Canton, Texas - After years of planning and restoration, a Vietnam era fighter jet finds a home.

CANTON (KYTX) - After years of planning and restoration, a Vietnam era fighter jet has finally arrived at it's new home - the intersection of highway 243 and highway 19 in Canton.

People of Van Zandt county say the jet means the world to the community, especially to it's veterans.

Carter Clark designed the Van Zandt County Veteran's Memorial, which now includes a fully restored FD Phantom fighter jet.

He says, -Almost tears, from it being finished. It's taken so long! I was not able to serve in the military service and I decided this is something I could give back to our veterans.-

He says it's the veteran's who seemed the most proud to have the plane on their home soil.

-You talk to certain ones,- Carter says, -and tears come in their eyes.-

Veteran Ronald -Red- Montgomery helped plan the jet's homecoming. Now that it's finally home he says, -It's unbelievable. So many things have happened, it's just unbelievable.-

Clark and many other dedicated community members worked together to restore the jet.

Field McConnell flew the fighter jet for 13 years. He says restoring and getting the plane to Van Zandt was the work of many dedicated community members.

He says, -There's a whole lot of people all around us that not only support this Veteran's Memorial, but also the United States of America and it's just a real pleasure, it's my privilege to be here today.-

He describes the special plane that will always be a part of him.

-This airplane was at the North Dakota International Guard in Fargo, North Dakota from 1977 to 1990 which was in our unit.-

The plane was built in 1964, delivered to the Air Force in 1966, and flew actively from 1966 to 1991.

McConnell says, -This particular airplane always got me home and I'm glad to participate in this aircraft finally finding its final home.-

It's homecoming had the people of Van Zandt County in tears of pride and joy.

Resident Debbie Phillips says, -It's emotional but it is an honor and privilege to be part of this and to see this.-

Phillips' daughter marched in the parade in front of the jet, along with 400 band members from high schools across the county.

Phillips says, -To be part of our VZ county history and to honor our veterans.-

Colton Bagheri served as the color guard, leading the parade with a flag. He says there's only one way to describe the day - -It's perfect.-

McConnell competed with this jet in the William Tell competition in Florida back in 1982, and won two of the 5 awards.

A big thank you to KYTX Channel 19, Tyler, Texas http://www.cbs19.tv-story-16522151-v




And the patriotic residences of Van Zandt County. The Jet is now welded to it's pedestal and will be treasured forever. Thank you.

Submitted by:  A Secret Agent

Brasscheck: The nullification of non-Constitutional laws‏ (movie, nullification, Tenth Amendment Center, The Rightful Remedy)

Lisbon,
 
Not long ago, we posted on Rhode Island being the first State to
rebel against indefinite detention, well, since then the State of
Washington is now considering a bill the would disallow any
cooperation with such activities by the federal government or
military in their State.
 
State nullification is the idea that the States can and must refuse
to enforce unconstitutional federal laws. 
 
"Nullification: The Rightful Remedy" is a documentary film, coming
out next week, which elaborates on the States Tenth Amendment right
to reject unconstitutional federal laws.
 
Here's a preview of the film and links to learn more...
 
Video:
 
http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/9260.html
 
Goodman Green
- Brasscheck

Nullification: The Rightful Remedy

a documentary film

 

 

What is Nullification?

nullificationmovie.com

What Is It? State nullification is the idea that the states can and must refuse to enforce unconstitutional federal laws.

Says Who? Says Thomas Jefferson, among other distinguished Americans. His draft of the Kentucky Resolutions of 1798 first introduced the word “nullification” into American political life, and follow-up resolutions in 1799 employed Jefferson’s formulation that “nullification…is the rightful remedy” when the federal government reaches beyond its constitutional powers. In the Virginia Resolutions of 1798, James Madison said the states were “duty bound to resist” when the federal government violated the Constitution.

But Jefferson didn’t invent the idea. Federalist supporters of the Constitution at the Virginia ratifying convention of 1788 assured Virginians that they would be “exonerated” should the federal government attempt to impose “any supplementary condition” upon them – in other words, if it tried to exercise a power over and above the ones the states had delegated to it. Patrick Henry and later Jefferson himself elaborated on these safeguards that Virginians had been assured of at their ratifying convention.

What’s the Argument for It? Here’s an extremely basic summary:

1) The states preceded the Union. The Declaration of Independence speaks of “free and independent states” that “have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do.”

Article II of the Articles of Confederation says the states “retain their sovereignty, freedom, and independence”; they must have enjoyed that sovereignty in the past in order for them to “retain” it in 1781 when the Articles were officially adopted. The ratification of the Constitution was accomplished not by a single, national vote, but by the individual ratifications of the various states, each assembled in convention.

