What Adam Curry is reading

Bitcoin Crash Spurs Race to Create New Exchanges
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  Thu, 11 Apr 2013 09:44
  The rush to build a more reliable exchange for the virtual currency bitcoin is under way after another price crash on Wednesday disgruntled customers who directed their anger against the alternative currency's major exchange.
  Bitcoin proved once again that it's not for the faint hearted as it lost 60 percent of its value on Wednesday with the biggest exchange Mt.Gox citing increased demand leading to a slowdown with its systems.
  This follows a 20 percent crash last Thursday which Mt.Gox blamed on a type of hacking attack called a distributed denial-of-service attack (DDoS) - which slows down the website - delaying orders and panicking sellers. Another DDoS was again reported by the exchange on Thursday morning, coinciding with another price drop.
  "People started to panic, started to sell bitcoin in mass, resulting in an increase of trade that ultimately froze the trade engine," Mt.Gox said in a press release after Wednesday's fall caused bitcoin to close at $105 from an all-time high of $266.
  (Read More: Bitcoin Utopia? Interest Is Sky High in This Euro Nation)
  Mt.Gox is the biggest exchange for bitcoins and the company claims it currently handles over 80 percent of all bitcoin-USD trades.
  "The number of new [accounts] opened went from 60,000 for March alone to 75,000 new [accounts] created for the first few days of April! We now have roughly 20,000 new accounts created each day," the company said, adding that account creation had tripled in the last 24 hours.
  Despite Mt.Gox working around the clock to fix problems and adding new servers, people took to Facebook to vent their frustrations.
  Daily turnover for the exchange is close to $30 million, according to Bitcoinwatch.com. Jon Matonis, a senior member of the Bitcoin Foundation and an e-money researcher told CNBC.com that the prize for an exchange that can prove its stability is "potentially massive".
  Recent crashes prove bitcoin's over-reliance on a sole exchange, he said, adding that the market is still maturing and exchanges are springing up around the globe taking market share away from Mt.Gox.
  (Read More: Bitcoin Bubble: How 'Geeks' Sent Prices Parabolic)
  Bitcoin is a virtual currency allowing users to exchange online credits for goods and services. While there is no central bank that issues them, bitcoins can be created online by using a computer to complete difficult tasks, a process known as mining.
  Bitcoin prices have surged around 400 percent over the past month due to growing uncertainty over fiat currencies, growing media interest and the turmoil in Cyprus. Opinion has been sharply split over the currency, however, with analysts differing on whether it's an advancement in the monetary system or just a ponzi scheme that should be avoided.
  On top of dealing with DDoS attacks, a surge in customer demand and implementing anti-money laundering (AML) checks, these new bitcoin exchanges have the added worry that new regulations for separate jurisdictions will hit trading further.
  American broadcaster Max Keiser, a former Wall Sreet stock broker and inventor of the technology behind web-based game Hollywood Stock Exchange told CNBC.com that he was providing consulting for a new exchange to be set up in London.
  "The 'market making' design for [Mt.Gox] is weak; as is the case across all the bitcoin exchanges. This is where we'll see some new initiatives - many are already in the pipeline," he said.
  (Read More: Bitcoin Great for Narco-Dollar Traffickers: Pro)
  "I'm consulting on a project now in London with some excellent people who are part of what I would call the core bitcoin community of developers and financiers and it looks to be very exciting."
  The first American bitcoin exchange Tradehill relaunched and rebranded itself back in March in the hope that it can provide a "more professional, cleaner, faster and more effective operation." The exchange even includes engineering talent from Google.
  Matonis cited Tradehill and BitStamp as two exchanges that were alternatives to Mt.Gox. Over 50 exchanges are currently in existence and Matonis said he expects new leaders among exchanges will rise up separately in the U.S., Europe and Asia, with the currency never truly being centralized.
  Germany's Bitcoin.de is another exchange vying to take market share. It's currently in negotiations with banks and it's looking to develop its marketplace model as well as adding more staff to its books and more servers to its current set-up.
  "I think our colleagues at Mt.Gox do a great job! Nobody is immune from attack," Oliver Flaskamper, manager at Bitcoin.de told CNBC.com.
  "The growth in the last three months was so strong that even we were surprised at Bitcoin.de of the influx of new registrations," he said, adding that the rush of users on Wednesday evening was "too much."
  '--By CNBC.com's Matt Clinch; Follow him on Twitter@mattclinch81
VIDEO-BBC News - Senator Manchin: 'Common sense and gun sense'
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  Thu, 11 Apr 2013 09:43
  Two US senators have struck a bipartisan deal to expand background checks on gun buyers, boosting White House hopes for a firearms control law
  In announcing the deal, one of the senators, West Virginia's Joe Manchin, told reporters that the death of 20 adults and six children in a mass school shooting had pushed them to find "common ground" on the issue.
  "Truly the events at Newtown changed us all," he said. "Nobody here... could sit by and not try to prevent a day like that from happening again."
A Mobile App for Crowdsourcing Vaccine Refusal Data: A Model for Improving Drug Adherence.
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  Source: WT news feed
  Thu, 11 Apr 2013 08:02
  A mobile app for tracking vaccination refusal was recently released by the University of Iowa Computational Epidemiology Group. It's called simply "vaccine refused."
  According to the developers, "vaccinations are one of the most important interventions for preventing the spread of several infectious diseases. Refusing recommended vaccinations puts communities at greater risk for outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases. This app enables pediatricians and other health care providers to very quickly document and track instances of vaccine refusal."
  I downloaded the app and used it even though I am NOT a healthcare provider. In fact, I think the app would better be targeted to consumers than to physicians who are less likely to use it, although it is quite easy to use -- you only need to enter a name, email address, and profession to register.Regarding privacy issues, I notice that there is no privacy policy per se, just a statement that says "Your information is kept completely private and will be used for verification purposes." I did not receive any email attempting to verify that I was indeed a healthcare professional.
  Whatever!
  To submit a refusal you enter the patient's sex, zip code (of hospital or clinic), and age. Then you select the vaccine that was refused (or all of the vaccines listed) and the reason the patient gave for refusing the vaccine.
  On behalf of my 23 year old son, I submitted a flu vaccine refusal. He believes that the flu vaccine doesn't work, which may be a reasonable assumption (see "Does the Flu Vaccine Work? What 62% 'Effective' Really Means"). He may also have thought that he is not at risk for the flu, but I could select only one reason.
  What I found interesting about the app is the Map function, which shows the distribution of refusals as pins on a map such as the ones shown below (the one on the right shows my refusal; I am relieved that this app does not use geo-location to show more precisely my location!):
  It looks like most of the refusals to date are close to the University of Iowa. And most refusals are flu vaccine refusals -- you can use a filter to display only certain vaccine refusals (RV, DTaP, Tdap, Hib, PCV, IPV, MMR, HepA, HepB, VAR, HPV, MCV4, or Flu or All Vaccines). It looks like one patient (#318) in Orgeon refused ALL vaccines! I am not sure what the numbers in the black circles refer to -- the app is poorly documented.Anyway, I will be interested in viewing the data as more and more "healthcare professionals" (or whoever) use the app.
  More importantly, however, is how crowdsourcing apps like this may be useful for tracking why patients refuse other medications such as statins. The pharma industry knows that "Poor medication adherence costs pharma $564 billion per year." From surveys of patients and physicians, the industry also knows the major reasons for this, but it has struggled to come up with a solution.
  If the vaccine refusal app were targeted to consumers it could go one step further by adding an educational component so that when a patient submits a refusal, the app displays a screen that addresses the reason for the refusal by offering a counter argument based on evidence, of course.
  For example, if my son entered his own refusal, the app could have informed him of the data regarding flu complications among people of his sex and age in his local area. It also could have provided evidence of the effectiveness of the vaccine for men of his age. That may have influenced him to change his mind. But he most likely would not be persuaded any longer no matter the data -- he did not get the flu!
Denmark: Man with sexsomnia aquitted of rape .
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  Source: WT news feed
  Thu, 11 Apr 2013 08:02
  Experts support man's claim that he was asleep when he assaulted two 17-year-old girls
  A man was cleared of rape today because he suffered from a rare sleep disorder.
  The 32-year-old man was charged with the sexual assault of two 17-year-old girls in 2011. But Glostrup District Court today chose to dismiss the charges against him because he suffers from sexsomnia, which causes those inflicted to engage in sexual acts while asleep.
  ''It is the first time that someone has been acquitted under these circumstances in Denmark,'' the man's lawyer, Andro Vrlic, told Ritzau. ''There have been a couple of cases in Sweden and Norway.''
  According to Ekstra Bladet tabloid, the man has always claimed that the he was asleep when the incident took place but he was charged by police who did not believe his explanation.
  The man was subsequently tested and found to have the condition, which affects around one percent of the population.
  ''According to his explanation, he did not know that there was anything wrong with him,'' the prosecutor, Martin von B¼low, told Ekstra Bladet. ''But when former girlfriends told him that they had experienced something similar while he slept, he sought out a sleep specialist [who tested him].''
  Von B¼low added that the testimony from the girls supported the man's claim that he was asleep when he touched one and made sexual motions against the other. He added that given that the man's defence was supported both by the victims and by experts in court, he was not surprised by the acquittal.
  ''We had a professor in court who concluded that the fluctuations in the man's brain patterns matched others who suffered from sexsomnia,'' von B¼low told Ekstra Bladet. ''It's not something that can be faked.''
House Intelligence panel OKs CISPA after closed door meeting
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  Thu, 11 Apr 2013 08:01
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Why Are The Banksters Telling Us To Sell Our Gold When They Are Hoarding Gold Like Crazy?
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  Source: BlackListedNews.com
  Thu, 11 Apr 2013 08:00
  By Michael SnyderEconomic Collapse
  The big banks are breathlessly proclaiming that now is the time to sell your gold. They are warning that we have now entered a ''bear market'' for gold and that the price of gold will continue to decline for the rest of the year. So should we believe them? Well, their warnings might be more credible if the central banks of the world were not hoarding gold like crazy. During 2012, central bank gold buying was at the highest level that we have seen in almost 50 years. Meanwhile, insider buying of gold stocks has now reached multi-year highs and the U.S. Mint cannot even keep up with the insatiable demand for silver eagle coins. So what in the world is actually going on here? Right now, the central banks of the world are indulging in a money printing binge that reminds many of what happened during the early days of the Weimar Republic. When you flood the financial system with paper money, that is eventually going to cause the prices for hard assets to go up dramatically. Could it be possible that the banksters are trying to drive down the price of both gold and silver so that they can gobble it up cheaply? Do they want to be the ones sitting on all of the ''real money'' once the paper money bubble that we are living in finally bursts?
  Over the past few weeks, nearly every major newspaper in the world has run at least one story telling people that it is time to sell their gold. For example, the following is from a recent Wall Street Journal article entitled ''Goldman Sachs Turns Bearish on Gold'''...
  Another longtime gold bull is turning tail.
  Investment bank Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said Wednesday that gold's prospects for the year have eroded, recommending investors close out long positions and initiate bearish bets, or shorts. The shift in outlook was the latest among banks and investors who have soured on gold as its dozen-year runup has been followed by a 12% decline in the last six months.
  Goldman began the year predicting gold would decline in the second half of 2013, but said Wednesday the drop began earlier than expected and doesn't appear likely to reverse. Like others, the firm said the usual catalysts that have been bullish for gold during its run are no longer working.
  Major banks over in Europe are issuing similar warnings about the price of gold. The following is from a Marketwatch article entitled ''Sell gold, buy oil, Societe Generale analysts say'''...
  Analysts at Societe Generale predict in a note Thursday that gold prices will fall below $1,400 by the year's end and continue heading south next year.
  They cite two main reasons:
  1. Inflation has so far stayed low and now investors are beginning to see economic conditions that would justify an end to the Fed's quantitative easing program.2. The dollar has started trending higher, which should make gold prices move lower as the physical gold market is extremely oversupplied without continued large-scale investor buying.
  And even Asian banks are telling people to sell their gold at this point. According to CNBC, Japanese banking giant Nomura is another major international bank that has turned ''bearish'' on gold'...
  Nomura forecast gold prices will fall in 2013, on Thursday, becoming the latest bank to turn bearish on the precious metal which has been a favorite hedge for investors who fear aggressive monetary stimulus will lead to rising inflation.
  ''For the first time since 2008, in our view, the investment environment for gold is deteriorating as economic recovery, rising interest rates and still benign Western inflation (for now) will likely leave some investors rethinking their cumulative $240 billion investment in gold over the past four years,'' wrote Nomura analysts in a sector note on Thursday.
  A lot of financial analysts are urging people to dump gold and to jump into stocks where they ''can get a much better return''. They make it sound like it is only going to be downhill for gold from here. The following is from a recent CNBC article entitled ''Gold's 'Death Cross' Isn't All Investors Are Worried About'''...
  Gold is flashing the ''death cross'' but the bearish chart pattern is not the only thing scaring investors.
  The magnetic appeal of a rising stock market has pulled some investment funds away from the yellow metal. Since the beginning of the year, stocks are up nearly 7 percent and gold is down nearly 6 percent.
  But if gold is such a bad investment, then why are the central banks of the world hoarding gold like crazy?
  According to the World Gold Council, gold buying by global central banks in 2012 was at the highest level that we have seen since 1964'...
  Worldwide gold demand in 2012 was another record high of $236.4 billion in the World Gold Council's latest report. This was up 6% in value terms in the fourth quarter to $66.2 billion, the highest fourth quarter on record. Global gold demand in the fourth quarter of 2012 was up 4% to 1,195.9 tonnes.
  Central bank buying for 2012 rose by 17% over 2011 to some 534.6 tonnes. As far as central bank gold buying, this was the highest level since 1964. Central bank purchases stood at 145 tonnes in the fourth quarter. That is up 9% from the fourth quarter of 2011, and the eighth consecutive quarter in which central banks were net purchasers of gold.
  This all comes on the heels of decades when global central banks were net sellers of gold. Marcus Grubb, a Managing Director at the World Gold Council, says that we are witnessing a fundamental change in behavior by global central banks'...
  Central banks' move from net sellers of gold, to net buyers that we have seen in recent years, has continued apace. The official sector purchases across the world are now at their highest level for almost half a century.
  Meanwhile, insiders seem to think that gold stocks are actually quite undervalued right now. In fact, insider buying of gold stocks is now at a level that we have not seen in quite some time. The following is an excerpt from a recent Globe and Mail article entitled ''Insider buying of gold stocks surges to multi-year highs'''...
  The TSX global gold index has lost about a third of its value over the past two years. The S&P/TSX Venture Exchange, stock full of gold mining juniors, hit a multi-year low this month.
  Yet, executives and officers who work within those businesses are showing remarkable confidence that the sector is poised for better times.
  In addition, the demand for physical silver in the United States seems to be greater than ever before. According to the U.S. Mint, demand for physical silver coins hit a new all-time record highduring the month of February.
  And demand for silver coins has not abated since then. Just check out what has been happening in April so far'...
  The US Mint has updated April sales statistics for the first time since last week, and to no surprise, the Mint again reported more massive sales, with another 833,000 silver eagles reported sold Monday! The April total through 6 business days is now 1.645 million ounces, bringing the 2013 total to a massive 15.868 million ounces. In response to the continued massive demand for silver eagles, the mint also has begun rationing sales of silver eagles to primary dealers resulting in supply delays! Just as was seen in January, tight physical supplies have seen premiums on ASE's skyrocketing over the weekend and throughout the day, as ASE's are rapidly becoming as scarce as 90%!
  Something does not appear to add up here.
  I also found it very interesting that according to Reuters, Cyprus is being forced to sell most of their gold reserves in order to help fund the bailout of their banking system'...
  Cyprus has agreed to sell excess gold reserves to raise around 400 million euros (341 million pounds) and help finance its part of its bailout, an assessment of Cypriot financing needs prepared by the European Commission showed.
  So exactly who will they be selling that gold to?
  And I also found it very interesting to learn that Comex gold inventories have been falling dramatically over the last few months. The following is from a recent article by Tekoa Da Silva'...
  A stunning piece of information was brought to my attention yesterday. Amid all the mainstream talk of the end of the gold bull market (and the end of the gold mining industry), something has been discretely happening behind the scenes.
  Over the last 90 days without any announcement,stocks of gold held at Comex warehousesplunged by the largest figure ever on record during a single quarter since eligible record keeping began in 2001 (roughly the beginning of the bull market).
  In particular, something very unusual appears to be happening with JP Morgan Chase's gold'...
  JP Morgan Chase's reported gold stockpile dropped by over 1.2 million oz.'s, or rather, a staggering $1.8 billion dollars worth of physical gold was removed from it's vaultsduring the last 120 days.
  So what does all of this mean?
  I don't know. But I would like to find out. Someone is definitely up to something.
  Meanwhile, the central banks of the globe seem determined to put their reckless money printing into overdrive.
  For example, the Bank of Japan actually plans to double the monetary base of that country by the end of 2014 as a recentTime Magazine article described'...
  On Thursday, the new governor of the Bank of Japan (BOJ), Haruhiko Kuroda, announced that the central bank would double the monetary base of the country '-- adding an additional $1.4 trillion '-- by the end of 2014 in an attempt to end the deflation plaguing the economy. To achieve that, Kuroda will buy government bonds and other assets to inject cash into the economy '-- what has now become familiar as quantitative easing, or QE '-- to bump inflation up to a targeted 2%. The plan is part of a greater strategy ushered in by new Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to restart the economy through massive fiscal and monetary stimulus. It also expands on the efforts by theFederal Reserve, Bank of England and European Central Bank to stimulate growth and smooth over financial turmoil by infusing huge sums of new money into the global economy.
  Many in the western world have been extremely critical of this move, but the truth is that we actually started this ''currency war''. The Federal Reserve has been recklessly printing money for years, and even though we are now supposedly in the midst of an ''economic recovery'', the Fed is actually doing more quantitative easing than ever.
  Anyone that thinks that gold and silver are bad investments for the long-term when the central banks of the world are being so reckless should have their heads examined.
  However, I do believe that gold and silver will experience wild fluctuations in price over the next several years. When the next stock market crash happens, gold and silver will go down. It happened back in 2008 and it will happen again.
  But in response to the next major financial crisis, I believe that the central banks of the globe will become more reckless than anyone ever dreamed possible. At that point I believe that we will see gold and silver soar to unprecedented heights.
  Yes, there will be huge ups and downs for gold and silver. But in the long-term, both gold and silver are going to go far, far higher than they are today.
  So what do you think will happen to gold and silver in the years ahead? Please feel free to post a comment with your thoughts below'...
Because his name is Weiner and it's the NY Post
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  Source: TheBlaze.com - Blog
  Thu, 11 Apr 2013 07:58
  You can imagine that the slightest whiff of Anthony Weiner news sends the New York Post into overdrive.
  Hence today's cover following New York Times Magazine's 10-page (online) interview with a weepy Weiner, in which he shared nearly ever detail about his Twitter-crotch photo scandal from 2011. In the story, he acknowledges he's considering running for New York City mayor'...
  [Newseum]
China reports 5 new H7N9 flu cases, 33 total
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  Source: 33 World News
  Thu, 11 Apr 2013 07:56
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Judge rules secret behind US 'pink slime' must remain under wraps '-- RT USA
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  Source: BadChad's ThoughtPile
  Thu, 11 Apr 2013 07:56
  You're not likely to have heard of Beef Products Inc. before, but the leading maker of ''lean finely textured beef'' - or what is now referred to as ''pink slime'' - was successful today in blocking the release of its processing techniques to prying eyes.
  As Reuters recently reported, it was only a year ago that BPI operated four thriving plants, employed over 1,300 people and was only expanding. Then, last March, the hammer fell when ABC News began a series of broadcasts anchored by Diane Sawyer shedding light on the ubiquitous use of "lean finely textured beef" (LFTB) in fast food restaurants, school cafeterias and even homemade meals.
  Though the LFTB product that led the South Dakota company to such high profits is perfectly legal to use, according to BPI's subsequent lawsuit against ABC the use of the not-unfitting term ''pink slime'' put off consumers and caused its revenues to plummet from over $650 million to $130 million per year.
  In its reporting, ABC was intent on disclosing the production details behind LFTB which, although being low-fat, was subjected to treatment with ammonia and other noxious chemicals to kill E. coli bacteria and make it safe for consumption. Though the product had been approved for public consumption beginning in 2001, ABC's reporting reached a largely unaware mainstream audience.
  Regardless of whether BPI was subjected to undue defamation by the news broadcasts, the public backlash and controversy over the product led to its discontinued use by various companies.
  But on Wednesday, BPI was successful in protecting information regarding the process by which the so-called pink slime is made.
  The company had filed legal action in 2010 when a Seattle law firm, and later The New York Times, attempted to obtain food safety research conducted by a professor at Iowa State University who later became a consultant for the company.
  Though the ruling is sure to upset food safety advocacy groups, which have been vocal in their bid to rid food of the processed product, District Judge Dale Ruigh did not seem to weigh potential consumer concerns heavily in his decision. Rather, Ruigh found that BPI should be shielded from an ''extraordinarily competitive'' environment, in which competitors are hot on the trail of its patented processes in the production of the 'beef' product.
  In addition, the ruling addressed the potential impact to Iowa State laboratories, who do business with companies that might head elsewhere for testing if they suspected results would be made public. Exactly how any concerns over consumer safety were to be weighed with the school's business interests remained unclear, though in this case Judge Ruigh made that call for all involved.
  While for the moment the litigation battle over pink slime processing secrets is over, and no appeals are expected, it is unlikely to change the public's perception of BPI's now struggling product. As for whether the company's lawsuit against ABC News is successful remains to be seen, though BPI has been hard at work trying to win back customers following the fallout of the reports on its cash 'cow.'
  According to Reuters, the Midwestern grocery chain Hy-Vee, which discontinued sales of LFTB following the media uproar, soon began selling it again once customers began demanding it back.
"WHY ASSAULT WEAPONS! ARE THESE GUNS FOR HUNTING OR ARE THEY FOR KILLING?"
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Member Of Osama Bin Laden Compound Raid Will Testify At Bradley Manning's Trial
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Reason #6378 Why YOU Need A Gun: BASEBALL BAT vs GUNS Will Generally Not Work Out This Well
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The Pompeii Of Northern Europe
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jonathan van meter hillary clinton
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  Thu, 11 Apr 2013 07:45
  Jonathan Van Meter: News & Coverage on New York Magazinenymag.com/tags/jonathan-van-meter/- CachedFiled Under: fame, fashion, gwen stefani, having it all, jonathan van meter, love ...Filed Under: hillary clinton, jonathan van meter, secretary of awesome, vogue ...Reliable Source - Quoted: Jonathan Van Meter on Hillary Clintonvoices.washingtonpost.com/.../11/quoted_jonathan_van_meter_on_h.html
  Nov 18, 2009 ... In Tuesday's excerpt from Vogue's new Hillary Clinton profile, we shared themoment when writer Jonathan Van Meter giggles with the ...Hillary's Crush on David Miliband, And Other Tall Tales - Newsweek ...www.thedailybeast.com/.../hillary-s-crush-on-david-miliband-and-other-tall- tales.html- CachedNov 16, 2009... it was two contrasting stories about the original polarizer, Hillary Clinton, ...Jonathan Van Meter, includes a short anecdote about Clinton's ...Worth reading: Hillary Clinton in the December issue of Vogue ...shine.yahoo.com/.../worth-reading-hillary-clinton-in-the-december-issue-of- vogue-545668.html- CachedNov 16, 2009 ... Clinton comes across as a woman who's strong, independent, ... See JonathanVan Meter's photo diary of Hillary Clinton in Africa ...Hillary Clinton's Lighter Side - CBS Newswww.cbsnews.com/8301-500202_162-5681130.html- CachedNov 17, 2009 ... Were it not for Barack Obama's persistence, Hillary Clinton would never havebeen Secretary of State, writes Jonathan Van Meter, contributing ...Hillary Clinton Gave Huma Abedin 'Unconditonal Support' During ...www.huffingtonpost.com/.../hillary-clinton-huma-abedin-anthony-weiner- scandal_n_3054023.html
  18 hours ago ... US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (R) and aide Huma Abedin speak before ...Abedin told Jonathan Van Meter that she and Hillary had some ...Waiting in the Wings: An Exclusive Interview with Chelsea Clinton...www.vogue.com/.../waiting-in-the-wings-an-exclusive-interview-with-chelsea -clinton/- CachedAug 13, 2012 ... In this exclusive interview, Jonathan Van Meter discovers a young ... internworking for Hillary Clinton'--shoots me a look: ''Don't encourage her.Jonathan Van Meter | Still4Hillstill4hill.com/tag/jonathan-van-meter/- CachedJonathan Van Meter, who chronicled Hillary Clinton's August 2009 Africa trip forthe December Vogue that year, has now turned his attention to Chelsea whom ...Vogue Magazine | Still4Hillstill4hill.com/tag/vogue-magazine/- CachedJonathan Van Meter, who chronicled Hillary Clinton's August 2009 Africa trip forthe December Vogue that year, has now turned his attention to Chelsea whom ...Jonathan van meter News, Video and Gossip - Jezebeljezebel.com/jonathan-van-meter/- CachedOct 25, 2010 ... It's not that there isn't plenty of relatively substantive material in Jonathan VanMeter's profile of Gillibrand, whom he compares to Hillary Clinton...
Anthony Weiner and Huma Abedin's Post-Scandal Playbook
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  Thu, 11 Apr 2013 07:44
  One day in early February, I met Anthony Weiner and Huma Abedin for breakfast at the Gramercy Park Hotel, one of their regular joints, just a few blocks from their apartment on Park Avenue South. The first thing Weiner said when I sat down was that their 13-month-old son, Jordan, had just moments ago taken his first step. They were both giddy, kvelling with baby-pride, especially Weiner, who, with all his free time, has become his son's primary caretaker. This is what life is like now for the man whose name is invariably followed in print by some version of ''the disgraced former congressman who sent out a lewd picture of himself via Twitter.'' He seems to spend much of his time within a five-block radius of his apartment: going to the park with Jordan; picking up his wife's dry cleaning and doing the grocery shopping; eating at his brother Jason's two restaurants in the neighborhood. This is what happens after a scandal: Ranks are closed and the world shrinks to a tiny dot. It is a life in retreat. And for a man who was known, pre-scandal, for his overweening ambition, his constant presence on cable news, his hard-charging schedule that verged on lunacy, well, it has been quite a change.
  Because of their careers, Weiner and Abedin are pros when it comes to small talk, chatting about the baby, their two cats and the pleasures of domestic life. But as the conversation shifted into why we were there, Weiner got serious and went into problem-solving mode; Abedin, while still cheerful and talkative, started to look a little nervous. As Abedin pointed out to me later, she has a tendency toward pessimism. ''Anthony,'' she said, ''is a glass-half-full person. He doesn't dwell. He's not negative.''
  They present as two people who have painstakingly pieced their private life back together: they cook dinner and watch TV and have friends and family over to their spacious prewar apartment for special occasions. They seem to be functioning again as a couple, even unselfconsciously bickering in front of the waiter. But what they do not yet have a handle on is their public life. Before he resigned from Congress, Weiner was leading in early polls as a candidate for mayor of New York, and almost immediately after the scandal, there was speculation about whether he could make a comeback. Could anyone survive such an ignominious end to a Congressional career? Much less someone whose attack-dog tendencies made him so many enemies? The two of them had seemed to be a power couple on the cusp of a Clintonian rise. Now what?
  When they appeared in People magazine last summer, it looked like a toe-dipping of sorts. (The couple say that it was entirely for the purpose of getting a picture of Jordan published so it would no longer have value and the paparazzi would stop camping out on their corner.) But there were other reports that suggested they were testing the waters for a return to politics: Last July, The New York Post reported that Weiner was weighing a run in 2013, because after that his public matching funds would expire. In January, The New York Daily News reported that Weiner's name was among the candidates voters were asked about in a poll of a five-way mayoral primary. And The New York Post reported that pollsters had asked voters about a run for comptroller, pitting Weiner against the Manhattan Borough president, Scott Stringer.
  At breakfast, Weiner quickly put all the speculation to rest: he is eyeing the mayor's race. He told me that his political committee spent more than $100,000 on polling and research by Obama's longtime pollster, David Binder (a detail that would be made public '-- and prompt a flurry of news reports '-- in mid-March when a spending report was filed with the city's Campaign Finance Board). The focus of the poll, Binder says, was the question ''Are voters willing to give him a second chance or not, regardless of what race or what contest?'' And the answer? ''There was this sense of 'Yeah, he made a mistake. Let's give him a second chance. But there are conditions on that, and there are a couple of things we're going to want to know: What have you been doing since this incident occurred? Did you learn anything from this mistake? How did you deal with it?' They want to know that they've put it behind them.''
  By agreeing to be interviewed, Weiner and Abedin would seem to be trying to give voters what they want '-- and gauge public reaction. But it's clear that the idea of talking about the scandal and its aftermath appeals to them on a personal level too. ''We have been in a defensive crouch for so long,'' Weiner said. ''We are ready to clear the decks on this thing.'' Their lives have become too small, too circumscribed, too claustrophobic for a couple accustomed to public life. They haven't been to a major event together '-- no White House Correspondents Dinner, no red-carpet events '-- in nearly two years. ''We didn't want to make other people uncomfortable,'' Abedin said, ''but also, we just didn't want to deal with it. I have now gotten used to people asking, over and over again, 'How is Anthony?' Oh, he's good! 'But how is he doing?' He's doing fine.''
  Weiner and Abedin have realized, it seems, that the only way out is through. So they have agreed to talk '-- and talk and talk '-- for the first time about what happened and why and what it looks like from the inside when your world comes crashing down because of, as Weiner puts it, ''one fateful Tweet.''
  The story of how Weiner and Abedin became a couple is more interesting than most ''how did you guys meet?'' conversation starters, partly because nearly a decade passed between their first date, if you can call it that, and their wedding, and partly because of the high-profile supporting cast. Weiner was elected to Congress in 1998, but it wasn't until Hillary Rodham Clinton became a senator from New York in 2001 that he began bumping into Abedin, who was working as Clinton's senior adviser. ''I started seeing her around,'' Weiner says, ''and I was like, 'Wow, who is that?' And I was not the only one. It's not like she's this lightweight beautiful person in fancy outfits. She's like this intriguing, fascinating creature.''
  Abedin was born in Kalamazoo, Mich., raised in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, went to a British girls' school and had traveled more before she was a teenager than most people will in a lifetime. She was sophisticated and glamorous and had worked with Hillary Clinton since she was 21, when she started as a White House intern while attending George Washington University. As Weiner himself puts it: ''She is the most competent, graceful person I've met in all my years in politics. . . . And she's the hatchet woman! The person at the side of the principal is usually the bad guy.''
  At a Democratic National Committee retreat on Martha's Vineyard in August 2001, Weiner asked Abedin if she wanted to go out for a drink. She told him she had to work. Weiner turned to Clinton and said: ''I asked Huma out for a drink, and she says she has to work. Can you give her the night off?'' With Abedin now behind Weiner, waving her arms and shaking her head ''no'' to try to get her boss's attention, Clinton, forever the Midwesterner, said, ''Of course all you young people should go out!'' Terry McAuliffe, the chairman of the D.N.C., who was watching the scene unfold, said: ''Huma Weiner! Oh, my gosh! That's so funny.'' Abedin was mortified.
  ''So, we went out for a drink,'' Weiner says, ''which is when I found out she doesn't drink, and she orders tea and excuses herself to go to the ladies' room, and when she gets up, this cabal of four or five of her friends come over to the table and say: 'Stay away. She wants no part of you.' And this part of the story Huma disputes, but it's true. She never came back. She ditched me.'' (She claims that it took her awhile to get back to the table because she kept bumping into people she knew, and by the time she did, he was gone.)
  Over the next six years, they ran into each other regularly. ''We'd show up at some pancake breakfast on a Sunday,'' Abedin says, ''and Hillary would be going up to the podium, and Anthony would be walking offstage.'' Here, she imitates him in shtick mode: '' 'I warmed 'em up for you, Hillary. They're all set, teed up to go!' Hillary would always laugh, and I would think, My God, he's such a jerk.''
  But the ice began to thaw after George W. Bush's State of the Union address in 2007, when Weiner found himself sitting next to Clinton and serving as a buffer between her and her new political rival, Barack Obama. Abedin texted Weiner: ''I appreciate you looking out for my boss.'' They went out for coffee after that and realized they were very much the same. ''We both lived these very intense professional lives, both married to our jobs,'' Abedin says. ''And he got it.'' The relationship turned romantic in 2008, during Clinton's presidential campaign. ''By the time Iowa came around,'' Abedin says, ''we were more than just friends.'' At a stop in Puerto Rico, an A.P. reporter asked Weiner why he was spending so much time campaigning for Hillary. ''It's largely because I'm dating Huma,'' he said, and the news was out.
  By the spring of 2011, Abedin was newly married, pregnant (a secret only her family knew) and traveling frequently as deputy chief of staff for Clinton, who had become secretary of state. ''Deputy chief of staff to the secretary of state '-- especially when that secretary is Hillary Clinton '-- is a big deal,'' Abedin's colleague, Philippe Reines, says. ''It's a huge portfolio. This 'body woman' crap is so 10 years ago.'' Reines says Abedin played an important role in developing a good relationship between Clinton's State Department and Obama's White House '-- no small thing given the fierce competition between the two teams during the campaign. ''That didn't just happen,'' he says. ''It required everyone giving everyone else the benefit of the doubt.''
  The job was all-consuming. Abedin told me a story about how her nieces and nephews made a video for her for Mother's Day last year, portraying her as always half-engaged or absent because of work. Abedin was in tears. ''Anthony was like, 'What's wrong?' And I said, 'All they think I do is work!' The entire movie was: 'Aunt Huma, Aunt Huma, Jordan's walking!' 'Oh, I'm on a conference call. I have to go on this trip.' . . . I didn't even process how much what I did dictated my personal life.''
  At the end of May in 2011, Clinton joined President Obama for an official trip to London, ending with a state dinner at Buckingham Palace. ''And for some unbelievable reason,'' Abedin says, ''the White House included me not only in staying at the palace but also in the dinner with the queen. . . . I remember sitting in this spectacular room in the palace at my little desk, writing a note to Anthony saying, 'I cannot believe what an amazingly blessed life that we live, these incredible experiences we've both had.' '' She went on to Pakistan and then Washington, where they landed very late. ''The next morning he had left me a message: 'My Twitter was hacked. When are you going to be here?' ''
  On Friday night, May 27, a photograph of a man's torso wearing gray boxer briefs and an obvious erection appeared on Weiner's official Twitter account. It was a smartphone shot that Weiner meant to send privately to a 21-year-old college student in Seattle, but instead accidentally Tweeted to all 45,000 of his followers. ''I knew it was bad,'' Weiner says. ''Huma was coming back from overseas, and I called her and left her a message. . . . I lied to her. The lies to everyone else were primarily because I wanted to keep it from her.''
  Over the next few days, Weiner was besieged by reporters demanding to know if the picture was of him '-- and if not, if his Facebook and Twitter accounts had really been hacked, why he hadn't called for an investigation. At a news conference, he came across as defensive, calling one of the reporters a ''jackass.''
  ''I've never been on Twitter,'' Abedin says. ''I couldn't tell you the first thing about how it works. And Anthony had told me in the past that there were these sort of trolls on the Internet who were trying to damage him, take him down. And so, that's the mind-set I came with to this conversation.'' It wasn't such an implausible theory; after all, it was the not entirely reputable right-wing blogger Andrew Breitbart who broke the story. ''Anthony was Anthony,'' Abedin says. ''Confident! Determined! Defensive! I was right there with him: 'Let's fight! Defend! I don't understand. Why don't you just say this is not your picture?' I was with him. One hundred percent.''
  But every day, more questions were being raised, more reporters were calling. Weiner's dissembling began to take on an air of desperation as reports surfaced that there were transcripts of sexually explicit exchanges with another woman. ''And all the while we have this secret that I'm pregnant,'' Abedin says. ''Going to doctors' appointments, finding out if the baby is O.K. I was also sleeping a lot. I was falling asleep at 6 o'clock at night on the sofa.''
  By June 1, when Weiner said, ''I can't say with certitude'' if the picture was of him, it was clear, at least to most of the world, that he was guilty of something. That weekend, Weiner and Abedin escaped to a friend's house in the Hamptons to get away from all the ''hoopla,'' as Weiner calls it, ''and that's when people starting coming out of the woodwork. I got a call from Chris Cuomo saying that they had someone who was going to say that I texted with her. It reached this point where I just sat down with Huma and said, 'Listen, I can't. . . . I don't want to lie.' . . . I just didn't want to lie anymore to her.'' Here, his voice cracks and tears well up in his eyes. ''I have a choppy memory of it, but she was devastated. She immediately said, 'Well you've got to stop lying to everyone else too.' And basically we drove back to the city, and she said: 'You've just got to tell everyone the truth. Telling me doesn't help any.' It was brutal. It was completely out of control. There was the crime, there was the cover-up, there was harm I had done to her. And there's no one who deserved this less than Huma. That's really the bottom line. No one deserved to have a dope like me do that less than she did.''
  Abedin's memory of this moment is a little sharper. ''The weekend was over, we're about to leave, the car is packed, and Anthony said: 'I have something to tell you. I can't lie to you anymore. It's true. It's me. The picture is me. I sent it. Yes, these stories about the other women are true.' And it was every emotion that one would imagine: rage and anger and shock. But more than anything else, in the immediate, it was disbelief. The thing that I consciously remember saying over and over and over again is: 'I don't understand. What is going on? What's happening to our lives?' ''
  At a hastily arranged news conference in New York on Monday, Weiner tearfully admitted that he ''engaged in several inappropriate conversations conducted over Twitter, Facebook, e-mail and occasionally on the phone'' and exchanged ''messages and photos of an explicit nature with about six women over the last three years,'' essentially the entire length of his relationship with Abedin, but that he had never met any of the women in person. ''I felt like I couldn't breathe,'' Abedin says. ''I felt like I was in an airplane really high in the air, and all of a sudden, the plane is coming apart at the seams, and I am just doing all I can to hang on for dear life. That is what it felt like.''
  Two days later, Abedin boarded Clinton's plane for a weeklong trip to Africa, with a stop in the United Arab Emirates. ''My compass was my job,'' she says. ''It was where I could go and life was normal '-- nothing horrible had happened there.'' As she was sitting on the plane, across from her colleagues, Reines and Jake Sullivan, two of Clinton's aides, her phone rang. It was someone from the White House saying, ''We are here for you, and we love you.'' Abedin, who had been worried about embarrassing her friends in the administration, finally broke down and sobbed. With tears streaming down her face, she turned to Reines and Sullivan and began talking about some issue that was on the Africa agenda. ''They just totally went with it and got down to work. There was no attention paid to my tears. And I was like, 'Thank you for just responding like that.' ''
  When they arrived at the Emirates Palace hotel in Abu Dhabi, Cheryl Mills, Clinton's chief of staff, told Abedin to go directly to her room. Mills had helped arrange to fly in Abedin's mother and older brother, who live in Jeddah, and they were waiting upstairs. ''One of the things that I remember about that night is that there was a lot of very, very painful silence. But just being in the room together, just knowing that they trusted I would make the right decisions, the right choice for myself and my baby. . . . And ultimately they wanted to make sure that I was going to have a husband who was going to be good to me, a man who would be good to my mom's grandchild. 'We're just here, we love you, how do we make you better?' And I will never forget that.''
  During a previous trip that Clinton and Abedin made to Saudi Arabia, Abedin's mother, Saleha Mahmood Abedin, vice president of Dar Al-Hekma University, said to Clinton: ''Hillary, you have spent more time with my daughter than I have in the past 15 years. I'm jealous of you!'' Clinton is a mother figure to Huma, and there is little doubt that the two of them had a heart-to-heart on one of those many long flights during the trip. Weiner himself pointed out the similarities between their experiences of betrayal. ''If you read Hillary's biography of the time,'' he says, ''she speaks pretty frankly about believing that there were people out to get her husband '-- 'I believe him, I'm going to stand in there, I'm going to tell friends that it's bull' '-- and the way she felt when she found out the truth.''
  When I ask Abedin if Clinton guided her through those first terrible days, she says: ''We've had a lot of personal conversations, none of which I feel comfortable talking about. But what I will say about her, and for that matter her entire family, the unconditional love and support they have given me has been a real gift. And I think she would be O.K. with me saying this, because I know she has said this before: at the end of the day, at the very least, every woman should have the ability and the confidence and the choice to make whatever decisions she wants to make that are right for her and not be judged by it.''
  Meanwhile, back in New York City, Weiner was determined to put his head down and get back to work, but that was made more difficult by the fact that Congress was not in session. ''So there wasn't any real place for me to go,'' he says. ''I had, and this is not exaggeration, 20 television cameras outside my little co-op in Forest Hills.''
  He tried not to read the headlines, which were full of puns on his name. Everyone, it seemed, loved a Weiner joke. Even Jon Stewart, a friend of Weiner's since the late '80s, did not hold back. ''I may have been impeached by some sort of comedy board if I hadn't made all those Weiner jokes,'' he says. When I ask Stewart if, knowing Weiner for so long, the scandal surprised him, he said: ''It did, in that you never expect the person you know to be the guy on TV in the middle of the quagmire, but it didn't surprise me in that we're all human. So it's not like, 'My God, I can't believe the depravity!' First of all, in terms of these types of scandals, the depravity was on a very low scale.''
  It was a sex scandal without any actual sex '-- more creepy than anything else. But it was hard for people to get their heads around: an affair is one thing, but sending crotch pictures to a virtual stranger? Mike Capuano, a congressman from Massachusetts and Weiner's roommate in Washington for many years, spoke for a lot of people when he told me, ''He obviously did something incredibly stupid that, honestly, I still don't understand.''
  Then there was the fact that Weiner didn't own up to the behavior even after he was caught. Barney Frank, a former congressman who survived a sex scandal of his own 25 years ago by immediately telling the truth, says that was Weiner's biggest mistake. ''The instinct is: don't tell anybody anything other than what they already know for sure,'' Frank says. ''Well, the problem with that is, if you are caught not being open and honest, you make the press into enemies. They have a vested interest '-- a legitimate one '-- in almost destroying you.''
  Weiner fielded a lot of calls from friends and colleagues, many of them offering advice. One prominent state politician called to confess that he was a sex addict and urged Weiner to join his support group. Another call was from Stewart. ''We create a two-dimensional effigy of an individual and just kind of burn it in the town square and then walk away,'' Stewart says. ''As someone who is part of the process that does that to people, when I talked to him, it was more from that perspective than anything else, to say: 'As low as you are, please understand that what's happening to you right now isn't really happening to you, it's happening to whatever caricature we've all created of you. You have your own responsibility in this, but it's not to us. I know it's hard to separate yourself from that, but I hope you can at some level.' ''
  At the time, Weiner couldn't believe the size of the media maelstrom, but now he sees all the factors that contributed to it: ''My last name; the fact that I was this combative congressman; the fact that there were pictures involved; the fact that it was a slow news period; the fact that I was an idiot about it; the fact that, while I was still lying about it, I dug myself in deeper by getting beefy with every reporter. But it was also this notion of how much attention our relationship had gotten, this kind of Camelot feel to it. It turned out to make it harder on both of us, and it made the explosion that much bigger.''
