Wednesday, May 21, 2014


News Clips For The Day


http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2014-05-19/story/rep-charles-van-zant-says-standardized-test-maker-promotes-homosexuality

Florida lawmaker Charles Van Zant says standardized test maker promotes homosexuality to state's children
Posted: May 19, 2014 

A local state representative said the organization creating new statewide tests for students will attract “every one of your children to become as homosexual as they possibly can.”

Rep. Charles Van Zant, R-Keystone Heights, made his comments at a March anti-Common Core event, according to Think Progress, a website that reported the statements Monday and posted a video.

“These people that will now receive $220 million from the state of Florida, unless this is stopped, will promote double-mindedness in state education, and attract every one of your children to become as homosexual as they possibly can,” Van Zant said.

American Institutes for Research was selected by Florida Department of Education Commissioner Pam Stewart March 17 to write a statewide test to replace the FCAT as the state moves toward implementing Florida Standards.

American Institutes for Research spokesman Larry McQuillan refuted Van Zant’s statement. He said the nonprofit organization “will put in the test what the state wants in the test.”

Common Core, which aimed to standardize some aspects of public education in the United States, became a political issue in 2013 — resulting in the creation of Florida Standards. Florida Standards is a modified version of Common Core.

Department of Education spokesman Joe Follick said the new tests will focus on knowledge gained in the classroom.

“Florida has always been and will continue to be committed to assessments that solely measure a student’s knowledge of subject areas and critical thinking spelled out in the Florida Standards,” he said in an email statement.

McQuillan said the research institution is involved in all facets of education including studies about lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender students.

He said the organization doesn’t promote LGBT lifestyles, but does provide information to school administrators or teachers if they ask for it.

“We just provide them [teachers and administrators] with research,” he said.

In the video where Van Zant makes the comments about American Institutes for Research, he asks the crowd to check out the organization’s website to see for themselves.

McQuillian welcomed anyone to view the material on the website, which can be found at www.air.org/topic/social-development/lgbt-youth.

Van Zant’s comments also attracted the attention of the chief executive officer at a civil rights organization dedicated to securing full equality for Florida’s LGBT community.

“Rep.Van Zant has a long record of extremism, so while his latest rant is shocking, it is not at all surprising,” Equality Florida Institute CEO Nadine Smith said. “It is reprehensible whenever an elected official conjures up homophobic scare tactics for political gain. His assertion that an educational program seeks to ‘make children gay’ is simply absurd.”

Smith said Van Zant takes every opportunity to dehumanize gay people and called for other Florida politicians to distance themselves “from such a paranoid and unhinged view.”

“Fortunately, someone who holds those views is in the dwindling minority,” Smith said.

Phone calls seeking comment placed at Van Zant’s district and Tallahassee offices were not returned.

Derek Gilliam: (904) 359-4619


Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2014-05-19/story/rep-charles-van-zant-says-standardized-test-maker-promotes-homosexuality#ixzz32IipW6ZH





“The organization creating new statewide tests will 'promote double-mindedness in state education and attract every one of your children to become as homosexual as they possibly can.'.Van Zant “made his comments at a March anti-Common Core event, according to Think Progress, a website that reported the statements Monday and posted a video....American Institutes for Research was selected by Florida Department of Education Commissioner Pam Stewart March 17 to write a statewide test to replace the FCAT as the state moves toward implementing Florida Standards. Apparently American Institutes For Research is the enemy here. Larry McQuillan of the AIFR stated that this is untrue – that the test will contain the things Florida's Department of Education wants included only. He says that, though the Institute does do studies of LGBT students and answers questions about the subject, it does not promote that lifestyle.

Van Zant's use of the term “double-mindedness in state education” is probably what I would call toleration and respect. He thinks those softer, gentler attitudes will induce kids to become gay. Equality Florida Institute CEO Nadine Smith ripped into Van Zant without holding back, saying ““Rep.Van Zant has a long record of extremism, so while his latest rant is shocking, it is not at all surprising. It is reprehensible whenever an elected official conjures up homophobic scare tactics for political gain. His assertion that an educational program seeks to ‘make children gay’ is simply absurd.” Go, Nadine!

This is not the first time I have seen right-leaning Republicans and Tea Partiers talking strongly against the Common Core recommendations for schools. This fear that it causes young people to turn gay when they weren't already is the first specific charge I have seen. I thought it might possibly teach the equality of all races, gender sensitivity and praise for FDR and Abraham Lincoln – in other words economic inequality might be portrayed as other than a positive thing, tolerance toward Jews and immigrants in general encouraged, and indications given that slavery in the South was a very evil thing.