2) In the American system no government is sovereign.  The peoples of the states are the sovereigns. It is they who apportion powers between themselves, their state governments, and the federal government. In doing so they are not impairing their sovereignty in any way. To the contrary, they are exercising it.

Continue reading here

Lisbon HS Class of 2014 Announces Winners of Downeaster Project‏

LISBON HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2014 TRAIN RAFFLE HUGE SUCCESS!

  Lisbon High School Class of 2014 President, Paula Caron, requested assistance from school Principal, Ken Healey, to draw the lucky winners of the Downeaster Train Project.  The first place winners of two round trip tickets to Boston was Matthew Waltras; second place gift of a Downeaster golf shirt, Jerry Yergin; and the third place gift of a collector’s edition Downeaster mug, Shantal MacWhinnie.  Photo by Monica Millhime.

Lisbon – Members of the Lisbon High School Class of 2014 were able to deposit over $900 to their Project Graduation account thanks to the generous donation of two tickets to Boston compliments of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority.  Students held a raffle for the tickets and other items as a fundraiser.   Committee members attribute the success of their project to the community support from Food City and the Lisbon Transfer Station for allowing students the opportunity to sell tickets on weekends.  “Parents assisted and supported students throughout the project and we were all very proud of their teamwork,” shares Class Advisor, Monica Millhime.  FMI on other events and programs at Lisbon High School, email mmillhime@lisbonschoolsme.org or visit us on Facebook at Community Resource News in Lisbon Schools.

Well Stated: "Larry The Cable Guy"

Direct Quote from "Larry, the Cable Guy"
"Even after the Super Bowl victory of the New Orleans Saints,
I have noticed a large number of people implying, with bad jokes,
that Cajuns aren't smart. I would like to state for the record that I
disagree with that assessment. Anybody that would build a city
5 feet below sea level in a hurricane zone and fill it with
Democrats who can't swim is a genius."

THIS CABLE GUY HUMOR IS FUNNY BUT UNFORTUNANTLY ITS TRUE! THE MANS A GENIUS!!!

Everyone concentrates on the problems we're having in Our Country lately: Illegal immigration, hurricane recovery, alligators attacking people in Florida . .. .. . Not me -- I concentrate on solutions for the problems -- it's a win-win situation.
* Dig a moat the length of the Mexican border.
* Send the dirt to New Orleans to raise the level of the levees.
* Put the Florida alligators in the moat along the Mexican border.

Any other problems you would like for me to solve today?
Think about this:
1. Cows
2. The Constitution
3. The Ten Commandments

COWS
Is it just me, or does anyone else find it amazing that during the mad cow epidemic our government could track a single cow, born in Canada almost three years ago, right to the stall where she slept in the state of Washington? And, they tracked her calves to their stalls. But they are unable to locate 11 million illegal aliens wandering around our country. Maybe we should give each of them a cow.

THE CONSTITUTION
They keep talking about drafting a Constitution for Iraq ....
why don't we just give them ours?
It was written by a lot of really smart guys,
it has worked for over 200 years,
and we're not using it anymore.

THE 10 COMMANDMENTS
The real reason that we can't have the Ten Commandments posted in a courthouse is this --
you cannot post 'Thou Shalt Not Steal'
'Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery' and
'Thou Shall Not Lie'
in a building full of lawyers, judges and politicians,
it creates a hostile work environment.

Also, think about this .....
If you don't want to forward this for fear of offending someone --
YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM!

GET ER DONE!

This from a Reader: National Anthem at the Super Bowl - An editorial

National Anthem at the Super Bowl - An editorial

 “So, with all the kindness I can muster, I give this one piece of advice to the next pop star who is asked to sing the national anthem at a sporting event: save the vocal gymnastics and the physical gyrations for your concerts. Just sing this song the way you were taught to sing it in kindergarten — straight up, no styling. Sing it with the constant awareness that there are soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines watching you from bases and outposts all over the world. Don’t make them cringe with your self-centered ego gratification. Sing it as if you are standing before a row of 86-year-old WWII vets wearing their Purple Hearts, Silver Stars and flag pins on their cardigans and you want them to be proud of you for honoring them and the country they love — not because you want them to think you are a superstar musician. They could see that from the costumes, the makeup and the entourages.  Sing “The Star Spangled Banner” with the courtesy and humility that tells the audience that it is about America , not you.”

 Submitted by: Rufus

Lisbon HS Class of 2014 Students View Colleges & Participate in ASVAB Testing‏

 Lisbon High School Guidance Counselors Jean Dolan and David Ferrick (far right) congratulate sophomores Sierra Crosby and Emma Wilson.  Sierra was presented with a special recognition for her participation with the question and answer sessions at the Central Maine Community College Career Fair.   Emma won the lucky drawing of an IPod for volunteering to take the ASVAB tests at the high school.  Photo by Monica Millhime.

