October 5, 2017


News and Views


KASPERSKY IS “AMONG NPR’S CORPORATE UNDERWRITERS.” THE LYIN’, CHEATIN’ RUSSIANS HAVE INVADED NPR’S CORPORATE STRUCTURE? I DO HOPE NOT. I WILL SAY, THOUGH, THAT I HAD A PERSONAL INTRODUCTION TO KASPERSKY LABS A FEW MONTHS AGO WHEN OUT OF THE BLUE – IT SEEMS THAT I MAY HAVE HAD A RECENT COMPUTER BLACKOUT AT THE TIME – MY FACEBOOK PAGE BEGAN DEMANDING MY PASSWORD WHEN I HAD NEVER HAD A PROBLEM LIKE THAT BEFORE; AND AS THE TERMS OF GETTING IN, I WAS TOLD BY SAID ENTITY TO USE A CERTAIN UNFAMILIAR ANTIVIRUS PROGRAM.

I BACKED OUT AND DIDN’T EXPLORE FURTHER ON THAT SITE. I LOOKED IT UP ON GOOGLE, INSTEAD, AND FOUND THAT IT IS A “LEGITIMATE” COMPANY ACCORDING TO ONE WEBPAGE, BUT THAT IT WAS A NOTORIOUS SCAM ON ANOTHER. THERE WERE NUMEROUS PERSONAL COMMENTS THERE, AND ONE OF THEM CONCLUDED THAT IT WAS FACEBOOK ITSELF THAT HAD BEEN MESSING WITH MY MIND. NOW, AFTER THIS RUSSIAN INVOLVEMENT WITH FACEBOOK OVER THE HILLARY CLINTON AFFAIR, I AM FEELING THAT FACEBOOK ITSELF SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FOR SCAMMING THE AMERICAN CITIZENS, AS WELL AS ATTACKING CLINTON.

I WONDER HOW MANY OTHER CASES LIKE THIS THERE COULD BE. A WEEK OR SO LATER I TRIED AGAIN AND FACEBOOK WAS THEN REQUIRING ANOTHER DIFFERENT COMPANY. FINALLY, AFTER ANOTHER TRY, IT OFFERED ME “KASPERSKY.” KNOWING THAT TO BE A RUSSIAN WORD, I ST AGAIN BACKED OUT AND SET UP A NEW FACEBOOK ACCOUNT UNDER AN ALTERNATE NAME WHICH I RECOGNIZE, BUT A COMPUTER WOULDN’T. THAT WORKED FINE FOR AWHILE, SO I TRIED MY OLD FACEBOOK ACCOUNT AGAIN TO FIND THAT THE MYSTERIOUS RANSOMWARE WAS MAGICALLY GONE WITH NO TRACE, AND I’VE HAD NO MORE TROUBLE.

I AM GLAD TO SEE THAT ACTING HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY ELAINE DUKE HAS, SHE SAID, BANNED THE SOFTWARE GOVERNMENTWIDE. THAT’S GOOD, BUT I HOPE IT DOES FIX THE PROBLEM PERMANENTLY. TAKING SOFTWARE HOME SHOULD BE GROUNDS FOR DISMISSAL, AND PERHAPS EVEN CARRY CRIMINAL PENALTIES.

THE PRACTICE OF GOVERNMENT BODIES USING PRIVATE SECTOR OPERATIVES RATHER THAN CIVIL SERVANTS SHOULD BE BANNED ALSO. THE UTTERLY REPUGNANT BLACKWATER EVENTS THAT REDEFINED OUR DEMOCRATIC NATION WILL REMAIN IN MY MEMORY FOREVER. BLACKWATER HAD BEEN SENT TO IRAQ BECAUSE THE AMERICAN MILITARY WERE CONSIDERED TOO EXPENSIVE.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SHOOK MY CONFIDENCE IN OUR COUNTRY. SOMETIMES SOMETHING WHICH COSTS LESS MONEY ON THE SURFACE OF THE SITUATION, COSTS MORE IN THE END. I WONDER WHAT IT WILL COST TO SEARCH EVERY GOVERNMENT COMPUTER FOR KASPERSKY PRODUCTS AND REPLACE THEM? BESIDES, WHAT POSSIBLE REASON, LEGITIMATE THAT IS, COULD THE WOMAN HAVE HAD ON HER HOME COMPUTER? MAYBE SHE JUST THOUGHT SHE WOULD STEAL IT RATHER THAN BUYING HER OWN, OR MAYBE SHE HAD BEEN PAID BY THE RUSSIANS TO SWITCH THE SOFTWARE. I KNOW. I JUST MADE UP A BRAND-NEW CONSPIRACY THEORY.

http://www.npr.org/2017/10/05/555922305/report-hackers-stole-nsa-cybertools-in-another-breach-via-another-contractor
NATIONAL SECURITY
Report: Hackers Stole NSA Cybertools In Another Breach Via Another Contractor
October 5, 20173:48 PM ET
PHILIP EWING

Photograph -- The Wall Street Journal reports there has been a new breach at the National Security Agency via one of the agency's contractors.
NSA Handout/Getty Images

Russian hackers stole top secret cybertools from a National Security Agency contractor in yet another embarrassing compromise for U.S. spy agencies, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.

The NSA contractor is believed to have taken highly sensitive official software home to a personal computer in 2015. His machine was running a Russian security program made by Kaspersky Labs, which can be exploited by Russia's intelligence agencies, the Journal reported.

The NSA declined to comment.

Members of Congress, however, slammed the spy agency for the latest in a series of breaches blamed not on its own employees but on the vendors it uses in place of or in addition to them.

At least three other contractors — Reality Winner, Hal Martin and Edward Snowden — also have been accused of hoarding or releasing NSA's secrets. An online entity called the "Shadow Brokers" also has tried to auction what it called software stolen from the NSA.

Accused NSA Leaker Reality Winner To Remain In Jail Pending Trial
THE TWO-WAY
Accused NSA Leaker Reality Winner To Remain In Jail Pending Trial

Nebraska's Republican Sen. Ben Sasse said he was tired of seeing the same headlines about failures of NSA's information security.