The following selection is taken from a website on Common Core and shows basically what it does include. It does not mandate progressive values and only requires the teaching of a few specific things, Shakespeare for instance, at least as described in their website. It does promote a reading capability that will enable students to tackle college preparatory reading material, history and science, and a basic level of mathematical knowledge in the high school years. It sounds like a good thing to me, and definitely not subversive. Read the descriptions below.


http://www.corestandards.org/read-the-standards/

“Building on the best of existing state standards, the Common Core State Standards provide clear and consistent learning goals to help prepare students for college, career, and life. The standards clearly demonstrate what students are expected to learn at each grade level, so that every parent and teacher can understand and support their learning.

According to the best available evidence, the mastery of each standard is essential for success in college, career, and life in today’s global economy.

While the standards set grade-specific goals, they do not define how the standards should be taught or which materials should be used to support students. States and districts recognize that there will need to be a range of supports in place to ensure that all students, including those with special needs and English language learners, can master the standards. It is up to the states to define the full range of supports appropriate for these students.

No set of grade-specific standards can fully reflect the great variety of abilities, needs, learning rates, and achievement levels of students in any given classroom. Importantly, the standards provide clear signposts along the way to the goal of college and career readiness for all students.

Do the standards tell teachers what to teach?

Teachers know best about what works in the classroom. That is why these standards establish what students need to learn, but do not dictate how teachers should teach. Instead, schools and teachers decide how best to help students reach the standards.

Will CCSSO and the NGA Center be creating common instructional materials and curricula?

No. The standards are not curricula and do not mandate the use of any particular curriculum. Teachers are able to develop their own lesson plans and choose materials, as they have always done. States that have adopted the standards may choose to work together to develop instructional materials and curricula. As states work individually to implement their new standards, publishers of instructional materials and experienced educators will develop new resources around these shared standards.

Who will manage the Common Core State Standards in the future?

Do the Common Core State Standards incorporate both content and skills?

Yes. In English language arts, the standards require certain critical content for all students, including:
Classic myths and stories from around the world
America's founding documents
Foundational American literature
Shakespeare

The remaining crucial decisions about what content should be taught are made at the state and local levels. In addition to content coverage, the Common Core State Standards require that students systematically acquire knowledge in literature and other disciplines through reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

In mathematics, the standards lay a solid foundation in:

Whole numbers
Addition
Subtraction
Multiplication
Division
Fractions
Decimals

Taken together, these elements support a student's ability to learn and apply more demanding math concepts and procedures. The middle school and high school standards call on students to practice applying mathematical ways of thinking to real-world issues and challenges. Across the English language arts and mathematics standards, skills critical to each content area are emphasized. In particular, problem-solving, collaboration, communication, and critical-thinking skills are interwoven into the standards.

Do the English language arts standards include a required reading list?

No. The Common Core State Standards include sample texts that demonstrate the level of text complexity appropriate for the grade level and compatible with the learning demands set out in the standards. The exemplars of high-quality texts at each grade level provide a rich set of possibilities. This ensures teachers have the flexibility to make their own decisions about what texts to use, while providing an excellent reference point when selecting their texts.

What types of texts are recommended for the English language arts standards?

The Common Core State Standards require certain critical content for all students. In addition to content coverage, the standards require that students systematically acquire knowledge in literature and other disciplines through reading, writing, speaking, and listening. English teachers will still teach their students the literature and literary nonfiction texts that they choose. However, because college and career readiness overwhelmingly focuses on complex texts outside of literature, these standards also ensure students are being prepared to read, write, and research across the curriculum, including in history and science.”





Iranian Leader Tweets Apparent Response to 'Happy' YouTube Cover – NBC
First published May 21st 2014

Go ahead and dance.

That seems to be the message from Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in an apparent response to the arrest of a group of young Iranians who posted a homemade video set to the Pharrell Williams hit “Happy.”

Hassan Rouhani @HassanRouhani tweets this message on 6/29/2013:
"#Happiness is our people's right. We shouldn't be too hard on behaviors caused by joy." 29/6/2013
9:02 AM - 21 May 2014

The video, titled “Happy in Tehran,” the video shows six Iranians smiling and dancing in different settings. Williams’ song has inspired hundreds of similar covers around the world.

