UK Government: Fracking Causes Earthquakes, but
Its Worth the Risk

post from Jutia Group on 25 April 2012 11:16:32 AM. © Jutia Group

The process of hydraulic fracturing is a mining technique which uses injected fluid to propagate fractures in a rock layer to release hydrocarbon deposits that would otherwise be uncommercial. Developed in the U.S. and first used in 1947 for stimulating of oil and natural gas wells, the use of "fracking" soared in the past decade as thousands of wells have been drilled into the Marcellus Formation, also referred to as the Marcellus Shale, a deposit of marine sedimentary rock found in eastern North America.

While initial environmental protests … [visit site to read . . . → Read More: UK Government: Fracking Causes Earthquakes, but It’s Worth the Risk

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http://jutiagroup.com/20120425-uk-government-fracking-causes-earthquakes-but-its-
worth-the-risk/

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In petition, Gun Owners of America distorts the
record on Florida's 'Stand Your Ground' law

post from Daily Kos on 25 April 2012 11:13:25 AM. © Daily Kos

Gun Owners of America thinks the National Rifle Association is too soft. That might give you a hint of where the D.C.-based lobbying organization stands regarding Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law and the task force that Gov. Rick Scott has set up to begin looking at the controversial statute in the wake of the slaying of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman in February.

In a hyperventilating post on the group's web site, GOA, which claims 300,000 members, warns that the task force may seek repeal of the Stand Your Ground statute, of other self-defense laws and of the state's law regarding the issuing of permits to carry a concealed firearm. It urges readers to sign its petition telling the governor not "to reject efforts to repeal the state?s pro-self-defense laws and to stand firmly in support of the Second Amendment." But the petition, according to Toluse Olorunnipa of the Miami Herald's "Naked Politics" blog, is filled with errors. Deliberate errors, it seems.

The petition states: "WHEREAS anti-gun zealots would take us back the ?bad ol? days? in 2003 -- when a 78 year-old man was taken through the wringer by the legal system because he shot a man breaking into his trailer..."

But that's not the case. The 77-year-old James Workman wasn't arrested and was never charged in the 2004 shooting, which was ruled justifiable. There was no legal "wringer." Even though the "justifiable" decision took place under Florida's then-existing self-defense laws, the shooting became the poster-child for an NRA-backed effort spurring the state to pass the Stand Your Ground law.

The petition states: "WHEREAS in the four years for which we have statistics since the Stand Your Ground law was passed in Florida, homicides have dropped by 16.1%;"

In fact, according to state crime statistics, since the SYG law passed in 2005, firearm-involved homicides are up 28 percent while overall crime is down 19 percent. Total homicides have risen 12 percent, from 881 in 2005 to 987 in 2010, the most recent statistics available.

The GOA petitioners claim that "drop" in homicides has been faster than the national average. In fact, the 12 percent increase in Florida compares with a nationwide decrease of 9 percent.

The petitioners claim: "WHEREAS this means that many ? perhaps hundreds ? of Floridians are alive today because criminals have had to pause before robbing or killing them;"

No data back this up. The law has been invoked in cases involving a fatality some 70 times since 2005. And many of these are ruled "justifiable." They include outrageous cases like this:

2010 incident in Town 'N Country in which a man on a jog about 1 a.m. was punched in the face by a teenager. The man thought he was being robbed so he pulled a gun, and the teen started to run. The man fired eight shots. Four hit the teen. The man was not charged with a crime. His court file says "justifiable homicide."

All but the most ardent of pacifists agrees that every person is entitled to self-defense. "Life" is an inalienable right enshrined in the Declaration of Independence. But self-defense must be reasonable and proportionate to the threat. The question for the governor's task force on Stand Your Ground is whether that law as it is currently written, or perhaps however it is written, encourages unreasonable, disproportionate responses.

A tripling of justifiable homicide rulings since 2005, some like the Town N County incident cited above, indicates that changes or outright repeal of the law are badly needed. But, in spite of the Gun Owners of America's distorted propaganda, the make-up of the task force, which includes strong advocates of the law as it currently stands, means the chances of big changes are not all that likely.

