Monday, July 11, 2016

I think confronting racism is unproductive at this point. I think police need better methodology to minor traffic violations.

July 12, 2016
By Juliet Eilperin

Almost exactly three years ago, (click here) US President Barack Obama stood in the White House briefing room and said that he didn't think it would be "particularly productive" for him to convene "a national conversation on race".
But in the wake of a recent series of high-profile, racially charged shootings across the country, the President this week found himself doing exactly that.
Obama spent today preparing to address the US at a memorial service tomorrow in Dallas for five slain police officers and meeting with experts and advocates at the White House aimed at bridging the divide the between law enforcement and communities of colour.
The President met for nearly two hours with leaders of five law enforcement groups, informing them that he considered the killing of the five Dallas police officers on Friday "a hate crime" and that he would work actively to serve as an intermediary between minority activists and police....

We have been pursuing the end to racism in the USA for at least the past ten years while President Obama was running for his nomination to the Democratic Party. We aren't even treading water on this issue. We are sinking.

Police work carries the idea that every traffic stop could be a larger violation once the car and it's occupants are searched. A minor traffic violation gives police permission to rummage through a car and its occupants. That has to stop. The police should be limited to ticketing the minor traffic violation and nothing more. When that is the STANDARD, the dash cam can capture a minor traffic violation to be fined through US Mail services.

It is necessary to end the violence of traffic stops we have witnessed sweeping the country. The methodology itself is deadly. The methodology brings too much anticipation of confrontation and confrontation with deadly force. This has to stop. There are innocent people dying. That should be an alarm to the profession and changes should be engaged.

I think the police over reach their authority when seeking reasons for search and seizure of innocent people stopped for a traffic violation. 

Last week I was pulled over for a tail light that was out. I didn't know why the officer stopped me until he explained why. He gave me no reason to be upset, but, I found my hands trembling and at one point I handed him my voter registration card.

The officer gave me a warning and I thanked him. I had no idea the tail light was out. I could not believe my reaction to his actions. Subconsciously I was scared to death. The fear of the minor traffic stop had never raised sincere fear in me before, but, it did that day and I am Caucasian. I just identify with people that are victims to law enforcement. 

Deaths due to minor traffic violations has to end. Dash cams can capture the violation and the US postal service can deliver the summons to appear in court. 

It seems to me more often than not the law enforcement agencies are reaching for evidence of crime in inappropriate places, such as selling CDs and Lucys. These minor traffic violations are another example of that. They won't find drug cartel bosses riding in a car with a child in the back seat while having the trunk packed with money and drugs. There is no drug cartel member selling Lucys at the corner Mini-Mart. There is no drug cartel activities saved to CDs sold on the corner of Main Street and Vine.

The law enforcement 'at the street level' is hideous. I don't want to hear about the awesome finds police made while making a minor traffic stop. That is few and far between and American lives are more important. 

End the practice of minor traffic violation now. It stops!
Comparing Donald Trump to Richard Nixon is fatal to his presidency. Richard Nixon was demanding "The Silent Majority" to vote. The Vietnam War caused raging on USA campus across the country. Richard Nixon's law and order statements lead to the deaths at Kent State by the Ohio National Guard.

How is the heightened fear of Black men existing in 2016?

Exactly, crime is down and why are Black men still dying. How is it the societal taboo exists with these men?

July 9, 2016
By Gregg Zoroya

The number of police officers shot (click here) and killed in the USA is 44% higher than at this time last year following the Dallas ambush Thursday night that left five officers dead, according to data from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. 
The deaths of four Dallas police officers and one Dallas transit officer from sniper fire during a protest in the city Thursday raised the national total of firearm deaths among police to 26. This compares with 18 at this point in time in 2015, said Nick Breul, director of research for the fund in Washington, D.C.
Breul said it was also the latest of 11 ambushes of police officers so far this year across the country, already outpacing the eight ambushes of law enforcement that occurred last year....

None of it makes sense. How can crime be down and tensions between Black men and police worse?

Don't start using money as a reason for these deaths on both side of the issue. There are reasons this is occurring and now it is getting worse and not better. Complaining about money is an opportunity and not a reason. Somehow more money paid in police salaries are going to bring the best police on the market and all the unjust killings will end. Does anyone expect me or any Black community to believe that?