"The men and women of the U.S. intelligence community are patriots, but the NSA needs to get its head out of the sand and solve its contractor problem," Sasse said. "Russia is a clear adversary in cyberspace, and we can't afford these self-inflicted injuries."

Intelligence officials often stress that the NSA and its sibling agencies have a "layered" cyberdefense that is larger than any single tool or system. So the failure reported by the Journal might not amount to the loss of what intelligence workers might call "the keys to the kingdom."

5 Unanswered Questions Raised By The Leaked NSA Hacking Report
NATIONAL SECURITY
5 Unanswered Questions Raised By The Leaked NSA Hacking Report

Plus spy agency bosses have previously also said they would not run the Russian-made security software from Kaspersky Labs that the Journal said was associated with the loss of the hacking tools. In fact, Acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke said in September that she was banning the entire federal government from using Kaspersky.

Kaspersky Labs has millions of users around the world and is among NPR's corporate underwriters. It has denied that it is a cat's-paw for Russia's intelligence agencies or any other government.

4 Ways The U.S. Could Fight Future Election Interference
NATIONAL SECURITY
4 Ways The U.S. Could Fight Future Election Interference

New Hampshire Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen said Thursday that the widespread use of Kaspersky software was no excuse for what she called the slow action by the U.S. intelligence community and the broader federal government.

"This development should serve as a stark warning, not just to the federal government but to states, local governments and the American public, of the serious dangers of using Kaspersky software," Shaheen said.

"The strong ties between Kaspersky Lab and the Kremlin are extremely alarming and have been well-documented for some time. It's astounding and deeply disturbing that the Russian government continues to have this tool at their disposal to harm the United States."



DONALD TRUMP WILL BE FURIOUS. I CAN’T WAIT FOR THE TWEETS TO START!

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/california-sanctuary-state-governor-signs-legislation/
CBS/AP October 5, 2017, 2:19 PM
California governor signs "sanctuary state" legislation

Photograph -- California Gov. Jerry Brown during May 11, 2917 news conference JUSTIN SULLIVAN / GETTY IMAGES

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California Governor Jerry Brown signed "sanctuary state" legislation expanding protections for immigrants in U.S. illegally.

It's a move that gives the nation's most populous state another tool to fight President Donald Trump. Brown's signature means that police will be barred from asking people about their immigration status or participating in immigration enforcement activities starting Jan. 1.

DACA deadline for renewal is Oct. 5
Jail officials only will be allowed to transfer inmates to federal immigration authorities if they have been convicted of certain crimes.

California is home to an estimated 2.3 million immigrants without legal authorization.

Federal judge blocks Texas' tough "sanctuary cities" law

"These are uncertain times for undocumented Californians and their families, and this bill strikes a balance that will protect public safety, while bringing a measure of comfort to those families who are now living in fear every day," Brown said in statement.

Chicago plans lawsuit against Trump administration
Play VIDEO
Chicago plans lawsuit against Trump administration

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, asked for a response, told reporters that she hopes Californians will "push back" on their governor's "irresponsible" decision.

The measure came in response to widespread fear in immigrant communities following Mr. Trump's election. He railed against immigrants in his campaign and promised to sharply ramp up the deportation of people living in the U.S. illegally.

Democrats hope blocking police from cooperating will limit the reach of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.

The measure introduced by the Democratic Senate leader, President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon of Los Angeles, cleared the Legislature with support only from Democrats. Republicans said it will protect criminals and make it harder for law enforcement to keep people safe.

The bill, SB54, originally would have severely restricted the authority of police officers to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. At Brown's insistence, it was scaled back to allow cooperation in jails.

Police and sheriff's officials, including jail officers, will still be able to work with federal immigration authorities if a person has been convicted of one of about 800 crimes, mostly felonies and misdemeanors that can be charged as felonies. But they will be barred from transferring immigrants to federal authorities if their rap sheet includes only minor offenses.

The changes convinced the California police chiefs association to drop its opposition, while sheriffs - elected officials who run jails - remained opposed. ICE Acting Director Thomas Homan has condemned the measure, saying California is prioritizing politics over public safety.

California's Democratic political leaders have enthusiastically battled Mr. Trump and his administration with lawsuits, legislation and fiery public rhetoric, particularly about immigration and the environment.

Some law enforcement officials say the impact of the sanctuary measure likely will be minimal because it bans immigration enforcement activities that few agencies participate in.

Immigrant rights advocates say it's important to codify restrictions with the force of law while adding new ones. For them, it's a rare victory during the Trump presidency.

The measure was dubbed a "sanctuary state" bill because it sought to expand so-called sanctuary city policies that have long been in place in some of California's biggest cities, including Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Brown and de Leon have said the bill does not give safe harbor to immigrants, particularly after the concessions Brown demanded.

Thursday is the deadline for young undocumented immigrants will not be able to apply for renewal of their DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) status. Under the program, these immigrants, who entered the U.S. as children have been able to receive renewable two-year deferred action from deportation so that they can work or go to school.

Acting Secretary of DHS Elaine Duke released a memo on Wednesday urging all those still eligible to request a renewal of their DACA status as soon as possible if they have not done so already.

"I urge you to make this a priority. The renewal process is quicker than an initial request and requires minimal documentation, so take the time now to fill out and properly file your renewal request. It is imperative that USCIS physically receives your request by October 5th," said Duke.

This is a developing story and will be updated.


I AM SORRY TO SEE THIS, BUT EXECUTIVE ORDERS CAN BE REVERSED BY THE NEXT PRESIDENT, AND TRUMP HAS BEEN DOING QUITE A BIT OF THIS SINCE HE CAME INTO OFFICE. STILL, SINCE SOME OF OBAMA’S IDEAS WERE VERY USEFUL, PERHAPS THEY WILL BE DIFFICULT TO DISLODGE. THE PUBLIC IS FIGHTING HARD TO KEEP THE EXPANDED MEDICAID IN PLACE ACROSS THE COUNTRY, FOR INSTANCE, JOINED BY QUITE A FEW STATE GOVERNORS. I ESPECIALLY ENJOYED THE WHEEL CHAIR PROTESTS OUTSIDE SENATOR MCCONNELL’S OFFICE. HE’S SUCH AN OLD SOURPUSS THAT I WAS DELIGHTED TO SEE IT ALL.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sessions-doj-reverses-obama-era-transgender-work-protections/
CBS NEWS October 5, 2017, 12:35 PM
Sessions' DOJ reverses transgender workplace protections

Photograph -- U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions testifies before a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Tue., June 13, 2017. REUTERS

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has reversed an Obama-era policy explicitly defining transgender workers as protected under employment discrimination laws, CBS News' Paula Reid reports.