The message attached to the Iranian cover says: “We enjoyed every second of making it. Hope it puts a smile on your face.”

The original video appears to have been taken down from YouTube, but copies survived.

Reports of the arrests drew worldwide outrage, including from Williams himself:

The video was vulgar and offended public morals, an Iranian police chief reportedly said.

Rouhani, who has struck a far more moderate tone than his hardline predecessor, said last weekend that Iran should embrace the Internet, not see it as a threat.





Hassan Rouhani is like the Pope, some people are greatly encouraged by his relatively open and apparently benign attitudes, while others insist that Iran is still an arch enemy of the US and Rouhani can't be trusted. Personally, I think that any Middle Eastern ruler who stands up for his people's right to “be happy” is a big improvement over the Islamists of many of those countries whose main goals are to keep their women down and maintain a terrorist squad. I have always been struck by the phrase “the pursuit of happiness” in the US Declaration of Independence and wondered at it. Life and liberty you expect, but the acknowledgment that a full human life includes contentment or a “feeling” like happiness sounds like more than should be promised. It is still true, I think, that some “acceptance” of failure or discomfort is necessary for everyone, but the right to strive for fulfillment is assumed to be legitimate. I'm glad to see Rouhani's statement, and I personally hope for a more peaceful relationship with Iran as long as he is in power.





Obama Faces Feeding Frenzy Over VA Scandal – NBC
BY CHUCK TODD, MARK MURRAY AND CARRIE DANN
First published May 21st 2014

Obama faces feeding frenzy with VA story

While we have plenty to say about last night’s Super Tuesday primaries, we’re beginning this morning with the still-unfolding Veterans Affairs story, because there’s a chance it could dominate today’s news. The White House has just announced that President Obama will meet at 10:00 am ET with embattled Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki, as well as Deputy White House Chief of Staff Rob Nabors (who was dispatched to help fix the VA’s problems). And Obama will make a statement to the media immediately after that meeting. Is Shinseki headed out the door? We don’t know the answer, and it’s unlikely Shinseki would exit today -- it just isn’t Obama’s style. But what we do know is that the president, potentially, has a feeding frenzy on his hands; there is always going to be someone willing to complain about the state of the VA, even if all of its bureaucratic problems date back for decades. And it’s now turned into a local news story, in which news organizations are looking closely at their own VA hospitals. Perhaps more importantly, the story has resurrected all of the complaints about President Obama’s management style, especially during a crisis. He’s too methodical. He doesn’t get that mad. He seems to have found about this at the same time everyone else did (through the news). And he’s always a couple of beats too slow in taking action. All of those things are being re-litigated in this VA story.

But how do you show leadership when you don’t know all the facts (yet) and when your options are limited?

On the other hand, Obama’s defenders counter with these questions: How do you show leadership when you still don’t know all the facts of the story? (People are still investigating if there was a bureaucratic cover-up about waiting lists of VA patients not getting care.) How do you show leadership when your options are limited? Do you demand that Congress spend hundreds of billions of dollars to improve the VA hospitals? Do you ask Congress to pass legislation privatizing the VA or folding it into either Obamacare or Medicare? Both seem like unrealistic options.




There is a push underway, especially from Republicans, for President Obama to take decisive action, specifically firing Shinseki. “...the story has resurrected all of the complaints about President Obama’s management style, especially during a crisis. He’s too methodical. He doesn’t get that mad. He seems to have found about this at the same time everyone else did (through the news). And he’s always a couple of beats too slow in taking action. All of those things are being re-litigated in this VA story.” From his statement this morning on the TV news he said that he is waiting for the fact finding to be completed. Personally, I think he should. This is not exactly an “emergency,” more of a “feeding frenzy” as some members of the press are terming it.

This article states of the VA system that “'all of its bureaucratic problems date back for decades.'” It's a political ploy by Republicans to be jumping on the attack right now. That's not to say that the problem isn't real, but it doesn't lend itself to instant quick solutions. It is very much about overcrowding in the VA system with too many baby boomers and some new types of claims, specifically agent orange and brain trauma victims. It's a big strain on the system, but those people should all be served in a just society.

