Sunday, December 14, 2014


News Clips For The Day


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/two-21-year-old-white-mississippi-women-plead-guilty-to-racist-attacks/

Two 21-year-old white Mississippi women plead guilty to racist attacks
CBS/AP December 14, 2014, 9:39 AM

Photograph – The June 2011 death of James Craig Anderson, pictured, who was run over by a pickup truck outside a Jackson hotel, sparked a broader investigation into reports that groups of young white men and women would drive from the mostly white Rankin County into majority-black Jackson to assault blacks. 

JACKSON, Miss. - Two 21-year-old white women from Brandon have each pleaded guilty to conspiracy in a series of attacks on African Americans that culminated when a black man was run over and killed in Jackson in 2011.

Shelbie Brooke Richards and Sarah Adelia Graves each pleaded guilty to one count conspiring to violate the federal hate crime law, The Clarion-Ledger reportsreported.

Richards also pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony - concealing information about James Craig Anderson's murder from investigators.

Anderson's death outside a Jackson hotel sparked a broader investigation into reports that groups of young white men and women would drive from mostly white Rankin County into majority-black Jackson to assault African-Americans.

Prosecutors said the suspects usually sought out the homeless or people under the influence of alcohol.

Six other Brandon residents have pleaded guilty.

Deryl Paul Dedmon, John Aaron Rice, Dylan Wade Butler, William Kirk Montgomery, Jonathan Kyle Gaskamp, and Joseph Dominick have yet to be sentenced.

According to court documents, Richards and Graves admitted they were part of a larger plot to harass and assault African Americans in west Jackson with weapons including beer bottles, sling shots and motor vehicles.

They chose targets they thought would be least likely to report an assault, the documents said.

Seven white teens were partying in the early morning hours of June 26, 2012, when Dedmon suggested they find a black man to harass, authorities said. Anderson was beaten before Dedmon ran over him, authorities said.

Richards' statement said she encouraged Dedmon to hit Anderson with his truck, then lied to investigators, saying she neither remembered a fight between Dedmon and Anderson nor encouraged Dedmon to run into Anderson.

The maximum penalty on the conspiracy charge is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Misprision carries up to three years and a $250,000 fine.



mis·pri·sion1
misˈpriZHən/
noun

LAW historical
“The deliberate concealment of one's knowledge of a treasonable act or a felony.”



“Shelbie Brooke Richards and Sarah Adelia Graves each pleaded guilty to one count conspiring to violate the federal hate crime law, The Clarion-Ledger reportsreported. Richards also pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony - concealing information about James Craig Anderson's murder from investigators.... reports that groups of young white men and women would drive from mostly white Rankin County into majority-black Jackson to assault African-Americans. Prosecutors said the suspects usually sought out the homeless or people under the influence of alcohol. Six other Brandon residents have pleaded guilty.... They chose targets they thought would be least likely to report an assault, the documents said. Seven white teens were partying in the early morning hours of June 26, 2012, when Dedmon suggested they find a black man to harass, authorities said. Anderson was beaten before Dedmon ran over him, authorities said.... The maximum penalty on the conspiracy charge is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Misprision carries up to three years and a $250,000 fine.”

It's hard to believe that with this much pure evil involved the young people only ended up with an 8 year sentence. If they were poor the $500,000 fine each would be a greater punishment. If they were wealthy it would be nothing. Why weren't they charged with murder? The crimes of that particular day weren't all, either. They had been harassing homeless or drunk blacks before that as a gang. This story is sickening. I wonder what kind of parents they had, and did they belong to a street gang? I wonder how the good people of Jackson are reacting to this? A couple of years ago there was a story – I don't remember where it occurred – but two teenaged boys beat a homeless man to death for no reason. Who raises kids like that?





http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2014/12/13/370427539/black-fraternities-and-sororities-split-on-protest-policy

Black Fraternities And Sororities Split On Protest Policy – NPR
KAREN GRIGSBY BATES
December 13, 2014

Thousands of Americans gathered in Washington, D.C. Saturday for the 'Justice for All' rally. The demonstration was to protest the police shooting death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice in Cleveland, as well as decisions not to indict white police officers in the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. and Eric Garner on Staten Island, N.Y. Those events have roiled the country for weeks, and sparked groups of students, doctors and even congressional staffers to join demonstrations.

