SANFORD, Florida (AP) — One year after the shooting of an unarmed black teenager thrust this small central Florida city into the national spotlight, life in Sanford is returning to its regular rhythm.
After the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin at the hands of a neighborhood watch leader, civil rights leaders warned that Sanford risked its upscale reputation and could become a 21st century version of civil rights flashpoints like Selma, Alabama.
It seems that Sanford’s reputation has been maintained — at least for now. Downtown is abuzz with the activity of 1st Street shops and restaurants, not the sounds of marching protesters.
Literature lovers peruse Maya Books & Music. Craft beers are poured at The Imperial, a bar that doubles as a furniture store. At Hollerbach’s Willow Tree Cafe, patrons feast on sauerbraten and listen to the house polka band.
But beneath the usual pace of life lurks the memory of what happened a year ago Tuesday in a nearby gated community.
(NEW YORK) — Fox’s Chris Wallace has landed the first post-election interview with defeated Republican nominee Mitt Romney and his wife, Ann.
Wallace said on “Fox News Sunday” that the interview will air on his show next week. Additional portions will be on Fox News Channel the next day. Wallace says he’ll ask Romney how he has dealt with the defeat, what he plans to do and his thoughts about President Barack Obama’s second-term agenda.
Fox News spokeswoman Ashley Nerz says the interview will be taped this week in southern California, where Romney has spent much of his time since the election.
Romney has also said he will speak March 15 to the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, an annual event that draws leading Republican voices.
Have you ever wondered how to curb, or even merge violent crime prisoners here in the U.S. prison system back into a form of societal life? Have you ever heard of the movie, The Dirty Dozen? In 1967, an awesome war movie enlisted or drafted violent, life-sentence type prisoners into the Army during World War II to fight against the German war machine. It featured some of the greatest actors of that time such as Lee Marvin, Charles Bronson, Ernest Borgnine and living legend Hall of Fame Football running back, Jim Brown.
The premise of the movie was to take these violent criminals from prison, train them to become soldiers and send them into battle, supervised of course by a US Army Major. The goal was to get the best out of these hardened criminals.
At any rate, that’s what the U.S. could do with these prisoners here in our jails. They seem not to mind violence so why not establish a real-life “Dirty Dozen” squadron of soldiers. Put them right in the middle of Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and all of the hot spots around the world. Send the violent offenders that are condemned, those on a life sentence, the rapist and extreme violent gang members that have been reeking havoc here in the States. With that, prisons would be freed up of violent offenders and would be filled with more of your “white collar” criminals instead.
Just last week, a member of Congress was thinking about re-introducing the notion of a Draft again. Really? With the dangers all over the world right now, terrorists are ready and violence are on our borders due to the drug war. Why would we even want to consider a Draft? There is another alternative, a deterrent that may work in our favor instead of the dreaded Draft.
Think about it. With violent criminals who are currently imprisoned fighting these wars on behalf of the United States, our sons and daughters would not be on the front lines. Those that seem to enjoy “killing” and violence without remorse would be risking their lives instead.
And they’re already on ‘death row’ or serving ‘life sentences’ anyway. It’s a win-win situation. Problem solved. Prison over crowding, solved. Those that commit violent crimes now would know their punishment – terminal life sentence in the Army or in the Marines. Believe me, I think these guys would have a totally different perspective when someone else is shooting back at them.
‘Argo’ won Best Picture at the The Oscars.Really? I just heard of the dang movie–what–a few weeks ago? The film is based on writer, Joshuah Bearman’s 2007 article in Wired: “How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans from Tehran”, written after the records were declassified. Seems intriguing enough, but I haven’t seen it. In fact, out of the 9 nominees for best pictures, I’ve only seen 1, wanted to see 4 others, never heard of 2, and was totally uninterested in 2…so I’m not even trying to do a review lol. Over the years my interest in Oscar winners has narrowed down to what producer(s) won Best Movie (Who are the guys that have big money or get big money to make big films?), who wins Best Actress in a Leading Role (Jennifer Lawrence ‘Silver Linings Playbook’. Didn’t see it but liked her in ‘ The Hunger Games’) and who gets Best Actor in a Leading Role, (Daniel Day-Lewis in ‘Lincoln”— the one movie I did see and enjoyed btw.) After that, I’m bored stupid. So…thats it! ♦
Turkish police are now looking for the man they suspect killed 33 y.o. New Yorker, Sarai Sierra. She was a tourist visiting alone in Turkey and was found dead on February 2, her body found near some ancient stone walls in Istanbul. Identified only as “Ziya T” police are looking for the suspect in his hometown in the southern province of Hatay where he has some family. May justice be swift and merciless! I see that her family is selling her photographs online on a website called Instacanvas to help support her two sons, ages 9 and 11. According to a family friend, Marjorie Ryan, the money was originally intended to pay for Sierra’s funeral services, but “the funeral home has now agreed to take on the costs.” she said. Turkish Airlines is also transporting her body home for free. That should ease Sarai’s soul just a bit. ♦
Linor Abargil is an Israeli national, who was crowned Miss World in 1998 just two months after she was kidnapped and raped in Italy at 18 y.o. Her story is documented in a film called, “Brave Miss World”, director by the daughter of the great actor Gregory Peck‘s (Remember ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’?), Cecilia Peck. Now as a global advocate in the fight against sexual violence, Abargil is on a mission to reach out to fellow survivors spending the last three years traveling the world talking about what happened to her, and urging others to speak. On her blog page Linor Speaks Out, Abargil explains,
“The only way we can help each other and make a change in our society is by telling our stories.”
