News.me | "The Obama machine understood both the closeness of the race and the power of his image"

 

"The Obama machine understood both the closeness of the race and the power of his image"

by Julie Moos Published Nov. 9, 2012 12:38 pm Slate's Julia Turner spoke with photojournalist Scout Tufankjian about the photo of Barack and Michelle Obama that has become the most retweeted ever . The photo was taken August 15 in Dubuque, Iowa, in the middle of a bus tour. "It was the first day that the first...

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BlogWatcher - Political correctness ousts FoxNews stalwart - CathNews

BlogWatcher - Political correctness ousts FoxNews stalwart - CathNews
http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=34093

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BY MICHAEL MULLINS

Recently the (Catholic) University of San Diego rescinded its invitation to progressive British theologian Tina Beattie. Now the Jesuit president of Fordham University in New York has been tempted to do the same to notorious conservative Anne Coulter (pictured). He resisted, but the university's Republican students club – which invited Coulter – has since uninvited her anyway.

Coulter, a regular guest on FoxNews, is one of America's most famous and outspoken rigiht-wing commentators and proud haters ("I'm a Christian first and a mean-spirited, bigoted conservative second"). 

Deacon's Bench has published the very eloquent explanation of the president, Fr Joseph McShane SJ, who says:

Her rhetoric is often hateful and needlessly provocative — more heat than light — and her message is aimed squarely at the darker side of our nature. As members of a Jesuit institution, we are called upon to deal with one another with civility and compassion. … Hate speech, name-calling, and incivility are completely at odds with the Jesuit ideals … Still, to prohibit Ms. Coulter from speaking at Fordham would be to do greater violence to the academy, and to the Jesuit tradition of fearless and robust engagement.

Fordham's Republican students clumsily claimed the upper hand in their statement – "had the President simply reached out to us before releasing his statement, he would have learned that the event was being cancelled" – but have nevertheless suffered a major loss of face among conservatives. Legal Insurrection says:

While I blame the Fordham administration first and foremost, it's time for College Republicans groups to grow a backbone.

Meanwhile Tina Beattie continues to defend her views, which she describes as faithful to "the demands of conscience, academic freedom and Catholic identity".

In Australia, Sentire Cum Ecclesia writes of his disappointment at missing our on a Year of Faith indulgence. Indulgences are being granted to those who visit the place of their baptism and renew their baptismal vows. Sentire is visiting Pinaroo, South Australia, where he was baptised in 1966. However Sentire is a convert from the Lutheran Church, and the Year of Faith indulgence applies only to baptisms in a Catholic Church.

I had assumed that the indulgence was connected to the action of visiting the place of your baptism. In fact, the indulgence is actually connected to the place itself, and hence the ruling.

David Timbs has some interesting historical background about indulgences.

A critical turning in the development of the Catholic culture of fear, dread and profound human worthlessness was occasioned by the outbreak of the great Plague or Black Death in 1347… An enduring legacy left by this catastrophe was a popular deep-seated fear of dying without sacramental absolution… The advent of the Plague delivered a cash cow into the hands of money strapped clerics. This new revenue source was called Indulgences.  

Back in the US, Brandon Vogt has listed "7 Things Bishops Should Know About Catholic Bloggers". The first is that "We are your friends, not your enemies". Perhaps the most interesting is the fifth: "Digital imprimaturs are not a good idea".

What about blogs and websites? Should we institute some form of digital imprimatur? I don't think so. I'm convinced it's a bad idea.

His reasons are that blogs are constantly changing, there are too many, and they are not libraries of digitised books. However he refers to the Vatican's purchase of the ".catholic" top level domain name, partly to guarantee Catholic internet users a place of doctrinal purity. Vogt does not exactly make the suggestion, but there is scope for awarding worthy bloggers a ".catholic" domain.

Finally, Standing on my Head guest blogger Fr Rutler writes on "Why I love the Corrupt and Crime Ridden Catholic Church".

The Catholic Church might be corrupt and crime ridden, but the Catholic Church is also the only institution that can do anything about it. Of course the Catholic Church is full of sinners. Just like a hospital is full of sick people. … We are all not happy with the crime and sin and corruption in the Catholic Church, but we can't imagine any other church that would be any different.

This puts into context the Chaser Hamster Wheel quote provided by Gerard Henderson as his anti-Catholic Sectarian award of the week.

Craig Reucassel: The Catholic Church has been dragged into the scandal surrounding the degrading initiation rituals at St John's College at Sydney Uni, which last year nearly killed a girl.

Julian Morrow: Yes. The Archbishop of Sydney, Archbishop Pell, has intervened, thankfully. He says it's the role of the Church, not the College, to abuse young people.

  

Michael Mullins, founding editor of CathNews, compiles this 'Blog Watcher' column every week.

