Supreme Court Justices Weigh In On Racially Charged Remarks of Federal Prosecutor

two u.s. supreme court justices weighed in on the racially charged remarks of a federal prosecutor during a criminal trial in texas. the comments of the justices emerged as the court declined to hear the appeal of a man who was convicted in a texas federal court of being in on a drug conspiracy.

the issue for the defendant, bongani charles calhoun, was whether he knew the people he accompanied on a road trip were about to buy illegal drugs, or whether he was merely along for the ride. during cross-examination, calhoun said he distanced himself from the others when one of them arrived at their hotel with a bag of money.

the prosecutor, an assistant u.s. attorney in the western district of texas, pressed calhoun to explain why he didn't want to be there. the prosecutor asked, "you've got african-americans, you've got hispanics & you've got a bag full of money. does that tell you, a light bulb doesn't go off in your head & say, this is a drug deal?"  

after he was convicted, calhoun - who is african-american - claimed the prosecutor's culturally oppressive statements violated his constitutional rights by appealing to the jury's prejudice. the court today declined to take up his appeal, because his lawyers failed to properly pursue the issue in the lower courts.  

but justices stephen breyer & sonia sotomayor said they couldn't let the case pass without writing to dispel doubts of whether the court's decision to not hear the case "should be understood to signal our tolerance of a federal prosecutor's racially charged remark. it should not." they wrote.

breyer & sotomayor wrote, "by suggesting that race should play a role in establishing a defendant's criminal intent, the prosecutor here tapped into a deep & sorry vein of racial prejudice that has run through the history of criminal justice in our nation. it is deeply disappointing to see a representative of the united states resort to this base tactic more than a decade into the 21st century. we expect the government to seek justice, not to fan the flames of fear & prejudice."

the justices also said it was troubling to see the justice department fail to immediately condemn what happened. instead, they said, during the appeals in the lower courts, the government called the prosecutor's remarks "impolitic" & said it did not affect the outcome of the trial "even assuming the question crossed the line."

nonetheless, it was only after the case reached the supreme court did the justice department concede the prosecutor's remarks were "unquestionably improper." sotomayor wrote for herself & breyer, "i hope never to see a case like this again."


  

2013 NBA All-Star Weekend

the 2013 nba all-star weekend in houston, texas began friday night with the celebrity all-star game. russell westbrook, all-pro guard of the oklahoma city thunder & james harden, all-pro guard of the houston rockets served as respective coaches. actor/comedian kevin hart was named mvp for the second consecutive year, despite scoring just five points.

the ongoing activities culminate with the all-star game between the eastern & western conference sunday night. hall-of-famers charles barkley & shaquille o'neal coached the rookie/sophomore game on friday. dwayne wade, all-pro guard of the miami heat coached the eastern squad. chris paul, all-pro guard of the los angeles clippers coached the western squad on saturday. listed below are the winners:

rookie/sophomore game. team chuck 163, team shaq 135. 
mvp: kenneth faried, denver nuggets. 40 points, 10 rebounds.

shooting stars - team bosh: chris bosh, swin cash & dominique wilkins.

skills challenge - damien lillard, portland trailblazers.

three point competition - kyrie irving, cleveland cavaliers.

slam dunk contest - terrance ross, toronto raptors.

west 143, east 138. 
mvp: chris paul. 20 points, 15 assists.

Baltimore Ravens Win Super Bowl XLVII

the baltimore ravens defeated the san francisco 49ers 34-31 to win super bowl xlvii. ravens quarterback joe flacco was named most valuable player. flacco completed 22 of 33 passes for 287 yards & three touchdown passes. flacco ties joe montana & kurt warner for the most td passes in post-season history, with 11.

ravens head coach john harbaugh & 49ers head coach jim harbaugh are the first brothers to face off in a super bowl. john, 15 months older than jim, was humble upon accepting the vince lombardi trophy on behalf of his team. he said, "how could it be any other way? its never pretty. its never perfect. but its us. it was us today."

super bowl 47 lasted an nfl record four hours & 14 minutes. it was a thrilling game, which featured a surprising 34 minute power outage, shortly after halftime. both teams were instructed to stay on the field & stretch. no one was injured during the delay, but the ravens seemed to lose the momentum they built after jacobi jones ran 108 yards on a kickoff return, tying an nfl record. his score gave them a 28-6 lead.

the 49ers quickly redeemed themselves when the power returned, as rookie quarterback colin kaepernick threw a 31-yard td pass to wide receiver michael crabtree. after shutting down the ravens on three straight plays, ted ginn, jr's 20-yard punt return led to a frank gore six-yard td run to make the score 28-20. 

ravens all-pro running back ray lewis fumbled on his own 24-yard line. 49ers david akers' 34-yard field goal lowered the ravens lead to five. but after a long drive, their rookie justin tucker's 19-yard field goal increased the lead to eight. kaepernick's 15-yard td run - the longest by a qb in super bowl history - made it 31-29. the 49ers failed on a two-point conversion due to the ravens' all out blitz, led by all-pro safety ed reed.

tucker kicked another field goal with four minutes & 19 seconds left in the game. the 49ers drove to the red zone shortly before the two-minute warning. yet they were unable to score on three consecutive plays, due to the ravens' tough goal-line stand. there was contact on crabtree on the final pass. 49ers coach jim harbaugh felt pass interference should have been called, but there was no flag thrown.

ravens punter sam koch, in another of a series of bold moves by ravens head coach john harbaugh in this game, took a safety for the final 34-31 score with four seconds left on the clock. his free kick was returned by ginn, jr. to midfield as the time ran out & the confetti began to shower the field. the victory is the second in the ravens' storied history. they routed the new york giants in 2001.

after a successful start, baltimore stumbled into the playoffs with four defeats in their last five regular-season games. all-pro linebacker ray lewis, who recently announced his retirement after this season, missed a few games after injuring his torn triceps. flacco struggled to find rhythm throwing the ball. harbaugh fired their offensive coordinator in december, a stunning move with the post-season in sight. 

the winning head coach harbaugh said, "the final series of ray lewis' career was a goal-line stand." lewis said, "it's no greater way, as a champ, to go out on your last ride with the men that i went out with, my teammates. and you looked around this stadium and baltimore! baltimore! we coming home, baby! we did it!" 

the loss was difficult for jim harbaugh. after the 49ers fired head coach mike singletary, the hall-of-fame linebacker from the chicago bears, in two years he led them to their first super bowl in 18 years. they are 5-0 in super bowls. they made a similar comeback in the nfc championship game against atlanta & believed they'd do it again. but afterwards, the brothers embraced at midfield, knowing a harbaugh was a winner.

