Eating as little as a quarter of an ounce of chocolate each day -- an amount equal to about one small Easter egg -- may lower your risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke, a new study has found. For best results, the chocolate should be dark, experts say. "Dark chocolate exhibits the greatest effects, milk chocolate fewer, and white chocolate no effects," says the lead author of the study, Brian Buijsse, a nutritional epidemiologist at the German Institute of Human Nutrition, in Nuthetal, Germany. In the study, Buijsse and his colleagues followed nearly 20,000 people for an average of eight years. The researchers surveyed the study participants about their chocolate consumption (as well as the rest of their diet), and also tracked the heart attacks and strokes that occurred in the group. Compared with people who rarely ate chocolate (about one bar per month), the people who ate the most chocolate (slightly more than one bar per week) had a 27 percent and 48 percent reduced risk of heart attack and stroke, respectively, the researchers found. Health.com: How to make chocolate a healthy indulgence
The heart benefits observed in the study may be due in part to lower blood pressure, the study notes. Previous studies have suggested that eating chocolate can lower blood pressure, and the researchers observed a similar -- though less pronounced -- association in this study.
A year ago, Kris Sickles took part in the filming of this short video, posted on YouTube called American Jihad. This video pictures armed men in uniforms much like those worn by the Hutarees. In his Hutaree video (of their future plans?), the men capture a businessman and torture him before cutting off his head. Apparently, in the mind of Kris Sickles, it’s okay for Christian men in camouflage to brutally kill people in order to trigger a holy war against the government of the United States. He thinks that it’s terribly wrong and evil, however, for Muslims to do the same thing. Kris Sickles is the face of a real homegrown Domestic Terrorist. Kris Sickles planned a Million Man ARMED Militia March on Washington. Thanks to the FBI, Kris Sickles was arrested this weekend and hopefully, will be put away for the rest of his life.
Update: FoxNews: U.S. federal prosecutors say nine members of a Christian militia have been charged with plotting to kill a police officer and then bomb a funeral to kill more law enforcement personnel.The announcement Monday follows the arrest of eight of the nine people in raids in the U.S. states of Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. Authorities are searching for the ninth suspect. Court documents unsealed Monday say the charges against the nine include seditious conspiracy and attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction.The indictment says the group was anti-government and wanted to wage war against the United States. U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade says the group, known as Hutaree, planned the attack for April. She says action was taken since the public and law enforcement were at risk.The head of the FBI's office in Detroit says the case is an example of radical and extremist fringe groups that can be found throughout society. He says the FBI takes such extremist groups seriously, especially those who target innocent citizens and law enforcement officers.Those charged include the group's alleged ringleader, David Brian Stone (aka Capt. Hutaree), and his wife and two sons.
Nine suspects tied to a Midwest Christian militia that was preparing for the Antichrist have been arrested in raids by a FBI-led Joint Terrorism Task Force in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana as part of an investigation into an Adrian-based Christian militia group (Domestic Terrorists). Sources said the FBI was in the second day of raids around the southeastern Michigan city of Adrian that are connected to a militia group, known as the Hutaree, an Adrian-based group whose members describe themselves as Christian soldiers preparing for the arrival and battle with the anti-Christ. The idea of attacking a police funeral was one of numerous scenarios discussed as ways to go after law enforcement officers, the indictment said. Other scenarios included a fake 911 call to lure an officer to his or her death, or an attack on the family of a police officer. Once other officers gathered for a slain officer's funeral, the group planned to detonate homemade bombs at the funeral, killing more, according to the indictment. After such attacks, the group allegedly planned to retreat to "rally points" protected by trip-wired improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, for what they expected would become a violent standoff with law enforcement personnel. "It is believed by the Hutaree that this engagement would then serve as a catalyst for a more wide-spread uprising against the government," the indictment charges. According to investigators, the Hutaree view local, state, and federal law enforcement personnel as a "brotherhood" and an enemy, and planned to attack them as part of an armed struggle against the U.S. government. The indictment charges members of the group conspired "to levy war against the United States, (and) to oppose by force the authority of the government of the United States."
On their website, the "Tea Party Patriots" are aligning themselves to these violent militias. The above youtube is an actual Hutaree Militia home-made video which they posted on their myspace website. Their motto "HUTAREE FOR JESUS CHRIST, ALL THE WAY TO THE END." Their Friends include: Michigan Militia Corps Wolverines, Lenawee Volunteer Michigan Militia, Ohio Militia, Jackson County Volunteers, Ohio Defense Corps, SA-RNEM (Confederate Chapter), Kentucky State Milita, Ohio Valley Command, Central Texas Militia, Black Brigade Citizen Militia, Yuma Militia, WV Militia, Ghosts of the Republic, Constitutional Republic of America, Lee County Armed Volunteers, Sons of freedom Militia Texas, Washington State Militia, Mountain Man 6, Christians Against the New World, Mobile County Survivalists, 135th Illinois volunteer cavalry, Florida Free Allinace, 1st TN Rifles, 105th Blue Guard, 55th Idaho Lightfoot, Yorktown Militia, and RIP America July 4, 1776 - July 20, 2010. I've listed only a few of their 367 friends.
Update 2: One of those arrested was Kristopher “Pale Horse” Sickles who posted a risible YouTube video beseeching a MILLION of his fellow militia members to descend on Washington, fully armed, for a “Million Militia Man March.”
Phoenix New Times Reports: If you're Hispanic in Maricopa County, Sheriff Joe's goons have probable cause to arrest you on suspicion of being undocumented. Hey, they can always release you later. That's the word from the elephant's mouth after an MCSO raid on four area McDonald's on Friday that netted an American citizen, Viridiana Ramirez, who was cuffed and held for four hours as she pleaded with MCSO thugs that she was born in this country and could prove it. What was Arpaio's response to the news that his Kris Kobach-trained deputies has violated the civil rights of a single mother and terrorized her no end? "That's just normal police work, " he shrugged in a news conference following the raid. "Sometimes you do have probable cause, you do take people in for questioning, and they're released."
So it's arrest 'em if they're brown first, and sort 'em out later. False arrest and imprisonment be damned.