  Abedin returned on June 15. ''She sneaks to meet me in the trunk of her friend's car,'' Weiner says. ''Then we go away to another friend's house in the Hamptons, just the two of us, trying to figure out if we can save our marriage and what we're going to do and everything else. First, there was the decision to resign. Huma didn't really want me to, frankly. But I just had to cull that part of the conversation out of our lives and focus on my marriage, my family, her family. I just didn't have any bandwidth. My career seemed the least important of all of those other things. That wasn't easy for Huma. Her frame was: We've gotta get back to normal somehow.'' But he had made up his mind. The next day, while Abedin stayed behind in their apartment in Queens, Weiner held a chaotic four-minute news conference at a senior center in his district, at which hecklers nearly shouted him out of the room, one yelling, ''Goodbye, pervert!''
  At the apartment on 20th and Park that Weiner and Abedin rented not long after the scandal, Jordan, sick with a cold, was asleep in his nursery. Weiner's mother was also there, helping out with the baby. On this day in February, Abedin was in Washington, setting up the transition office for Clinton as she pivoted, at least temporarily, into private citizenship. But since leaving the State Department, Abedin often works from home alongside her husband, which is a great deal more togetherness than they are used to.
  ''Anthony and I had not spent more than 10 consecutive days together until I was pregnant and we went to Italy and France for two weeks,'' she told me. ''That was the longest period of time we'd ever spent together. Later, when we thought about it, we didn't realize that so much of our lives were kind of these snippets of, we see each other for a few days and then are separated.''
  Weiner said this period has been a respite for both of them. ''Whatever Hillary does next, who knows how long it's going to last, and whatever I do next. . . .'' He trailed off. ''We kind of have the feeling that we're on this reprieve. It's calm. Let's enjoy it while we can.''
  We headed down the hall to the office that he shares with his wife. He closed the door, and I asked if he was prepared to tell me how this all started. ''The story of the scandal?'' he said. The original behavior, I said. He paused for a long time and then started in.
  ''Part of the challenge of getting to the bottom of it for me,'' he said, ''is that I viewed it as so frivolous that it didn't spark a lot of, like, 'O.K., I started doing it on this day' or 'O.K., now I'm crossing a Rubicon.' For a thoughtful person, it's remarkable how little thought I really gave to it until it was too late. But I think a lot of it came down to: I was in a world and a profession that had me wanting people's approval. By definition, when you are a politician, you want people to like you, you want people to respond to what you're doing, you want to learn what they want to hear so you can say it to them. Twitter and Facebook allowed for me '-- not only could I go to a town-hall meeting or a senior center or in front of the TV camera, but now I could sit and hear what people were saying all around. Search your name on Google, begat read comments on your Facebook page, begat looking at what people are saying about you on Twitter, to then trying to engage them. 'Oh, you should like me!' 'No, that's wrong!' or 'Thank you very much!' And it just started to blur into this desire to engage in it all the time. Someone stops me in the airport and says, 'Wow, you're amazing.' Well, O.K., now, at 2 o'clock in the morning, I can come home from playing hockey and I can find someone saying, 'Oh, that was great' or 'You're an idiot.' So somewhere in there it got to a place where I was trying to engage people in nothing about being a politician. Or sometimes it would start out about politics and then, 'You're a great guy.' 'Oh, thanks, you're great, too.' 'I think you're handsome.' 'Oh, that's great.' And there just wasn't much of me who was smart enough, sensitive enough, in touch with my own things, understanding enough about the disrespect and how dishonorable it was to be doing that. It didn't seem to occupy a real space in my feelings. I think it would be pretty surprising to a lot of people: What was he thinking?'' He scrunched up his face and shoulders. ''I wasn't really thinking. What does this mean that I'm doing this? Is this risky behavior? Is this smart behavior? To me, it was just another way to feed this notion that I want to be liked and admired.''
  I asked whether he ever worried that it was going to come out.
  ''Well, I would stop, or say I was going to stop, talking to someone. Or not be responsive because I'd gone on to other things or whatever. And someone would get upset. One of these people would say, 'You're not paying enough attention to me' or 'What's going on with our relationship?' And, I would then maybe play out, you know, if they told someone else that I was not paying attention to them anymore. . . . But I would also think, Well, they're my friends. We got into this conversation with one another because they cared, they were my fans, they would never do anything.'' He took a deep breath and sank into his chair and stared at the table. ''It wasn't until after the train had run me over that I really understood that playing on those tracks was going to be problematic. I just had this disconnect.'' Here, he began to seem agitated '-- frustrated by his inability to adequately explain his behavior. ''Is it that I had this exaggerated notion of 'No one will believe it?' Or, since I didn't think I was doing anything that was all that serious in my mind, that the world wouldn't see it as being all that serious?'' Finally, he said: ''I knew when I did it, almost from the moment I did it, there was no good way for it to end. When I sent that fateful tweet.''
  I startled myself that day when, after two hours of listening while he unburdened himself, I heard these words come out of my mouth: ''Maybe we should stop there for now.'' Never has an interview felt so much like a therapy session. Perhaps this was because Weiner started seeing a therapist almost immediately after the scandal broke.
  ''Just because I had to do something to be able to deal with it,'' he said. ''But also, I went from not really thinking through very much to having everything just blow up in such a monumental way, that you'd have to be really blind to not realize there must be some things that I need to resolve here and understand a little better. Therapy wasn't something that came naturally to me. I am this middle-class guy from Brooklyn, the men in our family don't hug each other, we don't talk about our feelings. It wasn't a comfortable place to be. And now I start sentences with, 'My therapist says. . . .' ''
  What does your therapist say? I asked the next time we met.
  ''It's none of the easy stuff. She didn't tell me: 'You have a sex addiction! You were abused as a child!' None of that stuff, which in a lot of ways, I'd kind of prefer.'' He laughed. ''It's an easy explanation that people intuitively get.'' He talked a bit about how he didn't like being alone, had a hard time being ''still,'' didn't like ''being in empty spaces.'' And then he said: ''It's clear it wasn't because I didn't love Huma. It wasn't because there's anything about my relationship with Huma that was missing that I was looking for elsewhere. Even that would be pat, kind of understandable on some level.'' Then he went back to the idea that Twitter and its ilk provided such easy access to the feedback loop. ''You know, like spin the wheel! Find someone to say something to you! And if it wasn't 2011 and it didn't exist, it's not like I would have gone out cruising bars or something like that. It was just something that technology made possible and it became possible for me to do stupid things. I mean, the thing I did, and the damage that I did, not only hadn't it been done before, but it wasn't possible to do it before.''
  Naturally, being in therapy has also forced him to do a lot of thinking about his family. Here are the salient facts about the Weiners: His mother, Fran, is a retired math teacher with a master's in finance who grew up in East Flatbush; his father, Mort, grew up in Coney Island, went to law school on the G.I. Bill and opened a small practice in Manhattan. ''Pretty intense guy,'' Weiner says of his father. They had three boys: Seth, Anthony and Jason. Seth was brilliant and rebellious. He struggled with alcohol and drugs and died at 39 when he was hit by car while crossing the street.
  Mort and Fran divorced not long after Anthony went to college. ''Not a lot of gratuitous hugging in our family. My father's expression of love was entirely through solving problems for us. Doesn't take a genius to figure how I went into politics to be a problem solver and wasn't particularly good with the emotional side of things,'' Weiner said. ''This fix of having an emotional back and forth on the Internet at 2 a.m. seemed, to me, like getting something that I didn't really have a lot of, and it was easy and it never really got in. It bounced off.'' And that was as far as he would go on the record about his father '-- the only subject on which he went off the record at all.
  Sometimes it takes a participant-observer to explain a family's unique dynamic. Jason's wife, Almond Zigmund, has known the Weiners for more than 20 years. About the scandal, she says: ''I felt like there was something there that spoke about an inability to talk out loud, and the way that his family functioned had fostered that to some degree. And I would specifically link it all to the death of their brother and how in the aftermath of that, it didn't feel like there was a whole lot of collective grieving or recognition of what went on. When you suppress something, it eventually starts to come out in weird ways. You look for outlets, and maybe it comes out distorted and sideways.''
  How Anthony Weiner and Huma Abedin stayed together through Weinergate is, like most negotiations between couples, deeply complicated and in some ways unknowable. ''If there's anyone who's genetically predisposed to be able to sustain the onslaught that came from without, it's these two,'' Jason Weiner says. ''Part of it is their background. They're both political animals, let's face it, and they can both move past the personal and be able to filter it. She was in the Clinton White House, and if there's anyone who saw what it means to be the subject of an onslaught, be under fire, it's her. And the two of them together have been able to survive, maybe even thrive.''
  The day I finally sat down alone with Abedin, in a quiet, empty hotel bar near their apartment, she was nervous about discussing the ''whole episode.'' We talked for nearly an hour before I finally, awkwardly, brought it up. ''Do you want me to start from when the story broke?'' she said, ''or when he told me?'' She stared as I hesitated, and she said, ''You're like: 'Whatever. I wasn't there.' '' She laughed and then shot me a look. ''I wasn't there, either.''
  But despite the occasional flash of anger or lingering disbelief, she told me that she had forgiven him. When I asked how long it took for her to think she might be able to get over what her husband did, she said, ''That's a really good question,'' and then took a minute. ''At the time, we were very early in our marriage, but it was an old friendship. He was my best friend. In addition to that, I loved him. There was a deep love there, but it was coupled with a tremendous feeling of betrayal. It took a lot of work, both mentally and in the way we engage with each other, for me to get to a place where I said: 'O.K., I'm in. I'm staying in this marriage.' Here was a man I respected, I loved, was the father of this child inside of me, and he was asking me for a second chance. And I'm not going to say that was an easy or fast decision that I made. It's been almost two years now. I did spend a lot of time saying and thinking: 'I. Don't. Understand.' And it took a long time to be able to sit on a couch next to Anthony and say, 'O.K., I understand and I forgive.' It was the right choice for me. I didn't make it lightly.''
  I met Weiner for dinner alone one night at one of his brother's restaurants, L&W Oyster Co. After dinner was over and the plates were cleared, he wanted to keep talking, so he ordered an enormous root-beer float and slowly consumed the whole thing. ''I love Huma a great deal,'' he said. ''I live with a lot of guilt about what I put her through. She's this amazing woman who did nothing wrong, who, to some degree, has people staring at her now on the subway because of what an idiot her husband was. And I feel bad about that. A lot.
  ''But in the confines of our home and our relationship and our parenting this child and our love for each other '-- she said she wanted to get through it, she wanted not to conflate the giant international news story with the two people who were involved in it. And a lot of women couldn't do that. And Jordan has given us a lot of perspective. We have to deal with this a lot. It's not behind us. It kind of bubbles around and comes up in different ways. But she's, um. . . .'' Here, he paused and took a deep breath and started to cry. ''She's given. . . .'' He stopped again, could barely get the words out. ''She's given me another chance. And I am very grateful for that. And I'm trying to make sure I get it right.''
  As he was composing himself, I looked around and could see people at nearby tables trying to look as if they were not staring. When I asked Weiner about how he is treated around New York City, he perked up. ''Three or four people came up to me on the subway today and said nice things to me,'' he said. ''It's an axiom of politics that people are nice to you to your face. So, even now, people are remarkably nice to me.'' What kind of things do people say to you? ''It's a bit of a trip,'' he said, and laughed. ''Put it this way: it's hard to forget even for a moment that you have become a figure of fascination. Like, you know, I don't travel too far without someone turning around and looking or taking a picture of me or coming up to say hello or whispering to their buddy. When it gets into more than that, it's one of the following: 1) 'Oh, you should run.' 2) 'Man, you got screwed.' 3) 'Aw, I'm so sorry what happened to you.' 4) 'Spitzer! You're Governor Spitzer!' ''
  While there certainly was a lot of strategic thinking in deciding to tell their story six months before the mayoral primary, there didn't seem to be a lot of strategy to how they told it. Weiner says he decided to wing it in our interviews. ''I'll probably get into trouble for stuff that I'll say in this piece, but I'm just at kind of a different place with that way of looking at stuff. It just doesn't feel comfortable anymore. And I think as a result, if I ever go back to doing politics again, I don't think I'll be as good at it. Either that or I'll be'' '-- he starts laughing '-- ''this crazy new kind of politician. It's somewhere between Chauncey Gardner and Bulworth. 'He said what? Oh, that must be some brilliant strategy!' 'No! It's the other way around!' '' He laughs. ''I don't remember some of the skill to, like, be that guy.''
  That guy was a bit high-strung anyway. Weiner's most famous pre-scandal moment was in July 2010, when he went berserk on the floor of the House because a Republican colleague, Peter King, was trying to scuttle the 9/11 health and compensation act. It was a minute and 40 seconds of such poisonous rage that it's actually frightening to watch, even if the message itself was admirable. ''You know what, he can act like a jerk,'' Almond Zigmund, his sister-in-law, says. ''But that's one of the things that I respect him for.''
  But nearly everyone who cares about Weiner says that pugilistic political persona long ago bled into his personal life and made him ''hard to take,'' as his brother Jason puts it. ''I wouldn't stand for other people saying this about him, but there was definitely a douchiness about him that I just don't really see anymore.'' His family agrees that the post-scandal Weiner, the diaper-changing Weiner, is far more likable. ''No one has been harder on him than he has been on himself,'' Jason says. ''I find that refreshing, because he was always '-- in his political career, and it was sort of overflowing into his personal life '-- this completely decisive, 'this is the right thing because this is what I'm doing.' It's like this circular reasoning that was kind of hubristic. He doesn't have that anymore. The irony is that it could make him a better politician.''
  One afternoon in March, I met Weiner at Almond, another of his brother's restaurants. He came bounding in, announced that he was starving and ordered escargot and a cheeseburger. He seemed to be in a particularly good mood, going on unbidden about how so many of his acquaintances couldn't quite get their minds around the new Weiner. ''Some people just don't buy it,'' he said. ''Like they just don't have room for a second narrative about me.'' And then he said: ''We have this notion of intimacy with politicians because they're always looking for ways to tell you what they have figured out you want to hear. But you don't know people, and you don't know what's going on in their lives. So you rarely ever get a really fulsome look at any politician.''
  I asked about the political ambitions of the new Weiner.
  ''I don't have this burning, overriding desire to go out and run for office,'' he said. ''It's not the single animating force in my life as it was for quite some time. But I do recognize, to some degree, it's now or maybe never for me, in terms of running for something. I'm trying to gauge not only what's right and what feels comfortable right this second, but I'm also thinking, How will I feel in a year or two years or five years? Is this the time that I should be doing it? And then there's the other side of the coin, which is . . . am I still the same person who I thought would make a good mayor?''
  He took a giant bite of his cheeseburger.
  ''Also, I want to ask people to give me a second chance. I do want to have that conversation with people whom I let down and with people who put their faith in me and who wanted to support me. I think to some degree I do want to say to them, 'Give me another chance.' ''
  How would he ultimately decide whether to run?
  He pondered the question for an uncomfortably long time. ''I don't know,'' he said. ''It won't be something as pedestrian as 'Do I think I'll win?' It will be something more like 'Does it feel like I should be involved in this debate? Someone should be out there saying A, B or C.' ''
  About the current field, he said cautiously: ''I know them all. I like them all.'' Then he took a tiny jab at the City Council speaker, Christine Quinn, for supporting Mayor Michael Bloomberg's effort to extend term limits. ''The term-limits thing, as an issue, was a deal breaker for me. But, I think the polls are right: Chris Quinn is leading, and then someone will get into a runoff with her. I don't like runoffs, and I don't think we should have them so you don't have these divisive primaries anymore.''
  When I asked what he took away from the polling by David Binder (the full results of which he declined to share with The Times), he said: ''People are generally prepared to get over it, but they don't know if they're prepared to vote for me. And there's a healthy number of people who will never get over it. . . . It's a little complicated because I always attracted a fairly substantial amount of people who didn't like me anyway.'' He laughed. ''I am a bit of a polarizing case.''
  As for his actual odds? ''David said I'd be the underdog in any race I ran.''
  And that's pretty much the conventional wisdom among people who watch city politics. ''Sure, voters can get past his scandal,'' says one political adviser not connected to any of the candidates. ''But why do they have to? There are four established candidates. Who are the voters who say, 'I need Anthony Weiner back?' '' Over the last several months, Weiner has talked informally to a number of people in the political world, many of whom have suggested to him that the mayor's race is unwinnable and he should instead consider running for a lower-profile race like comptroller or public advocate. But Weiner has privately dismissed at least public advocate. (As the political adviser says: ''You run for mayor and you lose, you can possibly run again. You run for public advocate and lose, you're dead.'') When I asked him by e-mail if he would ever seriously consider running for another municipal office as a steppingstone to the mayor's race, he answered: ''Maybe. I'm definitely not making eight-year bank-shot plans.''
  The question is why Weiner is so eager to enter a race that seems so tough for him to win. There is the matter of the $4.3 million in the Anthony Weiner for Mayor war chest (plus about $1.5 million in public matching funds if he runs in 2013), which would make him one of the better-financed candidates in the race. But there may be reasons to run that have nothing to do with his chances. ''Is this about winning?'' asks the political adviser. ''Or is this an attempt to get the scandal off the books? Then the next time he runs for something, he can say: 'You know what? We talked about that last time. Aren't we beyond that?' If so, it's not a crazy strategy. Because when you're running in a race you know you're going to lose, you get to say all the positive things you want about yourself and take the brunt of the jokes this round and then figure out your real move after that. But that takes a lot of intestinal fortitude to do.''
  Another political operative echoes this way of thinking about the race: ''I have no idea if he will run. But if he does, the reasoning might be: I don't want that to be the last word of my public career; I don't want that to be the thing that my son reads about me, as the end of my career. He's looking for redemption.''
  Weiner shoved the last bite of burger into his mouth. ''I'm really trying hard to let things come to me a little bit more and be less about leaning in to every element of my life,'' he said. ''And I think I'm a better person for that reason. It allows thoughts to breathe a little bit more. But, you know, it will be December, and I'll be like: 'O.K., I'm going to run! What the hell!' ''
  What do his friends and family say?
  ''My brother's like, 'Dude, you'd be great if you ran, you'd be a great mayor or something, but don't do it if it's going to screw you up again.' ''
  A couple of weeks later, the news broke that Weiner spent $100,000 on polling. The reporting was surprisingly straightforward and dredged up nary a detail of the scandal. The next day I e-mailed Weiner to ask what he thought of the coverage.
  ''It's getting less snarky,'' he wrote. ''Interesting that none of the B-roll was scandal footage.'' Huma, he said, is starting to think he should run.
DJ1YFK - Fabian Kurz - Amateur Radio Website
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  Thu, 11 Apr 2013 02:12
  DJ1YFK - Fabian Kurz - Amateur Radio WebsiteLife is too short for QRS' Fabian KurzBatschkastr. 7D-81825 M¼nchen (map)Germanyphone: +49 89 54578182mobile: +49 176 24079617E-Mail: fabian@fkurz.net (PGP key)Amateur Radio callsign: DJ1YFKFabian Kurz '†' Ham Radio
  I am a licensed radio amateur, mostly active in Morse telegraphy, on the ham radio HF bands.I also take part in international High Speed Telegraphy competitions as a member of the German national team.
  Information and activitiesHam Bio - About me, ham biography, QSL information, club memberships, former callsigns, etc.Ultra High Speed Telegraphy: Currently leading the worldwide highscore lists in RufzXP and CW Freak/CW Freak.NET.DL1A contest group - HF contesting from near Munich. If you work me on HF, I am most likely at DL1ADJ1YFK online logbook - real time online logbook and statistics, from 1998 until nowMy "Ham Stuff" - Small projects, code snippets, statistics, experiments, ranging from trivial to ridiculous. Last updated: January 2013.Amateur radio software projectsMorse CodeLoggingOther projectsA mailing list was set up for discussion, support and announcement of new releases of my programs.All code can also be browsed online in the Subversion repository svn.fkurz.net.
  MiscellaneousLinksFabian Kurz '†' Ham Radio
  Last modified: Saturday, 06-Apr-2013 20:44:14 CEST
5B4AZ Website
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  Archived Version
  Thu, 11 Apr 2013 02:10
  5B4AZ WebsiteMy dog Aris
  Neoklis Kyriazis ("Nick")Ham Radio Station 5B4AZHello and Welcome to my Website.This is my Contribution to Ham Radio:Software for the Linux Operating System
  His friend Pico
  Introduction:The main purpose of this web site is to provide the end result of several years of work in the field of software development (for the GNU/Linux Operating System), e.g the source code (and related material) of various applications for Ham Radio communication as well as other purposes. These source packages should be able to compile on other POSIX/UNIX compatible platforms (*BSD distributions, Solaris and perhaps Mac OS X), possibly after some modification.
  Some "caveats" are in order here: I don't have any formal training in Information Technology or Computer Programming, although I have a B.Sc. Degree from London University in Electronic Engineering (graduated in 1973, I am of 1948 vintage and retired early!). I am basically a teach-your-self C/Linux programmer, learning from books as well as the Internet, of course. As such it should be expected that there will be mistakes and/or bad/incorrect programming practices evident in my source code, even if the applications themselves appear to work well.
  I try my best to test and bug fix my software, but on my own it is difficult to make sure that I have exercised my applications in every possible way, to bring up hidden bugs. I use some tools (gdb, efence and valgrind especially and lately cppcheck and clang static analyzer) to check for memory violations/leaks etc, but even so these will only detect bugs if the program is used in such a way as to put the execution flow through faulty code. Therefore my software is offered here "as is" and under the GPL license model, including the standard disclaimers of the GPL.
  Since I use the Arch Linux distribution, which is basically a fast-moving "bleeding edge" distribution, I have had reports of compilation or run-time difficulties by users who tried to compile and use some of my software on there own systems. This is particularly true of my apps for X/GTK2 since I use the latest GTK2 releases and there are occasional backward compatibility problems with distros using older versions. There are also problems with sound card compatibilities and I try to modify my source code as I receive bug reports. Be warned!
  Software Description:My software is generally related to my Ham Radio hobby, for which I acquired a license and a call sign (5B4AZ) in 1973 and operated in various modes and frequency bands since. I was probably the first radio amateur in Cyprus to operate on the early OSCAR satellites, using mostly home brew gear, including antenna rotors controlled by a computer I built from Wireless World magazine's kit, running my own tracking software. And it was based on a 2 (two) MHz Z80 cpu with an MM57109 fpu running at 800 kHz (0.8 MHz)!! It had all of 4 KB (four kilobytes) of RAM and 8 KB of ROM containing BURP (Basic Using Reverse Polish notation) - of course no disks at all, just a 300 baud interface to a domestic tape recorder!!
  My current computer is a 2.8 GHz Quad core Intel I3 processor on a Gigabyte motherboard with 6Gb RAM, two 32 Gb SSD disks, an NVIDIA Video card and an EIZO 22-inch LCD monitor. I used various Linux distributions over the years, but with a 64-bit processor I also need a 64-bit Linux distribution if I am to enjoy the full performance of my computer. I chose Arch Linux for this purpose since its a lean O/S with good package management and an active X86-64 developer community. Arch Linux is a little harder to install than other User/Desktop-oriented distros but I still thought I should give it a try.
  The software I have developed follow the UNIX approach to an application, e.g to do one job and do it well. For this reason I have on this site for Ham Radio, separate software for PSK31 and Hellschreiber digital communication modes, Morse code decoding, satellite tracking and space communications, QRA grid Locator calculators and a logging application. I also have nec2c, a translation to the C programing language of the well-known NEC2 FORTRAN antenna analysis tool and, still under development, a graphical interactive version of nec2c. This can visualize antenna structures and much of NEC2's output (current/charge distribution, radiation and near field pattern, input impedance/vswr/gain etc) in real time, e.g. as results become available and without producing an output file.
  Not related to Ham Radio directly, I have experimental software for Firewire/IIDC camera image/video capture and object tacking, a translation from FORTRAN to C of NORAD's SGP4/SDP4 and SGP8/SDP8 satellite ephemeris routines and a translation from PASCAL to C of Dr. Kelso's sgp4-plb26a library. This I have built into a complete source code package which can and has been used, by me and others, to build satellite/sun/moon tracking programs. Finally I also have an old ncurses-based application that interfaces with a Rockwell Microtracker LP(tm) GPS module and provides control and data read-out from this interesting device.
  My Ham Radio Station:My base station is an Elecraft K3 transceiver kit which I use for both HF and VHF operation, including satellite communications. For HF I have a home made multiband vertical and for 6m just a ground plane. For 2m I have a stack of two cross-polarized omnidirectional sloped big wheel antennas. For the 137 MHz APT weather satellite band I have a home brew RH polarized turnstile feeding an R139 receiver.
  5B4AZ WebsiteMy dog Aris
  Neoklis Kyriazis ("Nick")Ham Radio Station 5B4AZHello and Welcome to my Website.This is my Contribution to Ham Radio:Software for the Linux Operating SystemHis friend Pico
  Introduction:The main purpose of this web site is to provide the end result of several years of work in the field of software development (for the GNU/Linux Operating System), e.g the source code (and related material) of various applications for Ham Radio communication as well as other purposes. These source packages should be able to compile on other POSIX/UNIX compatible platforms (*BSD distributions, Solaris and perhaps Mac OS X), possibly after some modification.
  Some "caveats" are in order here: I don't have any formal training in Information Technology or Computer Programming, although I have a B.Sc. Degree from London University in Electronic Engineering (graduated in 1973, I am of 1948 vintage and retired early!). I am basically a teach-your-self C/Linux programmer, learning from books as well as the Internet, of course. As such it should be expected that there will be mistakes and/or bad/incorrect programming practices evident in my source code, even if the applications themselves appear to work well.
  I try my best to test and bug fix my software, but on my own it is difficult to make sure that I have exercised my applications in every possible way, to bring up hidden bugs. I use some tools (gdb, efence and valgrind especially and lately cppcheck and clang static analyzer) to check for memory violations/leaks etc, but even so these will only detect bugs if the program is used in such a way as to put the execution flow through faulty code. Therefore my software is offered here "as is" and under the GPL license model, including the standard disclaimers of the GPL.
  Since I use the Arch Linux distribution, which is basically a fast-moving "bleeding edge" distribution, I have had reports of compilation or run-time difficulties by users who tried to compile and use some of my software on there own systems. This is particularly true of my apps for X/GTK2 since I use the latest GTK2 releases and there are occasional backward compatibility problems with distros using older versions. There are also problems with sound card compatibilities and I try to modify my source code as I receive bug reports. Be warned!
  Software Description:My software is generally related to my Ham Radio hobby, for which I acquired a license and a call sign (5B4AZ) in 1973 and operated in various modes and frequency bands since. I was probably the first radio amateur in Cyprus to operate on the early OSCAR satellites, using mostly home brew gear, including antenna rotors controlled by a computer I built from Wireless World magazine's kit, running my own tracking software. And it was based on a 2 (two) MHz Z80 cpu with an MM57109 fpu running at 800 kHz (0.8 MHz)!! It had all of 4 KB (four kilobytes) of RAM and 8 KB of ROM containing BURP (Basic Using Reverse Polish notation) - of course no disks at all, just a 300 baud interface to a domestic tape recorder!!
  My current computer is a 2.8 GHz Quad core Intel I3 processor on a Gigabyte motherboard with 6Gb RAM, two 32 Gb SSD disks, an NVIDIA Video card and an EIZO 22-inch LCD monitor. I used various Linux distributions over the years, but with a 64-bit processor I also need a 64-bit Linux distribution if I am to enjoy the full performance of my computer. I chose Arch Linux for this purpose since its a lean O/S with good package management and an active X86-64 developer community. Arch Linux is a little harder to install than other User/Desktop-oriented distros but I still thought I should give it a try.
  The software I have developed follow the UNIX approach to an application, e.g to do one job and do it well. For this reason I have on this site for Ham Radio, separate software for PSK31 and Hellschreiber digital communication modes, Morse code decoding, satellite tracking and space communications, QRA grid Locator calculators and a logging application. I also have nec2c, a translation to the C programing language of the well-known NEC2 FORTRAN antenna analysis tool and, still under development, a graphical interactive version of nec2c. This can visualize antenna structures and much of NEC2's output (current/charge distribution, radiation and near field pattern, input impedance/vswr/gain etc) in real time, e.g. as results become available and without producing an output file.
  Not related to Ham Radio directly, I have experimental software for Firewire/IIDC camera image/video capture and object tacking, a translation from FORTRAN to C of NORAD's SGP4/SDP4 and SGP8/SDP8 satellite ephemeris routines and a translation from PASCAL to C of Dr. Kelso's sgp4-plb26a library. This I have built into a complete source code package which can and has been used, by me and others, to build satellite/sun/moon tracking programs. Finally I also have an old ncurses-based application that interfaces with a Rockwell Microtracker LP(tm) GPS module and provides control and data read-out from this interesting device.
  My Ham Radio Station:My base station is an Elecraft K3 transceiver kit which I use for both HF and VHF operation, including satellite communications. For HF I have a home made multiband vertical and for 6m just a ground plane. For 2m I have a stack of two cross-polarized omnidirectional sloped big wheel antennas. For the 137 MHz APT weather satellite band I have a home brew RH polarized turnstile feeding an R139 receiver.
Review of CW Decoders | Mendo Radio
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Thu, 11 Apr 2013 01:49
  I've been looking for good CW decoding software to use with my PC sound card for decoding CW on HF bands.
  So far, I've tried these four programs. Two were poor, one was great, and the other was fairly good, but not the right one for me.
  CwGet: I had high hopes for this decoder because it was popular on QRZ. It has several panels to display CW signals and includes various filters. Unfortunately, it does a very poor job of decoding the CW. Most of the output is junk.
  CW Decoder: This one is similar to CwGet, but did marginally better decoding, which isn't saying much. The biggest problem for me was that it has no option to set the font color, so on my system it displays black text on a black background! That alone made it unusable.
  Fldigi:This is a great program. Far superior to the above, and with a good number of other digital modes. It's got a clean, modern display and many special features. I'm going to write a more detailed review of this one when we start looking at digital radio modes and software.
  CW Skimmer: This program is pretty cool. It can decode multiple CW streams at the same time, and it does a fairly good job of decoding them, but not perfect. It shows the CW transmissions in a horizontal waterfall so you can see what signals are around and allows you to judge their relative qualities. You can select the one you want, and change the bandpass to tighten in on it. Here's a photo:
  You can check out more about it, including other photos, at http://www.dxatlas.com/CwSkimmer. For a while, I thought this program was free'... but now it wants me to register, and the price is $75.00. To high for my needs. I suppose if you do serious CW contesting, you might find it worth the price.
  Like this:LikeLoading...
DX Atlas: Amateur Radio software
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Thu, 11 Apr 2013 01:05
  CW Skimmer 1.8Multi-channel CW decoder and analyzer
  for Windows 98/ME/2000/XP/7
  Featuresa sensitive CW decoding algorithm based on the methods of Bayesian statistics;simulatneous decoding of ALL cw signals in the receiver passband - up to 700 signals can be decoded in parallel on a 3-GHz P4 if a wideband receiver is used;a fast waterfall display, with a resolution sufficient for reading Morse Code dots and dashes visually;the callsigns are extracted from the decoded messages, and the traces on the waterfall are labeled with stations' callsigns;the extracted callsigns are exported as DX cluster spots via the built-in Telnet cluster server;a DSP processor with a noise blanker, AGC, and a sharp, variable-bandwidth CW filter;an I/Q Recorder and player.
  Contest, 3-kHz mode
  Note that only 3 kHz of spectrum can be decoded and viewed on the waterfall display if a 3-kHz radio is used, as shown on the screenshot above. Wideband display and decoding shown below requires a wideband SDR receiver such as SoftRock.
  Contest, wideband mode
  Pileup, wideband mode
  TutorialsPete N4ZR has written an excellent tutorial for those who are making their first steps with CW Skimmer. Read his tutorial online here.System RequirementsOperating system: Windows ME, Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows 7 (32-bit or 64-bit). The program may or may not work on Windows 98 SE and Vista, depending on the quality of your audio drivers. Windows 95 and Windows 98 GE are not supported.CPU: Pentium-4 2.5 GHz with a wideband radio, or 1 GHz with a 3-kHz radio;Ports: one COM port for the radio CAT control;Receiver:3-kHz receiver - an ordinary transceiver or receiver, with 3-KHz audio output;SoftRock receiver - a wideband receiver with quadrature output and fixed center frequency;SoftRock on IF - a combination of an ordinary receiver and a SoftRock working on receiver's IF;RF Space SDR-IQ and SDR-14;SRL QuickSilver (QS1R).HPSDR Mercury,Microtelecom Perseus.CW Skimmer can be used with the SDR-1000 and Flex-5000 radios via a virtual audio cable.Sound card: a stereo sound card that supports the 48 kHz sampling rate or higher and has a valid WDM driver;Cables: two cables are required for connecting the radio to the PC: a standard stereo cable for the audio or I/Q signal, and a CAT cable/adapter for the CAT control.Downloads
  Registration
  DX AtlasYahoo Group
  New software announcements
  Update notifications
  Author's e-mail
  Votefor this website
The Legend of Mithras
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  Archived Version
  Wed, 10 Apr 2013 23:12
  Christianity hardly has a monopoly on the theme of resurrection, particularly around the winter holidays. A couple of thousand years ago, followers of a god named Mithras celebrated rebirth in much the same way as the followers of Jesus do today. Mithras was an early Roman god of the sun, who was born around the time of the winter solstice and then experienced a resurrection around the spring equinox. Sound familiar?
  The cult of Mithras was a mystery religion, like that of Cybele and many other Roman Pagan beliefs. Author Ceisiwr Serith describes the cult's temples, or Mithraea, as being relatively small, and typically hidden underground. He also points out that it was only open to men, and very secretive, so it's unlikely that it was truly a big rival to the incoming Christian belief system.
  In one legend, Mithras, who was popular amongst members of the Roman military, was ordered by the Sun to sacrifice a white bull. He reluctantly obeyed, but at the moment when his knife entered the creature's body, a miracle took place. The bull turned into the moon, and Mithras' cloak became the night sky. Where the bull's blood fell flowers grew, and stalks of grain sprouted from its tail. Mithras himself ascended to the light, and spent the rest of eternity hanging out with the Sun.
  British author and poet Rudyard Kipling, who was fascinated by Mithraism, wrote Song to Mithras, which concludes as follows:
  Mithras, God of the Midnight, here where the great bull dies,Look on thy children in darkness. Oh take our sacrifice!Many roads thou hast fashioned--all of them lead to the Light:Mithras, also a soldier, teach us to die aright!
  Ceisiwr Serith has a great essay on his website about why Christianity isn't stolen from the cult of Mithras, and it's one well worth reading. If you're interested in more about Mithras, check out his Mithraism Index.
mithras
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  Archived Version
  Wed, 10 Apr 2013 23:11
  Temple of MithrasThe outline of the temple was recreated a short distance from its original location on Queen Victoria Street, re-using the Roman building material from the site. It is not an accurate reconstruction. A recreation of the building is being planned for the redevelopment of the Bucklersbury House site.
  In 1954 excavations revealed a building identified as a temple because of the large number of religious sculptures that were found there. The temple was built in about AD240 and with various alterations it remained in use as a Mithraeum for over 100 years until about AD350 when the temple structure suffered severe subsidence and the building became dilapidated with large cracks in the walls, probably due to the fact that the followers could no longer afford its upkeep.
  The stone temple was built to resemble a low cave-like building with a sunken floor in the central nave and aisles separated from the nave by columns. It was rectangular (about 18 x 8m) with a semi-circular apse at the western end which would have housed the statue of the cult god, a full-size figural scene that depicted Mithras slaying the bull - the central belief that everlasting life sprang from the blood spilt during ritual killing of the bull. See a larger plan of the temple.
  The temple, re-built and dedicated to the god Bacchus, continued in use until the end of the Roman period. A group of marble sculptures were buried in a small pit under the floor of the nave out of respect for an older religion. These sculptures included the heads of Mithras, Serapis and Minerva, the hand of Mithras and the figure of Mercury. The sculptures of deities Serapis, Mercury and Minerva, although belonging to religions different to that of Mithras, performed some function or had become identified with some part of the worship of Mithras. These sculptures are now on display in the Roman London Gallery of the Museum of London.
  For further information about the temple, see Mithras in Religious life.
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VIDEO-BBC News - 'Pompeii of north' being unearthed in London
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  Wed, 10 Apr 2013 23:10
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CNN: Gabby Giffords Two Years Later
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CDC Online Newsroom - Press Briefing Transcript - CDC Telebriefing on H7N9 Influenza Cases
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  Wed, 10 Apr 2013 22:37
  Friday, April 5 at 1 p.m. ET
  OPERATOR: Thank you for standing by. During the question and answer session of today's call, you may ask a question by pressing star one. Today's conference is being recorded.
  TOM SKINNER: Thank you, Shirley. Thank you all for joining us today for this telebriefing that we're having on an update of the situation around H7N9 infections in China. With us today is the director of the CDC, Dr. Tom Frieden who is going to provide some opening remarks and then we'll get to your questions where we'll be joined by Dr. Joe Bresee, a medical epidemiologist in our influenza division. With that, Dr. Frieden.
  TOM FRIEDEN: Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joining us today. What we'll do is update you on the current situation with H7N9 in China. We're getting a lot of calls from the media, so we felt it would be most efficient for everyone to hold this telebriefing. We first want to update you about the situation in China and describe the steps that we at CDC are taking to protect health here in the U.S. We also want to put the outbreak in China into context and finally, of course, answer as many questions of yours that we can get to. I will provide an overview of the situation and of our response and I'd also like to just mention to you how CDC's relationship with the Chinese public health authorities is paying off in response to this outbreak for us and for people around the world and then I'll be joined by the director of our influenza epidemiology unit, Dr. Bresee, who along with me will answer your questions.
  As of April 5th, 2013, Chinese public health officials have reported 16 cases of human infection with a novel avian influenza A, which is called the H7N9 virus, from four different provinces in China. Patients were hospitalized and six of them have died. These are the first human infections with this particular strain of H7N9 that have been identified. 15 of the cases are among adults ages 27 to 87. The one child is age 4 and apparently had mild illness. All cases had onset between February 19th and March 31st, 2013. There has been no person-to-person transmission and no epidemiologic link between any of the cases so far. There are two families where there was illness in a family around the time of a confirmed case and those two family situations are being investigated by Chinese authorities to see if there was person-to-person transmission in those cases. I would say that with other avian influenza strains we sometimes see limited person-to-person transmission within the close contact of a family or health care but only one generation of spread or two generations of spread, not multiple generations of spread. So when we speak of person-to-person transmission, we really are looking at whether it's spreading widely.
  Now, at this point, we are -- there are several things that give us some confidence that it's not spreading widely from person to person. One is that more than 100 contacts have been assessed and monitored by Chinese public health authorities and none of them have developed illness. In contrast, in influenza, you would expect at least 20 to 30 percent of family members to develop illness. So the fact that there are that many contacts and no illness has been identified is encouraging. In addition, many or perhaps most of the cases in the investigations are still ongoing have direct contact with live poultry. We also have reports from the Chinese Agricultural Authority that there are positive cultures for a similar strain of H7N9 from both chickens and pigeons and that further testing is under way. At this time, no cases of human infection with avian influenza A H7N9 have been detected in the United States.
  CDC is working to address this situation as part of a coordinated international effort. First, today we issued a health advisory to inform clinicians and public health specialists throughout the U.S. of what is happening and what they should do if they have a suspected case in a traveler who is returning from China, what they should do in terms of testing, infection control, and care. We also have developed a test currently being used at CDC so that we can test specimens from travelers returning from China who have severe illness that might be this influenza and determine whether or not they have it. We will be taking further steps to develop a diagnostic test kit that we can send to states throughout the U.S. and to China so that we can have rapid diagnosis of infections going forward. The information coming out of China suggests that the virus is susceptible to two of the main antiviral agents we use, Oseltamivir and Zanamivir and we will be confirming that in the coming days, but that's what it looks like. Throughout the U.S. government and with pharmaceutical companies, the vaccine manufacturers out of an abundance of caution were developing a candidate virus that could be used to produce a vaccine if one is needed. This would only be produced if there were evidence of widespread transmission from person-to-person. That's not something that we are seeing at this time. We are not issuing any formal travel advisories. As I said earlier, a source for these infections has not been identified but we do know that the Chinese health authorities are starting to cull birds in live markets as a precautionary step and for about a decade we've already recommended to people in China to Americans traveling in China to avoid contact with birds and other animals. That's been in place since both SARS and the spread of another strain of influenza called H5 nearly a decade ago.
  I want to take a moment to talk about CDC's relationship with the Chinese equivalent. The Chinese equivalent is called China CDC. And we have a very robust, long-term relationship with them. It got much stronger after SARS when China recognized that it needed to strengthen its public health system and we have an office that CDC maintains in China to collaborate. Over the course of many years our scientists have helped the Chinese public health doctors effectively monitor for influenza throughout the vast population of China, improve their laboratory testing for influenza, learn how to do genetic sequencing of the influenza strains that they identify, become a World Health Organization collaborating center for influenza and because of that, the Chinese government is able to track where influenza is spreading but we may not well have learned of these isolated cases and because of that, the Chinese government has posted publicly the full genetic sequence of the H7N9 strain that is affecting people in this cluster. In fact, I have a long -- a long-standing series of annual meetings and periodic updates with the director of the Chinese CDC and we had a long conversation late last night about this situation to ensure that we are providing any assistance that we can. We are working in concert against this to quickly identify the situation and take all appropriate steps.
  Before I turn the call over to Dr. Bresee to answer your questions, I wanted to put this into perspective. Two questions that CDC is frequently asked are, how concerned are we and how concerned should the public be about the situation? And I'll say this. We at CDC work 24/7 to protect people's health, including from threats such as emerging influenza viruses. We work to have the public's back. It's our job to be concerned and to move quickly whenever there's a potential problem, such as the one in China. And that's what we're doing. As far as should the public be concerned, there is no evidence at this point that the virus is being transmitted from one person to another or that the virus has caused any infections in the U.S. There are no specific steps that people in this country need to take to protect themselves. People can go about their daily lives. Information can be a powerful anecdote for people who are worried or concerned. So what we're doing here is to communicate as much as we can of what we know when we know it completely openly. For many years, we have encouraged people in China, Americans in China not to have contact with live markets because influenza and other infections can spread and we continue with that recommendation. We will continue to provide updated information through our website as soon as we have it. We'll also continue as needed to update as there are developments. Thank you.
