July 26, 2020

Black armed protesters march in Kentucky demanding justice for Breonna Taylor

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (Reuters) - A group of heavily armed Black protesters marched through Louisville, Kentucky on Saturday demanding justice for Breonna Taylor, a Black woman killed in March by police officers who burst into her apartment.

Scores of the demonstrators, carrying semi-automatic rifles and shotguns and clad in black paramilitary gear, walked in formation to a fenced off intersection where they were separated by police from a smaller group of armed counter-protesters.

The Black militia dubbed NFAC want justice for Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical technician who died in a hail of gunfire when drug investigators bearing a “no-knock” warrant entered her Louisville home four months ago.

One police officer involved in the raid was fired by the city’s police department in June. Two other officers have been placed on administrative reassignment. No criminal charges have been filed against any of the three.

The leader of the NFAC group, John “Grandmaster Jay” Johnson, called on officials to speed up the investigation into her death and to be more transparent.

“If you don’t tell us nothing we going to think you ain’t doing nothing,” Johnson said in a speech, according to the Louisville Courier Journal.

Taylor’s death, which returned to prominence following the May 25 suffocation in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, has become a rallying cry in nationwide protests against police brutality and racial bias in the U.S. criminal justice system.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-race-protests-louisville-idUSKCN24R025

July 25, 2020

Gold Prices Set To Smash Record As Wall Street Shuns The Dollar

Source: forbes

The recent Covid-19 pandemic has pushed the price of gold to a hair’s whisker of its record high reached almost a decade ago. Investors should expect the rally to continue beyond that level, at least in the medium term, experts say. “We continue to be bullish on gold, believe that gold will make a new all- time high in US$, and that gold will make new all-time highs in all currencies,” states a recent report from Wolfe Research.

The price of gold recently traded around $1,893 a troy ounce, putting it within easy reach of its all-time high of around $1,920 reached in 2011 in the wake of the financial crisis. So far this year investors in the SPDR Gold Shares GLD +0.9% (GLD) exchange-traded fund, which holds bars of solid bullion, has rallied 24%. That far exceeds the 0.34% increase in the SPDR S&P 500 (SPY) ETF which tracks the S&P 500. Both figures are from Yahoo and exclude dividends for the S&P 500 fund.

The rally, and the likely further surge, comes as investors are increasingly worried about the purchasing power of the U.S. dollar. The pandemic prompted the U.S. government to borrow vast sums of money to prop up its economy while businesses were ordered to close, and employees were furloughed.

But all that borrowing comes at a cost. Either the U.S. will need to raise taxes in the future or the government will need to print money to induce inflation. Either way, it makes holding dollar-denominated assets less attractive than real assets such as gold. While gold prices have swung up and down over the past few years, over much longer periods, the metal has tended to maintain its purchasing power, which is why some investors like to own it as a kind of insurance policy against the wealth-withering ravages of inflation.



Read more: https://www.forbes.com/sites/simonconstable/2020/07/24/gold-prices-set-to-smash-record-as-the-wall-street-shuns-the-dollar/#1bd988201689

July 21, 2020

Anyone seen the movie "The Outpost" recently, about the Afghanistan war?

Just saw it and wow, it's the best movie about the US occupation of Afghanistan I've ever seen. It's pretty violent so I wouldn't recommend it if you don't like war movies, but I think it should be required viewing to show just how stupid and pointless the 19 years of US occupation of Afghanistan has been. What a fucking waste of lives, the movie has quite a bit of an anti-war vibe to it in how wasteful the whole thing has been, 8 soldiers died for a base that was later on abandoned.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kamdesh

July 17, 2020

What will happen when the unemployment benefit payments end in several months?

Right now I get the impression that's the only thing still holding our society together but it's going to end for most people in several months. There's no sign of any 2nd stimulus act passing anytime soon either. Are we screwed and will see even worse riots in August/September?

July 16, 2020

Prominent Members Of Black Community Call On NYPD To Bring Back Anti-Crime Unit

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — After another tragic weekend of gun violence, including the death of a 1-year-old, two members of the Black community called on the NYPD to bring back the recently disbanded Anti-Crime Unit to help get guns off the street.