Speaking of personal style, I remember President Clinton on the day of the Oklahoma City bombing. He was visibly “mad” and steely in his promise to capture the bombers, saying that "Justice for [the Oklahoma City] killers will be certain, swift, and severe. We will find them. We will convict them. And we will seek the death penalty for them." --President Clinton, April 21, 1995

President Obama is almost always measured and calm in his presentation, whatever he is saying, but I like that about him. I trust that people like that have put some thought into their conclusions, and that they have a goodly amount of common sense. What I don't want is another president like George H. Bush who was much less eloquent and thoughtful in his comments, often mispronouncing words. That was embarrassing. There was one hilarious episode between Bush and the Queen of England in which she gently but somewhat impatiently made fun of him for one of his gaffs. He did have the good grace to laugh at himself that time, though. He wasn't all bad.





Rabbi, Little League Coach, Law Officers Among 70 Arrested in Online Child Porn Ring – NBC

A rabbi, a little league coach, law enforcement and security officers and the mother of an infant are among 70 people arrested for allegedly sharing child pornography images and video online in what authorities are calling one of the largest local roundups of people who anonymously trade such images on the Internet, officials say.

Authorities said the victims who were sexually exploited and photographed range in age from newborn to 17. In some videos, children were fondled. Others showed them having sex with adults.

Undercover Department of Homeland Security investigators along with NYPD detectives identified dozens of the suspects in about a month by setting up a website soliciting the sharing of illicit images.   

Dozens of New York-area men allegedly uploaded or file-shared the illicit pictures without knowing they were doing so on a law enforcement website, authorities said.

One woman from New Jersey has also been arrested for allegedly transmitting pornographic videos and photos of a child under the age of 13.

Homeland Security investigators along with the NYPD Commissioner and several New York City district attorneys are expected to announce the charges at a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

Authorities say advances in technology and computer capacity have allowed child-porn collectors to more easily amass vast troves of disturbing images and to exchange files with each other directly. In this case, the suspects allegedly used P2P software -- or peer-to-peer file-sharing services -- to share the images.

During the course of the investigation, nearly 600 desktop and laptop computers, tablets, smartphones and other devices containing a total of 175 terabytes of storage were seized.

Agents are still examining the devices to locate and catalog evidence -- an arduous task that could result in more arrests. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children also will use its analysts to review the images to see whether it can identify children using databases of known victims.

"We refer to each of these images as a crime scene photo because that's exactly what they are,'' said John Ryan, the organization's chief executive officer.   

Authorities decided to launch the operation after the January arrest of the former police chief of suburban Mount Pleasant, Brian Fanelli, who pleaded not guilty this week to federal charges of knowingly receiving and distributing child pornography.

Court papers allege that Fanelli told investigators he began looking at child porn as research before it grew into a "personal interest."




The list of people arrested in this roundup includes the usual shocking group – a religious leader, a local volunteer who is trusted to work with children, and one more that I really didn't expect – a woman and recent mother. Women don't usually molest children, I don't think, and they also don't look at pornographic materials as much as men. People can maintain their secrecy very well if they stick to Internet porn, though, and I think that brings in some unusual perpetrators. Clearly the authorities are watching the Net usage unbeknownst to the viewers of such material, thank goodness, as they should be. There are numerous predators on the Net. Teenage children are especially endangered due to their own sexual curiosity at that age, and parents can't really watch their every move while they are on the computer.

Homeland Security and NYPD officers set up a trap for predators in the form of a site asking for illicit images. “... nearly 600 desktop and laptop computers, tablets, smartphones and other devices containing a total of 175 terabytes of storage were seized. Agents are still examining the devices to locate and catalog evidence -- an arduous task that could result in more arrests.” Suburban police chief Brian Fanelli's arrest for gathering porn began the probe. He is quoted as saying that he began looking at child porn “as research” before it became “a personal interest.” Are human beings really that weak, morally and mentally? I think sex is a basic part of a healthy human being's life, but it should be between mutually sharing adults and ideally a part of an ongoing commitment.

The extreme sneakiness of someone poring over abusive footage like this is a total turnoff to me. If I find out this kind of thing against someone I can't “forgive” it unless the person has serious mental illness, and I certainly have no more respect for them. Whatever positive community service the Rabbi or the little league coach has made is wiped out, as far as I'm concerned. We need stiffer legal penalties for it, because it is (1) truly shameful and (2) the beginning stage in the making of a full-scale sexual predator. Such people are very dangerous and need to be stopped.






Students Accused of Poisoning 4th-Grade Teacher in Brooklyn: NYPD -- NBC

Two Brooklyn boys were arrested after their fourth-grade teacher told police she believed her students put rat poison in her water during class this week, police say.