  TOM SKINNER: Shirley, I believe we're ready for questions, please.
  OPERATOR: Thank you. We will now begin the question and answer session. If you would like to ask a question, please press star 1. You will be prompted to record your name. Again, press star 1 to ask a question and one moment for our first question. Our first question comes from Elizabeth Weiss with USA Today go ahead with your question.
  ELIZABETH WEISS: Thanks for taking my call. I wanted to ask a bit about the work on the seed strains for the virus. Can you talk a bit about when that was started and what -- where it stands currently?
  TOM FRIEDEN: Because the genetic sequence is available, we're able -- and manufacturers are able to do reverse engineering [Editor's note: ''reverse engineering'' is more accurately stated as ''synthetic biology techniques''] to develop a potential vaccine strain. The Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, Dr. Nicki Lurie and BARDA are in contract with pharmaceutical manufacturers who are also working in this area so that a seed strain can be available, if needed, as quickly as possible and the contracts that HHS, BARDA ASPR, as it's called, has with the manufacturers make sure that what they do is open source [Editor's note: the candidate vaccine viruses developed as a result will be shared freely]. In other words, it would be available to anyone. I'd like to turn it over to Dr. Mike Shaw who is director of our influenza laboratory to address further issues.
  MIKE SHAW: Right. Under this contract, the synthetic genes were created for BARDA and they are being shared. We are using them to try to develop a candidate vaccine strain as are companies. There are many different approaches to this. Many different companies and organizations are trying to work as quickly as possible to get the strain that would be shared as widely as possible to make sure that the vaccine production could receive it as quickly as possible.
  TOM SKINNER: Do you have a follow up?
  ELIZABETH WEISS: No that should do it.
  OPERATOR: The next question comes from Miriam Falco, with CNN Medical News. You may ask your question.
  MIRIAM FALCO: Hi, doctor. Thank you. I'm a little confused because according to the WHO press release, they say an additional five laboratory confirmed cases, including one death due to human infection with influenza A H7N9 virus and you've said twice now there hasn't been human-to-human transmission and one possible situation. I know you don't speak for the WHO but you guys obviously talk to them. Which one is it?
  TOM FRIEDEN: So let's be clear. What we have is 16 reported, confirmed cases. All of those cases are isolated cases. There are no epidemiologic links that have been identified between the 16 different people. There are two of those 16 had other people ill in their families and that's continuing to be assessed to see if there was transmission within the family. And one thing to try to be clear about, we look at two things when we look at influenza. First, how virulent is the strain and second, how readily does it spread among people. In terms of that first question, how virulent or how deadly it is, we won't know until we are able to test a larger number of people and see if more than 16 people had it. It could be that hundreds of other people have mild infections and these people were the tip of the iceberg or it could be that it was a rare event that it passes from animals to people and that for those few people who are unfortunate enough to contract the infection from an animal, it's a very severe illness. The second question is, does it spread readily from one person to another? And everything we're seeing at this point suggests that at this point, that is not happening.
  MIRIAM FALCO: So it's still accurate to say no human-to-human transmission?
  TOM FRIEDEN: '...has been documented, as of now. Correct.
  MIRIAM FALCO: As of now. And then the other question I have is about this particular virus. It's the first time we've seen it in humans ever. Is there something about this virus that you think might make it more eligible to change quickly and quickly change to become more easily transmissible?
  TOM FRIEDEN: One of the unusual characteristics of this virus is that in animals, it generally causes mild illness. So it's unusual, though not unheard of, for a virus to cause mild virus in animals but severe illness in people. And one possibility -- and we'll know this within the next week or so -- is that it's fairly widespread among animals. Sometimes when there are things like outbreaks of H5, you have a clue because there are bird die-offs or sick flocks. That may not be the case here. It's something we may find with time.
  OPERATOR: Thank you. Our next question comes from Mike Stobbe with the Associated Press. You may ask your next question.
  MIKE STOBBE: Thank you for taking my question. I apologize. I missed the first couple of minutes. Could you say a little more about the 16 cases, how old they were, what sex they were, and do they have any shared characteristics that might predispose them to more severe illness? And I had a follow-up question which was about, could you tell me about what the flu surveillance system is in China in is it a Marshfield Clinic type model or what is it that you have helped them develop there?
  TOM FRIEDEN: Dr. Bresee will take the second part of that. Fifteen of the cases are in adults ages 27 to 87. One case is in a child, age 4. We do not have full information on predisposing medical conditions but it appears that many, if not most of the individuals, did have an epidemiologic link with live markets, with poultry. Dr. Bresee, on surveillance?
  JOE BRESEE: The surveillance system in China has really dramatically improved over the last decade or so since the introduction of H5, the catalyst for that. They do a couple of things that is important. One is, they have a wide dispersion of labs that can detect flu, generally speaking, using the best methods, called PCR. They have well over 400 of these labs around the country that have grown up over that last few years. They really do have the ability to look for flu, wherever it is, in the country. They also have about an equal number of sites that looks for flu disease that tests people and count people, including both hospitalized people and people that come to clinics. If you think about China's ability to detect cluster of illness, to detect new illnesses, and to see how this potential outbreak may or may not spread, I think they are well positioned to do that.
  TOM SKINNER: Mike, do you have a follow-up?
  OPERATOR: One moment, please. Go ahead, Mike.
  MIKE STOBBE: No. No. I don't have a follow-up.
  TOM SKINNER: Next question, Shirley?
  OPERATOR: The next question comes from Richard Knox with National Public Radio. You may ask your question.
  RICHARD KNOX: Even though there isn't any clear evidence of human-to-human transmission and I gather no signal of influenza-like increase in the area, Nancy Cox was telling me that genetic analysis indicates this virus might infect mammalian cells more easily than H5N1 does and I wonder how you can reconcile those two kinds of information and how heavily the genetic analysis of that weighs in your current threat assessment.
  TOM FRIEDEN: So we always have to analyze the genetic sequence in concert with the epidemiologic pattern. It is true that some aspects of the genes of this organism are partially adapted to mammals, suggesting that they may have spent time in swine or other populations. But ultimately the fact that we haven't seen cases in contacts, that we haven't seen widespread cases in children, that we haven't seen a spike are all reassuring. And that most of the cases or many of the cases have had direct contact with the likely vector, I think all of that is reassuring. But, of course, one of the things that we look at very carefully is the continued evolution of influenza. Even if this organism ends up not going further than people who had a direct contact with animals, there's always the risk that it would continue to evolve in swine or other populations and become more transmissible in the future. And that's just to say we are at no larger risk today than we were two weeks ago before we all knew about it. But we always have to be prepared for emerging threats and that's why we monitor for them and that's why we respond very quickly when they may be emerging.
  TOM SKINNER: Next question, Shirley?
  OPERATOR: Next question comes from Richard Besser with ABC News. You may ask your question.
  RICHARD BESSER: Thank you for taking my question. I have two. The first is, is there any way to tell how novel this virus is and whether there would be any population immunity? Have there been H7's or N9's that have circulated before? And the second is a follow-up to Richard Knox's question. Is there any way to look at the virus to tell how many mutations would be needed to be spreadable from person-to-person?
  TOM FRIEDEN: So because this virus has -- is not related to previously circulated influenza virus, there is not population immunity as far as we know to this particular strain of H7. Since it doesn't affect people, people haven't developed the immunity to it. And there is no specific way to say exactly what it would take to become better adapted to be able to spread person-to-person.
  RICHARD BESSER: Thanks very much.
  OPERATOR: Thank you. Next question comes from Eben Brown with Fox News Radio. Go ahead with your question.
  EBEN BROWN: Thank you very much. Appreciate the time, doctors. You had mentioned that there had been no cases in the United States reported. Are there any chances of this coming to somewhere else in the Western Hemisphere that could eventually then find its way into the United States?
  TOM FRIEDEN: This is why we work with countries throughout the world to have a flu monitoring system and it's certainly possible that it could spread to countries neighboring China or to countries that have travelers to and from China who were in live markets. At this point, it looks like direct contact with live poultry in China is the main risk factor. But because flu can emerge anywhere in the world, it's in all of our best interests that there are good flu monitoring systems around the world and that's why when we do produce diagnostic kits, we distribute them to more than 100 countries and we help countries around the work to do their own flu surveillance. It protects them and it protects us.
  TOM SKINNER: Next question, Shirley?
  OPERATOR: Next question comes from Maryn McKenna with Wired.com. Go ahead with your question.
  MARYN MCKENNA: Thank you very much for this call. Can we hear a little bit more about what surveillance is like on the animal side in China? I think that Dr. Bresee was describing the human surveillance but I'd be interested in what is going on beyond the call of chicken in looking for this virus as it's moving through chickens or pigeons or whatever the suspected reservoir is.
  JOE BRESEE: Thanks Maryn, this is Joe. I will say that the animal health authorities in China have issued guidance now for surveillance for this virus among poultry population, duck populations, and any bird populations that exist in markets in that area of China. They've engaged now in a very systematic surveillance system over the next week or so that intends to figure out what the scope of this virus is and what populations it might exist in. And so I think we can expect, as Dr. Frieden says, in the next week or two, some additional data to try to better to find the animal host of the virus which we think will be important in identifying prevention strategies for humans.
  MARYN MCKENNA: Can I ask a follow-up to that?
  JOE BRESEE: Sure.
  MARYN MCKENNA: Can you -- is there anything else you can say about where that surveillance is taking place by which I mean, is it in people facing areas such as live markets, is it more out in the countryside? Are they looking at small farm holdings, the big new mega farms?
  JOE BRESEE: That's a good question. What we're told by the Chinese authorities is that the extenuated surveillance will focus on those provinces that currently have human cases of the disease but be directed at both markets, industrial farms, and small holding farms.
  MARYN MCKENNA: Super. Thank you.
  TOM SKINNER: Next question?
  OPERATOR: Thank you. Next question comes from Betsy McKay with the Wall Street Journal, you may ask your question.
  BETSY MCKAY: Just a quick question about surveillance. I wondered what you all might know about what level of heightened surveillance there might be going on in other neighboring countries in Asia because of this.
  JOE BRESEE: That's a good question. What we know now is that several of the countries in Asia, especially several of the bordering countries from China have been doing extenuated surveillance either in the community where they're testing severely ill people to look for the introduction of this virus or occasionally in airports where they're screening for fevers, for instance, of incoming passengers. I can't say that I know the exact scope of the extenuated surveillance going on, but we have heard from colleagues in Laos, Cambodia, Thiland, Taiwan and Vietnam that they've all heightened their surveillance in looking for this virus as have countries around the world, I might say.
  BETSY MCKAY: Okay. Thanks.
  OPERATOR: Thank you. Next question comes from Bob Roos with CIDRAP News.
  BOB ROOS: Thank you. A couple of questions about the vaccine seed strain. I'm wondering if you have any existing vaccine seed strains for other H7 sub type viruses and if so if you plan to test those to see if they offer cross-protection and I wondered if this is the first time that you're trying to make a seed strain just from the DNA sequence without using an actual isolate?
  TOM FRIEDEN: We do have strains of H7 but because this strain is so different, we don't expect that they would be protective. We have done reverse engineering to produce vaccine strains previously.
  BOB ROOS: Thank you.
  TOM SKINNER: Next question?
  OPERATOR: Thank you. Next question comes from Jonathan Serrie with Fox News. You may ask your next question.
  JONATHAN SERRIE: Good afternoon. If it becomes necessary to manufacture an H7N9 vaccine, how would its manufacture impact production of seasonal flu vaccine or would it become one in the same?
  TOM FRIEDEN: If it became necessary and we should be clear that at this point that is not what appears to be happening, we do not think it would interfere with the ability to make seasonal vaccine. There are new technologies for vaccine production. We've been adding regularly BARDA has new manufacturers under way. We expect cell-based vaccine it to be available this year. We don't think it would affect availability of seasonal flu vaccine. [Editor's note: At this time, we don't think it would affect availability of seasonal flu vaccine.]
  OPERATOR: Thank you. Our final question comes from Donna Young with Script News. Go ahead with your question.
  DONNA YOUNG: Thank you. I just was looking for a little bit of clarification again on this seed -- the seed virus that you're working on. Are the manufacturers working on that with you right now or is it strictly the government that's working on that and then you'll turn it over to the manufacturers?
  TOM FRIEDEN: It's a joint project. The manufacturers are working '' Novartis [working in collaboration with Synthetic Genomics Vaccines, Inc.], J. Craig Venter Institute, ourselves, manufacturers are on contract with BARDA, the U.S. government. We're doing it as a team in concert. Dr. Shaw, do you want to add anything to that?
  MIKE SHAW: Right. It's a very wide effort right now looking at several different possibilities. There's the new recombinant vaccine that was recently approved that's also an alternative. We're not investing on a single pathway. There's several different groups going at this.
  TOM FRIEDEN: Thank you all for joining. Sunlight is the best disinfectant and there are concerns when we hear about people becoming severely ill and have died in China, the information we have so far suggests that all of the cases have been isolated, that they are mostly associated with spread of this virus in animals, likely poultry, chickens, ducks, geese, pigeons, perhaps. And we're in close collaboration with authorities in other countries, including China, so that we can rapidly learn more about where it's coming from and how -- whether it has spread from person-to-person. This is an example of why we need to keep our guard up and make sure we're prepared to detect and respond to threats as they emerge whether in this country or around the world. So thank you very much for joining.
  TOM SKINNER: Thank you all for joining us. If you have the need for follow-up information, please call the CDC press office 404-639-3286. Thank you for joining us. OPERATOR: Thank you. This does conclude today's conference. We thank you for today's participation. At this time you may disconnect your line.
  ###U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Anthony Weiner Could Win New York City Mayoral Election, Strategists Say '' ABC News
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  Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:09
  Can infamous Twitter user and disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiner make a political comeback and be elected mayor of New York?
  Most political experts surveyed by ABCNews.com believe he could.
  "People are much more forgiving of errors relating to sex than those relating to money," said Mitchell Moss, a longtime New York political analyst and professor at New York University. "He can run as the outsider."
  Weiner, 47, resigned from Congress in 2011 after tweeting lewd photos of himself to women and then publicly denying that the photos were of his body parts. He later confessed that he had taken the photos and sent the messages to women who were not his wife.
  Now, Weiner is taking steps to reenter a political race with wife, Huma Abedin -- who is an aide to Hillary Clinton -- by his side. In an interview with New York Times Magazine, published online this morning, Weiner said he may consider running to succeed Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
  "To some degree, it's now or maybe never for me, in terms of running for something," Weiner told the magazine. "Also, I want to ask people to give me a second chance."
  In March, Weiner spent more than $100,000 on polls gauging whether the public could forgive him -- and vote for him -- after the scandal.
  "He wouldn't be doing this if there wasn't some indication he could. He's still an astute politician, and so is (Huma)," said Liz Benjamin, a political analyst for New York 1 News. "(Huma) is such a close, guarded person, to put herself out there to this degree, there is something really big behind this. They are really thinking seriously about it."
  Spencer Platt/Getty Images
  Hank Sheinkopf, a Democratic political strategist and consultant, said that Weiner's tentative moves with news stories and polling show that he could have a chance at winning.
  "The first rule in politics is when in doubt, float a trial balloon into the air, and if no one punctures it, keep going. He flew the balloon, dominates the news, and the bad stuff that happened becomes less important than the people getting indicted tomorrow," Sheinkopf said, referring to a series of political bribery scandals that are implicating members of the City Council and the state Legislature.
  "It's idiocy versus bribes and corruption. His ridiculous behavior matters less," Sheinkopf said.
  Weiner withdrew from the public eye after his resignation, quietly continuing to live in Manhattan with Abedin, 37, and their 1-year-old son, Jordan. Abedin, meanwhile, continued to work on Hillary Clinton's staff.
  Moss said that the idea of giving politician's a second chance after personal failures has become common in politics.
  "Bill Clinton made it very acceptable for elected officials to have a second chance. The great legacy of Bill Clinton is that he's really given every elected official the chance at forgiveness," Moss said.
  Weiner would enter a crowded Democrat field thick with current New York City administrators, including pack leader City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Public Advocate Bill DiBlasio, City Comptroller John Liu, and former comptroller Bill Thompson.
  "The great irony is that he may run as a reformer, the guy to clean up government," Moss said. "He's not tied to any of the current scandals, and he may have the benefit of having his errors be personal, not political."
  Other suggested that Weiner may be feinting towards the mayor's office, then lower his sites and run for city controller to ensure he wins a foothold in politics again.
  "(He's either running for) mayor or comptroller. They both require his skill set. If he runs for mayor, it's a much more crowded field, with Chris Quinn and Bill DiBlasio. He'd be very competitive with both of them," Sheinkopf said.
  Bill Lynch, who managed the campaign of former Mayor David Dinkins and now consults as a political strategist in New York, disagreed, saying that Weiner had no chance of winning the mayoralty.
  "I'm trying to figure out where his base it at, who he has to share his base with, and it's Christine Quinn and Bill DiBlasio, and I don't know how all three of them would split the vote," Lynch said. "I don't even think he can get into a runoff."
  Weiner will likely go for city comptroller instead, Lynch predicted.
"We'll Move This Country Forward And Leave Something Better For Our Children" Obama Releases Budget
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Man Holding Firefighters Hostage Because HE WANTED HIS POWER TURNED BACK ON Shot And Killed
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Gun permit suspended over medication
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  Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:03
  Updated: Tuesday, 09 Apr 2013, 6:49 PM EDTPublished : Tuesday, 09 Apr 2013, 6:49 PM EDT
  AMHERST, N.Y. (WIVB) - The NYS SAFE Act is billed as a necessary law to protect the public and keep guns out of the hands of the wrong people.
  But Hamburg attorney Jim Tresmond says his client was notified by letter that his gun permit was suspended upon the recommendation of State Police, who learned the man is on anti-anxiety medication.
  "Claiming that he had taken some psychotropic medications, and that he no longer could be eligible for the pistol permit," Tresmond said.
  The permit holder lives in Amherst and Tresmond accompanied the man as he turned in his seven handguns used for target-shooting to Amherst Police.
  "A law-abiding, honest, hard working professional, who never had one wit of scandal associated with him, criminal or otherwise. And they took his guns away," Tresmond said.
  Tresmond is one of the attorneys already suing the state over passage of the SAFE ACT, which at the time was the toughest gun control law in the country.
  Tresmond says his client once took a prescribed medication for his anxiety but he is not mentally ill. The Amherst man ended his prescription use within the last year.
  "He is a law-abiding citizen, no record. He is a stellar member of the community, I would say. Not an ex-felon. He is one of the nicest young men I have met in a long time," Tresmond said.
  Officials confirmed state law permits the suspension of a gun permit before the permit holder even gets a chance to state their case.
  We have not been able to reach State Police to comment on this case but we do know Erie County officials have only taken action against one pistol permit holder on mental health grounds since the SAFE Act was passed last month.
Cyprus Will Sell ‚¬400 Million Of Gold Reserves To Bail Out Its Banks
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  Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:02
  Reuters is reporting that Cyprus will raise 400 million euros by selling part of its official gold reserves in order to finance a bailout of its banks.
  Gold has been taking a beating in today's trading session. Right now, the shiny yellow metal is down 1 percent, near its lowest level of the day.
While Obama Throws Another White House Party, WH Assistant Chef Says He Will Be Furloughed'...
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  Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:01
  I guarantee the cost of last night's White House concert would have covered the chef's salary.
  WASHINGTON (AP) '-- Even White House chefs could be feeling the pain of government budget cuts.
  Assistant chef Sam Kass, who cooks dinner for President Barack Obama several nights a week, said Tuesday that he will be furloughed as part of across-the-board budget cuts that went into effect in March. Kass, who is the president's senior nutrition policy adviser, made the comments in an interview with food reporters at the White House.
  The White House has said 480 workers on the budget staff may have to take days without pay but hasn't said whether notices have gone out to other Obama aides.
  Kass also plants the White House garden and is the director of first lady Michelle Obama's ''Let's Move'' campaign to combat childhood obesity. He said that effort won't be affected.
Obama's Budget Raises Taxes By $1 Trillion, Almost Double Previous Estimates'...
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  Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:01
  On the bright side, there's a snowball's chance in hell it will pass Congress.
  Via Washington Examiner:
  President Obama's 2014 budget calls for a trillion dollars in new taxes, almost twice as much as previously thought, The Washington Examiner has learned.
  ''Of the more than $1 trillion in new taxes, about $800 billion is raised through the individual income tax system, about $125 billion comes from new excise taxes '-- including new taxes on tobacco and financial companies,'' a source familiar with the president's budget explained. ''The remainder comes from reverting back to the 2009 estate tax parameters and other miscellaneous tax increases.'' [...]
  The New York Times reported last week that the budget ''would reduce deficits more than $600 billion further in that time by additional tax increases on the wealthy and some corporations.''
  Keep reading'...
Remarks by the First Lady at the Memphis Soul Workshop
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  Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:59
  The White House
  Office of the First Lady
  For Immediate Release
  April 09, 2013
  State Dining Room
  10:58 A.M. EDT
  MRS. OBAMA: Oh, watching you all's faces -- priceless. Priceless. (Laughter.) See, you never know what's going to happen at the White House. Okay, let's breathe. Come on. (Laughter.) Everyone, let's breathe, even the moms. (Laughter.)
  While everybody is getting settled, I just want to welcome you to the White House. Hi, how are you? (Applause.) Good afternoon.
  So let me just say, the White House is buzzing with excitement today as we celebrate the rhythmic groove of Memphis soul. Thank you, Daniel. He's taking care of my hometown girl, Mavis Staples. We are just so thrilled so have you.
  I want to start by thanking our wonderful guest for taking the time -- because we ask a lot from people when they come and perform. I was just joking it slowly turns into an all-day affair. But the degree to which everyone so graciously offers their time on a day like this, it just warms my heart, and we are just so grateful.
  Let me introduce everyone on the stage for those of you who don't know. We have Bob Santelli from the Grammy Museum, who has been here a number of times with me. (Applause.) And of course these five incredible musicians: Sam Moore. (Applause.) Mavis Staples. (Applause.) And I don't know if you guys recognize this young gentleman in the middle -- Justin Timberlake. (Applause.) Charlie Musselwhite. (Applause.) And Ben Harper. (Applause.)
  Thank you all so much. It is a true honor to have you all here in the State Room of the White House. But in addition to these icons and legends, we are also thrilled to have with us today some other stars -- all of our young people, you all are our stars. (Applause.) Yes.
  We have students here from all over the country -- some folks from California, New York, Florida, Maryland, Virginia, right here in D.C., and the hometown crowd from Stax Music Academy in Memphis, Tennessee. (Applause.) Yes! Memphis is in the house!
  Now, over the past few years we've hosted workshops like these to give young people like all of you the opportunity to learn and explore everything from country and classical music to modern dance and poetry. Just last week we hosted a group of young people here for the screening of the movie ''42,'' which is a story of Jackie Robinson's life. And afterward, the students had a chance to talk about the film with the director, the lead actors, as well as to hear directly from Mrs. Rachel Robinson, who's the wife of Jackie Robinson.
  So we have hosted many great conversations in this room. This is also where we host state dinners, and diplomats and world leaders are here. And you all are here, too -- right here. So we are thrilled to have you all here today as we continue this tradition and turn our attention to Memphis soul.
  Memphis, Tennessee is the birthplace of both Elvis Presley's rock and roll and B.B. King's blues. And while you can hear both of those influences in Memphis soul, this music has a style and a story uniquely its own.
  Back in 1957, a young man started a record label out of his garage. The next year, his sister took out a second mortgage on her house to help him buy some new recording equipment. And just a few years later, their company, Stax Records, was churning out nationwide hits. And soon enough, Memphis had a few more record labels and its own brand of soul, thanks to performers like Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, The Staple Singers, Isaac Hayes, and of course, somebody my husband thinks he sounds like -- (laughter) -- the Reverend Al Green. Let's just tell him he does, okay? (Laughter.) Since he is the President, we like to boost him up a little bit.
  But today, that music is still alive. Ben and Charlie and teamed up on a new album from Stax that came out earlier this year. But the best way to understand this music is to hear it and feel it. So in a little bit, I'm going to turn it over to Bob and you're going to have a chance to hear some stories and songs from these folks up here on stage who have so graciously given their time.
  But, look, as you listen, I want you all to keep one thing in mind -- and I try to say this to every young person that I encounter that walks through those doors -- but realize that none of these folks up here arrived here on the basis of talent alone. They're here because they've been working hard to perfect their craft since they were at least your age and many of them even younger.
  Ben Harper first picked up a guitar at age six. Mavis Staples and Sam Moore have both been performing since they were kids singing gospel music in church. When Charlie Musselwhite was getting started, he had to fit in his gigs between shifts at his factory job. And when Justin first started touring, he would immediately go to the bus to watch a tape of his performance, taking notes so that the next night he would be even better.
  So for decades, these folks have been practicing until their fingers were numb and their voices were shot. They've been in the studio for 12, 14 hours a day or more rehearsing and refining until they got every song just right. And I know that most of you here are also involved in music as well, which means I know you spend a lot of time memorizing scales and learning theory. And sometimes that aspect of music isn't always that much fun.
  But I want to emphasize, and I think these people up here will back me up, that the only way for you to become the best musician you can be is pushing through those moments when something doesn't seem fun -- by spending hours in the practice room, repeating those scales, and drilling into that theory. And if you do all that, you do it over and over again, you might become a better performer than you ever imagined.
  And even if you don't go into music as a career, the skills you learn through music can stay with you your whole life. And that was certainly true for me. When I was young, I played the piano. Now, as I try to remind my kids, I regret the fact that I didn't keep it up. I try to tell them that every single day.
  But I still remember the hours that it would take to learn just one section of a song. The discipline, the patience, the diligence I learned through the study of music -- those are all skills that I apply every single day in my life. I applied them as a student, as a lawyer, as a First Lady, and definitely as a mother. So every moment of every day, you have the chance to commit yourselves to your craft. And stick with it especially when those times -- it gets a little hard. Just stick with it.
  And also, you guys know that you have to educate yourselves. That is first and foremost. Learn from everyone you can. Learn from everyone you can and take advantage of every opportunity that you find. And right now, you've got an amazing opportunity to learn from some of the greatest musicians our country has to offer. So I want you to relax, loosen up, be comfortable. Ask a lot of questions. Don't be shy.
  The cameras will leave. The lights will turn down a little bit, so I want you to take full advantage of being here. Find out what it took for them to be who they are. Find out what it takes for them to maintain who they are.
  But I want you all to remember that nothing happens without hard work, and I want you all to recommit yourselves to the work that you're going to do in your lives because we need you all to be the next generation of leaders in whatever you do. And we have complete faith that you all will.
  So it is an honor and a privilege for me to be here with you. And with that, I'm going to turn it over to Bob so you all can get this party started. (Laughter.) Thank you all so much. Have fun. (Applause.)
  END11:09 A.M. EDT
Iran: 33 killed in strong earthquake
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  Source: 33 World News
  Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:56
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Giffords, Kelly continue to push for gun control, say Tuscon shooter used a 33 round magazine
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  Source: 33 World News
  Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:55
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Remarks by the President at "In Performance at the White House: Memphis Soul"
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: White House.gov Press Office Feed
  Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:53
  The White House
  Office of the Press Secretary
  For Immediate Release
  April 09, 2013
  East Room
  7:40 P.M. EDT
  THE PRESIDENT: Everybody, please have a seat. And give it up for our musical director, Booker T. -- (applause) -- and the Memphis Soul All-Stars. (Applause.) I just want everybody to know that it is now my second term, so rather than ''Hail to the Chief,'' we're going with that from here on out. (Laughter and applause.) Little change in tradition.
  Now, before we get started, I am going to exercise some presidential prerogative to say a few words about two very special people who are here tonight -- this will humiliate them, but I'm going to go ahead and do it anyway. Jess Wright and Kenny Thompson both work on my staff -- crucial members of my team since way back in Iowa in 2007.
  Over the weekend, Kenny popped the question and Jess said yes. (Applause.) So I want to congratulate -- publicly -- Kenny Thompson and Jess Wright. A beautiful couple. (Applause.) We love them. They are wonderful. They've been loyal, shown such great friendship to me, and I'm so glad that they have gone ahead and taken the plunge.
  By the way, guys, Justin Timberlake just got married to this lovely young lady right here, Jessica Biel. (Applause.) So Justin can probably offer you a few pointers. And, Justin, they are looking for a wedding singer. (Laughter.) I'm just saying.
  Tonight, I am speaking not just as a President, but as one of America's best-known Al Green impersonators. (Laughter.) So I have a new appreciation for what Al once said about the Memphis Soul sound that he helped create -- ''We don't even know ourselves how that music has endured for so long and how that came out of us.''
  All I know is I've been looking forward to tonight because, let's face it, who does not love this music? (Applause.) These songs get us on the dance floor. Even the governor of Tennessee said he's going to dance tonight. (Laughter.) They get stuck in our heads. We go back over them again and again. And they've played an important part in our history.
  In the sixties and seventies, Memphis knew its share of division and discord and injustice. But in that turbulent time, the sound of Hi, and Duke, and Sun, and Stax Records tried to bridge those divides -- to create a little harmony with harmony. The great Memphis musician Don Nix went to an all-white school, and he described what it was like. He said, ''If you could imagine, nobody's ever heard R&B music before. White kids had never heard it. And you can imagine what that did to us.''
  So he and others kept playing music that everybody could get into. They created a whole new sound, and as they did, they broke down barriers. On McLemore Avenue, in the heart of a segregated city, Stax Records was integrated from the studio musicians all the way to upper management. Booker T. Jones and Steve Cropper, who are both here tonight, helped form one of the city's first integrated bands. They weren't allowed to go to school together. They weren't always allowed to travel or eat together. But no one could stop them from playing music together.
  And that was the spirit of their music -- the sound of Soulsville, U.S.A., a music that, at its core, is about the pain of being alone, the power of human connection, and the importance of treating each other right. After all, this is the music that asked us to try a little tenderness. It's the music that put Mr. Big Stuff in his place. (Laughter.) And it's the music that challenged us to accept new ways of thinking with four timeless words: ''Can you dig it?'' (Laughter.)
  So it's really no surprise that Memphis Soul swept the nation, and it has stood the test of time. And tonight, we bring it to the White House.
  We've got folks here who were there at the beginning, legends like Mavis Staples, Charlie Musselwhite, William Bell, and Eddie Floyd. We've got artists like Cyndi Lauper, and Ben Harper, and Queen Latifah, who still turn to Memphis for inspiration. We've got Justin Timberlake, a proud son of Memphis who's never forgotten his roots, and the Alabama Shakes, who are bringing the Muscle Shoals sound to a new generation.
  So to all of you, even more than for the music you've created, I want to say a special thank you for the difference that you've made in our lives. More than half a century after Soulsville, U.S.A. first opened its doors, you still bring us together. You still remind us how much we have in common. You still help us imagine a better place. And you promise, through your beautiful music, that you can take us there.
  So tonight, we're going to start things off with two extraordinary artists who span the generations -- one is a Memphis legend who's been around just about forever, the other an American Idol who's turning 21 today. In the heyday of soul music, no band had more hits than the group known simply as ''Sam and Dave.'' Here to perform his classic ''Soul Man'' along with Joshua Ledet, please welcome the great Sam Moore. (Applause.)
  END 7:47 P.M. EDT
Remarks by the President Announcing the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: White House.gov Press Office Feed
  Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:49
  The White House
  Office of the Press Secretary
  For Immediate Release
  April 10, 2013
  Rose Garden
  11:00 A.M. EDT
  THE PRESIDENT: Good morning, everybody. Please, please have a seat. Well, as President, my top priority is to do everything I can to reignite what I consider to be the true engine of the American economy: a rising, thriving middle class. That's what I think about every day. That's the driving force behind every decision that I make.
  And over the past three years, our businesses have created nearly 6.5 million new jobs. But we know we can help them create more. Corporate profits are at an all-time high. But we have to get wages and incomes rising, as well. Our deficits are falling at the fastest pace in years. But we can do more to bring them down in a balanced and responsible way.
  The point is, our economy is poised for progress -- as long as Washington doesn't get in the way. Frankly, the American people deserve better than what we've been seeing: a shortsighted, crisis-driven decision-making, like the reckless, across-the-board spending cuts that are already hurting a lot of communities out there -- cuts that economists predict will cost us hundreds of thousands of jobs during the course of this year.
  If we want to keep rebuilding our economy on a stronger, more stable foundation, then we've got to get smarter about our priorities as a nation. And that's what the budget I'm sending to Congress today represents -- a fiscally responsible blueprint for middle-class jobs and growth.
  For years, the debate in this town has raged between reducing our deficits at all costs, and making the investments necessary to grow our economy. And this budget answers that argument, because we can do both. We can grow our economy and shrink our deficits. In fact, as we saw in the 1990s, nothing shrinks deficits faster than a growing economy. That's been my goal since I took office. And that should be our goal going forward.
  At a time when too many Americans are still looking for work, my budget begins by making targeted investments in areas that will create jobs right now, and prime our economy to keep generating good jobs down the road. As I said in my State of the Union address, we should ask ourselves three questions every day: How do we make America a magnet for new jobs? How do we give our workers the skills they need to do those jobs? And how do we make sure that hard work leads to a decent living?
  To make America a magnet for good jobs, this budget invests in new manufacturing hubs to help turn regions left behind by globalization into global centers of high-tech jobs. We'll spark new American innovation and industry with cutting-edge research like the initiative I announced to map the human brain and cure disease. We'll continue our march towards energy independence and address the threat of climate change. And our Rebuild America Partnership will attract private investment to put construction workers back on the job rebuilding our roads, our bridges and our schools, in turn attracting even more new business to communities across the country.
  To help workers earn the skills they need to fill those jobs, we'll work with states to make high-quality preschool available to every child in America. And we're going to pay for it by raising taxes on tobacco products that harm our young people. It's the right thing to do. (Applause.)
  We'll reform our high schools and job training programs to equip more Americans with the skills they need to compete in the 21st century economy. And we'll help more middle-class families afford the rising cost of college.
  To make sure hard work is rewarded, we'll build new ladders of opportunity into the middle class for anybody who is willing to work hard to climb them. So we'll partner with 20 of our communities hit hardest by the recession to help them improve housing, and education, and business investment. And we should make the minimum wage a wage you can live on -- because no one who works full-time should have to raise his or her family in poverty. (Applause.)
  My budget also replaces the foolish across-the-board spending cuts that are already hurting our economy. And I have to point out that many of the same members of Congress who supported deep cuts are now the ones complaining about them the loudest as they hit their own communities. Of course, the people I feel for are the people who are directly feeling the pain of these cuts -- the people who can least afford it. They're hurting military communities that have already sacrificed enough. They're hurting middle-class families. There are children who have had to enter a lottery to determine which of them get to stay in their Head Start program with their friends. There are seniors who depend on programs like Meals on Wheels so they can live independently, but who are seeing their services cut.
  That's what this so-called sequester means. Some people may not have been impacted, but there are a lot of folks who are being increasingly impacted all across this country. And that's why my budget replaces these cuts with smarter ones, making long-term reforms, eliminating actual waste and programs we don't need anymore.
  So building new roads and bridges, educating our children from the youngest age, helping more families afford college, making sure that hard work pays. These are things that should not be partisan. They should not be controversial. We need to make them happen. My budget makes these investments to grow our economy and create jobs, and it does so without adding a dime to our deficits.
  Now, on the topic of deficits, despite all the noise in Washington, here's a clear and unassailable fact: our deficits are already falling. Over the past two years, I've signed legislation that will reduce our deficits by more than $2.5 trillion -- more than two-thirds of it through spending cuts and the rest through asking the wealthiest Americans to begin paying their fair share.
  That doesn't mean we don't have more work to do. But here's how we finish the job. My budget will reduce our deficits by nearly another $2 trillion, so that all told we will have surpassed the goal of $4 trillion in deficit reduction that independent economists believe we need to stabilize our finances. But it does so in a balanced and responsible way, a way that most Americans prefer.
  Both parties, for example, agree that the rising cost of caring for an aging generation is the single biggest driver of our long-term deficits. And the truth is, for those like me who deeply believe in our social insurance programs, think it's one of the core things that our government needs to do, if we want to keep Medicare working as well as it has, if we want to preserve the ironclad guarantee that Medicare represents, then we're going to have to make some changes. But they don't have to be drastic ones. And instead of making drastic ones later, what we should be doing is making some manageable ones now.
  The reforms I'm proposing will strengthen Medicare for future generations without undermining that ironclad guarantee that Medicare represents. We'll reduce our government's Medicare bills by finding new ways to reduce the cost of health care -- not by shifting the costs to seniors or the poor or families with disabilities. They are reforms that keep the promise we've made to our seniors: basic security that is rock-solid and dependable, and there for you when you need it. That's what my budget represents.
  My budget does also contain the compromise I offered Speaker Boehner at the end of last year, including reforms championed by Republican leaders in Congress. And I don't believe that all these ideas are optimal, but I'm willing to accept them as part of a compromise -- if, and only if, they contain protections for the most vulnerable Americans.
  But if we're serious about deficit reduction, then these reforms have to go hand-in-hand with reforming our tax code to make it more simple and more fair, so that the wealthiest individuals and biggest corporations cannot keep taking advantage of loopholes and deductions that most Americans don't get. That's the bottom line.
  If you're serious about deficit reduction, then there's no excuse to keep these loopholes open. They don't serve an economic purpose. They don't grow our economy. They don't put people back to work. All they do is to allow folks who are already well-off and well-connected game the system. If anyone thinks I'll finish the job of deficit reduction on the backs of middle-class families or through spending cuts alone that actually hurt our economy short-term, they should think again.
  When it comes to deficit reduction, I've already met Republicans more than halfway. So in the coming days and weeks, I hope that Republicans will come forward and demonstrate that they're really as serious about the deficits and debt as they claim to be.So growing our economy, creating jobs, shrinking our deficits. Keeping our promise to the generation that made us great, but also investing in the next generation -- the next generation that will make us even greater. These are not conflicting goals. We can do them in concert. That's what my budget does. That's why I'm so grateful for the great work that Jeff Zients and his team have done in shaping this budget. The numbers work. There's not a lot of smoke and mirrors in here.
  And if we can come together, have a serious, reasoned debate -- not driven by politics -- and come together around common sense and compromise, then I'm confident we will move this country forward and leave behind something better for our children. That's our task.
  Thank you, God bless you. God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)
  END11:11 A.M. EDT
New Evidence That Team Obama Misled Us About the Drone War - Conor Friedersdorf - The Atlantic
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:34
  The Obama Administration is deliberately misleading Americans about the drone war it is waging in Pakistan.
  Can anyone read the McClatchy Newspapers summary of top-secret intelligence reports and continue to deny it? Set aside the morality and effectiveness of the CIA's targeted-killing program. Isn't it important for Congress and the people to know the truth about the War on Terrorism? Many Americans remain furious that the Bush Administration gave Iraq War speeches that elided inconvenient truths and implied facts that turned out to be fictions. Is the objection merely that the Iraq War turned out badly? Or is misleading Congress and the public itself problematic, especially when the subject is as serious as killing people in foreign countries?To justify frequent drone strikes that regularly kill innocent people, risk serving as a terrorist recruiting tool, and terrorize whole communities understandably averse to drones buzzing above their homes, Obama Administration officials give the impression that al-Qaeda terrorists are the main targets. As it turns out, they haven't just helped hide the fact that the Bush Administration kicked off America's drone campaign in Pakistan by killing someone at the request of Pakistan's government -- as Jonathan S. Landay explains, Obama officials have misled us about their own behavior. "Contrary to assurances it has deployed U.S. drones only against known senior leaders of al Qaida and allied groups, the Obama administration has targeted and killed hundreds of suspected lower-level Afghan, Pakistani and unidentified 'other' militants in scores of strikes in Pakistan's rugged tribal area, classified U.S. intelligence reports show," he reports.
  The misleading rhetoric includes words spoken by President Obama himself:
  The administration has said that strikes by the CIA's missile-firing Predator and Reaper drones are authorized only against "specific senior operational leaders of al Qaida and associated forces" involved in the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks who are plotting "imminent" violent attacks on Americans. "It has to be a threat that is serious and not speculative," President Barack Obama said in a Sept. 6, 2012, interview with CNN. "It has to be a situation in which we can't capture the individual before they move forward on some sort of operational plot against the United States." Copies of the top-secret U.S. intelligence reports reviewed by McClatchy, however, show that drone strikes in Pakistan over a four-year period didn't adhere to those standards.
  Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/04/09/188062/obamas-drone-war-kills-others.html#storylink=cpy
  In fact, the documents "show that drone operators weren't always certain who they were killing." Under what legal theory does the Obama Administration justify that behavior? It won't tell us.Instead John Brennan is trotted out to mislead us while acting as if he is being admirably forthcoming. "On April 30, 2012, Brennan gave the most detailed explanation of Obama's drone program. He referred to al Qaida 73 times, the Afghan Taliban three times and mentioned no other group by name," Landay writes. But the classified documents McClatchy reviewed demonstrate that, during the months about which they have information, al-Qaeda members were a minority of people killed by drones, and killing senior al-Qaeda leaders was rare.
  I've written before about how the Obama Administration misleadingly invokes and twists the word "imminent." I've also complained about the effort to portray Hellfire missiles as "surgical" instruments. Proponents of drone strikes talk about how unmanned aerial vehicles can hover for hours to verify that the person in their sites is an appropriate target and avoid killing anyone else. That's a misleading account of how things sometimes work in the field, as retired Brig. Gen. Craig Nixon explained to an audience I was in last year at the Aspen Ideas Festival.
  The McClatchy report concludes with another example of a drone strike gone wrong:
  Consider one attack on Feb. 18, 2010.
  Information, according to one U.S. intelligence account, indicated that Badruddin Haqqani, the then-No. 2 leader of the Haqqani network, would be at a relative's funeral that day in North Waziristan. Watching the video feed from a drone high above the mourners, CIA operators in the United States identified a man they believed could be Badruddin Haqqani from the deference and numerous greetings he received. The man also supervised a private family viewing of the body.
  Yet despite a targeting process that the administration says meets "the highest possible standards," it wasn't Badruddin Haqqani who died when one of the drone's missiles ripped apart the target's car after he'd left the funeral.
  It was his younger brother, Mohammad.
  Friends later told reporters that Mohammad Haqqani was a religious student in his 20s uninvolved in terrorism; the U.S. intelligence report called him an active member -- but not a leader -- of the Haqqani network. At least one other unidentified occupant of his vehicle perished, according to the report.
  In its drone-strike database, the New America Foundation scores that drone strike as having killed three to four "militants," zero unknown persons, and zero civilians. I've argued that the New America data very likely undercounts the number of civilians that are killed in drone strikes.
