Click here to view this media After talking about how Gov. Rick Perry “stole the show” at the Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans this weekend and whether he may throw his hat into the 2012 presidential race, Chris Wallace asks former White House deputy press secretary Bill Burton whether the Democrats should be worried about Perry entering the race. After Burton dismisses Perry as just a “pretty extreme version of George W. Bush” and noted that no matter who wins the nomination, this election is going to be about the economy and Wallace attempts to defend Perry’s record in Texas. WALLACE: Rick Perry’s got, huge job growth. It’s the biggest job-producing state in the country. BURTON: But on the bottom in education, on the bottom on the unemployed, on the bottom of a lot of different things. WALLACE: Well, we’re going to have to leave it there, to be continued. Thank you panel and see you all next week. As was already pointed out here and as Burton rightfully noted, the economy in Texas is not in good shape, but apparently Chris Wallace didn’t want to discuss that. Think Progress has more on Rick Perry’s record on job creation in Texas. Gov. Perry Talks Up Job Creation As He Prepares To Lay Off One-Third Of Texas’ Teachers Gov. Perry Promised His Budget Would Lead To Job Creation — Instead It Would Destroy 600,000 Jobs
Continue reading …Senate denies Navy’s missile-destroying laser funding, puts the kibosh on annoying Dr. Evil impressions
June 19, 2011 No Comment
Leave it to the Senate to crush the military’s fragile dreams. All the Navy ever really wanted was a giant ship-based laser that could be used to shoot down missiles. Despite some record breaking stats , however, the latest defense authorization bill handed down from the Senate Armed Services Committee throws a giant congressional wet blanket on the free-electron laser . The project, it seems, has simply proven too expensive — among other things, the laser’s researchers haven’t found the ideal method for powering the weapon from a ship. According to the current timeline, the project was not likely to have been completed before 2020, and as such the Navy’s request for further funding was, somewhat ironically, ultimately shot down. Senate denies Navy’s missile-destroying laser funding, puts the kibosh on annoying Dr. Evil impressions originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 19 Jun 2011 13:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Senate denies Navy’s missile-destroying laser funding, puts the kibosh on annoying Dr. Evil impressions
June 19, 2011 No CommentLeave it to the Senate to crush the military’s fragile dreams. All the Navy ever really wanted was a giant ship-based laser that could be used to shoot down missiles. Despite some record breaking stats , however, the latest defense authorization bill handed down from the Senate Armed Services Committee throws a giant congressional wet blanket on the free-electron laser . The project, it seems, has simply proven too expensive — among other things, the laser’s researchers haven’t found the ideal method for powering the weapon from a ship. According to the current timeline, the project was not likely to have been completed before 2020, and as such the Navy’s request for further funding was, somewhat ironically, ultimately shot down. Senate denies Navy’s missile-destroying laser funding, puts the kibosh on annoying Dr. Evil impressions originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 19 Jun 2011 13:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Senate denies Navy’s missile-destroying laser funding, puts the kibosh on annoying Dr. Evil impressions
June 19, 2011 No CommentLeave it to the Senate to crush the military’s fragile dreams. All the Navy ever really wanted was a giant ship-based laser that could be used to shoot down missiles. Despite some record breaking stats , however, the latest defense authorization bill handed down from the Senate Armed Services Committee throws a giant congressional wet blanket on the free-electron laser . The project, it seems, has simply proven too expensive — among other things, the laser’s researchers haven’t found the ideal method for powering the weapon from a ship. According to the current timeline, the project was not likely to have been completed before 2020, and as such the Navy’s request for further funding was, somewhat ironically, ultimately shot down. Senate denies Navy’s missile-destroying laser funding, puts the kibosh on annoying Dr. Evil impressions originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 19 Jun 2011 13:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Senate denies Navy’s missile-destroying laser funding, puts the kibosh on annoying Dr. Evil impressions
June 19, 2011 No CommentLeave it to the Senate to crush the military’s fragile dreams. All the Navy ever really wanted was a giant ship-based laser that could be used to shoot down missiles. Despite some record breaking stats , however, the latest defense authorization bill handed down from the Senate Armed Services Committee throws a giant congressional wet blanket on the free-electron laser . The project, it seems, has simply proven too expensive — among other things, the laser’s researchers haven’t found the ideal method for powering the weapon from a ship. According to the current timeline, the project was not likely to have been completed before 2020, and as such the Navy’s request for further funding was, somewhat ironically, ultimately shot down. Senate denies Navy’s missile-destroying laser funding, puts the kibosh on annoying Dr. Evil impressions originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 19 Jun 2011 13:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Mietek Pemper, the Jewish prisoner who created “Schindler’s List”—a list of concentration camp workers “essential” to the Nazi war effort, which saved hundreds from extermination—has died at age 91, reports the New York Times . Pemper was secretary for the commandant of the Plaszow concentration camp, a brutal Nazi…
Continue reading …Add Michele Bachmann to the list of GOP presidential hopefuls who have been “glitter bombed” by gay rights supporters, reports Politico . Bachmann was leaving the stage after a 40-minute speech yesterday in Minneapolis when a young woman approached the stage and threw glitter, but largely missed the congresswoman. “My response…
