News and Politics // Current

^#41

Biden signals U.S. is open to Russia missile deal

MUNICH — Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. said Saturday that the United States will pursue a missile defense plan that has... more

current89
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EU threatens legal action over American car industry bail-out

Brussels could dispute Obama administration's rescue package before World Trade Organisation. The EU today threatened... more

bansheewail
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Congress to DEA: Reconsider Monopoly on Medical Marijuana Research

Washington, DC -- Sixteen Members of Congress issued a letter yesterday to newly-seated Attorney General Eric Holder urging the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to act "swiftly to amend or withdraw" an order that significantly curtails medical marijuana research in the United States. For more than forty years, the federal government has held a unique monopoly on the cultivation of marijuana for medical research, significantly impeding studies on the therapeutic qualities of medical marijuana and the ability to bring it to market. In February of 2007, DEA Administrative Law Judge Mary Ellen Bittner ruled to end that monopoly by claiming that expanded medical marijuana research was "in the public interest."

The Congressional letter sent to Attorney General Holder was authored by John Olver (D-MA) and states in part:

Since 2001, Prof. Lyle Craker, an experienced botanist of medicinal plants and soils, has been struggling to obtain a DEA license for a privately-funded facility located at the University of Massachusetts to grow cannabis (marijuana) exclusively for FDA-approved research protocols designed to evaluate its potential medical value. Forty-five members of the House of Representatives and Senators Edward Kennedy and John Kerry, as well as a broad range of scientific, medical and public health organizations including the Lymphoma Foundation of America, the National Association for Public Health Policy, and the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation have all written to DEA in support of Professor Craker's efforts.

Further information:
Yesterday's letter from 16 Members of Congress to Attorney General Eric Holder: http://AmericansForSafeAccess.org/downloads/Olver_to_Holder_Letter.pdf
February 2007 DEA Administrative Law Judge ruling: http://AmericansForSafeAccess.org/downloads/Craker_Ruling.pdf
DEA rejection of Professor Craker's application: http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/medmarijuana/38298lgl20090112.html
ACLU Motion to Reconsider: http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/medmarijuana/38648lgl20090130.htmlWashington, DC -- Sixteen Members of Congress issued a letter yesterday to newly-seated Attorney General Eric Holder urging the... more

ras_menelik
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14 comments

9 months ago

^#44

Baby denied health care, he's "too fat"

Alex Lange is a chubby, dimpled, healthy and happy 4-month-old. But in the cold, calculating numbered charts of insurance... more

atomiclegion
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97 comments

26 days ago

^#45

Gibbs: Cheney was the one who lost focus on Afghanistan

The White House is hitting back once again at Dick Cheney, this time for remarks the former vice president made on Wednesday night... more

slarabee
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40 comments

16 days ago

^#46

China Needs U.S. Guarantees for Treasuries

And it begins... What are we supposed to say to the people who essentially own us? January saw Chinese exports fall... more

tbowman131
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28 comments

9 months ago

^#47

MPAA Propaganda Hits 60 Minutes

The MPAA scored a victory last night when millions of people tuned in to CBS’s 60 Minutes. The ‘investigative’... more

atomiclegion
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23 comments

4 days ago

^#48

John McCain wants Barack Obama to pardon Jack Johnson the famous boxer

Sen. John McCain pressed President Barack Obama to give a posthumous pardon to Jack Johnson, the black heavyweight boxing champion... more

Future_America
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38 comments

6 days ago

^#49

Protests in Oakland after $3M bail was set for BART officer

More protests continue in Oakland, CA. after bail was set for the BART officer that shot a young man in the back. Police were... more

TabulaRasa
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18 comments

9 months ago

^#50

Defense Department Opposed Franken's Anti-Rape Amendment

30 members of the GOP opposed an amendment, earlier this month, to the 2010 Defense Appropriations bill, which would withhold... more

knews121
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53 comments

19 days ago

^#51

The Commander’s Duty Done

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/30/opinion/30fri3.html In his midnight mission to honor the returning war dead, President Obama did more than personally extend the nation’s condolences to grieving families gathered at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. Without uttering a public word, Mr. Obama erased President George W. Bush’s shameful attempts to hide the pain of war from Americans and to shield himself from paying public tribute to the thousands who died in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The long-overdue display of national gratitude and regret by the commander in chief rekindled a note of most solemn ritual that the country owes sons and daughters in uniform sacrificed in war. The president was restoring a post-Vietnam tradition that included the graphic embraces and wrenching words personally extended by President Ronald Reagan to the families of the 241 soldiers, sailors and Marines who perished 26 years ago in the bombing of the Marines’ camp in Lebanon.

