President
Barack Obama is harnessing the increasing attacks on police — and the
periodic shootings of people by stressed cops — to push his agenda to
federalize state and local police forces.
“I want to start moving on constructive actions that
are actually going to make a difference,” he said during his evening
press conference in Poland when he was asked about the Dallas attack. Those actions, he said, wouldbe
based on the recommendations of the panel that he picked after the 2014
street riots in Ferguson, Missouri. The panel offered “practical
concrete solutions that can reduce — if not eliminate — the problems of
racial bias,” Obama said. The dramatic shootings are an opportunity to push
that agenda, Obama said. “If my voice has been true and positive, my
hope would be that… [the panel] surfaces problems, it frames them, it
allows us to wrestle with these issue and try to come up with practical
solutions,” he said. Obama began touting the panel’s recommendations in March 2015. The report, titled “President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing Report,” was published in May 2015.
The report urges the federal government to federalize police training
and practices, via the use of federal lawsuits, grants and threats to
cut federal aid. So far, Obama’s deputies have cajoled and sued more
than 30 police jurisdictions to adopt federal rules in a slow-motion
creation of a national police system, similar to the slow-motion
creation of a federal-run health-sector via Obamacare. Obama also used the press conference to insulate his
federalized police program — and his allies in the Black Live Matter
movement — from popular rejection after the five police were murdered by
the anti-cop African-American in Dallas. “The danger is that we somehow think the act of a
troubled person speaks to some larger political statement across the
country — it doesn’t,” Obama insisted. Obama shrugged off growing criticism that his own
anti-cop statements helped trigger the shootings in Dallas and several
other cities on Thursday and Friday. “It is very
hard to untangle to motives of this [Dallas] shooter … you have a
troubled mind … what feeds it, what sets it off, I’ll leave that to
psychologists and people who study these kinds of incidents.” Throughout his press conference, Obama tried to play the role of national healer. “As
painful as this week has been, I firmly believe that America is not as
divided as some have suggested. Americans of all races and all
backgrounds are rightly outraged by the inexcusable attacks on police …
that includes protestors, it includes family members who have grave
concerns about police conduct, and they’ve said that this is
unacceptable, there is no division there,” he said.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch gives a statement on the
recent shooting of eleven Dallas Police and DART officers that left five
dead during a news conference at DOJ headquarters in Washington, D.C.
On July 8, 2016.
Lynch to Dallas protesters: ‘Do not be discouraged’
Attorney General Loretta Lynch on Friday encouraged protesters not to
allow the “heinous violence” that occurred in Dallas to silence their
“important” voices.
Five police officers died and seven more were wounded in an ambush
during a peaceful rally in Dallas on Thursday to protest the deaths of
black men in Louisiana and Minnesota who were shot dead by police this
week. Two civilians were also injured Thursday.
Demonstrations to denounce the fatal shooting of two black men by
police officers this week exploded across the nation in what the group Black Lives Matters called a Weekend of Rage.
Following the surfacing of videos showing two African-American men,
Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, who were shot by police in
Louisiana and Minnesota, respectively, five Dallas police officers were
gunned down and seven others wounded during a demonstration Thursday
evening. But neither that tragedy nor growing tensions between the
police and blacks was enough to quiet the protests.
“This has been a very painful week for the African American
community,” said Jeanelle Auston, who organized an event at Fuller
Theological Seminary’s Pasadena, California, campus. “The back-to-back
killings of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge and Philando Castile in
Minnesota by police officers have torn hearts across the nation.”
El Paso Police Chief Greg Allen, who is African-American, was tightly controlled but clearly furious at a press conference
where he stated, “Black Lives Matter, as far as I’m concerned, is a
radical hate group; and for that purpose alone, I think the leadership
of this country needs to look at little bit harder at that particular
group. The consequences of what we saw in Dallas is due to their
efforts.”
Protests took place in many major cities, including Atlanta, New
York, Rochester, Phoenix, Baltimore, Baton Rouge, Chicago, Denver,
Detroit, Nashville, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Paul and Washington,
D.C. Atlanta
The largest demonstration appeared to be in downtown Atlanta, where
an estimated 2,000 protesters chanted, waved signs demanding justice and
blocked part of Interstate 75/85 in a tense standoff with police.