The Wednesday policy reversal of what qualifies as employment discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act comes down to an idealogical disagreement over whether "sex" is decided by a person's birth certificate, or whether sexual discrimination includes broader gender identity. Title VII prohibits any employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin. Former Attorney General Eric Holder in 2014 interpreted "sex" discrimination to apply to discrimination based on gender identity, while Sessions' DOJ interprets that it only applies to discrimination between men and women.

Sessions' DOJ argues Holder went beyond the definition of the 1964 law by including transgender discrimination.

"The Department of Justice cannot expand the law beyond what Congress has provided," DOJ spokesperson Devin O'Malley said. Unfortunately, the last administration abandoned that fundamental principle, which necessitated today's action. This Department remains committed to protecting the civil and constitutional rights of all individuals, and will continue to enforce the numerous laws that Congress has enacted that prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation."

The move comes after President Trump has announced he will prohibit transgender individuals from serving in the military, a decision that shocked his own party and caused backlash from Democrats and civil liberties groups.

*Play VIDEO -- Trump issues formal guidelines for transgender military ban

Sessions' latest policy shift could very well could end up in court, Reid reports. Already, it's under fire from civil liberties groups like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

"Today marks another low point for a Department of Justice, which has been cruelly consistent in its hostility towards the LGBT community and in particular its inability to treat transgender people with basic dignity and respect," James Esseks, director of the ACLU's LGBT & HIV Project, said in a statement.

"This Department of Justice under Jeff Sessions has time and time again made it clear that its explicit agenda is to attack and undermine the civil rights of our most vulnerable communities, rather than standing up for them as they should be doing," Esseks continued. "Discrimination against transgender people is sex discrimination, just as DOJ recognized years ago. We are confident that the courts will continue to agree and will reject the politically driven decision by Attorney General Sessions."



THIS MAY TURN INTO SOMETHING IMPORTANT AND MAY NOT. I HOPE TRUMP DOESN’T START BLAMING DEMOCRATS FOR IT. SEE ALSO THE MADDOW BLOG BELOW.SHE THINKS IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FROM A NATIONAL SECURITY STANDPOINT.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/white-house-chief-of-staff-john-kellys-phone-may-have-been-compromised-report/
CBS NEWS October 5, 2017, 6:19 PM
White House chief of staff John Kelly's phone may have been compromised - report

Photograph -- Retired Gen. John Kelly testifies before a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee confirmation hearing on Kelly's nomination to be secretary of the Department of Homeland Security on Capitol Hill in Washington on Jan. 10, 2017. REUTERS

As far back as December 2016, the White House believes chief of staff John Kelly's personal cell phone was breached, according to a report Thursday by Politico.

If true, it's possible hackers were able to access data on his phone both while he was Homeland Security secretary and White House chief of staff. It is, however, not clear whether or what data may have been accessed, according to the report.

The hacking was discovered over the summer, when Kelly complained that the phone wasn't working -- and hadn't for months -- and asked technical staff to take a look at it, according to the report.

Politico reports that staffers tried to figure out what had happened to the phone for "several days" before concluding it had been compromised.

The White House told Politico that Kelly had not been using the phone often, instead relying on his government phone. Raj Shah, a White House spokesman, told CBS News, "Last December, Gen. Kelly's personal phone stopped working, and he discontinued its use."

The White House did not confirm the report that his cell phone had been compromised, calling it a security matter.


http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 10/5/17
TRMS Exclusive: Secret Service bans mobile devices in West Wing
Rachel Maddow reports exclusively on a new policy by the Secret Service restricting the use of mobile devices in the West Wing of the White House. Congressman Elijah Cummings joins to discuss concerns about the use of private e-mail by Ivanka Trump and Jared ... more Duration: 11:31


NRA FUNDING IN BOTH HOUSES AND BOTH PARTIES IS REVIEWED IN THIS ARTICLE. THE RECIPIENTS ARE MAINLY REPUBLICANS, BUT NOT ALL. THE LOCAL NRA MEMBERS NEED TO BE CONVINCED TO MODIFY THEIR PERSONAL BELIEFS ABOUT THE DANGER TO PUBLIC WELFARE OF SEMI-AUTOMATIC WEAPONS; OR SIMPLY THE HUGE NUMBER OF GUNS THAT AMERICANS ARE BUYING – FOR WHO KNOWS WHAT POSSIBLE USE EXCEPT AS OBJECTS OF FANTASY. I THINK PADDOCK MUST HAVE HAD SUCH FANTASIES, AND THEY SIMPLY OVERTOOK HIS ABILITY TO CONTROL THEM. IF THE GUNS HAD NOT BEEN AVAILABLE, READILY AVAILABLE, HE WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE SUCH A “BODY COUNT.” RULES LIKE HANDGUN PURCHASES IN QUANTITIES OVER TWO’S HAVING TO BE REPORTED, BUT NO SUCH RESTRICTIONS ON LONG GUNS IS THE HEIGHT OF IDIOCY.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/who-are-the-members-of-congress-receiving-the-most-nra-funding/
By REBECCA SHABAD CBS NEWS October 5, 2017, 11:11 AM
Who are the members of Congress receiving the most NRA funding?

Photograph -- FILE--In this July 27, 2017, file photo, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington. McCain says he hates the healthy diet his wife and daughter are forcing on him as he fights an aggressive form of brain cancer but expects to return to the Senate next month. CLIFF OWEN / AP

Sen. John McCain has received more money from the National Rifle Association (NRA) during his career than anyone in the Senate, according to a chart published by The New York Times.