Immigration reform would help economy Guest Voz: JAY BYERS and MARK ROSENBURY are Iowa Immigration Education Coalition Steering Committee members. Contact: info@iowaimmigrationaeducation.org With the economic crisis foremost on everyone's mind, it is hardly a surprise that the issue of immigration reform has taken a backseat. While it is imperative that Congress act quickly to address this economic and labor crisis, what might come as a surprise is that immigration reform - seemingly unrelated - may actually be a key facet in invigorating our stagnant economy and creating jobs for Americans.
A recent report by UCLA's Raul Hinojosa-Ojeda calculates the economic effects of the three most often discussed immigration scenarios: (1) comprehensive immigration reform, including a pathway to legalization; (2) a temporary worker program, with no pathway to legalization; and (3) mass deportations coupled with sealing the border. The study shows:
- comprehensive immigration reform would produce the greatest economic benefits for Americans, finding that: - It would generate an additional $1.5 trillion in U.S. GDP over 10 years. Within three years, it would boost wages for native-born and newly legalized immigrants, increase tax revenues up to $4.5 billion to $5.4 billion and increase consumer spending - enough to support 750,000 to 900,000 new U.S. jobs.
- The temporary worker program is estimated to increase U.S. GDP by $792 billion over 10 years, while decreasing wages for both native-born and newly legalized immigrants.
- Mass deportation would reduce the U.S. GDP an estimated $2.6 trillion over 10 years - providing some increase in wages for less-skilled native workers but reducing wages for higher-skilled natives and causing widespread job loss. This does not account for the cost of deportation, which has been estimated at over $200 billion.
Iowa-specific studies echo these findings. According to the Iowa Policy Project, unauthorized families in Iowa paid between $40 million and $62 million in taxes in 2007 alone. Another study, by the Perryman Group, found that if all undocumented immigrants were removed from Iowa, local economies would lose $1.4 billion in potential revenue, $613.4 million in economic output, and approximately 8,800 jobs. A study by the National Milk Producers Federation confirms the essential role of immigrant labor. A loss of 50 percent of immigrant dairy farm-workers nationally would lower sales annually by $6.7 billion and reduce total economic output by $11.2 billion, while removing all immigrant dairy workers would produce a net loss of nearly 133,000 U.S. jobs.
This validates what numerous other reports have stated in the past year. Organizations ranging from the libertarian Cato Institute, to the widely acclaimed Brookings Institute, to the bipartisan Council on Foreign Relations have all weighed in on the economic ramifications of reform, and all agree - America needs comprehensive immigration reform. Much of the recent discourse concerning reform has been divisive in nature, and falls out of line with the fact that comprehensive immigration reform has traditionally garnered bipartisan support. Some might even be surprised at the fact that comprehensive immigration reform enjoys vast public support. According to a January 2010 poll by the Benenson Strategy Group, 62 percent of Republican voters and 87 percent of voters overall support an earned path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. In the coming months, Congress has a chance to make real, positive change for our country. We all agree that our economy needs to be fixed and we all agree that our current immigration policies are broken. Why not make the decision that benefits everyone?
SHOCKING BREAKING NEWS: Extremist, Fringe, Former Minutemen Teapartier Vigilantes, armed and in camouflage are Locked and Loaded terrorizing any/all brown people they believe are "illeegals" in southern Arizona. The Border Reporter is reporting: Federal agents have received complaints from hunters in Southern Arizona of being accosted by armed white men in camouflage who (falsely) told the hunters they are with the Department of Homeland Security, sources say. They say they weren’t affiliated with the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, but law enforcement doesn’t know yet who is driving this group, what their members are like, and what their motives are. U.S. Border Patrol confronted the group: “They interviewed them, they denied everything, of course. But yeah, those bastards are out there now.” The incident was reported in Arizona’s Pima County, down towards Sierrita Mountain Road off Ajo Way.
The vigilantes on the loose may be a direct result of an invitation sent out by Carmen Mercer, head of the Minutemen Civil Defense Corps. (MCDC). On March 16, Mercer sent out an email inviting her followers to come to the border "Locked and Loaded." "You are strongly encouraged to exercise your rights and duty as an American citizen to carry a long arm and if challenged use it to defend the United States of America," she wrote. “We will forcefully engage, detain, and defend our lives and country from the criminals who trample over our culture and laws.” Teapartier Mercer said she shot off her email in ANGER. Mercer said her anger with the federal government about health-care reform and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano's claims that the border is secure led her to send out the March 16 e-mail.
Basically, Mercer incited a riot, encouraging people to bring rifles, hunt those they suspect are illegal migrants down and confront those they suspect are drug traffickers.
After she sent out the email, Mercer received over 350 eager responses ready to rampage the streets, roads, trails, hills, valley, desert of Southern Arizona, LOCKED and LOADED and ready to KILL/MURDER all of those they suspected as being "illeegals." This eager response SCARED Mercer so much she SHUT DOWN the MCDC forever. This week, Mercer told the Arizona Daily Star: “People are ready to come lock and loaded and that’s not what we are all about. It only takes one bad apple to destroy everything we’ve done for the last eight years.” To scare her to this level, those emails must have detailed unbelievable atrocities the vigilantes planned for Brown People they suspect as "illeegals." (The FBI needs to obtain these emails from these domestic terrorists!!)
Derrick M. Donchak, 20, of Shenandoah, and Brandon J. Piekarsky, 18, of Shenandoah Heights, must appear at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 4 in Courtroom 3 of the Max Rosenn United States Courthouse, Wilkes-Barre, for the start of their trial, which could put each behind bars for life. U.S. District Judge A. Richard Caputo, who is presiding over the case, issued an order Thursday in which he scheduled the start of the trial and gave each defendant until May 15 to file pretrial motions and supporting briefs. Caputo ruled the interests of justice justified extending the time for filing such motions and briefs.
The federal trial is for the beating of Luis Eduardo Ramirez Zavala. Donchak and Piekarsky are each charged with a HATE CRIME in connection with the fatal beating of Ramirez, 25, of Shenandoah, on July 12, 2008, on a borough street. Donchak also faces charges of obstruction of justice in connection with the beating.