But these protests revealed a division among African-American sororities and fraternities. Members of Alpha Kappa Alpha and Delta Sigma Theta, two of the nation's oldest black sororities, were astonished that the groups' leadership issued directives that sorors could wear their organization's colors — but not their letters or logos — at protests.

There were other warnings about conduct. "Do not make statements that are or can be construed as a position of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.," wrote AKA president Dorothy Buckhanan Wilson in a letter to members. "Should you choose to participate in the aforementioned event and others similar in nature," the Deltas were warned by their president, Paulette C. Walker, "you are solely responsible for yourself and your activities." There was a backlash in some black press outlets and across social media as members of both sororities spoke out against the policies.

Then a change of heart for at least one group: the AKAs sent out a new message on Thursday that "We expect our members to be actively involved in solving the social justice issues raised" by the Brown and Garner cases. The organization's president wrote, "We strongly support and encourage our members' peaceful and lawful participation in these activities." The earlier missive forbidding letter display was apparently only "guidance." As of this writing, Delta Sigma Theta has not changed its position.

Other African-American fraternities and sororities took a very different approach from the beginning. The national leadership of Alpha Phi Alpha, the century-old organization that Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. and late Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall joined as students, tweeted out a photo of young members with their letters on display at a protest.

Fraternities Omega Psi Phi and Phi Beta Sigma and sorority Zeta Phi Beta have not issued statements discouraging the wearing of letters during protests. Sorority Sigma Gamma Rho did, but it also announced a "social action campaign," initiatives that include educating young people about their constitutional rights, and pressing for legislation that would demand body cameras for police.

The AP reports that the bans may have arisen after a photo, prominently posted on the Dallas Morning News home page last Saturday, showed a young woman wearing a shirt with the Greek letters for Delta Sigma Theta emblazoned across the front as she was arrested duriing a demonstration.

When NPR contacted Delta's national headquarters on Wednesday, we were told the president "is expected to make a statement sometime soon," but no word as to when. Additional calls were not returned.

Lawrence Ross is the author of 'The Divine Nine: The History of African American Fraternities and Sororities,' a book chronicling the birth and evolution of the country's nine oldest black Hellenic organizations. A proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha, Ross is married to a Delta; he says she's mystified by her president's message.

"Almost every Delta was attracted to (the sorority) because of its proud history of social action," Ross says. He pointed out that Deltas came into being a few years after the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority was founded. Many members were former AKAs who broke away because they wanted to be more directly involved in social action. Almost as soon as that new organization was formed, members took to the streets — with a banner identifying them as Deltas — to march for women's suffrage.

"Honestly, I can say without hyperbole, most of the protests (through the modern civil rights movement) you see were sponsored by, run by, or supported by black Greeks," Ross points out. Martin Luther King, Jr.? Alpha. Congressman John Lewis, one of the younger icons of the civil rights movement, is a member of Phi Beta Sigma, as was Huey P. Newton, co-founder of the Black Panther Party.

Ross says there is a disconnect between the leadership of the black Greeks at the national level and their members, particularly after Eric Garner's death. "That was a tipping point, and as an organization, you've got to know that," he asserts. "When you say that you don't want the letters (of your Greek organization) to be displayed, yes, intellectually you can say 'that's all about liability.'"

"But," he continues, "the real message is telling people 'hey, we're shrinking from the battle.'"

Ross feels sometimes "our fraternities and sororities, we get a little soft when it comes to social action. It's easier to meet with the president in our fancy suits, or tell everybody 'dress in your finest and walk to the Capitol.'" But what people need to see, he says, are members marching in protest over issues like police violence against unarmed black citizens. And the prohibition against wearing one's Greek letters, Ross believes, sends the wrong message: "You're telling people not to represent. And you can't tell people that when you've marketed your organization as being a social service organization."

Keep an eye out for photos from Saturday's march in Washington. If you look closely, you'll probably see Greek letters—everything from Alpha to Omega. With or without permission.