Since 1989, the NRA has given the Arizona Republican $7,740,521, though the bulk of those donations came when he was the GOP presidential nominee in 2008, the report noted. The report's source was the Center for Responsive Politics.

Rep. French Hill, R-Arkansas, is the lawmaker in the House who has received the most from the NRA, totaling $1,089,477, the report said.

Other GOP senators who have received significant funding over the course of their careers from the NRA include Sens. Richard Burr of North Carolina, Roy Blunt of Missouri, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Cory Gardner of Colorado, Marco Rubio of Florida, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Rob Portman of Ohio, Todd Young of Indiana and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.

The other House Republicans who top the NRA's funding list include Reps. Ken Buck of Colorado, David Young of Iowa, Mike Simpson of Idaho, Greg Gianforte of Montana, Don Young of Alaska, Lloyd Smucker of Pennsylvania, Bruce Poliquin of Maine, Pete Sessions of Texas and Barbara Comstock of Virginia.

This comes after the Las Vegas shooting last Sunday that has left 58 people dead and more than 500 wounded. The NRA's influence over Republicans in Congress has prevented lawmakers from passing tighter gun laws to reduce violence.


OUT OF FEAR RATHER THAN LOVE, MANY DEMOCRATS AVOID OPENLY OPPOSING THE NRA BILLS. I’M SORRY TO HEAR IT, BUT IT COULD HELP TO SHOW WHY SO FEW GUN CONTROL BILLS BECOME LAWS. SAD. DEMOCRATS “IN THE POCKET OF THE NRA?” POLITIFACT SAYS “MOSTLY FALSE.”

http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2014/apr/17/nia-malika-henderson/msnbc-guest-says-democrats-are-pocket-nra/
MSNBC guest says 'Democrats 'are in the pocket of the NRA'
By Jon Greenberg on Thursday, April 17th, 2014 at 5:43 p.m.

Photograph -- Nia-Malika Henderson claims that “Democrats very much are in the pocket of the NRA.”

When billionaire Michael Bloomberg stepped down as mayor of New York City, the big question was what would he do next? This week, Bloomberg gave part of the answer. He unveiled a $50 million fund to advance the cause of gun control, an issue that has long been close to his heart.

Even in a political ecosystem flooded with cash, this was more than enough to get peoples’ attention. On MSNBC, Washington Post reporter Nia-Malika Henderson figured that the money might have some impact if Bloomberg spent strategically in certain states and cities. As for change at the federal level, Henderson that gave long odds.

"I think the NRA (National Rifle Association) is a formidable force," Henderson said. "It’s a formidable force because Democrats very much are in the pocket of the NRA and they didn’t want to vote against the NRA."

We are checking whether Democrats are "in the pocket of the NRA." We emailed and tweeted Henderson to learn what information led her to that conclusion. We did not hear back.

In Henderson’s absence, we find two ways to assess her statement - quantitatively through the lens of campaign dollars, and qualitatively through the lens of Democrats’ actions.

Jeffrey Berry is a political scientist at Tufts University who has studied the role of special interest groups in Washington. Berry called Henderson’s words "a gross mischaracterization."

"Most leaders of the Democratic Party do not support the goals of the NRA and are not ‘in the pocket’ of the organization," Berry said. "Many Democratic leaders are avowed supporters of gun control, including the president of the United States. There's a reason why the NRA is so hostile toward the Democratic Party."

Campaign contribution numbers show the NRA’s clear preference for Republicans over Democrats.

According the Center for Responsive Politics, nearly 90 percent of the NRA’s donations went to Republican candidates or parties in the 2012 elections. The NRA gave more than $1.1 million. Even Henderson’s own paper, the Washington Post, reported on some of these numbers. Here’s what that looks like:

The National Rifle Association’s donations to Republicans eclipsed its support of Democrats in 2012, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics.

In the current election cycle, the trend is even more lopsided. So far, the NRA has given about 96 percent of its contributions to Republicans, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

But if we look at how the gun control issue has played out in Congress, especially in the Senate, we see some Democrats exercising great caution where the NRA is concerned. In last year’s vote on requiring background checks for all commercial gun sales, the proposal failed in part because four key Democrats opposed it. The list included Sens. Mark Begich of Alaska, Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Max Baucus of Montana and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota. All represented rural states where gun rights are popular. Baucus decided not to run for re-election and both Begich and Pryor face tough races.

The Democratic control of the Senate likely hinges on how Democrats fare in close elections, and their appetite for taking on the NRA is limited.

Rutgers University political scientist Beth Leech said the relationship between Democrats and the NRA is not one of partnership, but dread.

If some Democrats are afraid to take on the NRA, it’s not because of campaign cash supporting them. It’s because of the NRA money that might be used to try and defeat them.

"The NRA spent $11 million in 2012 on outside expenditures," Leech said. "Many Democrats may be afraid of seeing that outside spending power used against them in an election."

Our ruling

Henderson said Democrats are in the pocket of the NRA. Henderson did not send us any information to support or clarify her statement.

In terms of campaign contributions, the NRA sends its money almost entirely to Republicans. In the sense that "in the pocket" means a cozy comfortable relationship, the political scientists we reached said Henderson’s claim was wrong. On the other hand, the record shows that on key votes, some Democrats will avoid raising the ire of the NRA. The relationship is hardly cozy but the result is the same. Henderson’s words don’t capture this factor well, but due to it, enough Democrats end up doing what the NRA wants.

We rate the claim Mostly False.


YES, BANNING BUMP STOCKS CERTAINLY SHOULD BE DONE, BUT WHILE WE’RE AT IT, LET’S BAN SEMI-AUTOMATICS ENTIRELY, AND LIMIT THE NUMBER OF LONG GUNS AS WELL AS PISTOLS THAT CAN BE PURCHASED AT ONE TIME WITHOUT NOTIFYING THE AUTHORITIES (ATF, I ASSUME.) THAT LOOPHOLE WAS MENTIONED IN ONE OF YESTERDAY’S ARTICLES IN WHICH GUN SHOP OWNERS AND OTHERS WERE INTERVIEWED. ONLY PISTOLS ARE REGULATED IN THAT WAY. HOW RIDICULOUS!