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick Appoints Mo Cowan To Senate Seat

massachusetts governor deval patrick will appoint his former chief of staff, william "mo" cowan, to be the interim pick to fill the state's vacated senate seat. cowan is the second african-american to represent the state of massachusetts in the senate. republican ed brooke was the first. brooke served from 1967-1979.

according to the boston globe, "cowan is a north carolina native & duke university graduate who came to boston to attend northeastern university law school in the early 1990's & never left the region. one of the city's leading african-american lawyers, cowan is a former partner in the politically connected law firm of mintz levin."

the globe also reports, "patrick & cowan built up a strong friendship over the years, in part, because both men have risen from difficult childhoods to prominence in boston & in the state. patrick also served as a mentor to cowan when both were practicing lawyers."

in a statement, patrick said, "mo's service on the front lines in our efforts to manage through the worst economy in 80 years & build a better, stronger commonwealth for the next generation has earned him the respect & admiration of people throughout government. the people of the commonwealth have benefited from his wisdom & good judgment during his time in our office, & will again in the senate."

once senator john kerry was nominated by president barack obama to replace hilary rodham clinton for secretary of state, there was widespread speculation about who governor patrick would appoint to replace him. some thought patrick might even select himself.

retired congressman barney frank shared his interest as a placeholder - until a special election is held this june - to fill that seat for the remainder of kerry's term. earlier last month, frank said, "i'm very well suited to do it. you're not going to have a long period to get acquainted with things."

kerry was nearly unanimously confirmed by the u.s. senate tuesday to lead the state department under president obama. republican scott brown, who lost his bid for re-election to the senate this past november, indicated he may run again this summer. recent polls have shown him leading several potential democratic candidates, including patrick.  

        

Ravens Linebacker Plans To Affirm LGBT Rights At Super Bowl XLVII

baltimore ravens linebacker & special teams ace brendon ayanbadejo has unconventional plans for the upcoming super bowl week. ayanbadejo intends to utilize the global media blitz as a unique opportunity to express his views on anti-bullying, gay rights & marriage equality.

ayanbadejo is bi-racial & grew up in a liberal environment where discrimination was frowned upon. his stepfather was a resident director for a lesbian, gay, bisexual & transgender (lgbt) dorm at the university of california at santa cruz. ayanbadejo & his family lived in the dorm, which helped him cultivate passionate feelings for lgbt people & their rights.

earlier this season, ayanbadejo was at the center of a developing controversy: a maryland politician wrote a letter to the ravens demanding the organization silence him for speaking publicly about lgbt issues. surprisingly, minnesota vikings punter chris kluwe supported ayanbadejo & wrote a scathing letter to the politician - admonishing him for discouraging a citizen for sharing their views.

despite the political backlash, ayanbadejo remains steadfast. according to the new york times, he e-mailed two marriage equality advocates hours after returning home from the team's come-from-behind win against the new england patriots in the afc championship game last sunday. he also swapped e-mails with the founder & executive director of athlete ally, a group dedicated to eliminating homophobia in sports.     

ayanbadejo began working on ways to get out his message as soon as the ravens clinched a berth in the game against the san francisco 49ers. in fact, he even has a dream scenario in mind: the ravens win the super bowl & he is invited to the ellen degeneres talk show as a guest, where the duo will discuss the importance of equality for all gays & lesbians. but before they get their talk on, he wants to get his dance on, with ellen. 

Pentagon Chief Leon Panetta Removes Military Ban On Women In Combat

senior defense officials wednesday said pentagon chief leon panetta is removing the military's ban on women serving in combat. the ban will open hundreds of thousands of front-line positions & potentially elite commando jobs after more than a decade of war.

the groundbreaking move recommended by the joint chiefs of staff overturns a 1994 rule prohibiting women from being assigned to smaller ground combat units. panetta's decision gives the military services until january 2016 to seek special exceptions if they believe any positions must remain closed to women. 

a senior military official says the services will develop plans for allowing women to seek the combat positions. some jobs may open as soon as this year. assessments for others, such as special operations forces, including navy seals & the army's delta force, may take longer.

the official said the military chiefs must report back to panetta with their initial implementation plans by may 15. since the announcement on panetta's decision is not expected until thursday, the official spoke on the condition of anonymity.

panetta's bold move expands the pentagon's action nearly a year ago to open up about 14,500 combat positions to women, nearly all of them in the army. this decision could open up more than 230,000 jobs, many in army & marine infantry units, to women.

in recent years the necessities of war propelled women into jobs such as intelligence officers, medics & military police sometimes attached - but not formally assigned - to units on the front lines. women comprise 14 percent of the nearly 1.4 million active military personnel.



