What’s interesting in the news today?

Open Thread.

But first…..

Pravda could take lessons from these guys.

From FreedomWorks

“Back in 2010, an agreement between a pro-Obamacare foundation and a society of business journalists had been questioned as a ‘cozy propaganda arrangement’. This arrangement has recently continued through sponsorship funding and training efforts that will provide journalists with “specialized education in health care reporting”.

In the summer of 2010, the Commonwealth Fund, a self-described ‘progressive’ organization, announced a $15,000 grant being awarded to the Society of American Business Editors and Writers (SABEW).  It was the third such grant awarded to the SABEW since 2007, but the first to have the express purpose of providing ‘a series of education programs focusing on aspects of the nation’s new health-care reform law.’

The organization has a history of reporting only favorable accounts of the Obamacare legislation, even being pointed to on numerous occasions by the White House. Additionally, the group has featured several revolving door relationships with staff members and fellows for the radical socialist, George Soros.  For example, Michael Vachon has served both at the Commonwealth Fund and as an advisor to Soros at his Open Society Institute.  Alice Huan-Mei Chen has been a fellow while also previously serving as a Soros Physician Advocacy Fellow.”

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And this one. I’m a free-speech kinda guy. Yes, even offensive, childish speech. While I think it’s stupid, offensive, and just plain mean, he still has a right to say it. And we have the right to tell him he’s a jerk for saying it. But it sure appears as if the college went way overboard here, and probably violated his rights.

From TheDailyCaller

“A university inside the suburban sprawl of northeastern New Jersey has  suspended a student for comparing another student’s legs to “a pair of bleached  hams” in a YouTube comment, reports CBS New York.

School officials at Montclair State University allegedly determined that  Joseph Aziz, a 26-year-old graduate student, violated the school’s student code  when he published the derogatory comment.”

“On Oct. 9, CBS New York says, officials at Montclair State issued a no-contact  order — basically a restraining order — obligating Aziz to avoid “written,  verbal, or electronic contact; physical or ‘in-person’ contact, or contact by  third parties” with the female student. The order also barred Aziz from  contacting the other student on social media, and even mentioning her on social  media.”

“A member of the private Facebook group reportedly sent copies of Aziz’s comments  to Montclair State officials, and school officials suspended him for the semester. The administration also threatened him with arrest if he sets foot on  campus during that time, according to the Foundation for Individual Rights in  Education (FIRE), a national civil liberties group that has thrown its hat in  with Aziz.”

And here’s the original CBS story as well.

So what do you think?

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UPDATE to the hostage story.

From MSN

“An Algerian airstrike reportedly killed 34 hostages and 15 of their Islamist militant captors, reports say. Seven are still alive, including two Americans, and four have been freed by the Algerian military.

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What’s news today?

I guess we start with the obvious.

From TheGuardian

“Obama’s proposals to reduce gun violence – at a glance.”

“The president unveiled a series of legislative measures that require congressional approval, and executive actions that don’t.”

13 that he needs Congress for, and 23 Executive Orders.

Gee, I wonder if one of them will make it illegal for the govt. to arm Mexican cartels? It’ll be fun when they send out the gun running Justice Dept. to prosecute violators of these new rules. That’s some serious irony there.

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Also, check out number 16, the one about Doctors asking patients about guns. There’s a little problem with that, and a little more irony.

From Breitbart

“When Obama signed his 23 Executive Orders this morning, #16 was to clarify that Obamacare “does not prohibit doctors [from] asking patients about guns in their homes.” Yet it must be understood that even if they ask these questions, they can’t compile their answers into a list which they then pass on to the government.

This prohibition comes courtesy of Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).

When Obamacare was being debated in the Senate in 2010, Reid inserted an amendment that forbids the government from using doctors to compile information for a gun registry.”

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Rand Paul has legislative solutions of his own in mind.

From TheDailyCaller

“Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul plans to introduce legislation in Congress soon  nullifying the executive orders on guns announced by President Barack Obama on  Wednesday, a source familiar with the plans confirmed to The Daily Caller.

The Republican legislator plans to reveal his plans for legislation during an  appearance on Sean Hannity’s show on Fox News on Wednesday night, the source  said.”

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New York State has their own ideas as well.