  There has long been evidence indicating the Obama Administration was misleading the country about the nature of its drone war in Pakistan. This latest report only confirms the suspicions that critics of the program have articulated. And there is reason to believe that even it understates the magnitude of executive branch deception. Says Marcy Wheeler, "This report is perhaps most interesting for the fact that CIA, in its own documents, claims that none of the 40-some people killed at Datta Khel on May 17, 2011 were civilians. In other words, the CIA is lying -- even internally -- about drone strikes as blatantly as it did about torture." The New York Times report on that strike stated that "missiles fired from American drone aircraft struck a meeting of local people in northwest Pakistan who had gathered with Taliban mediators to settle a dispute over a chromite mine. The attack, a Pakistani intelligence official said, killed 26 of 32 people present, some of them Taliban fighters, but the majority elders and local people not attached to the militants. The civilian death toll appeared to be among the worst in the scores of strikes carried out recently in Pakistan's tribal areas by the C.I.A., which runs the drones."
  The appropriate response when a president is caught misleading the country about a war he's waging is more scrutiny. There's no telling what else the Obama Administration is hiding. It is the job of Congress to find out, and the prerogative of Americans to know the nature of killing done on their behalf.
The Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights Protection Act | Pat Toomey | Senator for Pennsylvania
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:32
  Bottom Line: The Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights Protection Act would require states and the federal government to send all necessary records on criminals and the violently mentally ill to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The bill extends the existing background check system to gun shows and online sales.
  The bill explicitly bans the federal government from creating a national firearms registry, and imposes serious criminal penalties (a felony with up to 15 years in prison) on any person who misuses or illegally retains firearms records.
  TITLE ONE: GETTING ALL THE NAMES OF PROHIBITED PURCHASERS INTO THE BACKGROUND CHECK SYSTEM
  Summary of Title I: This section improves background checks for firearms by strengthening the instant check system.
  - Encourage states to provide all their available records to NICS by restricting federal funds to states who do not comply.
  - Allow dealers to voluntarily use the NICS database to run background checks on their prospective employees.
  - Clarifies that submissions of mental health records into the NICS system are not prohibited by federal privacy laws (HIPAA).
  - Provides a legal process for a veteran to contest his/her placement in NICS when there is no basis for barring the right to own a firearm.
  TITLE TWO: REQUIRING BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR FIREARM SALES
  Summary of Title II: This section of the bill requires background checks for sales at gun shows and online while securing certain aspects of 2nd Amendment rights for law abiding citizens.
  - Closes the gun show and other loopholes while exempting temporary transfers and transfers between family members.
  - Fixes interstate travel laws for sportsmen who transport their firearms across state lines in a responsible manner. The term "transport" includes staying in temporary lodging overnight, stopping for food, buying fuel, vehicle maintenance, and medical treatment.
  - Protects sellers from lawsuits if the weapon cleared through the expanded background checks and is subsequently used in a crime. This is the same treatment gun dealers receive now.
  - Allows dealers to complete transactions at gun shows that take place in a state for which they are not a resident.
  - Requires that if a background check at a gun show does not result in a definitive response from NICS within 48 hours, the sale may proceed. After four years, when the NICS improvements are completed, the background check would clear in 24 hours. Current law is three business days.
  - Requires the FBI to give priority to finalizing background checks at gun shows over checks at store front dealerships.
  - Authorizes use of a state concealed carry permit instead of a background check when purchasing a firearm from a dealer.
  - Permits interstate handgun sales from dealers.
  - Allows active military to buy firearms in their home states.
  - Family transfers and some private sales (friends, neighbors, other individuals) are exempt from background checks
  TITLE THREE: NATIONAL COMMISSION ON MASS VIOLENCE
  Summary of Title III: : This section of the bill creates a commission to study the causes of mass violence in the United States, looking at all aspects of the problem, including guns, school safety, mental health, and violent media or video games.
  The Commission would consist of six experts appointed by the Senate Majority Leader and six experts appointed by the Speaker of the House. They would be required to submit an interim report in three months and a completed report in six months.
  WHAT THE BILL WILL NOT DO
  The bill will not take away anyone's guns.
  The bill will not ban any type of firearm.
  The bill will not ban or restrict the use of any kind of bullet or any size clip or magazine.
  The bill will not create a national registry; in fact, it specifically makes it illegal to establish any such registry.
  The bill will not, in any way at all, infringe upon the Constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens.
BBC News - Fracking 'not significant' cause of large earthquakes
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:18
  9 April 2013Last updated at20:15 ETBy Matt McGrathEnvironment correspondent, BBC NewsNew research suggests that fracking is not a significant cause of earthquakes that can be felt on the surface.
  UK scientists looked at quakes caused by human activity ranging from mining to oil drilling; only three could be attributed to hydraulic fracturing.
  Most fracking events released the same amount of energy as jumping off a ladder, the Durham-based team said.
  They argue that the integrity of well bores drilled for fracking is of much greater concern.
  The research is published in the Journal of Marine and Petroleum Geology .
  Continue reading the main story''Start QuoteHydraulic fracturing is not really in the premier league for causing felt seismicity...''
  End QuoteProf Richard DaviesDurham UniversityIn recent years, hydraulic fracturing has become a significant means of recovering oil and gas that is too tightly bound into rock formations to be recovered by normal drilling.
  Fracking, as it is called, utilises a mixture of water, sand and chemicals pumped underground at high pressure to crack open sedimentary rocks and release the fuels within.
  Earth moversBut opponents of fracking have long been concerned that the process could induce earthquakes such as the one that occurred near a shale gas operation in Lancashire in 2011.
  Now researchers from Durham University's Energy Institute say that the pumping of fracking liquid does indeed have the potential to reactivate dormant fault lines. But they say that compared to many other human activities such as mining or filling reservoirs with water, fracking is not a significant source of tremors that can be felt on the surface.
  Continue reading the main storyEarthquakesThere are thousands of earthquakes each day, most too small to be detected without equipmentEarthquakes are usually caused by the motion of tectonic plates over the viscous mantle beneathThe Shaanxi earthquake of 1556 is the deadliest on record - killing nearly one million"We've looked at 198 published examples of induced seismicity since 1929," Prof Richard Davies from Durham told BBC News.
  "Hydraulic fracturing is not really in the premier league for causing felt seismicity. Fundamentally it is is never going to be as important as mining or filling dams which involve far greater volumes of fluid."
  The researchers detailed just three incidences of earthquakes created by fracking - one each in the US, the UK and Canada. The biggest at Horn River Basin in Canada in 2011 had a magnitude of 3.8.
  "Most fracking related events release a negligible amount of energy roughly equivalent to, or even less than someone jumping off a ladder onto the floor," said Prof Davies.
  What has been shown to cause bigger seismic activity is the underground injection of oil-drilling waste water. Recent research in the US has linked this to a 5.7 magnitude earthquake in Oklahoma in 2011. This isn't an issue in the UK as the practice of injecting waste water underground is banned by EU legislation.
  If oil and gas exploration companies want to reduce the risk from fracking completely, the key thing according to Prof Davies is not to drill too close to tectonic faults.
  By using 3D seismic imaging he says, these problem could be identified and the risk of quakes avoided. However this technology is not a legal requirement at present and is likely to be resisted as it will increase drilling costs.
  Cement issuesOf greater concern to Prof Davies is the long term threat posed by the well bores that are drilled to allow fracking to take place. There have been concerns that over time the cement that is used to line the wells may give way under pressure.
  "I think there are some good research questions about the long term integrity of well bores - it has been shown in the US and Canada that a percentage have not been cemented properly and are going to leak or do leak - that's what I would focus on," he added.
  This view is echoed by Robert Jackson, professor of environmental sciences at Duke University in the US, who has published research on ground water contamination through hydraulic fracturing.
  "If I were to emphasise one thing it would be well integrity. There are many examples of well integrity issues, we know that a certain number of wells leak through time. Some people might say 5 % but one study suggested as many as half of all wells have sustained casing pressure, suggesting there is something wrong," he said.
  Prof Jackson says that transparency is key to successfully developing the shale gas industry. With new incentives from the Government announced in the budget to boost the recovery of shale gas, the likelihood was the fracking industry was going to expand rapidly in the UK.
  According to Prof Jackson this would have implications for people all over the country.
  "One thing that will change in the UK, is that gas extraction is no longer in the North sea it is in people's neighbourhood," he said.
  "It is an industrial activity in people's backyards. It means trucks, dust, noise - people aren't used to that in the UK."
  Follow Matt on Twitter.
Neurodiversity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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  Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:03
  Neurodiversity is a concept suggesting that neurological differences be recognized and respected as a social category on a par with gender, ethnicity, class, or disability. Examples of these differences can include (but are not limited to) individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, dyscalculia, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette syndrome, and others.
  For some, neurodiversity is viewed not just as a concept but as a social movement. This movement understands neurodiveristy as a variation of human wiring, rather than a disease. These activists reject the idea that neurological differences need to be cured as they believe them to be authentic forms of communication, self-expression and being. They promote support-systems that allow those who are neurologically different to live their lives as they are, rather than attempting to conform to a clinical ideal.[1]
  [edit]HistoryBiodiversity is an accepted phenomenon in the animal kingdom.[2] The concept of neurodiversity in humans was initially embraced by some individuals with autism and people with related conditions.[3] Subsequent groups applied the concept to conditions unrelated (or non-concomitant) to autism such as bipolar disorder, ADHD,[4]schizophrenia,[5]circadian rhythm disorders, developmental speech disorders, Parkinson's disease, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and Tourette's syndrome.[4][6]
  The term is attributed to Judy Singer, a sociologist with Asperger syndrome,[3] and according to an article in New York magazine, was first published by Harvey Blume.[7] The earliest published use of the term appears in an article in The Atlantic by Harvey Blume on September 30, 1998:[8]
  ''Neurodiversity may be every bit as crucial for the human race as biodiversity is for life in general. Who can say what form of wiring will prove best at any given moment? Cybernetics and computer culture, for example, may favor a somewhat autistic cast of mind.''Previous to this, although Blume did not make explicit use of the term neurodiversity, he wrote in a New York Times piece on June 30, 1997:[9] "Yet, in trying to come to terms with an NT [neurotypical]-dominated world, autistics are neither willing nor able to give up their own customs. Instead, they are proposing a new social compact, one emphasizing neurological pluralism. ... The consensus emerging from the Internet forums and Web sites where autistics congregate [...] is that NT is only one of many neurological configurations -- the dominant one certainly, but not necessarily the best."
  Blume was an early advocate who predicted the role the internet would play in fostering neurodiversity, saying:[10] "There is a political dimension to this bond with the Internet. A project called CyberSpace 2000 is devoted to getting as many people as possible in the autistic spectrum hooked up by the year 2000, reason being that "the Internet is an essential means for autistic people to improve their lives, because it is often the only way they can communicate effectively. ... The challenge we will all be increasingly confronted with, on-line and off, is, to look at ourselves differently than we have before, that is, to accept neurological diversity."
  Usage of the term has spread to a more general meaning; for example, the Developmental Adult Neurodiversity Association (DANDA) in the UK encompasses developmental dyspraxia, ADHD, Asperger syndrome and related conditions.[11] The term gained broader exposure in a 2004 New York TimesAmy Harmon article titled "Neurodiversity Forever; The Disability Movement Turns to Brains".[12]
  [edit]Autism spectrumNeurodiversity as a term captures the discovery that autism has an organic basis, representing a move away from the "mother-blaming" theories of the 20th century. Before the scientific advances in the 1980s, autism scholars popularized the belief that autism resulted from faulty parenting; stigma remained until recent genetic research debunked this myth.[13] The causes of autism are contested and could result from a variety of factors that are genetic, biological, or environmental in nature; the shift is that the basis of autism is no longer believed to be entirely social. The post-1980 geneticization of autism, wherein the condition is said to have an organic basis, was a change that prompted the idea of neurodiversity, with autism able to be accepted as a natural difference in individuals.[13]
  The language surrounding neurodiversity has been controversial.[3] Those proposing the medical model label learning differences as "disorders, deficits, and dysfunctions". From this point of view, neurodiverse states are viewed as medical conditions that can and should be corrected.[14] Author David Pollak sees neurodiversity as an inclusive term that refers to the equality of all possible mental states. Still others reject the word because it sounds too medical and overshadows the needs of people with learning differences.[14]
  Proponents of neurodiversity strive to re-conceptualize autism and related conditions in society. Main goals of the movement include:
  acknowledging that neurodiverse people do not need a curechanging the language from the current ''condition, disease, disorder, or illness''-based nomenclaturebroadening the understanding of healthy or independent living; acknowledging new types of autonomygiving neurodiverse individuals more control over their treatment, including the type, timing, and whether there should be treatment at all.[15]Jaarsma and Welin wrote in 2011 that the "broad version of the neurodiversity claim, covering low-functioning as well as high-functioning autism, is problematic. Only a narrow conception of neurodiversity, referring exclusively to high-functioning autists, is reasonable.[3] They conclude that higher functioning individuals with autism may "not [be] benefited with such a psychiatric defect-based diagnosis" and "some of them are being harmed by it, because of the disrespect the diagnosis displays for their natural way of being", but "think that it is still reasonable to include other categories of autism in the psychiatric diagnostics. The narrow conception of the neurodiversity claim should be accepted but the broader claim should not."[3]
  [edit]ControversiesSome consider neurodiversity a "controversial concept" that "regards atypical neurological development as a normal human difference".[3] According to Jaarsma and Welin (2011), the "neurodiversity movement was developed in the 1990s by online groups of (high-functioning) autistic persons. It is now associated with the struggle for the civil rights of all those diagnosed with neurological or neurodevelopmental disorders".[3]
  [edit]See also[edit]References^""What is Neurodiversity?"". Syracuse University. Retrieved October 2, 2012. ^Baker, Dana Lee (2011). The Politics of Neurodiversity: Why Public Policy Matters. Lynne Rienner Publishers. ISBN 978-1-58826-754-2. ^ abcdefgJaarsma P, Welin S (February 2011). "Autism as a Natural Human Variation: Reflections on the Claims of the Neurodiversity Movement" (PDF). Health Care Anal20 (1): 20''30. doi:10.1007/s10728-011-0169-9. PMID 21311979. ^ abWoodford, Gillian. 'We Don't Need to be Cured' Autistics Say. National Review of Medicine. Volume 3. No. 8. April 30, 2006. Retrieved February 23, 2008.^Morrice, Polly (January 29, 2006) "Otherwise Minded"The New York Times, review of A Mind Apart: Travels in a Neurodiverse World^Mackenzie, Robin; John Watts (2011-01-31). "Is our legal, health care and social support infrastructure neurodiverse enough? How far are the aims of the neurodiversity movement fulfilled for those diagnosed with cognitive disability and learning disability?". Tizard Learning Disability Review (Pier Professional) 16 (1): 30''37. doi:10.5042/tldr.2011.0005. "We recommend, therefore, that the term neurodiverse include the conditions ASD, ADHD, OCD, language disorders, dyspraxia, dyslexia and Tourette's syndrome." ^Solomon, Andrew (May 25, 2008). "The Autism Rights Movement". New York Magazine. Retrieved June 28, 2008. ^Blume, Harvey (September 30, 1998). "Neurodiversity". The Atlantic. Retrieved November 7, 2007. ^Blume, Harvey (June 30, 1997). "Autistics, freed from face-to-face encounters, are communicating in cyberspace". The New York Times. Retrieved November 8, 2007. ^Blume, Harvey (July 1, 1997). ""Autism & The Internet" or "It's The Wiring, Stupid"". Media In Transition, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved November 8, 2007. ^Home page. DANDA. Retrieved on 2007-11-08^Harmon, Amy. Neurodiversity Forever; The Disability Movement Turns to Brains.The New York Times, May 9, 2004. Retrieved on 2007-11-08.^ abBumiller, Kristen. "The Geneticization of Autism: From New Reproductive Technologies to the Conception of Genetic Normalcy." Signs 34.4 (2009): 875-99. Chicago Journals. University of Chicago Press.^ abPollak, David. 2009. ''Neurodiversity in Higher Education.'' John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.^Fenton, Andrew, and Tim Krahn. "Autism, Neurodiversity and Equality Beyond the Normal." Journal of Ethics in Mental Health 2.2 (2007): 1-6. Web. 10 November 2009.[edit]External links
Ex-Regulator Says Nuclear Reactors in United States Are Flawed - NYTimes.com
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  Archived Version
  Wed, 10 Apr 2013 10:58
  WASHINGTON '-- All 104 nuclear power reactors now in operation in the United States have a safety problem that cannot be fixed and they should be replaced with newer technology, the former chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said on Monday. Shutting them all down at once is not practical, he said, but he supports phasing them out rather than trying to extend their lives.
  The position of the former chairman, Gregory B. Jaczko, is not unusual in that various anti-nuclear groups take the same stance. But it is highly unusual for a former head of the nuclear commission to so bluntly criticize an industry whose safety he was previously in charge of ensuring.
  Asked why he did not make these points when he was chairman, Dr. Jaczko said in an interview after his remarks, ''I didn't really come to it until recently.''
  ''I was just thinking about the issues more, and watching as the industry and the regulators and the whole nuclear safety community continues to try to figure out how to address these very, very difficult problems,'' which were made more evident by the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan, he said. ''Continuing to put Band-Aid on Band-Aid is not going to fix the problem.''
  Dr. Jaczko made his remarks at the Carnegie International Nuclear Policy Conference in Washington in a session about the Fukushima accident. Dr. Jaczko said that many American reactors that had received permission from the nuclear commission to operate for 20 years beyond their initial 40-year licenses probably would not last that long. He also rejected as unfeasible changes proposed by the commission that would allow reactor owners to apply for a second 20-year extension, meaning that some reactors would run for a total of 80 years.
  Dr. Jaczko cited a well-known characteristic of nuclear reactor fuel to continue to generate copious amounts of heat after a chain reaction is shut down. That ''decay heat'' is what led to the Fukushima meltdowns. The solution, he said, was probably smaller reactors in which the heat could not push the temperature to the fuel's melting point.
  The nuclear industry disagreed with Dr. Jaczko's assessment. ''U.S. nuclear energy facilities are operating safely,'' said Marvin S. Fertel, the president and chief executive of the Nuclear Energy Institute, the industry's trade association. ''That was the case prior to Greg Jaczko's tenure as Nuclear Regulatory Commission chairman. It was the case during his tenure as N.R.C. chairman, as acknowledged by the N.R.C.'s special Fukushima response task force and evidenced by a multitude of safety and performance indicators. It is still the case today.''
  Dr. Jaczko resigned as chairman last summer after months of conflict with his four colleagues on the commission. He often voted in the minority on various safety questions, advocated more vigorous safety improvements, and was regarded with deep suspicion by the nuclear industry. A former aide to the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, he was appointed at Mr. Reid's instigation and was instrumental in slowing progress on a proposed nuclear waste dump at Yucca Mountain, about 100 miles from Las Vegas.
Jaczko comes out as avowed antinuclear activist - Atomic Insights
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  Wed, 10 Apr 2013 10:57
  Greg Jaczko has recently admitted publicly what many of us in the nuclear world have known for the better part of a decade; he is now an avowed antinuclear activist instead of one who tries to hide his real nature.
  He came out at the Carnegie International Nuclear Policy Conference when he made the public pronouncement that all 104 nuclear power plants operating in the United States, and presumably all of the other 250 or so large light water nuclear power plants that use the technology that we invented here, are fundamentally unsafe and should be phased out completely.
  When asked why he is going public with his position now, after serving for seven years and four months on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the agency of the US federal government that is tasked with enabling safe nuclear energy to protect the public health, promote common defense and security and to protect the environment, Jaczko stated that he had only come to the understanding recently, after watching the industry come together to devise its response to the Fukushima meltdowns.
  Apparently, Dr. Jaczko has recently discovered that nuclear fission reactors produce radioactive isotopes that continue to generate heat, even after the fission has been stopped by inserting control rods. Since this heat needs to be dissipated by some kind of active or passive fluid movement to prevent the core from overheating and possibly melting, Dr. Jaczko has determined that the engineering effort required to reliably remove the heat is simply too hard.
  Aside: I hope you all understand that I wrote that with my tongue planted firmly in my cheek. End Aside.
  Here is a quote from Matt Wald's piece in the New York Times about Greg Jaczko's admission of antinuclear tendencies.
  Asked why he did not make these points when he was chairman, Dr. Jaczko said in an interview after his remarks, ''I didn't really come to it until recently.''
  ''I was just thinking about the issues more, and watching as the industry and the regulators and the whole nuclear safety community continues to try to figure out how to address these very, very difficult problems,'' which were made more evident by the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan, he said. ''Continuing to put Band-Aid on Band-Aid is not going to fix the problem.''
  The nuclear industry has responded firmly, but very politely, to Dr. Jaczko's implication that we are all hopelessly misguided for bothering to devise systems and procedures that overcome the challenge of dissipating decay heat, an issue that has been well understood since about 1942. Here is a quote from a Platts article titled US nuclear power plants are safe, despite Jaczko remarks: NEI CEO.
  US nuclear power plants are operating safely, and safety has been enhanced by upgrades since the Fukushima-1 accident in Japan, a nuclear industry representative said in response Tuesday to a former US Nuclear Regulatory Commission chairman's remarks Monday about design flaws in plants.
  ''US nuclear energy facilities are operating safely,'' Nuclear Energy Institute President and CEO Marvin Fertel said. ''That was the case prior to Greg Jaczko's tenure as [US] Nuclear Regulatory Commission chairman. It was the case during his tenure as NRC's chairman, as acknowledged by the NRC's special Fukushima response task force and evidenced by a multitude of safety and performance indicators. It is still the case today, particularly as every US nuclear energy facility adds yet another layer of safety by implementing lessons learned from the Fukushima Daiichi accident.''
  I'm not as polite or constrained, especially in the case in which someone like Jaczko is abusing his former politically appointed position in service of the taxpayers of the United States to take action that will impose enormous harm to both the environment and the economy. Nuclear plants are not only safe, they are reliable, economical generators of emission free electricity. They are well maintained, paid-for assets that can continue to operate into the distant future, just like our hydroelectric dams and other parts of our valuable, but inevitably aging infrastructure.
  By coming out in opposition to the continued operation of those plants Dr. Jaczko has declared war on me, my colleagues, my children and my grandchildren. He deserves scorn and should stand ready to have his motives and his technical competence challenged by those of us who know he is dangerously wrong.
  Jaczko has a few friends and defenders in both the media and in the government. Here is a clip from the Thom Hartman show in which he supports Jaczko's call for our operating nuclear plants to be replaced, but he increases Jaczko's demand for new technology to a call for ''No Nukes.''
  Some of Jaczko's political defenders are in powerful positions. There is a rumor running around, which surfaced again during Dr. Ernest Moniz's hearing for confirmation as Secretary of Energy, that Senator Reid is pushing for Jaczko to be hired as a special advisor to the Department of Energy. That would be a travesty of almost epic proportions considering his dismal performance as Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and his proven disregard for both facts and for the law of the land. Those of us who see him for what he is need to stand up and challenge his credibility so that the additional damage he is able to do is as limited as possible.
  I posted the following comment on a Grist post titled All U.S. nuclear reactors are too dangerous, says former nuke-safety chief:
  Greg Jaczko is a politician with an unused degree in theoretical physics. He wrote his thesis about modeling the low energy behavior of baryons and mesons, a topic that helped him to spend his entire time at the University of Wisconsin without ever visiting its research reactor or taking any courses in thermodynamics, material science, nuclear power plant operation, or the health effects of radiation.
  After being awarded his PhD in 1999, Greg immediately went to Washington, DC to a congressional office to work as a staffer, not to a research facility to perform post doc work. He chose to work for the most antinuclear congressman in the House, Rep. Ed Markey.
  After three years with Markey, Jaczko marked time for a few months with a Senate staff and then began serving his current patron, Senator Harry Reid, as a ''science advisor''. His main assignment was to halt all progress on the Yucca Mountain waste facility; Senator Reid had promised his campaign contributors in Las Vegas that he would not allow that facility to operate. Reid, of course, never talked to the people in Nye County, where the facility was located, to find out how they felt about the jobs that the work was bringing to their community.
  By blocking about 100 judicial nominations, Reid was able to coerce the Bush Administration to appoint Mr. Jaczko to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Jaczko focused on the non-nuclear topic of fire protection for his first few years on the Commission, but even then, he demonstrated a lack of atomic understanding and a lack of interest in learning anything about the use of nuclear fission to produce reliable electrical power. That is a topic for which theoretical physicists have as much relevant education as a registered nurse.
  There is no doubt in my mind that Greg has a plan. He apparently dreams of being a well-compensated antinuclear activist. His career models are Victor Gilinsky and Peter Bradford, two former NRC regulators that have made long careers as antinuclear activists.
  He will probably deny that he understands that fighting nuclear energy simply increases the market for coal, oil and natural gas. He will most likely profess that he does not realize that working to prevent as many plants as possible and forcing as many operating plants as possible to stop producing electricity is the primary revenue source for many nonprofit groups.
  That activity is the main reason that antinuclear organizations have little or no trouble raising funds from The Establishment. Bankers, rail interests, pipeline constructors, and fossil fuel extractors like selling as much fossil fuel as possible at a price that is driven higher by reducing competitive supplies.
  I am fully aware of libel laws and actually hope that Mr. Jaczko determines that he would like to challenge any of my statements.
  Rod AdamsPublisher, Atomic Insights
Navy set to deploy laser aboard Ponce
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  Mon, 08 Apr 2013 19:59
  The Navy will deploy a high-energy, solid-state directed energy, or ''laser'' weapon early next year on board the amphibious transport dock Ponce, Navy officials said Monday.
  This will be the first such deployment of the Navy's Laser Weapons System after it completed test shots last summer aboard the destroyer Dewey. The laser targeted fast boats and unmanned drones in the tests completed in the Pacific off the California coast.
  Navy leaders have spent $40 million developing the solid-state laser weapons system over the past six years. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Greenert displayed a video of the laser weapons system at the Sea Air Space Expo on Monday at National Harbor, Md.
  The laser weapon system began as a developmental effort by the U.S. Naval Sea Command and the Office of Naval Research.
  ''The CNO has tasked us to move this capability into the operational domain,'' said Rear Adm. Matthew L. Klunder, Chief of Naval Research.''This is a new innovative technology to give sailors and Marines the advantage they need for the current and future fight.''
  The idea is deploy a low-cost, high-energy effective weapon against a range of potential threats, including enemy drones, fast-attack boats and what is referred to as small boat swarm attacks wherein large numbers of small watercraft attack simultaneously.
  The laser weapon system uses heat energy from the laser to destroy targets, Klunder explained. Each round is remarkably cheap compared to other forms of ammunition.
  ''One round of directed energy is equivalent to one U.S. dollar. This is real data for real performance,'' Klunder said.
  In fact, the laser weapons system can easily integrate with the electronics on-board Navy ships, most of which produce more than enough electrical power to support the weapon, said Rear Adm. Thomas J. Eccles, chief engineer and deputy commander for Naval Systems Engineering.
  Thus far, the laser weapons system is a perfect 12 for 12 in test shots, said Eccles. At the Expo, senior Navy officers showed a video of a successful test engagement involving a test-firing of the laser weapon system on board the Dewey. The weapon successfully incinerated a ''dummy'' or mock UAS target.
  The directed energy power emitted from the laser can be adjusted to lethal and non-lethal modes '-- giving ship commanders a range of options when it comes to executing their missions, Eccles said.
  In fact, the senior Navy leaders explained that laser or directed energy weapons are likely to increase in use in the future as a way to supplement kinetic weapons or solutions, Navy leaders explained.
  ''As we look at a future of more and more energetic weapons like this, you can see efficiencies gained in a number of ways,'' Klunder said.
  Photo courtesy of the U.S. Navy
  April 8th, 2013 | Lasers and Ray Guns, Sea | 198374 Commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fdefensetech.org%2F2013%2F04%2F08%2Fnavy-set-to-deploy-laser-aboard-ponce%2FNavy+set+to+deploy+laser+aboard+Ponce2013-04-08+22%3A27%3A18Kris+Osbornhttp%3A%2F%2Fdefensetech.org%2F%3Fp%3D19837
Remarks by the President on Reducing Gun Violence -- Hartford, CT
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  Source: White House.gov Press Office Feed
  Wed, 10 Apr 2013 02:11
  The White House
  Office of the Press Secretary
  For Immediate Release
  April 08, 2013
  University of HartfordHartford, Connecticut
  5:45 P.M. EDT
  THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Connecticut. (Applause.) Thank you. Well, thank you so much, everybody. Let me begin by thanking Nicole, and Ian, for your brave words. (Applause.) I want to thank them and all the Newtown families who have come here today, including your First Selectman, Pat Llodra. (Applause.) Nobody could be more eloquent than Nicole and the other families on this issue. And we are so grateful for their courage and willingness to share their stories again and again, understanding that nothing is going to be more important in making sure the Congress moves forward this week than hearing from them.
  I want to thank all the educators from Sandy Hook Elementary who have come here as well -- (applause) -- the survivors --
  AUDIENCE MEMBERS: We love you, Obama!
  THE PRESIDENT: I love you back. I do. (Applause.)
  -- the survivors who still mourn and grieve, but are still going to work every day to love and raise those precious children in their care as fiercely as ever.
  I want to thank Governor Malloy for his leadership. (Applause.) Very proud of him. I want to thank the University of Hartford for hosting us this afternoon. (Applause.) Thank you, Hawks. (Applause.) And I want to thank the people of Connecticut for everything you've done to honor the memories of the victims -- (applause) -- because you're part of their family as well.
  One of your recent alumni, Rachel D'Avino, was a behavioral therapist at Sandy Hook. Two alumni of your performing arts school, Jimmy Greene and Nelba Marquez-Greene, lost their daughter, Ana -- an incredible, vibrant young girl who looked up to them, and learned from them, and inherited their talents by singing before she could talk.
  So every family in this state was shaken by the tragedy of that morning. Every family in this country was shaken. We hugged our kids more tightly. We asked what could we do, as a society, to help prevent a tragedy like that from happening again.
  And as a society, we decided that we have to change. We must. We must change. (Applause.)
  I noticed that Nicole and others refer to that day as ''12/14.'' For these families, it was a day that changed everything. And I know many of you in Newtown wondered if the rest of us would live up to the promise we made in those dark days -- if we'd change, too; or if once the television trucks left, once the candles flickered out, once the teddy bears were carefully gathered up, that the country would somehow move on to other things.
  Over the weekend, I heard Francine Wheeler, who lost her son Ben that day, say that the four months since the tragedy might feel like a brief moment for some, but for her, it feels like it's been years since she saw Ben. And she's determined not to let what happened that day just fade away. ''We're not going anywhere,'' she said. ''We are here. And we are going to be here.'' And I know that she speaks for everybody in Newtown, everybody who was impacted.
  And, Newtown, we want you to know that we're here with you. We will not walk away from the promises we've made. (Applause.) We are as determined as ever to do what must be done. In fact, I'm here to ask you to help me show that we can get it done. We're not forgetting. (Applause.)
  We can't forget. Your families still grieve in ways most of us can't comprehend. But so many of you have used that grief to make a difference -- not just to honor your own children, but to protect the lives of all of our children. So many of you have mobilized, and organized, and petitioned your elected officials ''with love and logic,'' as Nicole put it -- as citizens determined to right something gone wrong.
  And last week, here in Connecticut, your elected leaders responded. The Connecticut legislature, led by many of the legislators here today, passed new measures to protect more of our children and our communities from gun violence. And Governor Malloy signed that legislation into law. (Applause.)
  So I want to be clear. You, the families of Newtown, people across Connecticut, you helped make that happen. Your voices, your determination made that happen. Obviously, the elected leaders did an extraordinary job moving it forward, but it couldn't have happened if they weren't hearing from people in their respective districts, people all across the state. That's the power of your voice.
  And, by the way, Connecticut is not alone. In the past few months, New York, Colorado, Maryland have all passed new, common-sense gun safety reforms as well. (Applause.)
  These are all states that share an awful familiarity with gun violence, whether it's the horror of mass killings, or the street crime that's too common in too many neighborhoods. All of these states also share a strong tradition of hunting, and sport shooting, and gun ownership. It's been a part of the fabric of people's lives for generations. And every single one of those states -- including here in Connecticut -- decided that, yes, we can protect more of our citizens from gun violence while still protecting our Second Amendment rights. Those two things don't contradict each other. (Applause.) We can pass common-sense laws that protect our kids and protect our rights.
  So Connecticut has shown the way. And now is the time for Congress to do the same. (Applause.) Now is the time for Congress to do the same. This week is the time for Congress to do the same. (Applause.)
  Now, back in January, just a few months after the tragedy in Newtown, I announced a series of executive actions to reduce gun violence and keep our kids safe. And I put forward common-sense proposals -- much like those that passed here in Connecticut -- for Congress to consider. And you'll remember in my State of the Union address, I urged Congress to give those proposals a vote. And that moment is now.
  As soon as this week, Congress will begin debating these common-sense proposals to reduce gun violence. Your senators, Dick Blumenthal and Chris Murphy -- they're here -- (applause) -- your Representatives, John Larson, Rosa DeLauro, Elizabeth Esty, Jim Hines, Joe Courtney, they are all pushing to pass this legislation. (Applause.) But much of Congress is going to only act if they hear from you, the American people. So here's what we have to do.
  AUDIENCE MEMBER: I love you, Mr. President.
  THE PRESIDENT: I appreciate that. (Laughter.) Here's what we've got to do. We have to tell Congress it's time to require a background check for anyone who wants to buy a gun so that people who are dangerous to themselves and others cannot get their hands on a gun. Let's make that happen. (Applause.)
  We have to tell Congress it's time to crack down on gun trafficking so that folks will think twice before buying a gun as part of a scheme to arm someone who won't pass a background check. Let's get that done. (Applause.)
  We have to tell Congress it's time to restore the ban on military-style assault weapons, and a 10-round limit for magazines, to make it harder for a gunman to fire 154 bullets into his victims in less than five minutes. Let's put that to a vote. (Applause.)
  We have to tell Congress it's time to strengthen school safety and help people struggling with mental health problems get the treatment they need before it's too late. Let's do that for our kids and for our communities. (Applause.)
  Now, I know that some of these proposals inspire more debate than others, but each of them has the support of the majority of the American people. All of them are common sense. All of them deserve a vote. All of them deserve a vote. (Applause.)
  Consider background checks. Over the past 20 years, background checks have kept more than 2 million dangerous people from getting their hands on a gun. A group of police officers in Colorado told me last week that, thanks to background checks, they've been able to stop convicted murderers, folks under restraining orders for committing violent domestic abuse from buying a gun. In some cases, they've actually arrested the person as they were coming to purchase the gun.
  So we know that background checks can work. But the problem is loopholes in the current law let so many people avoid background checks altogether. That's not safe. It doesn't make sense. If you're a law-abiding citizen and you go through a background check to buy a gun, wouldn't you expect other people to play by the same rules? (Applause.)
  If you're a law-abiding gun seller, wouldn't you want to know you're not selling your gun to someone who's likely to commit a crime? (Applause.) Shouldn't we make it harder, not easier for somebody who is convicted of domestic abuse to get his hands on a gun? (Applause.)
  It turns out 90 percent of Americans think so. Ninety percent of Americans support universal background checks. Think about that. How often do 90 percent of Americans agree on anything? (Laughter.) And yet, 90 percent agree on this -- Republicans, Democrats, folks who own guns, folks who don't own guns; 80 percent of Republicans, more than 80 percent of gun owners, more than 70 percent of NRA households. It is common sense.
  And yet, there is only one thing that can stand in the way of change that just about everybody agrees on, and that's politics in Washington. You would think that with those numbers Congress would rush to make this happen. That's what you would think. (Applause.) If our democracy is working the way it's supposed to, and 90 percent of the American people agree on something, in the wake of a tragedy you'd think this would not be a heavy lift.
  And yet, some folks back in Washington are already floating the idea that they may use political stunts to prevent votes on any of these reforms. Think about that. They're not just saying they'll vote ''no'' on ideas that almost all Americans support. They're saying they'll do everything they can to even prevent any votes on these provisions. They're saying your opinion doesn't matter. And that's not right.
  AUDIENCE: Booo --
  THE PRESIDENT: That is not right.
  AUDIENCE: We want a vote!
  THE PRESIDENT: We need a vote.
  AUDIENCE: We want a vote! We want a vote!
  THE PRESIDENT: We need a vote.
  AUDIENCE: We want a vote!
  THE PRESIDENT: Now, I've also heard some in the Washington press suggest that what happens to gun violence legislation in Congress this week will either be a political victory or defeat for me. Connecticut, this is not about me. This is not about politics. This is about doing the right thing for all the families who are here that have been torn apart by gun violence. (Applause.) It's about them and all the families going forward, so we can prevent this from happening again. That's what it's about. It's about the law enforcement officials putting their lives at risk. That's what this is about. This is not about politics. (Applause.) This is not about politics.
  This is about these families and families all across the country who are saying let's make it a little harder for our kids to get gunned down.
  When I said in my State of the Union address that these proposals deserve a vote -- that families of Newtown, and Aurora, and Tucson, and a former member of Congress, Gabby Giffords, that they all deserved a vote -'' virtually every member of that chamber stood up and applauded. And now they're going to start denying your families a vote when the cameras are off and when the lobbyists have worked what they do? You deserve better than that. You deserve a vote.
  Now, look, we knew from the beginning of this debate that change would not be easy. We knew that there would be powerful interests that are very good at confusing the subject, that are good at amplifying conflict and extremes, that are good at drowning out rational debate, good at ginning up irrational fears, all of which stands in the way of progress.
  But if our history teaches us anything, then it's up to us ''- the people -'' to stand up to those who say we can't, or we won't; stand up for the change that we need. And I believe that that's what the American people are looking for.
  When I first ran for this office, I said that I did not believe the country was as divided as our politics would suggest, and I still believe that. (Applause.) I know sometimes, when you watch cable news or talk radio, or you browse the Internet, you'd think, man, everybody just hates each other, everybody is just at each other's throats. But that's not how most Americans think about these issues. There are good people on both sides of every issue.
  So if we're going to move forward, we can't just talk past one another. We've got to listen to one another. That's what Governor Malloy and all these legislative leaders did. That's why they were able to pass bipartisan legislation. (Applause.)
  I've got stacks of letters from gun owners who want me to know that they care passionately about their right to bear arms, don't want them infringed upon, and I appreciate every one of those letters. I've learned from them. But a lot of those letters, what they've also said is they're not just gun owners; they're also parents or police officers or veterans, and they agree that we can't stand by and keep letting these tragedies happen; that with our rights come some responsibilities and obligations to our communities and ourselves, and most of all to our children. We can't just think about ''us'' ''- we've got to think about ''we, the people.''
  I was in Colorado. I told a story about Michelle. She came back from a trip to rural Iowa; we were out there campaigning. Sometimes it would be miles between farms, let alone towns. And she said, you know, coming back, I can understand why somebody would want a gun for protection. If somebody drove up into the driveway and, Barack, you weren't home, the sheriff lived miles away, I might want that security. So she can understand what it might be like in terms of somebody wanting that kind of security.
  On the other hand, I also talked to a hunter last week who said, all my experiences with guns have been positive, but I also realize that for others, all their experiences with guns have been negative.
  And when he said that, I thought about the mom I met from suburban Chicago whose son was killed in a random shooting. And this mom told me, I hate it when people tell me that my son was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was on his way to school. He was exactly where he was supposed to be. He was in the right place at the right time, and he still got shot. (Applause.)
  The kids at Sandy Hook were where they were supposed to be. So were those moviegoers in Aurora. So were those worshippers in Oak Creek. So was Gabby Giffords. She was at a supermarket, listening to the concerns of her constituents. (Applause.) They were exactly where they were supposed to be. They were also exercising their rights -- to assemble peaceably; to worship freely and safely. They were exercising the rights of life and liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. So surely, we can reconcile those two things. Surely, America doesn't have to be divided between rural and urban, and Democrat and Republican when it comes to something like this.
  If you're an American who wants to do something to prevent more families from knowing the immeasurable anguish that these families here have known, then we have to act. Now is the time to get engaged. Now is the time to get involved. Now is the time to push back on fear, and frustration, and misinformation. Now is the time for everybody to make their voices heard from every state house to the corridors of Congress.
  And I'm asking everyone listening today, find out where your member of Congress stands on this. If they're not part of the 90 percent of Americans who agree on background checks, then ask them, why not? Why wouldn't you want to make it easier for law enforcement to do their job? Why wouldn't you want to make it harder for a dangerous person to get his or her hands on a gun? What's more important to you: our children, or an A-grade from the gun lobby? (Applause.)
  I've heard Nicole talk about what her life has been like since Dylan was taken from her in December. And one thing she said struck me. She said, ''Every night, I beg for him to come to me in my dreams so that I can see him again. And during the day, I just focus on what I need to do to honor him and make change.'' Now, if Nicole can summon the courage to do that, how can the rest of us do any less? (Applause.) How can we do any less?
  If there is even one thing we can do to protect our kids, don't we have an obligation to try? If there is even one step we can take to keep somebody from murdering dozens of innocents in the span of minutes, shouldn't we be taking that step? (Applause.) If there is just one thing we can do to keep one father from having to bury his child, isn't that worth fighting for?
  I've got to tell you, I've had tough days in the presidency -- I've said this before. The day Newtown happened was the toughest day of my presidency. But I've got to tell you, if we don't respond to this, that will be a tough day for me, too. (Applause.) Because we've got to expect more from ourselves, and we've got to expect more from Congress. We've got to believe that every once in a while, we set politics aside and we just do what's right. (Applause.) We've got to believe that.
  And if you believe that, I'm asking you to stand up. (Applause.) If you believe in the right to bears arms, like I do, but think we should prevent an irresponsible few from inflicting harm -- stand up. Stand up. (Applause.)
  If you believe that the families of Newtown and Aurora and Tucson and Virginia Tech and the thousands of Americans who have been gunned down in the last four months deserve a vote, we all have to stand up. (Applause.)
  If you want the people you send to Washington to have just an iota of the courage that the educators at Sandy Hook showed when danger arrived on their doorstep, then we're all going to have to stand up.
  And if we do, if we come together and raise our voices together and demand this change together, I'm convinced cooperation and common sense will prevail. We will find sensible, intelligent ways to make this country stronger and safer for our children. (Applause.)
  So let's do the right thing. Let's do right by our kids. Let's do right by these families. Let's get this done. Connecticut, thank you. God bless you. God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)
  END 6:13 P.M. EDT
Excellent. Cue the drones.
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: BadChad's ThoughtPile
  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 20:35
  Al-Qaeda's branch in Iraq says it has merged with Syria's armed opposition group Jabhat al-Nusra, a move that shows the rising confidence of hardliners within the Syrian rebel movement and is likely to stoke renewed fears among its international backers.