  

Major Porn Producer Sues To Block Controversial Los Angeles Condom Law

a major adult filmmaker sued to block a new los angeles county law requiring porn actors to wear condoms, calling it a threat to free expression. vivid entertainment contends measure b, passed by country voters last fall, violates the first amendment right to free speech & expression. vivid feels the law is unnecessary because the adult industry currently employs safeguards, such as regular blood testing of actors, to prevent the spread of aids & other sexually transmitted infections.

the provocative suit, filed thursday in federal court, also maintains the law is burdensome, ineffective, vague & is pre-empted by california laws & regulations. it asks the court to block the measure's enforcement & rule it unconstitutional. county counsel declined comment friday, saying they had just begun a review of the case.

measure b requires adult film producers to apply for a permit from the county department of health to shoot sex scenes. permit fees will finance periodic inspections of film sets to enforce compliance. however, public health authorities have not announced specific enforcement measures for the law. the aids healthcare foundation, which sponsored the initiative, said the measure will safeguard both the public & porn actors from sexually transmitted infections.

some adult film actors rallied to oppose the law before its november passage. sex film star amber lynn told the los angeles daily news at the time, "the idea of allowing a government employee to come & inspect our genitalia while we're on set is atrocious."

industry critics said fans don't want to see actors using condoms. they say if the law is enforced, the 200 or so companies producing adult films in los angeles, primarily in the san fernando valley, will simply move their businesses elsewhere - taking with them as many as 10,000 jobs.

steven hirsch, vivid's founder & co-chairman, said, "overturning this law is something i feel very passionate about. i believe the industry's current testing system works well." hirsch said, "since 2004 over 300,000 explicit scenes have been filmed with zero hiv transmission. the new law makes no sense & it imposes a government licensing regime on making films protected by the constitution."

hirsch also said, in a statement, the law will have "vast unintended consequences which may undermine industry efforts to protect the health of our actors & actresses." califa productions, which produces adult films for vivid, along with actors who use the stage names kayden kross & logan pierce, joined the suit, which names the county, its district attorney & public health director.   
 
   
   

Gang-Rape: Five Male Suspects Charged In Murder Of Young Woman In Delhi, India

indian authorities have charged five men with the kidnap, gang rape & murder of a woman in delhi, india last month. the 23 year-old female died of her injuries two weeks after the december 16 attack. the five men will be tried in a fast-track court, where they could be handed the death penalty. a sixth suspect is likely to be tried in juvenile court.

the brutally vicious incident has sparked outrage all across the indian continent. the victim's father said he backed calls for the men to be executed if they are found guilty. "the whole country is demanding that these monsters be hanged. i am with them," he told reporters at his home in uttar predesh state. under indian law, neither the woman nor her family can be identified.

the charges were put before a magistrate but will be transferred to a specially launched fast-track court. the trial is expected to start at the weekend. although its mandatory in india for the accused to appear in person to be charged, policemen outside the court said the suspects, who include the driver of the bus, would not be present on thursday for security reasons.

case documents already exceed 1,000 pages - including key testimony from the woman before she died. police say they have scheduled more than 30 witnesses. the bar association said none of its members are willing to defend the suspects; the court is expected to appoint defense lawyers itself. india's chief justice, altamas kabir, warned, despite the strength of public feeling, "a swift trial should not be at the cost of a fair trial." he also told reporters,"let us not lose sight of the fact that a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty."

protests have been taking place every day since the attack, with protesters expressing rage over attitudes towards woman in india, while calling for changes to the laws on violence against women. they say woman across india are frequent victims of harassment & sexual assault, reports of crimes against women are not taken seriously & conviction rates are too low.

the bbc's sanjoy majumder in delhi says this is not the first such crime to make the news, but it has touched a raw nerve with the public & could become a watershed case. on wednesday, delhi's chief minister sheila dikshit joined thousands of women on a protest march through delhi to rajghat & called for stringent anti-rape laws. india's junior education minister shashi tharoor suggested a new anti-rape law be named after the victim - whose family said they would not object to such a move.

the woman & a male friend had been to the cinema when they boarded a private bus home in the evening. police have said the men on the bus had been drinking & were taking the vehicle on a joyride. they beat the woman & her companion with iron bars, raped her for nearly an hour & then threw them out of the moving bus into the street.

the press trust of india quoted police sources as saying the driver of the bus tried to run her over after throwing her out, but she was saved by her male friend. she sustained serious injuries to her body & her brain. tragically, she died in a hospital in singapore december 29, where she had been flown in for specialist treatment.

delhi officials have responded to criticism stating they are failing to protect women by announcing a series of measures intended to make the city safer. these include checks on bus drivers & their assistants, more police night patrols & the banning of buses with tinted windows or curtains. the government has also set up a committee under a retired supreme court judge to recommend changes to the anti-rape law. additionally, a telephone helpline has been launched for women in distress, connected with police stations across the city.

in what has been seen as an indication of the growing public rage around sexual violence towards women, ironic footage was broadcast on national television last thursday. a member of the ruling congress party in north-eastern assam state - who had been accused of raping a young woman - was being publicly attacked. the video showed a crowd of woman surrounding the man, hitting him & stripping him, before they turned him over to the police. 





   
 





  
     
      
  
     

Minimum Wage Bill Pushes Federal Increase To $10 An Hour

the minimum wage hasn't kept pace with inflation, according to three u.s. congressmen. they want to correct the situation by boosting the federal standard to $10 an hour. 

representatives john conyers, jr. (d-mich), dennis kucinich (d-ohio), & jesse jackson, jr. (d-ill) announced the introduction of "the catching up to 1968 act of 2012" at a press conference wednesday in washington, dc. the proposed bill would augment the minimum wage up from $7.25 an hour & require an annual increase tied to inflation. 

the congressmen said that even at $10 an hour, the minimum wage is below 1968 levels when adjusted for inflation. said conyers, "this legislation is long overdue & sorely needed. more than 30 million americans would see their wages increased, which would provide an immediate boost to the economy." congress hasn't passed legislation raising the minimum wage since 2006, when it put in place a series of increases that ended in 2009.

consumer advocate & former presidential candidate ralph nader helped announce the legislation at the press conference. said nader, "at at time when the issue of income inequality has been elevated in political discourse, it is surprising that a plight of millions of workers throughout this country hasn't been addressed. a single wall street executive's compensation of $15 million would pay the annual wages of over 700 workers working at a minimum wage of $10 an hour."

in a october 2010 poll conducted by the public religion research institute, two-thirds of the american public - including a majority of republicans - supported raising the minimum wage. while running for office, president barack obama promised to raise the minimum wage to $9.50 an hour by 2011. both obama & his 2012 campaign opponent republican mitt romney support the idea of adjusting the minimum wage to keep up with inflation.