LHS Class of 2014 On the Move and Blazing New Horizons

Lisbon – Members of the Lisbon High School Class of 2014 have been visiting colleges and participating in a pilot program for testing.  Recently sophomores visited Central Maine Community College (CMCC) and attended mini-class sessions during the annual Career Fair.  Students were encouraged to ask questions and view the facility during the half day visit to the CMCC campus.  During the last week in January, members of the class were invited to be volunteers for the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude (ASVAB).  The test is designed to assess a student’s ability to learn new skills and serves as a predictor of success in training and education programs.  An interest inventory based on John Holland’s theory of career choice is included as a component of the test.  Students can use their individual test results with the OCCU-Find career as an exploration tool. 

A total of 32 students volunteered for the testing.  Early indicators reveal the program was very successful.  An incentive for students who volunteered for the pilot program received a USB key of their design choice. Incentives were provided by MELMAC Foundation.  A  grand prize of an IPod touch with a camera was won by Emma Wilson.  LHS Guidance Counselors, Jean Dolan and David Ferrick, are exploring  the possibility of making this an annual test for ALL Sophomores.

FMI on events and other programs at Lisbon High School visit www.lisbonschoolsme.org or email mmillhime@lisbonschoolsme.org.  Like us on Facebook at Community Resource News in Lisbon Schools.

Sugg Middle School Girls Basketball‏

Gardiner traveled to Lisbon today
 
7th grade Game
 
Lisbon 14   Gardiner 40
 
Lisbon
Kaylin Le 7
 
Gardiner
Lauren Chadwick
Leah Weymouth
Hope Dube-Grenier
All scored 10 for Gardiner
 
 
 
 
8th grade
Lisbon 23    Gardiner 27
 
Lisbon
Adrianna White 12
Bree Sautter 5
 
 
Gardiner 
Maddy Noyes 9 
Nickyia Lovely  8
 
 
 
Lisbon finishes up its season away at St. Mike's on Thursday 9th. 
 

Where's ALL The Money Going In Lisbon - Lisbon Police Academy - And Their $50K SmartBoard!

LARGE DISCREPANCY IN PAY

Check out the comparison in salaries of the towns Administrative Assistants below. This raises some very interesting questions. Why does the Administrative Assistant in the police department receive $13,207 more tax dollars than the closest other Administrative Assistant? Why does the police department have an additional part-time administrative assistant? Do I need to explain any more on why the police department has the largest operating cost in this town? We have the right number of police officers to protect and serve this community but it is the support staff with inflated salaries which is killing us. Remember these are our tax dollars at work.

The remaining Administrative Assistant is relatively close on salaries with the exception of the police department. If you added the two clerk’s salaries in the Water Department, it would not equal the police departments Administrative Assistant. What is wrong with this picture?

The town council has to approve all salary increases so how did this happen? Ops my bad, Councilor Bowie is the puppet master and he orchestrates how the council votes. I am sure the puppets approved everyone of Councilor Bowie’s wife pay increases because if Bowie voted on this wife salary increases; it would be a conflict of interest.

ADMINISTRATION ASSISTANTS PAY

According to Town of Lisbon Annual Report 2009-2010

DEPARTMENT NAME SALARY

Town Manager Jody Durisko $26,851

Police Denise Bowie $44,375

Police Andrea Tapley (Part Time) $18,198

Public Works Darla Ayer $31,168

Recreation Cheryl Garnett $29,231

Water Shellie Reynolds (Clerk) $28,100

Water Kristy Sheehan (Clerk) $15,285

Town Clerk Twila Lycette (Town Clerk) $50,496

Town Clerk Elizabeth French (Assistant Clerk) $25,738

Each of these individuals received a 1.75% pay increase last year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is amazing how many town employees have inflated salaries and there is no one trying to correct this injustice. I can almost guarantee our taxes are going to be increased this year.

THINK ABOUT IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Larry Fillmore

Concerned Citizen

Sugg Middle School Girls Basketball‏

Maranacook traveled to Lisbon
 
7th grade
Lisbon 34 Maranacook 12
 
Maranacook
Olivia Plourde  6
 
 
Lisbon
Kaylin Le 9
 
Abby Provencal
Kipri Steele
Both scored 6 points
 
 
8th Grade 
Lisbon 46     Maranacook 22
 
 
Maranacook
Kianna Poushard 7
Jana Elwell 6
 
 
 
Lisbon
Adrianna White 24
Katherine George 8
 
 
Lisbon plays home tomorrow Thursday at home 330 7th /445 8th
 

Double Dippers In Lisbon's Police Academy!