  A website linked to Jabhat al-Nusra confirmed on Tuesday the merger with the Islamic State of Iraq, whose leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, first made the announcement in a 21-minute audio message posted on websites late on Monday.
  Jabhat al-Nusra has taken an ever-bigger role in Syria's conflict over the last year, fighting in crucial battles with President Bashar al-Assad's forces and staging several large suicide bombings.
  The US has designated it a terrorist organisation.
  The Syrian group has made little secret of its links across the Iraqi border, but until now it has not officially declared itself to be part of al-Qaeda.
  Group's new name
  Baghdadi said that his group, the Islamic State of Iraq, and Syria's Jabhat al-Nusra will now be known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.
  "It is time to announce to the Levantine people and the whole world that Jabhat al-Nusra is merely an extension and part of the Islamic State of Iraq," he said.
  He said that the Iraqi group was providing half of its budget to the conflict in Syria.
  Baghdadi said the Syrian group would have no separate leader but instead be led by the "people of Syria themselves", implying that he would be in charge in both countries.
  The formal merger of such a prominent Syrian rebel group to al-Qaeda is likely to cause concern among backers of the opposition who are enemies of the global network, including both Western countries and Gulf Arab states.
  It may increase resentment of Jabhat al-Nusra among other rebel factions.
  Rebels have until now respected the hardline group's fighters for their prowess on the battlefield, but a merger with al-Qaeda will complicate any effort to send arms to rebels from abroad.
  A website linked to Jabhat al-Nusra known as al-Muhajir al-Islami, the Islamic emigrant, confirmed the merger.
  The authenticity of neither message could be independently confirmed, but statements posted on major websites belonging to groups are rarely disputed by armed groups afterwards.
  Disparate rebel groups
  Jabhat al-Nusra emerged as an offshoot of Iraq's al-Qaeda branch in early 2012, as one of a patchwork of disparate rebel groups in Syria.
  A top Iraqi intelligence official told the Associated Press news agency in Baghdad that they have always known that "al-Qaeda in Iraq is directing Jabhat al-Nusra".
  He said they announced their unity because of "political, logistical and geographical circumstance".
  The official said Iraqi authorities will take "strict security measures to strike them".
  Iraqi officials say armed groups are sharing three military training compounds, logistics, intelligence and weapons as they grow in strength around the Syria-Iraq border, particularly in a sprawling region called Jazeera, which they are trying to turn into a border sanctuary they can both exploit.
  It could serve as a base of operations to strike either side of the border.
  503
TSA Travel Tips Tuesday '' Can You Fly Without an ID?
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: The TSA Blog
  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 20:33
  Did the gnome that steals your socks and car keys run off with your ID? Did your license expire and you don't have time to renew it before you travel? Did you lose your wallet? Did you simply forget your ID at home? While it is much easier to go through screening with the proper identification, you're not going to cause a snafu if you don't have it.If you're 17 or younger, no problem'... you don't need ID to travel. If you're 18 or older, no worries'... you can still travel.How so? Simply approach the travel document checker and let them know that you don't have your ID. At this point, you will be asked a simple randomly computer generated question such as: ''What is the average annual rainfall in the Amazon basin?''Seriously though'... You'll be able to fly as long as you provide us with some information that will help us determine you are who you say you are.If you're willing to provide some additional information, we have other means of substantiating your identity, such as using publicly available databases. If we can confirm your identity, you'll be cleared to go through security, and you may or may not have to go through some additional screening.If we can't confirm your identity with the information you provide or you're not willing to provide us with the information to help us make a determination, you may not be able to fly. Regardless, if you do not have ID, please allow extra time for check in. We would not want you to miss you flight.You can find a list of acceptable IDs here.
  Every Tuesday, I plan to share tips for convenient travel and other useful customer information on my blog. If you have your own tips to add, please feel free to leave a comment! See you next Tuesday!If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact us byclicking here.
Greek Commission Concludes Germany Owes Billions in War Reparations - SPIEGEL ONLINE
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 17:55
  The headline on Sunday's issue of the Greek newspaper To Vima made it clear what is at stake: "What Germany Owes Us," it read. The article below outlined possible reparations payments Athens might demand from Germany resulting from World War II. A panel of experts, commissioned by the Greek Finance Ministry, spent months working on the report -- an 80-page file classified as "top secret."
  Now, though, the first details of the report have been leaked to the public. According to To Vima, the commission arrived at a clear conclusion: "Greece never received any compensation, either for the loans it was forced to provide to Germany or for the damages it suffered during the war."
  The research is based on 761 volumes of archival material, including documents, agreements, court decisions and legal texts. Panagiotis Karakousis, who heads the group of experts, told To Vima that the researchers examined 190,000 pages of documents, which had been scattered across public archives, often stored in sacks thrown in the basements of public buildings.
  The newspaper offered no concrete figure regarding the possible extent of reparation demands outlined in the report. But earlier calculations from Greek organizations have set the total owed by Germany at '‚¬108 billion for reconstruction of the country's destroyed infrastructure and a further '‚¬54 billion resulting from forced loans paid by Greece to Nazi Germany between 1942 and 1944. The loans were issued by the Bank of Greece and were used to pay for supplies and wages for the German occupation force.
  Bad Time to 'Pick a Fight'
  The total sum of '‚¬162 billion is the equivalent of almost 80 percent of Greece's current annual gross domestic product. Were Germany to pay the full amount, it would go a long way toward solving the debt problems faced by Athens. Berlin, however, has shown no willingness to revisit the question of reparations to Greece.
  Athens too is wary of moving ahead with the demands. The government sees the report as being particularly sensitive due to the fear that it could damage their relations with Europe's most important supplier of euro-crisis aid.
  The Greek public, however, has a different view. To Vima reflected the feelings of many by arguing that "the historical responsibility now falls on the three-party coalition government. It should publish all the findings and determine its position on this sensitive issue, which has detonated like a bomb at a time we are under extreme pressure from our lenders."
  But political analysts believe that the Greek government is disinclined to raise the issue with Germany. The official government position, most recently expressed by deputy finance minister Christos Staikouras, is that Greece considers the issue open and "reserves the right '... to bring it to a satisfactory conclusion."
  The report is no longer in the hands of Finance Ministry officials. It was delivered in early March to Foreign Minister Dimitris Avramopoulous and Prime Minister Antonis Samaras. "It will be a top level, political decision regarding how to use it, and Mr. Samaras will be the one to decide," a senior government official told SPIEGEL ONLINE. "This is no time to pick a fight with Berlin."
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  (C) SPIEGEL ONLINE 2013All Rights ReservedReproduction only allowed with the permission of SPIEGELnet GmbH
Free forum : PyongyangTrafficGirls - PORTAL
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 17:08
  Pyongyang Traffic GirlsInfo Link
  In-Depth PTG News Story From China TVæ–°é—>>ç‰¹å†¼šæ''é²'ç¾Žå¥"äº¤è­... 2013/2/10 14:00(NOTE: have patience, its a chinese imbed - it may take a few seconds to load)original cctv linkAPRIL ~ Pyongyang Traffic Girl Of The Month ~ APRIL
  In Charge In Traffic In Rain
  Click here to rate this latestTraffic Girl Of The Month!Photo by Sergio Canobbio on Flickr
  Live Stream From North Korea Television - KCTV(Ustream ads will occasionally play)Broadcast times may vary - Red "LIVE" button in lower right indicates a current live KCTV streamKCTV weekday broadcast schedule is about 0800-1430GMT = 3:00am-9:30am eastern time USAWeekend schedule 0000-1500GMT = Sat-Sun 7:00pm-10:00am eastern USA
  North Korean Movie - A Traffic Controller On CrossroadsFull length North Korean Movie! ( 1:02)ë¤ê±°ë...¬ì´ë"‘ - A Traffic Controller On Crossroads(now with english subtitles)A story of trafficgirls, duty, and the Juche idea
  TRAFFICGIRL NEWS
  Tragic!! The Pyongyang Traffic Girls ... RETIRED?? Say it ain't so! Traffic lights in Pyongyang sprouting like weeds Full story here
  A PTG Must-See Video ' Pyongyang Traffic Girl - The Kindergarten Musical '
  The cutest Pyongyang Traffic Girl video you will EVER see!!
  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
  The Whole World Is Watching! PyongyangTrafficGirls.com
  Who is online?In total there are 39 users online :: 1 Registered, 0 Hidden and 38 Guests :: 1 Botsyrinne
  Most users ever online was 1467 on Mon Apr 11, 2011 8:11 amStatisticsWe have 148 registered usersThe newest registered user is syrinneOur users have posted a total of 1542 messages in 225 subjects
  unrequited
  "My Dear Pyongyang Traffic Lady: Each time I passed you, I admired how you labored with your perfectly-choreographed movements to ensure that that we all -- whether we be your fellow heroic socialist worker, your own Dear Leader, or an anti-socialist militarist such as myself -- could proceed unimpeded toward Kim Il Sung Square in order to gaze upon the greatness of the Juche Idea. On my penultimate day in the Workers' Paradise, I stood there on your corner for many minutes thinking that, perchance, you would return my gaze. Each time you performed your traffic pirouette in your perfectly-exact knee-length blue skirt, cocked your head, and spun in my direction; I hoped that our eyes would meet. Sadly, they never did. Alas, I shall never know your name."
  - heartbroken tourist
  The Hermit Website ManifestoSun Sep 28, 2008 4:48 am by Dear LeaderSeptember 2008genesisSo .... I was surfing around on YouTube a while ago and stumbled upon a video featuring one of the Pyongyang Traffic Girls. I watched in curiosity as she performed a graceful ballet with automobiles, which she conducted from inside her little world defined by the white painted circle in the center of a not-so-busy intersection. It was a short video clip, but oddly '...[ Full reading ]
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The Charlotte Observer : David Kuo: An Easter goodbye
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 17:04
  David Kuo had this thing about Easter.
  For the last decade, many of the big events of his life occurred around the holiday.
  Now his life was ending at the same time of year. I asked Kuo's pastor, David Chadwick, to share the irony with Kuo the next time he saw him. Chadwick fittingly delivered Kuo's response.
  ''Tell Michael that if he doesn't deal with Jesus, I'm going to come and kick his A$$.''
  What kind of man forces his preacher to use language like that?
  Read on.
  Kuo, 44, died late Friday in Charlotte, closing out a 10-year period in which he had a far greater impact on the lives of those around him than brain cancer ever had on him.
  At various stages of his life, he was a CIA agent, a top political operative, a writer and a professional bass fisherman.
  He was kind. He was funny, and to hear him talk was to watch unbridled curiosity and bedrock Christian faith share the same swing.
  His political views, tied to his best definition of the truth, were also evolving, and his friendships included a Noah's Ark of political persuasions.
  President George W. Bush appointed Kuo second-in-command of his ''faith-based initiative'' to spend $8 billion on the poor.
  Later Kuo wrote a book that said the program was a sham concocted to control the votes of Christian conservatives.
  Though he didn't know it at that time, Kuo's political life began to close 10 years ago on Palm Sunday. His new life included a brain tumor.
  I met David and Kim Kuo in 2011, two years after they moved to Charlotte with their two kids. I was a religion reporter desperate for an Easter idea, and Chadwick told me he knew this guy with an resurrection story I wouldn't believe.
  In 2010, again right around Easter, Kuo's tumor had miraculously disappeared. The doctors were confounded. The Kuos credited faith and prayer.
  When we met for lunch, David had been cancer-free for a year. He wanted to sit in the sunshine, and he wanted his dessert served first.
  He talked openly of his illness and faith, of why some die while others live, and the strain his cancer had put on his marriage. His candor was startling. David Kuo no longer wasted words or time.
  ''I have the gift of knowing what most people choose to forget: We will all die, and we don't know when. Kim and I look around and know that this day is a gift.''
  Three months later, I sent him an email. His response came back in phrases. ''UCLA hospital,'' it read. ''Now I really know what a miracle the last year has been.''
  The cancer had come back. The final months would be agonizing.
  Last week, David Kuo issued his last Easter manifesto. It appeared in the Web magazine Politico:
  '‚
  ''Favor? Do something outrageous today '' give way more than reasonable to a homeless person, take the family out for an ice cream dinner ... and serve only ice cream. Call someone you hurt and ask forgiveness, call someone who hurt you and give forgiveness ... And send me a pic.''
  '‚
  I'm sending this column instead, David. Hope that's OK, and happy Easter.
CIA Plans to Shift Work to Denver
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:53
  The CIA has plans to relocate the headquarters of its domestic division, which is responsible for operations and recruitment in the United States, from the CIA's Langley headquarters to Denver, a move designed to promote innovation, according to U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials.
  About $20 million has been tentatively budgeted to relocate employees of the CIA's National Resources Division, officials said. A U.S. intelligence official said the planned move, confirmed by three other government officials, was being undertaken "for operational reasons."
  A CIA spokesman declined to comment. Other current and former intelligence officials said the Denver relocation reflects the desire of CIA Director Porter J. Goss to develop new ways to operate under cover, including setting up more front corporations and working closer with established international firms.
  Associates of Goss said yesterday that the move was also in keeping with his desire to stop the growth of CIA headquarters and headquarters-based group-think, something he criticized frequently when he was chairman of the House intelligence committee.
  Other CIA veterans said such a relocation would make no sense, given Denver's relative distance from major corporate centers. "Why would you go so far away?" one asked. "They will get disconnected."
  The main function of the domestic division, which has stations in many major U.S. cities, is to conduct voluntary debriefings of U.S. citizens who travel overseas for work or to visit relatives, and to recruit foreign students, diplomats and businesspeople to become CIA assets when they return to their countries. It was unclear how many CIA employees would relocate to Denver under the plan.
  Although collecting information on U.S. citizens under suspicion for terrorist links is primarily an FBI function, the CIA may also collect information on citizens under limited circumstances, according to a 1981 executive order. The exact guidelines for those operations are spelled out in a classified document signed by the CIA director and approved by the attorney general.
  The Denver move, which is tentatively scheduled for next year but has not been finalized, coincides with several other developments related to the CIA's domestic intelligence work.
  Last week, the CIA and FBI agreed to a new "memorandum of understanding" on domestic and foreign operations, the first change in decades. The negotiations surrounding the memo were highly contentious, with the FBI saying that it should control and approve the CIA's domestic activities, including its pool of U.S.-based assets that have been invaluable in the past to understanding the intentions of foreign nations and groups.
  But the FBI is having significant problems developing its own domestic intelligence branch and the CIA is generally viewed across the intelligence community as more experienced and skilled at handling foreign informants who eventually return abroad, where the CIA has the lead in intelligence gathering and operations.
  Both the CIA and FBI are trying to deepen their outreach to U.S. research and academic institutions and to private subcontractors working on major government contracts abroad.
  Originally, the FBI also pressed to have the bureau disseminate all intelligence reports from sources -- foreigners or U.S. citizens -- living in the United States. It was undercut, however, by the fact that the bureau routinely falls behind in issuing counterterrorism reports and, at the time of the most heated negotiations, in December, the FBI had a backlog of more than 100 reports it had not distributed.
  In response to questions this week about the new agreement, the FBI and CIA issued a joint statement to The Washington Post. "The FBI and CIA are committed to effective, joint operations to safeguard our nation," it says. "To that end, we are completing work on a memorandum of understanding that will codify our joint operating principals. We are pleased with both the process and the outcome and we recognize that our joint efforts will enhance national security."
  Under the agreement, the CIA must coordinate its operations with the FBI. The CIA's domestic division has agreed to provide the FBI with more information about its operations and debriefings. One goal of updating the memo was to ensure that the two agencies were not working at cross purposes and were aware if one or the other had already recruited or debriefed someone.
  It is unclear how a move to Denver would increase the effectiveness of the domestic division's operations, said several former intelligence officials.
  Colorado has become a major intelligence hub since Sept. 11, 2001.
  The Denver suburb of Aurora is home to the little-known Aerospace Data Facility. Located inside Buckley Air Force Base, it has become the major U.S.-based technical downlink for intelligence satellites operated by the military, the National Security Agency and the National Reconnaissance Office, according to military and government documents obtained by William Arkin, author of "Code Names," a book about secret military plans and programs.
  About 70 miles away, the U.S. Northern Command, based at Peterson Air Force Base, in Colorado Springs, is tasked with homeland defense and has been increasing its domestic intelligence work.
  It could not be learned whether the CIA's Denver plans are linked to the presence of either facility.
Cybersecurity: Cloudfare and Barrett Brown, US government | Crikey
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:45
  The US government continues to go after computer activists who seek to reveal the truth about the shadowy cybersecurity industry. The latest target is web-hosting company Cloudflare.
  The US government has dramatically lifted the stakes in its crackdown on journalism, subpoenaing a US company in an effort to obtain information about the research and writing of articles that exposed its links with the cybersecurity industry.
  In a remarkable fishing expedition, the US Department of Justice has used its prosecution of author and activist Barrett Brown to issue a subpoena to web-hosting company Cloudflare for information relating to the Echelon wiki site.
  That site was used by Project PM, an international collaborative research project dedicated to piecing together a clearer picture of the US cybersecurity industry, its extensive links with the US government and secret activities such as the HBGaryFederal-Palantir-Berico plot to destroy WikiLeaks. The subpoena demands, inter alia, ''account access history including any and all authentication, file transfer, web server logs or other transaction logs containing source IP addresses relating to the subscriber's use of Cloudflare services''.
  Crikey published a piece by Brown on one of the major Project PM discoveries, a US mass surveillance program targeting Arab social media users called Romas/COIN, in 2011.
  Another of Project PM's targets was a US company called Endgame, a provider of cybersecurity services to many US government agencies, including the Pentagon. Endgame's services should be enough to make even the most Luddite citizen paranoid. As Business Week'‰'--'‰ the only mainstream media outlet to investigate the company'‰'--'‰revealed in a 2011 article:
  '''... Endgame executives will bring up maps of airports, parliament buildings, and corporate offices. The executives then create a list of the computers running inside the facilities, including what software the computers run, and a menu of attacks that could work against those particular systems. Endgame weaponry comes customized by region'‰'--'‰the Middle East, Russia, Latin America, and China'‰'--'‰with manuals, testing software, and 'demo instructions'. There are even target packs for democratic countries in Europe and other US. allies. Maui (product names tend toward alluring warm-weather locales) is a package of 25 zero-day exploits that runs clients $2.5 million a year. The Cayman botnet-analytics package gets you access to a database of internet addresses, organization names, and worm types for hundreds of millions of infected computers, and costs $1.5 million. A government or other entity could launch sophisticated attacks against just about any adversary anywhere in the world for a grand total of $6 million '...''
  ''Zero-day exploits'' attack previously unrevealed flaws in software before developers can patch them.
  ''Project PM set about revealing the sordid truth about this shadowy industry. Those who participated are now being targeted '...''
  Some of the information compiled by Project PM was obtained from the famous HB Gary Federal hack, in which would-be US cybersecurity player Aaron Barr and his company had their emails leaked. The emails provided an insight into the rarely-glimpsed world of high-level US cybersecurity, espionage and surveillance. The emails were also used by outlets such as the New York Times to explore links between cybersecurity firms and the US government.
  Now, the US government is using its prosecution of Brown, including for the heinous crime of sharing a link, to go after those involved with Project PM, which may have been up to 20 people around the world who used leaked materials and other publicly available information to generate a clearer picture of a secretive industry. The tenuous connection between the charges levelled at Brown and his Project PM activities relates to the hack of emails of self-promoting ''alternative CIA'' Stratfor, which forms a limited basis for some Project PM materials.
  Many of the Project PM contributors are outside the US, including the current webmaster of the site. Among those who contributed research was Melbourne information and transparency activist Asher Wolf. This is the second time Wolf has been dragged into US prosecutions, after Massachusetts prosecutors tried to subpoena a Twitter hashtag relating to the Occupy movement last year.
  ''The U.S. Department of Justice is out of control,'' Wolf told Crikey. ''It is deeply troubling that people who engage in journalism, academic research, or who have an interest in following emerging political movements via social media platforms are finding themselves potentially included in U.S. legal dragnets. These sort of subpoenas are not only vindictive, but also aim to scare people away from poking around in the guts of allegations of nation-wide corruption and malfeasance amongst infosec contractors.
  ''The fact that a bit of Saturday night online research into infosec contractors - or simply following an issue on Twitter - has now meant I've twice faced potential dragnet inclusion in U.S. subpoenas is bloody outrageous. The U.S. should be ashamed of themselves. They're acting like thugs.''
  The fishing expedition continues the disturbing record of both the Obama administration and state-level US prosecutors in persecuting whistleblowers, undermining the First Amendment by arguing releasing information to the media is ''aiding the enemy'' and aggressively pursuing online activists in an attempt to make an example of them.
  But Project PM, and particularly information about Endgame, was important because it demonstrated that, contrary to the narrative pushed by Western governments (including our own) that they are hapless victims of Chinese espionage, cyberterrorists and online activists, Western governments devote considerable resources to their own espionage and cyberattack efforts, frequently via unaccountable, secretive private firms.
  Moreover, cybersecurity remains an issue the mainstream media, with rare exceptions, not merely fails to cover accurately but sends out its journalists to serve as enthusiastic spruikers. Journalists hype threats and impacts to strengthen the case for more government and corporate spending to be directed toward the companies that operate in this space, which are increasingly controlled by big US and European defence contractors.
  Unlike professional journalists engaged in hysterics, Project PM set about revealing the sordid truth about this shadowy industry. Those who participated are now being targeted by the most powerful government on earth.
Kunstenaar aangehouden om protest tegen Poetin - AT5 Echt Amsterdams Nieuws
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:34
  Kunstenaar Harry van Gestel is aangehouden vanwege protestleuzen op zijn etalage. Dat melden ooggetuigen.
  Met zwarte letters schreef Van Gestel, zelf homoseksueel, onder andere 'Poetin fuck yourself' op zijn etalage. Meerdere ooggetuigen vertellen aan AT5 dat hij om die reden rond half vijf in handboeien afgevoerd is door de politie.
  De politie ontkende in eerste instantie dat er aanhoudingen waren verricht die gerelateerd zijn aan het bezoek van Poetin. Later liet een woordvoerder weten dat er inderdaad een 59-jarige man is aangehouden vanwege 'belediging'.
  Volgens de politie wilde Van Gestel niet meewerken met zijn aanhouding en liep hij steeds weg, vandaar dat hij geboeid werd. Volgens ooggetuigen heeft Van Gestel zich niet hevig verzet tegen zijn arrestatie.
  Na overleg met het Openbaar Ministerie is Van Gestel later op de middag weer vrijgelaten.
AN ACT CONCERNING GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND CHILDREN'S SAFETY.
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:29
  AN ACT CONCERNING GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND CHILDREN'S SAFETY.OLR Bill Analysis
  SB 1160
  Emergency Certification
  AN ACT CONCERNING GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND CHILDREN'S SAFETY.
  SUMMARY:
  The bill makes numerous changes in the laws governing firearms.The major changes pertain to assault weapons, handguns (pistols and revolvers), long guns (rifles and shotguns), and large capacity magazines (LCM).
  With regard to firearms, the bill, among other things, expands the ban on assault weapons, bans the sale or purchase of large capacity magazines (LCMs) that can hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition, mandates the establishment of a deadly weapon offender registry, bans armor-piercing bullets, adds two members to the Board of Firearms Permit Examiners, expands the circumstances in which mental health history disqualifies a person for gun permits or other gun credentials, requires anyone buying ammunition to have an ammunition certificate or other gun credential, and appropriates$1 million to DESPP for FY 14 to fund the statewide firearms trafficking task force.
  Among its mental health provisions, the bill creates a 20-member task force to study the provision of behavioral health services in Connecticut and report to the legislature by February 1, 2014.It also requires the Department of Mental Health and Addition Services (DMHAS) to:
  1.administer a mental health first aid training program, in consultation with the Department of Education (DOE);
  2.implement an assertive community treatment (ACT) program in three additional cities (programs currently operate in Manchester, Middletown, New Britain, and Norwich);and
  3.provide case management and care coordination services to up to 100 people with mental illness who are involved in the probate court system and are not receiving these services.
  Finally, the bill requires the Department of Children and Families (DCF) commissioner, by January 1, 2014, to establish and implement a regional behavioral health consultation and care coordination program for primary care providers who serve children.
  The bill makes various changes to the process for grieving adverse determinations (e.g., claims denials) by health insurers.Among other things, it reduces the time health insurers have to (1) make initial determinations on requests for treatments for certain mental or substance use disorders and (2) review claim denials and other adverse determinations of such requests.It expands the role of and qualifications required for health care professionals who evaluate the appropriateness of adverse determinations.The bill also requires the Insurance Commissioner to seek input on methods the department might use to check for compliance with state and federal mental health coverage parity laws and report on these issues to the Insurance and Public Health committees.
  Lastly, the bill makes numerous conforming changes.
  The bill (1) creates a new council to establish new school safety infrastructure standards, (2) authorizes up to$15 million in bonds for a new competitive grant program for school safety projects, and (3) establishes a procedure leading to new requirements under the school construction law.
  It also requires school districts to perform a number of new school safety activities including establishing safety and security plans and committees for each school.
  Additionally, the bill requires public and independent institutions of higher education to develop campus security plans, undergo safety audits, and form campus threat assessment teams.
  It also (1) requires mental health first aid training for school district staff, (2) gives safe school climate committees new responsibilities, (3) creates a school security consultant registry, and (4) changes the law regarding civil service testing for UConn and state university police.
  It also repeals an unused$3 million bond authorization, initially created in 2007 for a school security infrastructure program.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Various, see below
  § 1 '' LONG GUN SALES
  The bill creates several requirements regarding the sale of long guns, except between federally-licensed firearm (1) manufacturers and dealers, (2) importers and dealers, or (3) dealers.
  Age Restriction on Retail Sale of Long Guns
  With one exception, the bill prohibits the retail sale of long guns to anyone under 18 years of age.If the long gun is a semi-automatic centerfire rifle that has or accepts a magazine with a capacity of more than five rounds, the purchaser must be at least 21.This stricter limitation does not apply to members or employees of local police departments, the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP), or the Department of Correction (DOC), or state or U.S.military or naval members, for use in the discharge of their duties.
  Credential Required to Buy or Receive Long Gun
  The bill creates a new long gun eligibility certificate (see below for details).On and after April 1, 2014, the bill requires anyone, except a federal marshal, parole officer, or peace officer, buying or receiving a long gun to have a long gun eligibility certificate, handgun permit, handgun dealer permit, or handgun eligibility certificate.
  Sales Receipt
  The bill adds a buyer's date and place of birth to the information required on a long gun receipt.Existing law requires such receipts to also contain the (1) buyer's name and address;(2) firearm make, model, serial number, and caliber, and general description;and (3) transfer date.
  Long Gun Sales By Someone Other Than Gun Dealers
  Current law does not regulate the private sale of long guns.The bill prohibits the sale or transfer of long guns by someone who is not a federally-licensed gun dealer, manufacturer, or importer to someone who is not such a licensee, unless the transaction has been authorized by DESPP or specified background check requirements have been met.Specifically, the requirements are as follows:
  1.The prospective transferor and transferee must comply with the documentation and authorization requirements that apply to retail sales of long guns (e.g., (a) the seller must document the transaction with DESPP, maintain copies of the record, and obtain an authorization number from DESPP;(b) the buyer must undergo a national instant criminal background check;(c) the gun cannot be loaded when transferred;and (d) DESPP must authorize or deny the sale or transfer);or
  2.a federally-licensed firearm dealer, upon the request of the prospective transferor or transferee, must consent to initiate a national instant criminal background check system (NICS) in accordance with the procedures set forth below, and the background check must show that the transferee is eligible to receive the gun.
  It appears that option (2) is available only on and after January 1, 2014.To proceed under this option, the prospective transferor or transferee must provide the consenting dealer with the transferee's name, gender, race, date of birth, and state of residence.If necessary to verify the person's identity, they may also provide a unique numeric identifier (such as a Social Security number) and additional identifiers (such as height, weight, eye and hair color, and place of birth).
  The prospective transferee must present to the dealer his or her gun credential (gun eligibility certificate, handgun permit, handgun sale permit, or handgun eligibility certificate).The dealer can charge up to$20 for initiating the background check.
  The dealer must initiate the background check by contacting the NICS operations center.The dealer must immediately notify the prospective transferor or transferee of the response from the center.The sale or transfer cannot take place if the response indicates the prospective transferee is ineligible to receive the gun.
  When the transaction is completed, the transferor or transferee must complete a DESPP-prescribed form containing the (1) transferor's name, address, and firearm permit or certificate number, if any;(2) transferee's name, address, date and place of birth, and firearm permit or certificate number;(3) sale or transfer date;(4) caliber, make, model, and manufacturer's number and a general description of the gun;and (5) the background check transaction number.The bill imposes similar transmission and retention requirements for the form as apply to sales of long guns by dealers.
  Waiting Period
  Current law contains a two-week waiting period for long gun purchases from gun dealers, with certain exceptions (e.g., if the buyer holds certain gun credentials).Under the bill, this waiting period only applies prior to April 1, 2014.The bill also makes a conforming change by adding an exception to the waiting period if the buyer has a long gun eligibility certificate.It appears that starting April 1, 2014, the bill ties delivery to the date DESPP issues an authorization number for the transaction.
  Penalties
  Current law does not specify a penalty for transferring a long gun at retail in violation of the law's requirements.The bill generally makes it a class D felony to violate such requirements or any of the provisions specified above pertaining to long gun sales (whether at retail or otherwise).The bill makes it a class B felony if the person transferring the firearm knows that it is stolen or that the manufacturer's number or serial number has been altered, removed, or obliterated.In addition to these felony penalties, anyone who violates the bill's or existing law's requirements for long gun sales must forfeit any long guns found on the person.
  The bill allows a court to suspend prosecution for a first time minor violation under these provisions, under the same procedures as apply to such suspensions under existing law for handgun sale violations.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:upon passage
  §§ 2-7 '-- LONG GUN ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATE
  The bill creates a new gun credential:a long gun eligibility certificate.The bill sets the minimum age for a long gun eligibility certificate at 18, whereas existing law sets a minimum age of 21 for a handgun eligibility certificate.Otherwise, the bill's provisions concerning the long gun eligibility certificate are substantially similar to the provisions for handgun eligibility certificates under existing law and the bill.
  Thus, among numerous other things:
  1.DESPP issues the long gun eligibility certificates;
  2.the fee for an initial or renewal certificate is$35, and the certificate is good for five years;
  3.applicants are ineligible for various reasons, including convictions for a felony or specified misdemeanors or certain mental health history;
  4.applicants must complete background checks;
  5.anyone aggrieved by an adverse action concerning a certificate or application may appeal to the Board of Firearms Permit Examiners, following existing procedures in statutes for appeals of issuing officials'decisions for other gun credentials;and
  6.the DESPP commissioner must include information about such certificates in the database he currently maintains for sellers to verify the validity of a purchaser's gun credential.
  Unlike the case with handgun eligibility certificates, the bill does not provide for temporary eligibility certificates for long guns.
  As is the case for handgun eligibility certificates, a long gun eligibility certificate can be revoked upon the occurrence of any event that would have disqualified the holder from being issued the certificate.If the certificate is revoked, DESPP must notify the person in writing, and the person must deliver it to the commissioner.Failure to deliver it within five days of the notification is a class A misdemeanor.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:July 1, 2013
  § 9 '-- SALE OF CONTRABAND LONG GUNS AT AUCTION
  By law, the state may sell at public auction guns the court determines to be contraband.Existing law provides that rifles and shotguns may only be sold at such auctions to people qualified under federal law to purchase them.The bill also requires the purchaser to have a long gun eligibility certificate.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:July 1, 2013
  §§ 8, 10-11, 57-58 '-- MENTAL HEALTH AND ELIGIBILITY FOR GUN CREDENTIALS
  The bill broadens the mental health provisions that disqualify a person for a gun permit or handgun eligibility certificate.The same prohibitions also apply under the bill to the long gun eligibility certificate.
  Under current law, a person confined in a psychiatric hospital by probate court order within the preceding 12 months of an application is ineligible for a gun permit or eligibility certificate.The bill extends this period to 60 months.
  The bill also makes ineligible any person who voluntarily admitted himself or herself to a psychiatric hospital, on or after October 1, 2013, during the preceding six months.But someone is not ineligible for voluntary admissions solely due to alcohol or drug treatment.
  The bill makes conforming changes to the responsibilities of the DESPP and DMHAS commissioners and psychiatric hospitals regarding such voluntary admissions.Thus, as is currently the case regarding involuntary commitments occurring within the applicable period:
  1.DMHAS must maintain information on voluntary admissions, and make that information available to the DESPP commissioner to carry out his obligations pertaining to gun credentials;
  2.the DESPP commissioner must verify from DMHAS that a person applying for a gun credential was not subject to such a voluntary admission, and DMHAS must report such information to DESPP;
  3.if he determines that an applicant was subject to voluntary admission, he must report the status of the person's application to DMHAS;
  4.the DMHAS commissioner must obtain from DESPP the status of any such applications for anyone who has been voluntarily admitted;
  5.DMHAS must advise the psychiatric hospital to which a person has been voluntarily admitted of the status of a gun application, as reported by DESPP;and
  6.the DMHAS commissioner and the hospital must maintain as confidential any such information they receive on the status of permit applications.
  As part of this process, the bill requires psychiatric hospitals, without delay, to notify the DMHAS commissioner when a person is voluntarily admitted to the hospital for care and treatment of a psychiatric disability, other than admission solely for alcohol or drug treatment.The hospital must at least provide the person's name, address, sex, date of birth, and date of admission.The DMHAS commissioner must maintain such identifying information on all voluntary admissions occurring on and after July 1, 2013.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:the provisions changing the eligibility criteria for gun permits and eligibility certificates, and requiring psychiatric hospitals to notify DMHAS about voluntary admissions, are effective October 1, 2013;the other provisions are effective July 1, 2013.
  §§ 12-13 '-- TECHNICAL OR CONFORMING CHANGES
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §§ 14-17 '-- AMMUNITION SALES
  The bill generally bars the sale of ammunition or an ammunition magazine to anyone under age 18.
  The bill creates an ammunition certificate (see below).Starting October 1, 2013, the bill generally prohibits anyone from selling ammunition or an ammunition magazine to any buyer unless he or she:
  1.has a handgun permit, gun sale permit, or long gun or handgun eligibility certificate, and presents such a credential to the seller, or
  2.has an ammunition certificate and presents to the seller (a) the certificate and (b) a driver's license, passport, or other valid government-issued identification that contains the person's photograph and date of birth.
  The bill defines ''ammunition'' as a loaded cartridge, consisting of a primed case, propellant, or projectile, designed for use in any firearm.It defines ''magazine'' as a firearm magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device that accepts ammunition.
  Anyone who violates these provisions commits a class D felony.
  Under the bill, these restrictions and requirements do not apply to sales or other transfers of ammunition between federally licensed firearm (1) manufacturers and dealers, (2) importers and dealers, or (3) dealers.
  Ammunition Certificate
  Under the bill, a person must be age 18 or older to apply for an ammunition certificate.To apply, the person must request the DESPP commissioner to issue the certificate and to conduct a national criminal background check, using only the person's name and date of birth.
  After conducting the background check, the commissioner must issue the certificate unless he determines, based on the results, that the person would be ineligible to be issued a long gun eligibility certificate.But if the person would be ineligible for that certificate due to certain criminal convictions, the person is ineligible for the ammunition certificate only for violations committed on or July 1, 2013.
  The certificate must be in a DESPP commissioner-prescribed form.It must contain an identification number and the certificate holder's name, address, date of birth, and signature.
  The bill's provisions on several matters regarding ammunition certificates are similar to provisions in the bill and existing law for handgun and long gun eligibility certificates.This includes matters concerning fees;the requirement to report address changes;confidentiality of the person's name and address with exceptions;and revocation of certificates.
  For example, the fee for the initial and renewal certificate is$35, and the certificate is good for five years.The bill specifies that this fee is in addition to fees for the background check.
  Unlike the case with the handgun and long gun eligibility certificates, the DESPP commissioner is not required to notify ammunition certificate holders at least 90 days in advance of the date the certificate is set to expire.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:the restrictions on ammunition sales are effective upon passage;the provisions creating an ammunition certificate are effective July 1, 2013
  § 18-22 '-- ESTABLISHMENT OF DEADLY WEAPON OFFENDER REGISTRY
  By January 1, 2014, the bill requires DESPP to establish and maintain a registry of everyone (1) convicted of an offense committed with a deadly weapon or (2) found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect for such an offense, notwithstanding any pending appeal.Under law and the bill, a deadly weapon is any weapon, whether loaded or unloaded, from which a shot may be discharged, or a switchblade knife, gravity knife, bill, blackjack, bludgeon, or metal knuckles.
  Table 1 lists the offenses the bill designates as deadly weapon offenses.
  Table 1:Deadly Weapon Offenses
  Interference with the legislative process
  2-1e(c)
  Possessing or carrying a handgun where prohibited by law or the person who owns or exercises control over the premises
  29-28(e)
  Sell or otherwise transfer handgun to ineligible person, violation of transfer procedures
  29-33(a) to (e)
  Failure to document handgun transfer with DESPP
  29-33(e)
  Sell or transfer handgun in violation of statutory transfer procedures
  29-33(i)
  Make false statement or give false information in connection with purchase, sale, delivery or other transfer of handgun
  29-34
  Illegally sell, barter, hire, lend, give, deliver, or otherwise transfer handgun to anyone under age 21
  29-34
  Carry a handgun without a permit
  29-35(a)
  Remove, deface, alter or obliterate the name of any maker or model or any maker's number or other mark of identification mark on any firearm
  29-36
  Failure to transfer, deliver, or surrender handguns by persons ineligible to possess them
  29-36k
  Violation of transfer procedures for long guns;failure to document transfer
  29-37a
  False statement or information in connection with sale or transfer of long gun
  29-37e
  Noncompliance with law governing sale, delivery, or transfer of firearms at gun show
  29-37g(c)
  Buy firearms intending to transfer it to ineligible person (''strawman purchase'')
  29-37j
  Ineligible person soliciting, employing, or assisting anyone in strawman purchasing
  29-37j
  Possess or use a machine gun in the perpetration or attempted perpetration of a violent crime
  53-202(b)
  Uses or possesses a machine for an offensive or aggressive purpose
  53-202(c)
  Transfer, sell or give a machine gun to a person under age 16
  53-202(c)
  Illegally sells, gives, distributes, transports, or imports assault weapon
  53-202b
  Illegally possesses assault weapon
  53-202c
  Failure to register machine gun
  53-202 (g)
  Commit a class A, B, or C felony with an assault weapon
  53-202j
  Commit an A, B, or C felony with firearm other than assault weapon
  53-202k
  Knowingly distribute, transport, import, or keep for sale armor piercing.50 caliber bullet or incendiary.50 caliber bullet
  53-202l
  Firearm trafficking
  53-202aa
  Unlawful training in use of firearms, explosives or incendiary devices or techniques capable of causing injury
  53-206b
  Sell, deliver, or provide firearm to another person to engage in conduct constituting an offense or under circumstances in which he should know that such other person intends to use such firearm in such conduct
  53a-8(b)
  Manslaughter in the 1st degree with a firearm
  53a-55a
  Manslaughter in the 2nd degree with a firearm
  53a-56a
  Assault in the second degree with a firearm
  53a-60a
  Assault of an elderly, blind, disabled or pregnant person or a person with intellectual disability in the 2nd degree with a firearm
  53a-60c
  Sexual assault in the 3rd degree with a firearm
  53a-72b
  Kidnapping in the 1st degree with a firearm
  53a-92a
  Kidnapping in the 2nd degree with a firearm
  53a-94a
  Burglary in the 2nd degree with a firearm
  53a-102a
  Burglary in the 3rd degree with a firearm
  53a-103a
  Possession of a sawed off shotgun or silencer
  53a-211
  Stealing a firearm
  53a-212
  Criminal use of a firearm or electronic defense weapon
  53a-216
  Criminal possession of a firearm or electronic defense weapon
  53a-217
  Criminally negligent storage of a firearm
  53a-217a
  Illegal possession of a weapon on school grounds
  53a-217b
  Criminal possession of a handgun
  53a-217c
  Second or subsequent violation of failure to report the loss or theft of a firearm
  53-202g
  A violation of any statute that constitutes a felony, provided the court makes a finding that, at the time of the violation, the person used a firearm, or was armed with and threatened the use of, or displayed or represented by words or conduct that the person possessed, a firearm.
  In cooperation with DOC, the Office of the Chief Court Administrator, and the Psychiatric Security Review Board, DESPP must develop appropriate forms for agencies and individuals to use to report registration information, including address changes.DESPP must enter registration information it receives into the registry and notify the local police department or state police troop having jurisdiction where a registrant lives or plans to live.
  Registrants must notify DESPP when they move and DESPP must enter the information into the registry and notify the local police department or state police troop having jurisdiction where the registrant previously lived and where he or she relocated.The DESPP commissioner must also ensure that the name and residence address of each registrant is available through the department's Connecticut On-Line Law Enforcement Communication Teleprocessing system.If a registrant moves to another state, DESPP may notify that state's state police agency or such other agency that maintains registry information, if known.
  DESPP may suspend the registration of anyone incarcerated, under civil commitment, or living out of state.During that time, it may withdraw the registration information from access to law enforcement agencies.When the registrant is released from incarceration or civil commitment or resumes living in the state, DESPP must reinstate the registration and redistribute the registration information in accordance with the bill.Suspension of registration does not affect the expiration date of the registration.
  DESPP must include in the registry the most recent photograph of each registrant taken by DESPP, DOC, a law enforcement agency, or the Judicial Department's Court Support Services Division.
  Name Changes
  DESPP must revise a registrant's information whenever the court notifies the commissioner that it has issued an order for the name change of a registrant.
  The DESPP commissioner must develop a protocol for notifying other state agencies, the Judicial Department, and local police departments whenever (1) a registered person changes his or her name and notifies him or (2) he determines that a registered person has changed his or her name.
  Confidentiality of Gun Offender Registry Information
  The registry information is not a public record for purposes of the Freedom of Information Act, and it can be disclosed only as authorized under the bill.If disclosed, any further disclosure must be as authorized by the bill.
  Initial Registration
  Anyone convicted, or found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect, of a deadly weapon offense and released into the community on or after January 1, 2014, must register with DESPP within 14 calendar days after being released.Anyone in the DOC commissioner's custody must register before release as the DOC commissioner directs.The person must provide his or her name, identifying factors (such as fingerprints), criminal history record, and home and email addresses on forms and locations that the DESPP commissioner indicates.The obligation to register applies (1) whether the person lives in or out of state or (2) even if the case is on appeal.The DESPP commissioner must maintain the registration information for five years.
