Black Americans killed by police in 2014 outnumbered those who died on 9/11

Black Americans killed by police in 2014 outnumbered those who died on 9/11
The shocking footage of South Carolina man Walter Scott being shot in the back as he ran from North Charleston police officer Michael Slager is once again putting attention on the large number of Americans who are killed by police.





"We've come to take our country back!" I must ask, from whom and to where?- Kona Lowell

The World Is A Safer Place Without Saddam

• Cheney: Obama Looks Like He Wants To 'Take America Down' From The Inside
• American Soldier Killed, 2 U.S. Troops Wounded In Afghanistan Shooting
• Libya says 'new elements' in killing of US ambassador
• Texas cop caught on video punching Air Force veteran — after she says she’s pregnant

Trying to think of one thing the Bush Administration was better at than the Obama Administration. All I'm coming up with is allowing 9/11s.- LOLGOP

Love Those Cell Phone Videos
The South Carolina police officer charged with murder in the shooting death of a black man who was running away from him has been fired, and the remainder of the police force in North Charleston will soon be equipped with body cameras, the city's mayor said on Wednesday.





Dead men tell no tales. Unless a bystander takes out his camera phone. - The Daily Edge Tweet

Republican Shenanigans

• Rand Paul Gets Testy With Female NBC Anchor: 'Let Me Explain... OK?' (VIDEO) 
• Twitter Ignites Over Rand Paul's 'JEW For Rand' Banner On New Website
• Voters Strip Protections From LGBT People In Springfield, Missouri Election 
• Chris Matthews explodes at MSNBC: Quit putting ‘goddamn’ right-wing ads on for free
• Radio host Michael Savage thinks only white people fought in World War II
• Fired Ferguson official insists she’s not racist — she just thinks racist jokes are hilarious
• Arkansas city official repeatedly misspells black resident’s name as ‘Cooningham’

Dick Cheney continually reminds us how much better off we'd be if someone had told him that he has the right to remain silent.- LOLGOP

In Your Face Racists Using Their Freedumb Of Speech
A Confederate monument featuring 32 flags representing Civil War regiments is nearing completion in an east Texas town, alongside Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.










Poking The Poor In The Eye
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback may sign a bill this week that would block welfare recipients from using state funds to lead ordinary, entertainment-filled lives. The bill, H.R. 2258, would block recipients from using their benefits to go to the movies, visit swimming pools, go gambling, and get tattoos, despite little to no evidence that any of these are actually happening. 

Dick Cheney saying you're the worst president is like Ike Turner saying you're the most disobedient wife.- LOLGOP





Rock The Voter News

• President Obama, others link climate change to public health 
• 2 Massachusetts Democrats voice unhappiness with Pelosi

The guys who say we need AR-15s to defend against government oppression feel obligated to point out that you shouldn't run from the police?- LOLGOP






Hispanic Conservatives Ignore Polls Just As White Conservative Do!
Hispanic conservative media personalities rushed to defend whether GOP presidential hopefuls Jeb Bush or Ted Cruz "deserve" to be labeled the most Hispanic candidate, ignoring polls that show Latinos care about policies, not personality, and both candidates advocate conservative policies at odds with the vast majority of Latino voters.

Where does Rand Paul stand on gay rights? On the back of the neck.- Kona Lowell

Business/Tech News

• U.S. Stocks Fluctuate as Fed Minutes Show Split Views on Rates
• Why the middle class is doing even worse than you think
• Russian, Greek leaders talk of restoring trade despite sanctions
• Twitter faces Google buyout rumors once again

I would find this field of candidates disappointing if they were applying for a job at Kinko's.- Andy Borowitz

Money Talks
Defense contractor FLIR Systems Inc. has agreed to pay $9.5 million to settle bribery charges filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission.




Someone in Utah has come down with a rare allergy to water. The person's going to be fine though because they just moved to California.- Conan O'Brien

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Odd News

• Images released of 'Mrs. Doubtfire' robber in California
• Florida Streaker Was High On Street Drug Called 'Flakka': Cops
• Boy Makes Rare Dino Discovery In Texas
• New Hampshire debates banning baiting bears with chocolate
• China to document its tourists behaving badly

Time To Deflate Photo

The Ili pika (Ochotona iliensis) lives in northwest China, there are around 2000 left in the world.
photo credit LI WEIDONG

Peace.

Contentious debate over guns expected soon in Congress

Contentious debate over guns expected soon in Congress
Sen. Mitch McConnell assured the National Rifle Association a year ago that if Republicans took control of the Senate, the NRA's gun-friendly agenda would be on a faster track on Capitol Hill.