By: Peter Reuter

The Lisbon Reporter

Chief Brooks retired in March 1 2003 after 29 years with a retirement of over 1.7 million dollars. Detective Bernard McAllister retired April 1, 2005 after 25 years with a retirement of over 1.3 million dollars. Where did all this money come from? If it was earned by these individuals, how did they support their families during this time? These are taxpayer dollars which helped these police officers to accumulate such a hefty sum of money. Look below and see for yourself.

Both of these police officers retired and were rehired immediately with their same salaries. Their only loss was Lisbon supposedly no longer contributed to their Maine Retirement System account. This means money in their pockets. The taxpayers are still paying these officers while they receive a pension. These money sucking pigs are living the dream at our expense.

Through research done recently the following was also learned that some may find interesting.

Chief Brooks also has a Supplemental Retirement account with International City/County Management Association – Retirement Corporation (ICMA-RC) apparently working on his next million. Like father, like son you can bet Detective McAllister also has a Supplemental Retirement account hidden some where.

Do you think this was very good for the taxpayers?

So just Who is looking out for YOU the taxpayers?

Sure the Police Department is, but Really Now, do we really need all the bells and whistles?

What about all the equipment and vehicles that come and go through the Police Department?  

How are they eliminated from the records?  (ie.  the D.A.R.E. Corvette, the Camo Dodge P/U, old BNAS trucks, etc.)

You do the math and see what you come up with!!!!!

If Lisbon Could Only Be So Lucky, A Conn. Town Hit By Scandal And Begins To Heal

Police chief retiring in Conn. town hit by scandal

By STEPHEN SINGER | Associated Press

EAST HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — A police chief under fire for his handling of anti-Latino abuse allegations that led to the arrests of four officers last week is retiring from office, the mayor said Monday.

Leonard Gallo, chief of the East Haven Police Department, has been chastised by federal civil rights investigators for creating a hostile environment for witnesses, and his lawyer has acknowledged that last week's indictment refers to him as an unnamed co-conspirator.

Gallo, 64, had been suspended as police chief in April 2010 after the FBI launched the criminal investigation, but he was reinstated to the post in November after his friend Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr. took office.

Maturo said Gallo's retirement, which takes effect Friday, is "a unique opportunity to provide new leadership and the healing necessary given recent events."

Read More

LD 1603 What Is Lisbon's Rep. Crafts So Afraid Of,,,, His Own Guilt Perhaps?

Bill would loosen gun carry laws for state workers

By Eric Russell, BDN Staff

Posted Jan. 30, 2012, at 12:40 p.m.

AUGUSTA, Maine — Lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow state employees to bring guns to their workplace, as long as they have a concealed weapons permit and keep the firearm locked in their vehicle and out of sight.
LD 1603, sponsored by Rep. Dale Crafts, R-Lisbon Falls, was modeled after a contentious bill that passed last session that gave similar rights to private-sector employees.

The Legislature’s Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee held a public hearing on the new bill Monday, but the committee is not expected to vote on it until next month.
No one spoke in favor of the bill, although the National Rifle Association of America submitted written testimony in support.

“When the state allows employees to park on their property, the property rights of the state should not negate the constitutional right of self-defense for their employees,” the NRA letter read.

Sen. Garrett Mason, R-Lisbon Falls, the Senate chair of the criminal justice committee and a co-sponsor of the bill, said the bill’s intent is simply to give state employees the same rights as private-sector employees.

What did you leave Gina out on purpose?
Read more

Brasscheck: Stuff they don't want you to know‏ (drinking water, fluoride, history, nazis, poison, russians)

Ed's note:  Lisbon Water is fluoride free when we last checked.

Lisbon,

As I look around and wonder why so many people are blind to the
realities of the growing tyranny all around us, I realize...
they've been drugged.

It was good enough for the gulags and concentration camps, well
then by golly it's good enough for you.

Wake up, man! How can you take the Red Pill, if you're drinking the
blue one?


Goodman Green
- Brasscheck

It's in the water...

Communities across the U.S. add fluoride to the water supply. Mainstream experts believe it prevents tooth decay, but conspiracy theorists think there's something sinister afoot. Tune in to learn the craziest (or not so crazy) fluoride conspiracies in this episode of Stuff They Don't Want You To Know.