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s-of-American-distort-the-record-on-Florida-s-Stand-Your-Ground-law

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What Really Shocked Jon Stewart In Secret Service
Prostitution Scandal

post from TPMMuckraker on 25 April 2012 11:01:37 AM. © TPMMuckraker

The Secret Service's prostitution scandal seems to be ever-widening, but what shocked Jon Stewart the most happened on U.S. soil.

Secret Service agent David Chaney, who was tasked with protecting vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, posted a picture on his Facebook page with this caption: "I was really checking her out, if you know what i mean?"

"Okay, first of all, we're not really confused about what you mean, in terms of checking her out," Stewart said on Tuesday. "Second, how the fuck does a Secret Service guy have a Facebook page where he posts pictures of himself guarding political figures? 'Hey, check it out, it's me as the single trail agent on a standard v-line protection formation. The only vulnerability is on the right flank, if you know what I mean.'"

What's next, Secret Service agents checking in on Foursquare? "Hey, just checking in at the president's previously undisclosed location," Stewart said. "Look at me throwing internet things out."

Watch the video:

The Daily Show with Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10cThe Bangover www.thedailyshow.com Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog The Daily Show on Facebook

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vice_scandal.php

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Scott Walkers Billion Dollar Buffoonery

post from Firedoglake on 25 April 2012 11:00:53 AM. © Firedoglake

Scott Walker on Monday claimed he saved Wisconsin taxpayers $1 billion, mainly through his union busting Act 10. But a careful look at this claim reveals Walker both exaggerated or invented the savings while balancing his budget on the backs of the poor,[...]

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Where We Break News First

post from Talking Points Memo on 25 April 2012 11:00:50 AM. © Talking Points Memo

TPMLiveWire is our breaking news application, where we report the news first. And now you can follow TPMLiveWire on Twitter. Click right here ... Follow @TPMLivewire!function(d,s,id){var[...]

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news_first.php

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The Verdict Is In

post from Talking Points Memo on 25 April 2012 11:00:50 AM. © Talking Points Memo

For the last three years, we've been in the midst of a transatlantic debate about post-economic crisis fiscal policy -- broadly speaking it's been between Keynesianism and austerity, with the US starting with the first and more recently edging toward the[...]

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in.php

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Labor News and Notes Round-Up

post from Crooks and Liars on 25 April 2012 11:00:44 AM. © Crooks and Liars

Explaining the Buffet Rule. The latest stories from the front lines of the labor fight across the country ...

Labor unions aren't just for raising political funds

Republican challenges to the effectiveness of OSHA are costing workers their lives

The U.S. Senate votes down a Republican attempt to undercut union elections

Too many Democrats are going along with the Republican assault on the U.S. Postal Service

Five companies hoarded $60 billion while cutting tens of thousands of jobs

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker hands out big bonuses and raises for top-level government workers while cutting salaries for working families

Mitt Romney would use the Department of Education to bust teachers unions

The Berger-Marks Foundation and the Institute for Women's Policy Research released "The Next Generation: A Handbook for Mentoring Future Union Leaders"

A potato grower in Florida is accused of labor trafficking

SEIU and the 99 percent are protesting Wells Fargo in California

Send a message of support to the Station Casinos workers who are 'Fasting with Faith'

Take action to stop student loan interest rates from doubling

Read The Full Article:
http://crooksandliars.com/kenneth-quinnell/labor-news-and-notes-round-21

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PICTURES OF DENNY REDISTRICTING MAP

Here they are. I'll start to analyze them shortly.

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http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GsAJ/~3/gPyxQ6iy1AI/pictures-of-denny-red
istricting-map.html

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BREAKING - REPUBLICAN HOUSE MAP IN
COMMITTEE ROOM

The Bill Denny mapThe Republican House map is in the committee room this morning, but is under wraps for the moment. Follow this blog for updates throughout the morning.

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ouse-map-in.html

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Rep. Bill Denny snatches copy of his map from
member of public at hearing

Rankin County Democratic Chairman Ryan Brown just now had Rep. Bill Denny (R - Jackson) snatch a copy of Denny's proposed redistricting plan from his hands. Only members of the subcommittee are allowed to have a copy of the plan, according to Denny. That raises the question as to whether or not the subcommittee violated laws concerning open meetings.

Talk about transparency.