Three former Shenandoah police officers, Matthew R. Nestor, William Moyer and Jason Hayes, also face charges in connection with allegedly obstructing the investigation of Ramirez's beating. Nestor, Moyer and Hayes were police chief, lieutenant and officer, respectively. In an unrelated case, Nestor and former Shenandoah police captain Jamie Gennarini are charged with extorting money from illegal gambling operations in the borough. All four former police officers have resigned their positions with the borough. Like Donchak and Piekarsky, they are on home detention pending the starts of their trials.
My husband and I watched "The Blind Side" on On-Demand movies last night. I thought it was a pretty good feel-good movie. Afterwards, my husband said to me, "That was nice of her, to adopt the young black kid, Big Mike, like she did."
I said, "I liked the movie, but it did seem a bit condescending to me. We didn't learn anything about what was going on in Michael's head, just that some white lady saved him and taught him football. I wonder how Black people felt watching this movie. You know, a white person saving a black person, relieving her White guilt. I wonder if a part of her saved him so he would go to ole Miss, like the movie said."
He responded, "Well, it was a true story. Regardless what the reason, she did save him. I wonder what would happen if all rich white people adopted a poor black kid."
I said, "Why would they do that? Black people don't need to be saved by White people. Black people should be able to help themselves. They do you know."
He said, "But they do much drugs....so much poverty."
I said, "And white people don't? Come on. You know the USA has the highest drug rate in the world. Every group does drugs. Every group has poverty. Go watch Cops or Intervention for Heaven's Sake. It's all there."
At this point, we stopped the banter. We both decided I should look up info on the backstory while we watched the MSU basketball game. After the great win by MSU, we picked up our conversation again.
I shared the info on the backstory. The biggest difference between the true story and the movie was the fact that Michael was already a highly skilled football player and was named Lineman of the year before he met the family, so the part of the so-called "true story" where Momma taught Big Mike football, was NOT true. However it was true that they were Michael's foster parents (he had several during this period) and Momma took him into their home as a family member, which is a very nice thing.
Many of the reviews/comments about the movie indicated the audience was split, 50/50. About half felt like my husband did, and half (mostly minorities) felt like I did. The 50% on his side seemed rather angry that the other side even voiced a concern.
The other side (commenters) explained their perspective. One person in particular was concerned that out of all the positive minority success stories in our country, Hollywood chose this story and "it is being turned into a glittery hero story wherein the white lady saves the black boy from his destitution and we all applaud her for her white knightery."
The commenter continued: "we cannot forget the institutional racism which still exists and prevents everyone from being treated EXACTLY the same way...(same privileges, opportunities for success, same treatment...) and within the historical context of slavery and the subsequent white guilt, this means something. It means something that Hollywood considered this to be a hugely marketable story worthy of the star power of Sandra Bullock over, say, a story of a white lady adopting a white boy and changing his life."
My husband and I both sat back after reading both sides of the argument. We both had rough childhoods. We both lived in poverty. We both know many people who made wrong choices in their lives and went down the drug-ridden paths of life.
I was lucky to have both parents, hard working and focused on making a better life for their children. They insisted that all their children complete their education and obtain good jobs/careers. I remember supportive teachers. But I also remember some teachers and counselors who tried to steer me away from college saying I would wind up pregnant anyway so I should take vocational classes which would benefit me. My husband didn't have it much easier, coming from a family of divorce with very little guidance or structure.
In every social structure, there are dominant and oppressed group. The dominant group in our society are the haves, those with power, privilege and influence. The oppressed are those that live in poverty. For centuries, minorities fell within the ranks of the oppressed. Since the Civil Rights movement we have gradually seen a number of minorities break the barriers. It is difficult, however, to break through these barriers. The Civil Rights movement was only 50 years ago and racism still continues to raise its ugly head. That was the problem with the movie. It took us back 150 years.
I actually liked this movie. It is a bag of popcorn movie you cannot take too seriously nor literally. The problem however is it takes us 150 years back into our history. We applauded Miss Scarlett for helping Big Sam who was her protector, just like we applaud Momma for helping Big Mike in this movie.
The recommendations of Violence by Limbaugh/Beck/Malkin are being heard and reacted upon by the teaparties. This is evident by their displays of violence towards our Democratic representatives in Congress. Over the weekend, several black Congressmen were spit upon and called the N word. Barney Frank was also spit upon and called the F word. Bricks have broken windows across Democratic Offices across the nation. Democratic Congressmen have been called and received threats of violence and profanity. A brother of one Congressman had the oil lines at his home cut. This, with two children under 8 years old at his home.
Yet, the Republicans are very slow to respond. They are not stepping up and chastising their followers. They are not stepping up and telling them to stop their Anger and Profanity. Since they are refusing to do so, I am stepping up. I am asking ALL TEAPARTIERS to STOP the Violence! Stop the Profanity! Instead, embrace your fellow Americans. Speak Truth and Unity. I am Somebody! Remember THIS about EACH of Your Fellow Americans:
I am Somebody!
I may be poor, But I amSomebody.
I may be young, But I amSomebody.
I may be on welfare, But I amSomebody.
I may be small, But I am Somebody.
I may have made mistakes, But I am Somebody.
My clothes are different, My face is different,
My hair is different, But I amSomebody.
I am black, Brown, or white.
I speak a different language,
But I must be respected, Protected, Never rejected.
Tens of Thousands of Immigration Reform supporters marched in Washington DC today. In a very peaceful march. They requested the broken Immigration processes be fixed.
President Barack Obama reassured immigration reform advocates that he is committed to working with Congress on a comprehensive bill to fix the "broken immigration system."
In a videotaped message presented on giant screens to the tens of thousands marching on the National Mall, Obama warned of the cost of inaction. He said problems with today's immigration system include families being torn apart, employers gaming the system and police officers struggling to keep communities safe. Obama said he would do everything in his power to forge a bipartisan consensus on immigration reform this year.
Many Immigration Activists are strongly in support of Comprehensive Immigration Reform. Demonstrators gathered at the National Mall during an immigration rally in Washington D.C. Tens of thousands of demonstrators staged a rally "March For America" on Sunday advocating immigration reform and support for America.
Thanks to the support of President Obama the Democrats in Congress approved legislation tonight extending health care to tens of millions of uninsured Americans and cracking down on insurance company abuses. Nancy Pelosi just announced this Senate-passed bill cleared the House on a 220-211 vote. The Republicans were unanimous in opposition, joined by 33 Democrats. President Obama watched the vote in the White House's Roosevelt Room with Vice President Joe Biden and about 40 staff aides. A rejoicing president exchanged high-fives with his chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel.