 Stuff They Don't Want You To Know - Fluoridation

 

OH GREAT!!! Just When You Think You Have Heard It All!!! NaturalNews: Children's medicines found coated with brain-damaging aluminum‏

Dear Lisbon Reporter & NaturalNews readers,

Aluminum is one of those metals that infects healthy brains and drives people to total insanity. Aluminum causes dementia and Alzheimer's, and in children it has been linked to learning disabilities and behavioral disorders.
So why does Big Pharma coat children's medicines with both aluminum and toxic coloring chemicals that damage brains?
It's sick. Learn the truth, then pass it on:
http://www.naturalnews.com/034813_childrens_medicines_aluminum_pills.html

Hey moms, don't be fooled into buying "all natural" breakfast cereals, tortillas and other corn products at the grocery store: They're almost all genetically modified! Nearly all corn and soy ingredients you'll find in food products every day are GMOs:
http://www.naturalnews.com/034812_GMO_corn_soy.html

And did you know that if you eat canned food, the level of BPA in your blood rises 1,200%?
http://www.naturalnews.com/034811_BPA_canned_food_soup.html

On the good news side of things today, Yerma Mate tea is able to kill colon cancer cells:
http://www.naturalnews.com/034806_Yerba_mate_colon_cancer_caffeine.html

And spirulina can help allergy sufferers!
http://www.naturalnews.com/034809_spirulina_allergies_exercise_recovery.html

More news continues below...

---

---

Today's Feature Stories:

Children's medicines coated with brain-damaging aluminum (NaturalNews) Aluminum Lake food coloring, used to heavily coat liquid medicines for children, contains dangerous amounts of aluminum and harmful synthetic petrochemicals. These "petrochemicals" are carcinogens containing petroleum...

Did you know? Nearly all corn and soy products purchased at grocery stores are genetically modified and may place your health at risk (NaturalNews) More than 90 percent of all soybeans grown in the United States are genetically modified (GM) for herbicide resistance and are consequently sprayed with massive quantities of those toxic chemicals. Fully 85 percent of all corn grown in the...

Toxic BPA levels increase by a shocking 1,200 percent after eating canned food (NaturalNews) A Harvard study suggests that avoiding BPA packaging most of the time isn't enough to avoid its toxic side effects. Even a daily bowl of canned soup is enough to spike your BPA levels by more than 1,200 percent. Researchers at...

McDonald's forced to disclose all chemical ingredients on food sold in Russia (NaturalNews) A Russian consumer rights' group recently filed a lawsuit against McDonald's at Moscow's Tverskoy Court. The consumer groups involved in the suit say that McDonald's milkshakes are falsely named because they contain little milk. McDonald's...

Spirulina significantly aids allergy sufferers and improves exercise performance (NaturalNews) Spirulina is a blue-green algae which is commercially produced and widely marketed as a "superfood" and immune booster. It is also a rich source of natural, plant-based iron, calcium, vitamin A and vitamin C, and an excellent source of plant...

Prescription heart drugs kill dozens of hospital patients in Pakistan (NaturalNews) Tainted pharmaceuticals from unnamed manufacturers are confirmed to have killed dozens of people, and likely many more, in Pakistan. Reuters reports that thousands of doses of contaminated heart drugs freely distributed by the Punjab...

Lawsuit filed to halt US Navy's use of sonar that damages marine life (NaturalNews) Five environmental groups have joined forces with an inter-tribal group representing ten Northern California American Indian tribes to sue the US government for failing to limit sonar naval training exercises harmful to marine life. ...

Yerba mate tea kills colon cancer cells (NaturalNews) A recent scientific study found that yerba mate tea induces death in human colon cancer cells. Scientists discovered that in vitro cancer cells died when exposed to the bioactive compounds present in one cup of the beverage long valued for...

Public remains stunningly ignorant about residential solar (NaturalNews) After months of wrestling with the County Building Department about permits and codes, excruciating financial gymnastics and down and dirty back-breaking spadework, we finally got our solar installation up. It's a massive 3 kw (stc) photovoltaic...

How to maintain healthy weight loss (NaturalNews) At the start of every new year, many people like to make a resolution or two. Often this revolves around their weight, having over-indulged during the holiday period. So they start at a gym or engage in a weight loss program or buy a book...

Scientists admit non-stick cookware and fluorine compounds cause vaccines to fail (NaturalNews) Many consumer and industrial products contain perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), which are highly-persistent organofluorine compounds that make certain materials oil, water, and stain resistant. But according to a new study published in the...

Government 101: Assault on the Constitution by Judge Napolitano (carrot and stick, federal , nanny state, states)+

The federal government's carrot and stick over the states

Lisbon,

How did the control freaks in the federal government get so much
power over every little aspect of our lives?

These powers aren't given to them by the Constitution!

How did they come by this 'claimed' authority to rule and regulate
and even criminalize everything?

Well, one way they did it was by withholding federal money unless
states complied with federal demands.

The old carrot and stick...

Video:

http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/9161.html

Goodman Green
- Brasscheck

 How the federal government
gets around the Constitution

Example: Minimum drinking age
or no federal highway funds

The United States Congress passed legislation, the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, designed to discourage states from lowering the legal drinking age in 1984. It did so by withholding 5% of federal highway funding from states that did not comply. In 1988, that amount changed to 10%. South Dakota, which had allowed 19-year-olds to purchase beer containing up to 3.2% alcohol, sued to challenge the law, naming Secretary of Transportation Elizabeth Dole as the defendant because her office was responsible for enforcing the legislation.