 

 

Disclaimer: CathBlog is an extension of CathNews story feedback. It is intended to promote discussion and debate among the subscribers to CathNews and the readers of the website. The opinions expressed in CathBlog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the members of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference or of Church Resources.

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Veterans Day: When vets run afoul of the law, these courts care - CSMonitor.com

Veterans Day: When vets run afoul of the law, these courts care - CSMonitor.com
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Military/2012/1111/Veterans-Day-When-vets-run-afoul-of-the-law-these-courts-care

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By Anna Mulrine, Staff writer / November 11, 2012

In a downtown building that looks like a bunker, Judge Robert Russell Jr. ascends to the bench of his courtroom with a greeting that more closely resembles an Army cadence than a call to order.

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"Good afternoon!" Judge Russell says to those assembled before his bench.

"Good afternoon, Judge!" they yell back in robust unison.

Even on a typical day, this is not a typical courtroom. The Buffalo Veterans Treatment Court is the first of its kind in the nation – a court of law only for US military veterans who have run afoul of the law, and only for those willing to exchange jail time for a year of counseling, treatment, and tough love.

But this day is not about stern words and legal sentences. It begins with a graduation ceremony for those who have made it through. One receives a "challenge coin," to mark a job well done, and all receive a reminder "to be mindful of the people, places, and things that put us at risk."

Then Russell comes down off the bench to give them a hug.

"I'm going to stay straight," one graduate says. "No more drinking, no more gambling."

This Veterans Day, the Buffalo Veterans Treatment Court's program is being held up as a model. Of the 90 vets who have graduated, none has been rearrested, and the idea spawned in the municipal courts here is spreading. Built in the image of local drug courts or family courts, some 100 military veterans courts have been established in city courts nationwide, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. And the VA expects that number to double in the next year alone.

The need is clear. Across America, 1 in 10 criminals is a US military veteran, according to US Department of Justice statistics. Russell and others believe that these rates are closely tied to the experience of going to war.

A 2008 RAND Corp. study found that one-fifth of all US military service members who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan report grappling with post-traumatic stress or major depression. Yet half of these former troops say they have never sought treatment, either for fear that it will harm their careers, or because they have trouble navigating the military medical bureaucracy.

Veterans courts and their emphasis on rehabilitation are designed to help fill that gap.

The goal is to "really project the VA's treatment capacity into the criminal justice system," says Sean Clark, the VA's national coordinator for Veterans Justice Outreach, which means "trying to catch veterans as early as possible in their 'justice careers,' if you will."

In Buffalo, one criminal in particular, brought into court on a drug offense, stuck in Russell's mind.

"When I asked him where he lived, he said, 'Well, Judge, I'm homeless.' That blew me away. How can a guy who served in Iraq come home and say, 'I'm homeless'? It was just uncon­scion­able to me."

Preventing homelessness is a primary aim, since adult male veterans who have been incarcerated are far more likely to be homeless, the VA's Mr. Clark says.

Though supported by the VA, veterans courts tend to be driven by individual judges and service members who see a need within their communities. In Buffalo, the vast majority of vets who walk through Russell's doors come on drug- and alcohol-related offenses.

"I started seeing vets from the most recent conflict – young people, 23 or 24," Russell says, recalling the events that led him to create his veterans court in January 2008. "They looked good physically – sharp, brush cut – but they were being arrested for different things."

And not all veteran offenders are cut out for veterans courts. By electing to go through the program, vets are agreeing to a rigorous 12-month program that includes intensive counseling, mentoring from fellow vets, frequent random drug tests, and job training.

Some drop out and opt for the "regular" court, in which they face jail time but none of the commitments of the rehabilitation program. Indeed, the 90 graduates of the Buffalo program represent only one-third of the 285 vets who have come before the court.

But for a former service member trying to rebuild his life, the veterans courts offer multiple benefits. When vets walk into the courtroom, they have immediate computer access to local VA officials, who can refer them to services such as counseling, benefits, or job training.

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"Many of the vets have claims that have been pending for years," says Jack O'Connor, the mentor coordinator for the Buffalo Veterans Treatment Court. "The vet's getting more done in his first day with the judge than he's gotten done with the VA in his whole life."

Moreover, they are watched over by the court's volunteer mentors, who are vets themselves, and will often go to great lengths to help their charges. They drive them to counseling appointments hours away, and help them line up interviews and find housing, for example.

"When we go to serve our country, sometimes we don't realize that the sacrifice continues when we come home," says Philip Ippolito, a military veteran and team leader for the court's mentors, choking back tears at the graduation ceremony. "And because of that sacrifice, we struggle."

Are the courts just for criminals?

When word of these services got out, however, it did not sit well with some vets, who asked whether they would have to commit a crime to have access to care that they had been seeking through the VA and the Pentagon's bureaucratic channels, sometimes for years.