So we are great people, right? We can articulate the problem. Wrong, we are not a great people because we are all talk and no resolution.

This is not resolving. Police need to stay away from minor traffic violations. Record the car license number with a video and send the owner a ticket to pay.

SEPARATE BLACK MEN FROM POLICE AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY WHERE THESE DEATHS ARE TAKING PLACE!

Sandra Bland as well was a minor traffic infraction. What happened to her was complete abuse of power from the time the cop put his top light flashers on.

Separate every citizen from the police. Send a citation through the mail no different than intersection cameras. This is ridiculous.

The day Sandra Bland was stopped, the cop was out to make money for the town. She was the second car in that same stretch of road pulled over. ONE RIGHT AFTER ANOTHER. He was looking for trouble to make his monthly quota. It is extremely obvious. He had a chance to take a traffic stop and roll it into a larger amount of money by arresting her and that is exactly what he did. It is abuse of power. Stop the police from pulling cars over for minor traffic infractions.

How many times do I have to complain about cops pulling cars over for minor traffic violations that turn into death by cop? How many times?

Peace talks between Israel and Palestine are proposed by Egypt.

10 July 2016

Before the meeting (click here) in Jerusalem on Sunday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said the Middle East was at a "crucial and challenging juncture," adding that resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would have a "far-reaching and dramatic and positive impact on the overall conditions of the Middle East region. Egypt remains ready to contribute toward achieving this goal."
Egypt remains a "steadfast and unwavering" supporter of the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," Shoukry added.
"It is no longer acceptable to claim that the status quo is the most we can achieve," Shoukry said in Jerusalem.
The talks could indicate a thawing in Israel's foreign policy in the region, after overtures to Turkey in June....

Do you want to discuss INSTITUTIONALIZED racism, then let's look at Snyder's record.

Governor Rick Snyder doesn't believe he is racist; it just happens to be Black American communities that are always causing fiscal problems.

Snyder is not a racist after all he put Black Americans in his Emergency Manager positions.

Snyder's color wheel does not include green for impoverished communities. Rick Snyder likes to institute laws that were removed in referendums in state elections because he likes being powerful. Not purposeful, simply powerful.

The cities he has victimized are all Black communities. Rather than using his power as Governor to mitigate the problems faced by Black communities in Michigan, he victimized them more by instituting a new breed of emergency manager that disregard laws of all kinds to achieve fiscal balance. 

It is impossible to achieve fiscal balance in Flint, in Detroit, Allen Park, Benton Harbor, and Pontiac only to mention a few because the income to the cities have been removed through poor economic development. The property taxes don't match the budget. 

What has Snyder done to bring about real change to build economies, especially that of the program to use Michigan's university brain trusts for start ups of new businesses? Snyder doesn't implement this program to grow an economy, he uses to sell off Michigan job opportunities to wealth managers of Wall Street and the potential jobs evaporate into profits.

When is Snyder going to be impeached?

The make believe world of Rick Snyder. This lawsuit has existed since January.

This is more of the "let's pretend" world of Governor Snyder. The law is the law is the law, REPLACE THE PIPES! 


July 7, 2016
By Chad Livengood

...Lawson rejected (click here) arguments by state attorneys that judicial enforcement of the federal Safe Drink Water Act would conflict with the EPA’s administrative enforcement of the law.

“The danger of creating inconsistent obligations for the defendants is relatively low in this case because the EPA and the plaintiffs are seeking the same result: safe drinking water for the residents of Flint,” Lawson wrote in a 25-page ruling.

“This does not appear to a case that will require intricate fact finding or the need for special administrative expertise,” the judge added. “Nor does there appear to be an administrative program that may be upset by the court’s decisions.”

The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, Flint’s Concerned Pastors for Social Change and Flint resident Melissa Mays also are plaintiffs in the lawsuit, which was filed in January in U.S. District Court - Eastern District of Michigan.

“I hope it puts pressure on the relevant parties to replace the lead service lines in an accelerated timetable … because there hasn’t been that commitment yet,” said Dimple Chaudhary, senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council....

Snyder's antics never ends.

The $550 million needs to be held in a trust account while the Snyder administration plays with it while using the courts to delay payment to the teachers.