The Supreme Court decided that Congress applying its taxing and spending clauses was not in violation of the 21st Amendment. It is subject to four covenants:

1.The condition must be unambiguous;

2.The condition must promote "the general welfare";

3.The condition should relate "to the federal interest in particular national projects or programs"; and

4.Other constitutional provisions may provide an independent bar to the conditional grant of federal funds.

The first three restrictions, Rehnquist noted, are uncontested. This leaves the fourth restriction. The Tenth Amendment bars federal regulation of the States, and it has been suggested that the Twenty-First Amendment might prohibit federal regulation of the drinking age. Nevertheless, the Congressional condition of highway funds is merely a "pressure" on the State to comply, not a "compulsion" to do so, because the State's failure to meet the condition deprives it of only 5% of the highway funds it may obtain. Therefore, Congress has not run afoul of the Tenth or Twenty-First Amendments.

Dissent

Justices O'Connor and Brennan each filed dissents. O'Connor agreed that Congress may attach conditions on the receipt of federal funds, and that the Twenty-First Amendment gives states authority over laws relating to the consumption of alcohol. The attached condition on the states, O'Connor said, must be "reasonably related to the expenditure of funds." O'Connor disagreed with the Court's finding that withholding federal highway funds was reasonably related to deterring drunken driving and drinking by minors and young adults. She argued that the condition was both over and under-inclusive: it prevents teenagers from drinking when they are not going to drive on federal and federally-funded highways, and it does not attempt to remedy the overall problem of drunken driving on federal and federally-funded highways. Therefore, the relation here between the condition and spending is too attenuated:

“ Establishment of a minimum drinking age of 21 is not sufficiently related to interstate highway construction to justify so conditioning funds appropriated for that purpose.”

If the condition and spending are too attenuated, then they fail the court's "reasonable relation" test, falling outside the scope of Congress's power in the Constitution. Brennan, in a brief paragraph, states his agreement with O'Connor, stating that the Twenty-First Amendment "strikes the proper balance between federal and state authority".

‏

Brasscheck TV: US and EU sign ACTA, global internet censorship treaty‏ (ACTA, Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, censorship, eu, European Union, obama)

Lisbon,

Months before websites all over the internet voluntarily went dark
in protest of SOPA, the internet censorship bill which was being
considered by congress, Obama signed onto the Anti-Counterfeiting
Trade Agreement.

He did so way back in October of last year using his claimed
authority to make 'executive agreements', which basically means he
doesn't intend to, or even believe he needs to, get the congress to
ratify this TREATY.

Yesterday the European Union signed onto ACTA without any debate.

ACTA has become a reality far worse for internet freedom than
either SOPA or PIPA ever even threatened to be.

Here's what you really need to know about ACTA...

Goodman Green

- Brasscheck

 Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement
(ACTA) explained

EU signs ACTA, global internet censorship treaty

Rady Ananda
Activist Post

Today, the European Union and 22 member states signed the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced. They have now joined the US and seven other nations that signed the treaty last October.

This signing ceremony merely formalized the EU’s adoption of ACTA last month, during a completely unrelated meeting on agriculture and fisheries, reports TechDirt.

Though initiated by the US, Japan is the official depository of the treaty.

Removal of the Three Strikes clause, in which users accused of three counts of piracy would be barred from the internet, paved the way for the EU to adopt ACTA last month.

Related to ACTA, a chapter in the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) “would have state signatories adopt even more restrictive copyright measures than ACTA,” reports the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Both ACTA and TPP were developed without public input and outside international trade groups, like the World Trade Organization and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
 Leaked cables published by WikiLeaks in 2009 exposed early drafts of ACTA, resulting in a firestorm of controversy. Those cables, coupled with later releases, showed that ACTA negotiations began in 2006 and were controversial even to participating states.  An historical summary of the treaty’s progress through December can be found here.

ACTA Violates Magna Carta and US Constitution

Like PIPA and SOPA, two domestic internet censorship bills that prompted major websites to blacken their name or website in a Jan. 18th protest, ACTA allows accusers of copyright infringement to bypass judicial review.  Lack of “due process” makes these bills and ACTA unconstitutional and violates the Magna Carta, a charter signed in 1215 on which most Western law is based, including the US Constitution.  It is often cited as the most important legal document in the history of democracy.

(The USA PATRIOT Acts, Obama’s assassination program, and the National Defense Authorization Act that allows indefinite detention are among many recent laws passed in the US which directly breach the Magna Carta.)