The 51-year-old teacher went to a police precinct and told officers she thought the poison had been put in her water bottle during class Monday at P.S. 315 in Flatbush, according to the NYPD.

Officials say other students apparently witnessed something being put in the teacher's water bottle. 

A 9-year-old boy and a 12-year-old boy were arrested and charged with attempted assault, criminal possession of a weapon and reckless endangerment.

Police say authorities are conducting tests to determine what substance, if any, was put in the bottle.

The Department of Education said it is "greatly relieved the teacher is recovering."

"Ensuring the safety of our entire schools community is our priority, and while this matter is still under investigation, we will take swift and appropriate action," DOE spokeswoman Margie Feinberg said.
 




Poisoning is not something that I expect a child of nine, certainly, to do. Hitting or pushing somebody down is appropriate for that age. A 12 year old is more advanced, mentally, and more prone to do aggressive mischief. By that time they are joining gangs and breaking into houses, even using weapons. The twelve year old was undoubtedly the leader in the incident. It could be that both of them thought of it as a “prank,” which at that age can get pretty dangerous and still be within the range of normal behavior.

For something like this, though, I think the police are right to charge them with crimes and try them in court. Schools have gotten so full of disruptive behavior that I am inclined to think treating a 12 year old as a “child,” is a mistake. The schools shouldn't be giving “detention” or even suspension for such things when they involve adult level behavior. The students who don't misbehave need a safe place to go and be with their friends as they all try to learn something together. I want to see the schools as a place of education and not a day-care center or a prison yard. The school scene that I remember was much, much better than it is today. I have fond memories of school all the way through.




Retiree dies in police custody after traffic stop
CBS NEWS May 21, 2014

Florida authorities are investigating the death of a man in Key West after he was arrested by police.

The Michigan retiree moved to the island paradise for sun and sand, but that came to a sudden end after a routine traffic stop.

Key West is known for its relaxed, worry-free manner, but one family is raising concerns about city police after conflicting reports of Charles Eimers' death.

At the southern tip of Florida lies an island paradise, best known for its beaches, bars and laid-back lifestyle. It was a dream retirement for Eimers, 61, after more than 20 years as an autoworker, CBS News' Elaine Quijano reports.

Treavor Eimers, Charles Eimers' son, said, "He wanted to come south to warmer weather and walk on the beach."

It was a dream that proved deadly after a Thanksgiving Day encounter with Key West police.

Treavor Eimers said, "He was murdered by those officers."

Asked if he believes there was a cover-up, Treavor Eimers said, "In the aftermath, yeah, definitely."

Eimers had just arrived from Michigan when Key West police pulled him over in front of a Pizza Hut for reckless driving. According to police, he fled the scene and several officers followed him to a beach.

Though Eimers had previous run-ins the with the law, including arrests for domestic abuse and theft back in the '90s, Treavor Eimers can't understand how a routine traffic stop led to his father's death.

Official documents obtained by CBS News offer differing accounts of Eimers' encounter with police and what happened next. In the police report, Eimers was charged with resisting an officer "with violence."

But officers on the scene told paramedics a different story. An EMS report indicates Key West police told paramedics that Eimers left his vehicle and ran, then collapsed on the beach. He never regained consciousness.

Hospital records say that Eimers "was found without a pulse by police" and later died at the hospital from lack of oxygen to the brain.

But a cell phone video - shot by a bystander and released nearly two weeks after the arrest - shows none of those versions are accurate. Eimers can be seen walking away from his car and surrendering before police approach with guns drawn.

Treavor Eimers said, "I watched the video, and I had no words. Everything that I was told while I was here was a lie."

Key West Police Chief Donald Lee Jr. said, "We need to investigate. We need to get the facts and then, you know, deal with those facts, whatever they may be."

There are other indications that Key West police did not follow proper procedures after taking Eimers into custody.

Even though police and the hospital had Eimers' information - his address and driver's license were listed on their reports - his family was not notified until four days after Eimers was transported unconscious from the beach to the hospital and put on life support.

A detective present during the incident had been tasked with notifying the family, but he did not. When his supervisors asked why, he said it was because Eimers hadn't died yet.

Treavor Eimers, a former critical care nurse, told doctors to take Eimers off life support.

Asked what he thought would happen next, Treavor Eimers said, "I didn't even wonder or ask questions about an autopsy. I just believed that that was going to happen."