  

Happy Kwanzaa Everyone!

nguzo saba (the seven spiritual principles) - a guide for daily living...

umoja (unity)
to strive for & maintain unity in the family, community, nation & race.

kujichajulia (self-determination)
to define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves & speak for ourselves instead of being defined, named, created for & spoken for by others.

ujima (collective work & responsibility)
to build & maintain our community together & make our sister's & brother's problems our problems & to solve them together.

ujamaa (cooperative economics)
to build & maintain our own stores, shops & other businesses & to profit from them together.

nia (purpose)
to make our collective vocation in the building & development of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.

kuumba (creativity)
to do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful & beneficial than we inherited it.

imani (faith)
to believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders & the righteousness & victory of our struggle.

dr. maulana karenga
september 7, 1965

First Lady Michelle Obama Writes An Open Letter To Sandy Hook Victims And Their Families

first lady michelle obama wrote an open letter to the victims of the tragic shooting at sandy hook elementary school in newtown, connecticut. the compassionate letter, entitled, "holding you in our hearts," was published in the hartford courant yesterday. the letter reads as follows:

"over the past week, we as americans have been united in our grief as newtown has laid to rest so many beautiful, innocent children, along with the heroic educators who worked every day to help them achieve their dreams. as a mother of two young daughters, my heart aches for you and your families. like so many americans, i wish there was something - anything - i could do to ease your anguish.

but i know that i cannot begin to imagine the depths of your grief. i know that for many of you, the pain you are enduring right now seems unbearable; any many of you may be asking yourselves, how can we go on - as families and as a community? but i also know that we have already begun to see the answer to that question in the countless acts of courage, kindness and love here in newtown and across america.

over the past week, i have been awed and inspired by newtown's heroes: the first responders who risked their lives at a moment's notice; the educators whose devotion to their students shone brightest in one of our nation's darkest hours; the children who comforted each other despite their fear; the families coming together to support each other as they grieve.

and i am so proud of the outpouring of love and support that has come from every corner of america; from first responders from neighboring cities rushing to help however they could; from people in cleveland and charlotte and juneau and so many other communities joining together to honor newtown with their thoughts and prayers; and in living rooms and houses of worship and the halls of government, where we are beginning to have those difficult conversations about how we can build a safer, more peaceful tomorrow for all our children.

and i want you to know that this is just the beginning. as my husband has said, in the coming weeks, he will use all the powers of his office to engage citizens from across the country to find ways to prevent tragedies like this one. and please know that every minute of every day, we are thinking of you, and praying for you, and holding you and your families in our hearts as you begin the slow and wrenching work of healing and moving forward.

in the months and years ahead, may the memories of those beautiful children and those heroic adults be a blessing for their families, for your community, and for our country, and may god bless you all."

first lady michelle obama, washington, dc.

today is the fifth consecutive day funerals will be held for victims of the massacre in newton, as three staff members and two students will be laid to rest. at 9:30 a.m., a moment of silence will take place nationally for the sandy hook victims, marking a week ago when adam lanza killed 26 people, including 20 children. he then took his own life.

newtown officials will convene together at 9:28 a.m. on the steps of edmund town hall in newtown, for the 9:30 a.m. moment of silence. governor dannel p. malloy, lt. governor nancy wyman and newtown first selectman patricia llodra will be among those in attendance. 

bells from nearby trinity episcopal church are also scheduled to ring 26 times in memory of each life lost in the tragedy. the u.s. post office has set up a special p.o. box for persons to send cards and flowers expressing their condolences and sympathies to the newtown community. the address is: box  3700, newtown, connecticut 06470.

     


   

Biggie Smalls' Autopsy Report Leaked

it's been almost 16 years since brooklyn's own christopher wallace, also known as biggie smalls, big poppa, or the notorious b.i.g., was gunned down & killed in los angeles. now, because of a leaked autopsy report, shockingly graphic details of the legendary rapper's unsolved murder have finally been revealed.

wallace, who stood six foot one & weighed 395 pounds, was shot four times while riding in the passenger seat of a chevy suburban on wilshire boulevard march 9, 1997. he was struck in the chest, forearm, leg, scrotum & shoulder. according to the report, three of the shots were not fatal.

the shot to his left hip tore through his vital organs, perforating his colon, heart, liver & upper lobe of his left lung, the report detailed. doctors attempted to perform an emergency thoracotomy, but sadly, wallace was pronounced dead at 1:15 a.m.

wallace's death at age 24 shocked the hip hop community. he became a central figure in the east coast with the release of his prophetically titled 1994 album, ready to die. he went on to collaborate with sean "diddy" combs, jay-z, lil' kim & faith evans. wallace married evans just nine days after they met. he was also romantically linked to lil' kim.

six months before wallace's death, actor/rapper tupac shakur was shot & killed - also in california. the two stars were prominent in the controversial "east coast/west coast" beef amongst hip hop artists. ironically, biggie & tupac were once close friends. nevertheless, details surrounding the murder of "big poppa" remain murky: an assailant has never been identified.

in an interview with mtv, lil' kim was asked what she would say to biggie if he were alive today. said kim, "i would say he did a good job. he did a good job. he should be proud of himself. he should be very proud. he did some good things when he was here, i hope he looks at me & he's proud. he should be proud of the kids he made & how they turned out. he should just be proud of his work...that he left here on earth."