The amazing survival stories are as horrifying as any war torn hero’s experience you may have heard and are hard to listen to. However, once you get through them, you feel strengthened and comforted by these women and young girl’s strength and will to survive. And there will be crying. ♦
‘scroo-gleverb: 1. The process of Google going through every Gmail that’s sent or received by you and to you, looking for keywords in which to target you with paid ads’
And there’s no way to opt out of this invasion of your privacy, other than to not use Google as your search engine, of course.
“There is what I call the creepy line. The Google policy on a lot of things is to get right up to the creepy line and not cross it.” says Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt.
Admitting to it only makes it even more creepier, Mr. Schmidt.
See, what Google Gmail apparently does is use the system it has to scan your email in order to identify spam or viruses, to also pickup on keywords in your mail to show ads that may or may not be relevant to you. Umm–anyone the least bit surprised by this, please raise your hand. Did your Mama not tell you that there ain’t nothing free in this world chile’? Microsoft’s Outlook.com’s advertising attempts to differentiate itself from Google with ads claiming they’d never go through your email to sell ads. No word yet on exactly how they plan to get around that statement. ♦
Appearing via streaming video from the White House, Mrs. Obama said all of the nominees demonstrated that “we can overcome any obstacle.”
She said that message is “especially important for our young people” and thanked Hollywood for encouraging children “to open their imaginations.”
The first lady was introduced by Jack Nicholson, who noted that the best picture trophy is usually announced solo.
Mrs. Obama wore a silver, art deco-inspired gown by Indian-born American fashion designer Naeem Khan. It was the same dress she wore for the Obamas’ dinner with the nation’s governors at the White House on Sunday night.
I bet you can’t watch this full two minute video and not crack up.
Apparently, the man in this video was driving under the influence. Pulled over by the female officer, he was asked to go through a… basic sobriety test. Watch, as he does exactly what is asked of him and somehow, still ends up getting locked up.
You can change here for Dysfunction Junction, or take the local, making all stops to Interminable Terminal. Have your tickets ready. If you can afford them.
This latest skirmish over the economy and the role of government is highlighting more than just the usual differences between the parties. It’s uncovering the stripped-bare disdain the Republicans have for negotiating with the president and their utter lack of gravity when it comes to exchanging ideas. Yes, the left does not want Obama to back down on anything related to Medicare or Social Security or balancing budget cuts with revenue, but when the other party simply refuses to meet you halfway, they cease to be a responsible partner.
Well, here comes the reality. Governors of both parties are getting plenty nervous about the effects the cuts will have on their still-fragile budgets. They won’t bring the government to a standstill, nor will they shut down Washington, which I believe to be the secret Republican fantasy, but they will do something worse. They will be a nuisance and a slow trickle of bad news. They will deny people who need certain services what they need. They might result in layoffs at the state and local levels. In short, they will drain away confidence at a time when we need it to increase. But if that’s what the GOP wants, then they’ll get it.
I suppose that President Obama’s, and the Democrats’, worst nightmare would be that the sequester takes effect and the effect is minimal and possibly positive. That would embolden Republicans to continue to push for even more cuts, though not to the military I’m sure, and would discredit and undercut the left’s economic arguments. I’m not gambling on that outcome. The economy needs more money to circulate and get spent, not less. Exactly the opposite will begin happening on Friday.
Chalk one up for the residents of this one Massachusetts town. A tow truck driver calling himself “Dog” was fired after he posted a video of himself “working.”
Dog thought it was funny. He drove up and down the streets filming himself burying people’s cars in the snow. “If you want to find your car, call me,” Dog is heard saying on his video. He’s also heard saying, ‘Wooaaahh, see you later! You won’t find that f***ing thing ’till spring.”
Shooting guns, looking for the bad guys, dealing with weather conditions sometimes too hot, sometimes too cold, stepping over body parts and oh yea, performing. Our soldiers do it all. But I bet you’ve never seen Carly Rae Jepsen’sCall Me Maybe performed like this!
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The brother of Olympic star Oscar Pistorius is facing a culpable homicide charge for a 2008 road death, compounding problems for the family after the double-amputee runner was charged with premeditated murder in the Feb. 14 shooting death of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
Lawyer Kenny Oldwage said in a statement that Carl had been involved in a car accident “in which a woman motorcyclist sadly lost her life.” He said that “there is no doubt that Carl is innocent and the charge will be challenged in court.”
Carl Pistorius was already in court last Thursday, as his brother Oscar was facing a bail hearing, and will appear again at the end of next month.
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