What’s interesting in the news today?
Open Thread
1. Maybe they’d catch more if they stopped wasting time searching Grandma and little kids……. 🙄
From ABCNews “An internal investigation of the Transportation Security Administration revealed security failures at dozens of the nation’s busiest airports, where undercover investigators were able to smuggle mock explosives or banned weapons through checkpoints in 95 percent of trials, ABC News has learned.
The series of tests were conducted by Homeland Security Red Teams who pose as passengers, setting out to beat the system.
According to officials briefed on the results of a recent Homeland Security Inspector General’s report, TSA agents failed 67 out of 70 tests, with Red Team members repeatedly able to get potential weapons through checkpoints.
In one test an undercover agent was stopped after setting off an alarm at a magnetometer, but TSA screeners failed to detect a fake explosive device that was taped to his back during a follow-on pat down.
Officials would not divulge the exact time period of the testing other than to say it concluded recently.”
_____________________________________
2. Things that make you go “Hmmmmmm……”
From SharylAttkisson “In March, the federal government removed the latest vaccine injury court statistics—more than a year’s worth of data—from one of its publicly reported charts. It was an abrupt departure from the normal practice of updating the figures monthly.
Wiping the latest data means the “adjudication” chart on a government website no longer reflects the recent, sharp rise in court victories for plaintiffs who claimed their children were seriously injured or killed by one or more vaccines.
Since January of 2014, twice as many victims have won court decisions than the previous eight years combined. In these court decisions, a judge ruled the evidence showed vaccines “more likely than not” caused the plaintiff’s injuries.
Also on the rise is the number of vaccine injury cases the government has “conceded”: up 55% in a little over one year.
As a result of the recent website changes, neither of these trends is reflected on the current “adjudication” chart.”
So if vaccines are as safe for kids as they keep insisting, why the rise in serious injuries, deaths, and payouts?
_____________________________________
3. As soon as I read the headline, I knew who was against it. The obvious choice, the people who make money off abortions.
From TownHall “A long, long time ago — way back in 2013 — pro-choice progressives united in a new clarion call to make prescription birth control available over the counter. Now, for political reasons, they’re changing their tune.
If you’re one of the 10 million women in America who uses the pill, the prospect is nothing short of life-changing. Going to the doctor to refill the pill every month or even a couple times a year is annoying and time-consuming. And, according to many doctors, it’s unnecessary. The pill is safe to take without a prescription.
“So why can’t we have this, when the public and the medical establishment both think it’s a great idea?” asked progressive journalist Amanda Marcottetwo years ago. Indeed. Just last year, far-left women’s groups Planned Parenthood and Emily’s List also thought making birth control available OTC was a great idea. And according to a Reason-Rupe poll, so do 70 percent of Americans.
Well, in an uncanny and highly unusual turn of events, lawmakers in Washington actually listened. Just this week, legislators introduced a bill that would encourage drug companies to apply to sell contraceptives without a prescription.”
“But if Republican Sens. Cory Gardner of Colorado and Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, along with four other GOP senators, were expecting flowers from Planned Parenthood and others for their bill, the Allowing Greater Access to Safe and Effective Contraception Act, they should brace for disappointment. Suddenly, the idea doesn’t sound so great, and the former supporters aren’t mincing words.
Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards said the bill is a “sham and an insult to women.” Karen Middleton of NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado even got personal, saying, “Cory Gardner can’t be trusted when it comes to Colorado women and their health care.”
_____________________________________
4. In a rare display a politician finally stands on principle, and with the majority of voters, and I’m supposed to believe that it will wreck his chances at the presidency? Or is this just more wishful thinking from the media?
From TheWeek “Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) had what will probably be the defining moment of his presidential campaign on Sunday night. It could conceivably help him, but at a high political cost. It could also end his presidential hopes.
The junior senator from Kentucky infuriated his Republican colleagues by blocking a vote on the USA Freedom Act, a bill that would curtail a controversial National Security Agency bulk phone-data collection program and reauthorize three other surveillance programs that expired at midnight. The NSA had stopped collecting telephone metadata Sunday afternoon, when it became clear no deal would be finalized in time. It won’t be able to resume until the Senate acts, the House approves any changes, and President Obama signs the bill.
In Rand Paul’s telling, and that of the red-shirted “Stand With Rand” supporters who filled the Senate gallery on Sunday evening, Paul stuck a shiv in the government surveillance state, at least for a few days. “The Patriot Act will expire — it will expire tonight,” Paul said on his way out of the Senate chamber Sunday night. “The point I wanted to make is that we can still catch terrorists using the Constitution.”
Paul had some other help, if inadvertent. Senate Republicans, notably Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), had wanted to extend the USA Patriot Act as is. They fell short. Then, after a week’s recess, when it became clear the votes just weren’t there for the Patriot Act renewal, McConnell reluctantly agreed to put the “flawed” USA Freedom Act up for a last-minute vote on Sunday, and the Senate agreed, 77 to 17. The bill had passed the House on May 13, 338-88, and Obama supports it.”
