Ohio police mistook a mentally handicapped teenager's speech impediment for disrespect. So naturally, they tasered him, pepper-sprayed him, and beat him. And called for backup of at least 20 police officers.
According to the mother of the victim, the originalal officer that stopped her son was aware of his disability.
Confused, the victim proceeded to bike home as normal and, despite pleas from a neighbor, was tasered by two officers.
Despite numerous people explaining that the victim was mentally handicapped, one of the officers pepper sprayed the victim to "incapacitate" him. Both officers involved beat him.
The victim was charged with "assault on a peace officer, resisting arrest, and obstructing official business."
http://www.courthousenews.com/2011/06/29/37770.htm
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Big Pharma and US bullying NZ for ensuring cheap, free medicine
Pharmac, New Zealand's medicine-buying agency, uses a value-for-money model that funds and subsidises medicine to ensure all New Zealanders have access to affordable - and sometimes free - medicinal interventions.
That $200 you spent in the US for 10 pills? It's $4 in New Zealand.
But pharmaceutical companies and the US are pressuring the New Zealand government to make changes to Pharmac, using a free-trade agreement as ransom.
Will medicine cost more? "Look, I think we’ve gone as far as we can in this conversation."
And given the National Party’s eagerness to sell off assets for foreign money, it’s a strong possibility changes will be made and NZ could move to an American-style inequity in healthcare provision.
http://www.listener.co.nz/commentary/pharmac-future-discussed-in-us-trade-talks/
That $200 you spent in the US for 10 pills? It's $4 in New Zealand.
But pharmaceutical companies and the US are pressuring the New Zealand government to make changes to Pharmac, using a free-trade agreement as ransom.
Exactly what changes to Pharmac the US might seek from New Zealand in the trade talks is not known – the talks remain secret... But what is becoming clear is how fervently the little drug-buying agency at the bottom of the world is resented by the big pharmaceutical companies.Trade Minister Tim Groser is tight-lipped regarding any changes that may or may not occur. Asked why Pharmac can’t be taken off the negotiation table, he remarked, "Because if you remove one element from the table, then the other side can remove other elements, so we’ll work through all these issues in a professional manner."
In the US, the industry has singled out Pharmac in intense lobbying of the US Government ahead of the resumption of talks. A position paper from the US pharmaceutical industry cited Pharmac as "an egregious example", "using coercive negotiating tactics such as demanding price reductions on certain products in exchange for listing newer products, and waiting out patent terms before listing medicines".
Will medicine cost more? "Look, I think we’ve gone as far as we can in this conversation."
And given the National Party’s eagerness to sell off assets for foreign money, it’s a strong possibility changes will be made and NZ could move to an American-style inequity in healthcare provision.
http://www.listener.co.nz/commentary/pharmac-future-discussed-in-us-trade-talks/
Newt Gingrich's tax-exempt charity funding Newt Gingrich's for-profit businesses.
Newt Gingrich's non-profit, tax-exempt charity, Renewing American Leadership, has donated $220,000 to Newt Gingrich's businesses.
The charity also sent out newsletters criticising Barack Obama's presidency.
It's déjà vu, considering Gingrich was censured and fined by the House Ethics Committee after being accused of drawing money from a tax-exempt organization to help finance his political activities. The IRS later cleared him on the charges, but not before the House ordered him to pay a $300,000 fine.
Video at http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/newt-gingrich-charity-paid-cash-gingrich-profit-business/story?id=13804431&singlePage=true
The charity also sent out newsletters criticising Barack Obama's presidency.
It's déjà vu, considering Gingrich was censured and fined by the House Ethics Committee after being accused of drawing money from a tax-exempt organization to help finance his political activities. The IRS later cleared him on the charges, but not before the House ordered him to pay a $300,000 fine.
Video at http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/newt-gingrich-charity-paid-cash-gingrich-profit-business/story?id=13804431&singlePage=true
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
GOP presidential candidates to secular progressives: Do not vote for us.
The Republican presidential candidates held a public debate and the official transcript of it is frightening:
PAWLENTY: Well, the protections between the separation of church and state were designed to protect people of faith from government, not government from people of faith.
SANTORUM: I’m some who believes that you approach issues using faith and reason. And if your faith is pure and your reason is right, they’ll end up in the same place.
PAUL: I think faith has something to do with the character of the people that represent us, and law should have a moral fiber to it... But the Constitution addresses this by saying — literally, it says no theocracy. But it doesn’t talk about church and state. The most important thing is the First Amendment. Congress shall write no laws — which means Congress should never prohibit the expression of your Christian faith in a public place. (Italics added for what-the-fuckery.)
BACHMANN: I also believe that marriage is between a man and a woman. I carried that legislation when I was a senator in Minnesota, and I believe that for children, the best possible way to raise children is to have a mother and father in their life... And I think the most eloquent words ever written were those in our Declaration of Independence that said it’s a creator who endowed us with inalienable rights given to us from God, not from government.
There you have it: anti-abortion, anti-first amendment, anti-gay rights. Vote Republican!
http://skepchick.org/2011/06/gop-presidential-candidates-dont-vote-for-us/
PAWLENTY: Well, the protections between the separation of church and state were designed to protect people of faith from government, not government from people of faith.
SANTORUM: I’m some who believes that you approach issues using faith and reason. And if your faith is pure and your reason is right, they’ll end up in the same place.
PAUL: I think faith has something to do with the character of the people that represent us, and law should have a moral fiber to it... But the Constitution addresses this by saying — literally, it says no theocracy. But it doesn’t talk about church and state. The most important thing is the First Amendment. Congress shall write no laws — which means Congress should never prohibit the expression of your Christian faith in a public place. (Italics added for what-the-fuckery.)
BACHMANN: I also believe that marriage is between a man and a woman. I carried that legislation when I was a senator in Minnesota, and I believe that for children, the best possible way to raise children is to have a mother and father in their life... And I think the most eloquent words ever written were those in our Declaration of Independence that said it’s a creator who endowed us with inalienable rights given to us from God, not from government.
There you have it: anti-abortion, anti-first amendment, anti-gay rights. Vote Republican!
http://skepchick.org/2011/06/gop-presidential-candidates-dont-vote-for-us/
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Three arrested for illegally feeding the homeless
Three members of Orlando Food Not Bombs were arrested a few days ago for daring to feed homeless people.
Police waited until the group had served 40 homeless people before arresting the trio for violating a city ordinance. It is not legal to feed homeless people in Orlando.
Bail was set at $250 per person. Clearly a threat to society.
Video at sun-sentinel.com.
Police waited until the group had served 40 homeless people before arresting the trio for violating a city ordinance. It is not legal to feed homeless people in Orlando.
Bail was set at $250 per person. Clearly a threat to society.
Video at sun-sentinel.com.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Rapture II: Bride of the Rapture
81% of Republicans do not believe President Obama will ascend into Heaven.
31% of Republicans who believe the Rapture is coming within their lifetime support Sarah Palin as the 2012 Republican presidential candidate.
Politicususa.com warns, "[Palin] is becoming the choice of primary voters on the religious right... The GOP primary electorate is disgruntled, unhappy, and in no mood to nominate Mitt Romney. They are primed for a Sarah Palin charm offensive. If GOP primary voters decide to go down with guns blazing in 2012 don’t be surprised if their Obama hate wins out over common sense and they nominate Sarah Palin."
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