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These Gory New Hunting Competitions Have Taken the Country By Storm

by ElkeCulpepper Posted on March 10, 2015

Mother Jones

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This story was published by FairWarning, a Los Angeles-based news organization focused on public health, safety and environmental issues.

Standing in a West Texas sporting goods store parking lot on a recent Sunday morning, Margaret Lloyd felt like she’d wandered onto the set of a gory movie. The lot was packed with trucks full of dead coyotes, foxes and the occasional bobcat; one pickup had a cage welded to its bed, and it was crammed with carcasses. “It was one wave of fur, tails on top of ears and ears on top of tails,” she said. “It was just horrifying.”

Around back, participants in the West Texas Big Bobcat Contest were weighing their kill in a competition to see who had shot the biggest bobcat and the most coyotes, gray foxes and bobcats in a 23-hour period. Some $76,000 in prize money was at stake—more than $31,000 went to the team that bagged a 32 pound bobcat. Other jackpot winners were a four-man team that killed 63 foxes, a team that killed 8 bobcats, and another that killed 32 coyotes.

Lloyd, a retired lawyer who lives in Galveston and stopped to take pictures of the bobcat contest while driving from New Mexico back to Texas, grew up in the South among hunters and says she’s not opposed to killing animals for food or to protect a herd.

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These Gory New Hunting Competitions Have Taken the Country By Storm

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Tea Party Loses Big in Today’s Vote on Clean DHS Funding Bill

by KatlynMauldin Posted on March 3, 2015

Mother Jones

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It looks like the conventional wisdom was correct:

The House will vote as soon as Tuesday afternoon on a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security for the rest of the fiscal year. The measure will not target President Obama’s executive actions on immigration, giving Democrats what they have long demanded and potentially enraging conservatives bent on fighting the president on immigration.

…The decision marks a big win for Democrats, who have long demanded that Congress pass a “clean” bill to fund DHS free of any immigration riders. For weeks, Boehner and his top deputies have refused to take up such a bill, as conservatives have demanded using the DHS debate to take on Obama’s directives, which include action to prevent the deportations of millions of undocumented immigrants.

I thought the most likely course was a brief DHS shutdown (a week or two) just to save face, followed by a pretty clean funding bill. But I was too pessimistic. Apparently the House leadership wasn’t willing to take the PR hit that would inevitably involve.

I wonder if Republicans could have gotten a better deal if the tea party faction had been less bullheaded? Last week’s debacle, where they torpedoed even a three-week funding extension, surely demonstrated to Boehner that he had no choice but to ignore the tea partiers entirely. They simply were never going to support anything except a full repeal of Obama’s immigration actions, and that was never a remotely realistic option. The subsequent one-week extension passed only thanks to Democratic votes, and that made it clear that working with Democrats was Boehner’s only real choice. And that in turn meant a clean funding bill.

But what if the tea partiers had signaled some willingness to compromise? Could they have passed a bill that repealed some small part of Obama’s program—and that could have passed the Senate? Maybe. Instead they got nothing. I guess maybe they’d rather stick to their guns than accomplish something small but useful. That sends a signal to their base, but unfortunately for them, it also sends a signal to Boehner. And increasingly, that signal is that he has no choice but to stop paying attention to their demands. There’s nothing in it for Boehner, is there?

This article – 

Tea Party Loses Big in Today’s Vote on Clean DHS Funding Bill

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Quote of the Day: Secret Scheming Places of Tea Party Congressmen Revealed!

by RodCouppzjfxkph Posted on March 1, 2015

Mother Jones

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From Republican Rep. Devin Nunes, on the tactics of tea partiers who are holding up the DHS funding bill over their increasingly pointless insistence that it include a provision repealing President Obama’s immigration program:

While conservative leaders are trying to move the ball up the field, these other members sit in exotic places like basements of Mexican restaurants and upper levels of House office buildings, seemingly unaware that they can’t advance conservatism by playing fantasy football with their voting cards.

Um, OK. Not exactly House of Cards, but OK.

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Quote of the Day: Secret Scheming Places of Tea Party Congressmen Revealed!