Under Florida law, an autopsy is required on anyone who dies in police custody. But Eimers almost didn't get one. Instead of being sent to the medical examiner's office, his body ended up at a funeral home and was almost cremated.

Police Chief Lee admits that's not normal protocol.

"Law enforcement would notify, usually, probably the medical examiner," he said. "But, again, without knowing exactly what happened, I'd hate to speculate."

When an autopsy was finally performed, initial results showed Eimers had 10 fractured ribs and bruises and abrasions on his wrists from handcuffs.

Eimers' family said the hospital and the medical examiner both told them that there were no signs of a heartattack.

Treavor Eimers said, "I believe that my father was asphyxiated on the beach in Key West by the officers involved that day."

Five days after the incident, several officers submitted supplemental reports emphasizing that Eimers resisted arrest - so much that one "officer's finger got caught in the handcuffs" during the struggle.

Lee said, "We want to be able to provide answers to the Eimers family. We want to provide answers to this community. And we want the police officers who are involved to be able to move on from this situation as well."

Treavor Eimers said, "We miss our dad; we miss him a lot. My dad may not be able to say anything now, but he's speaking loud and clear."

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has opened an investigation into the case, but the family is raising concerns about a possible conflict of interest, Quijano reports. The state's lead investigator used to be married to the supervisor of the officers involved. All of those officers are still on active duty.

Pending completion of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation, the Eimers family is waiting for answers, unable to even collect life insurance until the official report is released. Eimers' children hired attorneys who have filed a lawsuit against the Key West Police Department and the officers involved, but those attorneys are still seeking access to dashboard camera videos from police and the witnesses who were at a nearby restaurant that Thanksgiving Day.

Lead attorney and Key West native Darren Horan, with the law firm Horan, Wallace and Higgins, told CBS News he understands why some witnesses might be afraid to come forward.

"At first, we were hesitant to take the case," said Horan. "We're a small island, a small bubble. It's one of those things where there's always a fear of what could possibly happen if you get involved. There were a few days of discussion and realized if anyone was going to do it, it had to be us."

Treavor Eimers hopes people will hear his father's story and come forward.

"I would say that if you were there or you have video or you had any personal contact with that situation on the beach that day," said Treavor Eimers, "please come forward and make a difference for my father, for his children, for his brothers and sisters, for every life he ever touched."





Charles Eimers, a 61 year old retiree, died in the hands of the police. His son Treavor Eimers said, "He was murdered by those officers." Asked if he believes there was a cover-up, Treavor Eimers said, "In the aftermath, yeah, definitely." Eimers was pulled over by the police for reckless driving and, according to the officers, fled the scene until he was finally caught on a nearby beach. He did have a prior police record for domestic abuse and theft. The police report claimed that he violently resisted arrest, but the paramedics say officers on the scene simply said that he ran and finally collapsed, never to regain consciousness.

A bystander shot cell phone footage of the incident, which showed Eimers walking rather than running and giving himself up immediately when the police approached him with their guns drawn. Chief Donald Lee Jr. is quoted as saying that they need to “get the facts” before a judgment is made. A further mystery is why his family was not even notified that he was in the hospital for four days. The detective who was supposed to make the notification told his supervisors that he didn't do it “because Eimers hadn't died yet.” That doesn't make sense. Surely when someone is put in the hospital under life support his family should immediately be told that he is there so they can go to visit him.

His son did have him removed from life support, but then, rather than being taken for an autopsy which is required when someone has died in police custody, he was sent to a funeral home instead “and almost cremated.” That could have been an intentional move by police to obscure evidence of his condition before death. “When an autopsy was finally performed, initial results showed Eimers had 10 fractured ribs and bruises and abrasions on his wrists from handcuffs. Eimers' family said the hospital and the medical examiner both told them that there were no signs of a heart attack.”

Five days later, perhaps in an effort to bolster their account, “several officers submitted supplemental reports,” stressing that he resisted arrest and that one officer's “finger got caught in the handcuffs.” He must have been a very strong man at 61 to put up such a fight while handcuffed.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating, but there is a claim of conflict of interest due to the fact that one of the investigators used to be married to the supervisor of the police officers. Eimers' family is filing suit, but their lawyers so far have been unable to see the dashboard camera film or eyewitnesses from the restaurant nearby. Darren Horan the Eimers' attorney said that there is a certain amount of fear of coming forward, “'We're a small island, a small bubble. It's one of those things where there's always a fear of what could possibly happen if you get involved.'” Small town evil seems to be on the loose. Police do have a certain tendency to get overly aggressive and hurt people badly, then those in authority don't necessarily punish them for their actions. This story looks worse and worse the more I read. The son has made a poignant plea for aid from the community to clarify the case. I'll try to find any followup stories to this one so I can report them.