“The AP reports that the bans may have arisen after a photo, prominently posted on the Dallas Morning News home page last Saturday, showed a young woman wearing a shirt with the Greek letters for Delta Sigma Theta emblazoned across the front as she was arrested duriing a demonstration.... "Honestly, I can say without hyperbole, most of the protests (through the modern civil rights movement) you see were sponsored by, run by, or supported by black Greeks," Ross points out. Martin Luther King, Jr.? Alpha. Congressman John Lewis, one of the younger icons of the civil rights movement, is a member of Phi Beta Sigma, as was Huey P. Newton, co-founder of the Black Panther Party.... Ross says there is a disconnect between the leadership of the black Greeks at the national level and their members, particularly after Eric Garner's death. "That was a tipping point, and as an organization, you've got to know that," he asserts. "When you say that you don't want the letters (of your Greek organization) to be displayed, yes, intellectually you can say 'that's all about liability.'" "But," he continues, "the real message is telling people 'hey, we're shrinking from the battle.'"... But what people need to see, he says, are members marching in protest over issues like police violence against unarmed black citizens. And the prohibition against wearing one's Greek letters, Ross believes, sends the wrong message: "You're telling people not to represent. And you can't tell people that when you've marketed your organization as being a social service organization."

I didn't know that fraternities and sororities ever marched as an entity in Civil Rights activities. I'm glad to see it. I think that as time passes the organization leadership will get used to the use of their letters and not be so afraid of being sued – or persecuted? I think Congress is going to step up to the plate and make some new laws governing police authority to administer street “justice” so freely.





http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/12/12/370445572/georgia-woman-gets-100k-over-her-arrest-for-cursing-at-police

Georgia Woman Gets $100K Over Her Arrest For Cursing At Police – NPR
Bill Chappell
December 12, 2014

After seeing "yet another African American stopped for doing nothing other than being outside while black," Atlanta-area resident Amy Barnes says, she yelled profanities at police officers — who then arrested her. That was two years ago. Today, Cobb County agreed to pay Barnes $100,000.

The story comes to us from member station WABE, where Lisa George reports that Barnes happened upon the scene as she rode her bike on Austell Road in the spring of 2012. That's when she saw two Cobb County Police Department officers questioning a man outside a convenience store.

"We can't say on the radio what she said to them," George reports, "but she cursed at the officers and gave them the finger. They arrested and jailed her and kept her in solitary confinement overnight."

Not satisfied after the charges against her were dismissed in 2013, Barnes filed a lawsuit, saying the Cobb County Police Department officers had violated her constitutional rights.

This week, Cobb County agreed to pay Barnes to end the lawsuit.

"It's a shot across the bow," Barnes tells George. "And it basically sent a message across this whole nation that free speech shall remain free or somebody's going to keep paying."

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution describes Barnes as a political activist who was arrested for shouting things such as "Cobb police suck" and "F—- the police."

The newspaper adds that according to Barnes' attorney, "The officers argued that it was a bad neighborhood and you shouldn't disrespect the police because it could create issues."

As for the isolation after her arrest, WABE's George says the police claimed it was for Barnes' own protection, because she has impaired hearing.

Barnes' attorney, Cynthia Counts, says the case should be a reminder of all Americans' right to free speech.

"I think that it's going to send a message that people have rights, and some people are going to disagree," Counts tells George. "But it's a bedrock principal of the First Amendment that caustic speech, offensive speech is certainly protected."

Barnes says she plans to use some of the settlement money to attend law school.




"We can't say on the radio what she said to them," George reports, "but she cursed at the officers and gave them the finger. They arrested and jailed her and kept her in solitary confinement overnight." Not satisfied after the charges against her were dismissed in 2013, Barnes filed a lawsuit, saying the Cobb County Police Department officers had violated her constitutional rights. This week, Cobb County agreed to pay Barnes to end the lawsuit. "It's a shot across the bow," Barnes tells George. "And it basically sent a message across this whole nation that free speech shall remain free or somebody's going to keep paying."... As for the isolation after her arrest, WABE's George says the police claimed it was for Barnes' own protection, because she has impaired hearing. Barnes' attorney, Cynthia Counts, says the case should be a reminder of all Americans' right to free speech. "I think that it's going to send a message that people have rights, and some people are going to disagree," Counts tells George. "But it's a bedrock principal of the First Amendment that caustic speech, offensive speech is certainly protected." Barnes says she plans to use some of the settlement money to attend law school.”