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Scott Walker Is Making Shit Up, Just Like His Hero Ronald Reagan

by AlejandMacfarla Posted on February 28, 2015

Mother Jones

This morning, once again trying to show that fighting against Wisconsin labor unions is pretty much the same as fighting ISIS or communism, Scott Walker repeated his contention that Ronald Reagan’s early move to fire striking air traffic controllers was more than just an attack on organized labor. It was also a critical foreign policy decision. Here’s what he originally said last month on Morning Joe:

One of the most powerful foreign policy decisions that I think was made in our lifetime was one that Ronald Reagan made early in his presidency when he fired the air traffic controllers….What it did, it showed our allies around the world that we were serious and more importantly that this man to our adversaries was serious.

Years later, documents released from the Soviet Union showed that that exactly was the case. The Soviet Union started treating Reagan more seriously once he did something like that. Ideas have to have consequences. And I think President Barack Obama has failed mainly because he’s made threats and hasn’t followed through on them.

PolitiFact decided to check up on this:

Five experts told us they had never heard of such documents. Several were incredulous at the notion.

Joseph McCartin….”I am not aware of any such documents. If they did exist, I would love to see them.”….Svetlana Savranskaya….”There is absolutely no evidence of this.”….James Graham Wilson….Not aware of any Soviet documents showing Moscow’s internal response to the controller firings….Reagan’s own ambassador to the Soviet Union, Jack Matlock, told us: “It’s utter nonsense. There is no evidence of that whatever.”

PolitiFact’s conclusion: “For a statement that is false and ridiculous, our rating is Pants on Fire.” But Walker shouldn’t feel too bad. After all, Reagan was also famous for making up facts and evidence that didn’t exist, so Walker is just taking after his hero. What’s more, Reagan’s fantasies never hurt him much. Maybe they won’t hurt Walker either.

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Scott Walker Is Making Shit Up, Just Like His Hero Ronald Reagan

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The FCC Did a Lot More Than Just Approve Net Neutrality Today

by VOLKarlpzuqg Posted on February 26, 2015

Mother Jones

The FCC voted today in favor of strong net neutrality rules, but this is something that’s been expected for weeks—and something I’ve written about before at length. So instead of commenting on that yet again, I want to highlight something else that might be nearly as important:

The Federal Communications Commission will allow some cities and towns to set up and expand municipal Internet services, overruling state laws that had been put in place to block such efforts.

The commission granted petitions by Chattanooga, Tenn., and Wilson, N.C., to overturn laws that restricted the ability of communities in those states to offer broadband service. In all about 20 states have passed such laws. The vote was 3-2 and along party lines. The decisions don’t affect the other states, but they do set a precedent for consideration of similar petitions in the future.

This is a step in the direction of creating more competition for broadband internet, which I think is at least as important as net neutrality regulations. So hooray for this ruling, which is a step in the right direction. And while we’re on the subject, it’s also worth noting that the FCC’s net neutrality decision could end up stimulating more broadband competition too. Why? Because net neutrality depends on regulating broadband providers under Title II of the Telecommunications Act, and this means that companies like Google, which are trying to set up their own high-speed networks, will be able to do it more cheaply. This is from a couple of months ago:

In a letter Tuesday to the FCC, Google’s director of communications law Austin Schlick highlighted a potential positive for the company if Title II kicks in. As a regulated telecom service, Google Fiber would get access to utility poles and other essential infrastructure owned by utilities. The FCC should make sure this happens because it would promote competition and spur more investment and deployment of broadband internet service, Schlick argued.

Cable and telecom companies, like Comcast and AT&T have long had the right to access utility poles and other important infrastructure, such as ducts, conduits and rights of way, he noted. Google Fiber, which competes against these companies, has not had this right and the service has had trouble getting access to some poles as it builds out its fiber-optic network to homes.

….Hooking up homes using poles is about a tenth of the price of digging trenches across streets and sidewalks, according to Reed Hundt, who was FCC chairman in the 1990s. “Pole access is fundamental and Google will never be able to make the case for Google Fiber without pole access,” he said. “If Title II gives Google pole access, then it might really rock the world with broadband access.”