July 5, 2016
By Johnathan Oosting

Lansing — Gov. Rick Snyder (click here) will appeal a court ruling directing the state reimburse public school employees for “unconstitutional” paycheck deductions, but Attorney General Bill Schuette will not represent him before the Michigan Supreme Court.
Spokeswoman Andrea Bitely said Tuesday that Schuette is declining to provide counsel” in the case after reviewing a June 7 ruling by the Michigan Court of appeals, which held that more than 200,000 school employees were unconstitutionally docked 3 percent of their pay from 2010 to 2012 for retirement health care benefits they were not guaranteed to receive.
Instead, the Department of Attorney General will appoint a special assistant attorney general, a move that would distance Schuette from the case if the state continues its multi-year fight to retain the collected payroll deductions.
Schuette’s announcement came less than two hours before the Snyder administration confirmed it would appeal the ruling in a 2010 lawsuit filed by a coalition of school employee unions, which had urged both Snyder and Schuette to drop the case and return $550 million that has been sitting in escrow while the court battle played out.
“These payments are necessary for the long-term financial stability of the retirement system teachers rely on for health care benefits after their years of hard work come to a close,” Snyder spokeswoman Anna Heaton said in a statement. “Keeping the money in the system will help their investments continue to grow and benefit Michigan educators for decades to come."...

There is a case the Michigan Attorney General will litigate:

July 8, 2016
By Lori Higgins

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette (click here) has joined a lawsuit filed by a group of states seeking to overturn recent federal guidelines for schools on protecting the rights of transgender studentsThe U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Justice in May issued guidance to school districts — the most controversial of which is to urge schools to allow transgender students to use the restrooms and locker rooms that align with the students' gender identity.
The departments said at the time that the guidelines are necessary "to ensure that all students, including transgender students, can attend school in an environment free from discrimination based on sex."
Those guidelines were issued as a debate raged in Michigan over a policy being considered by the State Board of Education on lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual students. The proposed policy outlines many of the same recommendations made in the federal guidance....

Asking for peace, a demonstrator is detained.

This is not just a demonstration, it is an act of bravery.

A demonstrator (click here) protesting the shooting death of Alton Sterling is detained by law enforcement near the headquarters of the Baton Rouge Police Department in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S.
"Morning Papers"

The Rooster

"Okeydoke"

The NRA is having an increasing difficulty expressing it's message.


10 July 2016
By Lois Bechett

...On an NRA News talkshow Thursday, (click here) the host, Cam Edwards, said that if black gun owners were reluctant to carry their guns because they were afraid of being targeted by the police, that was a “huge issue”.
“Self-defense is a human right,” he said. “Our right to keep and bear arms is not based on the color of our skin.”
His guest on the show, John Cardillo, a former New York police department officer, agreed that the idea that African American gun owners might be “more afraid of the police than the bad guys” was a “serious, serious problem”.
“I don’t want to see any American put their constitutional rights aside because they’re afraid of government,” Cardillo said. “If that problem exists, we need to fix it immediately.”...

"Good Night, Moon"

 The waxing crescent

6.6 day old moon

41.4 percent lit


10 July 2016
By Ade Ashford

It is now seven weeks (click here) since Mars was at opposition. The Red Planet presently shines at magnitude -1.1 and has a diameter of around 14.7 arcseconds. The Martian north pole is still tipped in our direction, but the planet’s shrinking, 90 percent illuminated disc now requires a telescopic magnification of about 125x to enlarge it to the same size as the Moon appears to the unaided eye.
By the middle of the month, the gulf between Earth and Mars will have grown to 60 million miles (96 million kilometres). The Red Planet has also resumed its prograde (west to east) motion against the stars of Libra, hence it’s drawing closer to Saturn as the weeks pass.
Magnitude +0.2 Saturn currently lies in the adjacent constellation of Ophiuchus, some 17 degrees (three-quarters of the span of an outstretched hand at arm’s length) to the left of Mars in mid-July. At this time Saturn lies 860 million miles (1,390 million kilometres) from Earth — in excess of 14 times further away than adjacent Mars.
Despite its great distance, Saturn’s globe still subtends almost 18 arcseconds, while the northern face of the glorious 42-arcsecond-wide ring system is tipped a very favourable 26 degrees toward Earth. Look for Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, a magnitude +8.7 ‘star’ four ring diameters west of the planet on 19 July....