One afternoon, a veteran came into the court yelling. He wanted to know why those who were arrested got immediate services, but he, as a law-abiding citizen, had seen his claim languish with the VA for years.

His aggressive loudness led him to be "immediately taken to the ground," says Mr. O'Connor. "But we all heard what he said."

In response, the Buffalo Veterans Treatment Court established what it calls its "line to the left." Anyone who wants help from a mentor of the court can come before the court and meet with them to get advice and help on their claim.

The mentors' dedication comes from a deep sympathy. They know what veterans in the program are going through, they say, because they have often struggled mightily themselves.

Mentors' dedication: They've been there

Trueman Muhrer was an Army private first class when he deployed to Iraq as part of the invasion.

On security for an explosive ordnance disposal unit, Mr. Muhrer was in the gun turret of his Humvee when it was hit by a roadside bomb. He spent four months in the hospital. His buddy, the assistant gunner in the passenger seat, was killed.

During his time in recovery, Muhrer saw "a lot of veterans going through struggles, just dealing with the system. There are a lot of places where people need an advocate."

People like Justin Smith, who was deployed to Iraq as a private first class at the height of the war as a gunner on Route Irish, widely known at the time as the most dangerous road in the world.

"We did patrols almost every day," Mr. Smith recalls.

After he returned from war, Smith felt angry and lost. "I knew I had a problem – my temper. I never really sleep," he says.

Then he found himself homeless. "Luckily, it was summertime. It was warm outside, so I could wander."

Then, in July 2011, Smith got into a high-speed chase with police. He could have been charged with a felony, but instead was referred to veterans court. "That basically kind of saved me," he says. "It was a relief – I was thinking I was going to be in jail for quite some time."

Mentors helped Smith apply for VA disabilities. "I didn't even know I was supposed to be receiving benefits for post-traumatic stress," he says.

Now he has a home, cares for his two young sons, and gets anger-management counseling. "I can buy a house – I can do almost anything I want."

The court and the camaraderie it provides create "a pretty welcoming environment," he adds, explaining that his mentor "told me about his symptoms, the stuff he dealt with – we went through the same stuff."

That said, he adds, "I always kind of feel alone anyways."

Russell's hope in starting the Buffalo Veterans Treatment Court was to tap into the culture of the US military in an effort to help turn around the lives of those who came into his courtroom.

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"Is there something we can do to take advantage of the military culture?" he wondered. "To capture that experience of discipline, integrity, pride – that team relationship?"

The veterans courts are an effort to create a structure for participants. But the court is no boot camp.

The key is to find mentors "who are sensitive enough not just to get in people's faces," he says. "Someone who's going to have a degree of empathy as a coach, as a motivator. It's not their role to be a disciplinarian. The court, if necessary, will do that."

The Buffalo court program has had to let mentors go in the past for being too overbearing: "I remember, one said: 'Forget the VA – you need to get yourself together and be a man,' " O'Connor says. "What … kind of a statement is that?"

In other cases, O'Connor says he lost mentors when he asked them to do too much. "I remember we had one guy spend the entire day at the VA, helping to get [other people's] benefits ironed out. You know what happened? He quit."

The Buffalo mentor program, with 40 members, raises its own funds separately from the court system. The money buys challenge coins issued at graduation, gas money, and bus passes for participants to get to their court appearances.

The results, the mentors say, speak for themselves: No graduate has been rearrested, O'Connor notes.

"There is disbelief that the program is this good," he says.

Yet O'Connor and others acknowledge a wider criticism: Why do veterans deserve such special treatment?

In the beginning, "some people didn't like the idea of the vets courts," he says. "They thought we were doing way too much for vets – the word 'boutique' was thrown around a lot."

The rapid proliferation of veterans courts raises some legal questions as well, says Michael McDaniel, a retired lieutenant general in the Michigan National Guard and associate professor at Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Ann Arbor, Mich.

"There are a couple of really interesting issues from a public policy standpoint," Mr. McDaniel says. "When you get the judicial branch involved, it says, 'Equal protection under the law.' " This means, he says, that there have to be "some limits on veterans' treatment courts."

Should, for example, veterans treatment courts be limited only to service members who have committed misdemeanors, or should the courts be available to admitted felons as well?

Deciding who qualifies

And if there is some assumption that combat stress arising out of the wounds of war is the reason former troops are committing crimes, then should courts be available only to those who served in combat?

On this point, courts across the country differ. In Michigan, veterans courts are open only to those who have served on active duty.

But Russell and the mentors of the Buffalo court feel differently. "Combat or no combat doesn't affect us if you've signed that line that says, 'Here's a blank check to Uncle Sam payable up to and including your life,' " says Frank Grillo, an Iraq war vet and court mentor who served three combat tours in Iraq "in the worst possible areas."

