http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/01/30/mayor-de-blasio-drops-nycs-appeal-of-ruling-ordering-changes-to-stop-frisk/

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NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) – New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration filed court papers Thursday seeking to drop an appeal of a judge’s decision ordering major reforms to the police department’s stop-and-frisk policy.

The papers filed in the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said the city was seeking to return the case to a lower court for 45 days “for the purpose of exploring a full resolution.”

A judge ruled last year that the New York Police Department had discriminated against blacks and Hispanics with how it went about stopping, questioning and sometimes frisking people on the street. The judge ordered major reforms to the department’s implementation of the policy.

Then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg appealed the decision. But de Blasio, who took office at the beginning of the year, is now seeking to drop the appeal.
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(more at link)

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303277704579348812282634316.html?dsk=y

Billie Jean King is among the gay former athletes who will head to Sochi as part of the U.S. delegation named by President Barack Obama, their presence a symbolic poke at a controversial Russian law banning "homosexual propaganda."

The Russian law outlawing "propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations" mandates stiff fines and jail terms for holding gay pride events, speaking in defense of gay rights or to saying gay relationships are equal to heterosexual ones. Although ostensibly intended to protect minors, the bill is written so broadly that it effectively amounts to an outright ban.
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WSJ: How do you feel about going to Russia given the law and environment toward gays and broader security concerns?

King: The law is so broad; people feel pretty free to do what they want against gays and get away with it. You hear about gays getting attacked, getting spit on. The polls say 80% of Russians are against gays, but I have personally never encountered it. The Russian people could not be nicer. I am in a privileged position. As a gay person, you are a little more alert about safety. I am sure the U.S. is going to worry about that. You have to be alert. I just hope everybody is safe and everybody gets home.
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more at link

Rand Paul = Ron Paul lite. Ron Paul was terribly wrong but at least he talked a good game. Rand doesnt even have that going for him.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2014/01/27/rand_paul_on_the_war_on_women_women_have_won_because_my_niece_goes_to_cornell.html

Hear my radio show at 7pm Eastern Time today at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lesersense/2014/01/27/voters-give-obama-poor-marks-and-chris-christie-takes-a-hit or on Monday at 2pm Pacific time on KCAA 1050am in the Los Angeles Basin

On today’s show, I lock horns with Dee Dee Benkie, one of the tougher conservatives I’ve faced off against several times on Fox News and on Glenn Beck’s network, The Blaze. Dee Dee and I will discuss polls that have come out regarding Chris Christie and the opinion of voters on President Obama’s performance on several key issues.

Dee Dee is a frequent commentator on national radio and television networks including the Fox News Channel, The Daily, Scott Rasmussen’s “What America Is Thinking,” and WOR radio. She served as National Committeewoman from Indiana for the Republican National Committee and is featured in the Mo Rocca film, Electoral Dysfunction. She worked as an aide to President George W. Bush and Washington Times named her to their list of the top 30 hottest political women of 2012.

At the end we will have a special expanded edition of our trademark weekly hall of fame and shame for those politicians and prominent individuals who made great sense or shameful nonsense, respectively.

Hear my radio show at 7pm Eastern Time today at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lesersense/2014/01/27/voters-give-obama-poor-marks-and-chris-christie-takes-a-hit or on Monday at 2pm Pacific time on KCAA 1050am in the Los Angeles Basin

On today’s show, I lock horns with Dee Dee Benkie, one of the tougher conservatives I’ve faced off against several times on Fox News and on Glenn Beck’s network, The Blaze. Dee Dee and I will discuss polls that have come out regarding Chris Christie and the opinion of voters on President Obama’s performance on several key issues.

Dee Dee is a frequent commentator on national radio and television networks including the Fox News Channel, The Daily, Scott Rasmussen’s “What America Is Thinking,” and WOR radio. She served as National Committeewoman from Indiana for the Republican National Committee and is featured in the Mo Rocca film, Electoral Dysfunction. She worked as an aide to President George W. Bush and Washington Times named her to their list of the top 30 hottest political women of 2012.

