What’s interesting in the news today?
1. Well I guess when all the posturing is over and done with, they really had no case.
From Reuters “The U.S. Justice Department said on Tuesday it will not file civil rights charges against George Zimmerman, concluding its investigation three years after the Florida neighborhood watch volunteer fatally shot unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin.
The department said it had not found sufficient evidence that Zimmerman, who was acquitted of murder in state court, intentionally violated the civil rights of Martin, 17.
The announcement comes as the Justice Department also investigates Darren Wilson, a white police officer who shot and killed unarmed black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, in August.
Both incidents sparked nationwide outcry from civil rights advocates who have pressured the Obama administration to press charges against the two men for acting on racial bias.”
______________________________________
2. And on the same topic, Trayvon Martin’s family finally sees the truth about Sharpton and his ilk as well. Once again, O’Keefe does what the MSM won’t, actually dig for the truth.
More from ProjectVeritas “Award-winning journalist and New York Times’ best-selling author James O’Keefe released a powerful new video today showing how the families, and attorneys of Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, and Michael Brown really feel about Al Sharpton. O’Keefe, president and founder of Project Veritas, led a team of investigative journalists to uncover how these families and the communities of Staten Island, NY; Miami, Florida; and Ferguson, MO really feel about Sharpton’s involvement in the aftermath of the deaths of Garner, Martin, and Brown.
As demonstrated in the Project Veritas video, their outrage is quite similar to that of the family of Akai Gurley, who have been outspoken and harsh critics of Sharpton’s ethics and motives.”
______________________________________
3. I guess old Mitch is too much of a RINO to actually put up a fight.
From NationalJournal “With the Homeland Security Department set to shut down on Saturday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday offered Senate Democrats everything they wanted. And then, as with mice and cookies, they asked for some more.
McConnell told reporters Tuesday that after two months of begging, he would finally agree to give Democrats a clean vote to fund DHS through the end of the fiscal year. The funding, based on an agreement between Democratic and Republican appropriators last year, would come with no strings attached.
“I’ve indicated to the Democratic leader that I’d be happy to have his cooperation to advance the consideration of a clean DHS bill which would carry us through till September 30th,” McConnell said to press Tuesday.
Then, he would hold a vote Friday to defund President Obama’s executive action on immigration, as a consolation prize for conservatives in the House and Senate who have pushed to tie the two issues together. That sequence would keep DHS open and could earn enough Democratic votes to pass the separate measure defunding the president’s executive action. Already Sens. Claire McCaskill and Joe Manchin have said they will vote to move forward the immigration bill; although McCaskill said that the DHS funding must come first and hasn’t made a decision on whether she’ll vote for the underlying immigration measure.”
______________________________________
4. Well at least some Republicans have finally wised up and won’t be allowing some liberal to moderate the next Republican presidential debate.
From CNNMoney ” Salem Media Group (NASDAQ: SALM), announced today that it will team up with CNN as the exclusive radio outlet to broadcast three GOP presidential primary debates, sanctioned by the Republican National Committee. Salem will air the debates live with special pre- and post-debate coverage on the Salem Radio Network, the company’s NewsTalk stations, and conservative news and opinion websites.
“We are pleased to be working with CNN,” said David Santrella, President of Broadcast Media at Salem. “I am confident that both the access to our audiences and the incorporation of Salem talent will make the debates more accessible for the American electorate.”
The first of the three debates will take place September 16th at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. Salem’s nationally syndicated radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt will join in the Q&A of this debate. Hewitt is a 25-year veteran of radio and broadcast journalism.
Hewitt will also broadcast special editions of his program pre- and post-debate. At the conclusion of the debate, candidates will be invited to join Hewitt to talk candidly about the event and the pressing issues facing the nation.
“I am delighted to be included with journalists posing questions as part of one of America’s finest political traditions -the presidential debate,” said Hewitt. “These debates come at a critical time, and good questions will allow Republican primary voters the opportunity to see and hear their would-be nominees provide answers to issues that genuinely concern them. Any reporter who is also a political junkie welcomes the chance to be on such a panel, which of course I do.”
______________________________________
5. Is Obama rushing to disaster in Iraq? I mean besides the one he’s already allowed by pulling troops out too early and being responsible for the rise of ISIS in the vacuum he left behind.
From BloombergView “Now would be a very good time for U.S. President Barack Obama to think about what happens after Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, is liberated from the Islamic State.
Last week, top Pentagon officials briefed reporters about plans for the Iraqi army and Kurdish forces, with U.S. air support, to retake Mosul in April or May. Iraq’s prime minister, Haidar al-Abadi, has been more sober, telling the BBC that he hoped Mosul would be retaken in a “few months.” On Sunday, Iraq’s new defense minister declined to say whether even this time frame was realistic.
There are sound reasons to welcome the fall of Mosul. It would give momentum to an Iraqi army that really needs to show some success to appeal to future recruits. It would also be a huge blow to the jihadis, who want to prove the caliphate they have declared is a historical inevitability. Losing Mosul, a city made up largely of fellow Sunni Arabs, would refute a case their propagandists have made skillfully on social media.