When the Black NRA shows up outside GOP meetings with guns to pose for pictures, I'm sure conservatives will love it!- LOLGOP

The World Is A Safer Place Without Saddam

• Israel proposes new terms for 'more reasonable' Iran nuclear deal
• Barack Obama rejects Benjamin Netanyahu’s call for Iran to recognize Israel
• 18 dead in Yemen fighting as Saudi-led warships shell rebels
• Rebels kill eight Iran soldiers on Pakistan border
• Poll: Americans divided over Japan's military role in Asia

"I want to take my country back" always sounds a bit more terrifying when it's said with a southern accent.- LOLGOP

Hack Attempt Of Israel Websites Falls Short
Pro-Palestinian hackers disrupted Israeli websites on Tuesday, following threats from the Anonymous hacking collective that it would carry out an "electronic Holocaust," though Israeli cyber experts said the coordinated attacks caused little damage.





Being poor hurts your brain -- and so does finding out Iran has better parental leave laws than the U.S.- LOLGOP

Republican Shenanigans

• Bill O'Reilly: 'I Think I Trust Iran More Than I Trust the American Press'
• Staffer for GOP Senator Resigns After Arrest for Soliciting Prostitute
• Fox guest: Keep discrimination legal because Bible tells businesses not to hire atheists
• Fox host tells rape victims to man up: 'It's sexist to assume women can't handle their liquor'
• Lawmaker Tries to Cut Surf and Turf From the Food Stamp Diet
• No movies, concerts, or tattoos: Kansas bill would limit use of welfare funds
• Kansas governor signs nation's 1st ban on abortion procedure

Jeb Bush identified himself as Hispanic, so I guess it's actually pronounced "Yeb Bush."- Seth Myers

Rand Paul Continues Family Tradition Of Running For President
Republican Rand Paul on Tuesday officially announced on his website that he will run for U.S. president in 2016, hours before an event in his home state of Kentucky where he is expected to formally launch the campaign.





Rand Paul is less a champion of individual liberty and more a champion of inherit-your-presidential-campaign-from-your-dad liberty.- LOLGOP

Rock The Voter News

• Obama slams Walker, GOP 2016ers for 'foolish approach' on Iran deal

President Obama just made his first presidential trip to the state of Utah. Obama spent his time in Utah just like you'd expect — telling people, “Uh, no, I don't play for the Jazz.”- Jimmy Fallon

Today was the annual Easter egg roll on the White House lawn. Usually when you see something rolling on the White House lawn it's a drunk Secret Service agent.- Conan O'Brien






Business/Tech News

• Gas prices dip; Iran deal could push them lower
• Oil Rout Squeezes Property Owners From Houston to North Dakota
• Former Giants cornerback Allen accused by SEC of running Ponzi scheme
• Stanford's aluminum battery fully charges in just one minute
• Barista to college grad? Starbucks now covers 4 years of college tuition

More Than Half Of U.S. Inmates Are Mentally Ill
Occasionally policymakers and activists will talk about how the justice system needs to keep mentally ill people out of prisons. If it did that, prisons would be very empty indeed. A new Urban Institute report points out that more than half of all inmates in jails and state prisons have a mental illness of some kind:





It would be easier to respect your religious freedom if you weren't trying to break up other people's marriages to celebrate it.- LOLGOP

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I hope you had a good time today.

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Odd News

• Sea Shepherd in dramatic rescue of Antarctic 'poaching' ship crew
• Aliens could be huge, says scientist
• Burger King to pay for the wedding of Mr. Burger, Ms. King
• Driving lesson ends with teen hitting building, 3 gas meters
• DNA testing for dog poop on the rise in Seattle area

Time To Deflate Photo

Angel Falls, Venezuela.

Peace.

Sick Day

Thank you for stopping by.

I hope everyone had a lovely holiday. I spent mine quietly as I was not feeling well. I feel as though I have the flu.

Not to leave you empty handed, I posted a few phototoons I found on the Internets.

WWI field radio.

Peace.

Fights Over 'Religious Freedom' And Gay Rights Are Costing Republicans

Graphic by Rick Wise. Thank you.

Fights Over 'Religious Freedom' And Gay Rights Are Costing Republicans
Following a firestorm of criticism, Republican governors in Indiana and Arkansas signed revised versions of their states' Religious Freedom Restoration bills Thursday night. In Indiana the language was adjusted, and in Arkansas it was significantly scaled back to more closely align with the federal law.




Today is Good Friday, when some pro-death penalty Christians commemorate anti-death penalty Jesus getting the death penalty.- John Fugelsang

Email
Subject: "Open the drawbridge"

Hi Lisa,

I opened this morning’s New York Times to the headline, “Benjamin Netanyahu Says Final Nuclear Deal Must Include Iran’s Recognition of Israel”.

Oh it “must,” must it?  Why, because you say so?

Netanyahu reminds me of the ant with an erection, floating down the river on his back and yelling, “Open the drawbridge!”

My reaction was, “F@#k this guy.  If he wanted recognition included in the deal, he could have and should have raised the issue years ago, not almost-after-the-fact.  And he could have been just a little more solicitous of the President of the United States in the meantime.