So, apparently if people only abuse police officer verbally they can get away with it. That's good, because there needs to be some redress for police overreaching. In a couple of the marches over the last month police arrested marchers for photographing and the activities with cell phones. That, too, should surely be legal. It isn't assault or even really interfering with police, just bearing witness to what happened. That's why all the police will soon hopefully have body cams on and not turned off, either.





http://www.cnn.com/

Navy: New laser weapon works, ready for action

By Brad Lendon, CNN
updated 9:12 AM EST, Thu December 11, 2014 | Filed under: Innovations

(CNN) -- The U.S. Navy says its new laser weapon works and it will use it if it has to.

The Office of Naval Research reported Wednesday that its laser weapons system -- dubbed LaWS -- had performed flawlessly in tests aboard the amphibious transport dock USS Ponce in the Arabian Gulf from September to November.

"Laser weapons are powerful, affordable and will play a vital role in the future of naval combat operations," Rear Adm. Matthew L. Klunder, chief of naval research, said in a statement. "We ran this particular weapon, a prototype, through some extremely tough paces, and it locked on and destroyed the targets we designated with near-instantaneous lethality."

Klunder said the laser performed so well that the commander of the Ponce is now authorized to use it in defense of the vessel, according to a report from the U.S. Naval Institute.

"The captain of that ship has all of the authorities necessary if there was a threat inbound to that ship to protect our sailors and Marines (and) we would defend that ship with that laser system," Klunder is quoted as saying in a USNI report.

The laser could be used to stop threats ranging from drones and helicopters to small patrol boats, Klunder said, according to the USNI report.

Navy video released Wednesday shows the LaWS hitting exactly those types of targets. Watching the video, you can't see any light beam as you might expect from watching science fiction movies. Instead, the targets just burn up.

The Navy says the laser weapon is safer than conventional arms that use propellants and explosive warheads, and more cost-effective.

"At less than a dollar per shot, there's no question about the value LaWS provides," Klunder said in the Navy statement. "With affordability a serious concern for our defense budgets, this will more effectively manage resources to ensure our sailors and Marines are never in a fair fight."

The laser also takes fewer crew members to operate. It can be fired by one sailor using a video game-like controller.

The weapon performed without failure in conditions of high wind, humidity and temperature, the Navy said.

The Navy hopes to deploy variations of the laser weapon system in the fleet by 2020.




“The Office of Naval Research reported Wednesday that its laser weapons system -- dubbed LaWS -- had performed flawlessly in tests aboard the amphibious transport dock USS Ponce in the Arabian Gulf from September to November.... "Laser weapons are powerful, affordable and will play a vital role in the future of naval combat operations," Rear Adm. Matthew L. Klunder, chief of naval research, said in a statement. "We ran this particular weapon, a prototype, through some extremely tough paces, and it locked on and destroyed the targets we designated with near-instantaneous lethality."... "Laser weapons are powerful, affordable and will play a vital role in the future of naval combat operations," Rear Adm. Matthew L. Klunder, chief of naval research, said in a statement. "We ran this particular weapon, a prototype, through some extremely tough paces, and it locked on and destroyed the targets we designated with near-instantaneous lethality."... The laser also takes fewer crew members to operate. It can be fired by one sailor using a video game-like controller. The weapon performed without failure in conditions of high wind, humidity and temperature, the Navy said. The Navy hopes to deploy variations of the laser weapon system in the fleet by 2020.”

"With affordability a serious concern for our defense budgets, this will more effectively manage resources to ensure our sailors and Marines are never in a fair fight." Did he really mean to say that? Did he mean that all is fair in love and war? Whatever. At any rate it seems to be a very clever invention and less dangerous than bombs of any kind to boats etc. that are nearby – less “collateral damage,” in other words. Will they be deployed on drones or given to soldiers to carry into battle? How far away are they effective?






http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/nato-aims-be-more-responsive-wake-russian-aggression-n266956

NATO Aims to Be 'More Responsive' in Wake of Russian Aggression
BY ANDY ECKARDT

GRAFENWOEHR, Germany — Vladimir Putin's aggression in Ukraine and other intimidating shows of force have created a "very different kind of scenario" for NATO, according to the defense alliance's top commander in Europe.