Chiefs Win The Football Game But How Will They Heal Their Loss?

the scoreboard in arrowhead stadium on sunday afternoon read kansas city chiefs 27, carolina panthers 21. the chiefs improved their record to 2-10, which, especially given their dismal season, would normally be cause for celebration. but their victory came in the aftermath of an unimaginable tragedy involving one of their players. 

saturday morning chiefs linebacker jovan belcher killed his 22 year-old girlfriend, kasandra perkins. belcher then drove, alone, five miles to the stadium & shot himself - in front of chiefs coach romeo crenell, chiefs defensive coordinator gary gibbs & chiefs general manager scott piloi - in the parking lot of the team's facility.

many people, inside & outside of the nfl community, debated the purpose of the game being played. crenell said the team decided to play because "we're football players & coaches & that's what we do on sundays." chiefs center ryan lilja, one of the team captains who affirmed their decision said, "none of the options were good. the least worst option was to play. there was no precedent for this & i don't know if this was the right or wrong choice. but we chose to do it together."

professional male athletes are human & react to death in various ways. linebacker derrick johnson said belcher's death didn't really hit him until he woke up sunday morning & drove to the stadium. quarterback brady quinn pondered how well people actually communicate their real feelings in a society where social media dominates. lilja talked about a desire to hug every teammate when he walked into the locker room. 

the chiefs remind us of how the relationship between sports & extended families resonate universally. players openly talked about ways to support zoey, the three month-old daughter of belcher & perkins. team owner clark hunt emphasized therapists will be available for all who need support. crenell also mentioned how critical it was for the team to unify when he addressed them saturday morning.

said crenell, "the thing that helped the most was that we were able to lean on each other. we were able to let some things out." the chiefs also had to balance missing a friend & idolizing a murderer. there was no mention of belcher or perkins during the moment of silence before the game - the message was intended to demonstrate support for domestic violence - but a team employee left belcher's cleats, helmets, jersey & shoulder pads in his locker.

chiefs right tackle eric winston said, "the hardest part is to try & speak positively about belcher & also know what happened. that's the most confusing part for me. i've dealt with somebody taking their own life before, but never something like this." no one on their team ever experienced this type of trauma. in a town where football reigns supreme & two families are deeply wounded, the chiefs decided to heal the only way they knew how: by playing football on a sunday afternoon.
   

NYC Murder Total Could Be Lowest Since 1960

not a single person was slashed, shot or stabbed in new york city monday, a possible sign of a downward trend in violent crime which could put the city at its lowest murder numbers since 1960 by the end of the year.

when asked about the absence of those incidents, chief nypd spokesman paul browne told the daily news it was a "nice way to start the week." browne added he couldn't recall a time when the city logged zero such cases in the same day.

tom repetto, an nypd author & historian, told the daily news the absence of shootings & stabbings monday was uncommon, but indicative of a larger trend. repetto said, "they're going to come in with the fewest number of murders since about 1960...it's an almost impossible figure, but their programs have been fabulously successful in stopping crime."

murders citywide are down 23% year over year, with 366 recorded thus far in 2012 - compared with 472 the year before. the city is on pace to finish the year slightly above 400, repetto said. shootings are also down.

total crime is up in the city by three percent this year, but officials attribute that statistic mostly to an increase in grand larcenies connected to the rise in smart phone & tablet thefts. police have implemented a series of programs to deter those crimes, particularly in the subways.  

    

Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. of Illinois Suddenly Resigns From Congress

representative jesse jackson, jr.of illinois resigned from congress wednesday, citing health problems. jackson's resignation - just two weeks after voters re-elected him to a ninth term - comes amid a house ethics committee investigation into his dealings with imprisoned former illinois governor rod blagojevich & reports of a new federal probe into possible misuse of campaign money.  

in his resignation letter to house speaker john boehner, jackson wrote, "i am aware of the ongoing federal investigation into my activities & i am doing my best to address the situation responsibly, cooperate with the investigaters, accept responsibility for my mistakes...they are my mistakes & mine alone. the constituents of the 2nd district deserve a full-time legislator in washington, something i cannot be for the forseeable future. my health issues & treatment regimen have become incompatible with the house of representatives." 

jackson, 47, mysteriously disappeared in june, but it was later revealed he was being treated at the mayo clinic for bipolar disorder & gastrointestinal issues. rumors about potential alcoholism were neither confirmed nor denied. he returned to his washington home in september & went back to the clinic with his father, rev. jesse jackson, who said his son had not yet "regained his balance." 

even though his only communication with voters was a robocall asking for patience, jackson handily defeated two challengers november 6. he spent election night at the mayo clinic but later issued a statement thanking his supporters & saying he was waiting for the doctors' ok before he could "continue to be the progressive fighter" they'd known for years. he left the clinic a second time earlier this month yet has not spoken publicly since.

jackson took office in 1995 after winning a special election. voters in the district have said jackson's family name & attention to local issues have been the primary reasons for their unequivocal support. as such, he has easily won every re-election since then & brought home close to $1 billion in federal money for his district during his popular tenure.

he began his career in washington with a magnetism which set him apart from his hundreds of house colleagues. but his shocking resignation ends a once-promising political career tarnished by allegations he was involved in discussions about raising campaign funds for, then, governor rod blagojevich in exchange for an appointment to president barack obama's vacated u.s. senate seat.

the house ethics committee is investigating reports of those allegations, which jackson denies. after the allegations surfaced, jackson cut back on public appearances & interviews. blagojevich is now in federal prison after being convicted of trying to sell the seat, among other things. the timing of jackon's leave in june & the way it was handled invited scrutiny - it was announced just after a former fundraiser connected to blagojevich's allegations was arrested on unrelated medical fraud charges.      

illinois governor pat quinn, a democrat, has five days to schedule an election to replace jackson after he receives official notice. the election must be held within 115 days, according to election officials. the vacancy left by jackson's departure creates a rare opportunity for someone new to represent his heavily democratic district, which is made up of south side chicago neighborhoods, several southern suburbs & some rural areas.      