If Google gains pole access, and cities and towns are free to set up their own high-speed networks, then local cable companies will finally start getting real competition in the high-speed internet market. Net neutrality is a big win for consumers, but real competition might be an even bigger win. This is far from a done deal, but things are starting to head in the right direction.

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The FCC Did a Lot More Than Just Approve Net Neutrality Today

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Germany’s Offshore Wind Push

by Myrna Posted on September 13, 2014

The small German island of Heligoland, a popular tourist destination, is undergoing dramatic change as the wind industry takes over. Credit:  Germany’s Offshore Wind Push ; ; ;

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Germany’s Offshore Wind Push

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Should Fin Whales Be a Source of Wonder or Meat?

by Myrna Posted on September 13, 2014

A fresh look at Iceland’s fin whale hunts and meat exports to Japan. See more here:  Should Fin Whales Be a Source of Wonder or Meat? ; ; ;

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Should Fin Whales Be a Source of Wonder or Meat?

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Pentagon and Other Agencies Slammed for Police Militarization at Senate Hearing

by CharlinFreycine Posted on September 9, 2014

Mother Jones

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In a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing Tuesday, Democratic and Republican lawmakers slammed officials from the Department of Defense, Homeland Security, and the Department of Justice for their handling of federal programs that help provide military grade vehicles, equipment, and weapons to local police departments across the country. The hearing was called in response to the events that took place in Ferguson, Missouri, after an unarmed black teenager, Michael Brown, was shot and killed by a white police officer, and peaceful protests were met by a heavily militarized police force. “Aggressive police actions were being used under the umbrella of ‘crowd control,'” noted Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.).

The panel grilled Alan Estevez, a Department of Defense agent dealing with logistics and acquisition of military equipment; Brian Kamoie, a federal grant regulator at the Department of Homeland Security; and Karol Mason, an attorney from the Department of Justice.

Senators questioned why certain military equipment was on the Pentagon’s list of acceptable items for local police departments. Senator Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) declared that police militarization gives him “real heartburn” and wondered “how did we get to the point where we think states needs MRAPS”—that is, mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles, which have been acquired by a large number of small police departments across the country. In Texas, McCaskill noted, police departments have more than 70 MRAPS, while the state National Guard has just six.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) questioned what police departments could possibly do with the 1,200 bayonets that have been issued in recent years. The Pentagon’s Alan Estevez replied that he was unsure. Throughout the hearing, members of the panel underscored the point that police officers are often not adequately trained in how (and when) to use the military-grade equipment their departments acquire. The Pentagon doesn’t require police departments to undergo any training before supplying them MRAPS and other military equipment.

Estevez testified that the Pentagon would reevaluate its list of acceptable equipment for police departments. But Brian Kamoie, the Homeland Security official, and the Justice Department’s Karol Mason, both acknowledged that their agencies don’t do much to regulate how police departments use the grant money they dole out to local law enforcement.

McCaskill condemned the Department of Defense and the other agencies for their lack of oversight over the use of military equipment by local police. “None of them know how it’s being utilized,” McCaskill said. She pointed out that a police department in Lake Angelus, Michigan, which employs only one police officer, has received 13 military grade assault weapons since 2011. “I think we need to get to the bottom of that,” McCaskill said.

Watch the hearing here:

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Pentagon and Other Agencies Slammed for Police Militarization at Senate Hearing

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Hopes for a Strong El Niño Fade in California

by Myrna Posted on September 9, 2014

In its latest monthly forecast, the federal Climate Prediction Center said that while El Niño was still expected, it would not bring the heavy rains California needs to end its drought. More –  Hopes for a Strong El Niño Fade in California ; ; ;

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Hopes for a Strong El Niño Fade in California