On Monday, 28 Russian military planes including TU-95 and TU-22 strategic bombers were intercepted over the Baltic Sea near Latvia's border. On Tuesday, a Russian plane violated Estonia's airspace. Poland's defense minister later accused Putin of launching "unprecedented activity" around the Baltic Sea.

Gen. Philip Breedlove, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, said the recent Russian flights were "of a different nature than we've seen in a while." The warplanes were intercepted by NATO in international airspace.

"For the past 19 years, we have been trying to treat Russia as a partner, trying to bring the nations of Europe back together and now what we see is a very different kind of scenario," Breedlove told NBC News.

Moscow's military manoeuvres this week did nothing to help ease tensions between the West and Russia over the Ukraine crisis and NATO commanders stress that it is "time to re-focus" the alliance.

In its latest move to reassure nervous allies that border Russia, NATO leaders met in Germany this week to analyze the results of Exercise Trident Lance 2014. Its training scenario dealt with the hypothetical invasion of NATO member Estonia and included everything from missile strikes to cyber attacks. It was the first NATO exercise of its kind since the end of the Cold War.

In the wake of Russia's annexation of Crimea and alleged support of Ukraine separatists, NATO is also creating a new "spearhead force." It aims to deploy more quickly than the alliance's current rapid reaction force.

By 2016, NATO wants to establish a brigade-size force of up to 5,000 ground troops that's ready to be sent to trouble spots at short notice, with air, sea and special forces support.

"We are evolving in order to be more responsive," said Breedlove, who also heads the U.S. European Command.

The so-called Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) will "have an adjustable response that could go as low as two days based on intelligence and warning," Breedlove said.

Held in Bavaria, Exercise Trident Lance 2014 included more than 3,700 troops from various locations across Europe and featured both computer and traditional military training events.

General Jean-Paul Palomeros, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, described the current security situation in Eastern Europe as "very complex and very volatile."

He added: "NATO has to face a lot of challenges together."
Reuters contributed to this report.




“Vladimir Putin's aggression in Ukraine and other intimidating shows of force have created a "very different kind of scenario" for NATO, according to the defense alliance's top commander in Europe.... "For the past 19 years, we have been trying to treat Russia as a partner, trying to bring the nations of Europe back together and now what we see is a very different kind of scenario," Breedlove told NBC News. Moscow's military manoeuvres this week did nothing to help ease tensions between the West and Russia over the Ukraine crisis and NATO commanders stress that it is "time to re-focus" the alliance.... Exercise Trident Lance 2014. Its training scenario dealt with the hypothetical invasion of NATO member Estonia and included everything from missile strikes to cyber attacks. It was the first NATO exercise of its kind since the end of the Cold War.... By 2016, NATO wants to establish a brigade-size force of up to 5,000 ground troops that's ready to be sent to trouble spots at short notice, with air, sea and special forces support.... General Jean-Paul Palomeros, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, described the current security situation in Eastern Europe as "very complex and very volatile." He added: "NATO has to face a lot of challenges together."

“... computer and traditional military training events.” I wonder how computers will be used in battle? That sounds as interesting as the laser. I'm glad to see that NATO isn't standing idly by while Russia flexes is muscles conspicuously, even if it is all for show. We mustn't forget about ISIS while dealing with Russia. Either Europe or the Middle East could be the next world war, I'm afraid. Obama is keeping up with both situations, though, and making limited but active tactical maneuvers. I think he's doing well.







http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/12/12/370414365/are-men-idiots-who-do-stupid-things-study-says-yes

Are Men Idiots Who Do Stupid Things? Study Says Yes – NPR
Krishnadev Calamur
December 12, 2014

A new study shows what at least some of us might have suspected for a long time: Men are idiots and do stupid things.