Mayor Kasim Reed first tweeted, “”Today we have had less than ten
people arrested during what has been a peaceful protest. We urge anyone
protesting not to enter the highway.” Later he followed with a warning
to protesters: “If you enter the highway, you endanger your own life,
the lives of innocent motorists & the lives of our officers. We are
better than that.”
The tweets were ignored. Footage from local news stations showed the
crowd facing off with dozens of police vehicles that were stopped on a
local interstate highway. Baltimore
In Baltimore, about 200 people gathered in protest to march from McKeldin Square to the Baltimore police headquarters. Four people were arrested after some members of the group failed to comply with orders to move out of the street. Baton Rouge
The FBI issued a riot alert in Louisiana. Judicial Watch reports
the alert is dated July 7 and included disturbing images from social
media, including one depicting a restrained uniformed police officer
getting his throat slashed by a masked individual. Other social media
images called for purging and killing all cops in Baton Rouge on July 9
and starting a riot by the courthouse in Shreveport. One social media
post says, “It don’t matter what color you are.” Another says, “Must
kill every police!!!!” Get
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About 300 protesters in Baton Rouge started off peacefully, but
descended into chaos after several protesters hurled plastic bottles of
water and cups of ice at police. Many officers were attired in riot
gear, and people could be heard chanting obscenities at the police. Breitbart reports
the New Black Panther Party (NBPP) plans to be in town on Sunday to
protest the police shooting of Alton Sterling, according to Minister of
Education James Evans Muhammad.
Several protesters told Breitbart News they were unhappy to hear the
New Black Panthers – which has made headlines for its incendiary
uncompromising black liberation rhetoric – were coming to town. Phoenix
Demonstrations in Phoenix turned violent when protesters threw rocks
and other objects at law enforcement officers during an anti-police
brutality rally Friday night. Agitators shouted “We should shoot you!”
to officers.
An estimated 1,000 participants chanted: “Black lives matter” and
“Hands up, don’t shoot” as they marched. Officers escorting the march
weren’t dressed in riot gear.
The violence also caused massive transit shutdowns, particularly on
Interstate 10. One of the civil rights leaders that helped stage the
march, Rev. Jarrett Maupin, acknowledged the route of the march was
changed to shut down Interstate 10. The Arizona Department of
Transportation tweeted, “CLOSED: SR 51 SB to I-10 WB ramp is closed due
to law-enforcement activity,” which prompted someone to respond, “Law
enforcement activity? Do you mean THUG activity?”
Six people were injured and three were arrested, and police used pepper spray to bring the crowd under control. New York
Protests occurred in both Rochester and New York City.
A Black Lives Matter protest took over Grand Central Station
Friday night leading to disruptions and travel delays, just one day
after thousands of activists went on a march throughout midtown
Manhattan, taking over Fifth Avenue and Times Square.
In Rochester, some protesters sat in the street chanting “Black
lives, black lives” while others stood in front of riot gear-clad
police. Police Chief Michael Ciminelli
said at a press conference that 74 arrests were made for disorderly
conduct and two charges of resisting arrest. There were no injuries. Law enforcement on high alert
Nationwide, law enforcement officers are on high alert. In many
locations they are being ordered to partner up for assignments, wear
bulletproof vests, and not to respond to calls alone.
The Washington Post noted
police commanders nationwide began pondering Friday not only the
significance of the tragedy in Dallas, but whether they need to
reconsider how they do their jobs in a more highly charged environment
when viral video and angry rhetoric can quickly ignite anti-police
sentiment.
The NYPD’s chief of department James O’Neill sent an internal memo
stating, “Effective immediately and until further notice, all uniform
members of service are to be assigned in pairs,” adding “There will be
no solo assignments citywide.” What do YOU think? Why can’t Obama ‘untangle the Dallas shooter’s motives? Sound off in today’s WND poll.
Washington Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier said she gave the order to
partner up at about midnight, hours after the attack in Dallas killed
five officers and wounded seven others. She conceded, “Looking at the
type of attack that happened in Dallas, a two-man car, a four-man car, a
10-man car, isn’t going to make much of a difference. But it makes the
officers feel much safer.”
These orders were echoed in places like Boston, Las Vegas, St. Louis
and other urban areas. St Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson gave orders to
his officers, adding, “Although locally we are not experiencing any
civil unrest, this decision is precautionary and is to maximize the
safety of officers and our community.”
Meanwhile Politico reports
Attorney General Loretta Lynch encouraged protesters not to allow the
“heinous violence” that occurred in Dallas to silence their “important”
voices.