"What if you're support to combat? What if you're the person who's caretaker to bodies when they come home? What if I'm in a training exercise before I'm deployed and get injured?" says Russell. "When you start splitting hairs, then do you start investigating and analyzing: Where were you? Were you close to the front? What we do know is that they signed an oath to defend their country."

And that, says O'Connor, "is the vets' mentality," both in the Buffalo court and in the rapidly growing numbers of veterans courts throughout the country: a combination of "leave no soldier behind," he says, and "There but for the grace of God go I."

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Tweet from WSJ Video (@WSJVideo)

	WSJ Video (@WSJVideo)
11/11/12, 1:53 PM View footage of #explosion and #fire that blasted #Indianapolis neighborhood last night. #indy on.wsj.com/SVfd24

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Tweet from Karl Rove (@KarlRove)

	Karl Rove (@KarlRove)
11/11/12, 2:23 PM Thank you to our veterans and their families for their service defending our nation. Happy Veterans Day

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	The Washington Post (@washingtonpost)
11/11/12, 2:29 PM George Will: The Republican Party has a lot of thinking to do. wapo.st/TTRH6m

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Reason TV Replay: Honor Flight Brings World War II Vets to See Their Memorial

Reason TV Replay: Honor Flight Brings World War II Vets to See Their Memorial
REASON MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 11, 2012
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Back in August, a documentary by Reason TV alumn Dan Hayes premiered to 28,442 people at Miller Park, breaking the world record for the largest movie... Read more

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Veterans Day, Beyond the Parades

Veterans Day, Beyond the Parades
THE ATLANTIC | NOVEMBER 10, 2012
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_Even as we mark their sacrifice, there is evidence everywhere that America has "broken faith" with its veterans, the living and the dead._ Reuters/G... Read more

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Indy residents describe blast, fire that killed 2

Indy residents describe blast, fire that killed 2
AP TOP NEWS | NOVEMBER 11, 2012
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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A massive explosion sparked a huge fire and killed two people in an Indianapolis neighborhood where about three dozen homes were ... Read more

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Sergio Martinez’s next fight to be held in Argentina

Sergio Martinez's next fight to be held in Argentina
http://www.boxingnews24.com/2012/11/sergio-martinezs-next-fight-to-be-held-in-argentina/

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By Dan Ambrose: According to fightnews.com, WBC middleweight champion Sergio Martinez (50-2-2, 28 KO's) will be having surgery on Monday on his injured right knee, and if everything goes well with recovery from the surgery the 37-year-old Martinez will be fighting next in his native country of Argentina in the first quarter of 2013.

What this means, of course, is that Martinez will not be fighting an immediate rematch with the hulking former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. nor will Martinez be fighting the Golden Boy Promotions fighter WBC junior middleweight champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez on May 5th of next year. That's got to hurt Alvarez and Golden Boy, because it now narrows Alvarez's choices for the May 5th fight date to Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Miguel Cotto.

You can expect that to be narrowed even further if Cotto gets beaten by WBA World junior middleweight champion Austin Trout next month on December 1st. Alvarez's only choice could be Mayweather, and I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for that fight to happen.

Martinez defeated a huge looking Chavez Jr. by a 12 round unanimous decision on September 15th of this year in a pretty much one-sided fight. The only round where Chavez Jr. had any success was in the 12th round when he was able to knock Martinez down after hurting him with a right hand. The knockdown has encouraged enough boxing fans to want to see the two fight again despite the mostly one-sided nature of the fight. I guess Chavez Jr's fans are gluttons for punishment because the rematch could very well be as one-sided as the first fight, if not more. Chavez Jr. should take the advice of World Boxing Council president Jose Sulaiman and go in a different direction rather than choose to fight Martinez again because nothing good could come of a second fight unless Chavez Jr. is only interested in the payday.

It's unclear who Martinez could lure go come over to Argentina to fight him. I imagine he'll take a less than tough opponent for this fight because it'll be his first fight back after knee surgery. There's honestly not a lot of choices available for Martinez in the top 15 that the WBC has ranked. A bunch of less than popular fighters from top to bottom. I would say Jermain Taylor would be an interesting fight for the purposes of a spectacle but he's rumored to be fighting Peter Quillin on January 19th.

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Top tea party senator digs in against talk of compromise

rssfeeds.usatoday.com | Nov 11th 2012

Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., is urging fellow party members to resist calls for moderation.

Story Highlights

• DeMint's comments suggest tea-party Republicans have no intention of compromising on core issues
• The PAC founded by DeMint is a darling of the tea party movement
• DeMint, other tea party politicians are urging supporters to resist calls for moderation

WASHINGTON — The political action committee founded by Sen. Jim DeMint, a darling of the tea party movement, was three-for-nine in picking conservative Senate candidates this year — after spending more than $8.7 million.