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Regional vegetable prices rise by 40% as rains flood more that 1m acres of farmland and affect lives of 5.7 million people Food prices are expected to rise steeply in China after flooding inundated more than 1 million acres of farmland in eastern provinces, killing at least 100 people and displacing hundreds of thousands more. Weeks of torrential rain in Zhejiang province in the Yangtze delta have caused nearly 6bn yuan (£575m) of damage, reducing vegetable production by 20% and pushing prices in the provincial capital of Hangzhou up by as much as 40%, Xinhua news agency said. The rains have forced almost 1,000 businesses to suspend operations and affected the lives of 5.7 million people, China’s official news agency said in a brief report. More than 7,000 homes had collapsed or were otherwise damaged. The rains are expected to continue for two days, stretching from the financial hub of Shanghai in the east to rural Yunnan in the far south-west. Farmers quoted by Xinhua reported shortages of fruit and grains. Prices for green vegetables were up 40%, the agency said, adding pressure to inflation already at a three-year high of 5.5%. Villagers on the outskirts of Zhuji in Zhejiang returned to their homes on Sunday as floodwaters receded. Two towns were inundated and thousands of people were evacuated after the breach of two dykes on Thursday. China has mobilised troops to rescue stricken farmers and distribute food, but some villagers said more could have been done to prevent the flooding. “When the flooding first started, the breach was not that huge. We could have easily fixed it,” said Shou Qiongdan, 22. “But the government did not do anything. None of the local officials tried to salvage the situation. That’s why we have such huge economic losses and so many people being affected by the flooding.” In neighbouring Jiangsu province, more than 20cm of rain fell on Suzhou city on Friday night, and the Yangtze river and its tributaries burst their banks, affecting up to 3 million people. China Flooding Natural disasters and extreme weather Food guardian.co.uk
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PC Simon Harwood to face charge of manslaughter over death of Ian Tomlinson at G20 demonstration in April 2009 The Scotland Yard officer accused of killing homeless newspaper vendor Ian Tomlinson during the G20 protests is to appear in court on Monday. PC Simon Harwood, from Carshalton, south London, will appear before City of Westminster magistrates court charged with manslaughter. Tomlinson, 47, collapsed and died on the fringes of the demonstrations in central London in April 2009, after being hit by a police baton and pushed. Harwood was charged over the death after Keir Starmer, QC, director of public prosecutions, reviewed an inquest jury’s verdict of unlawful killing. Starmer overturned an earlier decision not to prosecute anyone in relation to the death after the inquest heard new medical evidence and the opinion of experts leading him to conclude there was a “realistic prospect” of a successful prosecution of Harwood. Starmer said after the inquest: “The difficulties that would now confront any prosecution have changed in nature and scale from last year when a decision was taken not to prosecute, although it is clear that real difficulties remain.” Tomlinson’s death became the subject of intense controversy after New York businessman Christoper La Jaunie handed video footage taken during the protest to the Guardian. The inquest saw CCTV images, police helicopter footage and hand-held video recordings showing Tomlinson staggering away from a police cordon after being hit by a baton. He is seen gesturing to police and appearing angry after being sent tumbling to the ground. The Metropolitan police commissioner, Sir Paul Stephenson, said the case was “clearly a very, very serious matter for all concerned”. He added: “I have got to be very, very concerned at an inquest verdict that returns a verdict of unlawful killing involving, as the inquest did, one of my police officers. My sympathies continue to be with the Tomlinson family.” Ian Tomlinson Police London Sir Paul Stephenson Keir Starmer G20 Caroline Davies guardian.co.uk
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PITTSFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Divers found the body of a competitive billiards player from Michigan inside a suitcase in an Indiana pond on Thursday, and her boyfriend – who helped lead authorities to her body – was charged with murder. Dawn Fital, 45, of Pittsfield Township was reported missing Monday. Police arrested her boyfriend, Gregory Noack, the next day about 210 miles away after he was found acting suspiciously behind a bank in Merrillville, Ind. But an open murder warrant wasn’t filed for Noack until Thursday by prosecutors in Washtenaw County, Mich., said Pittsfield Township police Deputy Chief Gordon Schick. Noack, 44, shared a home with Fital. Noack, who remained jailed in Indiana’s Lake County, was expected to appear in court there Friday, Schick said. Divers with the sheriff’s department in Lake County discovered Fital’s body about 10:15 a.m. EDT in a pond behind a Toys R Us store between the communities of Hobart and Merrillville, said Deputy Commander Rob Arnold. Information from the boyfriend “led to the discovery of the body,” Arnold said. The body was inside a large suitcase, said chief deputy coroner T.J. Adams, who declined to disclose any other details. An autopsy was planned for Saturday so Michigan authorities can attend. Fital lived with the man and her ex-husband at an apartment complex near Ann Arbor, about 35 miles southwest of Detroit, Pittsfield Township Public Safety Chief Matt Harshberger said. Police removed boxes, computers and other items from the Pittsfield apartment Wednesday. Fital’s former husband told police that he hadn’t been in contact with her since Monday. On Fital’s Facebook page, she says, “I know I am a pool playing bum, but that’s how I roll.” She won at least $600 at an event this month in Las Vegas, according to results posted online by the Valley National 8-Ball League Association. “She’s just below the upper tier” of players, said Nick Leider, managing editor of Billiards Digest, after looking at Fital’s results from the past few years. “She hasn’t won anything big.” Francine Bowles, 27, a cousin of Fital’s ex-husband, recalled playing with Fital’s children years ago while their mother sharpened her game. “It was definitely her passion,” said Bowles of Kimberly, Wis. “She’d be in the basement practicing while we were watching a movie. She was just really good at it.”
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