The bill will now go to the Senate, where Democratic leaders said they have the votes to pass it. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the legislation awaiting the president's approval will extend coverage to 32 million Americans who lack it, ban insurers from denying coverage on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions and cut deficits by an estimated $138 billion over a decade. The expansion of coverage will include 95 percent of all eligible individuals under age 65.
This is a historic success for the American People! Thank you Mr. President! Thank you Speaker Pelosi! Thank you Democratic Congress! You showed your Courage, your Bravery and your support for the American People!
Meanwhile, Republicans and many Teaparty members are angry, crying, swearing, blustering and upset that the bill has passed. It is time for them to get over their wish for our President and our Country to fail. It is time for them to show respect for our President and our Country and once and for all STOP the racial epithets, threatening violence (on their signs) and spitting on our Congressmen! Minority Leader John Boehner has asked all GOP members to "Behave Like Grown-Ups" now that the bill has passed. For the sake of all of America, I hope they take his advice!
Testimony from the 3/19/10 Murder trial of Jeff Conroy for murdering Marcelo Lucero: After murdering Marcelo Lucero, White Supremist Jeff Conroy admitted to a police officer at the scene and later to a homicide detective that he stabbed Marcelo. Later that night he enthusiastically boasted to friends, "Imagine if I get away with this!" On the night of the murder, the Caucasian Crew gathered at a park in Medford earlier in the evening. Jason Moran, one of the crew members testified about that night's events. Moran said two of the seven crew members talked about going to Patchogue to beat up a Mexican. The Prosecutor asked him to repeat what Conroy said. Moran responded, "Let's go to Patchogue and beat up a Mexican." The prosecutor, Megan O’Donnell, said Conroy’s feelings about white supremacy were evident in the tattoos on his body and in the statements he made to others. Mr. Conroy has a tattoo of a small swastika on his upper thigh. More Testimony from PreTrial Hearing: Suffolk Police Officers Mahony and Richardson testified. Both were on duty the night of November 8, 2008. Shortly before midnight, Mahony was alone on patrol in his squad car in Patchogue. Richardson was a few miles away at the Bellport train station. They both heard the police dispatcher announce over their radios that there had been a possible stabbing near the Patchogue train station. Mahony was nearby and reached the scene in a minute or two, making it there before the new day began. As he pulled up he saw two men standing near the dying Marcelo Lucero. Another officer, Frank Munch, also out alone, pulled into the station area a few seconds later. Mahony went to the still-living Lucero. ‘He had a large pool of blood around his head and a stab wound in the chest”, Mahony testified. Angel Loja, who had been with Marcelo Lucero when the attack began, blurted out that seven teenagers had fought his friend. He told Mahony that six were white and one was black, He said some were wearing black “hoodies”. Munch called the description in, and a few minutes later Mahony heard that other officers had stopped people matching that description. Mahony asked Loja if he thought he could recognize the attackers, and Loja said he thought he could. They got into Mahony’s car and headed towards the corner of South Ocean and Main St. where the men were being held.
Meanwhile, Richardson had also heard the radio report of a possible capture and headed towards the same location. He arrived shortly after midnight to see seven young men lined up with their hands against the wall. Richardson went up to the six foot one inch Conroy. He says Conroy was “fidgety, he was looking around like he was nervous.” Officer Richardson patted Conroy down “for my own protection”. The car with Officer Mahony and Loja pulled up to the corner where the young men were being detained. They all looked at the car as it came to a stop. Loja and Mahony could only see six of the men. Loja said to Mahony “Yeah, those are the guys who were fighting with my friend, but there was a black guy too.” When a police officer stepped to the side, they realized he had been blocking their view of a man who would later be identified as Jose Pacheco, who has pleaded guilty to participating in the attack. The sergeant at the scene ordered his men to take the seven into custody and bring them to the Fifth Precinct. Richardson began a second pat down preparatory to taking Conroy into his car. He asked Conroy if he had anything on him that he should know about and began patting him. Conroy inclined his head indicating that he wanted to talk to Richardson away from the others. Richardson took him a few feet away and Conroy said “I have a blade on me.”
Richardson started patting him again and Conroy told him; “Lift my shirt.” He had a folding knife about four inches long hidden in his waistband. Richardson opened the knife and saw blood on it. Richardson looked at Conroy and said “There’s blood on it.” “I stabbed him”, Conroy replied. According to Newsday, which has obtained handwritten statements taken by the police from those arrested in this case, Conroy’s statement elaborates on his involvement. Here are some quotes from Conroy’s statement published in Newsday: “His back was to me and as I ran towards him he turned to face me. He was about four or five feet from me, I continued to run towards him and stabbed him once in either his shoulder or chest.” “I told the cop that my knife was tucked in my boxers and I was the one who stabbed the guy.” “I don’t blame the Spanish guy for swinging the belt at us. It was obvious that he wanted to get the [expletive] out of there. He was ready to defend himself . . . “ “I tried to wash the blood off in a puddle, but there was still blood on it,” One of the other young men accused in the attack, Kevin Shea, wrote; “Jeff said . . . ‘I stabbed that guy.’ At first I didn’t believe him, but when he showed me his knife with blood on it I knew it was no joke.”
Update: On Meet the Press Sunday morning, RNC Chairman Michael Steele (who is Black) calls these Tea Party Activists: "Idiots! ...They are Stupid! They DO NOT represent the Republican Party!" Preceding the president's speech to a gathering of House Democrats, thousands of protesters descended around the Capitol to protest the passage of health care reform. The gathering quickly turned into abusive heckling, as members of Congress passing through Longworth House office building were subjected to epithets and even mild physical abuse. A staffer for Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) told reporters that Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) had been spat on (ASSAULT) by a protestor. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), a hero of the civil rights movement, was called a 'ni--er.' And Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) was called a "faggot," as protestors shouted at him with deliberately lisp-y screams. Frank, approached in the halls after the president's speech, shrugged off the incident. But Clyburn was downright incredulous, saying he had not witnessed such treatment since he was leading civil rights protests in South Carolina in the 1960s.
