"A Phoenix Police officer has been suspended after tackling a 15-year-old girl. The video, posted on YouTube, made national headlines two years ago. Monday, that officer appealed, saying his punishment is too harsh, fighting the 5-day suspension at a hearing. That hearing is closed to the public at his request, so we won't get to hear why he believes his punishment was too harsh." Continue reading →
"A Brazilian doctor was arrested for allegedly defrauding her employer, a hospital in the town of Ferraz de Vasconcelos, near São Paulo. At the time of her arrest, she was equipped with a total of sixteen fingers—ten of which God gave her, and six of which were crafted of silicone and given to her by coworkers. At least three of the extra fingers bore the prints of fellow doctors at the hospital. The doctor, Thaune Nunes Ferreira, 29, claims through her attorney that she was forced to use the silicone fingers to clock in to the hospital's time card system in order to cover for absentee colleagues." Continue reading →
"The White House on Monday strongly rejected allegations from Afghan President Hamid Karzai that the United States was colluding with the Taliban to justify the presence of US troops in the country. 'That’s categorically false, and nobody believes it,' White House spokesman Jay Carney said when asked about Karzai’s remarks. Karzai had charged that Taliban bombings helped the United States argue for a long-term military presence and that Washington was holding 'daily' talks with the insurgents behind the backs of his government." Continue reading →
"Citing the most recent missive from the self-appointed Stasi at the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Los Angeles Times claims that there are 1,360 proto-terrorist groups -- sneeringly denounced as 'patriots,' 'constitutionalists,' and 'sovereign citizens' -- scattered throughout the Soyuz. 'These groups should be closely monitored, with resources adequate to the task, even if it means shifting some homeland security money from the hunt for foreign terrorists,' concludes the paper." Continue reading →
"Cops in New Jersey arrested a homeschooling mother -- the daughter of Jewish folks who survived the Nazis -- because she quoted the Constitution at a tax-protest. They agreed to release her if she turned over her guns. As she explained, '[So I] sit in jail and my daughter doesn’t have a mother…?' ... , implying that she didn’t really have a choice in the matter. Hart turned over her two firearms and associated equipment, and was told that she’ll get them back 'when this is all over.' For all you fans of 'privatization,' the 'private' company doubling the Harts' real-estate 'assessment' is the one that sicced the thugs-in-blue on Ms. Hart." Continue reading →
"A drunk cop near Las Vegas drove several miles on a blown tire in 'a $50,000 unmarked SWAT vehicle,' rim sparking the while. Another motorist tried to alert Officer Sot; naturally, the cop ignored him. So the motorist called 911, reporting a drunk driver whose car was on fire. You can guess the outcome: 'Las Vegas police, which investigated the fire, determined nothing criminal had taken place and did not take an incident report, spokeswoman Laura Meltzer said.'" Continue reading →
"Former Santa Fe police officer Anthony Rivera and brother Dominic were arrested Sunday and charged with overseeing the production of fake $100 bills, created using $20′s that were stripped of their color using paint thinner. The two men, 44 and 34 respectively, were arrested along with 20-year-old Tyler Ament and accused of creating more than $1,200 in counterfeit currency. Police broke the case last week after Ament tried to use one of the bills at a gas station and a clerk turned him away. Ament returned to the gas station for cigarettes after buying jeans at a local Kohls and officers were waiting for him." Continue reading →
"You’ve got to drop your aspirations and either pick up a gun for peace or engage in some meekly paid community service position for two years (should you survive them with your soul intact). You were always bothered by the fact that federal financial aid came with the stipulation that you sign up for Selective Service. Now you realize how contracts work. You might complain about your post in the new Civilian Service Corps: Is your pay inadequate? Is your assigned position benefitting a local elite rather than those truly in need? Tired of killing women and children? Suck it up, soldier, er, 'public servant' – your wages are paid in glory to the fatherland." Continue reading →
"When the US invaded Iraq in March 2003, the Bush administration estimated that it would cost $50-60bn to overthrow Saddam Hussein and establish a functioning government. This estimate was catastrophically wrong: the war in Iraq has cost $823.2bn between 2003 and 2011. Some estimates suggesting that it may eventually cost as much as $3.7tn when factoring in the long-term costs of caring for the wounded and the families of those killed. The most striking fact about the cost of the war in Iraq has been the extent to which it has been kept 'off the books' of the government’s ledgers and hidden from the American people. This was done by design." Continue reading →
"While Paul received some criticism from both sides of the aisle, the Democratic criticism was muted by the obviousness of Paul's position and the inadequate response from the Obama administration. Now, House Democrats have done what modern US politics dictates they must do: They have sent a letter to Obama asking him to clarify his position on drone strikes. Paul easily seized leadership on this issue because it is one that appeals to both right and left. There are libertarian sensibilities on both sides of the aisle, and it was this coalition that Ronald Reagan capitalized on when he built his successful political run for the presidency." Continue reading →