Trump said, “We need people to be afraid. Right now many Americans are surprised when protestors are killed, but they’ll get used to it.” Trump did add one suggestion: “Try not to kill white people. That gets too much attention. Stick to protestors of other colors.”   read more

Flashbangs can inflict serious wounds if they explode next to a human body. Their flash powder is hot enough to cause second-degree burns on flesh, and the concussion from their blast has been shown to sever hands and fingers, cause heart attacks, burn down homes and kill pets. Some police forces report using flashbangs up to 80% of the time during their raids, where their targets are often found to be innocent or guilty of only minor offenses.   read more

Defense lawyers contend it was necessary for officials to ask Israel to review the report before complying with Smith’s request—an unusual move on the part of a U.S. agency involving a FOIA issue.The report may contain details about an internal debate nearly 30 years ago among U.S. officials whether Washington should authorize the sale of a Cray supercomputer to a coalition of Israeli universities -- a sale "that could boost Israel's well-known but officially secret A-bomb and missile programs."   read more

“It's another horrible example of the governor taking money that was designated for an important purpose and putting it in the general fund,” said Arnold Cohen. The decision to divert the money, which was used to pay state bills, left the lead fund nearly empty. Lawmakers have yet to approve legislation to restore it. Meanwhile, thousands of children have been left at risk to lead exposure and poisoning, which can result in brain damage, learning disabilities and other health problems.   read more

Over the past three years, pot seizures near the Mexico border have declined 37%, according to the Post. That’s because Americans now prefer higher-quality, domestic marijuana options that have increasingly become available in the 23 states that have approved marijuana for recreational or medical use. U.S. product is more in demand because they are “genetically improved strains, grown in greenhouses,” said Raul Benitez-Manaut.. “That’s why the Mexican cartels are switching to heroin and meth.”   read more

The Brooklyn district attorney’s office is now reviewing 70 cases that Scarcella worked on, most of which were investigated two or three decades ago. And what they’re finding is that this “star detective” may indeed be guilty of what his accusers have been charging—that he has, over the decades, engaged in witness tampering, forced confessions, and other illegal means of “getting his man” at any cost. Even if it has meant sending the innocent to prison.   read more

The legal battle over who controls the oil landed in a U.S. court in July, where lawyers for both sides filed competing motions. The following month, Judge Miller dismissed the lawsuit, concluding that U.S. maritime law is inapplicable to the case. Miller then accepted an Iraqi argument that showed U.S. courts do have jurisdiction in the case. Meanwhile, the oil has sat in the tanker United Kalavrvta, which has remained 60 miles off the coast of Galveston.   read more

As moving as it was to see millions of people from around the world march for protection of freedom of the press, those who follow the subject of press freedom could not help but snicker, bristle or become outraged to see almost a dozen world leaders taking part in a demonstration whose theme was “Je suis Charlie,” who are themselves guilty of suppressing freedom of the press in their own countries.   read more

An estimated 9 million students in the U.S. could receive a tuition-free ride through community college as long as they maintain a 2.5 grade point average (a C+) and are making “steady progress” toward completing a program. The plan would cover both full-time and half-time students at two-year institutions that offer classes transferable to universities or vocational programs in high-demand fields of work.   read more

The Federal Bureau of Investigation found classified documents on the computer of Paula Broadwell, an Army Reserve officer who was writing Petraeus’ biography, in 2012 after it was revealed that the two were having an affair and Petraeus resigned as CIA director. Some members of Congress have urged Holder to resist prosecution, claiming, in effect, that Petraeus should not be held to the same laws as other Americans.   read more

A report (pdf) from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that only 0.7% of charities were audited in 2013, and that’s down from an already-low 0.81% in 2011. This drop came while returns filed by charitable organizations went from 725,888 to 763,149, an increase of 5%. For comparison, about 1% of individuals and about 1.4% of corporations were audited in 2013.   read more

Cubans are allowed to enter the United States without visas or background checks and are given permanent resident status after one year and one day. Those from other countries can wait years and even decades for their green cards. That access to the United States has made Cubans the leaders in Medicare fraud. Those born in Cuba represent less than 1% of the U.S. population but commit 41% of Medicare fraud.   read more

Much of the library and museum maintains a cheerful, laudatory atmosphere until one checks in on the Watergate Exhibit. Naftali presented an in-depth, historically accurate depiction of the days leading up to the only presidential resignation in history, with a retrospective look at why it was important. The exhibit was not a family favorite. Some members boycotted its opening in 2011 and Naftali left shortly afterward.   read more

The Pentagon announced last week that it will close 15 U.S. bases in Europe. However, because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and other pressures, the number of American forces on the continent will remain about the same at about 67,000 for the next several years. The closures are expected to save about $500 million from the $500 billion Pentagon budget.   read more

Four Californians stopped in Utah for taking pictures of agricultural buildings last September are apparently the first non-residents to be charged with violating the state’s controversial “ag-gag” law. Will Potter at Green Is the New Red says that the two Utah cases are the only ag-gag enforcements, nationally.   read more

Jailer is an elected office in Kentucky, the only state where that’s the case. The jailer is responsible for maintaining the county jail, transporting prisoners to court and other related duties. But in 41 of Kentucky’s counties, there is no jail. Those counties with small populations use regional jails to house prisoners. So what do those jailers do with their time? In the case of Jeanette Miller Hughes, who received $69,000 a year as Perry County’s jailer, it’s babysitting her grandchild.   read more

Thousands of small dead and dying seabirds are washing up onshore from Northern California to Washington State and scientists don’t know why. If it turns out that Cassin’s auklets are dying from the loss of their food source, “They would be the first seabird species hit hard by a lack of krill,” according to the Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association.   read more