It was a dramatic moment — Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams holding up a pair of baby shoes Monday after a 1-year-old became the latest victim of gun violence, caught in the crossfire at a family barbecue just hours before.

“Babies are not supposed to be wearing these in a coffin,” Adams said.

Adams, a former cop, became the second member of the African-American community to call on the NYPD to stop the violence by re-instituting the Anti-Crime Unit — undercover cops whose job was to get guns off the street. The unit was disbanded during the anti-cop protest that shook the city.

“I think that a total elimination is something we need to reevaluate,” said Adams. “Right now, bad guys are saying if you don’t see a blue and white you can do whatever you want.”

Community activist Tony Herbert agrees.

“The guns keep going off and now we have a 1-year-old and the blood is on the hands of the mayor and the state Legislature,” said Herbert.

Mayor Bill de Blasio decried the shootings.

“This is not anything we can allow in our city. It is heartbreaking. It’s heartbreaking for so many reasons and begins with the fact that there are just so many guns out there and that is a New York tragedy,” de Blasio said.

But the mayor did not propose any new solutions to ending the gun violence. This, as shootings for the week went up 277%, 49 compared to 13 in 2019. The number of victims is up 253%, 60 compared to 17 in 2019.

https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2020/07/13/new-york-city-shootings-nypd-anti-crime-unit-eric-adams-tony-herbert/

July 15, 2020

Missouri governor defends gun-toting St. Louis couple, says Trump may get involved

https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/da97d15/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1000x563+0+0/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fewscripps.brightspotcdn.com%2Fc1%2F96%2F0f76c93d428091b913990571b91d%2Fparsonstlcouple.png

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson launched into an impassioned and unprompted defense of the St. Louis couple seen waving guns at Black Lives Matter protesters last month and later suggested that President Donald Trump has taken an interest in the situation.

Mark and Patricia McCloskey were seen on video June 28, brandishing an AR-15 rifle and a handgun while confronting protesters marching through the Portland Place neighborhood, where the McCloskeys live.

Police in St. Louis executed a search warrant at the McCloskey home Friday at the behest of St. Louis City Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner’s office. The couple’s lawyer said police seized an AR-15 from the house and that the couple had previously surrendered the handgun.

On Tuesday, after introducing a new grant program for small businesses during a press conference, Parson told reporters that he wanted “to address the McCloskey situation in St. Louis.”

Parson said the McCloskeys were using the Castle Doctrine to protect their property from protesters, “which they had every right to do.”

During his time as a state legislator, Parson helped expand the Castle Doctrine in Missouri — a stand-your-ground law that permits property owners to use any means deemed necessary, including deadly force, to protect themselves and their property when threatened.

Parson said police weren’t notified of the situation before reiterating “that couple had every right to protect their property."

He then slammed the District Attorney's office, without directly naming Gardner, for reportedly considering an indictment in the case.

“What they should not go through is a prosecutor attempting to take their constitutional rights away by filing charges against them for protecting their property,” Parson said.

He then said it was very difficult to remove an elected official — like Gardner — from office, calling it “one of the things we need to address in future sessions.”

It was at that point Parson invoked the White House.

“I just got off the phone with the president of the United States before I walked out here today,” Parson said. “He understands the situation in Missouri. He understands the situation in St. Louis — and how out of control it is for a prosecutor to let violent criminals off and not do their job and try to attack law-abiding citizens.”

Parson said Trump promised to do “everything he could within his powers to help with this situation and that he would be taking action to do that.”

“I’m thankful that he’s getting involved in the situation,” Parson said "... I’m thankful that he’s going to stand up for people and their legal rights.”

After opening up to questions, Parson acknowledged that “all I know is what I’ve heard” about the McCloskey case and that “I don’t know all the details of it,” but that “it’s quite evident they are standing on their property.”

“I think the president and the attorney general of the United States (William Barr) are going to take a look at it,” Parson said.

He later added, “The president doesn’t like what he’s seeing and the way these people are being treated. I know the attorney general was represented on that phone call today, so I think you’ll see some sort of actions. I think they’re going to look into things.”