Netanyahu demonstrates once again that he is not an honest player and cannot be trusted.  He does not want a deal between the P5+1 and Iran; he wants war with Iran – a war in we will be expected to invest still more blood and treasure in the Middle East.

It astounds me that we can be on the verge of an agreement among the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China, Germany, and Iran … and Israel, who is not even a party to the agreement, presumes it can sashay in and blow up the deal.

Sorry, Bibi, you’re too late.  Now it’s time for you to STFD and STFU.  This drawbridge is closed.

Best,
~Rick

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The World Is A Safer Place Without Saddam

• Saudis airdrop arms to Aden defenders, Houthis pull back
• Egypt's Islamic State branch claims deadly Sinai attack
• North Korea fires short-range missiles ahead of U.S. defense chief visit to Seoul
• Moscow condemns 'anti-Russian campaign' in U.S.
• In Kenya, a quest for answers in wake of Al Shabab university attack

This deal isn't good enough! is a very serious concern from the guys who insist Iran would cheat on any deal.- LOLGOP

Iran Talks End. Iran Celebrates, USA Meh.
By the elation online and in the streets, you'd think Iran had just won the World Cup. But this is bigger.

Iranians erupted in celebration as young people waved flags from their sunroofs, blasted music from stereos and chatted online with the hashtag #IranTalks.

"Ted Cruz is the Abraham Lincoln of Sarah Palins." -John Fugelsang





Iraq Vet Confronts Karl Rove
An Iraq war veteran confronted former White House advisor Karl Rove during a speaking engagement on Tuesday and demanded he apologize for the war.

GOP solution to the California drought is to give the remaining water to the rich so it will then trickle down to the poor.- Tea Party Cat






Republican Shenanigans

• Jeb Bush Drops 6% in Florida Amid Conservative Doubts
• Nugent Says Obama is Causing Military Suicides 
• Florida Republican senator denounces Koch brothers: ‘You people serve no purpose’
• Google Play store dumps app that made it easier to stalk and harass gun safety advocates
• Gay activist Dan Savage: Sen.Tom Cotton uses his ‘bigot blender brain’ to rationalize anti-gay legislation

Indiana Is Waving The Flag, Now!
The rainbow flag, a symbol of gay rights, flies prominently on the Visit Indy website and Indiana’s Republican Governor Mike Pence personally phoned the head of a Seattle company that gathers 56,000 gaming nerds in the heartland each year.
These are just some of the signs that Indianapolis, a corn belt city of 850,000 with a $4.4 billion tourism industry, has gone into full-on damage control to make sure its growing convention business is not harmed by a national uproar over a religious bill that Pence signed into law last week.

George Pataki blasts Indiana’s 'Religious Freedom' law, in case the GOP is interested in someone who's electable this century. -John Fugelsang






O'Reilly & Coulter Mad At Christians Not Defending Religious Freedoms
Fox News host Bill O'Reilly on Thursday brought on conservative pundit Ann Coulter to lament the lack of leadership by Christians in defending the Indiana religious freedom law altered by lawmakers on Thursday.

"During a speech on Friday, Senator Ted Cruz said that if you walk up to someone and say 'Joe Biden,' the person will crack up laughing. Which is the same reaction you get if you say 'President Ted Cruz.'" -Seth Meyers






Rock The Voter News

• Utah latest stop on Obama tour of Republican states 
• Michelle Obama and Jimmy Fallon Perform The Evolution of Mom Dancing Part 2 

"As of this week, the only state that President Obama has not visited while in office is South Dakota. Residents of South Dakota said they're looking forward to President Obama or any black person visiting soon." –Conan O'Brien

After a deal that could delay war, fate decided to cheer Republicans up with a meh jobs report.- LOLGOP




Business/Tech News

• Oil falls nearly 4 percent after tentative nuclear deal for Iran 
• U.S. job growth weakest since 2013; unemployment rate steady
• Billions up for grabs if nuclear deal opens Iran economy

Hi, I'm an American who won't ever let my tax $ go to abortion. And now I must go buy some Chinese-made products. -John Fugelsang

Do You Use Firefox?
Mozilla Corp, creator of the popular Firefox web browser, said on Thursday it would follow Google Inc and no longer recognize new certificates of trust issued by a Chinese Internet agency.







It seems the economy has been roughed up by the "denying gay people pizza" sector.- LOLGOP

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I Hope You Had A Good Time Today!

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Odd News

• Cambodian cinema puts brakes on 'Furious 7' competition
• Judge says court battle over giant emerald can proceed
• Deputy Ordered To Undergo Counseling After Photo With Snoop
• BEST IDEA EVER! Perfume That Smells Better As You Sweat
• Bra-Wielding Burglar Thwarted By Woman Wielding Ceramic Chicken: Cops

Time To Deflate Photo

I hope the Spring is in your air!


Peaceful wishes for a lovely weekend, ya'll.