours or as high as $1,635,813 each way for a total of $3,271,622 for the round trip to Hawaii and back.
The cost for USAF C-17 cargo aircraft that transports the Presidential limos, helicopters and other support equipment to Hawaii has never been disclosed in the years the President has traveled to Hawaii. However, the flight time between Andrews Air Force Base and Hawaii is at about 21.5 hours roundtrip, with estimated operating cost of $12,000 per hour. (Source: GAO report, updated by C-17 crew member). The United States Marine Corps provides a presidential helicopter, along with pilots and support crews for the test flights, which travel on another C-17 flight. That is $258,000, not including costs for the 4 to 6 member crew's per diem and hotel.

Moana Surfrider Resort

The rentals are fronted by the ocean and backed by a canal. So, the taxpayers must cover the costs for housing U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Coast Guard and Navy Seals in beach front and canal front homes around where the President stays.
Last year, that added up to about $200 per bedroom per day, or $21,600 per average home for a nearly three week period, with special forces renting at least 7 homes. Security arrives ahead of the President costing taxpayers about $176,400 for the length of the visit.
The President’s staff and White House Press Corps typically stay at one of Hawaii’s oldest and most elegant hotels, the Moana Surfrider. Besides its stunningly beautiful view of Waikiki, and its traditional Hawaiian architecture and decor, it is one of the most pricey hotels in the state and government rates are not available during the holiday season. Rooms  start at around $270 but can cost as much as $370 a night for an ocean view before Christmas, and climb much higher around the new year.
A conservative estimate with rooms at $270 (excluding a 9.25 percent Transient Accommodation Tax and a 4.712 percent General Excise Tax on each bill, meals, internet charges and other charges) means the taxpayers are covering more than $129,600 in hotel bills for some two dozen staff.
LOCAL TAXPAYER COSTS: $260,000
Local police are paid over time for the President’s visit, which has historically cost Oahu taxpayers $250,000.
The city ambulance the accompanies the President 24 hours a day through his entire visit is about $10,000 to city taxpayers.
UNKNOWN COSTS
There are several costs the White House annually refuses to release, citing security.

• • For example, the President’s security usually rents an entire floor of an office building in Kailua on the canal during the president’s stay.
  • There are security upgrades and additional phone lines to several private homes where Obama and friends are staying. That includes bullet proof glass installed, home security systems disabled, new security measures put into place and additional phone lines added.
  • There is the cost for car rentals and fuel for White House staff staying at a Waikiki Hotel.
  • And there are additional travel costs Secret Service and White House staff traveling ahead of the President.

The total cost (based on what is known) for a 20-day round trip vacation to Hawaii for the President and his family and staff and security is more than $4 million.
Hawaii Reporter annually has requested details on the cost of the President’s trip, but the White House will not release any figures, citing security concerns. A spokesperson has maintained the costs are "in line" with other presidential vacations.
Hawaii Reporter has sought to determine the cost of vacations for the current president and last two presidents but the Government Accountability Office referred Hawaii Reporter back to the White House spokesperson.

 

Sandy Cough Plagues Homeowners Cleaning Up

Marc Santia

Patrick Zoda has been working nonstop for a month, trying to save his Staten Island home after it was badly damaged by Sandy. As he works, the debris cloud filling his house has also been filling his lungs.

nbc/Patrick Zoda has been working nonstop for a month, trying to save his Staten Island home after it was badly damaged by Sandy. As he works, the debris cloud filling his house has also been filling his lungs.

“I feel totally drained, tired," Zoda told NBC 4 New York. "Every morning I wake up coughing."

Dr. Brahim Ardolic, chairman of Emergency Medicine at Staten Island University Hospital, says he has seen a greater number of patients with respiratory issues in recent weeks, mostly in people with pre-existing conditions. The combination of flu season and Sandy cleanup -- which has brought unhygienic conditions, dirty water and mold into homes -- is a perfect storm for sickness, he says.

"Which of these factors actually cause these people to come in is very difficult to say, but clearly, there is an increase in the number of people that are coming in with these conditions," Ardolic said.

Zoda, who lives in Midland Beach, says this cough is different from anything he's had before.

“It is a very dry cough that I have. It's not a normal cough,” Zoda said.

And doctors say it’s not just mold that could irritate residents, but also dust and insulation.

For Zoda and hundreds of home owners just like him, there is just no time to get sick.

“If I have to see a doctor, do this, that, everything, clean up. Only so much one person can do,” he said.

Even if people are pressed for time, they need to see a doctor, Ardolic says.

“You've probably had very little rest, been exposed to conditions that are horrifying and you maybe are sicker than you know. And what gets you ill, it's not the mold necessarily but you might be ignoring symptoms you wouldn't normally be ignoring,” he said.