Of the nine Republican Senate candidates that received money from the Senate Conservatives Fund, only Ted Cruz of Texas, Jeff Flake of Arizona, and Deb Fischer of Nebraska won election on Tuesday.

Those three and the six losing candidates benefited from some of the $16.5 million raised by the fund and an affiliated super PAC over the 2011-2012 election cycle, said Matt Hoskins, the fund's executive director.

Despite the fund's less-than-stellar record, DeMint and Hoskins are urging supporters to resist calls for moderation.

"We will certainly face many battles in Congress in the coming months that will give us the opportunity to clearly articulate the failures of liberalism and the common sense of conservative alternatives," DeMint wrote on his Facebook page. "We must not shrink from the fight on Capitol Hill or in drawing these distinctions for the American people, regardless of the attempted distortions by the mainstream press."

DeMint is no longer affiliated with the fund, which he created to help elect fellow conservatives to the Senate. But his comments strongly suggest tea-party Republicans have no intention of compromising on core issues just because Obama won a second term.

Hoskins went even further in a Friday statement that questioned House Speaker John Boehner's leadership, based on his recent comments about taxes, immigration and health care.

"Despite winning another Republican majority in the House, Boehner thinks President Obama has a mandate to enact policies that destroy jobs, ignore the rule of law, and take over our health care decisions," Hoskins wrote. "Obama is the first president in modern history to win re-election with fewer states than he won the first time, yet Boehner is waving the white flag on our core principles."

Boehner, in post-election remarks on Capitol Hill and in a national television interview, said House Republicans would be open to a deficit-reduction plan that includes new revenue through tax reform. He also said that comprehensive immigration reform was overdue and that the 2010 health care reform law — abhorred by conservatives — is the "law of the land."

The tea party wing of the Republican Party opposes tax increases and a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants already in the country, and favors repealing of "Obamacare."

"Abandoning these principles and capitulating to liberal policies is not a strategy for success," Hoskins said.

Boehner said House Republicans would support new revenue as part of a broader deficit-reduction plan, but only under certain conditions.

"Shoring up entitlements and reforming the tax code, closing special interest loopholes and deductions, and moving to a fairer, simpler system will bring jobs home and result in a stronger, healthier economy," Boehner said.

The six GOP Senate candidates backed by the Senate Conservatives Fund who lost on Tuesday are Josh Mandel of Ohio, Richard Mourdock of Indiana, George Allen of Virginia, Tom Smith of Pennsylvania, Dan Bongino of Maryland and Todd Akin of Missouri.

Hoskins defended the fund's record in this year's Senate races.

"It was a very bad year for Republicans across the board," he said Friday. "Only three non-incumbent Republican candidates for Senate won, and all three of them were endorsed and supported by the Senate Conservatives Fund."

Original Page: http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/UsatodaycomNation-TopStories/~3/c544ocBDWgo/

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Legal pot in Pa.? York County law enforcement foresee issues