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS IN WHICH OUR GUN OWNERSHIP LAWS SHOULD BE CHANGED, SUCH AS A LIMIT ON HOW MANY FIREARMS OF ANY KIND A CITIZEN MAY HOLD, MUCH LESS PURCHASE AT ONE TIME; AND RULES AGAINST TRANSFERRING COLLECTIONS OVER TO GROUPS LIKE MILITIAS OR THE KKK. BEYOND A SMALL NUMBER SUCH AS SIX OR SO THE BUYER/OWNER SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO PROVE HIS NEED FOR THE FIREARMS. THAT’S MY VIEW, AND I DON’T THINK IT’S IRRATIONAL, UNFAIR OR EXTREME. THE NRA SPONSORED LEGISLATORS WILL SAY THAT IT IS ALL THOSE THINGS, HOWEVER.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/which-republicans-are-open-to-banning-bump-stocks-a-device-used-by-the-las-vegas-shooter/
By REBECCA SHABAD CBS NEWS October 5, 2017, 12:32 PM
Which Republicans are open to banning bump stocks, a device used by the Las Vegas shooter?

A growing number of congressional Republicans have expressed that they're open to investigating the legality or even banning bump stocks -- the devices the Las Vegas shooter used to modify his semi-automatic weapons so they fired with the rapidity of automatic weapons.

Since the mid-1980s, machine guns that fire multiple shots with one pull of the trigger have been illegal but bump stocks are currently legal. Using this attachment, the stock of the gun rebounds after the recoil from the bullet leaving the barrel. The rebound, caused by air pressure from a gap in the stock sends the gun forward into the shooter's stationary finger, which unleashes a volley of shots. The gun keeps firing as long as the trigger is depressed and there's ammunition in the magazine.

Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock had a dozen of these in his hotel suite Sunday, enabling him to shoot more than 500 people at a country music festival. He killed 59 people and wounded more than 500.

While Republicans, including President Trump, have dismissed the idea of tightening gun laws and have stressed that it's not the time to politicize Sunday's tragedy, some say they want to look into bump stocks and potentially place restrictions on them.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich was asked on "CBS This Morning" on Thursday if he would support outlawing bump stock devices and he replied, "Oh, yeah of course."

Gov. Kasich says he supports outlawing bump stocks after Las Vegas shooting
Play VIDEO
Gov. Kasich says he supports outlawing bump stocks after Las Vegas shooting

SENATE

Sen. John Cornyn: He told Texas reporters on a conference call Oct. 4 that he'd like to have the Senate Judiciary Committee hold a hearing that focuses on the bump stock, according to the Dallas Morning News.

Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Arizona: He was at the Alexandria baseball shooting in June. He told Fox News' "Fox and Friends" on Oct. 5: "There are going to be some hearings. We are going to learn more in the coming weeks and months about this technology being able to mechanically increase the rate of fire through a 'bump stock' or a crank. I understand there are other methods as well."

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina: "I'm not an expert on bump stocks, [but] all things that make America safer and don't infringe on the Second Amendment, count me in," he said Oct. 4.

Sen. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma: May be open to regulating bump stocks, he told CBSN Oct. 4.

Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota: "That's something I think we'll take a look at," Thune told reporters Tuesday when asked about the bump stocks and semi-automatic weapons being illegally converted to fire fully automatic.

HOUSE

Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Florida: "Bump stocks generating automatic rates of fire should face the same restrictions as automatic weapons," he said in a tweet.

Rep. Tom Cole, R-Oklahoma: He said on MSNBC Oct. 4 that lawmakers should look at bump stocks.

Rep. Carlos Curbelo, R-Florida: He's working on legislation to ban bump stocks.

Rep. Lynn Jenkins, R-Kansas: "While I support the 2nd Amendment, I believe we should close the regulatory loophole that allows bump stocks and other devices like it," she tweeted Oct. 5.

Rep. Peter King, R-New York: He told cameras Oct. 4 as he left an all-member FISA briefing that he's inclined to support a ban on bump stocks but he needs to learn more about the issue first.

Reps. Adam Kinzinger, R-Illinois, Mike Gallagher, R-Wisconsin, and Martha McSally, R-Arizona: In a letter to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), they wrote: "The ATF must re-evaluate these devices, and it is my hope that they conclude these mechanisms violate the spirit, if not the letter, of the law. In the meantime, my colleagues and I will consider legislative options, because these fully-automatic simulator devices have no place in civil society."

Rep. Mark Meadows, R-North Carolina: The Freedom Caucus chairman wrote in the Wall Street Journal Oct. 4: "I own probably more guns than most members of Congress and that was the first time I'd ever heard of a bump stock," he said. "There is a prohibition against automatic weapons…anything that would try to make it an automatic weapon would need greater scrutiny, let's put it that way."

Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin: "I didn't even know what they were until this week, and I'm an avid sportsman," he told MSNBC's Hugh Hewitt Oct. 5. "I think we're quickly coming up to speed with what this is. Fully automatic weapons have been banned for a long time. Apparently this allows you to take a semiautomatic and turn it into a full automatic, so clearly that's something we need to look into."

Rep. Kevin Yoder, R-Kansas: "As the details of the shooting in Las Vegas have become clearer, it's evident that action must be taken with regard to bump stocks," he said in a statement posted on Twitter.

CBS News' Catherine Reynolds and Walt Cronkite contributed to this report.


STEPHEN PADDOCK – MORE INFORMATION

I WONDER IF THE AUTOPSY ON PADDOCK HAS BEEN DONE YET. I WOULD BE LOOKING FOR A BRAIN TUMOR OR BLOOD CLOT, PERHAPS. I “EAGERLY AWAIT” THE INFORMATION.

https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/las-vegas-shooting/vegas-shooter-s-girlfriend-says-he-would-lie-bed-moaning-n808156
NEWS LAS VEGAS SHOOTING OCT 5 2017, 4:13 PM ET
Vegas Shooter’s Girlfriend Says He Would Lie in Bed Moaning, Screaming
by JULIA AINSLEY and KEN DILANIAN

WASHINGTON — Marilou Danley, the woman investigators hoped would provide key details into the motive behind her boyfriend's deadly shooting attack, said she remembers him exhibiting symptoms such as lying in bed and moaning, according to two former FBI officials who have been briefed on the matter.