What's behind the national ammo shortage? – CBS
By BRUCE KENNEDY MONEYWATCH May 21, 2014

It's a question many hunters and gun enthusiasts across the country have been asking for months: Where's the ammo?

Subsistence hunters in Alaska usually spend this time of year preparing for the return of seals and migratory birds to the Bering Straits region. But this year many are preoccupied by the state-wide shortage of .22-caliber shells, one of the most popular and common types of ammunition in the world.

Along with low supplies of other ammunition, such as 300-, .303- and .243-caliber shells,"We've also been having a hard time getting some .22 shells," Mary Ungut, manager of the Native Store in Gambell, on St. Lawrence Island, recently told KNOM radio. "It seems that the price is increasing, too."

That lack of ammunition has been a problem in the lower 48, too. Some gun enthusiasts have published updates on YouTube and other social media keeping fellow gun-owners updated on ammo availability. But retailers are also biting the bullet, when it comes to supplies.

"Two years ago, when I was buying ammunition, I could buy .22 by the pallet-load," Jonathan Southwick with Ammo Inc., of Otsego, Michigan, lamented to CBS station WWMT-TV, "and now they're putting restrictions on how much you can get and how you get that ammo."

"Every morning, I call one of my distributors and ask him if he got any in overnight," he added. "I email my other two to see if they got any, and throughout the day constantly checking my emails to see if any come in, and then at the close of business I give them a call,"

Gun and ammunition sales have been rising since 2008, largely amid concerns over gun control efforts by the Obama administration. They spiked again in late 2012 and early last year after a gunman killed 20 children and six adults at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut.

"There are a lot of wild stories," said Mike Bazinet, public affairs director with the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the gun industry's trade association, in an interview with the Alaska Dispatch news site. "One story we've heard anecdotally is that the government is buying up all the ammo. That is not true. Government purchases have gone down over last three years."

American Rifleman, one of the National Rifle Association's official journals, in December published a detailed article on some of the factors behind the ammunition shortage. One major issue was, of course, the spike in demand.

"Can you imagine what would happen if the demand for your other favorite products doubled in five years?" it asked. "Wouldn't they likely be more expensive and harder to find?"

But the article also pointed to more mundane economic reasons behind the diminished ammunition stockpiles. Those include the rising cost of raw materials in an increasingly globalized and competitive marketplace; concerns about possible over-investment during a market bubble; the costs and delays of upgrading manufacturing machinery; and the need to hire more employees to keep up with growing demand.




“Gun and ammunition sales have been rising since 2008, largely amid concerns over gun control efforts by the Obama administration. They spiked again in late 2012 and early last year after a gunman killed 20 children and six adults at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut.” These NRA members have bought up the available supply and now they're clamoring for more.

A horrible shooting incident like the one at Newtown provokes two types of response. From the progressives there are renewed calls for gun controls and from the NRA crowd there are equally alarmed cries of fear. They think that if everybody walked around with a gun strapped to their belt there would be fewer such shootings, because somebody would always be armed and ready to defend the school children. There are even recommendations for teachers to have guns with them at school. I, personally, want to see better security in the schools so that the bad guys can't just walk into a classroom like that, but I don't want to see teachers walking around armed to the teeth.

Mike Bazinet, public affairs director with the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the gun industry's trade association, said in an interview with the Alaska Dispatch news site. "One story we've heard anecdotally is that the government is buying up all the ammo. That is not true. Government purchases have gone down over last three years." American Rifleman a gun owner's journal, has analyzed the shortage and reported at length on the reasons, stressing the upsurge in demand and “the rising cost of raw materials in an increasingly globalized and competitive marketplace; concerns about possible over-investment during a market bubble; the costs and delays of upgrading manufacturing machinery; and the need to hire more employees to keep up with growing demand.” It seems to be proven even within “conservative” sources, that there is no need for conspiracy theories here. People will simply have to wait for the demand to go down. NRA members need to stop shooting so much for the time being and watch football.