    

Uganda Intends To Pass Anti-Gay Bill

uganda's anti-gay bill is expected to pass before the end of 2012, despite international criticism of the draft legislation, the speaker of the country's parliament said monday. speaker rebecca kadaga insists the bill is what most ugandans want. kadaga also told the associated press the bill - which originally mandated death for some gay acts - will become law this year.

kadaga said, "ugandans are demanding it," reiterating a promise she made before a meeting of anti-gay activists who spoke of "the serious threat" posed by homosexuals to uganda's children. some christian clerics at the meeting in kampala, the country's capital, asked the speaker to pass the law as "a christmas gift."

in a petition the activists said, "speaker, we cannot sit back while such a destructive phenomenon is taking place in our nation. we therefore, as responsible citizens, feel duty-bound to bring the matter to your attention as the leader of parliament...so that lawmakers can do something to quickly address the deteriorating situation in our nation."

the anti-gay activists paraded in front of kadaga, with parents & schoolchildren holding up signs saying homosexuality is "an abomination." the speaker then promised to consider the bill within two weeks, declaring that "the power is in our hands." kadaga said of activists who want the bill to become law, "who are we not to do what they have told us? these people should not be begging us."

uganda's penal code criminalizes homosexuality, but in 2009 a lawmaker with the ruling party said a stronger law was needed to protect uganda's children from homosexuals. parliamentarian david bahati charged at the time that wealthy homosexuals from the west were "recruiting" poor children into gay lifestyles with promises of money & a better life. bahati believes his bill is sufficiently popular among lawmakers to pass without difficulty.

gay rights activists in uganda, while opposing the bill, point out that it has helped their fight for equality by putting what used to be a taboo subject on the national agenda. homosexuality is illegal in many african countries. pepe julian onziema, a prominent ugandan gay activist, said the new push to pass the law was frustrating. 

"it's disappointing, but we are also going to seek a meeting with the speaker," onziema said. but he also said it's unlikely the speaker will agree to such a gathering. while the bill appears to be popular in uganda, it has attracted widespread criticism abroad. newly re-elected u.s. president barack obama has described the bill as "odious," while some european countries have threatened to cut aid to uganda if the bill becomes law.        

Marijuana Legalization & Same-Sex Marriage Backed In Historic Votes November 6

altering the course of u.s. social policy, colorado & washington set up a showdown with federal authorities by legalizing recreational use of marijuana. maine & maryland became the first states to approve same-sex marriage by popular vote. the outcomes for those ballot measures tuesday were a milestone for persistent but thwarted activists & advocacy groups who for decades have pressured for drug decriminalization & gay rights.

"today the state of washington looked at 70 years of marijuana prohibition & said it's time for a new approach," said alison holcomb, manager of the campaign that won passage of initiative 502 in washington. colorado governor john hickenlooper, a democrat who opposed legalization, was less enthused. said hickenlooper, "federal law still says marijuana is an illegal drug, so don't break out the cheetos or goldfish too quickly."   

the marijuana measures in colorado & washington could pose headaches for the u.s. department of justice (doj) & drug enforcement administration (dea), which consider pot an illegal drug. the doj has declined to say how it would respond if the measures were approved. colorado's amendment 64 will allow adults over 21 to possess up to an ounce of marijuana, but using the drug publicly is banned. amendment 64 allows people to grow up to six marijuana plants in a private, secure area.

washington's measure establishes a system of state-licensed marijuana growers, processors & stores, where adults can buy up to an ounce. it also establishes a standard blood test limit for driving under the influence of marijuana. the washington measure was notable for its sponsors & supporters, who ranged from public health experts & wealthy high-tech executives to two former top justice department's officials in seattle, u.s. attorneys john mckay & kate pflaumer. 

ethan nadelmann of the drug policy alliance, which opposes the so-called "war on drugs," said, "marijuana policy reform remains an issue where the people lead & the politicians follow...but washington state shows that many politicians are catching up." estimates show pot taxes could bring in hundreds of millions of dollars annually, but the sales won't start until state officials make rules to govern the legal weed industry. 

the washington measure was opposed by derek franklin, president of the washington association for substance abuse & violence prevention. franklin said, "legalizing is going to increase marijuana use among kids & really create a mess with the federal government. it's a bit of a tragedy for the state." in oregon, a marijuana-legalization measure was defeated. in massachusetts, voters approved a measure to allow marijuana use for medical reasons, joining 17 other states. but in arkansas, a similar measure was rejected by their voters.

the results in maine & maryland broke a 32-state streak, dating to 1988: gay marriage was rebuffed by every state voting on it. they will become the seventh & eighth states to allow same-sex couples to marry. in another gay-rights victory, minnesota voters defeated a proposed constitutional amendment to ban same sex-marriages there. similar measures were approved in 30 other states, most recently in north carolina in may.