“The Constitution states only one command twice,” explains Peter Strauss of Cornell University Law School, further elaborating:

The Fifth Amendment says to the federal government that no one shall be ‘deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law.’ The Fourteenth Amendment, ratified in 1868, uses the same eleven words, called the Due Process Clause, to describe a legal obligation of all states. These words have as their central promise an assurance that all levels of American government must operate within the law (‘legality’) and provide fair procedures.

Not only due process, but US adoption of ACTA also violates Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, which provides that the president “shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two-thirds of the Senators present concur.”

The Senate never voted on ACTA.

During the Jan. 18 internet blackout, Darrell Issa (R-CA) introduced OPEN, (H.R. 3782, the Online Protection and Enforcement of Digital Trade Act).  Heather Callaghan points out that even though OPEN targets foreign-based websites,

[T]he bill’s wording is wide open to pursue American sites. Just one example: when describing an infringing site, it starts with those ‘that are accessed through a non-domestic domain name,’ but continues in section (8)(A)(ii) for any site that ‘conducts business directed to residents of the United States.’

 

As this slew of internet censorship bills and treaties make their way into law, “the United States fell 27 places on the Reporters Without Borders tenth annual Press Freedom Index of 2011 to 47th overall,” reports Activist Post.

Today’s signatories included the EU, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Last October, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore and the United States signed ACTA.

Though involved in early ACTA negotiations, Switzerland and Mexico have not yet ratified it.  However, “Since the agreement remains open to signature until May 2013, it is possible that other states may make a move to join it as well,” said Maira Sutton of EFF.

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The Maine WIRE- LD1778 Summary and Public Hearing Primer

LD 1778 Summary and Public Hearing Primer

by Terrilyn Simpson

The director of the Maine State Housing Authority has no accountability to the governor, the legislature or the MaineHousing board of commissioners.

Maine State Housing is the only quasi-governmental agency in the state in which the director has no accountability to its board.

Maine citizens will have an opportunity to voice opinions and offer arguments regarding MSHA director accountability on Tuesday afternoon at a legislative hearing at the state capitol. It will be the first public round in the debate over the MSHA director accountability bill sponsored by Senator Jon Courtney (R-York County).

The public hearing on LD (Legislative Document) 1778 — An Act Relating to the Governance of the Maine State Housing Authority — will be held at 1:00 on Tuesday, January 31 in Room 208 of the Cross Building, located next to the State House.

More here.

ACTION ALERT: MaineHousing Accountability Bill Public Hearing - January 31st, 1pm‏

 

MHPC Action Alert: 

MaineHousing Accountability

________________________________________________________________________________   What: MaineHousing Account​ability Bill Public Hearing   When: Tuesday, January 31st, 1pm   Where: Augusta, StateHouse (Cross Building) - Room 208: Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development   Why: To Testify on LD 1778, A bill that would make the Maine Housing Authority Director accountable to the MSHA Board of Commissioners.

________________________________________________________________________________   The problems at MaineHousing have been well documented. The nearly $300,000 for one-unit "affordable" apartments, bonuses of $1,000 handed out to all employees and the hundreds of luxury hotels, massages, parties and political donations - all paid for with public dollars.   Currently, the Director of MaineHousing is accountable to no one. The Director was appointed, and is in the beginning of a 4-year term as Director that cannot be changed. LD 1778, Sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Jon Courtney, would make the MaineHousing Director accountable to the Board of Commissioners at MaineHousing.   If you are concerned about what is going on at MaineHousing - please join MHPC at the January 31st public hearing for LD 1778 and consider providing public testimony in support of more accountability and oversight for the Maine State Housing Authority.   If you plan to provide testimony, please bring 25 copies of your written testimony to submit to the committee.    If you have questions - please contact Sam Adolphsen:

 

CONTACT:   

Sam Adolphsen

207.975.6617 (c)

sam@mainepolicy.org

Symptoms of a Stroke

Stroke has a new indicator     

They say if you e.mail this to ten people, you stand a chance of saving one life.  Will you send this along?  Blood Clots/Stroke - They Now Have a Fourth Indicator,  the Tongue

 

I will continue to forward this every time it comes around!
STROKE: Remember the 1st Three Letters..... S. T. R.  
STROKE  IDENTIFICATION:
During a BBQ, a woman stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) ...she said she had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes.
They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food. While she appeared a bit shaken up, Jane went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening.

Jane's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00 PM Jane passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Jane would be with us today. Some don't die. They end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.
It only takes a minute to read this.