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Barnraiser.com Crowd-Funding for Eatwell Farm: Pioneering the Next Generation of Humane, Sustainable Poultry (video)

by AntwanTjalkabot Posted on September 4, 2014

green4us

Codex: Grey Knights (Enhanced Edition) – Games Workshop

The Grey Knights were forged in the dark days of the Horus Heresy – their sacred duty to act as the Emperor’s ultimate sanction against the armies of the Immaterium. Peerless psykers and fearsome warriors, the Grey Knights Space Marine Chapter are master Daemon hunters and often Humanities final line of defence against the powers […]

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Whip Up Mini Quilts – Kathreen Ricketson

Kathreen Ricketson, founder of the internationally popular Web site WhipUp.net, presents 20 contemporary quilts from across the globe in this charming, easy-to-follow guide. From the lovely English Garden Quilt to the playful Road Transport Pillow, the projects collected in Whip Up Mini Quilts cover all sorts of themes and looks. With plenty of step-by-step instructions […]

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White Dwarf Issue 31: 30 August 2014 – White Dwarf

Following in the wake of Nagash are his Mortarchs – three incredibly powerful Undead lords set to wreak ruin on the Old World. You can witness their terrible splendour in issue 31 of White Dwarf, along with a history of the Undead, a look at how the Lore of Undeath will affect your games of […]

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The Hidden Life of Dogs – Elizabeth Marshall Thomas

Long before the Dog Whisperer, anthropologist Elizabeth Marshall Thomas revealed to readers the nature of pack dynamics, leading to a completely new understanding of dogs and their desires.  In this fascinating account, based on thirty years of living with and observing dogs, we meet Misha, a friend’s husky, whom Thomas followed on his daily rounds […]

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Dataslate – Officio Assassinorum – Games Workshop

Assassins are the deadly agents of the High Lords of Terra and among the most feared of the Imperium’s weapons. Each one is created for a single purpose: to kill their target, no matter the odds or obstacles in their way. Utterly dedicated to their cause, an Assassin will not quit once they have been […]

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How to Be Your Dog’s Best Friend – Monks of New Skete

For nearly a quarter century, How to Be Your Dog’s Best Friend has been the standard against which all other dog-training books have been measured. This new, expanded edition, with a fresh new design and new photographs throughout, preserves the best features of the original classic while bringing the book fully up-to-date. The result: the […]

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Warhammer: Nagash – Games Workshop

The End Times have begun – dark forces long dormant stir once more to bring about the unmaking of the world. In the frozen north Archaon musters his chaotic hosts to sweep south and crush the lands of men, while in the west the Elves turn upon themselves in bloody civil war. From beneath the […]

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The Possibility Dogs – Susannah Charleson

“Reading The Possibility Dogs is like taking an amazing literary journey with a dear friend by your side. The characters you meet will enchant you, but the storyteller will capture your heart. If you love dogs, this is a can’t-miss book written by a kindred spirit.” —Jennifer Arnold, author of Through a Dog’s Eyes and […]

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Never Turn Your Back on an Angus Cow – Dr. Jan Pol & David Fisher

The star of The Incredible Dr. Pol shares his amusing, and often poignant, tales from his four decades as a vet in rural Michigan. Dr. Jan Pol is not your typical veterinarian. Born and raised the in Netherlands on a dairy farm, he is the star of Nat Geo Wild’s hit show The Incredible Dr. […]

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Champions of Fenris – a Codex: Space Wolves Supplement (Enhanced Edition) – Games Workshop

Logan Grimnar’s Great Company stands tall among his fellow wolf brothers, its ranks filled with some of the bravest and deadly warriors ever to walk the frozen shores of Asaheim. At their head is Logan Grimnar, the Great Wolf, and Chapter Master of the Space Wolves. He is an ancient grizzled veteran of countless wars […]

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Barnraiser.com Crowd-Funding for Eatwell Farm: Pioneering the Next Generation of Humane, Sustainable Poultry (video)

Posted in alo, aquaponics, Down To Earth, eco-friendly, FF, G & F, GE, LAI, Monterey, ONA, organic, PUR, solar, solar power, Ultima, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Barnraiser.com Crowd-Funding for Eatwell Farm: Pioneering the Next Generation of Humane, Sustainable Poultry (video)