"the tide has turned - when voters have the opportunity to really hear directly from loving, committed same-sex couples & their families, they voted for fairness," said rick jacobs of the courage campaign, a california-based gay rights group. said jacobs, "those who oppose the freedom to marry for committed couples are clearly on the wrong side of history."

washington state also voted on a measure to legalize same-sex marriage, though results were not expected until wednesday at the soonest. the outcomes of the marriage votes could influence the u.s. supreme court, which will soon consider whether to take up cases challenging the law that defines federal recognition to same-sex marriage. the gay-rights victories come on the heels of numerous national polls that - for the first time - show a majority of americans supporting same-sex marriage.

maine's referendum marked the first time that gay rights supporters put same-sex marriage to a popular vote. they collected enough signatures to schedule the vote, hoping to reverse a 2009 referendum that quashed a gay-marriage law enacted by the legislature. in maryland & washington, gay-marriage laws were approved by lawmakers & signed by the governors this year, but opponents gathered enough signatures to challenge the laws.

maryland governor martin o'malley, who campaigned vigorously for the marriage measure, spoke to a jubilant crowd in baltimore. christopher wold, 31, danced with his partner of four years after the results became clear. he said they'd like to marry now that it's legal in maryland. said wold, "it feels so good to be accepted by so many people of all different backgrounds. it just feels wonderful."

the president of the most active advocacy group opposing same-sex marriage, brian brown of the national organization for marriage, insisted tuesday's results did not mark a watershed moment. said brown, "at the end of the day, we're still at 32 victories. just because two extreme blue states vote for gay marriage doesn't mean the supreme court will create a constitutional right for it out of thin air." heading into the election, gay marriage was legal in six states & the district of columbia - in each case the result of legislation of court orders, not by a vote of the people. 



         
   

    

Barack Obama Re-Elected U.S. President

president barack obama was re-elected u.s. president last night, defeating republican candidate mitt romney with more than 300 electoral votes. obama told an exuberant crowd at his headquarters in chicago, "while our road has been hard, though our journey has been long, we have picked ourselves up. we have fought our way back & we know in our hearts that for the united states of america the best is yet to come."

obama mentioned he wants to meet with romney to discuss how they can work together. obama said, "we may have battled fiercely, but its only because we love this country deeply." romney made a brief & gracious concession speech at his somber headquarters in boston. romney said he "prays the president will be successful in guiding our nation." romney urged all americans to put political bickering aside & "reach across the aisle" to tackle the nation's problems.

with votes counted in 75% of the nation's precincts, obama held a narrow advantage in the popular vote, leading by about 25,000 out of the more than 99 million cast. obama captured seven of the nine states where the rivals & their allies poured nearly $1 billion into dueling television commercials. as such, this was the most expensive campiagn in american history; dividing government once again.

according to organizations who track advertising, romney & republican groups spent over $550 million. obama & his allies spent over $381 million. each candidate felt the race would be decided in nine battleground states: colorado, florida, iowa, nevada, new hampshire, north carolina, ohio, virginia & wisconsin. in virginia, the polls had been closed for several minutes when obama's campaign texted a call for volunteers "to make sure everyone who's still in line gets to vote." florida still remains too close to call, but state law mandates everyone waiting is entitled to cast a ballot.  

democrats retained control of the senate with surprising ease. republicans did the same in the house, making it likely speaker john boehner of ohio - obama's partner in unsuccessful deficit talks - would reclaim his seat at the bargainig table. the election emerged as a choice between their belief in very different governmental roles: whether to occupy a major, front-row place in american lives, or, in the background as a less-obtrusive facilitator for private enterprise & entrepreneurship.

the economy was rated the top issue by about 60% of voters surveyed as they left their polling places. but more held former president george w. bush responsible for current circumstances than obama did after four years in office. unemployment stood at 7.9% on election day, higher than when obama was inaugurated. despite signs of progress, the economy is struggling amidst the worst recession in u.s. history. about 4 in 10 said the economy is on the mend, but more than that said it was stagnant or getting worse more than four years after the near-collapse of 2008.

according to exit polls, 53% of voters said obama is more in touch with people like them, compared to 43% for romney. about 60% said taxes should be increased, taking sides on an issue which divided obama & romney. obama wants to raise taxes for people making $250,000, but romney does not. in 2008, obama was elected the first black president. in 2012, romney became the first mormon to appear on a general election ballot. yet neither race nor religion dominated this campaign.

obama reiterated during his term america is recovering from the worst recession since the great depression. while he conceded progress has been slow, he accused romney of recycling outdated republican policies which help the wealthy & hurt the middle class. romney countered by saying a second obama term could mean a repeat recession in a country where economic growth is weak & unemployment is worse four years after obama took office. furthermore, romney believes his experience as a successful businessmen would help him create policies to make america healthy.

here is the state-by-state breakdown for each candidate:

barack obama - california, colorado, connecticut, delaware, district of columbia, hawaii, illinois, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, nevada, new hampshire, new jersey, new mexico, new york, oregon, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, virginia, washington & wisconsin.

mitt romney - arizona, arkansas, georgia, idaho, indiana, kansas, kentucky, louisiana, mississippi, missouri, nebraska, north carolina, north dakota, oklahoma, south carolina, south dakota, tennessee, texas, utah, west virginia & wyoming.     

  







       

California Death Row Inmate Spared Execution

a federal appeals court has overturned the death sentence of california's longest serving death row inmate, a 54 year-old mono indian man convicted in 1978 for killing a woman during a drug & alcohol fueled carjacking.

douglas stankewitz, who spent 34 years awaiting execution, will be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole unless prosecutors decide within 90 days to retry the penalty phase of his trial, which would consider punishment only - not guilt or innocence.

the decision late on monday by the ninth circuit court of appeals comes just a week before californians vote on a referendum to abolish the death penalty in their state. in 2006, a federal judge halted all executions in california, saying a three-drug lethal injection protocol risked causing inmates too much pain & suffering before death. the state revised its protocol, but executions have not resumed.

an appeals court panel, in a two-to-one decision, ruled stankewitz received ineffective legal counsel during the penalty phase of his murder trial, when he was sentenced to die. his lawyer, they wrote, failed to investigate & present evidence "including evidence of his deprived & abusive upbringing, potential mental illness, long history of substance abuse & use of substantial quantities of drugs leading up to the murder."

in a recent interview with reuters inside san quentin state prison, stankewitz called the death penalty "a joke," & described how long delays in the appeals process, coupled with ineffective counsel, had led him to spending more than three decades waiting to die. during the interview stankewitz said, "they can't kill me because the system is messed up so bad."

stankewitz suffered alcohol exposure in the womb, was removed from his home at age six after his mother beat him & bounced between foster care facilities where he was severely troubled & abused, court documents show. just 19, he & a group of friends carjacked theresa graybeal, 22, from a k-mart parking lot in modesto. they drove across rural heartland to fresno, roughly 100 miles away, where graybeal was shot & killed.      