Legal marijuana in Pennsylvania? York County law enforcement foresee issues

ydr.com | Nov 10th 2012 11:51 AM

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Print Email Font Resize Legal marijuana in Pennsylvania? York County law enforcement foresee issues Colorado and Washington legalized the recreational use of marijuana during the election. Possessing and selling the drug is still federally illegal. By REBECCA LeFEVER Daily Record/Sunday News Updated: 11/10/2012 11:51:52 PM EST York, PA - York County law enforcement believe the legalization of marijuana in Pennsylvania could lead to problems, if the commonwealth would ever follow suit with states such as Colorado and Washington, which OK'd the recreational use of the drug during last week's election. The president's administration has done little to crack down on the 17 states that allow people with certain medical conditions to use pot, something that is banned under federal law, according to the Associated Press. Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper asked for a federal response to the law passed during the election, but never got one, the AP reported. If the law isn't blocked, Colorado is expected to start commercial sales by 2014. Adults would then be able to possess up to an ounce of marijuana, and six marijuana plants, though public use of the drug and driving while intoxicated are prohibited. In Washington state, marijuana possession of an ounce or less would become legal on Dec. 6 if the measure is not blocked, according to the Associated Press. These changes on the West Coast are causing some concern for law enforcement in York County. "A huge number of our . . . incidents or crimes involve drugs or alcohol," said Southwestern Regional Police Chief Greg Bean. "To say a drug should be more accessible just goes against everything that we believe in because it will cause more issues." Bean said taking marijuana cases to court has not been a "huge burden" for his department. "What is a huge burden is intoxicated people in public," he said. "I guess what happens behind your doors on some occasions is considered not a problem, but as soon as it comes into front yards, roadways, public areas -- that's when it does become a problem." Bean added that nearly every incident they respond to -- whether domestic, a car accident or theft -- involves someone using drugs or alcohol. "The intoxicated person is a huge burden on our system," he said. "It's hard for me to support that one." Chief Tom Hyers of Springettsbury Township Police agreed that drug use has "devastated the lives of families." As part of the county's Drug Task Force, Hyers said his department doesn't see a "prolific problem" with the use of marijuana, but "it's everywhere." "I think that you're seeing some departments in the United States start to more or less decriminalize it," Hyers said. "But that's not for us to decide. That's for politicians. The laws are the rule of the people and I'll enforce those the best I can." But some in the community think it's good that things are changing. Adam Jones, a Hanover native now living in California, had previously organized Hemp Fest in Spring Grove. "Anytime we can see less fear regarding marijuana and more knowledge, that's a good thing," Jones said. There's a lot of misinformation about marijuana being a gateway drug for heroin or cocaine, Jones said. If the state takes over the sale of pot, it takes away the possibility of someone being offered a harder drug by a dealer, he added. After organizing Hemp Fest, Jones said, it was obvious people were confused about the difference between hemp -- a textile product used to make clothes and other items -- and marijuana, and the uses for both. Jones sees the benefits in each one and thinks a lot of people will begin to jump on board with legalizing marijuana in Pennsylvania. Cost of marijuana in York County According to Lt. Tim Utley, head of the detective division for York City Police, there are many different kinds of marijuana that his drug detectives come across. An ounce of average marijuana can cost anywhere from $120 to $150. A higher-quality weed can cost $180 to $400 an ounce depending on the level of dealer and his or her accessibility to the product. A pound can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $1,500, with the more expensive weed costing $4,000 to $5,000 a pound. Typically, people purchase nickel bags, which cost about $5, for their personal use, Utley said. If someone is caught with more than two pounds, but less than 10 pounds of marijuana, they face one year in state prison, he said. If they are caught with more than 10 pounds, it is a two year state prison sentence. Those are the state's mandatory sentences regarding weight, Utley said. The penalties could be higher when considering someone's criminal background or if the crime is committed in a school zone. Marijuana penalties Possession of marijuana penalties in Pennsylvania are as follows: For 30 grams or less, you are facing misdemeanor charges of up to 30 days in jail, and a fine of $500. For possession of more than 30 grams, the penalties go up to one year in jail, $5,000 in fines and an automatic six month loss of your driver's license. If you are a first time marijuana offender, it is possible to get probation without a verdict. For second offense possession charges, or multiple subsequent offenses, the penalties can double. If you have more than 30 grams of marijuana, you run the risk of being charged with possession with intent to deliver or distribute. Possession of drug paraphernalia, or selling/distributing marijuana Up to 1 year in jail and/or a fine of up to $2,500. For selling to a minor it can be a felony charge of up to two years in jail and a $5,000 fine. -- Source: Crimes Code of Pennsylvania @ralefever; 771-2088 Print Email Font ResizeReturn to Top

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Original Page: http://www.ydr.com/crime/ci_21972168/legal-pot-pa-york-county-law-enforcement-foresee

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The Real James Bond

The Real James Bond
THEDAILYBEAST | NOVEMBER 11, 2012
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They stand together in a dusty corner of my father's old bookcase, scratched and battered but still serviceable, as much a part of a boy's coming of a... Read more

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The Real James Bond

The Real James Bond
THEDAILYBEAST | NOVEMBER 11, 2012
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They stand together in a dusty corner of my father's old bookcase, scratched and battered but still serviceable, as much a part of a boy's coming of a... Read more

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It is not that Romney lost, but how Romney won

It is not that Romney lost, but how Onama won

by Judd Weiss, c.washingtontimes.com
November 11th 2012

WASHINGTON, November 11, 2012 – Since Election Night, Mitt Romney's loss has been discussed, criticized, excused and reviewed from every angle. But it may not have been the loss, but the win that is the story.

President Obama's win can be attributed to a supportive media, saavy social networking, an energized base on the ground, and the eerie timing of a game-changing natural disaster.

Then there are the things that eroded Romney's 'not too bad chance' to win – his immigration policy, the women's vote, and Hurricane Sandy.

President Obama received 71% of the Hispanic vote compared to Romney's 27%. Romney's poorly defined and articulated immigration policy cost the Hispanic vote, while Obama's campaign wizards crunched the numbers, canvassing the voting districts, and producing, once again a brilliant ground game, especially with the Hispanic vote.

Then there are America's clearly changing demographics that seemed to determine elections outcomes far more than political ideology. Romney-Ryan's sexual and social politics hurt them badly, causing them to lose the affection of moderate, and even center-right women.