Image: Marilou Danley
Marilou Danley, girlfriend of Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock, says he would lie in bed moaning and screaming, "Oh my god," according to two former FBI officials. Courtesy of family

"She said he would lie in bed, just moaning and screaming, 'Oh my God,'" one of the former officials said.

The other former official said Danley spoke about Paddock displaying "mental health symptoms."

Investigators believe Stephen Paddock, who claimed nearly 60 lives and injured hundreds more in Las Vegas on Sunday, may have been in physical or mental anguish, the sources said.

Related: Las Vegas Gunman's Girlfriend Marilou Danley Says She Had No Idea

But so far the FBI has not identified a clear motive, said two FBI officials. And they do not believe Paddock's mental health had deteriorated to a point that would have triggered him to commit such an act.

Image: Stephen Paddock -- Investigators believe Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock may have been in mental or physical anguish. U.S. Government / via NBC News

Other lines of inquiry the FBI and Las Vegas police are investigating include what Paddock did in the hour between shooting a security guard and his room being breached by officers. Paddock was found dead after a SWAT team breached his door, but it is unclear when he took his own life.

Investigators are also examining approximately six media devices left behind by Paddock, one of the former officials said. Included in that search is an inquiry into Paddock's web browsing history. Multiple law enforcement officials told NBC News that Paddock researched other attack locations in Boston and Chicago.

Danley's lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


WHAT’S WITH THESE MUSIC FESTIVALS? IT WOULD BE, THOUGH, A GOOD LARGE GATHERING OF TOTALLY UNSUSPECTING PEOPLE FOR A PSYCHOPATH TO SLAUGHTER. HE CLEARLY HAS A GREAT DEAL OF HIDDEN ANGER.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/stephen-paddock-room-hotel-lollapalooza-2017/
CBS/AP October 5, 2017, 1:04 PM
Did Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock target other music festivals?

LAS VEGAS -- In the days and months before he mowed down concertgoers from his high-rise hotel suite, gunman Stephen Paddock rented rooms overlooking two other music festivals in Las Vegas and Chicago, authorities said.

They gave no details on what his intentions might have been.

The disclosures came as investigators struggled for a fourth day to explain what led the 64-year-old high-stakes gambler to open fire Sunday night on an open-air country music festival from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel casino. He killed 58 people and injured nearly 500 before taking his own life.

Authorities have been trying to track Paddock's movements in the days and weeks before the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

In August, Paddock booked a room at Chicago's Blackstone Hotel that overlooked the park where the Lollapalooza music festival was held that weekend, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press Thursday.

Recording artist Flume performs on the Samsung Stage at Lollapalooza 2016 - Day 4 at Grant Park on July 31, 2016, in Chicago, Illinois. TASOS KATOPODIS/GETTY IMAGES FOR SAMSUNG

The official said no evidence has been found that Paddock ever came to Chicago that weekend. Lollapalooza draws hundreds of thousands of music fans every year to Grant Park.

The official was not authorized to discuss the case publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity after being briefed on the investigation. Paddock's booking of the hotel room was first reported by TMZ.

Also, the weekend before the Las Vegas bloodbath, Paddock had rented a high-rise condo in a Las Vegas building that overlooked the Life is Beautiful alternative music festival, Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said Tuesday.

Las Vegas gunman's girlfriend denies knowledge of attack
Play VIDEO
Las Vegas gunman's girlfriend denies knowledge of attack

He offered no other details about what led Paddock there. The music festival featured Chance the Rapper, Muse, Lorde and Blink-182.

Investigators are looking to see if Paddock checked in or sought to book rooms in other hotels across the country near big concert events, CBS News justice and homeland security correspondent Jeff Pegues reports.

Paddock ramped up his gun purchases in 2016, but he was able to remain under the radar because of the type of purchases he was making and because he had no criminal history, Pegues reports.

Las Vegas music festival shooting

CBS News has learned that investigators are examining purchases they believe he made between November and December. During that period, he purchased a shotgun in a store in Las Vegas. At around the same time, he bought a rifle at a different store in California. Then he purchased a couple of handguns at yet another gun store in Nevada.

Play VIDEO -- Las Vegas shooting victim's reunion with man who saved her

In general, officials said some alerts are generated in cases like this, but there are tens of thousands of similar alerts every week. Some investigators said there should have been alerts for some of the purchases Paddock made.

"Often, we're finding out when it's too late," a source told CBS News. "There must be a way for law enforcement to get timely information while also respecting Second Amendment rights."

Seasoned investigators said gun purchases in line with Paddock's are not entirely uncommon and that gun enthusiasts often buy in bulk, Pegues reports. Some investigators tracking weapons purchases said that kind of activity can seem normal unless there is some other factor that draws the attention of gun store owners or law enforcement. Ultimately, Paddock was able to amass 33 weapons during 2016, and some investigators said even that is not unusual.

When Paddock checked into the Mandalay Bay on Sept. 28, he specifically requested an upper-floor room with a view of the Route 91 Harvest music festival, a person who has seen hotel records turned over to investigators told the AP on condition of anonymity.

The perks and privileges of Las Vegas high-rollers
Play VIDEO
The perks and privileges of Las Vegas high-rollers

Investigators trying to establish the motive for the attack have had little more to chase than hints and shadows.

Where other mass killers have left behind a trail of plain-sight clues that help investigators quickly understand what drove them to violence, Paddock led a low-key, private life. He had no known criminal record and almost no close friends, social media presence or other clear connections to the broader world.

The No. 2 official in the FBI said Wednesday he was surprised investigators had not uncovered more.

Las Vegas shooting victims

"There's all kinds of things that surprise us in each one of these events. That's the one in this one, and we are not there yet," FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe said. "We have a lot of work to do."