At the end we will have a special expanded edition of our trademark weekly hall of fame and shame for those politicians and prominent individuals who made great sense or shameful nonsense, respectively.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/01/22/1271733/-GOProud-co-founder-gives-up-leaves-Republican-Party?detail=email

And the last horse crosses the finish line: GOProud co-founder Jimmy LaSalvia has announced that he will be leaving the Republican Party.

“I just came to the realization that the Republican Party doesn’t represent my principles and values,” LaSalvia told POLITICO. “I’m a small government conservative and they’re for big government. They’re happy to have big government as long as they’re in charge. More importantly, I don’t tolerate bigotry of any kind, whether it’s anti-gay bigotry, anti-Muslim bigotry. And they do and that’s just not OK with me.”

That may be the slowest damn realization in the history of people having realizations. I don't mean to pick on the poor guy, but this is a man who has spent five years with his hand on an oven burner suddenly phoning up a reporter and saying "You know what? Fire hot." Surely there has to be more to it than that, and LaSalvia has a long list of recent well-known examples, though I think he still misdiagnoses the problem:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/01/22/1271733/-GOProud-co-founder-gives-up-leaves-Republican-Party?detail=email

And the last horse crosses the finish line: GOProud co-founder Jimmy LaSalvia has announced that he will be leaving the Republican Party.

“I just came to the realization that the Republican Party doesn’t represent my principles and values,” LaSalvia told POLITICO. “I’m a small government conservative and they’re for big government. They’re happy to have big government as long as they’re in charge. More importantly, I don’t tolerate bigotry of any kind, whether it’s anti-gay bigotry, anti-Muslim bigotry. And they do and that’s just not OK with me.”

That may be the slowest damn realization in the history of people having realizations. I don't mean to pick on the poor guy, but this is a man who has spent five years with his hand on an oven burner suddenly phoning up a reporter and saying "You know what? Fire hot." Surely there has to be more to it than that, and LaSalvia has a long list of recent well-known examples, though I think he still misdiagnoses the problem:

Wish me luck!

Don't miss this week's Making Sense with Steve Leser this week!

The show airs tonight at 7pm Eastern time on Blogtalk radio at the below link and Monday 2pm Pacific time on KCAA 1050am in the Los Angeles basin.

Today, my lead story is an update on NJ Governor Chris Christie and the many scandals now surrounding him.

We will also have a juxtaposition of two news events about women and women’s issues that really spoke to me and my beliefs about women’s rights and how the two parties see them.

Then, of course, I’ve been talking about Snowden and his impact a lot and the President this week announced some changes to the NSA Surveillance program. What were those changes and how do they square with what I have been saying all along. I’ll take you through it.

Also, Vladimir Putin discusses whether gays are welcome at the Sochi Olympics. You won’t believe what he said.

At the end we will our trademark weekly hall of fame and shame for those politicians and prominent individuals who made great sense or shameful nonsense, respectively.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lesersense/2014/01/20/chris-christie-update-obama-changes-to-nsa-putin-lgbt-and-domestic-violence

Don't miss this week's Making Sense with Steve Leser this week!

The show airs tonight at 7pm Eastern time on Blogtalk radio at the below link and Monday 2pm Pacific time on KCAA 1050am in the Los Angeles basin.

Today, my lead story is an update on NJ Governor Chris Christie and the many scandals now surrounding him.

We will also have a juxtaposition of two news events about women and women’s issues that really spoke to me and my beliefs about women’s rights and how the two parties see them.

Then, of course, I’ve been talking about Snowden and his impact a lot and the President this week announced some changes to the NSA Surveillance program. What were those changes and how do they square with what I have been saying all along. I’ll take you through it.

Also, Vladimir Putin discusses whether gays are welcome at the Sochi Olympics. You won’t believe what he said.

At the end we will our trademark weekly hall of fame and shame for those politicians and prominent individuals who made great sense or shameful nonsense, respectively.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lesersense/2014/01/20/chris-christie-update-obama-changes-to-nsa-putin-lgbt-and-domestic-violence