Many agree with the conservative impulses and efforts to recover from the harm wrought by a long era of relativism. But as the campaign unfolded, it became impossible for Romney-Ryan to articulate toward sensitive women's issues, like, abortion, in the broken atmosphere spawned by the likes of Akin and Mourdock.

The poisonous line of thinking from these men alienated the Romney team from women, particularly younger women.

At the end of the day, Hurricane Sandy did the most to save Obama, earning him a second term in office.

While Sandy destroyed lives, killed Americans and, to this day, nearly two weeks later, still has residents of New York and New Jersey living in hell, it was a photo op and distraction tailor made for a candidate needing to divert public attention from recent failings.

1. Sandy allowed Obama to look like a savior for the destitute, giving the gift of photo ops of big hugs and bigger smiles. Platitudes about getting out of the mess "together" combined to help tilt the undecided vote his way. Interesting to note, the President has not returned to New Jersey, or the previously ignored New York with the Staten Island and Rockaway neighborhoods.

2. Sandy allowed Americans to feel positive about the role and necessity for big government as Big Government appeared to be there to save the day.

3. Sandy took the voters minds off of "the issues," the economy and Benghazi to name two, reverting the vote back to "personalities" while giving Obama photo-ops that any politician could only dream of.

4. Chris Christie, the appointed heart and soul of the Republican party, became an eloquent and exquisite pitchman for Obama. It is possible that Governor Christie did more for Obama than Bill Clinton did. Christie and Sandy allowed Obama to don the identity of great conciliator, "rising above partisan politics," and "reaching across the aisle."

5. Finally, the overwhelming extent of Sandy's horrors and devastation, handily removed from the public's attention from the atrocious and grievous Benghazi scandal, and did so right at election time, when steady and continued scrutiny would have caused damage with the undecided.

Again, a break that Obama could only dream of.

All in all the election seemed influenced by matters beyond either candidate's control. Romney-Ryan did well to make the poor record of Obama's first four years clear to voters. They were polite but strong on the problems that abound in Obama's both domestic and foreign policy.

And they did not shy away from bringing forward scandals of the very serious sort that cast dark shadows over Obama.

But who could have guessed that a darkness of a very different sort, the clouds of Sandy, and the powerless homes in New Jersey, would give the incumbent all that a politician could ever hope for.

---

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Original Page: http://c.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/frank-kaufmann-way-forward/2012/nov/11/it-not-romney-lost-how-romney-won/

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Johnny be stunningly good

Johnny be stunningly good
TOP NBCNEWS HEADLINES | NOVEMBER 11, 2012
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Johnny Football and the SEC newbies from Texas A&M took down the biggest bully in their new neighborhood and left No. 1 Alabama with badly bruised na... Read more

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Homes destroyed, residents evacuated in Indianapolis explosion

Homes destroyed, residents evacuated in Indianapolis explosion
TOP NBCNEWS HEADLINES | NOVEMBER 11, 2012
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At least two people were killed and 18 homes  damaged by a thunderous explosion in a south Indianapolis neighborhood late Saturday night, NBC affilia... Read more

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How Much Would You Pay To Never See An Online Ad Again?

Imagine a $120 box that sits between your cable modem and your wireless router and blocks every kind of ad that can be delivered over the internet.

View full story at http://qz.com/26155/how-much-would-you-pay-to-never-see-an-online-ad-again/

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Crim Lawyers are Nicest

Criminal Defense Lawyers Are the Nicest Lawyers ( http://lawyerist.com/criminal-defense-lawyers-are-the-nicest-lawyers/


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Republicans Reconsider Positions on Immigration

After President Obama won 71 percent of the Latino vote on Tuesday, Republicans began rethinking their attitudes toward immigration reform, saying they could support a fix.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/10/us/politics/republicans-reconsider-positions-on-immigration.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

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Waffle House Chairman in Trouble

'Waffle House Chairman Accused of Requiring Sex Acts' on Fluent News. Here is the link: http://fluentnews.com/s/28096678


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FOX News: Gas rationing hits New York City, Long Island

Gas rationing hits New York City, Long Island.

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FOX News: Fiscal cliff no guarantee for bipartisanship?

 Fiscal cliff no guarantee for bipartisanship?.