  The bill requires the court, before accepting a plea of guilty or nolo contendere (no contest) from a person for a deadly weapon offense, to inform him or her of the registration consequences of the plea and determine that the person fully understands them.
  A registrant who changes his or her name or address must notify the DESPP commissioner in writing of the change, without undue delay.During the registration period, registrants must complete and return any forms mailed to them to verify their home address and retake photographs if the commissioner requests this.
  Registration Updates
  People required to register must do so within 20 days after the anniversary of the initial registration date.They must go to the local police department or state police troop having jurisdiction where they live to verify and update the registration, as appropriate.The department or troop, as applicable, may defer the appearance to a later date for good cause.Not later than 30 calendar days before each anniversary date, DESPP must mail written notice of the requirement to the registrant and police department or troop, as applicable.Within 30 days of the anniversary date, the troop or department must notify the commissioner on DESPP-prescribed forms whether the registrant appeared.If the registrant's appearance was deferred, the form must show the new date and describe the good cause for the deferral.
  Failure to (1) inform the DESPP commissioner of a name or address change or (2) register and update one's status as required is a class D felony.But a person's failure to notify the commissioner without undue delay of a name or address change is subject to the penalty only if the failure continues for five business days.
  Registration Information
  The registration information for each registrant must include:
  1.the offender's name, including any aliases or other name by which he or she has been legally known;
  2.identifying information, including a physical description;
  3.current home address;
  4.a description of the offense and the date of the conviction;and
  5.the date the offender was released from incarceration, if he or she served a prison term.
  The offender must sign and date the registration.
  When an offender appears to register, DESPP must photograph him or her, arrange for him or her to be fingerprinted, and include the photograph and a complete set of fingerprints in the registry.If the offender must, by law, submit to the taking of a blood or other biological sample for DNA analysis and has not done so, the commissioner must also require a sample to be taken.DESPP may require the offender to provide documentation to verify the contents of the registration.
  Name changes
  The bill treats being on the gun offender registry the same as being on the sex offender registry with respect to court approval of name changes.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:January 1, 2014
  §§ 23-24 '-- LARGE CAPACITY MAGAZINES
  The bill defines "large capacity magazine" as any firearm magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device that can, or can be readily restored or converted to accept, more than 10 rounds of ammunition.It excludes:
  1.feeding devices permanently altered so that they cannot hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition,
  2..22 caliber tube ammunition feeding devices,
  3.tubular magazines contained in a lever-action firearm, or
  4.permanently inoperable magazines.
  With exceptions, the bill makes it a class D felony to buy, distribute, import into Connecticut, keep for sale, or offer or expose for sale LCMs.
  With exceptions, anyone who possesses any LCM on or after January 1, 2014 obtained before the bill's effective date is guilty of a infraction punishable by a$90 fine and a class D penalty for any subsequent offense;anyone who possesses a large capacity magazine on or after January 1, 2014 that was obtained after that date is guilty of a class D felony.
  Exemptions from the Ban
  The following may possess, purchase, or import LCMs:
  1.members or employees of DESPP, police departments, DOC, or the Armed Forces (service members) (a) for use in the discharge of their official duties or (b) when off duty;
  2.employees of a NRC licensee operating a nuclear power plant in Connecticut for providing security services at the facility, or any person, firm, corporation, contractor, or subcontractor providing security at the facility;or
  3.in-state manufacturers of LCM that manufacture or transport LCMs in Connecticut for sale here to exempt persons and entities above or for sale out of state.
  The following may also possess LCMs:
  1.gun dealers;
  2.gunsmiths employed by gun dealers, who possess LCMs for servicing or repair;
  3.anyone who declared possession of the magazine under the bill;or
  4.executors or administrators of an estate that includes legally declared LCMs, which are disposed of as authorized by the Probate Court, if the disposition is otherwise permitted.
  The bill allows transfers:
  1.by bequest or intestate succession of LCMs, declared to DESPP;
  2.to DESPP or a local police department;or
  3.to gun dealers in compliance with the bill.
  Violations
  The court may order suspension of prosecution of a violation of the LCM provisions in accordance with the bill if it finds that the violation is not serious and that the violator (1) will probably not offend again, (2) has not previously been convicted of a violation of the provisions, and (3) has not previously had a prosecution for a violation suspended.
  Declaring Possession of LCMs
  Anyone who lawfully possesses an LCM before January 1, 2014, must apply to DESPP by January 1, 2014 to declare its possession in order to legally keep it.Service members unable to apply by January 1, 2014 because of out-of-state duty have 90 days after returning to Connecticut to declare possession of such magazine.Applications must be made on such form or in such manner as DESPP prescribes.
  In addition to the prescribed LCM application form, DESPP must design or amend the applications for existing gun credentials to allow an applicant to declare possession of an LCM upon these same applications.DESPP may adopt regulations to establish application procedures.
  Name and Address of People who Declare LCMs Confidential
  The name and address of people who declare possession of LCMs are confidential and disclosable only to (1) law enforcement agencies and U.S.probation officers carrying out their duties and (2) the DMHAS commissioner to carry out statutory provisions pertaining to gun laws.
  Nonresidents Who Move to Connecticut
  Anyone who moves into Connecticut in lawful possession of an LCM has 90 days to either permanently disable it, sell it to a gun dealer, or take it out of state.But servicemembers who transfer here after January 1, 2014, have 90 days after their arrival to declare possession of an LCM.
  Transfers to Dealers
  If an owner of an LCM transfers it to a gun dealer, the dealer must, at the time of delivery, execute a certificate of transfer.
  For transfers made before January 1, 2014, the dealer must give DESPP monthly reports, on such form as the commissioner prescribes, on the number of transfers that the dealer has accepted.For transfers made on or after January 1, 2014, the dealer must send or deliver the transfer certificates DESPP.The certificate of transfer must contain:
  1.the sale or transfer date;
  2.the gun dealer and transferor's name and address and their Social Security or motor vehicle operator license numbers, if applicable;
  3.the gun dealer's federal firearms license number;and
  4.a description of the LCM.
  The gun dealer must present his or her dealer's federal firearms license and seller's permit to the seller or transferor for inspection at the time of purchase or transfer.
  The DESPP commissioner must maintain a file of all certificates of transfer at his central office.
  Restrictions on Declared LCMs
  The bill limits where a person can possess an LCM that was declared.The person may possess it only:
  1.at his or her residence, place of business, or other property he or she owns, provided the LCM contains not more than 10 bullets;
  2.on the premises of a target range of a public or private club or organization organized to practice target shooting;
  3.at a target range that holds a regulatory or business license for practicing target shooting;
  4.while on the premises of a licensed shooting club;
  5.while transporting the LCM between any of the above-mentioned or to a gun dealer, provided the LCM contains no more than 10 bullets and is transported in compliance with the bill;or
  6.under a valid gun permit, provided the LCM (a) is in a handgun lawfully possessed by the person before the bill took effect, (b) does not extend beyond the bottom of the pistol grip, and (c) contains no more than 10 bullets.
  A violation of the provision imposing restrictions on declared LCMs is a class C misdemeanor.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §§ 25-31 '-- ASSAULT WEAPONS
  Definitions
  Current law definesan''assault weapon'' as
  1.any selective-fire firearm capable of fully automatic, semiautomatic, or burst fire at the user's option;
  2.any of a list of named semiautomatic firearms;
  3.any unlisted semi-automatic rifle or pistol that can accept a detachable magazine and has at least two of five specified features;
  4.any semi-automatic shotgun that has at least two of four specified features;or
  5.a part or combination of parts designed or intended to convert a firearm into an assault weapon if the parts may be rapidly assembled and are in the possession or under the control of the same person (see BACKGROUND for certain exemptions).
  Rifles.The bill expands the banned weapons to include the following semiautomatic centerfire rifles, or copies or duplicates with the capability of any such rifles, that were in production before or on the effective date of the bill:AK 47;AK 74, AKM, AKS-74U, ARM, MAADI AK 47, MAK90, MISR, NHM90, NHM91, Norinco 56, 56S, 84S and 86S, Poly Technologies AKS and AK47, SA 85, SA 93, VEPR, WASR-10, WUM, Rock River Arms LAR-47 and Vector Arms AK-47;AR-10;AR-15;Bushmaster Carbon 15, Bushmaster XM15, Bushmaster ACR Rifles, Bushmaster MOE Rifles;Colt Match Target Rifles;Armalite M15;Olympic Arms AR-15, A1, CAR, PCR, K3B, K30R, K16, K48, K8 and K9 Rifles;DPMS Tactical Rifles;Smith and Wesson M&P15 Rifles;Rock River Arms LAR-15;Doublestar AR Rifles;Barrett REC7;Beretta Storm;Calico Liberty 50, 50 Tactical, 100, 100 Tactical, I, I Tactical, II and II Tactical Rifles;Hi-Point Carbine Rifles;HK-PSG-1;Kel-Tec Sub-2000, SU Rifles, and RFB;Remington Tactical Rifle Model 7615;SAR-8, SAR-4800 and SR9;SLG 95;SLR 95 or 96;TNW M230 and M2HB;Vector Arms UZI, Galil and Galil Sporter;Daewoo AR 100 and AR 110C;Fabrique Nationale/FN 308 Match and L1A1 Sporter;HK USC;IZHMASH Saiga AK;SIG Sauer 551-A1, 556, 516, 716 and M400 Rifles;Valmet M62S, M71S and M78S;Wilkinson Arms Linda Carbine;and Barrett M107A1.
  The bill also bans any semiautomatic, centerfire rifle, regardless of the date produced, that can accept a detachable magazine that has at least one of the following features:
  1.a folding or telescoping stock;
  2.any grip of the weapon, including a pistol grip, thumbhole stock, or other stock that would allow an individual to grip the weapon, resulting in any finger on the trigger hand in addition to the trigger finger being directly below any portion of the action of the weapon when firing;
  3.a forward pistol grip;
  4.a flash suppressor;or
  5.a grenade launcher or flare launcher.
  It also bans semiautomatic, centerfire rifles that have (1) a fixed magazine and can accept more than 10 rounds of ammunition or (2) an overall length of less than 30 inches.
  Pistols.The bill bans following specified semiautomatic pistols, or copies or duplicates thereof with the capability of any such pistols, that were in production prior to or on the effective date of this section:Centurion 39 AK, Draco AK-47, HCR AK-47, IO Inc.Hellpup AK-47, Mini-Draco AK-47 and Yugo Krebs Krink;American Spirit AR-15, Bushmaster Carbon 15, Doublestar Corporation AR, DPMS AR-15, Olympic Arms AR-15 and Rock River Arms LAR 15;Calico Liberty III and III Tactical Pistols;Masterpiece Arms MPA Pistols and Velocity Arms VMA Pistols;Intratec TEC-DC9 and AB-10;Colefire Magnum;German Sport 522 PK and Chiappa Firearms Mfour-22;DSA SA58 PKP FAL;I.O.Inc.PPS-43C;Kel-Tec PLR-16 Pistol;Sig Sauer P516 and P556 pistols;and Thompson TA5 pistols.
  The bill also bans any semiautomatic pistol that can accept a detachable magazine and has at least one of the following features:
  1.the ability to accept a detachable ammunition magazine that attaches at some location outside the pistol grip;
  2.a threaded barrel capable of accepting a flash suppressor, forward pistol grip, or silencer;or
  3.a shroud attached to, or partially or completely encircling, the barrel and that permitting the shooter to fire the firearm without being burned, except a slide that encloses the barrel;or
  4.a second hand grip.
  The bill also bans any semiautomatic pistol with a fixed magazine that can accept more than 10 rounds of ammunition
  Shotguns.The bill bans the following shotguns or copies or duplicates with the capability of any such shotguns that were in production before or on the bill's effective date:all IZHMASH Saiga 12 shotguns.
  The bill also bans semiautomatic shotguns that have both of the following features:
  1.a folding or telescoping stock;
  2.any grip of the weapon, including a pistol grip, a thumbhole stock, or any other stock, the use of which would allow an individual to grip the weapon, resulting in any finger on the trigger hand in addition to the trigger finger being directly below any portion of the action of the weapon when firing.
  It also bans any (1) semiautomatic shotgun that can accept a detachable magazine and (2) shotgun with a revolving cylinder.
  Parts Considered an Assault Weapon in Some Circumstances
  The bill also bans (1) a part or combination of parts designed or intended to convert semiautomatic (a) centerfire rifles, (b) pistols, (c) shotguns, or (d) firearms into assault weapons and any combination f parts from which such an assault weapon may be assembled if possessed by, or in the possession or under the control of, the same person.
  Prohibitions and Exemptions from Ban
  The bill generally bans the sale, acquisition, or possession of the newly added weapons under similar conditions to the ban on assault weapons under existing law.By law, illegal possession of an assault weapon is a class D felony, with a mandatory minimum one-year prison term.Illegally transferring or carrying an assault weapon is a class C felony, with a two-year mandatory minimum prison term or, in the case of transfers to people under age 18, an additional six-year mandatory minimum.The ban on sales and transfers is effective upon passage.
  Legal Possession.Under the bill, anyone who legally possessed one of the newly banned weapons on the day before the bill's effective date and who is eligible for a certificate of possession may continue to do so by applying to DESPP for this certificate by January 1, 2014 and otherwise complying with the bill.A member of the U.S.Military or Navy who is unable to apply by January 1, 2014 because he or she is out of state on official duty has 90 days after returning to Connecticut to apply for a certificate.The certificate must contain a description of the firearm that identifies it uniquely, including all identification marks;the owner's full name, address, date of birth and thumbprint;and any other information DESPP deems appropriate.
  Beginning on its effective date, the bill prohibits anyone with a certificate of possession for any of the newly added assault weapons from (1) selling or transferring the weapon in Connecticut to anyone except a licensed gun dealer or (2) otherwise transferring the weapon except by (a) bequest or intestate succession or (b) prior arrangement to DESPP or a local police department.Anyone who inherits an assault weapon for which a certificate was issued has 90 days to apply for a certificate or sell the weapon to a gun dealer, permanently disable it, or take it out of state.
  Anyone who moves into Connecticut in lawful possession of an assault weapon has 90 days to make it permanently inoperable, sell it to a licensed gun dealer, or take it out of state.But service members transferred to Connecticut in lawful possession of an assault weapon may apply to DESPP for a certificate within 90 days of arriving here.
  Under the law and bill, anyone who possesses an assault weapon for which a certificate has been issued may possess it only at specified locations, such as his or her home or business place, at a licensed shooting club, or at a target range that holds a license for practicing target shooting.
  Anyone who obtained a certificate of possession for an existing assault weapon before the bill's effective date for a weapon defined as an assault weapon by the bill is deemed to have obtained a certificate of possession for such assault weapon and must not be required to obtain a separate certificate of possession.
  Exemptions
  The bill contains exemptions for the newly added weapons as current law contains with regard to assault weapons.It allows the sale and possession of assault weapons to the DOC, DESPP, police departments, and Connecticut's and the U.S.military or naval forces for use in their official duties.It additionally allows sales to and possession by (a) employees of a Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licensee operating a nuclear power plant in Connecticut for the purpose of providing security or (b) any person, firm, corporation, contractor, or subcontractor providing security at the plant.
  It allows possession by employees or members of these entities for official use.And it further specifies that it does not prohibit possession or use of assault weapons by sworn members of these agencies when on duty and within the scope of their duties.
  As is the case with assault weapons for which a certificate of possession is issued under existing law, the bill allows the newly added weapons to be possessed or received, under defined circumstances, by:
  1.executors or administrators of an estate that includes an assault weapon for which a certificate has been issued,
  2.licensed gun dealers, and
  3.gunsmiths.
  Similarly, it allows for:
  1.individuals to arrange to relinquish a weapon to a police department or DESPP;
  2.temporary transfers or possession for certain out-of-state events;and
  3.the weapons to be transported to or from a shooting competition or exhibition, display, or educational project about firearms sponsored, conducted by, approved, or under the auspices of a law enforcement agency or a national or state-recognized entity that fosters proficiency in firearms use or promotes firearms education
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  32 '-- ARMOR PIERCING AMMUNITION BANNED
  Current law does not regulate ammunition except for banning armor-piercing.50 caliber bullets or incendiary.50 caliber bullets.Currently possession of the ammunition is a class D felony.
  The bill expands the definition of what constitutes banned armor piercing bullets and makes their possession a class D felony.
  Under current law, an ''armor-piercing.50 caliber bullet'' is a.50 caliber bullet designed, held out by the manufacturer or distributor as, or generally recognized as having a specialized capability to penetrate armor or bulletproof glass, including bullets designated as ''M2 Armor-Piercing'' or ''AP,'' ''M8 Armor-Piercing Incendiary'' or ''API,'' ''M20 Armor-Piercing Incendiary Tracer'' or ''APIT,'' ''M903 Caliber.50 Saboted Light Armor Penetrator'' or ''SLAP,'' or ''M962 Saboted Light Armor Penetrator Tracer'' or ''SLAPT.''
  The bill broadens the definition of ''armor piercing bullet'' to include any bullet that can be fired from a handgun that (1) has projectiles or projectile cores constructed entirely, excluding the presence of traces of other substances, from tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium copper, or depleted uranium or (2) is fully jacketed with a jacket weight or more than 25% of the total weight of the projectile is larger than.22 caliber and is designed and intended for use in a firearm, and (3) does not have projectiles whose cores are composed of soft materials such as lead or lead alloys, zinc or zinc alloys, frangible projectiles designed primarily for sporting purposes, or any other projectiles or projectile cores that the U.S.attorney general finds to be primarily intended to be used for sporting purposes or industrial purposes or that constitutes ''armor piercing ammunition'' as defined in federal law.Armor piercing bullet does not include shotgun shells.
  The bill makes it a class D felony to knowingly transport or carry a firearm loaded with an armor piercing bullet or incendiary.50 caliber bullet.It exempts from the provisions the same entities and people exempt from the ban under current law:
  1.DESPP, police departments, DOC or the state or U.S.military forces for use in the discharge of their official duties;
  2.any executor or administrator of an estate that includes such ammunition that is disposed of as authorized by the Probate Court;and
  3.the transfer by bequest or intestate succession of such ammunition.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 33 '-- AMMUNITION SEIZURE
  Current law allows any two police officers (or a state's attorney), under limited circumstances, to get warrants and seize guns from anyone who poses an imminent risk of injuring himself or herself, or someone else.The bill conforms the law to current practice by allowing them to seize ammunition as well.It makes conforming and minor related changes, specifying that the procedures relating to seizure and returned firearms apply to ammunition as well.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 34 '-- AMMUNITION TRANSFERS BY INELIGIBLE PEOPLE
  Under current law, not later than two business days after the occurrence of any event that makes a person ineligible to possess handguns, the person must transfer the handguns to an eligible person, surrender them to the DESPP commissioner.The bill applies the same standards to ammunition and makes conforming changes.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 35 '-- TRANSFER PROTOCOL
  The bill requires the DESPP commissioner, chief state's attorney, and the Police Chiefs Association to develop a protocol for the transfer of ammunition by people ineligible to possess it.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 36 '-- RESTRAINING ORDER FORM
  The bill requires the application for civil restraining orders to include a space for an alleged victim of domestic violence to indicate whether the alleged domestic violence offender possesses ammunition.It already must have space to indicate gun ownership.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  §37'-- DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INVESTIGATIONS
  The bill allows police to seize ammunition under the same circumstances as they can seize guns when investigating domestic violence crimes.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 38 '-- DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNITS
  The bill requires these units to inform the court if a domestic violence victim indicates that a defendant possesses ammunition, as is currently required for firearms.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 39 '-- DISPOSAL OF CONTRABAND
  The bill requires ammunition that a court adjudges to be contraband or a nuisance turned over to the State Police for destruction or sold at public auction.Firearms are already required to be transferred.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 40 '-- STATEWIDE TRAFFICKING TASKFORCE
  The bill requires the Statewide Firearms Trafficking Task Force Policy Board to deposit the receipts from the sale of seized ammunition in the General Fund, as it must currently do for receipts from sales from firearms receipts.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 41 '-- IDENTIFYING AND TRACING SEIZED AND RECOVERED FIREARMS
  The bill requires the police to return any stolen ammunition seized or recovered with a stolen gun to its rightful owner.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  §§ 42-43, 46-50, & 52-53 '-- INCREASED CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR GUN TRAFFICKING AND OTHER GUN-RELATED OFFENSES
  The bill increases penalties for a number of firearm-related crimes.Table 1 displays these crimes, their current classification, and their classifications under the bill.The penalties for the different crime classifications are in the Table on Penalties (see BACKGROUND).
  Table 1:Increased Penalties for Firearm-Related Crimes
  Bill
  §
  Crime
  (CGS §)
  Current Penalty
  Penalty Under the Bill
  42
  Trafficking in firearms (53-202aa)
  Class C felony if transfer less than five firearms
  Class B felony if transfer five or more firearms
  Class B felony
  Mandatory minimum:
  '—�Three-year prison term
  '—�$10,000 fine unless the court states on the record why it remits or reduces the fine
  43
  Stealing a firearm (53a-212)
  Class D felony
  Class C felony
  Mandatory minimum:
  '—�Two-year prison term
  '—�$5,000 fine unless the court states on the record why it remits or reduces the fine
  46
  Failing to surrender a revoked permit (29-32)
  Class C misdemeanor
  Class A misdemeanor
  47
  Transferring a pistol or revolver to a prohibited person or violating transfer procedures (29-33)
  Class D felony
  Class C felony
  Mandatory minimum:
  '—�Two-year prison term
  '—�$5,000 fine unless the court states on the record why it remits or reduces the fine
  47
  Transferring a pistol or revolver to a prohibited person or violating transfer procedures, knowing the transferred weapon is stolen or has an altered identification mark (29-33)
  Class B felony
  Class B felony
  Mandatory minimum:
  '—�three-year prison term
  '—�$10,000 fine unless the court states on the record why it remits or reduces the fine
  48
  Making a false statement related to a pistol or revolver transfer (29-34(a))
  Class D felony
  Class C felony
  Mandatory minimum:
  '—�Two-year prison term
  '—�$5,000 fine unless the court states on the record why it remits or reduces the fine
  48
  Transferring a pistol or revolver to someone under age 21 except for target or shooting range use (29-34(b))
  Class D felony
  One-year mandatory minimum prison sentence
  Class C felony
  Mandatory minimum:
  '—�Two-year prison term
  '—�$5,000 fine unless the court states on the record why it remits or reduces the fine
  49
  Altering firearm identification mark, number, or name (29-36)
  Up to five years in prison, a fine or up to$1,000, or both
  Class C felony
  Mandatory minimum:
  '—�Two-year prison term
  '—�$5,000 fine unless the court states on the record why it remits or reduces the fine
  50
  Failing to report loss or theft of firearm (2nd or subsequent offense)(53-202g)
  Class D felony
  Class C felony
  50
  Intentionally failing to report loss or theft of firearm (53-202g)
  Class C felony
  Class B felony
  52
  Failing to surrender revoked eligibility certificate (29-36i)
  Class C misdemeanor
  Class A misdemeanor
  53
  Buying a firearm intending to transfer it to an ineligible person (straw man transactions)(29-37j(a))
  Up to five years in prison, fine of up to$1,000, or both
  Class C felony
  Mandatory minimum:
  '—�Two-year prison term
  '—�$5,000 fine unless the court states on the record why it remits or reduces the fine
  53
  Ineligible person soliciting a firearm through a straw man (29-37j(b))
  Class B misdemeanor
  Class D felony
  Mandatory minimum:
  '—�One-year prison term
  '—�$3,000 fine unless the court states on the record why it remits or reduces the fine
  (see below for additional penalties)
  53
  Ineligible person obtaining a firearm from a straw man (29-37j(b))
  -
  Class C felony
  Mandatory minimum:
  '—�Two-year prison term
  '—�$5,000 fine unless the court states on the record why it remits or reduces the fine
  53
  Ineligible person soliciting through a straw man involving transfer of more than one firearm (29-37j(b))
  Class A misdemeanor
  -
  53
  Straw man violations when offender had felony conviction in past five years (29-37j(c))
  Class D felony
  Class B felony
  Mandatory minimum:
  '—�three-year prison term
  '—�$10,000 fine unless the court states on the record why it remits or reduces the fine
  §§ 44-45 '-- POSSESSION CRIMES
  The law provides separate crimes punishing criminal possession of a (1) firearm or electronic defense weapon and (2) pistol or revolver.The bill expands each of these crimes and increases their penalties so that they punish illegal possession of all of these weapons under very similar circumstances and with the same penalties.The bill also punishes possessing ammunition under the same circumstances and with the same penalties.
  Criminal Possession or Firearms, Ammunition, or Electronic Defense Weapons
  The bill increases the penalty for criminal possession of a firearm or electronic defense weapon, expands the circumstances when someone commits this crime, and punishes someone who possesses ammunition under the same circumstances.
  Under current law, a person commits this crime when he or she possesses the weapon and (1) has a prior felony conviction or conviction for a serious juvenile offense, (2) knows he or she is the subject of a restraining or protective order in certain cases or a firearms seizure order after notice and a hearing opportunity, or (3) is prohibited by federal law from having or transporting a firearm.The bill makes it illegal for these same people to possess ammunition.
  The bill also punishes someone who possesses a firearm, ammunition, or an electronic defense weapon when he or she has been:
  1.convicted of certain misdemeanors committed on or after October 1, 2013;
  2.discharged from custody within the past 20 years after being found not guilty of a crime due to mental disease or defect;
  3.confined on or after October 1, 2013 in a hospital for people with psychiatric disabilities under a probate court order within the past (a) 60 months or (b) 12 months if the person has a valid permit or certificate in effect before October 1, 2013;
  4.beginning October 1, 2013, voluntarily admitted to a hospital for people with psychiatric disabilities within the past six months for care and treatment of a psychiatric disability and not solely for being an alcohol- or drug-dependent person.
  The misdemeanor convictions the bill applies to are for:
  1.a first offense of possessing a controlled substance other than a narcotic, a hallucinogen, or between.5 and four ounces of marijuana (an unclassified misdemeanor for a first offense punishable by up to one year in prison, up to$1,000 fine, or both);
  2.the following class A misdemeanors:criminally negligent homicide;3rd degree assault;3rd degree assault of an elderly, blind, disabled, pregnant, or intellectually disabled person;2nd degree threatening;1st degree reckless endangerment;2nd degree unlawful restraint;1st degree riot;inciting to riot;and 2nd degree stalking;and
  3.the class B misdemeanor of 2nd degree riot.
  The bill defines ammunition as a loaded cartridge consisting of a primed case, propellant, or projectile designed for use in a firearm.
  Penalties.The bill increases the penalty for this crime from a class D to a class C felony.The law already imposes a two-year mandatory minimum sentence.The bill also imposes a mandatory minimum$5,000 fine unless the court states on the record why it remits or reduces the fine.
  Criminal Possession of a Handgun
  The bill increases the penalty for criminal possession of a pistol or revolver and expands the circumstances when someone commits this crime.
  Under current law, a person commits this crime when he or she possesses the weapon and:
  1.was previously convicted of a felony or one of the misdemeanors described above,
  2.has a prior conviction for a serious juvenile offense,
  3.has been discharged from custody within the past 20 years after being found not guilty of a crime due to mental disease or defect,
  4.has been confined in a hospital for people with psychiatric disabilities under a probate court order within the past 12 months,
  5.knows he or she is the subject of a restraining or protective order in certain cases or a firearms seizure order after notice and a hearing opportunity, or
  6.is prohibited by federal law from having or transporting a firearm.
  The bill:
  1.on or after October 1, 2013, expands the look-back period for confinements under probate court orders from 12 to 60 months unless the person has a valid permit or certificate in effect before October 1, 2013 and
  2.punishes someone who possesses a pistol or revolver when he or she has been voluntarily admitted, on or after October 1, 2013, to a hospital for people with psychiatric disabilities within the past six months for care and treatment of a psychiatric disability and not solely for being an alcohol- or drug-dependent person.
  Penalties.The bill increases the penalty for this crime from a class D to a class C felony and imposes a mandatory minimum (1) two-year prison sentence and (2)$5,000 fine unless the court states on the record why it remits or reduces the fine.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 51 '-- INFORMATION DISCLOSURES FOR LONG GUN AND AMMUNITION TRANSFERS
  The bill makes a conforming change to allow DESPP to disclose the name and address of someone issued an eligibility certificate to the extent necessary to comply with the bill's provisions on long gun and ammunition transfers.The law already gives DESPP this authority related to handgun sales.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:July 1, 2013
  §§ 54-56 '-- SAFE STORAGE REQUIREMENTS
  The bill expands the firearm safe storage laws in two ways.It imposes safe storage requirements on people who store their loaded firearms on their premises if they know or should know that a resident of the premises (1) is ineligible to possess firearms under state or federal law or (2) poses a risk of imminent personal injury to himself, herself, or others.The current ban applies to storing loaded firearms on their premises if they know or reasonably should know that a minor (someone under age 16) is likely to gain access to them without the minor's parent's or guardian's permission.As under the current law, thefirearm must be locked up or in a location that a reasonable person considers to be secure, or the person carries it on his or her person or close enough so that he or she can readily retrieve it.
  As under current law pertaining to minors, a person is strictly liable for damages if an ineligible or at-risk person gains access to the inappropriately stored firearm and uses it to injure or kill himself, herself, or someone else.
  As under current law pertaining to minors, a person is guilty of criminally negligent storage or a firearm if the ineligible or at-risk person obtains the firearm and kills or injures someone with it.It is also a class D felony unless the minor obtained the firearm from unlawful entry.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 57-58 '-- GUN PERMIT APPLICATION
  The bill generally requires someone applying for a gun permit to be a permanent resident of the town to which he or she applies.Current law does not specify that the residence must be permanent, and also allows such applications by someone who is not a resident, but who maintains a place of business in the town.By law, a gun permit is issued under a two part process, with a local official issuing a temporary state permit, after which the State Police issues the five-year state permit (assuming the requirements are met).
  As under existing law, the bill continues to allow someone without a permanent residence in Connecticut to apply directly to DESPP for a gun permit if the person has a handgun permit or license to carry issued by another state.
  The bill prohibits anyone from applying for a temporary state gun permit more than once in any 12-month period, and prohibits such a permit from being issued to someone who has previously applied within the previous 12 months.The bill requires anyone who applies for a temporary permit to indicate on the application, under penalty of false statement in the manner the issuing authority prescribes, that the person has not applied for a temporary state permit within the past 12 months.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 59 '-- RISK REDUCTION EARNED CREDITS AND PAROLE FOR VIOLENT OFFENDERS
  The bill prohibits inmates convicted of violent crimes from using risk reduction earned credits (RREC) that they earn to become eligible for parole sooner than they otherwise could.Thus, it requires inmates convicted of violent crimes to continue to serve 85% of their sentences before being eligible for parole, regardless of any credits they receive.As under current law, the credits still reduce the inmate's maximum prison sentence.
  Under current law, inmates convicted of any crimes except the following can earned RREC:
  1.murder (CGS § 53a-54a),
  2.capital felony (CGS § 53a-54b),
  3.felony murder (CGS § 53a-54c),
  4.arson murder (CGS § 53a-54d),
  5.1st degree aggravated sexual assault (CGS § 53a-70a), or
  6.home invasion (CGS § 53a-100aa).
  The DOC commissioner can award RREC of up to five days per month for inmates for (1) adhering to his or her offender accountability plan, (2) participating in eligible programs and activities, and (3) good conduct and obeying institutional rules as designated by the commissioner (but good conduct and obedience alone is not enough to earn credits).Credits cannot reduce a mandatory minimum sentence.An inmate can lose all or some of his or her credits.For inmates who earn RREC, the credits reduce the inmate's maximum prison sentence and the inmate's parole eligibility is based on his or her sentence as reduced by the credits.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:July 1, 2013
  § 60 '-- BOARD OF FIREARM PERMIT EXAMINERS MEMBERSHIP
  The bill increases the Board of Firearms Permit Examiners membership, from seven to nine, by adding one retired Superior Court judge, appointed by the chief court administrator, and a DMHAS nominee, appointed by the governor.The rest of the membership, as under current law, are appointed by the governor from nominations from the emergency services and public protection and energy and environmental protection commissioners;Connecticut State Association of Chiefs of Police;Connecticut State Rifle and Revolver Association, Inc.;and Ye Connecticut Gun Guild, Inc.He also appoints two public members.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:July 1, 2013
  § 61 '-- BOARD OF FIREARM PERMIT EXAMINERS CONTINUANCES
  The bill allows the board to grant one continuance, for good cause, to an official whose action on a gun permit or gun eligibility certificate is being appealed.If granted, the appeal is continued until the next scheduled board meeting Under current law, an issuing authority's failure or refusal to provide a written statement to the board explaining the reasons for his or her adverse decision at least 10 days before the hearing is automatic cause for the board to grant relief to an appellant.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:July 1, 2013
  § 62 '-- DESPP APPROPRIATION
  The bill requires the DESPP commissioner to study the feasibility and cost of establishing and maintaining a system to electronically submit, access, and transfer to DESPP information required for gun sales, delivery, or transfers, including the information required to determine eligibility for gun credentials.The system must permit electronic access to the state database for checking a person's eligibility to get gun credentials or guns.It must permit retail sellers to directly initiate NICS background checks on firearm purchasers.
  The system may permit the electronic submission of other documents and forms related to firearms permitting including, application to renew gun permits, eligibility certificates, long gun eligibility certificates, an application for a certificate of possession of an assault weapon, and a declaration of the possession of a large-capacity magazine.
  The commissioner must submit a report to legislature by January 1, 2014, on the study results, including recommendations to develop and implement it.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  § 63 '-- APPROPRIATIONS
  The bill appropriates$1 million to DESPP for FY 14 to fund the statewide firearms trafficking task force.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:July 1, 2013
  BACKGROUND
  Assault Weapons
  Under existing law, certain assault weapons defined by criteria, rather than specific name, are exempt from the state transfer restrictions and registration requirements if they were legally manufactured before September 13, 1994 (CGS § 53-202m).
  The law also allows possession of certain specified assault weapon models under certain circumstances.A person may possess an Auto-Ordnance Thompson type, Avtomat Kalashnikov AK-47 type, MAC-10, MAC-11, or MAC11 Carbine type assault weapon if (1) it was obtained in good faith on or after October 1, 1993 and before May 8, 2002, (2) the possessor is not prohibited from possessing the weapon under any other law, and (3) the possessor notified DESPP before October 1, 2003 that he or she possessed the specific weapon (CGS§ 53-202N).
  Table on Penalties
  Table 2 shows the penalties for the different crime classifications in Connecticut.
  Table 2:Penalties by Crime Classification
  Felony
  Prison Term
  Fine
  Class A felony (murder with special circumstances)
  Life without the possibility of release
  Up to$20,000
  Class A felony (murder)
  25 to 60 years
  Up to$20,000
  Class A felony (aggravated sexual assault of a minor)
  25 to 50 years
  Up to$20,000
  Class A felony
  10 to 25 years
  Up to$20,000
  Class B felony (1st degree manslaughter with a firearm)
  Five to 40 years
  Up to$15,000
  Class B felony
  One to 20 years
  Up to$15,000
  Class C felony
  One to 10 years
  Up to$10,000
  Class D felony
  One to 5 years
  Up to$5,000
  Class A misdemeanor
  Up to one year
  Up to$2,000
  Class B misdemeanor
  Up to six months
  Up to$1,000
  Class C misdemeanor
  Up to three months
  Up to$500
  Class D misdemeanor
  Up to 30 days
  Up to$250
  §§ 64-65 '-- MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING
  The bill requires the state Board of Education, within available appropriations and materials, to help and encourage school boards to include mental health first aid training as part of their in-service training programs for certified teachers, administrators, and other pupil personnel.
  The bill also requires the DOE commissioner to consider whether to require mental health first aid training as part of teacher education programs leading to professional certification.By January 1, 2014, he must report on his recommendation on this matter to the Appropriations, Education, and Public Health committees.
  (See § 90 for more provisions on mental health first aid.)
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  § 66 '-- BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES TASK FORCE
  The bill creates a 20-member task force to study the provision of behavioral health services in Connecticut, with particular focus on providing such service to 16- to 25-year-olds.
  The task force must analyze and make recommendations in the following areas:
  1.improving behavioral health screening, early intervention, and treatment;
  2.closing gaps in private insurance coverage;
  3.improving behavioral health case management services;
  4.addressing the insufficient number of certain behavioral health providers, including child psychiatrists and providers offering specialized services;
  5.improving the delivery system for behavioral health services;
  6.improving payment models for behavioral health services;
  7.creating a central clearinghouse with information for the public on behavioral health services;
  8.providing intensive, individualized, in-school behavioral health intervention services for students exhibiting violent tendencies;
  9.requiring the DOE to provide technical assistance to school districts concerning behavioral intervention specialists in public and private schools and for preschool programs;
  10.using assisted outpatient behavioral health services and involuntary outpatient commitment as treatment options;
  11.conducting behavioral health screenings of public school children;
  12.requiring disclosure of communications by mental health professionals concerning people who present a clear and present danger to the health or safety of themselves or others;and
  13.reducing the stigma of mental illness as it presents a barrier to people receiving appropriate mental health services.
  The task force members include seven government officials and 13 appointed members;all 20 are voting members.The government officials include the Healthcare Advocate;, the Child Advocate;and the children and families (DCF), DMHAS, public health (DPH), DOE, and insurance commissioners, or the commissioners'designees.
  Under the bill, the six legislative leaders each have two appointments to the task force, and the governor has one.The appointed members'required qualifications are described in Table 1.
  Table 1:Behavioral Health Services Task Force Appointed Members
  Appointing Authority
  Qualifications
  Senate President Pro Tempore
  One child psychiatrist
  One primary care provider
  House Speaker
  One pediatrician whose practice focuses on adolescents
  One representative of a school-based health center
  Senate Majority Leader
  One probate judge
  One parent with a child who has used behavioral health services
  House Majority Leader
  One school psychologist
  One representative of a community health center
  Senate Minority Leader
  One representative of a health insurer
  One representative of a hospital that offers behavioral health services
  House Minority Leader
  One representative of an organization that offers behavioral health case management services
  One (1) consumer of behavioral health services or (2) representative of an organization that advocates for consumers of such services
  Governor
  One representative of an institution of higher education
  The bill requires task force appointments to be made within 30 days of the bill's passage.Vacancies are filled by the appointed authority.
  Under the bill, the Senate President Pro Tempore and House Speaker must each appoint one task force chairperson from among the members.The chairpersons must schedule and hold the first meeting of the task force within 60 days of the bill's passage.The task force must meet at least monthly until February 1, 2014, and upon the call of the chairs or a request of the majority of the members.Task force members serve without compensation, except for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
  A majority of the members constitutes a quorum, and a majority vote of a quorum is required for an official action of the task force.The chairpersons break any ties (the bill does not specify how a tie would be broken if the chairpersons disagree).
  Under the bill, the administrative staff of the Public Health Committee will serve as the task force administrative staff.The bill allows the task force to seek funding from any state, federal, or private source, and enter into contracts, to carry out its duties.
  By February 1, 2014, the task force must report on its findings and recommendations to the governor, Senate President Pro Tempore, House Speaker, Senate and House minority leaders, and the Appropriations, Education, Human Services, Insurance and Real Estate, and Public Health committees.The task force must also provide additional information not contained in the report to legislators upon their request.The task force terminates on July 1, 2014.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  § 67 '-- ASSERTIVE COMMUNITY TREATMENT
  The bill requires the DMHAS commissioner to implement an assertive community treatment (ACT) program in three cities that, on June 30, 2013, do not have such a program.It must use a person-centered, recovery-based approach that provides people diagnosed with a severe and persistent mental illness, including those released from commitment, (1) assertive outreach, (2) mental health and peer support services, (3) vocational assistance, (4) education concerning family issues, and (5) information to develop wellness skills.Services must be provided by mobile, multi-disciplinary teams in community settings.
  DMHAS currently operates four ACT teams in New Britain, Middletown, Manchester, and Norwich.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:July 1, 2013
  § 68 '-- PROBATE COURT RELATED CASE MANAGEMENT AND CARE COORDINATION SERVICES
  The bill requires the DMHAS commissioner to provide case management and care coordination services to up to 100 people with mental illness who are involved in the probate court system and who, on June 30, 2013, are not receiving these services.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:July 1, 2013
  § 69 '-- REGIONAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONSULTATION SYSTEM FOR PEDIATRICIANS
  The bill requires the DCF commissioner, by January 1, 2014, to establish and implement a regional behavioral health consultation and care coordination program for primary care providers who serve children.The program must provide these primary care providers with:
  1.timely access to a consultation team that includes a child psychiatrist, social worker, and care coordinator;
  2.patient care coordination and transitional services for behavioral health care;and
  3.training and education on patient access to behavioral health services.
  The bill requires the DCF commissioner to submit a program plan by October 1, 2013 to the Public Health, Children, Human Services, and Appropriations committees.
  It also allows the commissioner to contract for services and adopt regulations to administer the program.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §§ 71 & 73(C) '-- REQUEST FOR MENTAL OR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER SERVICES
  Benefit Determination
  By law, the amount of time a carrier has to make a benefit determination depends on whether or not it is an urgent request.In general, carriers must make a determination with 15 calendar days for non-urgent requests but within 72 hours for urgent requests.
  The bill treats as urgent requests, those for a service or treatment for (1) substance use disorder or co-occurring mental disorder and (2) inpatient services, partial hospitalization, residential treatment, or intensive outpatient services needed to keep a covered person from requiring an inpatient setting in connection with a mental disorder.
  It requires the carrier to make its determination as soon as possible, but no more than 24 hours after it receives a request for service or treatment for these disorders.If the request is to extend a course of treatment beyond the initial period or number of treatments, the request must be made at least 24 hours before the initial authorization runs out.The 24-hour deadline for the carrier does not apply if the covered person or his or her representative fails to provide the information the carrier needs to make its determination.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  Expedited Reviews (§ 74(d)& 76(i))
  By classifying requests for these services and treatments as urgent, the bill entitles the covered person to an expedited review of an adverse determination.Under current law, the carrier or independent review organization must notify the covered person and his or her representative of its decision regarding an expedited review within 72 hours of receiving a grievance.The bill requires that carriers make their decision for expedited reviews of requests for services and treatment for the mental and substance use disorders within 24 hours.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  Clinical Review Criteria in Utilization Review (§ 72(a))
  By law, each carrier must contract with health care professionals to administer its utilization review program.Utilization review uses formal techniques to monitor the use of health care services or evaluate their medical necessity, appropriateness, efficacy, or efficiency.