"It was absolutely shocking to me," Clyburn said, in response to a question from the Huffington Post. "Last Monday, this past Monday, I stayed home to meet on the campus of Claflin University where fifty years ago as of last Monday... I led the first demonstrations in South Carolina, the sit ins... And quite frankly I heard some things today I have not heard since that day. I heard people saying things that I have not heard since March 15, 1960 when I was marching to try and get off the back of the bus." "It doesn't make me nervous as all," the congressman said, when asked how the mob-like atmosphere made him feel. "In fact, as I said to one heckler, I am the hardest person in the world to intimidate, so they better go somewhere else."
Asked if he wanted an apology from the group of Republican lawmakers who had addressed the crowd and, in many ways, played on their worst fears of health care legislation, the Democratic Party, and the president, Clyburn replied: "A lot of us have been saying for a long time that much of this, much of this is not about health care at all. And I think a lot of those people today demonstrated that this is not about health care... it is about trying to extend a basic fundamental right to people who are less powerful."
From Rep Cleaver's office: This afternoon, the Congressman was walking into the Capitol to vote, when one protester spat on him. The Congressman would like to thank the US Capitol Police officer who quickly escorted the others Members and him into the Capitol, and defused the tense situation with professionalism and care. After all the Members were safe, a full report was taken and the matter was handled by the US Capitol Police. The man who spat on the Congressman was arrested, but the Congressman has chosen not to press charges. He has left the matter with the Capitol Police.
From Rep Louise Slaughter's office: Sometime early this morning, someone threw a brick through the front window of her Pine Avenue office. The damage was discovered about 12:30 a.m., city police said.
Opening Statement by Prosecutor Megan O'Donnell: “On Nov. 8, 2008, the hunt was on,” Megan O’Donnell, the prosecutor, told 12 jurors and 4 alternates in State Supreme Court on Thursday. The defendant, Jeffrey Conroy, 19, was one of seven Patchogue-Medford High School students who the police and prosecutors said attacked an Ecuadorean immigrant, Marcelo Lucero, in November 2008. The fatal stabbing of Mr. Lucero shocked many on Long Island and focused new attention on assaults and harassment of Latinos in the area.
In her opening statement, Ms. O’Donnell described how the teenagers, including Mr. Conroy, roamed the village of Patchogue that Saturday evening for one purpose: to find a Hispanic person to assault. “They were not in Patchogue looking to go to a party,” said Ms. O’Donnell, an assistant district attorney in Suffolk County. They were, instead, “looking for blood — specifically, Mexican blood.” They called the sport Mexican-hopping or beaner-hopping, she said. Ms. O’Donnell told the jurors that Mr. Conroy expressed his feelings of white supremacy, both in the tattoos on his body and in the statements that he made to others, and that he made Hispanics targets because of their ethnicity and because he “felt these people were easy targets” who were unlikely to call the police. That night, the group hopped into a sport utility vehicle belonging to one of the teenagers, after drinking beer with a larger group at the Medford train station, she said. Earlier that day, two of the teenagers shot a BB gun at another Latino man, Marlon Garcia. Later that evening, the boys, unable to find potential victims in Medford, drove to Patchogue and went after Hector Sierra, who managed to escape. Prosecutors have charged some or all of the teenagers with attacking or trying to attack a total of six Hispanic men, including Mr. Lucero, Mr. Garcia and Mr. Sierra. When they spotted Mr. Lucero walking with a friend near the train station in Patchogue, they surrounded him, she said. Some of the teens chased the friend, Angel Loja, while Mr. Lucero took off his denim jacket and started swinging his belt.
The belt struck Mr. Conroy in the head. Mr. Conroy, she said, took out his knife and thrust it into Mr. Lucero’s upper right chest. The teenagers fled, and Mr. Conroy rinsed the blood off the knife in a puddle of rainwater, shortly before police officers stopped the group and discovered the knife on Mr. Conroy, she said. She added that Mr. Conroy admitted to the police at the time that he had stabbed Mr. Lucero. “There is one cause for the death of Marcelo Lucero, one cause, and that is the defendant,” she told the jury. Mr. Conroy is facing second-degree murder as a hate crime, gang assault and other charges. He is the first person to stand trial for murder as a hate crime on Long Island since the state’s hate-crime law was enacted in 2000.
Today was the first day of Jeff Conroy's trial. Conroy is charged with second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter, both as Hate Crimes, in the murder of Ecuadorean immigrant Marcelo Lucero. In a statement to police on the night of the crime, Conroy confessed to stabbing Lucero, saying he found the black folding knife used in the attack in a hotel room. Hours after the killing, Conroy asked how the case might affect the upcoming wrestling season, police said in pretrial testimony.
Family and friends of Conroy found it difficult to believe that Conroy committed the murder. To his friends, he was J.C. or J. Con, a three-sport athlete well known in the hallways of Patchogue- Medford High School. He liked rap music and watching sports, played lacrosse, football and wrestling, and helped his father coach a youth recreational league and raise money for a local booster club. For William Garcia, an Ecuadorean who graduated from Patchogue-Medford High last year, the struggle has been especially hard. "He (Jeff) was one of my closest friends; he was always there when I had a problem or something," said Garcia. Garcia said it was well-known at the high school that some students went to Patchogue to randomly beat up Latinos each week. But Garcia said as far as he knew, Conroy was not involved in that. "I don't really know what happened that night but I was really surprised about it," Garcia said. "Everything changes in a second."
Conroy's father refuses to believe his son was involved in the brutal murder of Marcelo Lucero. "Jeff is a good kid," said Robert Conroy , Jeffrey Conroy 's father. "He's a respectful athlete who helped when the budget failed. He was always there raising money, helping me." Of charges that Conroy targeted Latinos, his father balks, saying he never heard the term "beaner hopping" until District Attorney Thomas J. Spota said it in describing the term he said the teens used to describe their attacks on random Latinos. Conroy said his son - the third of six children - has friends, ex-girlfriends and even family members who are Latino."They know that what's been said out there absolutely is not true, that he's a racist. That's not Jeff. Anybody who ever got to know Jeff, they don't believe this happened." For Robert Conroy, the trial will be an opportunity for his son to clear his name. He never misses a jail visit to see his son, never misses a phone call. "I miss my son terribly," he said. "I'm anxious. I'm anxious to prove his innocence."