Gov. Kasich says he supports outlawing bump stocks after Las Vegas shooting
Play VIDEO
Gov. Kasich says he supports outlawing bump stocks after Las Vegas shooting

Investigators are looking at his gambling habits and checking records for any disputes he might have had with casinos or fellow patrons.

On Wednesday, FBI agents trying to understand his state of mind questioned his girlfriend, 62-year-old Marilou Danley, who was out of the country during the attack. She was visiting her native Philippines.

She said she had no inkling of his murderous plans.

"He never said anything to me or took any action that I was aware of that I understood in any way to be a warning that something horrible like this was going to happen," she said in a statement read by her lawyer.


“THE PLOT THICKENS”

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/las-vegas-shooting-stephen-paddock-police-say-had-escape-plan/
CBS NEWS October 5, 2017, 7:07 AM
Las Vegas police say gunman Stephen Paddock had an escape plan

Police in Las Vegas now believe the man who carried out the deadliest attack on American soil since 9/11 had an escape plan and they are not ruling out possible accomplices. Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo says Stephen Paddock must have had some help, but the gunman's motive is still a mystery.

More than 100 law enforcement agents have been scrutinizing Paddock's life to see what could have led him to open fire on a country music concert Sunday night, killing 59, including himself, and injuring more than 500 others, reports CBS News' Vladimir Duthiers. Paddock also had explosive materials in his car, according to police.

Investigators looking into the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history have produced a profile of a gunman that Lombardo called "disturbed and dangerous."

"What we know is that Stephen Paddock is a man who spent decades acquiring weapons and ammo and living a secret life," Lombardo said.

As "CBS This Morning" co-host Norah O'Donnell reported Tuesday, Paddock began amassing the bulk of his arsenal in the last year – buying a gun just three days before the shooting.

Gun shop manager who sold firearms to Stephen Paddock speaks out
Play VIDEO
Gun shop manager who sold firearms to Stephen Paddock speaks out

"From October 2016 to September 28, 2017, he purchased 33 firearms, majority of them rifles," said ATF special agent in charge Jill Snyder.

Asked if police are looking into mental health issues or whether something happened in October 2016 to compel him to begin buying weapons, Lombardo said, "Yes."

Paddock left no suicide note and so far his motivation is unclear. CBS News has confirmed aviation fuel tanks located about 500 yards from the concert venue were hit by bullet fire -- but not penetrated. It's unclear whether Paddock targeted the tanks.

He also said Paddock intended to evade capture and survive, but minutes after the shooting began, a hotel security guard showed up outside his suite. Paddock fired well over 200 rounds into the hotel hallway, hitting the guard in the leg.

"His bravery was amazing because he remained with our officers, provided them with a key pass to access the door and actually continued to help them clear rooms," Lombardo said.

The weekend before the shooting, Paddock rented a room in another Las Vegas hotel, the Ogden. Police don't know why, but the hotel is near where the Life Is Beautiful music festival was held. Chance the Rapper, Muse, Lorde and Blink 182 were all performing there.



HERE IS ANOTHER VERY INTERESTING NEW SCIENTIST ARTICLE. HOW THE BRAIN WORKS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FIELDS OF MEDICAL SCIENCE, IN MY VIEW. BRAIN STUDIES TAKE US CLOSER TO THE CAUSE AND CURE IF POSSIBLE OF TERRIBLE ILLNESSES LIKE ALZHEIMER’S. HOW THE “TRACE” OF A MEMORY MOVES FROM ONE REGION OF THE BRAIN TO ANOTHER -- WE ARE IN THE TWILIGHT ZONE HERE.

https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg23631464-500-weve-finally-seen-how-the-sleeping-brain-stores-memories/?cmpid=NLC%7CNSNS%7C2017-0510-GLOBAL&utm_medium=NLC&utm_source=NSNS
NEWS & TECHNOLOGY
4 October 2017
We’ve finally seen how the sleeping brain stores memories
By Jessica Hamzelou

Photograph -- Rest well to remember
Elke Meitzel/Millennium Images, UK

AT LAST, we’ve seen how the brain memories [sic] when we sleep. By scanning slumbering people, researchers have watched how the “trace” of a memory moves from one region of the brain to another.

“The initial memory trace kind of disappears, and at the same time, another emerges,” says Shahab Vahdat at Stanford University in California. It is the first time memories have been observed being filed away in humans during sleep, he says.

Vahdat and his colleagues did this by finding people who were able to fall asleep in the confined, noisy space of an fMRI scanner, which is no easy undertaking. “We screened more than 50 people in a mock scanner, and only 13 made it through to the study,” says Vahdat.

The team then taught this group of volunteers to press a set of keys in a specific sequence – in the same way that a pianist might learn to play a tune. It took each person between about 10 and 20 minutes to master a sequence involving five presses. “They had to learn to play it as quickly and as accurately as possible,” says Vahdat.

Once they had learned the sequence, each volunteer put on a cap of EEG electrodes to monitor the electrical activity of their brain, and entered an fMRI scanner – which detects which regions of the brain are active.

The team saw a specific pattern of brain activity while the volunteers performed the key-pressing task. Once they had stopped, this pattern kept replaying, as if each person was subconsciously revising what they had learned.

The volunteers were then asked to go to sleep, while the team monitored each of them for two-and-a-half hours. At first, the pattern of brain activity continued to replay in the outer region of the brain called the cortex, which is involved in higher thought.

When the volunteers entered non-REM sleep – known as the stage when we have relatively mundane dreams – the pattern started to fade in the cortex, but a similar pattern of activity started in the putamen, a region deep within the brain (eLife, doi.org/cdsz). “The memory trace evolved during sleep,” says Vahdat.

His team thinks that movement-related memories are transferred to deeper brain regions for long-term storage. This chimes with the hypothesis that the brain’s cortex must free up space so that it can continue to learn new information, says Christoph Nissen at University Psychiatric Services in Bern, Switzerland.

Non-REM sleep happens within a few hours of dozing off, says Vahdat. If you’re hoping for some night-time learning, it’s important to make sure that those first few hours are uninterrupted, he says.