“Whether or not it was his prime motivation, as Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) suggest, Paul will earn a lot of money for his presidential campaign. But his chances of becoming the 2016 Republican nominee just went from unlikely to long-shot.”
_____________________________________
5. So do you plan on updating right away, or wait awhile until they work the bugs out? “Cuz if past history is an indicator, there will be bugs.
From MSN “Microsoft has announced that its Windows 10 operating system will be available from 29 July on new laptops, PCs and tablets, plus be available as a free upgrade for a year for any devices currently running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1.
That means, from 29 July you will be able to download the new system software to your computer or tablet and run it from that day on – making use of the raft of new features and changes that we’ve been learning about over the last six months.
However, there are things you can do right now to ensure that you get Windows 10 the second it is available. You can set up your laptop, desktop or Windows tablet to download the consumer release build automatically on release day. Here’s how.”
If you currently run Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 you will likely see a notification pop up in the lower-right corner of your screen (as in the lead image above). If the pop-up Window doesn’t appear, click on the small Windows icon in your taskbar and it should.
Click on “reserve your free upgrade” in the app windows and enter an email address if you want to be informed that your reservation has been successful.
When the upgrade is ready on 29 July, you will receive a notification to allow you to schedule the installation for a time slot that suits you. It will already have been downloaded automatically.”
My update icon showed up in the tray yesterday.
_____________________________________
Wandering Views 
I just wish my Windows 7 worked.
LikeLiked by 1 person
From Pat Buchanan
The culture war against Christianity is picking up speed.
Last week came word Saint Louis University will remove a heroic-sized statue of Father Pierre-Jean De Smet S.J. from the front of Fusz Hall, where it has stood for 60 years.
The statue depicts De Smet holding aloft a crucifix as he ministers to two American Indians, one of whom is kneeling.
Historically, the statue is accurate. Father De Smet, “Blackrobe,” as he was known, was a 19th-century missionary to Indian tribes who converted thousands. A friend of Sitting Bull, he spent his last years in St. Louis.
Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2015/06/cultural-cleansing-of-christian-males/#Wfx7dDMPLdRBqVzo.99
LikeLike
The Pill as OTC medication? I vote no. Everyone I know personally who has been on it two years or more (often much less) has had their hormones messed up, sometimes seriously, and sometimes lasting far after getting off it. I think the only reason it’s an approved medication is that it’s so “important” to the greatest of American freedoms: freedom to have sex with no side effects of childbirth. It kills libido in many women, and is overall a medication I’d warn anyone about to marry to avoid.
LikeLike
Am I going to upgrade Windows before I have to (and move from a one-time purchase to an annual or monthly rental)? No way. After most of my publishers have made the conversion, I will do so. I took the latest upgrade kicking and screaming, and still think there were more negatives than positives in it.
LikeLike
OTC is a challenge, too, because there are a many women who should not take the pill–notably smokers because of the possibility of blood clots. Monitoring needs to be done, it’s not a simple pill that doesn’t have side effects and it doesn’t prevent against STDs.
You probably shouldn’t have to get a prescription refilled with the doctor every month (does that really happen?), but being in touch with a doctor means a woman will be more careful about getting the annual screenings that should take place for any sexually active woman.
There are less invasive, non-chemical forms, of birth control that shouldn’t need a prescription, but to allow the pill to be sold over the counter, particularly to clueless teenagers, is a mess waiting to happen.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have to agree with michelle — “the pill” in most cases does not cause problems, but it should never be sold without a doctor’s prescription that requires regular checkups for any refills.
On the so-called “culture war” — things can change, but I suspect that, for now, it’s already been lost. Time to regroup and start talking about where the church goes from here amid what is a hostile culture. And remember, while painful, this could be a good thing for God’s people, something we need to awaken us, further purify us and to sharpen us. To God be the glory, whatever comes.
LikeLiked by 2 people
On Rand Paul and the reasons he arouses legitimate opposition among many conservatives (and, yes, it’s fair to say that this does pose a significant problem for him in attaining the nomination):
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2015/05/the-real-rand-paul-stands-up.php
” … His opportunism consists not in blocking the Patriot Act, but in the scaling back of his foreign policy isolationism and blame America firstism that he undertook a few years ago as he attempted to go more mainstream (the old Rand Paul may be reemerging, though; he recently blamed Republicans for the rise of ISIS). … Paul may have concluded that, with the rise of ISIS and the end of the mainstream GOP’s flirtation with pulling back globally, he has no path to the GOP nomination. If so, his best option is to nail down his base and ride it deep into the primary season. The worst case scenario for Paul, I assume, is to fade into the background.”
LikeLike
Interesting piece on Hastert from Bill Press:
http://thehill.com/opinion/bill-press/243679-bill-press-a-raw-deal-for-hastert
“As a Democrat, I know I’m supposed to cheer now that former Republican Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) has been charged with federal crimes. But, in fact, I feel just the opposite.