Suffolk County prosecutors will paint a vastly different picture of Conroy. They say on Nov. 8, 2008, when Conroy was a 17-year old high school senior, he fatally stabbed Ecuadorean immigrant, Marcelo Lucero, on a Patchogue street. The stabbing was the culmination of a night of attacks on random Latino victims, according to prosecutors, capping a year of similar attacks by Conroy and his friends.
Keith Luke hates minorities. Luke was arrested Jan. 21, 2009, on the murder, rape and other charges of Cape Verdean Immigrants. Prosecutors say he forced his way into a Brockton apartment where he brutally raped and shot a Cape Verdean woman who survived, then fatally shot two other immigrants from Cape Verdean before leading police on a chase through the city. He told police he shot the three victims as part of a plot to kill as many “non-whites” and Jews as possible and planned that night to open fire on bingo players at a local synagogue, according to prosecutors and paperwork filed in court.
Luke is being held in the Plymouth County jail’s Unit G, the section where some of the most dangerous prisoners are held. He is locked in his cell 23 hours a day. When he is let out to shower or go to an enclosed exercise area, he is shackled and under guard. There are no weights in the exercise area and he does not mingle with other prisoners. Since his arrest, Luke has shaved his head, grown a beard and etched a swastika on his forehead.
Security for the 23-year-old Luke is now tighter than ever after his jailhouse attack on a defense psychiatrist hired to examine the murder suspect. Seven court officers and deputy sheriffs flanked Luke when he was arraigned Thursday at Brockton Superior Court on charges stemming from the Jan. 7 attack on Dr. Keith Ablow, a psychiatrist and television personality who was at the jail to begin a mental evaluation of the murder suspect. He was hired to help with Luke's insanity defense. Luke said he attacked him because he didn't agree with his religion. Dr. Ablow is Jewish.
Superior Court Judge Carol Ball made note Thursday of the extra security measures and asked whether Luke needed to return for the next court date on May 6. “Does your client need to be here? Can we not bring him in, given the production that is necessary when you do bring him in?” the judge asked. Luke’s attorney, Joseph Krowski Jr., said he will bring his client in only when necessary. Luke was arraigned on charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, civil rights violation with injury and assault and battery with intent to intimidate. He pleaded innocent to the charges. Ball ordered him held in lieu of $1 million surety or $100,000 cash. Luke is being held without bail, pending trial, in the murder case.
Keith Luke is an admitted White Supremist and an active member of Podblanc.
On the night of November 8, 2008, as Marcelo Lucero lay dead on the ground in the Patchogue, Long Island streets, Jeff Conroy admitted to police he plunged a knife into Marcelo's midsection. Member's of Conroy's Caucasian Crew admitted they were out, letting off steam, Beaner Stomping. They admitted they only Beaner Stomped once a week.
Opening arguments are expected to begin Wednesday (tomorrow) in Conroy's trial. Conroy is charged with second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter, both as Hate Crimes, in the murder of Ecuadorean immigrant Lucero. A panel of seven men and five women was seated last Friday. Both Keahon and Assistant District Attorney Megan O'Donnell said they believe four alternate jurors will be picked Tuesday (today).
In court this week, the attorney for Conroy, William Keahon of Hauppauge, made an unsuccessful last-minute bid to have a mistrial declared in the murder trial in Riverhead. Earlier Monday, Keahon demanded that a black cloth hanging from the defense table he shares with Conroy be removed for the trial. The cloth shields jurors' view of a defendant's legs when he or she is wearing leg shackles. Noting Conroy is not shackled, Keahon twice referred to the cloth as a "shroud" that might influence jurors. "I think it looks . . . like we are participating in a ceremonial burial," Keahon said.Doyle agreed to have the cloth removed, but said it could not be done immediately because the cloth is fastened by screws."I can bring in the Phillips head screwdriver and remove it myself," Keahon said. Doyle said the cloth would be removed Monday night. It appears Keahon is relying on the old lawyer's tactic, when all else fails, change the subject.
Population doesn't seem to be a factor. Both the most populated state, California (37M) and Rhode Island (.49M) smallest state are in the top 5. Average Salary doesn't seem to be a differentiator. DC's average annual salary is 92.5K. South Carolina is 40K.
In some states, their Top Industry is a major factor. The devastation of the Auto Industry wrecked havoc on Michigan's economy and unemployment ratio ranking number 1 at 14.6%. The status of our country's overall economy wrecked havoc on Nevada's Gambling/Tourism industries. Rhode Island's small size may be a factor. One major layoff sends their rates into double digits. Experts say the reason for South Carolina's high rate is due to their non-unionization, making it easier for business to release their employees with little or no notice. Additionally, the NAACP has boycotted SC over the last several years due to their flying of the Confederate Flag at their state capital. They ask all minorities, minority owned businesses, not to frequent or purchase from that state. The NCAA also refuses to allow NCAA events in that state. With all of these boycotts and protests by these groups, it is sure to have an economic impact on their state.
California has their own unique problems. According to wiki, one major reason is the number of rich people in California: "in 2004, the richest 3% of state taxpayers paid approximately 60% of all state taxes. The taxable income of this population is highly dependent upon capital gains, which has been severely impacted by the stock market declines of this period." Additionally, Technology is a major factor: "California's economy is very dependent on trade and international related commerce accounts for approximately one-quarter of the state’s economy. In 2008, California exported $144 billion worth of goods, up from $134 billion in 2007 and $127 billion in 2006. Computers and electronic products are California's top export, accounting for 42 percent of all the state's exports in 2008."
However, when all is said and done, will Americans move to another state to find a job that pays less and has them work physically harder than their previous jobs? Additionally, does the fact that Americans are aging and the Boomer are rapidly approaching retirement age add into this equation? I think it does. Take for example an unemployed auto worker. Will he move to Texas to work on a construction job for $14 an hour in Texas' brutal summer heat (100+ degrees)? Will the unemployed Textile Worker in South Carolina move up to Northern Wisconsin to pick fruit and vegetables for $8 - $10 an hour? For those who say migrant laborers are impacting the unemployment rate in America, I say they are wrong. They have not studied the issues. The high Unemployment rate is NOT due to migrant laborers working. The Unemployment rate is primarily due to offshore outsourcing. We let Big Business do it and they do it. Americans, especially aging Americans, do not want the jobs, like I saw today, of construction work being subcontracted out to small companies run by ole boys who pick up day laborers.