But the apparent disagreement over the time frame is significant: If Iraq were to re-take Mosul without a real plan for what comes next — i.e., having credible Sunni Arab leaders in place to administer the city — it could intensify sectarian hostility that is already breaking Iraq apart.”
______________________________________
6. You know this is a bad idea.
From MSN/BBCNews “The UK has now become the first country to approve laws to allow the creation of babies from three people.
The modified version of IVF has passed its final legislative obstacle after being approved by the House of Lords.
The fertility regulator will now decide how to license the procedure to prevent babies inheriting deadly genetic diseases.
The first baby could be born as early as 2016.”
______________________________________
7. Medical identity theft is a growing problem.
From MSN “An estimated 2.32 million American adults were victims of medical identity theft as of 2014, up from the 1.84 million estimated in 2013, according to the Medical Identity Fraud Alliance. That’s a nearly 22% jump in this specific kind of fraud.
This month, MIFA released its fifth edition of this annual study, conducted by the Ponemon Institute, which highlights the growing threat of medical identity theft. The group defines medical identity theft as someone using a person’s name and other identifying information to fraudulently obtain medical services, receive prescription drugs or pay for medical care.
It’s unclear if the crime is occurring more often or people are just reporting it more frequently — in all likelihood, it’s a combination — but regardless of what triggered this 22% increase in medical identity theft from 2013 to 2014, it’s certainly a problem.
Even though 2.32 million adults account for only about 1% of the U.S. adult population, the frequency of medical identity theft is a concerning issue, as is the cost of recovering from it. Of the victims surveyed for MIFA’s report, 65% said they paid an average of $13,500 to resolve their case of medical identity theft. On top of that financial burden, victims said it took an average of 200 hours to resolve the crime — that is, if they got to the point where a thief could no longer use their information, and only 10% of respondents said they reached a “completely satisfactory conclusion of the incident.””
______________________________________
Wandering Views 
Some interesting thoughts on Isis and the spiritual vacuum in the “too-hip” secular west from a Catholic blogger:
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/theanchoress/2015/02/25/isis-supporter-confirms-my-point-west-too-hip-to-deal/
” … the inability of the West to acknowledge Islamic extremism with a fluent language of faith — their apparent feeling that modern secularist enlightenment can handle events invoking and inviting supernatural forces — means they lack the means to fully address an evil that will be dissuaded by neither bombs nor sanctions. ….
“In our ironic age, wouldn’t it be the ultimate irony if the so-enlightened West — harbinger of all that is sophisticated, savvy and cool — is brought to its knees simply because its leadership cannot bear to acknowledge that a death-loving religious element is moving inexorably toward them, and will need to be countered with one that loves life and finds it sacred?
They’d rather die than be thought that uncool. …”
LikeLike
“……….is brought to its knees simply because its leadership cannot bear to acknowledge that a death-loving religious element is moving inexorably toward them :
Our leadership understands that. That is what concerns me.
LikeLike
# 3: One example among a list that never stops growing for why it’s fruitless–I would say *counter*productive–to vote for Republicans merely to keep Dems out. I say that even as I acknowledge Barack Obama is the worst president in the history of all times.
LikeLike
I finished the last four chapters of my Jeremiah Bible study prep while flying over Arizona this morning. On Jeremiah 25: 15-38, “the cup of God’s wrath,” the writer, Stephen Eyre, seems to be saying the point of the chapter is to see how God uses war as a tool for his work in the world.
This was a tough lesson. “In this chapter we face the God of wrath head on. Through Jeremiah, God is proclaiming a war caused by the ‘cup of God’s wrath’ that will bring death and destruction among the nations. What you are about to read is painful and unsettling. Keep in mind, however, that the cup of wrath sent by God in the OT continues right over into the NT. In the garden of Gethsemene Jesus took the cup and drank it for us. As painful as this passage is, we need it to understand the work of God in this world.”
As I worked through the 10 questions, I thought about how the world had turned its back on God and sought other gods. They deliberately thumbed their noses at the God who had brought them out of Egypt and given them life. Divine justice, according to Eyre, required God to act.
In so doing, this was when Nebruchadnezzar was seigeing Jerusalem and slaughter many, as well as destroying the temple and the city, many innocent people died.
Which leads to the question, if we are focused on the life to come, does it matter when we die on earth?
It brought to my mind, Noah’s ark in the flood. God wiped out all of mankind that day as well, but he promised never to do so again. Men and women were still deliberately degenerate, God’s justice–their decision not to follow him–meant death. So he allowed the King of Babylon’s troops to destroy Jerusalem and kill many.
Taking it to today, knowing I am not fearing for my life,can we accept the same thing–even if it means some believers may also die?
Except they won’t die if they have eternal life.
This is a question I’m pondering–and since I have to skip one lesson to finish on time, considering skipping this very hard one!
LikeLike