A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough. 
RECOGNIZING A STROKE
  Thank God for the sense to remember the '3' steps, STR. Read and
Learn!
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.
Now doctors say a  bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:
S  *Ask the individual to SMILE.
T  *Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A
SIMPLE SENTENCE  (Coherently)
(I.e. It is sunny out today.)
R  *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.
If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call emergency number immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
New Sign of a Stroke -------- Stick out Your Tongue
NOTE:  Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out his tongue. If the tongue is
'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other that is also an indication of a stroke.

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 people; you can bet that at least one life will be saved. 
I have done my part. Will you?

Submitted by: Rufus

Brasscheck TV: The Bogus drug war - Introducing Incarcerex: Helping politicians maintain long lasting election results‏

Lisbon,
 
A humorous depiction of how the government incarcerates too many
people for petty drug offenses. The Prison Industrial Complex is
making too much money locking up otherwise law abiding citizens.
 
The government is addicted to Incarcerex...
 

 
Goodman Green
- Brasscheck

 Introducing Incarcerex ℞: Helping politicians maintain long lasting election results

 

 Active duty cop: 

'The war on drugs is a war on people'

 Raw Story

Speaking to Raw Story recently, an active duty police officer who asked not to be named threw down the gauntlet over the part of his job he hates most: the drug war.

"I did not get in law enforcement to destroy a person's future because that person had marijuana or a pill in their pocket," the officer explained. "Why would you want to destroy that person's future and cause them great harm because of that? It's not worth it."

Like many Americans, the reality of the drug war was was nothing like what he'd been taught to believe in his youth. But statistics like a citizen being arrested for drugs every 19 seconds in 2010, and 1.6 million people incarcerated over drugs in 2009, were nothing compared to what he actually experienced in the front lines of the drug war on America's users.

But for those officers who put their lives on the line every day to protect the public from dangerous, violent criminals, the drug war isn't always just another part of the job. For this officer in particular, it's much more than that: "The war on drugs is a war on people," he claimed.

"I just didn't see problems from illegal drug users that I'd been led to believe," the officer explained. "Most of the calls that we get on drug use, as police, are alcohol related. Alcohol is a serious drug that can be abused, but I just didn't see the calls on other drugs like I had been led to believe. I didn't see these drug-crazed people out there doing crazy things... Even growing up before entering law enforcement, I was always led to believe that the drug war was meant to stop all these people from doing crazy things. But on the street, that's not what you see. That's a lie."

In his view, the officer said that the American public would be much better off if the government would "regulate drugs and keep the control out of the hands of the black market criminals."

"The cartels have been running a serious drug operation in America for decades, and I don't think most Americans are really aware of it," he said. "The money comes from the prohibition of drugs. These criminals are making their money because of the prohibition. If you legalize and regulate it, their profits go to zero."

For more than two decades in law enforcement, he said that he's carried an immense guilt: his first drug arrest.

"I was in training, on 'the other side of the tracks,' for lack of better words, and we pulled a vehicle over," he explained. "The guy, I think he had a defective taillight or something. He was sober, polite, respectful, no problems, and my training officer said, 'Oh yeah, he's gonna have drugs.' So, I asked if we could search his vehicle and he gave me permission. Within no time, I found a small amount of (hard) drugs, so he was facing a serious charge. The whole time I was thinking, 'This is not right. This guy's keeping to himself, not hurting nobody, he's a peaceful person.' I instinctively knew this was wrong. I changed my perspective immediately. This was not the war on drugs that I thought it would be."

Read more here

Thrive ~ What On Earth Will It Take? (Full HD Trailer)

THRIVE is an unconventional documentary premiering online on 11.11.11 at http://thrivemovement.com.

"THRIVE lifts the veil on what's REALLY going on in our world by following the money upstream -- uncovering the
global consolidation of power in nearly every aspect of our lives. Weaving together breakthroughs in science, consciousness and activism, THRIVE offers real solutions, empowering us with unprecedented and bold strategies for reclaiming our lives and our future."

Dear Visitors, Friends & Subscribers,

Personally, I can't wait to see this on 11.11.11.

Astronaut Edgar Mitchel, Nassim Haramein, Steven Greer, M.D., Deepak Chopra, M.D., David Icke, to name but a few, on limitless energy, ancient symbols, UFO's, E.T's, Crop Circles, Big Pharma, Big Energy, and the Federal Reserve.

The clock is ticking folks. Watch this full HD trailer. Visit the website in the video information section. Don't miss any of this one.

Wishing you all Love, Light, Peace and Truth ~ Always.

Namaste,

NDD

Thrive - Corporate Personhood - Rinaldo Brutoco

Thrive - Take Money out of Politics - Paul Hawken

Thrive - How the Money Scam Works - Bill Still

To Believe In A Day,,, Jackie Evancho Video - To Believe with Lyrics HD

Jackie Evancho - The Official Jackie Evancho Site
http://www.jackieevancho.com/us/home