Rambling Thoughts: The other day, Ultima asked me to talk about Carlos Slim, who Forbes Magazine said was the richest man in the World.
Ultima said: "Now that Carlos Slim Helu has been declared the richest man in the world can we expect him to unveil a master plan for improving the lot of ordinary Mexican citizens and perhaps enticing some of them to return from the U.S?. Will he be subject to the same kind of criticism Wall Street bankers were in this country? What has actually done for elIndioPobrede Mexico? His wealth is obscene and he should hasten to put it to work for his people. I'm not talking about museum and libraries with his name on them. I'm talking about using his wealth to achieve real social change in Mexico, defeat the drug lords, stop the killings in the border towns, and providing free tubal ligations and vasectomies as well as other birth control advice. With that kind of loot, he could probably even persuade the Pope to change the Catholic Church's view of birth control and abortion. Where's post on Slim's efforts to improve the lot of ordinary Mexicans? ..What would Obama say: let's redistribute some of Slim's wealth to pay for the repatriation of all illegal aliens and their minor children and to provide jobs for them in Mexico at a living wage."
ObviouslyUltima is angry that a brown person is on the top of the list and upset Slim didn't use his money to clear up Mexico's economic problems. My question: Why didn't he say the wealth of the other men is obscene?
I decided to pull the Forbe's list of top 10 richest billionaires in the world. (see list above) I also looked up the reason they amassed their fortunes. Slim became rich because he made wise investments in telecom in the 1990s. Gates invested in his own business - computer software (Microsoft). Warren Buffet, another US Citizen, was next on the list. He invested in Investing.
All three men are philanthropists. They donate a significant amount of their money into improving our society. Slim donates millions into Mexico City's urban renewal. Bill and Melinda Gates have established a charity foundation. Warren Buffet donates a significant amount to charity.
It is interesting that the 10 richest people are all white males. I think Ultima finds it offensive that the man on the top of the list is Latino. He asked why Slim didn't fix all of Mexico's economic problems because he was so rich. Ultima didn't mind that most of the men on the list were from America, Europe and India and most were NOT doing anything to resolve their nation's economic problems, even with all of our dire economic troubles.
I found it interesting that 8 of the top 10 were self made men and did not inherit their wealth. And the two who inherited their wealth, inherited Oil and Steele. Most made their money from Technology and two made their money from Fashion. (You could say technology supported fashion due to innovation).
As long as the rich pay their taxes, I don't believe they "owe" us, the general public, anything more. They don't have to pay for the poor or stop drug abuse or all the ills of society. I think it is nice they voluntarily pay back society through their charitable foundations.
I certainly hope that Ultima is not making this request only of Carlos Slim. If he is, I think we all need to question Ultima's motives. Maybe we can all ask him why he made his statements? Ultima. Now is your opportunity to respond. I think we would all be interested in your answers. Reference: Carlos Sim Biography Forbes: The World's Billionaires
NY DAY LABORERS LAUNCH 300 MILE TREK TO WASHINGTON DC CALL FOR END TO IMMIGRATION RAIDS AND IMMEDIATE IMMIGRATION REFORM (Long Island, NY) Inspired by four undocumented students making a historic journey from Florida to Washington DC, yesterday a group of immigrants began a 300 mile walk to Washington DC to bring attention to the inhumane raids and repression of the immigrant community, as well as to demand reform of immigration laws. The walk began in Hempstead NY, and will make stops along the route to the nation’s capitol. The walkers seek to raise awareness of the need for immediate change to the repressive immigration system, and to mobilize local communities to the March 21st Rally in Washington DC.
Today, there will be two media events. In the morning, day laborers from Staten Island will march to the bridge with the trekkers. In the evening, the walkers will be greeted by Wind of the Spirit in Morristown, New Jersey, where the community has been vigorously organizing against the 287(g) policy that enlists police to enforce federal immigration law. Event info listed below. On Monday, the walkers will do media events in Philadelphia. The walk is being organized through the National Day Labor Organizing Network and various of its member organizations.
Marcelo Lucero was a hard working, legal Immigrant from Ecuador. In November, 2008, while returning to his home in Patchogue, NY, he was brutally murdered. Marcelo was attacked by seven teenagers who named themselves "the Caucasian Crew." This group of wild, angry, unruly teenagers had a habit of going to Latino neighborhoods to assault Latinos each week. They called this violent spree "Beaner Stomping."
Jeffrey Conroy (19) is the first defendant of the Caucasian Crew to go to trial. Members of his Crew have said he is the person who brutally stabbed Marcelo in this vicious HATE CRIME. Conroy even initially confessed to this.
The jury selection for the trial is underway. Last week, after three days of jury selection, about 130 men and women were questioned by the judge, the prosecutor and Mr. Conroy’s defense lawyer in State Supreme Court. Only five were selected; the rest were excused. On Monday, jury selection continued as another roughly 130 were brought in, and more than a dozen were excused by the end of the day. Many jurors have been dismissed due to their views on Illegal Immigration. It is obvious that those consumed with HATE because of their views on Illegal Immigration, allow this HATE to infringe on their ability to serve on a jury about the brutal murder of a LEGAL IMMIGRANT who was murdered because he was LATINO. Reference: In Jury Selection for Hate Crime, a Struggle to Find Tolerance
Teabaggers say this is Really Not Racism: "Mexicans Are Filthy Stinking Animals"
Mainstream media has time and again given the Tea Party and teabaggers a free pass and the benefit of the doubt when it comes to their use of racism to recruit and engage followers. If they use bigoted, discriminatory language, it's really purely as a matter of argument. If they spew spiteful rhetoric at their rallies, it's really only one portion of the group - not everyone. If Tom Tancredo advocates for a literacy test to be eligible to vote, it's really just a way of saying that we must all come together under one nation. If they call us - Mexicans - filthy stinking animals, well they were only referring to the illegal ones anyhow.