  Under current law, each program must use documented clinical review criteria based on sound clinical evidence.The bill requires that, for any utilization review or benefit determination for treating a substance use disorder, the default criteria are those in the most recent edition of the American Society of Addiction Medicine's Patient Placement Criteria.For any utilization review or benefit determination for treating a mental disorder in a child or adolescent, the default criteria are the most recent guidelines in the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry's Child and Adolescent Service Intensity Instrument.For any utilization review or benefit determination for treating a mental disorder in an adult, the default criteria are the most recent (1) guidelines of the American Psychiatric Association or (2) standards and guidelines of the Association of Ambulatory Behavioral Healthcare.
  In each case, the carrier can use other criteria that it demonstrates are consistent with the default criteria.But if the carrier does this, it must create and maintain a document on an easily-accessible location on its website that:
  1.compares each aspect of its criteria with the default criteria and
  2.provides citations to (a) peer-reviewed medical literature generally recognized by the relevant medical community or (b) professional society guidelines that justify each deviation from the default criteria.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  §§ 70 & 72-75 '-- ADVERSE DETERMINATIONS
  Initial Adverse Determination Notices (§ 73(e))
  By law, each carrier must promptly notify a covered person and, if applicable, his or her authorized representative, of an adverse determination.The bill additionally requires the notice to list, upon request, any clinical review criteria (including professional criteria) and medical or scientific evidence used to reach a denial.
  By law, the notice must describe the carrier's internal grievance procedures.Under current law, this description must state that the covered person or his or her representative can submit written comments, documents, records, and other material regarding the request for the individuals conducting the review.The bill instead requires the notice to include a statement that, if the covered person or his or her representative chooses to grieve an adverse determination, that:
  1.such appeals sometimes succeed;
  2.the covered person or his or her representative may benefit from free assistance from the department's consumer affairs division or OHA, which can help with a grievance;
  3.the covered person or representative is entitled and encouraged to submit supporting documentation for the carrier to consider during the review of an adverse determination, including their narratives and letters and treatment notes from the covered person's health care professional;and
  4.the covered person or representative has the right to ask his or her health care professional for these letters and treatment notes.
  By law, if an adverse determination is based on a carrier's internal rule or other similar criterion, the notice must provide the criterion and related information.The bill additionally requires the notice to provide the links to the criterion on the carrier's web site.If the adverse determination involves treating a substance use or a mental disorder, the bill requires the notice to also include a link to the carrier's applicable clinical review criteria, as described above, on its web site.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  Conference Regarding Adverse Determination (§ 73(a)(3))
  The bill allows a carrier to offer a covered person's health care professional an opportunity to confer with a clinical peer of the carrier under certain circumstances.This provision applies
  1.after a covered person or his or her representative or health care professional is notified of an initial adverse determination of a concurrent or prospective utilization review or of a benefit request that was based, at least in part, on medical necessity and
  2.if the covered person, representative, health care professional has not already filed a grievance of the initial adverse determination.
  The conference is not considered a grievance of the initial adverse determination.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  Reviews (§ 75 (d))
  By law, the covered person or his or her representative can grieve an adverse determination.Under the bill, if the decision in a review of a case that is not based on medical necessity upholds the adverse determination, the notice of the decision must include a statement disclosing:
  1.the covered person's right to contact the insurance commissioner's office or OHA at any time;
  2.that the covered person may benefit from free assistance from the department's consumer affairs division or OHA, which can help him or her file a grievance;and
  3.the contact information for the offices.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  Continuing Treatment While Determination Is Appealed (§ 73 (b)(1)(B))
  Under the bill, if a non-urgent request is a concurrent review request, as defined by federal law (i.e., one that takes place when the service is being requested), the treatment must be continued without liability to the covered person during the review or any grievance filed by a covered person or his or her representative of an adverse determination or a final adverse determination of the concurrent review.Existing law has a similar requirement in the case of urgent requests.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  Clinical Peers (§§ 70, 72, & 74)
  By law, carriers must contract with clinical peers to evaluate the clinical appropriateness of adverse determinations.The bill additionally requires that clinical peers be used to review all adverse determinations based at least in part on medical necessity.
  The bill requires that carriers contract with clinical peers to conduct utilization reviews, rather than requiring them to contract with health care professionals to oversee the determinations in these reviews.It requires the clinical peers to participate in various stages of the review process.
  The bill requires certain clinical peers to have additional qualifications.Under current law, clinical peers are health care professionals who hold a non-restricted license in any state in the same or similar specialty as typically manages the medical condition, procedure, or treatment under review.
  For a review or benefit determination concerning a substance use or mental disorder in a child or adolescent, the clinical peer must (1) hold a national board certification in child and adolescent psychiatry or child and adolescent psychology and (2) have training or clinical experience in treating child and adolescent substance use or mental disorder, as applicable.
  For a review or benefit determination concerning substance use disorder or mental disorder in an adult, the clinical peer must (1) hold a national board certification in psychiatry or psychology, and (2) have training or clinical experience in the treatment of adult substance use or mental disorders, as applicable.
  The bill requires that each carrier have procedures to ensure that the appropriate or required clinical peers are designated to conduct utilization reviews and makes conforming changes.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 77 '-- OFFICE OF THE HEALTH CARE ADVOCATE
  The bill applies the requirement that employers post a notice concerning the services OHA provides to (1) self-insured employers and (2) all employers that provide health care benefits to their employees.By law, employers that provide health insurance to their employees must post such notices.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 79 '-- MENTAL HEALTH PARITY AND COMPLIANCE CHECKS
  Information Gathering
  The bill requires the commissioner, by September 15, 2013, to seek input from stakeholders on methods the department might use to check for compliance with state and federal mental health parity laws by health insurance companies and other entities under its jurisdiction.The stakeholders must at least include the Healthcare Advocate, health insurance companies, health care professionals, and behavioral health advocacy groups.The department also must post notice of the request for input on its web site and provide for a written public comment period of 30 days following the posting.The posting must include the date the public comment period closes and how to submit comments to the department.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  Report
  By January 1, 2014 the commissioner must issue a report and provide an educational presentation to the Insurance and Real Estate and Public Health committees.The report and presentation must:
  1.cover the methodology the department is using to check for compliance with the interim or final regulations or guidance, whichever is in effect, published by the U.S.Department of Health and Human Services relating to the compliance and oversight requirements of federal law on mental health parity;
  2.cover the methodology the department is using to check for compliance with state law on mental health parity;and
  3.detail the department's regulatory and educational approaches relating to the financing of mental health services in this state.
  In addition, the report must describe and address any public comments the department received.
  By February 1, 2014, the Insurance and Public Health committees must hold a joint public hearing on the report.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  § 78 '-- CONSUMER REPORT CARD
  By law, the insurance commissioner must prepare an annual consumer report card that, among other things, addresses managed care organizations and mental health services.The bill requires the commissioner to annually analyze this data for the accuracy of, trends in, and statistically significant differences in the data among the health care centers and health insurers included in the report card.It allows him to investigate such differences to determine whether he should take further action.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 80 '--SCHOOL SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE COUNCIL
  Council Duties
  The bill creates the School Safety Infrastructure Council (SSIC) that must develop school safety infrastructure standards for (1) the existing school construction projects program and (2) a new school security infrastructure competitive grant program the bill creates.
  The new standards must be submitted to DESPP and education commissioners, the School Building Projects Advisory Council, and Public Safety and Education committees by January 1, 2014 and annually every year after.The bill does not explicitly require any body to approve the standards once SSIC issues them.
  The standards must conform to industry standards for school building infrastructure and, at a minimum, include:
  1.school building and classroom entryways, such as, reinforcement of entryways, ballistic (bullet-resistant) glass, solid core doors, double-door access, computer-controlled electronic locks, remote locks on all entrance and exits, and buzzer systems;
  2.use of cameras throughout the school building and at all entrances and exits, including the use of closed-circuit television monitoring;
  3.penetration resistant vestibules;and
  4.other security infrastructure improvements and devices as they become industry standards.
  Council Membership
  The bill creates the eight member council with the following membership:
  1.the construction services commissioner, or his designee;
  2.the DESPP commissioner, or his designee;
  3.the education commissioner, or his designee;
  4.one Senate president appointee, who must be a person with expertise in building security, preferably school building security;
  5.one House speaker appointee, who must be a licensed professional structural engineer;
  6.one Senate majority leader appointee, who must be a certified public school administrator;
  7.one House majority leader appointee, who must be a firefighter, emergency medical technician, or a paramedic;
  8.one Senate minority leader appointee, who must be a school resource officer (police officer assigned to a school);and
  9.one House minority leader appointee, who must be a certified public school teacher.
  The construction services commissioner chairs the council.The administrative staff of the Department of Construction Services (DCS) serves as its staff.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §§ 81 & 82 '-- SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AND THE NEW SCHOOL SAFETY STANDARDS
  Under current school construction project law, a school district can receive state reimbursement for the eligible parts of a school construction project if its application meets certain criteria.The bill requires DCS, on and after July 1, 2014, to review each local school construction grant application for compliance with the SSIC-developed school safety infrastructure standards.It gives DCS the authority to disapprove any application that does not comply with these new school safety standards starting on or after July 1, 2014.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:July 1, 2013
  §83'--SCHOOL BUILDING PROJECTS ADVISORY COUNCIL
  By law, the School Building Projects Advisory Council must develop model blueprints for new school building projects.The bill expands that requirement so that the blueprints are for school building projects that comply with industry standards for school buildings and the new school safety infrastructure standards the SSIC is required to develop.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §§ 84 & 85 '-- COMPETITIVE SCHOOL SECURITY INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS
  The bill establishes a competitive state grant program to improve security infrastructure in schools and authorizes up to$15 million in state bonds for the program.The grant program, jointly administered by DESPP, DCS, and the State Department of Education (SDE), and funding are available for FYs 13, 14, and 15.
  The program will reimburse towns for certain expenses for (1) the development or improvement of security infrastructure, based on the security assessment the bill requires, and (2) (a) school personnel training in the operation and maintenance of the new or improved security structure or (b) the purchase of portable entrance security devices, including metal detector wands and screening machines and related training.
  Eligible infrastructure includes the installation of surveillance cameras, penetration resistant vestibules, ballistic glass, solid core doors, double-door access, computer-controlled electronic locks, entry door buzzer systems, scan card systems, panic alarms or other systems.
  Application Process
  Local or regional boards of education can apply to DESPP for funds on behalf of its town or member towns beginning the day the bill become law.The DESPP commissioner prescribes the application process time and related details.There are two phases when boards of education can apply, before and after SSIC develops standards.Before the date SSIC makes its initial submission of infrastructure standards under the bill, the DESPP commissioner, in consultation with the construction services and education commissioners, determines which expenses are eligible for reimbursement.After the SSIC submits is new infrastructure standards, decisions to approve or deny applications and which expenses are eligible for reimbursement must meet the most recent SSIC standards as provided for in the bill.
  The grants reimburse school districts for 20% to 80% of the eligible expenses for such security measures incurred after the act's effective date.The reimbursement percentage is based on the district's wealth.
  To receive a grant, a district must show that it (1) has conducted a uniform security assessment of its school entrances and any security infrastructure, (2) has an emergency plan at its schools developed with applicable state and local first-responders, and (3) periodically practices the plan.The security assessment must be carried out under the supervision of the district's local law enforcement agency and use the Safe Schools Facilities Check List published by the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities (see BACKGROUND).
  If there is not enough money to reimburse every district for its full percentage, the DESPP commissioner, in consultation with the DCS and education commissioners, must give first priority to applicants with schools they determine most need entrance security, based on the required security assessments.From among those applicants, they must give first priority to schools that have no entrance security infrastructure and second priority to schools located in priority school districts.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  § 86 '-- SCHOOL SAFETY AND SECURITY STANDARDS
  The bill requires DESPP to develop school safety and security plan standards by January 1, 2014, in consultation with SDE.The standards must follow an all-hazards approach to public school emergencies, and DESPP must make them available to local officials, including local and regional boards of education.At a minimum, these standards must include:
  1.requirements that local and regional school boards conduct security and vulnerability assessments of their schools every two years, develop a school safety and security plan for each school based upon the assessment results, and give DESPP annual fire and crisis response drill reports;
  2.requirements that local officials, including the chief executive officer of the municipality, superintendent of schools, law enforcement, fire, public health, emergency management, and emergency medical services, participate in school security and safety plan development;
  3.requirements that local law enforcement and other local public safety officials evaluate fire and crisis response drills;
  4.guidelines for command center organization structure, based on the federal National Incident Management System, as well as command center responsibilities;
  5.guidelines for crisis management and various emergency management procedures;
  6.requirements that each school establish a school security and safety committee;
  7.requirements that each school's safe school climate committee collect, evaluate, and report information about disturbing or threatening behavior, which is distinct from bullying, to the district safe school climate coordinator and the school security and safety committee;and
  8.guidelines for providing school safety and security plan orientation, as well as violence prevention training, to each school employee.
  DESPP must annually report its standards and recommendations for legislation to the Public Safety and Education committees beginning January 1, 2014.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §87 '-- SCHOOL SAFETY AND SECURITY PLANS AND COMMITTEES
  The bill requires local and regional boards of education to annually do the following, beginning in the 2014-15 school year:
  1.develop and implement a school security and safety plan for each school within their school district, based upon standards issued by DESPP;
  2.review, update, and submit school safety and security plans to DESPP;and
  3.establish a school security and safety committee at each school to assist in developing and administering the school's safety and security plan.
  Membership of the school security and safety committee must consist of (1) a local police officer, (2) a local first responder, (3) a teacher employed at the school, (4) an administrator employed at the school, (5) a mental health professional (guidance counselor, school social worker, school psychologist, school nurse, or child mental health specialist), (6) a parent or guardian of an enrolled student, and (7) any other person the governing board of education finds necessary.Parents or guardians who serve on this committee must not have access to information about disturbing or threatening student behavior reported to the committee, since it may compromise student confidentiality.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §88 '-- SAFE SCHOOL CLIMATE COMMITTEES
  The bill expands the responsibilities of the safe school climate committees.These committees, primarily tasked with duties related to bullying prevention, are required by law in each school serving grades kindergarten through 12.This bill requires the committees to collect, evaluate, and report information about disturbing or threatening student behavior, even if it falls outside the definition of bullying.Parents or guardians who serve on the committees must not participate in this new duty, since it may compromise student confidentiality.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §89 '-- REPORT ON SCHOOL DISTRICT EFFORTS TO PREVENT BULLYING
  This bill increases the frequency and the recipients of SDE's report that analyzes public school districts'bullying prevention efforts.This report tracks the number of bullying incidents in the state, describes responsive actions taken by districts, and offers recommendations for additional activities or funding to prevent bullying and improve school climates.SDE must submit this report every year, rather than biennially, and must add to the list of required recipients the speaker of the House, president pro tempore of the Senate, and majority and minority leaders of the House and Senate.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §90 '-- MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING
  The bill requires the mental health and addiction services (DMHAS) commissioner, in consultation with the education commissioner, to administer a mental health first aid training program.Participants must include all district safe school climate coordinators and may include teachers, nurses, counselors, and other employees at the discretion of each local or regional board of education.
  DHMAS must provide training for individuals appointed to serve as district safe school climate coordinators for the 2014-15 school year who must successfully complete the training.For the 2015-16 school year, only district safe school climate coordinators who did not successfully complete the training or serve in the prior school year must successfully complete the training.No individual must successfully complete the training more than once.
  Training must teach participants how to (1) recognize signs of mental disorders in children and adults, and (2) connect them with professionals who could provide suitable mental health services.The commissioners administering this training may seek funding from the federal or state government, as well as from private donors.
  (For additional mental health provisions, see § § 64 and 65.)
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §91 '-- SCHOOL SECURITY CONSULTANT REGISTRY
  The bill requires DESPP to establish and maintain a registry of school security consultants doing business in the state.DESPP must update the registry annually, publish it on the DESPP website, and furnish it to the public upon request.The registry must contain (1) the consultants'names, (2) their employers, and (3) other information that the DESPP commissioner may require.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §92 '-- HIGHER EDUCATION SECURITY PROTOCOL PLANS AND THREAT ASSESSMENT TEAMS
  Security Protocol Plans
  The bill requires UConn and all its campuses, all state colleges in the Connecticut State University System (CSUS), all regional community-technical colleges, and all Connecticut independent institutions of higher education to do the following:
  1.by October 1, 2013, give an up-to-date security protocol plan to DESPP, which by law must outline how faculty and staff should identify and respond to students at risk for harm to self or others;and
  2.by July 1, 2015, and every two years afterward, review and revise its security protocol plan with chiefs of police or campus security and submit revisions to DESPP by August 1 of the affected year.
  Threat Assessment Teams
  The bill also requires all of the above colleges to establish trained threat assessment teams on each campus by January 1, 2014.
  The institution president must choose team membership in consultation with the campus chief of police or head of security.A membership model must include at least one member from its special police force or campus security personnel, administration, faculty, and senior and mid-level staff.The chief of police or head of security for each campus must ensure that each member is capable of (1) executing the security protocol plan, and (2) receiving training in identifying at risk people and safety threats.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §93 '-- HIGHER EDUCATION POLICE FORCES
  By law, UConn and all its campuses, the four colleges in CSUS are authorized to establish their own police forces, who can be armed and have the authority to make arrests.These officers are state employees.The bill excludes these positions from certain aspects of the State Personnel Act that address civil service qualifying exams.The bill gives the respective governing bodies for UConn and the CSUS the authority to determine:
  1.the preliminary requirements, including educational qualifications, for members of the special police forces for the UConn and the state colleges, respectively, and
  2.the timeline for filling vacancies on the respective police forces, including when an exam for a vacant position will be offered and how soon after the exam an appointment to a vacant position can be made.
  If an exam is unnecessary due to a sufficient candidate list the administrative services commissioner provides under state civil service law, then an the governing body of UConn or CSUS must make an appointment of from that candidate list.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §94 '-- SPECIAL POLICE FORCE EFFICACY STUDY AND COORDINATED SECURITY PLAN
  Special Police Force Efficacy Study
  The bill requires the Board of Regents for Higher Education (BOR), in consultation with DESPP, to evaluate whether the establishment of a special police force for each regional and technical community college would be effective.By January 1, 2014, the BOR president must deliver the results to the Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee.
  Coordinated Security Plan
  The bill also requires BOR to develop a coordinated security plan for CSUS and the regional community-technical college system.By January 1, 2014, the BOR president must report on the plan to the Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §95 '-- CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR ARMED HIGHER EDUCATION SECURITY
  The bill requires all armed campus security personnel to be certified by the Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) Council (see BACKGROUND).
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §96 '-- CAMPUS SAFETY AND SECURITY AUDITS
  The bill requires DESPP, by December 1, 2014, to perform or require an audit of the following campuses to determine their safety and security characteristics:UConn and all its campuses, all state colleges in CSUS, all regional community-technical colleges, and all Connecticut independent institutions of higher education.
  The bill also requires DESPP to base any recommendations for campus security upgrades on the audit's findings and align them with the campus's security protocol plan.DESPP must report the audit results to the Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee by January 1, 2015.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §97 '-- TERMINOLOGY CHANGE
  The bill renames ''independent college or university'' under current law as ''independent institution of higher education.'' Its definition still refers to non-profit institutions established in Connecticut that have (1) degree-granting authority in the state, (2) a home campus within the state, (3) no function in the state system of public higher education, and (4) a primary function other than religious vocation preparation.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §§ 98 & 99 '-- BOND AUTHORIZATION REPEALER
  The bill repeals a$3 million bond authorization, initially created in 2007 for a school security infrastructure program and reduced in 2010 as part of a bond cancellation.The bill repeals the remaining$3 million in bond authorizations.Statutory language for how schools could apply for, and how the education commissioner could distribute, these funds was never included in the original act (PA 07-7, June Special Session, § 13 (j)(6)).
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  BACKGROUND
  National Clearinghouse on Educational Facilities (§84)
  The clearinghouse was created by the U.S.Department of Education and is funded by the department and overseen by its Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools.It provides information on planning, designing, funding, building, improving, and maintaining safe, healthy, high-performance schools.The clearinghouse's Safe Schools Facilities Check List allows schools to assess the safety of their buildings and grounds.
  POST Authority and Regulations (§95)
  POST establishes minimum qualifications for municipal police officers and enforces professional standards for certifying and decertifying them.Its entry level requirements for police officers include personal interviews, fingerprint examination, background investigation, psychological examination, criminal history record check, controlled substance screen, and physical fitness and medical tests (Conn.Agencies Reg.§ 7-294e-16).
  AN ACT CONCERNING GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND CHILDREN'S SAFETY.OLR Bill Analysis
  SB 1160
  Emergency Certification
  AN ACT CONCERNING GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND CHILDREN'S SAFETY.
  SUMMARY:
  The bill makes numerous changes in the laws governing firearms.The major changes pertain to assault weapons, handguns (pistols and revolvers), long guns (rifles and shotguns), and large capacity magazines (LCM).
  With regard to firearms, the bill, among other things, expands the ban on assault weapons, bans the sale or purchase of large capacity magazines (LCMs) that can hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition, mandates the establishment of a deadly weapon offender registry, bans armor-piercing bullets, adds two members to the Board of Firearms Permit Examiners, expands the circumstances in which mental health history disqualifies a person for gun permits or other gun credentials, requires anyone buying ammunition to have an ammunition certificate or other gun credential, and appropriates$1 million to DESPP for FY 14 to fund the statewide firearms trafficking task force.
  Among its mental health provisions, the bill creates a 20-member task force to study the provision of behavioral health services in Connecticut and report to the legislature by February 1, 2014.It also requires the Department of Mental Health and Addition Services (DMHAS) to:
  1.administer a mental health first aid training program, in consultation with the Department of Education (DOE);
  2.implement an assertive community treatment (ACT) program in three additional cities (programs currently operate in Manchester, Middletown, New Britain, and Norwich);and
  3.provide case management and care coordination services to up to 100 people with mental illness who are involved in the probate court system and are not receiving these services.
  Finally, the bill requires the Department of Children and Families (DCF) commissioner, by January 1, 2014, to establish and implement a regional behavioral health consultation and care coordination program for primary care providers who serve children.
  The bill makes various changes to the process for grieving adverse determinations (e.g., claims denials) by health insurers.Among other things, it reduces the time health insurers have to (1) make initial determinations on requests for treatments for certain mental or substance use disorders and (2) review claim denials and other adverse determinations of such requests.It expands the role of and qualifications required for health care professionals who evaluate the appropriateness of adverse determinations.The bill also requires the Insurance Commissioner to seek input on methods the department might use to check for compliance with state and federal mental health coverage parity laws and report on these issues to the Insurance and Public Health committees.
  Lastly, the bill makes numerous conforming changes.
  The bill (1) creates a new council to establish new school safety infrastructure standards, (2) authorizes up to$15 million in bonds for a new competitive grant program for school safety projects, and (3) establishes a procedure leading to new requirements under the school construction law.
  It also requires school districts to perform a number of new school safety activities including establishing safety and security plans and committees for each school.
  Additionally, the bill requires public and independent institutions of higher education to develop campus security plans, undergo safety audits, and form campus threat assessment teams.
  It also (1) requires mental health first aid training for school district staff, (2) gives safe school climate committees new responsibilities, (3) creates a school security consultant registry, and (4) changes the law regarding civil service testing for UConn and state university police.
  It also repeals an unused$3 million bond authorization, initially created in 2007 for a school security infrastructure program.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Various, see below
  § 1 '' LONG GUN SALES
  The bill creates several requirements regarding the sale of long guns, except between federally-licensed firearm (1) manufacturers and dealers, (2) importers and dealers, or (3) dealers.
  Age Restriction on Retail Sale of Long Guns
  With one exception, the bill prohibits the retail sale of long guns to anyone under 18 years of age.If the long gun is a semi-automatic centerfire rifle that has or accepts a magazine with a capacity of more than five rounds, the purchaser must be at least 21.This stricter limitation does not apply to members or employees of local police departments, the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP), or the Department of Correction (DOC), or state or U.S.military or naval members, for use in the discharge of their duties.
  Credential Required to Buy or Receive Long Gun
  The bill creates a new long gun eligibility certificate (see below for details).On and after April 1, 2014, the bill requires anyone, except a federal marshal, parole officer, or peace officer, buying or receiving a long gun to have a long gun eligibility certificate, handgun permit, handgun dealer permit, or handgun eligibility certificate.
  Sales Receipt
  The bill adds a buyer's date and place of birth to the information required on a long gun receipt.Existing law requires such receipts to also contain the (1) buyer's name and address;(2) firearm make, model, serial number, and caliber, and general description;and (3) transfer date.
  Long Gun Sales By Someone Other Than Gun Dealers
  Current law does not regulate the private sale of long guns.The bill prohibits the sale or transfer of long guns by someone who is not a federally-licensed gun dealer, manufacturer, or importer to someone who is not such a licensee, unless the transaction has been authorized by DESPP or specified background check requirements have been met.Specifically, the requirements are as follows:
  1.The prospective transferor and transferee must comply with the documentation and authorization requirements that apply to retail sales of long guns (e.g., (a) the seller must document the transaction with DESPP, maintain copies of the record, and obtain an authorization number from DESPP;(b) the buyer must undergo a national instant criminal background check;(c) the gun cannot be loaded when transferred;and (d) DESPP must authorize or deny the sale or transfer);or
  2.a federally-licensed firearm dealer, upon the request of the prospective transferor or transferee, must consent to initiate a national instant criminal background check system (NICS) in accordance with the procedures set forth below, and the background check must show that the transferee is eligible to receive the gun.
  It appears that option (2) is available only on and after January 1, 2014.To proceed under this option, the prospective transferor or transferee must provide the consenting dealer with the transferee's name, gender, race, date of birth, and state of residence.If necessary to verify the person's identity, they may also provide a unique numeric identifier (such as a Social Security number) and additional identifiers (such as height, weight, eye and hair color, and place of birth).
  The prospective transferee must present to the dealer his or her gun credential (gun eligibility certificate, handgun permit, handgun sale permit, or handgun eligibility certificate).The dealer can charge up to$20 for initiating the background check.
  The dealer must initiate the background check by contacting the NICS operations center.The dealer must immediately notify the prospective transferor or transferee of the response from the center.The sale or transfer cannot take place if the response indicates the prospective transferee is ineligible to receive the gun.
  When the transaction is completed, the transferor or transferee must complete a DESPP-prescribed form containing the (1) transferor's name, address, and firearm permit or certificate number, if any;(2) transferee's name, address, date and place of birth, and firearm permit or certificate number;(3) sale or transfer date;(4) caliber, make, model, and manufacturer's number and a general description of the gun;and (5) the background check transaction number.The bill imposes similar transmission and retention requirements for the form as apply to sales of long guns by dealers.
  Waiting Period
  Current law contains a two-week waiting period for long gun purchases from gun dealers, with certain exceptions (e.g., if the buyer holds certain gun credentials).Under the bill, this waiting period only applies prior to April 1, 2014.The bill also makes a conforming change by adding an exception to the waiting period if the buyer has a long gun eligibility certificate.It appears that starting April 1, 2014, the bill ties delivery to the date DESPP issues an authorization number for the transaction.
  Penalties
  Current law does not specify a penalty for transferring a long gun at retail in violation of the law's requirements.The bill generally makes it a class D felony to violate such requirements or any of the provisions specified above pertaining to long gun sales (whether at retail or otherwise).The bill makes it a class B felony if the person transferring the firearm knows that it is stolen or that the manufacturer's number or serial number has been altered, removed, or obliterated.In addition to these felony penalties, anyone who violates the bill's or existing law's requirements for long gun sales must forfeit any long guns found on the person.
  The bill allows a court to suspend prosecution for a first time minor violation under these provisions, under the same procedures as apply to such suspensions under existing law for handgun sale violations.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:upon passage
  §§ 2-7 '-- LONG GUN ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATE
  The bill creates a new gun credential:a long gun eligibility certificate.The bill sets the minimum age for a long gun eligibility certificate at 18, whereas existing law sets a minimum age of 21 for a handgun eligibility certificate.Otherwise, the bill's provisions concerning the long gun eligibility certificate are substantially similar to the provisions for handgun eligibility certificates under existing law and the bill.
  Thus, among numerous other things:
  1.DESPP issues the long gun eligibility certificates;
  2.the fee for an initial or renewal certificate is$35, and the certificate is good for five years;
  3.applicants are ineligible for various reasons, including convictions for a felony or specified misdemeanors or certain mental health history;
  4.applicants must complete background checks;
  5.anyone aggrieved by an adverse action concerning a certificate or application may appeal to the Board of Firearms Permit Examiners, following existing procedures in statutes for appeals of issuing officials'decisions for other gun credentials;and
  6.the DESPP commissioner must include information about such certificates in the database he currently maintains for sellers to verify the validity of a purchaser's gun credential.
  Unlike the case with handgun eligibility certificates, the bill does not provide for temporary eligibility certificates for long guns.
  As is the case for handgun eligibility certificates, a long gun eligibility certificate can be revoked upon the occurrence of any event that would have disqualified the holder from being issued the certificate.If the certificate is revoked, DESPP must notify the person in writing, and the person must deliver it to the commissioner.Failure to deliver it within five days of the notification is a class A misdemeanor.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:July 1, 2013
  § 9 '-- SALE OF CONTRABAND LONG GUNS AT AUCTION
  By law, the state may sell at public auction guns the court determines to be contraband.Existing law provides that rifles and shotguns may only be sold at such auctions to people qualified under federal law to purchase them.The bill also requires the purchaser to have a long gun eligibility certificate.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:July 1, 2013
  §§ 8, 10-11, 57-58 '-- MENTAL HEALTH AND ELIGIBILITY FOR GUN CREDENTIALS
  The bill broadens the mental health provisions that disqualify a person for a gun permit or handgun eligibility certificate.The same prohibitions also apply under the bill to the long gun eligibility certificate.
  Under current law, a person confined in a psychiatric hospital by probate court order within the preceding 12 months of an application is ineligible for a gun permit or eligibility certificate.The bill extends this period to 60 months.
  The bill also makes ineligible any person who voluntarily admitted himself or herself to a psychiatric hospital, on or after October 1, 2013, during the preceding six months.But someone is not ineligible for voluntary admissions solely due to alcohol or drug treatment.
  The bill makes conforming changes to the responsibilities of the DESPP and DMHAS commissioners and psychiatric hospitals regarding such voluntary admissions.Thus, as is currently the case regarding involuntary commitments occurring within the applicable period:
  1.DMHAS must maintain information on voluntary admissions, and make that information available to the DESPP commissioner to carry out his obligations pertaining to gun credentials;
  2.the DESPP commissioner must verify from DMHAS that a person applying for a gun credential was not subject to such a voluntary admission, and DMHAS must report such information to DESPP;
  3.if he determines that an applicant was subject to voluntary admission, he must report the status of the person's application to DMHAS;
  4.the DMHAS commissioner must obtain from DESPP the status of any such applications for anyone who has been voluntarily admitted;
  5.DMHAS must advise the psychiatric hospital to which a person has been voluntarily admitted of the status of a gun application, as reported by DESPP;and
  6.the DMHAS commissioner and the hospital must maintain as confidential any such information they receive on the status of permit applications.
  As part of this process, the bill requires psychiatric hospitals, without delay, to notify the DMHAS commissioner when a person is voluntarily admitted to the hospital for care and treatment of a psychiatric disability, other than admission solely for alcohol or drug treatment.The hospital must at least provide the person's name, address, sex, date of birth, and date of admission.The DMHAS commissioner must maintain such identifying information on all voluntary admissions occurring on and after July 1, 2013.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:the provisions changing the eligibility criteria for gun permits and eligibility certificates, and requiring psychiatric hospitals to notify DMHAS about voluntary admissions, are effective October 1, 2013;the other provisions are effective July 1, 2013.
  §§ 12-13 '-- TECHNICAL OR CONFORMING CHANGES
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §§ 14-17 '-- AMMUNITION SALES
  The bill generally bars the sale of ammunition or an ammunition magazine to anyone under age 18.
  The bill creates an ammunition certificate (see below).Starting October 1, 2013, the bill generally prohibits anyone from selling ammunition or an ammunition magazine to any buyer unless he or she:
  1.has a handgun permit, gun sale permit, or long gun or handgun eligibility certificate, and presents such a credential to the seller, or
  2.has an ammunition certificate and presents to the seller (a) the certificate and (b) a driver's license, passport, or other valid government-issued identification that contains the person's photograph and date of birth.
  The bill defines ''ammunition'' as a loaded cartridge, consisting of a primed case, propellant, or projectile, designed for use in any firearm.It defines ''magazine'' as a firearm magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device that accepts ammunition.
  Anyone who violates these provisions commits a class D felony.
  Under the bill, these restrictions and requirements do not apply to sales or other transfers of ammunition between federally licensed firearm (1) manufacturers and dealers, (2) importers and dealers, or (3) dealers.
  Ammunition Certificate
  Under the bill, a person must be age 18 or older to apply for an ammunition certificate.To apply, the person must request the DESPP commissioner to issue the certificate and to conduct a national criminal background check, using only the person's name and date of birth.
  After conducting the background check, the commissioner must issue the certificate unless he determines, based on the results, that the person would be ineligible to be issued a long gun eligibility certificate.But if the person would be ineligible for that certificate due to certain criminal convictions, the person is ineligible for the ammunition certificate only for violations committed on or July 1, 2013.
  The certificate must be in a DESPP commissioner-prescribed form.It must contain an identification number and the certificate holder's name, address, date of birth, and signature.
  The bill's provisions on several matters regarding ammunition certificates are similar to provisions in the bill and existing law for handgun and long gun eligibility certificates.This includes matters concerning fees;the requirement to report address changes;confidentiality of the person's name and address with exceptions;and revocation of certificates.
  For example, the fee for the initial and renewal certificate is$35, and the certificate is good for five years.The bill specifies that this fee is in addition to fees for the background check.
  Unlike the case with the handgun and long gun eligibility certificates, the DESPP commissioner is not required to notify ammunition certificate holders at least 90 days in advance of the date the certificate is set to expire.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:the restrictions on ammunition sales are effective upon passage;the provisions creating an ammunition certificate are effective July 1, 2013
  § 18-22 '-- ESTABLISHMENT OF DEADLY WEAPON OFFENDER REGISTRY
  By January 1, 2014, the bill requires DESPP to establish and maintain a registry of everyone (1) convicted of an offense committed with a deadly weapon or (2) found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect for such an offense, notwithstanding any pending appeal.Under law and the bill, a deadly weapon is any weapon, whether loaded or unloaded, from which a shot may be discharged, or a switchblade knife, gravity knife, bill, blackjack, bludgeon, or metal knuckles.
  Table 1 lists the offenses the bill designates as deadly weapon offenses.
  Table 1:Deadly Weapon Offenses
  Interference with the legislative process
  2-1e(c)
  Possessing or carrying a handgun where prohibited by law or the person who owns or exercises control over the premises
  29-28(e)
  Sell or otherwise transfer handgun to ineligible person, violation of transfer procedures
  29-33(a) to (e)
  Failure to document handgun transfer with DESPP
  29-33(e)
  Sell or transfer handgun in violation of statutory transfer procedures
  29-33(i)
  Make false statement or give false information in connection with purchase, sale, delivery or other transfer of handgun
  29-34
  Illegally sell, barter, hire, lend, give, deliver, or otherwise transfer handgun to anyone under age 21
  29-34
  Carry a handgun without a permit
  29-35(a)
  Remove, deface, alter or obliterate the name of any maker or model or any maker's number or other mark of identification mark on any firearm
  29-36
  Failure to transfer, deliver, or surrender handguns by persons ineligible to possess them
  29-36k
  Violation of transfer procedures for long guns;failure to document transfer
  29-37a
  False statement or information in connection with sale or transfer of long gun
  29-37e
  Noncompliance with law governing sale, delivery, or transfer of firearms at gun show
  29-37g(c)
  Buy firearms intending to transfer it to ineligible person (''strawman purchase'')
  29-37j
  Ineligible person soliciting, employing, or assisting anyone in strawman purchasing
  29-37j
  Possess or use a machine gun in the perpetration or attempted perpetration of a violent crime
  53-202(b)
  Uses or possesses a machine for an offensive or aggressive purpose
  53-202(c)
  Transfer, sell or give a machine gun to a person under age 16
  53-202(c)
  Illegally sells, gives, distributes, transports, or imports assault weapon
  53-202b
  Illegally possesses assault weapon
  53-202c
  Failure to register machine gun
  53-202 (g)
  Commit a class A, B, or C felony with an assault weapon
  53-202j
  Commit an A, B, or C felony with firearm other than assault weapon
  53-202k
  Knowingly distribute, transport, import, or keep for sale armor piercing.50 caliber bullet or incendiary.50 caliber bullet
  53-202l
  Firearm trafficking
  53-202aa
  Unlawful training in use of firearms, explosives or incendiary devices or techniques capable of causing injury
  53-206b
  Sell, deliver, or provide firearm to another person to engage in conduct constituting an offense or under circumstances in which he should know that such other person intends to use such firearm in such conduct
  53a-8(b)
  Manslaughter in the 1st degree with a firearm
  53a-55a
  Manslaughter in the 2nd degree with a firearm
  53a-56a
  Assault in the second degree with a firearm
  53a-60a
  Assault of an elderly, blind, disabled or pregnant person or a person with intellectual disability in the 2nd degree with a firearm
  53a-60c
  Sexual assault in the 3rd degree with a firearm
  53a-72b
  Kidnapping in the 1st degree with a firearm
  53a-92a
  Kidnapping in the 2nd degree with a firearm
  53a-94a
  Burglary in the 2nd degree with a firearm
  53a-102a
  Burglary in the 3rd degree with a firearm
  53a-103a
  Possession of a sawed off shotgun or silencer
  53a-211
  Stealing a firearm
  53a-212
  Criminal use of a firearm or electronic defense weapon
  53a-216
  Criminal possession of a firearm or electronic defense weapon
  53a-217
  Criminally negligent storage of a firearm
  53a-217a
  Illegal possession of a weapon on school grounds
  53a-217b
  Criminal possession of a handgun
  53a-217c
  Second or subsequent violation of failure to report the loss or theft of a firearm
  53-202g
  A violation of any statute that constitutes a felony, provided the court makes a finding that, at the time of the violation, the person used a firearm, or was armed with and threatened the use of, or displayed or represented by words or conduct that the person possessed, a firearm.
  In cooperation with DOC, the Office of the Chief Court Administrator, and the Psychiatric Security Review Board, DESPP must develop appropriate forms for agencies and individuals to use to report registration information, including address changes.DESPP must enter registration information it receives into the registry and notify the local police department or state police troop having jurisdiction where a registrant lives or plans to live.
  Registrants must notify DESPP when they move and DESPP must enter the information into the registry and notify the local police department or state police troop having jurisdiction where the registrant previously lived and where he or she relocated.The DESPP commissioner must also ensure that the name and residence address of each registrant is available through the department's Connecticut On-Line Law Enforcement Communication Teleprocessing system.If a registrant moves to another state, DESPP may notify that state's state police agency or such other agency that maintains registry information, if known.
  DESPP may suspend the registration of anyone incarcerated, under civil commitment, or living out of state.During that time, it may withdraw the registration information from access to law enforcement agencies.When the registrant is released from incarceration or civil commitment or resumes living in the state, DESPP must reinstate the registration and redistribute the registration information in accordance with the bill.Suspension of registration does not affect the expiration date of the registration.
  DESPP must include in the registry the most recent photograph of each registrant taken by DESPP, DOC, a law enforcement agency, or the Judicial Department's Court Support Services Division.
  Name Changes
  DESPP must revise a registrant's information whenever the court notifies the commissioner that it has issued an order for the name change of a registrant.
  The DESPP commissioner must develop a protocol for notifying other state agencies, the Judicial Department, and local police departments whenever (1) a registered person changes his or her name and notifies him or (2) he determines that a registered person has changed his or her name.
  Confidentiality of Gun Offender Registry Information
  The registry information is not a public record for purposes of the Freedom of Information Act, and it can be disclosed only as authorized under the bill.If disclosed, any further disclosure must be as authorized by the bill.
  Initial Registration
  Anyone convicted, or found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect, of a deadly weapon offense and released into the community on or after January 1, 2014, must register with DESPP within 14 calendar days after being released.Anyone in the DOC commissioner's custody must register before release as the DOC commissioner directs.The person must provide his or her name, identifying factors (such as fingerprints), criminal history record, and home and email addresses on forms and locations that the DESPP commissioner indicates.The obligation to register applies (1) whether the person lives in or out of state or (2) even if the case is on appeal.The DESPP commissioner must maintain the registration information for five years.
  The bill requires the court, before accepting a plea of guilty or nolo contendere (no contest) from a person for a deadly weapon offense, to inform him or her of the registration consequences of the plea and determine that the person fully understands them.
  A registrant who changes his or her name or address must notify the DESPP commissioner in writing of the change, without undue delay.During the registration period, registrants must complete and return any forms mailed to them to verify their home address and retake photographs if the commissioner requests this.
  Registration Updates
  People required to register must do so within 20 days after the anniversary of the initial registration date.They must go to the local police department or state police troop having jurisdiction where they live to verify and update the registration, as appropriate.The department or troop, as applicable, may defer the appearance to a later date for good cause.Not later than 30 calendar days before each anniversary date, DESPP must mail written notice of the requirement to the registrant and police department or troop, as applicable.Within 30 days of the anniversary date, the troop or department must notify the commissioner on DESPP-prescribed forms whether the registrant appeared.If the registrant's appearance was deferred, the form must show the new date and describe the good cause for the deferral.
  Failure to (1) inform the DESPP commissioner of a name or address change or (2) register and update one's status as required is a class D felony.But a person's failure to notify the commissioner without undue delay of a name or address change is subject to the penalty only if the failure continues for five business days.
  Registration Information
  The registration information for each registrant must include:
  1.the offender's name, including any aliases or other name by which he or she has been legally known;
  2.identifying information, including a physical description;
  3.current home address;
  4.a description of the offense and the date of the conviction;and
  5.the date the offender was released from incarceration, if he or she served a prison term.
  The offender must sign and date the registration.
  When an offender appears to register, DESPP must photograph him or her, arrange for him or her to be fingerprinted, and include the photograph and a complete set of fingerprints in the registry.If the offender must, by law, submit to the taking of a blood or other biological sample for DNA analysis and has not done so, the commissioner must also require a sample to be taken.DESPP may require the offender to provide documentation to verify the contents of the registration.
  Name changes
  The bill treats being on the gun offender registry the same as being on the sex offender registry with respect to court approval of name changes.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:January 1, 2014
  §§ 23-24 '-- LARGE CAPACITY MAGAZINES
  The bill defines "large capacity magazine" as any firearm magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device that can, or can be readily restored or converted to accept, more than 10 rounds of ammunition.It excludes:
  1.feeding devices permanently altered so that they cannot hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition,
  2..22 caliber tube ammunition feeding devices,
  3.tubular magazines contained in a lever-action firearm, or
  4.permanently inoperable magazines.