Parson plans to have follow-up conversations with Trump after expressing his concern over the limited power the Missouri governor has to remove other elected officials, among other things.

https://www.kxxv.com/news/america-in-crisis/missouri-governor-defends-gun-toting-st-louis-couple-says-trump-may-get-involved

July 7, 2020

NYC man fatally shot while holding hands with pigtailed daughter in the Bronx, shocking video shows

Shocking video shows the moment a man was fatally shot in a drive-by shooting in the Bronx Sunday - while he was holding hands and crossing the street with his pigtailed little daughter.

Anthony Robinson, 28, had traveled from Brooklyn with his 7-year-old daughter Khloe to spend the holiday weekend in the Bronx, where Khloe’s mom lives and shares custody of the little girl with Robinson.

The unsuspecting pair was holding hands and strolling along E. 170th St. shortly before 6 p.m. when a dark sedan rolled up slowly, and a passenger leaned out and started shooting as the dad and daughter crossed Sheridan Ave. in Mount Eden.

Video shows Robinson, shot in the chest, falling to the ground, as little Khloe lets go of her daddy’s hand and dashes down the street to safety.

Cops said the gunman in the car squeezed off four shots. Miraculously, none of them hit the little girl, or anyone else.

The bloodshed was part of a holiday weekend of violence more typically associated with the crack epidemic years of the late 1980s and early 1990s.

On Sunday alone, 48 people were shot, nine fatally, in 30 different incidents around the city.

https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/ny-video-bronx-man-fatally-shot-holding-hands-girl-20200706-4wrhjnlz2fdutikkwfkug6miom-story.html

July 6, 2020

New York Democrats want to strip cops with 'serious' offense of pension benefits

Two Democratic state lawmakers introduced a bill that would strip police officers of their state pension benefits if fired for issues involving “serious” misconduct.

State Sen. Luis Sepulveda (D-The Bronx) and Assemblywoman Diana Richardson (D-Brooklyn) introduced the legislation last month that would bar members of law enforcement from receiving retirement benefits if they are fired in cases involving misconduct or malfeasance, or resign or retire in the middle of misconduct investigation in connection to their job.

Cops are already eligible to lose pensions if convicted of a felony, but the pols listed several “improper” or “illegal actions” including fabrication of evidence, repeated use of excessive force, acceptance of a bribe or fraud.

“Systematic racism, inadequate training, and abuse of power have all contributed to the scourge of police brutality that has torn apart families and communities across the county. We are at a pivotal moment for anti-racist and police reform, and it is clear that law enforcement officers must face greater accountability,” Sepulveda said in a statement.

https://nypost.com/2020/07/02/albany-lawmakers-want-to-strip-bad-cops-of-pension-benefits/

July 3, 2020

How bad is the fireworks situation in your area?

It's not even July 4 yet and it already sounds like it, there's supposed to be a $1000 fine for setting off fireworks but everyone's just ignoring it. Is it this bad too in other states?

July 3, 2020

Mask up or pay up; California cities impose fines for disobeying orders

Choosing not to wear a mask in parts of California could cost you.

Fines for not making the effort to help curb spread of the coronavirus could set you back $300 in West Hollywood and $100 each in the cities of Santa Monica and Monterey as officials statewide scramble to control a surge of cases heading into the July 4 holiday weekend.

The firmer approach to impose fines and ramp up enforcement of a rule that previously had carried no penalty reflects a parting from the non-punitive approach of Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Newsom has chosen encouragement over punishment to get more Californians to comply with his mask mandate, which has become a politicized issue. While public health officials say face coverings are a no-brainer way to curb possible spread of the virus, the order has been resisted by people who claim it violates their personal freedom.

At Mel’s Drive-In on the Sunset Strip recently, one woman argued with Colton Weiss, grandson of the franchise's founder, Mel Weiss, when he asked her to put on a mask.

“She was asking me, ‘What are you, God?’ ” he recounted Thursday, wearing a black mask branded with the Mel’s logo.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Capt. Edward Ramirez, who heads the West Hollywood station, said city officials decided early this week to take a stronger stance as coronavirus cases increased. He said most people have complied after being warned.

Deputies will continue to warn people and hand out masks to those who don't have their own, he said. As a "very last option” they can issue a non-criminal citation to people who refuse to don the protection. The ticket comes with a fine of $250 for a first offense, as well as a $50 fee.

https://www.kcra.com/article/southern-california-city-to-ticket-people-without-masks/33087734#