The Wrath of Hurricane Sandy: State-by-State

from the carolinas to wisconsin, the super storm hurricane sandy is churning off the east coast & is expected to join up with two other weather systems to create a huge & problematic disaster for up to 50 million people. listed below is a snapshot of what is happening, &/or what is expected, state-by-state.

carolinas - the u.s. coast guard rescued 15 members of a crew forced to abandon a tall ship off the north carolina coast, but the captain is still missing. the hms bounty was originally built for the 1962 film, mutiny on the bounty, starring marlon brando. the hms bounty has also been featured in other films, including one of the pirates of the caribbean movies.

connecticut - the university of connecticut closes tuesday, joining hundreds of other schools & school systems across the state. the closure includes uconn's law school & the uconn health center, but the john dempsey hospital will remain open during the storm. power outages: 117,400.

delaware - dover air force base has relocated some aircraft in anticipation of the storm, & the federal emergency management agency (fema) has requested the base be used as a staging area for support & supplies. some residents of the low-lying areas of the base have been ordered to evacuate. power outages: 1,800.  

illinois - the powerful storm is expected to extend as far as chicago, where the national weather service already has issued high wind warnings & lake shore flood warning for tuesday & wednesday. water may pile up on the south shore of lake michigan, said louis uccelini, director of environmental prediction for the national oceanic & atmospheric administration.

kentucky - sandy is expected to bring snow to far southeastern kentucky. a winter storm warning is in effect for harlan, letcher & pike counties through wednesday morning. forecasters say snow could accumulate four to ten inches in high elevations & one to three inches in lower elevations.

maine - virtually all maine public schools opened monday but some closed early before the heaviest rain & wind. state officials say the biggest concern is wind, which is expected to cause widespread power outages. the state's utilities say they have crews poised to deal with expected power outages, including some from canada. power outages: 26,000.

maryland - baltimore mayor stephanie rawlings-blake says vehicular travel is banned on city roads beginning at 6:00 pm monday. the restrictions do not apply to hospital employees, medical providers or uniformed personnel. governor martin o'malley earlier monday closed the bay bridge.

massachusetts - voluntary evacuation recommendations have been issued in lynn, new bedford, plum island & scituate. the recommendations are for just certain sections of the communities that could be affected by flooding. a red cross spokeswoman said just a few people stayed at its shelters sunday night, but she expects more people monday night & into tuesday. power outages: 222,000.

michigan - michigan utilities say high winds could cause power outages in the state & they're keeping an eye on the weather to respond to power problems. dte energy company said gusts of 50 mph monday & into tuesday could affect some of its 2.1 million customers.

new hampshire - governor john lynch has urged all drivers to be off the roads by 3:00 pm. lynch declared a state of emergency & directed non-essential state workers to be released from work monday afternoon. he also urged other employers to consider releasing their workers early. the governor has put 100 new hampshire guard soldiers on active duty. power outages: 99,000.

new jersey - all roads into & out of ocean city are closed due to flooding that has cut off the popular jersey shore resort community. hurricane sandy already had flooded most of atlantic city, sweeping away an old section of the city's famed boardwalk. power outages: 434,000.

new york - mayor michael bloomberg said the city's public schools will remain closed on tuesday after being shut down monday. earlier, governor andrew cuomo said the brooklyn-battery tunnel & holland tunnel would close at 2:00 pm monday. airports in the metropolitan new york city area are open, but air carriers are not operating. power outages: 451,967.

ohio - residents of low-lying areas & along lake erie were told to watch for flooding. utilities are anticipating high winds that could blow down trees & poles. snow is fore casted in some areas.

pennsylvania - officials from the state transit agency & the pennsylvania turnpike have instituted speed restrictions over concerns about high winds. they've also ordered certain vehicles, including empty trucks & motorcycles, off some highways. the national weather service says southeastern pennsylvania could get winds reaching 75 mph & rainfall up to 10 inches. power outages: 74,000.

rhode island - officials are concerned about wind driving water north up narrangansett bay, which could create flooding in low-lying areas of the upper bay, including cranston, providence & warwick. about 2,600 national grid customers were without power, mostly in barrington & other parts of bristol county. power outages: 80,000.

tennessee - snow is expected in higher elevations, where a freeze warning has been issued. high winds are expected in many areas.

vermont - governor peter shumlin declared a state of emergency to provide access to national guard troops in a state still recovering from the devastating effects of the remnants of hurricane irene. culverts & storm drainage basins in some spots have been cleared of debris. power outages: 13,170.

virginia - a curfew is in place on virginia's swamped chincoteague island. officials say the entire 37-square mile island is underwater, & there is no way off the island because a causeway to the mainland has been closed. the 3,500 islanders who decided to tough out sandy have been told to keep off the streets. power outages: 9,500.

washington, d.c. - taxis originating in washington are authorized to add an emergency flat rate of $15 per trip because of the hurricane, starting monday. the price is supposed to expire at noon tuesday, but can be extended if considered necessary. the capital's area transit system shut down rail service for the first time since 2003. power outages: 2,300.

west virginia - governor earl ray tombin declared a state of emergency monday. sandy is expected to bring high winds & heavy rains & leave behind flooded towns & as much as three feet of snow on the state's highest ridge tops. eastern parts of the state can expect to get up to six inches of rain. 14 counties are under blizzard warnings.

wisconsin - with waves expected to reach as high as 33 feet tuesday on lake michigan, the port of milwaukee is taking steps to protect its boats & docks. the hurricane is expected to create dangerous conditions on the great lakes. the national weather service issued gale & storm warnings for the lakes through wednesday.