” … It looks to me like he got a raw deal, and ended up the victim of an overzealous federal prosecutor…. As long as it’s his own money — and nobody’s accused Hastert of stealing — why’s it any business of the FBI whether he leaves it in the bank or not? …
” … Hastert was charged with federal crimes only because he’s a high-profile politician. And that’s neither just nor fair. …”
LikeLike
Re: The Catlyn Jenner thing.
When I see her in a bikini, then I’ll believe it.
LikeLike
Bruce Jenner is a freak show. While society and the media choose to wallow in this disgusting display, I refuse to mention him or his sordid tale in the news thread. I’ll not add to the further degradation of our society by playing along. I find the entire affair repulsive, disgusting, and sickening. Much of what is wrong in this country and the world is on display and celebrated, at that freak show. No thanks.
LikeLike
Sadly, AJ, Bruce Jenner is a mixed up, hurting man, trying to fix his confusion. What I find disgusting is that hurting, confused people are encouraged to mutilate their bodies rather than receive the treatment they really need.
Here’s an article a couple of us have shared on Facebook. (I forget where I originally saw it, so it’s possible someone else has shared it here before.)…
” ‘Sex Change’ Surgery: What Bruce Jenner, Diane Sawyer, and You Should Know”
http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2015/04/14905/
Note: Sometimes the link doesn’t come up when clicked on, but keep trying, as it eventually will.
LikeLike
It is sad. And as for the people cheering it on, I keep thinking about “sheep without a shepherd.”
Many in society have lost their moorings (not to mention their heads). I was listening to a “light” morning show on Fox on the drive into work this morning and even they were saying, hey, if it makes ‘her’ happy, who are we to say … I’ve heard virtually no criticism, but that’s largely due to ‘the silencing’ on these issues when it comes to any serious public discourse, I think.
But it’s another example of our fallen state and sympathy & prayer for Jenner is in order, I think.
LikeLike
I agree, Donna.
As for the excerpt you shared, it seems to me that that goes for politicians in general. They all seem to bend their ways (or even do a full flip flop) at times when politically expedient. But I think sometimes those bends or flip flops can be a genuine change in thought & attitude.
LikeLike
There’s valid reason to have concerns about the patriot act, though I suspect there might be some alternative that could provide some security protections. The bad guy terrorists will always find a way through, though.
As for Hastert, the question I’ve had is what prompted the inquiry and was the motive in any way political in nature.
The original crime, if it occurred — and there’s some reason to think something happened since Hastert’s paying out millions of dollars to this blackmailer — is certainly bothersome (and it reminds me of the verse that says your sin will find you out).
But that’s not the focus of the charges, from what I understand.
LikeLike
Karen,
I get that he’s mixed up, confused, and hurting. Aren’t we all to one degree or another? That still doesn’t excuse the spectacle he’s made of all this. He has turned what should have been a private affair into a publicity stunt for a TV show, numerous mag covers, and websites, and every other exploitation of the affair he could think of. His motives are questionable at best.
And the same people who encourage his mental illness, and that is what this is, are the same ones telling him to self mutilate as a miracle cure for his confusion. It’s sickening.
That most of society cheers it all on speaks volumes about where we are.
I can’t help but feel like I’ve heard this story told before, and this is just a modern remake.
You know the story I mean, the second half of Romans 1. It seems like that’s where we are. That should make us(society) tremble in fear, but most are too blind to realize that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
AJ – I wasn’t thinking about the spectacle Jenner is making of himself, but yes, that does make one wonder why he is being so public about it. Maybe it feeds something within this mental illness?
LikeLike
I’m not a big Rand Paul fan, but I do think the powerline article about Rand Paul linked by Donna J is the typical treatment any conservative gets if he’s even just a bit outside the conventional conservative/GOP mainstream, and that’s why the GOP isn’t going to get us anywhere, and why the term “conservative” means nothing in America anymore. Oh well, bring on Jeb or whoever. Let’s just settle.
LikeLike
More on Jenner and that magazine cover from the Gospel Coalition:
” … It’s an image that crystallizes a national metamorphosis as much as a personal one. It’s proof of micro-evolution—of a man, a magazine, a world shedding its skin. It’s also an image that resists complacency. Once you’ve seen this magazine cover, you are without excuse. You are forced to choose: Are you now looking at a man or a woman? …
“Assuming you speak up anywhere other than the friendly confines of your church or Christian friend groups, you should expect to be found heartily disagreeable. Expect to be misrepresented and misunderstood. Perhaps even ostracized and belittled…
“That weight you feel is the cross you’re called to bear. It’s been enjoyably light for so long, at least where I live, but that’s increasingly no longer the case. What once felt like floating through space will soon feel like walking below sea level. …”
http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/caitlyn-jenner-love-future-tense
LikeLike
I like Rubio, I like Walker … It’ll be a long campaign with the usual twists and turns amd surprises, I’m sure. To be continued.
LikeLike