“I want you to know that your voice is important,” Lynch during a
news conference on Friday at the Justice Department. “Do not be
discouraged by those who would use your lawful actions as cover for
their heinous violence. We will continue to safeguard your
constitutional rights and to work with you in the difficult mission of
building a better nation and a brighter future.”
Lynch stressed that she is “deeply grateful” to law enforcement’s
commitment to difficult and dangerous work to keep America safe but
vowed that the Justice Department would do all it can to help. And she
urged peaceful protesters not to give up.
Additionally, Hillary Clinton used a CNN interview
on Friday to completely embrace the Democrats’ claim that white people
and cops must change to help reduce the number of African-Americans
killed in tense exchanges with cops. The ‘Stop Hillary’ campaign is on fire! Join the surging response to this theme: ‘Clinton for prosecution, not president’
“I will call for white people, like myself, to put ourselves in the
shoes of those African-American families who fear every time their
children go somewhere, who have to have ‘The Talk,’ about, you now, how
to really protect themselves [from police], when they’re the ones who
should be expecting protection from encounters with police,” Clinton
told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer.
“I’m going to be talking to white people, we’re the ones who have to
start listening to the legitimate cries coming from our African-American
fellow citizens,” she said. “We’ve got to figure out what is happening
when routine traffic stops, when routine arrests, escalate into killings
… Clearly, there seems to be a terrible disconnect between many police
departments and officers and the people they have sworn to protect.” Breitbart notes
how Clinton suggested people who disagree with her agenda are racists.
“There is so much more to be done … we can’t be engaging in hateful
rhetoric or incitement of violence, we need to be bringing people
together … we need more love and kindness.”
To win in November, Clinton needs a high turnout of African-American voters
The soldier's standard weapon is getting a lot of improvements.
A
new U.S. Army video shows how today's standard infantry weapon, the M4
carbine, is being updated to perform better on the battlefield. The Army
is gradually converting its entire inventory of M4s to the improved
M4A1 standard.
The
M4 carbine is the standard issue weapon for the U.S. Army. Introduced
in the early 2000s, the rifle has performed well in Iraq and
Afghanistan. In a 2006 report prepared for the Pentagon, 89 percent of soldiers polled said they were satisfied with the performance of the weapon, the highest rating for all Army small arms.
Even
so, there is room for improvement. A weapon like the M4 designed for a
wide variety of environments and operating conditions—from the Arctic
wastes to the high, hot mountains of Afghanistan—has to incorporate some
tradeoffs. A light weapon is easy carry on patrol, but that means a
lighter barrel more prone to overheating in sustained firefights. A
weapon that restricts the user to semiautomatic and three-round burst
nixes fully automatic fire, but helps conserve ammunition on distant
battlefields.
The new
M4A1 standard addresses these issues and others. Where the original M4
was capable of semi-automatic and three-round burst fire, the M4A1
trades burst fire for fully automatic. The carbine is fitted with a
heavier barrel that can better withstand prolonged, full automatic
firing.
M4A1 carbine at the range.
Another
improvement makes the rifle easier to use for lefties. Previously,
left-handed shooters had to take their hand off the grip and trigger to
safe or arm their weapons. The carbine now has an ambidextrous fire
selector.
The new
carbines undergo extensive checks at the refurbishment facility. They're
also put under a laser engraver that not only crosses out the "BURST"
wording on the side of the receiver and replaces it with "AUTO", it also
adds an "A1" to the M4 designation.
While
many of the parts on the refurbished guns are new, it's surprising how
worn the weapons look. These are not the guns of garrison army, but of
an army that for nearly a decade has fought two wars at the same time.
That said, the lack of finish isn't an indication of their
functionality. Almost all of the key parts of an M4A1 are made of
aluminum and steel and would take many decades to wear to the point of
unserviceability.
Farmers lobbying for the right to fix own tractors
Mick Minchow's tractors are marvels of modern machinery.
Farmer Mick Minchow takes a look at the fine components of his John
Deere planter on Monday, June 20, 2016, at his farm in Waverly, Neb.
Lincoln Journal Star via APKristin Streff
By NICHOLAS BERGINLincoln Journal Star
LINCOLN, Neb.
Mick Minchow's tractors are marvels of modern machinery.
They
have air conditioning, guidance systems, satellite radio and more
sensors than he can shake a corn cob at, all kept running by computer
systems and software.