What is becoming quite evident is that Tea Party/Tea Baggers are not even aware of their harmful rhetoric. They seemingly cannot disassociate the economic argument from a racial perspective. There is a link, they argue - and that link is valid to present. Their reluctance to admit that this is the essence of their argument is a sign that they are oblivious to the harm their words are having on communities, like the Latino community, as a whole.One explanation could be in how the Tea Party came to be. In their quest to grow what they call a "movement", to recruit followers and to stay relevant they have to resort to incendiary language because that represents their expanded base and their growth. This is how protests get their hundreds of followers and how their rallies become animated. Without it, there is no spectacle, no media attention: (see video)
President Obama to meet with key senators on immigration next week! AP Reports: WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama plans to focus attention on immigration next week by meeting at the White House with two senators crafting a bill on the issue. White House spokesman Nicholas Shapiro said Obama will meet with Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York and Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina on Monday. The president is "looking forward to hearing more about their efforts toward producing a bipartisan bill," Shapiro said Friday. The meeting will be the first Obama has had with Schumer and Graham on the proposal they are developing since they began focusing on it last year.
Immigration has taken a back seat to the economy and health care on Obama's agenda since he took office just over a year ago. Immigrants and their advocates — promised by then-candidate Obama that he would tackle the issue in his first year as president — have been growing frustrated by the inaction. Several community groups planned to vent some of that frustration in a news conference Monday in Washington. The groups also are trying to organize tens of thousands of people from around the country for a March 21 demonstration in Washington.
"The president's commitment to fixing our broken immigration system remains unwavering," Shapiro said.
My Prediction: The Campaign for AZ US Senator will be the worst, dirtiest, mud-slinging campaign in US History.
John McCain is BLUE MAD at Outrageous campaign tactics by Teabagger JD Hayworth! McCain's pal and Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-AZ), told the Republics: "Ads like this have no place in the Republican primary, and J.D. Hayworth should immediately take it down and apologize."
McCain campaign manager Shiree Verdone told the paper: "Ex-Congressman J.D. Hayworth should immediately apologize and and take down his latest online ad, which is an outrageous offense to John McCain's lifetime of honorable service to our state and nation, and insulting to Native Americans here in Arizona and across America."
Teabagger Hayworth spokesman Jason Rose responded to the calls to take down the ad, telling their fellow Republics: "We respectfully decline the request and would encourage Senator McCain to get a sense of humor. After all, if Sunday's show did have an award for best election year flip-flopping and transparent conservative conversion, the incumbent would surely win the Oscar."
Senators Jim Bunning, Jon Kyl, and the Republican Party are flipping unemployed Americans the bird! These Republicans whose votes under the Bush administration to provide the biggest tax cuts in history to the wealthy and provide extensive deregulations for big business which resulted in the economic tsunami we are currently in today and the loss of millions of American jobs causing the unemployment rate we have today, are heartlessly and relentlessly flipping the bird to the unemployed causing their unemployment benefits to be shut off last Saturday.
Today, Bunning "flipped the bird" to reporters who asked him to explain "why" he is doing this to unemployed Americans.
Almost in answer to this question, fellow Republican Jon Kyl, who is fortunate enough to receive a six figure income from the government for his current job as Senator, answered, "unemployment benefits make people not want to get a job; they are being paid even though they are not working." Millionaire Senate Paid Kyl seems out of touch, not realizing that the unemployed, even at the maximum pay, can only receive less than $400 per week, and even these benefits are Federally Taxed. Clueless Kyl doesn't realize that these unemployed, utilize these scant benefits to keep their children/families from starving.
Bunning's filibuster has not only stopped benefits to the desolate unemployed - impacting 400,000 starving Americans, his flagrant, clueless filibuster has caused a 21% cut in medicare fees, and caused 2000 Federal Transportation workers to be FURLOUGHED without pay.
When Bunning finally stops filibustering and the inevitable vote finally passes the bill, the lapses in Federal Pay will be repaid, but not without a useless cost to all of us taxpayers of millions of dollars to restart the programs. The unemployment benefits will be restored, but not without little Mary and baby Johnny from starving, without food or formula for a few days.
Ask yourselves why?
Because ole Bunning wanted to prove a point, as did ole Kyl. They are "saying" they do not want to increase our debt to China. While they never complained about the four trillion we borrowed from China during the Bush Administration for the wrongful war in Iraq, the massive tax cuts they granted the rich and the deregulation for big business, what they THINK they are accomplishing is sending a message to the crying poor American Families. "GET OFF YOUR KEESTER AND GET A JOB!" They say this as they are flipping you the bird!!
PASS THE DREAM ACT & COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM NOW!
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Immigration Talk with a Mexican American
Blog Mission
A PRO Forum where people, both PRO and ANTI, can discuss American Immigration Issues and Political Issues civilly, freely and safely thereby reducing the hate, anger and misunderstandings currently inherent in most of these discussions.
This Blog promotes the discussion of opinions of the Blog Owner and commenters who wish to participate in the discussion about Immigration Issues and Political Issues.
Many blog entries contain details from actual news articles and urls are included for reader reference.
In some instances, individuals referenced in the blog are defendants who may be coming to trial or whose trial is in progress. All defendants are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
It should be noted by all Blog Readers and this is to officially confirm that for all articles on this blog where court cases have not been ruled upon, the word ALLEGED is inserted prior to the defendants name/crime.
Hello. My name is Dee. I live in Texas. I am an American. My ethnicity is Hispanic. Many would call me Mexican or Mexican American. Some call me a female, PRO-Immigration Reform - Ann Coulter.
My parents, their parents and theirs were all born in the USA.
My husband and I have been happily married for over 20 years. My husband is a big, Irish-American. We have two grown sons. We are happy and my family is doing well. I have been employed as a mid level manager at a very large, well known corporation for over 25 years, now recently retired.
In May, 2006, after the Immigration Marches, I started seeing the cable news channels talking very negatively about illegal immigration. I found many internet sites were talking negatively about legal and illegal immigration issues as well.
Since I do research on the job, I started conducting Immigration research on the web. I joined several Immigration websites and I researched others. I´ve learned so much about Immigration issues over the last year.
What you don´t see on the internet is the Mexican American perspective.
I am here to share my views with you.
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