Category: Blogspot
A Dozen Things That Caught My Eye Today (September 18, 2018)
Moms at Mass, and other heroes.
Refugee Admissions Likely to Rise
The administration yesterday announced the FY 2019 refugee-resettlement ceiling would be 30,000, the lowest since the current program was created in 1980.
FBI: Brett Kavanaugh ‘Allegation Does Not Involve Any Potential Federal Crime’
The Department of Justice (DOJ) said Monday that the FBI will not investigate the sexual misconduct allegation against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
Russian cosmonauts to conduct spacewalk to probe into leak
MOSCOW (AP) — A space official says that Russian cosmonauts will venture outside the International Space Station to inspect a section where a mysterious leak…
Big Brother: Google Admits to Altering Android Phone Settings Remotely Without Permission
Tech giant Google has admitted to changing Android phone settings remotely without user permission, a move considered by experts to be bad for “transparency and…
Lila Rose: Twitter Claims It Doesn’t Judge Political Beliefs, but Bans Pro-Life Content
Lila Rose, the president and founder of pro-life organization Live Action, called out Twitter for claiming it doesn’t censor content based on political beliefs while…
Brad Parscale on Twitter: ‘The Enforcer Clearly Needs an Enforcer’
Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign manager, Brad Parscale, speaks out against Jack Dorsey and Twitter’s anti-conservative bias in a new op-ed that calls for the platform…
Flake: Would Be ‘Disqualifying’ if Kavanaugh Incident Occurred as Described
Tuesday on MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports,” Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) said if Supreme Court justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexual misconduct accuser Christine Blasey Ford were…
Grassley: Dr. Ford Has Not Yet Accepted Invitation to Testify Monday — ‘Do They Want to Have the Hearing or Not?’
On Tuesday’s “Hugh Hewitt Show,” Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) said his committee had reached out to Supreme Court justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s sexual…
Chuck Grassley: Monday’s Kavanaugh Hearing May Be Canceled if Christine Blasey Ford Doesn’t Testify
Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) said Tuesday that the committee’s hearing on Monday with Supreme Court Justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey…
Clergy Sex Abuse Claims Flood Special New Jersey Hotline
“No person is above the law and no institution is immune from accountability,” the attorney general continued. “We will devote whatever resources are necessary to…
Pope’s Adviser: Responding to Accusers ‘Feeds Their Megalomania’
According to one of Pope Francis’ closest advisers, the pontiff has not answered allegations by a former Vatican ambassador that he seriously mishandled the case…
Marco Rubio Demands DOJ Investigate John Kerry’s Rogue Diplomacy with Iran
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) called on the Justice Department to probe former Secretary of State John Kerry’s rogue diplomacy with Iran, the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, according to…
Collins wants Kavanaugh and accuser to be cross-examined by lawyers at hearing
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, has requested that lawyers for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and the woman who has accused him of sexual assault be…
Dems make new demands on Kavanaugh hearing, as Republicans cry foul
Democratic senators on Tuesday escalated their demands regarding a hearing to examine the sexual assault allegation against Brett Kavanaugh — suggesting Monday’s scheduled public session…
Senate backs bill to avert shutdown, boost military spending
WASHINGTON– The Senate has approved a wide-ranging $854 billion bill that provides a fix to keep the government open through Dec. 7 and funds the…
Legacy Outlets Add Two More Botched Hit Pieces To A Pile Of Stinky Reporting On Trump
Chuck Todd’s accusation that conservative outlets are to blame for the public’s growing lack of trust in the media was still in a steaming pile…
CNN Reporter Claims It’s ‘VERY Dangerous’ To Ask For Facts And Evidence Supporting Anti-Kavanaugh Allegations
A CNN reporter tweeted that it’s “VERY dangerous” for people to ask questions about the allegation of sexual assault made against Supreme Court nominee Brett…
Kavanaugh Will Testify About Accusations Under Oath, But His Accuser Is Refusing To Respond To Senate Invitations
The woman who has accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when the two were in high school has not agreed to…
Wisconsin Democrat Randy Bryce hit over criminal record, police comments in ad featuring brother
The race to replace Rep. Paul Ryan in Wisconsin just got even more heated as a Republican group released a new attack ad targeting the…
Who is Christine Blasey Ford, the professor who accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct?
Just days before the Senate Judiciary Committee was set to vote on Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation, Christine Blasey Ford publicly came forward to accuse…
German domestic intelligence chief loses job after spat with Chancellor Angela Merkel over anti-migrant violence
BERLIN (AP) — German domestic intelligence chief loses job after spat with Chancellor Angela Merkel over anti-migrant violence.
‘Brett Kavanaugh’s Kafkaesque Nightmare’
I wrote about Kavanaugh today.
