Usa Thread

[Flashermac]

<< Written by student Matthew Guevara, the resolution says that “flags construct paradigms of conformity and sets homogenized standards for others to obtain, which in this country typically are idolized as freedom, equality and democracy,†>>

 

He'd fail my English class for writing pompous English. "Keep it short, simple, and to the point! Write to communicate, not to impress."

 

p.s. I had problems getting that through the brand new Army 2LTs' heads when I taught them in OBC. "But sir, I worked hard to expand my vocabulary." Me: "As an O-1, you're at the bottom of the heap. Who's going to read what you write? Probably an NCO who might not even have graduated from high school."

[jitagawn]

Matthew Guevara needs to pull his head out his ass... :grinyes:

[Flashermac]

flags ... sets ... standards? Maybe English isn't his first language.

[cavanami]

Obama and his transparent White House 55555555555555555555

 

Administration sets record for withholding government files

 

http://news.yahoo.com/us-sets-record-denying-censoring-government-files-071519617--politics.html

 

The Obama administration set a record again for censoring government files or outright denying access to them last year under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act, according to a new analysis of federal data by The Associated Press.

 

 

 

The government took longer to turn over files when it provided any, said more regularly that it couldn't find documents and refused a record number of times to turn over files quickly that might be especially newsworthy.

 

It also acknowledged in nearly 1 in 3 cases that its initial decisions to withhold or censor records were improper under the law — but only when it was challenged.

 

Its backlog of unanswered requests at year's end grew remarkably by 55 percent to more than 200,000. It also cut by 375, or about 9 percent, the number of full-time employees across government paid to look for records. That was the fewest number of employees working on the issue in five years.

 

The government's new figures, published Tuesday, covered all requests to 100 federal agencies during fiscal 2014 under the Freedom of Information law, which is heralded globally as a model for transparent government. They showed that despite disappointments and failed promises by the White House to make meaningful improvements in the way it releases records, the law was more popular than ever. Citizens, journalists, businesses and others made a record 714,231 requests for information. The U.S. spent a record $434 million trying to keep up. It also spent about $28 million on lawyers' fees to keep records secret...

[acockasian]

It is possible....not great odds...but possible the US could pull back from the course we are on.

 

Rand Paul announces....

 

[cavanami]

Rand Paul would be the man to try to turn the USA in the right direction...but as we have seen, the media

elects the Presidents.

 

...then again, we know what "they" did to JFK when he thought he was really the President!

[Flashermac]

The 'Banksy" of Los Angeles

 

 

 

 

Signs baring the logo ‘No Kardashian Parking’ have begun popping up in Los Angeles, and the shadowy artist behind it says it’s a critique of how their lives have become ‘a news event.’

 

If the City of Los Angeles isn’t going to do something about the Kardashians, "Plastic Jesus" will.

 

This week, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti earned kudos for inaugurating a six-month test of new street signs designed to make parking in L.A. slightly less of a living hell. But those chart-style parking guides fail to include one key restriction for navigating the congested thoroughfares of the city: No Kardashian Parking.

 

Anti-Kardashian zone signs were slyly erected today in seven locations around Los Angeles by Plastic Jesus, the street artist dubbed the “Banksy of L.A.†who made waves with his life-sized, heroin-shooting “Junkie Oscar†and its 2015 companion, an Oscar statuette on all fours snoring cocoaine off the red carpet planted blocks from the Dolby Theatre, which hosts the Academy Awards.

 

“I chose locations which are frequented by celebrities, including Robertson Blvd. near the Ivy restaurant, and an Italian restaurant near Melrose and Robertson called Cecconi’s,†Plastic Jesus explained to The Daily Beast three hours after he’d personally installed them himself, undetected. “And I had to put one outside the Kardashians’ store on Melrose, as well.â€

 

The outspoken but secretive artist, who’s based in downtown L.A., managed to evade attracting attention while placing his signs—even in front of DASH, the clothing boutique owned by Kourtney, Kim, and Khloé Kardashian.

 

“I kind of looked official—I put a few cans out and wore a high visibility vest, so they may have thought I was just a city official amending the street signs,†he said.

 

According to Plastic Jesus, the signs are as much a critique of reality TV’s most famous family as they are an indictment of the city for enabling the seedier side of celebrity culture to run rampant with paparazzi who swarm sidewalks and public places in hot pursuit of tabloid snaps.

 

“It comes from witnessing the Kardashians being out around Hollywood and the whole entourage of paparazzi—10, 20 photographers—who bring a location to a standstill. I’ve seen it myself and I wondered, ‘How has a family going shopping or going to lunch become a news event?’â€

 

Hungry, out of hand paparazzi have created dangerous situations for decades for everyone from Justin Bieber to Princess Di. But the Kardashian clan, famous for being famous, has a more complicated symbiotic relationship with photogs than most celebrities.

 

“A paparazzi almost crashed into my car today! I am still shaking! He put me in such danger!†a pregnant Kim Kardashian tweeted in 2013, slamming the pursuit as a form of “legalized stalking.†The same year, her husband Kanye West was sued for battery after tussling with a photographer outside of LAX. And this February when Bruce Jenner crashed on the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, California, early reports sympathetically whispered that he might have been hounded by the paparazzi before the fatal four-car pile-up.

 

“It’s that whole congestion,†Plastic Jesus said. “If you or I went out in the streets and placed a piece of art, the police would pretty quickly move us on. But you assume a certain level of celebrity in this town and it is accepted as part of the culture—and part of the spectacle—of the city.â€

 

 

http://www.thedailyb...atest-work.html

[acockasian]

It says something about Los Angeles and the whole Hollywood culture.

[Flashermac]

Living outside the USA, I wonder what the fascination is with the Kardashians. Just Armenian gals with big butts.

[unit731]

Well . . . we have another one . . . where the police officer goes bonkers !

 

The deceased in question was pulled over for a traffic violation - broken tail light.

Some state that suspect ran because of back payments due for child support.

Both are crimes.

But is death the correct punishment?

 

WASHINGTON — A white police officer in North Charleston, S.C., was charged with murder on Tuesday after a videosurfaced showing him shooting in the back and killing an apparently unarmed black man while the man ran away.

 

 

The officer, Michael T. Slager, 33, said he had feared for his life because the man had taken his stun gun in a scuffle after a traffic stop on Saturday. A video, however, shows the officer firing eight times as the man, Walter L. Scott, 50, fled. The North Charleston mayor announced the state charges at a news conference Tuesday evening.

 

LINK

 

https://youtu.be/kdQwKNfuSiM

 

Youtube is pulling down this video for copyright. Not sure if anything will show up.