From CNSNews

“As New York lawmakers approved the nation’s toughest gun control laws, the first since the Connecticut school shooting, gun enthusiasts lined up to criticize the state for what they called an overreach driven by political ambition.

Signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday, the New York legislation tightens a ban on assault-style rifles, calls for background checks on ammunition purchases, outlaws large-capacity magazines and tries to keep guns out of the hands of mentally ill people deemed to be a threat.”

“Besides outlawing a broader array of military-style weapons, the measure restricts ammunition magazines to seven rounds, down from the current 10, creates a more comprehensive database of people barred from owning guns, and makes New York the first state to require background checks to buy bullets. The system will also help flag customers who buy large amounts of ammo.”

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And despite claims to the contrary, al Qaeda isn’t on the run.

From TheWallStJournal

“Militants with possible links to al Qaeda seized about 40 foreign hostages, including several Americans, at a natural-gas field in Algeria, posing a new level of threat to nations trying to blunt the growing influence of Islamist extremists in Africa.

As security officials in the U.S. and Europe assessed options to reach the captives from distant bases, Algerian security forces failed in an attempt late Wednesday to storm the facility.

A French effort to drive Islamist militants from neighboring Mali that began with airstrikes last week expanded on Wednesday with the first sustained fighting on the ground. France’s top target, al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, claimed responsibility for the Algeria kidnappings, calling it retaliation. The claim couldn’t be verified, although AQIM has its origins in Algeria and operates across a swath of Africa.”

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Has anyone seen my “Shocked Face”? I’ll need it for this last one.

From TheAP

” Federal immigration agents were prepared to arrest an illegal immigrant and registered sex offender days before the November elections but were ordered by Washington to hold off after officials warned of “significant interest” from Congress and news organizations because the suspect was a volunteer intern for Sen. Robert Menendez, according to internal agency documents provided to Congress.

The Homeland Security Department said last month, when The Associated Press first disclosed the delayed arrest of Luis Abrahan Sanchez Zavaleta, that AP’s report was “categorically false.””

😯

Found it!

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What’s news today?

Open Thread, you decide.

Here’s one of local interest around here. The battle to restrict God from school grounds continues. Even if a child seeking an answer asks a question, repeatedly I’d add, God is off limits. The Superintendent recommended a 90 day suspension for the substitute teacher, but the school board had other ideas. They made an example of him, lest any other teacher get similar ideas.

From LehighValleyLive

“The Phillipsburg substitute teacher who gave a copy of the Bible to a student was forbidden tonight from serving as a substitute for the rest of the school year.

Walter Tutka last October gave a middle school student his Bible. The student apparently heard Tutka quote a Bible passage and became very interested in it, asking several times about the passage, according to Tutka and Joe  Imhof, a Tutka supporter and fellow Gideon.

A district policy prohibits the distribution of religious or political literature to students. At today’s Phillipsburg School Board meeting, despite a litany of cries from residents to keep Judeo-Christian beliefs present in Phillipsburg schools, the board voted, with three abstentions, to forbid Tutka from returning to teaching for the rest of the year.”

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Here’s the original story, also from LehighValleyLive

“A Phillipsburg substitute teacher accused of handing a Bible to a student may face suspension for his actions.

Walter Tutka, of Belvidere, received a letter — obtained by The Express-Times — from Phillipsburg Superintendent George Chando last week recommending a 90-day suspension for allegedly giving a student his personal copy of the New Testament during lunch on Oct. 12 at the middle school. The suspension would be effective Oct. 15 2012 until Jan 15, 2013, according to the letter.

The letter states Tutka broke two district polices. One prohibits staff from distributing religious literature on school grounds. The other states if religious material is discussed that staff “be neutral in their approach and avoid using them to advance or inhibit religion in any way.””

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I think this is the school board retaliating against the Gideon’s for this as well.

Also, LehighValleyLive

“As the dismissal bell rang Tuesday at Phillipsburg High School, senior Natalia Pfeifer was appalled at the sight awaiting her outside.

Men from the Christian group Gideons International were handing out orange, pocket-sized copies of the New Testament to students.”

“Though the incident was upsetting to Pfeifer, school officials say the distribution of religious literature was beyond their control: They say it was circulated on public sidewalks.”

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