But there's one thing the Waverly farmer doesn't have: the right to fix his John Deere 8235 R if it goes on the fritz.
Gone
are the days when farmers could be their own mechanics. Just taking a
peek under the metaphorical hood of the computers that run the big
tractor could put Minchow in violation of the federal Digital Millennium
Copyright Act.
It's the same for digital products from cellphones to printers to concrete crushers that rely on computer programs to run.
The
Lincoln Journal Star (http://bit.ly/29ojbhB) reports that Nebraska is
one of four states to consider legislation that would require
manufacturers to make diagnostic, service and technical information
available to farmers and independent repair technicians. The others are
Massachusetts, Minnesota and New York.
While the Nebraska Fair
Repair Bill (LB1072) failed to gain traction before senators adjourned
this spring, the issue is far from dead. It has been referred to the
Agriculture Committee for study over the summer, and advocates are
pushing for the bill to be reintroduced during the next session.
Now,
the makers of off-road and farm equipment and many consumer electronics
require their products to be repaired by certified technicians.
That
means if Minchow's tractor stops working he has no choice but to call
the dealer. He can't check the system codes himself to decide whether
it's an easy fix like changing a filter or something more complicated.
And that grinds the Waverly-area farmer's gears.
"I want it to be
my call. I don't want to have to make two trips to the service
department - one to diagnose it and one to fix it," said Minchow, who
has been farming north of Waverly for more than 40 years.
And as dealerships have closed or consolidated, he said, technicians have gotten further away and service bills more expensive.
John
Deere, in a 2014 comment to the U.S. Copyright Office, said the people
who buy its tractors don't own the software that makes them run.
Instead, each has an "implied license for the life of the vehicle to
operate the vehicle."
In some cases, the company said, software
could be subject to third-party restrictions and accessing it could
violate copyright, trade secret or contractual rights.
But farmers
work when they can, and every hour matters when storms, frost and mud
leave them with few suitable days. A malfunctioning combine can bring
the fall harvest to a standstill.
Waiting for a dealer to diagnose and fix a problem could mean hours, days or weeks lost.
Proponents
of Nebraska's Fair Repair Bill say it would let farmers work on their
own equipment and allow independent mechanics to help get machines
running quicker.
The Nebraska Farm Bureau, the state's largest
agriculture advocacy group, has not taken a stance on the issue but its
members are talking about it, said Jordan Dux, the state Farm Bureau's
director of national affairs.
"For the time being, we remain
neutral on it but that very well might change as we work through our
policy development process," he said during a recent web forum.
Some
Farm Bureau members, Dux said, are concerned about taking business away
from dealerships at a time when the ag economy has slowed and few
farmers are buying new machinery.
"Keeping those dealerships in
their communities is important," he said. "Repairs are going to be the
way a lot of these dealerships are going to make money for the time
being simply because folks aren't buying a lot of new equipment."
Another
concern, Dux said, centers on what farmers should do if they buy
equipment and find the previous owner made changes to the software they
don't like.
Kyle Wiens, a software engineer and leading figure in
the national Right to Repair movement, said in the same web seminar that
new owners of used equipment would have what they need to restore
factory defaults if manufacturers provided diagnostic tools and
software.
John Hansen, president of the state's second largest
agricultural advocacy organization, the Nebraska Farmers Union, supports
the Right to Repair efforts saying farmers should have the same option
to get their tractor fixed by an independent mechanic as they do when
they need to get their truck fixed.
"This is a fairness issue.
Folks in agriculture shouldn't be singled out and treated differently
than the automotive customers or truck customers," Hansen said in the
web forum.
"Competition is what makes our system of economics
better. When you take competition out of the equation there is almost
always a reduction in choice and quality and an increase in cost to the
consumer."
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/technology/article88653497.html#storylink=cpy
To our brothers and sisters of the ALL Police Department/County Sheriff's Department:
As
an organization comprised of a significant number of currently serving
and former police officers, along with current and retired military,
firefighters, EMTs, and other first responders, we stand by you and
appreciate everything you do to keep our communities and families safe.
We understand the dangers you face in these difficult times. Please
know that as many of us are your current and former co-workers, we too
feel the loss from the senseless shooting of police officers in Dallas,
TX. If there is anything we can do to help you, just ask. As men and
women with extensive training and experience, who have sworn the same
oath you did, we are more than willing to stand shoulder-to-shoulder
with you, or watch your six, anytime, anywhere, against any threat.