That's the premise of the authors' Male Idiot Theory. The study, published in BMJ, the former British Medical Journal, looked at past winners of the Darwin Awards. The awards are given to those people who die in such an idiotic manner that "their action ensures the long-term survival of the species, by selectively allowing one less idiot to survive."

The study looked at 318 cases, of which 282, or 88.7 percent, were men.

Limitations of the study, the authors noted, include its retrospective nature, selection bias— women may be more likely to nominate men — and reporting bias — male candidates for the award may be more newsworthy than female candidates. But the authors wrote:

"Despite these limitations there can be little doubt that Darwin Award winners seem to make little or no real assessment of the risk or attempt at risk management. They just do it anyway. In some cases, the intelligence of the award winner may be questioned. For example, the office workers watching a construction worker demolishing a car park in the adjacent lot must have wondered about the man's intelligence. After two days of office speculation —how does he plan to remove the final support to crash the car park down safely? — they discovered, on the third day, that he didn't have a plan. The concrete platform collapsed, crushing him to death and flattening his mini-excavator."

Other examples of past winners the study cited: the man who shot himself in the head with a "spy pen" weapon to show his friend that it was real; and the terrorist who mailed a letter bomb with insufficient postage and who, upon its return, opened it.

In case you were wondering, the study's authors are all male. They include 15-year-old Ben Alexander Daniel Lendrem, a student at King Edward VI School in Morpeth, England, and his father, Dennis William Lendrem, of the Institute of Cellular Medicine in Newcastle.

But just exactly why men act the way they do confounds the researchers: "[I]t is puzzling that males are willing to take such unnecessary risks — simply as a rite of passage, in pursuit of male social esteem, or solely in exchange for 'bragging rights,'" they write.

The study adds:

"Presumably, idiotic behavior confers some, as yet unidentified, selective advantage on those who do not become its casualties. Until MIT gives us a full and satisfactory explanation of idiotic male behavior, hospital emergency departments will continue to pick up the pieces, often literally."

The paper ends with the usual caveat about more research being needed to explain the differences between men and women, but offers a more, shall we say season-appropriate, setting for the future research: "[W]ith the festive season upon us, we intend to follow up with observational field studies and an experimental study — males and females, with and without alcohol — in a semi-naturalistic Christmas party setting."




“The awards are given to those people who die in such an idiotic manner that "their action ensures the long-term survival of the species, by selectively allowing one less idiot to survive." The study looked at 318 cases, of which 282, or 88.7 percent, were men. Limitations of the study, the authors noted, include its retrospective nature, selection bias— women may be more likely to nominate men — and reporting bias — male candidates for the award may be more newsworthy than female candidates.... After two days of office speculation —how does he plan to remove the final support to crash the car park down safely? — they discovered, on the third day, that he didn't have a plan. The concrete platform collapsed, crushing him to death and flattening his mini-excavator."... But just exactly why men act the way they do confounds the researchers: "[I]t is puzzling that males are willing to take such unnecessary risks — simply as a rite of passage, in pursuit of male social esteem, or solely in exchange for 'bragging rights,'" they write.”

"Presumably, idiotic behavior confers some, as yet unidentified, selective advantage on those who do not become its casualties.” Actually, I do have a theory on two ways that there may be a selective advantage. First, men will tend to consider such men to be leaders because of the highly testosterone involved nature of some of the exploits that men do. If they don't die in the process, they win. When the small traveling human family 500,000 years ago had to do something dangerous in order to achieve a goal, somebody had to be bold enough to do it. When it was done, the whole tribe won. That's how swinging bridges are built over raging river gorges. Building that bridge is dangerous, but after it's built, life becomes much less dangerous. In war, as well, somebody has to risk their life in order to defeat the enemy. The problem right now in Iraq and Syria is that so few of those men will stand up and fight ISIS. They're totally intimidated. The Kurds are the notable exception. Even their women fight, as did the ancient Celtic women. They are sure risking their lives.

Secondly, when the outrageously bold man does achieve some feat without dying in the process, the women will flock to his side to get a crack at his genes for their children. Doing dangerous things isn't always stupid – only when the way it was done is the problem. The construction worker who allowed the building to fall on him didn't do it right. Why didn't he rig up explosives and do an implosion? Was that really a true story, anyway?