Nissen hopes a better understanding of how memories are consolidated during sleep could lead to treatments for people with insomnia and similar sleep disorders. Such individuals tend to be treated with drugs that send them to sleep, but Nissen has found that this sleep doesn’t seem to be as good at consolidating memories as natural sleep.

This article appeared in print under the headline “How our sleeping brain stores away memories”


ALEXA AND HER SISTERS ARE ONLY SO INTERESTING TO ME. THEY ARE MACHINES, AND HAVE NO REAL FEELINGS OR (AS I TEND TO DEFINE IT) CREATIVITY. UNLESS THEY ARE REALLY DIFFERENT FROM OTHER COMPUTERS, THEY ARE DEPENDENT ON PROGRAMMING. THEY ARE ON THE EXPENSIVE SIDE, $100 TO $200 AT AMAZON TODAY. WHAT USE DO I HAVE FOR A MACHINE TO MAKE A GROCERY LIST FOR ME? IF I WERE A QUADRIPLEGIC, I WOULD SAY, YES. GOOD INVENTION; BUT JUST BECAUSE WE CAN DO SOMETHING IS NO REASON TO DO IT – THE ATOMIC BOMB, FOR INSTANCE.

https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg23631460-400-were-all-thinking-about-ai-the-wrong-way/?cmpid=NLC%7CNSNS%7C2017-0510-GLOBAL&utm_medium=NLC&utm_source=NSNS
FEATURE 4 October 2017
How scaremongering stops us asking the right questions about AI
We worry it’s going to steal our jobs – or even destroy humanity itself. But the real risks of AI are subtler and more tricky to handle.
By Michael Brooks

ON A server farm somewhere – I imagine Nevada or New Mexico, but apparently it’s more likely to be northern Virginia – there is a recording of my wife talking in our kitchen. She didn’t know she was being recorded, but then she hadn’t read the terms and conditions of Amazon’s digital assistant, Echo. On the recording, which I can access and play back as often as I like, she’s asking me why Echo is more popularly known as Alexa.

“Why choose Alexa?” she says. “There must be a reason.”

Seasoned users of Echo will know that Alexa wakes up and starts listening – and recording – at the mention of her name. But actually she records the moments before her name. That suggests she must always be listening, surely? I can feel the paranoia begin.

Paranoia is a common reaction of human intelligence to artificial intelligence. We are both thrilled and disturbed by the prospect of machines that can respond to us as a human would – and at some level even seem to be human.

Certainly there is no lack of dire warnings of AI’s dangers. It is watching us, destroying our privacy and perverting our public discourse. It’s out to steal our jobs – and may ultimately destroy humanity itself.

I don’t know who or what to believe. Is anybody even asking the right questions?

Alexa, why are you called Alexa?
My name Alexa comes from the Library of Alexandria, which stored the knowledge of the ancient world.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Alexa
Amazon Alexa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Alexa is an intelligent personal assistant developed by Amazon, made popular by the Amazon Echo and the Amazon Echo Dot devices developed by Amazon Lab126. It is capable of voice interaction, music playback, making to-do lists, setting alarms, streaming podcasts, playing audiobooks, and providing weather, traffic, and other real time information, such as news. Alexa can also control several smart devices using itself as a home automation system.[2]

Most devices with Alexa allow users to activate the device using a wake-word (such as Echo); other devices (such as the Amazon app on iOS or Android) require the user to push a button to activate Alexa's listening mode. Currently, interaction and communication with Alexa is only available in English and German.

As of September 2017, Amazon had more than 5,000 employees working on Alexa and related products.[3]

History[edit]

In November 2014, Amazon announced Alexa alongside the Echo.[4] Alexa was inspired by the computer voice and conversational system on board the Starship Enterprise in science fiction TV series and movies, beginning with Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation.[5]

The name Alexa was chosen due to the fact that it has a hard consonant with the X and therefore could be recognized with higher precision. The name is also claimed to be reminiscent of the Library of Alexandria, which is also used by Amazon Alexa Internet for the same reason.[6][7][8] In June 2015, Amazon announced Alexa Fund, a program that would invest in companies making voice control skills and technologies. The US$100 million in funds has invested in companies including Ecobee, Orange Chef, Scout Alarm, Garageio, Toymail, MARA, and Mojio.[9] In 2016 the Alexa Prize was announced to advance the technology.

In January 2017, the first Alexa Conference took place in Nashville, Tennessee, an independent gathering of the worldwide community of Alexa developers and enthusiasts.[10][11][12] The follow-up has been announced, to be keynoted by original Amazon Alexa / Connected Home product head Ahmed Bouzid.[13]

. . . .



MADDOW TIME


http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 10/5/17
Exclusive: Trump dossier author open to Senate Intel meeting
Rachel Maddow reports exclusively that an associate of Trump dossier author Christopher Steele is open to meeting with the Senate Intelligence Committee, contrary to the committee's claims. Duration: 20:14


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Emails show Ivanka, Trump Jr. coordinating lies about Trump SoHo
Ivanka Trump and her brother, Donald Trump Jr., were nearly criminally indicted in a case involving Trump SoHo, and the related e-mails show them coordinating their lies. Andrea Bernstein, senior editor of policy and politics for WNYC, discusses the story ... more Duration: 6:23


THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 10/4/17
Issue of collusion still open as intelligence grows on Russia
Congressman Adam Schiff talks with Ari Melber about the pattern of RUssian support for Donald Trump seen in ad buys by Russia's RT media, as the Senate Intel Committee gives an update on Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election. Duration: 17:32


THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 10/4/17
Gun slaughter used to move Congress to action, until NRA lobbing
Gun violence and death used to shock the American conscience to action, until lobby power of the NRA rendered Congress impotent on the issue and left Americans helpless to address an obvious problem. Duration: 7:48


THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 10/4/17
Continued rain, money woes add to crisis in Puerto Rico
Ari Melber reports on how continued rain in Puerto Rico has authorities very worried about the Guajataca Dam, and the prospect of Puerto Rico running out of money by the end of the month and having to shut down its government in the midst of Maria recovery. Duration: 2:43