Kamala Harris: The Senate Needs to Know Who Brett Kavanaugh Really Is
Tuesday on “CBS This Morning,” Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) said she believed Supreme Court justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexual misconduct accuser Christine Blasey Ford, and the…
ABC News Chief Political Analyst Matthew Dowd Alleges Clarence Thomas Is a ‘Sexual Predator’
Matthew Dowd, the chief political analyst for ABC News, smeared Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas as a “sexual predator.”
Pope gives bishops more decision-making options
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis decreed on Tuesday that ordinary Catholics should be consulted about issues facing the Catholic Church and that bishops gathering…
5 injured after scaffolding collapse in Madrid luxury hotel
MADRID (AP) — Emergency services in the Spanish capital say at least five construction workers have been injured and two more remain trapped after scaffolding…
Report: Border Wall Prototypes Breached, Broken During Tests
Initial tests of President Donald Trump’s border wall prototypes show the structures fail to meet the “non penetrable” criteria, according to a government report. Study…
Texas Declares ‘Final Victory’ in Voter ID Lawsuit
A United States District Court judge dismissed the lawsuit which challenged the Texas voter ID law, announced Attorney General Ken Paxton late Monday.
Emmy Host Michael Che: ‘The Only White People that Thank Jesus Are Republicans and Ex-Crackheads’
Emmy Awards co-host Michael Che kicked off the show with political commentary and disparaging jokes, and Christians were not spared.
Emmy Catastrophe: Ratings Crater 10 Percent to New All-Time Low
Ratings for Monday’s Emmy Award show collapsed by ten percent compared to 2017, which was already an all-time low.
Former FBI official Andrew McCabe has book deal
Just months after the publication of James Comey’s “A Higher Loyalty,” another former FBI official will take on President Donald Trump.
Mexico fires morgue director in corpse scandal
MEXICO CITY (AP) — The governor of the western Mexico state of Jalisco has fired the director of the state morgue after a refrigerated truck…
Tuesday Links
It’s the birthday of Dr. Samuel Johnson: Here’s a selection of his excellent insults and Scotland-bashing quotes.
Judge Kavanaugh’s Denial
Kavnaugh has made a categorical denial, saying, according to Senator Hatch, that he did not go to any party meeting Professor Ford’s description.
Lithuania: Walmart to remove Soviet-themed shirts
VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Walmart has agreed to remove shirts with Soviet emblems from its online shop after three Baltic countries complained about the clothing,…
Brett Kavanaugh’s mother is judge who dismissed a foreclosure action against accuser Ford’s parents
The parents of the woman who is accusing Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct have a connection to the Supreme Court nominee through his mother, a…
Trump administration cuts refugee admissions to 30,000
The Trump administration announced Monday it will cut the maximum number of refugees allowed into the country next year to 30,000, citing national security concerns…
Samaranch approves Beijing’s environmental outlook for 2022
BEIJING (AP) — Snow-making for the 2022 Beijing Olympics won’t bring lasting damage to the environment in the parched region of northern China, IOC vice…
Agencies scramble to prep Russia probe files for release after sweeping Trump order
Intelligence agencies are scrambling to prepare files related to the Russia probe after a sweeping order by President Trump to declassify several key documents, including…
Kavanaugh accuser has not yet accepted invitation to testify before Congress
Much has been made of Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford’s invitation to testify before an open hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee next week —…
Canadian gold mine owner seeks damages from Greece
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Canadian gold mining firm Eldorado Gold is seeking 750 million euros ($875 million) in damages from the Greek state over delays…
Opposition says it is better off after Syria deal in Idlib
BEIRUT (AP) — Syria’s opposition says it is better off in the wake of a Turkey-Russia deal on a demilitarized zone around Idlib province compared…
EU official: Cyprus could receive new EU border police
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — The European Union’s top migration official says personnel from the bloc’s new, upgraded border police could in the future be dispatched…
Cybersecurity firm: More Iran hacks as US sanctions loomed
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A cybersecurity firm is warning that Iranian government-aligned hackers have stepped up their efforts in the wake of President…
UK judge: Spy evidence on dead Russian should stay secret
LONDON (AP) — Information about possible links between a Russian businessman who died in mysterious circumstances and U.K. intelligence services will remain secret for security…
Researchers find hints of Israeli spyware around globe
LONDON (AP) — Researchers say an increasingly notorious brand of Israeli surveillance software is being used further afield than previously known, with possible infections detected…
Israel expresses sorrow for deaths of Russian aircrew downed by Syrian anti-aircraft fire, also blames Hezbollah, Iran
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel expresses sorrow for deaths of Russian aircrew downed by Syrian anti-aircraft fire, also blames Hezbollah, Iran.
Niger says Italian priest is kidnapped in southwest region
NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — Niger’s government says an Italian priest has been kidnapped in the nation’s southwest near its border with Burkina Faso.Government spokesman Zakaria…
Steve McQueen to create portrait of London schoolchildren
LONDON (AP) — Academy Award-winning director Steve McQueen is planning an ambitious project to take a portrait of every third-year pupil in London — tens…