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Man-to-man combat still key to military strength

Man-to-man combat still key to military strength
USATODAY.COM | NOVEMBER 9, 2012
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A few years back, Cliff Wooldridge was on a typical path for a young man growing up in a logging town in the Pacific Northwest. He graduated from hig... Read more

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A list of potential Mike Brown replacements for the Los Angeles Lakers

A list of potential Mike Brown replacements for the Los Angeles Lakers
BLOGS.THESCORE.COM | NOVEMBER 9, 2012
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Did you hear Mike Brown got fired? It's true. As such, the Lakers need a new coach. Here are a few ideas. * Phil Jackson * Mike D'Antoni * Je... Read more

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NASA's Gutsy First Launch of the Saturn V

NASA's Gutsy First Launch of the Saturn V
DISCOVERY NEWS | NOVEMBER 9, 2012
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On Nov. 9, 1967, the first Saturn V launched... Read more

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Admitting to affair, Petraeus resigns as CIA chief

Admitting to affair, Petraeus resigns as CIA chief
AP TOP NEWS | NOVEMBER 10, 2012
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WASHINGTON (AP) — The resignation of CIA Director David Petraeus has brought a sudden and unexpected end to the public career of a four-star general ... Read more

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High court to take new look at voting rights law

High court to take new look at voting rights law
AP TOP NEWS | NOVEMBER 10, 2012
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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court will consider eliminating the government's most potent weapon against racial discrimination at polling places sinc... Read more

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27 inmates killed in Sri Lanka prison shootout

27 inmates killed in Sri Lanka prison shootout
AP TOP NEWS | NOVEMBER 10, 2012
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COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — A shootout between rioting prisoners and security forces at a prison in Sri Lanka's capital killed at least 27 inmates, whi... Read more

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Man testifies about details of Afghan massacre

Man testifies about details of Afghan massacre
AP TOP NEWS | NOVEMBER 10, 2012
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JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. (AP) — A man who was wounded during a massacre in Afghanistan in March has testified at a hearing for the U.S. soldie... Read more

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'Meatless Mondays': LA urges residents to turn vegetarian one day a week

'Meatless Mondays': LA urges residents to turn vegetarian one day a week
TOP NBCNEWS HEADLINES | NOVEMBER 10, 2012
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Los Angeles is hoping to persuade people to become vegetarian – at least one day per week. Under a resolution unanimously approved by the city council... Read more

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US says Iran fired on US drone over Gulf [VIDEO]

LOLITA C. BALDOR

WASHINGTON (AP) — An Iranian attack aircraft fired at least twice at an unarmed U.S. drone conducting routine surveillance in international airspace over the Persian Gulf, the Pentagon said Thursday. The aircraft missed and the drone returned to base unharmed.

Read more at The Daily Caller...

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U.S. Virgin Islands senator arrested, charged with bribery-related crimes in DOJ scandal

Matthew Boyle

U.S. Virgin Islands Senator Alvin Williams has been arrested and accused of bribery, among other alleged crimes, the Associated Press reports. Williams, 34, was accused "of generating more than $1 million through illegal activities, including demanding bribes in exchange for favorable legislation." He, his chief of staff Kim Blackett and another unidentified staff member were charged Thursday, according to the USVI U.S. Attorney Ronald Sharpe's office.

Read more at The Daily Caller...

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DUMPING TEA?

Alexis Levinson

There is no tea party caucus independent of the Republican caucus in the House of Representatives, Speaker of the House John Boehner said Thursday in an interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer. "We've got members from all different types -- all walks of life, if you will," Boehner said. "But do they come back changed by this election?" Sawyer asked. "Well, listen, I think this has been the most misreported story of my two years' tenure," Boehner replied. "We don't have a tea party caucus to speak of in the House. All of us who were elected in 2010 were supported by the tea party."

Read more at The Daily Caller...

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Argentines Take to the Streets to Protest

abcnews.go.com | Nov 30th -0001

By CONZ PRETI

Argentines have a history of banging pots and pans when in protest. November 8th was yet another day of pot banging and chanting against Argentina's President, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner's government. Only this time it was a worldwide movement and some are wishfully hoping it'll be the country's biggest protest since 2001.

A massive protest was organized via social media. On Twitter the hashtag #8N had more than 70,000 tweets in the hours before the event took place. On Facebook a handful of pages got thousands of likes. YouTube became a tool for those protesting to share what was happening on their side of the world. Counterpart groups and hashtags have also been created by supporters of the government, and some even encouraged people to boycott the protests.

The same day the protest took place, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner posted a message in Spanish on her official Facbeook page that read: "We are living in a time with a freedom of expression never seen before in Argentina, we are living in democracy, in which everyone can live, say what they think..."

Florencia Lujani, 23, is joining the protest tonight in Buenos Aires. She is taking part because she wants to protest against issues such as insecurity, corruption, inflation, the constitutional reform and the increasing restrictions to individual freedom. "I don't share values nor principles with my president," Lujani said. "I think [the protest] is a good way to wake us heard." Lujani expects this protest to be peaceful and with no major issues for civilians.

We compiled images and videos from around the world. If you are taking part of the protest tweet at us @UnivisionNews your images.

Original Page: http://abcnews.go.com/ABC_Univision/News/page/argentines-world-streets-protest-17673951

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