The Bush policy was to prohibit any news media coverage of the returning war dead and to never show the president within a camera-lens’ length of the dolorous homecomings. Under Mr. Obama, the Pentagon reversed the no-coverage policy in February. On Thursday, the president himself took the necessary next step.

He silently saluted in the morning darkness as the remains of 18 Americans killed this week in Afghanistan were transferred from a military transport. He spent close to two hours talking in private with stricken families. One of them gave approval for the news media to show the nation its loved one’s arrival before the president and assembled officers. Within minutes, of course, bloggers were reacting. Some were grateful. Others denounced Mr. Obama for photo-op exploitation even as they demanded he hurry up and decide whether to send tens of thousands more troops to Afghanistan.

The true cost of war must never be denied by the nation or its leader. Mr. Obama’s visit was entirely appropriate as he faces the decision of what comes next in Afghanistan. The pity is President Bush never dared as much.http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/30/opinion/30fri3.html In his midnight mission to honor the returning war dead, President Obama did... more

current89
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76 comments

8 days ago

^#52

Student-run grocery could save Missouri town

This is very cool!

DailyMenendez
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16 comments

9 months ago

^#53

Leahy: Investigate Bush Now

Count me in as one of the many Americans who feel we need to get to the bottom of what went wrong. "I agree. We need to be... more

Conniepae
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12 comments

9 months ago

^#54

Europe offers to cut emissions 95% by 2050

Europe attempted to reassert its international leadership in the fight against global warming today, offering to slash its... more

pjacobs51
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22 comments

12 days ago

^#55

More countries cut ties to Israel over Gaza, "Israel a terrorist nation"

More countries are accusing Israel of participating in "state terrorism" against "the most weak and innocent human beings: children, women and the aged and called for Israeli leaders be tried before an international court for crimes against humanity. They furthermore urged that Israeli President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert be declared war criminals. This is in addition to the recent calls from European, Arab and Asian nations as well as Australia and New Zealand calling for a war crimes investigation into Israels activities.
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Venezuela announced Wednesday it is breaking diplomatic relations with Israel over the conflict in Gaza, joining Bolivia, which did the same thing earlier in the day.
Bolivian President Evo Morales announces Wednesday that he is severing diplomatic ties with Israel.

Bolivian President Evo Morales announces Wednesday that he is severing diplomatic ties with Israel.

In the announcement issued by the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry, the government cited "the gravity of the atrocities against the Palestinian people."

The statement accused the Israelis of having "ignored, systematically, calls from the United Nations, violating in a repeated and shameless manner the resolutions approved by the overwhelming majority of their members and placing themselves ever more on the margin of international law."

---------------more at the link with more countries coming soon

I'd like to point out that my reporting what i find in the news about Israel is only to keep it fresh in the minds of people as well as to inform the US public, since the US media is pretty well one sided in their views of Israel. Millions of people, probably hundreds of million--are very upset with what Israel has done and collectively as a peaceful people, we do not want Israel to get away with it.

For the most part, including myself, we are NOT antisemitic and we are NOT for ANY violence. You can say all you want, and myself and many others will not even entertain your name calling, or your propaganda. We know of the Israel government and Israel Lobby propaganda machine and just reading how they manipulate facts literally gets me sick.

Some of the name calling by some is indicative of us being involved with the terrorists. If that is so, maybe a visit by your local government is in store for you since you have of some evidence of "criminal" activity on these blogs. We can arrange for the visit if you insist. It'd make our day!

We are merely red hot mad at Israel for the inhumane treatment and murders of many innocent people as well as how Israel trapped and set up the Palestinians almost two years before the slaughter and right after the original cease fire agreement (18 months ago) by closing all borders and not allowing any life sustaining supplies to be shipped in. According the the UN this is in itself an act of war to ANY country. Gaza was and is under siege all this time.

So, we respect your opinions and welcome debate...serious debate and you can call us anything you want. BUT....Call us terrorists or in cahoots with Hamas or any other so called "terrorists" organization and I guarantee you will have a 'special' government visit to write your report of your "evidence" you say you have. Then you can face the ramifications of your actions.

If Israel wants to start treating the innocent Palestinians like PEOPLE and give them a FAIR and BALANCED Peace deal, we're with Israel 100%. In our opinion, Israel is more of a terrorist then any other organization or country and has committed far more crimes, more horrible than any others against civilians and Israel will pay for these crimes thru the criminal courts throughout the world.More countries are accusing Israel of participating in "state terrorism" against "the most weak and innocent human... more