  With exceptions, the bill makes it a class D felony to buy, distribute, import into Connecticut, keep for sale, or offer or expose for sale LCMs.
  With exceptions, anyone who possesses any LCM on or after January 1, 2014 obtained before the bill's effective date is guilty of a infraction punishable by a$90 fine and a class D penalty for any subsequent offense;anyone who possesses a large capacity magazine on or after January 1, 2014 that was obtained after that date is guilty of a class D felony.
  Exemptions from the Ban
  The following may possess, purchase, or import LCMs:
  1.members or employees of DESPP, police departments, DOC, or the Armed Forces (service members) (a) for use in the discharge of their official duties or (b) when off duty;
  2.employees of a NRC licensee operating a nuclear power plant in Connecticut for providing security services at the facility, or any person, firm, corporation, contractor, or subcontractor providing security at the facility;or
  3.in-state manufacturers of LCM that manufacture or transport LCMs in Connecticut for sale here to exempt persons and entities above or for sale out of state.
  The following may also possess LCMs:
  1.gun dealers;
  2.gunsmiths employed by gun dealers, who possess LCMs for servicing or repair;
  3.anyone who declared possession of the magazine under the bill;or
  4.executors or administrators of an estate that includes legally declared LCMs, which are disposed of as authorized by the Probate Court, if the disposition is otherwise permitted.
  The bill allows transfers:
  1.by bequest or intestate succession of LCMs, declared to DESPP;
  2.to DESPP or a local police department;or
  3.to gun dealers in compliance with the bill.
  Violations
  The court may order suspension of prosecution of a violation of the LCM provisions in accordance with the bill if it finds that the violation is not serious and that the violator (1) will probably not offend again, (2) has not previously been convicted of a violation of the provisions, and (3) has not previously had a prosecution for a violation suspended.
  Declaring Possession of LCMs
  Anyone who lawfully possesses an LCM before January 1, 2014, must apply to DESPP by January 1, 2014 to declare its possession in order to legally keep it.Service members unable to apply by January 1, 2014 because of out-of-state duty have 90 days after returning to Connecticut to declare possession of such magazine.Applications must be made on such form or in such manner as DESPP prescribes.
  In addition to the prescribed LCM application form, DESPP must design or amend the applications for existing gun credentials to allow an applicant to declare possession of an LCM upon these same applications.DESPP may adopt regulations to establish application procedures.
  Name and Address of People who Declare LCMs Confidential
  The name and address of people who declare possession of LCMs are confidential and disclosable only to (1) law enforcement agencies and U.S.probation officers carrying out their duties and (2) the DMHAS commissioner to carry out statutory provisions pertaining to gun laws.
  Nonresidents Who Move to Connecticut
  Anyone who moves into Connecticut in lawful possession of an LCM has 90 days to either permanently disable it, sell it to a gun dealer, or take it out of state.But servicemembers who transfer here after January 1, 2014, have 90 days after their arrival to declare possession of an LCM.
  Transfers to Dealers
  If an owner of an LCM transfers it to a gun dealer, the dealer must, at the time of delivery, execute a certificate of transfer.
  For transfers made before January 1, 2014, the dealer must give DESPP monthly reports, on such form as the commissioner prescribes, on the number of transfers that the dealer has accepted.For transfers made on or after January 1, 2014, the dealer must send or deliver the transfer certificates DESPP.The certificate of transfer must contain:
  1.the sale or transfer date;
  2.the gun dealer and transferor's name and address and their Social Security or motor vehicle operator license numbers, if applicable;
  3.the gun dealer's federal firearms license number;and
  4.a description of the LCM.
  The gun dealer must present his or her dealer's federal firearms license and seller's permit to the seller or transferor for inspection at the time of purchase or transfer.
  The DESPP commissioner must maintain a file of all certificates of transfer at his central office.
  Restrictions on Declared LCMs
  The bill limits where a person can possess an LCM that was declared.The person may possess it only:
  1.at his or her residence, place of business, or other property he or she owns, provided the LCM contains not more than 10 bullets;
  2.on the premises of a target range of a public or private club or organization organized to practice target shooting;
  3.at a target range that holds a regulatory or business license for practicing target shooting;
  4.while on the premises of a licensed shooting club;
  5.while transporting the LCM between any of the above-mentioned or to a gun dealer, provided the LCM contains no more than 10 bullets and is transported in compliance with the bill;or
  6.under a valid gun permit, provided the LCM (a) is in a handgun lawfully possessed by the person before the bill took effect, (b) does not extend beyond the bottom of the pistol grip, and (c) contains no more than 10 bullets.
  A violation of the provision imposing restrictions on declared LCMs is a class C misdemeanor.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §§ 25-31 '-- ASSAULT WEAPONS
  Definitions
  Current law definesan''assault weapon'' as
  1.any selective-fire firearm capable of fully automatic, semiautomatic, or burst fire at the user's option;
  2.any of a list of named semiautomatic firearms;
  3.any unlisted semi-automatic rifle or pistol that can accept a detachable magazine and has at least two of five specified features;
  4.any semi-automatic shotgun that has at least two of four specified features;or
  5.a part or combination of parts designed or intended to convert a firearm into an assault weapon if the parts may be rapidly assembled and are in the possession or under the control of the same person (see BACKGROUND for certain exemptions).
  Rifles.The bill expands the banned weapons to include the following semiautomatic centerfire rifles, or copies or duplicates with the capability of any such rifles, that were in production before or on the effective date of the bill:AK 47;AK 74, AKM, AKS-74U, ARM, MAADI AK 47, MAK90, MISR, NHM90, NHM91, Norinco 56, 56S, 84S and 86S, Poly Technologies AKS and AK47, SA 85, SA 93, VEPR, WASR-10, WUM, Rock River Arms LAR-47 and Vector Arms AK-47;AR-10;AR-15;Bushmaster Carbon 15, Bushmaster XM15, Bushmaster ACR Rifles, Bushmaster MOE Rifles;Colt Match Target Rifles;Armalite M15;Olympic Arms AR-15, A1, CAR, PCR, K3B, K30R, K16, K48, K8 and K9 Rifles;DPMS Tactical Rifles;Smith and Wesson M&P15 Rifles;Rock River Arms LAR-15;Doublestar AR Rifles;Barrett REC7;Beretta Storm;Calico Liberty 50, 50 Tactical, 100, 100 Tactical, I, I Tactical, II and II Tactical Rifles;Hi-Point Carbine Rifles;HK-PSG-1;Kel-Tec Sub-2000, SU Rifles, and RFB;Remington Tactical Rifle Model 7615;SAR-8, SAR-4800 and SR9;SLG 95;SLR 95 or 96;TNW M230 and M2HB;Vector Arms UZI, Galil and Galil Sporter;Daewoo AR 100 and AR 110C;Fabrique Nationale/FN 308 Match and L1A1 Sporter;HK USC;IZHMASH Saiga AK;SIG Sauer 551-A1, 556, 516, 716 and M400 Rifles;Valmet M62S, M71S and M78S;Wilkinson Arms Linda Carbine;and Barrett M107A1.
  The bill also bans any semiautomatic, centerfire rifle, regardless of the date produced, that can accept a detachable magazine that has at least one of the following features:
  1.a folding or telescoping stock;
  2.any grip of the weapon, including a pistol grip, thumbhole stock, or other stock that would allow an individual to grip the weapon, resulting in any finger on the trigger hand in addition to the trigger finger being directly below any portion of the action of the weapon when firing;
  3.a forward pistol grip;
  4.a flash suppressor;or
  5.a grenade launcher or flare launcher.
  It also bans semiautomatic, centerfire rifles that have (1) a fixed magazine and can accept more than 10 rounds of ammunition or (2) an overall length of less than 30 inches.
  Pistols.The bill bans following specified semiautomatic pistols, or copies or duplicates thereof with the capability of any such pistols, that were in production prior to or on the effective date of this section:Centurion 39 AK, Draco AK-47, HCR AK-47, IO Inc.Hellpup AK-47, Mini-Draco AK-47 and Yugo Krebs Krink;American Spirit AR-15, Bushmaster Carbon 15, Doublestar Corporation AR, DPMS AR-15, Olympic Arms AR-15 and Rock River Arms LAR 15;Calico Liberty III and III Tactical Pistols;Masterpiece Arms MPA Pistols and Velocity Arms VMA Pistols;Intratec TEC-DC9 and AB-10;Colefire Magnum;German Sport 522 PK and Chiappa Firearms Mfour-22;DSA SA58 PKP FAL;I.O.Inc.PPS-43C;Kel-Tec PLR-16 Pistol;Sig Sauer P516 and P556 pistols;and Thompson TA5 pistols.
  The bill also bans any semiautomatic pistol that can accept a detachable magazine and has at least one of the following features:
  1.the ability to accept a detachable ammunition magazine that attaches at some location outside the pistol grip;
  2.a threaded barrel capable of accepting a flash suppressor, forward pistol grip, or silencer;or
  3.a shroud attached to, or partially or completely encircling, the barrel and that permitting the shooter to fire the firearm without being burned, except a slide that encloses the barrel;or
  4.a second hand grip.
  The bill also bans any semiautomatic pistol with a fixed magazine that can accept more than 10 rounds of ammunition
  Shotguns.The bill bans the following shotguns or copies or duplicates with the capability of any such shotguns that were in production before or on the bill's effective date:all IZHMASH Saiga 12 shotguns.
  The bill also bans semiautomatic shotguns that have both of the following features:
  1.a folding or telescoping stock;
  2.any grip of the weapon, including a pistol grip, a thumbhole stock, or any other stock, the use of which would allow an individual to grip the weapon, resulting in any finger on the trigger hand in addition to the trigger finger being directly below any portion of the action of the weapon when firing.
  It also bans any (1) semiautomatic shotgun that can accept a detachable magazine and (2) shotgun with a revolving cylinder.
  Parts Considered an Assault Weapon in Some Circumstances
  The bill also bans (1) a part or combination of parts designed or intended to convert semiautomatic (a) centerfire rifles, (b) pistols, (c) shotguns, or (d) firearms into assault weapons and any combination f parts from which such an assault weapon may be assembled if possessed by, or in the possession or under the control of, the same person.
  Prohibitions and Exemptions from Ban
  The bill generally bans the sale, acquisition, or possession of the newly added weapons under similar conditions to the ban on assault weapons under existing law.By law, illegal possession of an assault weapon is a class D felony, with a mandatory minimum one-year prison term.Illegally transferring or carrying an assault weapon is a class C felony, with a two-year mandatory minimum prison term or, in the case of transfers to people under age 18, an additional six-year mandatory minimum.The ban on sales and transfers is effective upon passage.
  Legal Possession.Under the bill, anyone who legally possessed one of the newly banned weapons on the day before the bill's effective date and who is eligible for a certificate of possession may continue to do so by applying to DESPP for this certificate by January 1, 2014 and otherwise complying with the bill.A member of the U.S.Military or Navy who is unable to apply by January 1, 2014 because he or she is out of state on official duty has 90 days after returning to Connecticut to apply for a certificate.The certificate must contain a description of the firearm that identifies it uniquely, including all identification marks;the owner's full name, address, date of birth and thumbprint;and any other information DESPP deems appropriate.
  Beginning on its effective date, the bill prohibits anyone with a certificate of possession for any of the newly added assault weapons from (1) selling or transferring the weapon in Connecticut to anyone except a licensed gun dealer or (2) otherwise transferring the weapon except by (a) bequest or intestate succession or (b) prior arrangement to DESPP or a local police department.Anyone who inherits an assault weapon for which a certificate was issued has 90 days to apply for a certificate or sell the weapon to a gun dealer, permanently disable it, or take it out of state.
  Anyone who moves into Connecticut in lawful possession of an assault weapon has 90 days to make it permanently inoperable, sell it to a licensed gun dealer, or take it out of state.But service members transferred to Connecticut in lawful possession of an assault weapon may apply to DESPP for a certificate within 90 days of arriving here.
  Under the law and bill, anyone who possesses an assault weapon for which a certificate has been issued may possess it only at specified locations, such as his or her home or business place, at a licensed shooting club, or at a target range that holds a license for practicing target shooting.
  Anyone who obtained a certificate of possession for an existing assault weapon before the bill's effective date for a weapon defined as an assault weapon by the bill is deemed to have obtained a certificate of possession for such assault weapon and must not be required to obtain a separate certificate of possession.
  Exemptions
  The bill contains exemptions for the newly added weapons as current law contains with regard to assault weapons.It allows the sale and possession of assault weapons to the DOC, DESPP, police departments, and Connecticut's and the U.S.military or naval forces for use in their official duties.It additionally allows sales to and possession by (a) employees of a Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licensee operating a nuclear power plant in Connecticut for the purpose of providing security or (b) any person, firm, corporation, contractor, or subcontractor providing security at the plant.
  It allows possession by employees or members of these entities for official use.And it further specifies that it does not prohibit possession or use of assault weapons by sworn members of these agencies when on duty and within the scope of their duties.
  As is the case with assault weapons for which a certificate of possession is issued under existing law, the bill allows the newly added weapons to be possessed or received, under defined circumstances, by:
  1.executors or administrators of an estate that includes an assault weapon for which a certificate has been issued,
  2.licensed gun dealers, and
  3.gunsmiths.
  Similarly, it allows for:
  1.individuals to arrange to relinquish a weapon to a police department or DESPP;
  2.temporary transfers or possession for certain out-of-state events;and
  3.the weapons to be transported to or from a shooting competition or exhibition, display, or educational project about firearms sponsored, conducted by, approved, or under the auspices of a law enforcement agency or a national or state-recognized entity that fosters proficiency in firearms use or promotes firearms education
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  32 '-- ARMOR PIERCING AMMUNITION BANNED
  Current law does not regulate ammunition except for banning armor-piercing.50 caliber bullets or incendiary.50 caliber bullets.Currently possession of the ammunition is a class D felony.
  The bill expands the definition of what constitutes banned armor piercing bullets and makes their possession a class D felony.
  Under current law, an ''armor-piercing.50 caliber bullet'' is a.50 caliber bullet designed, held out by the manufacturer or distributor as, or generally recognized as having a specialized capability to penetrate armor or bulletproof glass, including bullets designated as ''M2 Armor-Piercing'' or ''AP,'' ''M8 Armor-Piercing Incendiary'' or ''API,'' ''M20 Armor-Piercing Incendiary Tracer'' or ''APIT,'' ''M903 Caliber.50 Saboted Light Armor Penetrator'' or ''SLAP,'' or ''M962 Saboted Light Armor Penetrator Tracer'' or ''SLAPT.''
  The bill broadens the definition of ''armor piercing bullet'' to include any bullet that can be fired from a handgun that (1) has projectiles or projectile cores constructed entirely, excluding the presence of traces of other substances, from tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium copper, or depleted uranium or (2) is fully jacketed with a jacket weight or more than 25% of the total weight of the projectile is larger than.22 caliber and is designed and intended for use in a firearm, and (3) does not have projectiles whose cores are composed of soft materials such as lead or lead alloys, zinc or zinc alloys, frangible projectiles designed primarily for sporting purposes, or any other projectiles or projectile cores that the U.S.attorney general finds to be primarily intended to be used for sporting purposes or industrial purposes or that constitutes ''armor piercing ammunition'' as defined in federal law.Armor piercing bullet does not include shotgun shells.
  The bill makes it a class D felony to knowingly transport or carry a firearm loaded with an armor piercing bullet or incendiary.50 caliber bullet.It exempts from the provisions the same entities and people exempt from the ban under current law:
  1.DESPP, police departments, DOC or the state or U.S.military forces for use in the discharge of their official duties;
  2.any executor or administrator of an estate that includes such ammunition that is disposed of as authorized by the Probate Court;and
  3.the transfer by bequest or intestate succession of such ammunition.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 33 '-- AMMUNITION SEIZURE
  Current law allows any two police officers (or a state's attorney), under limited circumstances, to get warrants and seize guns from anyone who poses an imminent risk of injuring himself or herself, or someone else.The bill conforms the law to current practice by allowing them to seize ammunition as well.It makes conforming and minor related changes, specifying that the procedures relating to seizure and returned firearms apply to ammunition as well.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 34 '-- AMMUNITION TRANSFERS BY INELIGIBLE PEOPLE
  Under current law, not later than two business days after the occurrence of any event that makes a person ineligible to possess handguns, the person must transfer the handguns to an eligible person, surrender them to the DESPP commissioner.The bill applies the same standards to ammunition and makes conforming changes.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 35 '-- TRANSFER PROTOCOL
  The bill requires the DESPP commissioner, chief state's attorney, and the Police Chiefs Association to develop a protocol for the transfer of ammunition by people ineligible to possess it.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 36 '-- RESTRAINING ORDER FORM
  The bill requires the application for civil restraining orders to include a space for an alleged victim of domestic violence to indicate whether the alleged domestic violence offender possesses ammunition.It already must have space to indicate gun ownership.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  §37'-- DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INVESTIGATIONS
  The bill allows police to seize ammunition under the same circumstances as they can seize guns when investigating domestic violence crimes.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 38 '-- DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNITS
  The bill requires these units to inform the court if a domestic violence victim indicates that a defendant possesses ammunition, as is currently required for firearms.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 39 '-- DISPOSAL OF CONTRABAND
  The bill requires ammunition that a court adjudges to be contraband or a nuisance turned over to the State Police for destruction or sold at public auction.Firearms are already required to be transferred.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 40 '-- STATEWIDE TRAFFICKING TASKFORCE
  The bill requires the Statewide Firearms Trafficking Task Force Policy Board to deposit the receipts from the sale of seized ammunition in the General Fund, as it must currently do for receipts from sales from firearms receipts.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 41 '-- IDENTIFYING AND TRACING SEIZED AND RECOVERED FIREARMS
  The bill requires the police to return any stolen ammunition seized or recovered with a stolen gun to its rightful owner.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  §§ 42-43, 46-50, & 52-53 '-- INCREASED CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR GUN TRAFFICKING AND OTHER GUN-RELATED OFFENSES
  The bill increases penalties for a number of firearm-related crimes.Table 1 displays these crimes, their current classification, and their classifications under the bill.The penalties for the different crime classifications are in the Table on Penalties (see BACKGROUND).
  Table 1:Increased Penalties for Firearm-Related Crimes
  Bill
  §
  Crime
  (CGS §)
  Current Penalty
  Penalty Under the Bill
  42
  Trafficking in firearms (53-202aa)
  Class C felony if transfer less than five firearms
  Class B felony if transfer five or more firearms
  Class B felony
  Mandatory minimum:
  '—�Three-year prison term
  '—�$10,000 fine unless the court states on the record why it remits or reduces the fine
  43
  Stealing a firearm (53a-212)
  Class D felony
  Class C felony
  Mandatory minimum:
  '—�Two-year prison term
  '—�$5,000 fine unless the court states on the record why it remits or reduces the fine
  46
  Failing to surrender a revoked permit (29-32)
  Class C misdemeanor
  Class A misdemeanor
  47
  Transferring a pistol or revolver to a prohibited person or violating transfer procedures (29-33)
  Class D felony
  Class C felony
  Mandatory minimum:
  '—�Two-year prison term
  '—�$5,000 fine unless the court states on the record why it remits or reduces the fine
  47
  Transferring a pistol or revolver to a prohibited person or violating transfer procedures, knowing the transferred weapon is stolen or has an altered identification mark (29-33)
  Class B felony
  Class B felony
  Mandatory minimum:
  '—�three-year prison term
  '—�$10,000 fine unless the court states on the record why it remits or reduces the fine
  48
  Making a false statement related to a pistol or revolver transfer (29-34(a))
  Class D felony
  Class C felony
  Mandatory minimum:
  '—�Two-year prison term
  '—�$5,000 fine unless the court states on the record why it remits or reduces the fine
  48
  Transferring a pistol or revolver to someone under age 21 except for target or shooting range use (29-34(b))
  Class D felony
  One-year mandatory minimum prison sentence
  Class C felony
  Mandatory minimum:
  '—�Two-year prison term
  '—�$5,000 fine unless the court states on the record why it remits or reduces the fine
  49
  Altering firearm identification mark, number, or name (29-36)
  Up to five years in prison, a fine or up to$1,000, or both
  Class C felony
  Mandatory minimum:
  '—�Two-year prison term
  '—�$5,000 fine unless the court states on the record why it remits or reduces the fine
  50
  Failing to report loss or theft of firearm (2nd or subsequent offense)(53-202g)
  Class D felony
  Class C felony
  50
  Intentionally failing to report loss or theft of firearm (53-202g)
  Class C felony
  Class B felony
  52
  Failing to surrender revoked eligibility certificate (29-36i)
  Class C misdemeanor
  Class A misdemeanor
  53
  Buying a firearm intending to transfer it to an ineligible person (straw man transactions)(29-37j(a))
  Up to five years in prison, fine of up to$1,000, or both
  Class C felony
  Mandatory minimum:
  '—�Two-year prison term
  '—�$5,000 fine unless the court states on the record why it remits or reduces the fine
  53
  Ineligible person soliciting a firearm through a straw man (29-37j(b))
  Class B misdemeanor
  Class D felony
  Mandatory minimum:
  '—�One-year prison term
  '—�$3,000 fine unless the court states on the record why it remits or reduces the fine
  (see below for additional penalties)
  53
  Ineligible person obtaining a firearm from a straw man (29-37j(b))
  -
  Class C felony
  Mandatory minimum:
  '—�Two-year prison term
  '—�$5,000 fine unless the court states on the record why it remits or reduces the fine
  53
  Ineligible person soliciting through a straw man involving transfer of more than one firearm (29-37j(b))
  Class A misdemeanor
  -
  53
  Straw man violations when offender had felony conviction in past five years (29-37j(c))
  Class D felony
  Class B felony
  Mandatory minimum:
  '—�three-year prison term
  '—�$10,000 fine unless the court states on the record why it remits or reduces the fine
  §§ 44-45 '-- POSSESSION CRIMES
  The law provides separate crimes punishing criminal possession of a (1) firearm or electronic defense weapon and (2) pistol or revolver.The bill expands each of these crimes and increases their penalties so that they punish illegal possession of all of these weapons under very similar circumstances and with the same penalties.The bill also punishes possessing ammunition under the same circumstances and with the same penalties.
  Criminal Possession or Firearms, Ammunition, or Electronic Defense Weapons
  The bill increases the penalty for criminal possession of a firearm or electronic defense weapon, expands the circumstances when someone commits this crime, and punishes someone who possesses ammunition under the same circumstances.
  Under current law, a person commits this crime when he or she possesses the weapon and (1) has a prior felony conviction or conviction for a serious juvenile offense, (2) knows he or she is the subject of a restraining or protective order in certain cases or a firearms seizure order after notice and a hearing opportunity, or (3) is prohibited by federal law from having or transporting a firearm.The bill makes it illegal for these same people to possess ammunition.
  The bill also punishes someone who possesses a firearm, ammunition, or an electronic defense weapon when he or she has been:
  1.convicted of certain misdemeanors committed on or after October 1, 2013;
  2.discharged from custody within the past 20 years after being found not guilty of a crime due to mental disease or defect;
  3.confined on or after October 1, 2013 in a hospital for people with psychiatric disabilities under a probate court order within the past (a) 60 months or (b) 12 months if the person has a valid permit or certificate in effect before October 1, 2013;
  4.beginning October 1, 2013, voluntarily admitted to a hospital for people with psychiatric disabilities within the past six months for care and treatment of a psychiatric disability and not solely for being an alcohol- or drug-dependent person.
  The misdemeanor convictions the bill applies to are for:
  1.a first offense of possessing a controlled substance other than a narcotic, a hallucinogen, or between.5 and four ounces of marijuana (an unclassified misdemeanor for a first offense punishable by up to one year in prison, up to$1,000 fine, or both);
  2.the following class A misdemeanors:criminally negligent homicide;3rd degree assault;3rd degree assault of an elderly, blind, disabled, pregnant, or intellectually disabled person;2nd degree threatening;1st degree reckless endangerment;2nd degree unlawful restraint;1st degree riot;inciting to riot;and 2nd degree stalking;and
  3.the class B misdemeanor of 2nd degree riot.
  The bill defines ammunition as a loaded cartridge consisting of a primed case, propellant, or projectile designed for use in a firearm.
  Penalties.The bill increases the penalty for this crime from a class D to a class C felony.The law already imposes a two-year mandatory minimum sentence.The bill also imposes a mandatory minimum$5,000 fine unless the court states on the record why it remits or reduces the fine.
  Criminal Possession of a Handgun
  The bill increases the penalty for criminal possession of a pistol or revolver and expands the circumstances when someone commits this crime.
  Under current law, a person commits this crime when he or she possesses the weapon and:
  1.was previously convicted of a felony or one of the misdemeanors described above,
  2.has a prior conviction for a serious juvenile offense,
  3.has been discharged from custody within the past 20 years after being found not guilty of a crime due to mental disease or defect,
  4.has been confined in a hospital for people with psychiatric disabilities under a probate court order within the past 12 months,
  5.knows he or she is the subject of a restraining or protective order in certain cases or a firearms seizure order after notice and a hearing opportunity, or
  6.is prohibited by federal law from having or transporting a firearm.
  The bill:
  1.on or after October 1, 2013, expands the look-back period for confinements under probate court orders from 12 to 60 months unless the person has a valid permit or certificate in effect before October 1, 2013 and
  2.punishes someone who possesses a pistol or revolver when he or she has been voluntarily admitted, on or after October 1, 2013, to a hospital for people with psychiatric disabilities within the past six months for care and treatment of a psychiatric disability and not solely for being an alcohol- or drug-dependent person.
  Penalties.The bill increases the penalty for this crime from a class D to a class C felony and imposes a mandatory minimum (1) two-year prison sentence and (2)$5,000 fine unless the court states on the record why it remits or reduces the fine.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 51 '-- INFORMATION DISCLOSURES FOR LONG GUN AND AMMUNITION TRANSFERS
  The bill makes a conforming change to allow DESPP to disclose the name and address of someone issued an eligibility certificate to the extent necessary to comply with the bill's provisions on long gun and ammunition transfers.The law already gives DESPP this authority related to handgun sales.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:July 1, 2013
  §§ 54-56 '-- SAFE STORAGE REQUIREMENTS
  The bill expands the firearm safe storage laws in two ways.It imposes safe storage requirements on people who store their loaded firearms on their premises if they know or should know that a resident of the premises (1) is ineligible to possess firearms under state or federal law or (2) poses a risk of imminent personal injury to himself, herself, or others.The current ban applies to storing loaded firearms on their premises if they know or reasonably should know that a minor (someone under age 16) is likely to gain access to them without the minor's parent's or guardian's permission.As under the current law, thefirearm must be locked up or in a location that a reasonable person considers to be secure, or the person carries it on his or her person or close enough so that he or she can readily retrieve it.
  As under current law pertaining to minors, a person is strictly liable for damages if an ineligible or at-risk person gains access to the inappropriately stored firearm and uses it to injure or kill himself, herself, or someone else.
  As under current law pertaining to minors, a person is guilty of criminally negligent storage or a firearm if the ineligible or at-risk person obtains the firearm and kills or injures someone with it.It is also a class D felony unless the minor obtained the firearm from unlawful entry.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 57-58 '-- GUN PERMIT APPLICATION
  The bill generally requires someone applying for a gun permit to be a permanent resident of the town to which he or she applies.Current law does not specify that the residence must be permanent, and also allows such applications by someone who is not a resident, but who maintains a place of business in the town.By law, a gun permit is issued under a two part process, with a local official issuing a temporary state permit, after which the State Police issues the five-year state permit (assuming the requirements are met).
  As under existing law, the bill continues to allow someone without a permanent residence in Connecticut to apply directly to DESPP for a gun permit if the person has a handgun permit or license to carry issued by another state.
  The bill prohibits anyone from applying for a temporary state gun permit more than once in any 12-month period, and prohibits such a permit from being issued to someone who has previously applied within the previous 12 months.The bill requires anyone who applies for a temporary permit to indicate on the application, under penalty of false statement in the manner the issuing authority prescribes, that the person has not applied for a temporary state permit within the past 12 months.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 59 '-- RISK REDUCTION EARNED CREDITS AND PAROLE FOR VIOLENT OFFENDERS
  The bill prohibits inmates convicted of violent crimes from using risk reduction earned credits (RREC) that they earn to become eligible for parole sooner than they otherwise could.Thus, it requires inmates convicted of violent crimes to continue to serve 85% of their sentences before being eligible for parole, regardless of any credits they receive.As under current law, the credits still reduce the inmate's maximum prison sentence.
  Under current law, inmates convicted of any crimes except the following can earned RREC:
  1.murder (CGS § 53a-54a),
  2.capital felony (CGS § 53a-54b),
  3.felony murder (CGS § 53a-54c),
  4.arson murder (CGS § 53a-54d),
  5.1st degree aggravated sexual assault (CGS § 53a-70a), or
  6.home invasion (CGS § 53a-100aa).
  The DOC commissioner can award RREC of up to five days per month for inmates for (1) adhering to his or her offender accountability plan, (2) participating in eligible programs and activities, and (3) good conduct and obeying institutional rules as designated by the commissioner (but good conduct and obedience alone is not enough to earn credits).Credits cannot reduce a mandatory minimum sentence.An inmate can lose all or some of his or her credits.For inmates who earn RREC, the credits reduce the inmate's maximum prison sentence and the inmate's parole eligibility is based on his or her sentence as reduced by the credits.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:July 1, 2013
  § 60 '-- BOARD OF FIREARM PERMIT EXAMINERS MEMBERSHIP
  The bill increases the Board of Firearms Permit Examiners membership, from seven to nine, by adding one retired Superior Court judge, appointed by the chief court administrator, and a DMHAS nominee, appointed by the governor.The rest of the membership, as under current law, are appointed by the governor from nominations from the emergency services and public protection and energy and environmental protection commissioners;Connecticut State Association of Chiefs of Police;Connecticut State Rifle and Revolver Association, Inc.;and Ye Connecticut Gun Guild, Inc.He also appoints two public members.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:July 1, 2013
  § 61 '-- BOARD OF FIREARM PERMIT EXAMINERS CONTINUANCES
  The bill allows the board to grant one continuance, for good cause, to an official whose action on a gun permit or gun eligibility certificate is being appealed.If granted, the appeal is continued until the next scheduled board meeting Under current law, an issuing authority's failure or refusal to provide a written statement to the board explaining the reasons for his or her adverse decision at least 10 days before the hearing is automatic cause for the board to grant relief to an appellant.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:July 1, 2013
  § 62 '-- DESPP APPROPRIATION
  The bill requires the DESPP commissioner to study the feasibility and cost of establishing and maintaining a system to electronically submit, access, and transfer to DESPP information required for gun sales, delivery, or transfers, including the information required to determine eligibility for gun credentials.The system must permit electronic access to the state database for checking a person's eligibility to get gun credentials or guns.It must permit retail sellers to directly initiate NICS background checks on firearm purchasers.
  The system may permit the electronic submission of other documents and forms related to firearms permitting including, application to renew gun permits, eligibility certificates, long gun eligibility certificates, an application for a certificate of possession of an assault weapon, and a declaration of the possession of a large-capacity magazine.
  The commissioner must submit a report to legislature by January 1, 2014, on the study results, including recommendations to develop and implement it.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  § 63 '-- APPROPRIATIONS
  The bill appropriates$1 million to DESPP for FY 14 to fund the statewide firearms trafficking task force.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:July 1, 2013
  BACKGROUND
  Assault Weapons
  Under existing law, certain assault weapons defined by criteria, rather than specific name, are exempt from the state transfer restrictions and registration requirements if they were legally manufactured before September 13, 1994 (CGS § 53-202m).
  The law also allows possession of certain specified assault weapon models under certain circumstances.A person may possess an Auto-Ordnance Thompson type, Avtomat Kalashnikov AK-47 type, MAC-10, MAC-11, or MAC11 Carbine type assault weapon if (1) it was obtained in good faith on or after October 1, 1993 and before May 8, 2002, (2) the possessor is not prohibited from possessing the weapon under any other law, and (3) the possessor notified DESPP before October 1, 2003 that he or she possessed the specific weapon (CGS§ 53-202N).
  Table on Penalties
  Table 2 shows the penalties for the different crime classifications in Connecticut.
  Table 2:Penalties by Crime Classification
  Felony
  Prison Term
  Fine
  Class A felony (murder with special circumstances)
  Life without the possibility of release
  Up to$20,000
  Class A felony (murder)
  25 to 60 years
  Up to$20,000
  Class A felony (aggravated sexual assault of a minor)
  25 to 50 years
  Up to$20,000
  Class A felony
  10 to 25 years
  Up to$20,000
  Class B felony (1st degree manslaughter with a firearm)
  Five to 40 years
  Up to$15,000
  Class B felony
  One to 20 years
  Up to$15,000
  Class C felony
  One to 10 years
  Up to$10,000
  Class D felony
  One to 5 years
  Up to$5,000
  Class A misdemeanor
  Up to one year
  Up to$2,000
  Class B misdemeanor
  Up to six months
  Up to$1,000
  Class C misdemeanor
  Up to three months
  Up to$500
  Class D misdemeanor
  Up to 30 days
  Up to$250
  §§ 64-65 '-- MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING
  The bill requires the state Board of Education, within available appropriations and materials, to help and encourage school boards to include mental health first aid training as part of their in-service training programs for certified teachers, administrators, and other pupil personnel.
  The bill also requires the DOE commissioner to consider whether to require mental health first aid training as part of teacher education programs leading to professional certification.By January 1, 2014, he must report on his recommendation on this matter to the Appropriations, Education, and Public Health committees.
  (See § 90 for more provisions on mental health first aid.)
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  § 66 '-- BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES TASK FORCE
  The bill creates a 20-member task force to study the provision of behavioral health services in Connecticut, with particular focus on providing such service to 16- to 25-year-olds.
  The task force must analyze and make recommendations in the following areas:
  1.improving behavioral health screening, early intervention, and treatment;
  2.closing gaps in private insurance coverage;
  3.improving behavioral health case management services;
  4.addressing the insufficient number of certain behavioral health providers, including child psychiatrists and providers offering specialized services;
  5.improving the delivery system for behavioral health services;
  6.improving payment models for behavioral health services;
  7.creating a central clearinghouse with information for the public on behavioral health services;
  8.providing intensive, individualized, in-school behavioral health intervention services for students exhibiting violent tendencies;
  9.requiring the DOE to provide technical assistance to school districts concerning behavioral intervention specialists in public and private schools and for preschool programs;
  10.using assisted outpatient behavioral health services and involuntary outpatient commitment as treatment options;
  11.conducting behavioral health screenings of public school children;
  12.requiring disclosure of communications by mental health professionals concerning people who present a clear and present danger to the health or safety of themselves or others;and
  13.reducing the stigma of mental illness as it presents a barrier to people receiving appropriate mental health services.
  The task force members include seven government officials and 13 appointed members;all 20 are voting members.The government officials include the Healthcare Advocate;, the Child Advocate;and the children and families (DCF), DMHAS, public health (DPH), DOE, and insurance commissioners, or the commissioners'designees.
  Under the bill, the six legislative leaders each have two appointments to the task force, and the governor has one.The appointed members'required qualifications are described in Table 1.
  Table 1:Behavioral Health Services Task Force Appointed Members
  Appointing Authority
  Qualifications
  Senate President Pro Tempore
  One child psychiatrist
  One primary care provider
  House Speaker
  One pediatrician whose practice focuses on adolescents
  One representative of a school-based health center
  Senate Majority Leader
  One probate judge
  One parent with a child who has used behavioral health services
  House Majority Leader
  One school psychologist
  One representative of a community health center
  Senate Minority Leader
  One representative of a health insurer
  One representative of a hospital that offers behavioral health services
  House Minority Leader
  One representative of an organization that offers behavioral health case management services
  One (1) consumer of behavioral health services or (2) representative of an organization that advocates for consumers of such services
  Governor
  One representative of an institution of higher education
  The bill requires task force appointments to be made within 30 days of the bill's passage.Vacancies are filled by the appointed authority.
  Under the bill, the Senate President Pro Tempore and House Speaker must each appoint one task force chairperson from among the members.The chairpersons must schedule and hold the first meeting of the task force within 60 days of the bill's passage.The task force must meet at least monthly until February 1, 2014, and upon the call of the chairs or a request of the majority of the members.Task force members serve without compensation, except for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
  A majority of the members constitutes a quorum, and a majority vote of a quorum is required for an official action of the task force.The chairpersons break any ties (the bill does not specify how a tie would be broken if the chairpersons disagree).
  Under the bill, the administrative staff of the Public Health Committee will serve as the task force administrative staff.The bill allows the task force to seek funding from any state, federal, or private source, and enter into contracts, to carry out its duties.
  By February 1, 2014, the task force must report on its findings and recommendations to the governor, Senate President Pro Tempore, House Speaker, Senate and House minority leaders, and the Appropriations, Education, Human Services, Insurance and Real Estate, and Public Health committees.The task force must also provide additional information not contained in the report to legislators upon their request.The task force terminates on July 1, 2014.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  § 67 '-- ASSERTIVE COMMUNITY TREATMENT
  The bill requires the DMHAS commissioner to implement an assertive community treatment (ACT) program in three cities that, on June 30, 2013, do not have such a program.It must use a person-centered, recovery-based approach that provides people diagnosed with a severe and persistent mental illness, including those released from commitment, (1) assertive outreach, (2) mental health and peer support services, (3) vocational assistance, (4) education concerning family issues, and (5) information to develop wellness skills.Services must be provided by mobile, multi-disciplinary teams in community settings.
  DMHAS currently operates four ACT teams in New Britain, Middletown, Manchester, and Norwich.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:July 1, 2013
  § 68 '-- PROBATE COURT RELATED CASE MANAGEMENT AND CARE COORDINATION SERVICES
  The bill requires the DMHAS commissioner to provide case management and care coordination services to up to 100 people with mental illness who are involved in the probate court system and who, on June 30, 2013, are not receiving these services.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:July 1, 2013
  § 69 '-- REGIONAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONSULTATION SYSTEM FOR PEDIATRICIANS
  The bill requires the DCF commissioner, by January 1, 2014, to establish and implement a regional behavioral health consultation and care coordination program for primary care providers who serve children.The program must provide these primary care providers with:
  1.timely access to a consultation team that includes a child psychiatrist, social worker, and care coordinator;
  2.patient care coordination and transitional services for behavioral health care;and
  3.training and education on patient access to behavioral health services.
  The bill requires the DCF commissioner to submit a program plan by October 1, 2013 to the Public Health, Children, Human Services, and Appropriations committees.
  It also allows the commissioner to contract for services and adopt regulations to administer the program.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §§ 71 & 73(C) '-- REQUEST FOR MENTAL OR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER SERVICES
  Benefit Determination
  By law, the amount of time a carrier has to make a benefit determination depends on whether or not it is an urgent request.In general, carriers must make a determination with 15 calendar days for non-urgent requests but within 72 hours for urgent requests.
  The bill treats as urgent requests, those for a service or treatment for (1) substance use disorder or co-occurring mental disorder and (2) inpatient services, partial hospitalization, residential treatment, or intensive outpatient services needed to keep a covered person from requiring an inpatient setting in connection with a mental disorder.
  It requires the carrier to make its determination as soon as possible, but no more than 24 hours after it receives a request for service or treatment for these disorders.If the request is to extend a course of treatment beyond the initial period or number of treatments, the request must be made at least 24 hours before the initial authorization runs out.The 24-hour deadline for the carrier does not apply if the covered person or his or her representative fails to provide the information the carrier needs to make its determination.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  Expedited Reviews (§ 74(d)& 76(i))
  By classifying requests for these services and treatments as urgent, the bill entitles the covered person to an expedited review of an adverse determination.Under current law, the carrier or independent review organization must notify the covered person and his or her representative of its decision regarding an expedited review within 72 hours of receiving a grievance.The bill requires that carriers make their decision for expedited reviews of requests for services and treatment for the mental and substance use disorders within 24 hours.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  Clinical Review Criteria in Utilization Review (§ 72(a))
  By law, each carrier must contract with health care professionals to administer its utilization review program.Utilization review uses formal techniques to monitor the use of health care services or evaluate their medical necessity, appropriateness, efficacy, or efficiency.
  Under current law, each program must use documented clinical review criteria based on sound clinical evidence.The bill requires that, for any utilization review or benefit determination for treating a substance use disorder, the default criteria are those in the most recent edition of the American Society of Addiction Medicine's Patient Placement Criteria.For any utilization review or benefit determination for treating a mental disorder in a child or adolescent, the default criteria are the most recent guidelines in the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry's Child and Adolescent Service Intensity Instrument.For any utilization review or benefit determination for treating a mental disorder in an adult, the default criteria are the most recent (1) guidelines of the American Psychiatric Association or (2) standards and guidelines of the Association of Ambulatory Behavioral Healthcare.
  In each case, the carrier can use other criteria that it demonstrates are consistent with the default criteria.But if the carrier does this, it must create and maintain a document on an easily-accessible location on its website that:
  1.compares each aspect of its criteria with the default criteria and
  2.provides citations to (a) peer-reviewed medical literature generally recognized by the relevant medical community or (b) professional society guidelines that justify each deviation from the default criteria.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  §§ 70 & 72-75 '-- ADVERSE DETERMINATIONS
  Initial Adverse Determination Notices (§ 73(e))
  By law, each carrier must promptly notify a covered person and, if applicable, his or her authorized representative, of an adverse determination.The bill additionally requires the notice to list, upon request, any clinical review criteria (including professional criteria) and medical or scientific evidence used to reach a denial.
  By law, the notice must describe the carrier's internal grievance procedures.Under current law, this description must state that the covered person or his or her representative can submit written comments, documents, records, and other material regarding the request for the individuals conducting the review.The bill instead requires the notice to include a statement that, if the covered person or his or her representative chooses to grieve an adverse determination, that:
  1.such appeals sometimes succeed;
  2.the covered person or his or her representative may benefit from free assistance from the department's consumer affairs division or OHA, which can help with a grievance;
  3.the covered person or representative is entitled and encouraged to submit supporting documentation for the carrier to consider during the review of an adverse determination, including their narratives and letters and treatment notes from the covered person's health care professional;and
  4.the covered person or representative has the right to ask his or her health care professional for these letters and treatment notes.
  By law, if an adverse determination is based on a carrier's internal rule or other similar criterion, the notice must provide the criterion and related information.The bill additionally requires the notice to provide the links to the criterion on the carrier's web site.If the adverse determination involves treating a substance use or a mental disorder, the bill requires the notice to also include a link to the carrier's applicable clinical review criteria, as described above, on its web site.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  Conference Regarding Adverse Determination (§ 73(a)(3))
  The bill allows a carrier to offer a covered person's health care professional an opportunity to confer with a clinical peer of the carrier under certain circumstances.This provision applies
  1.after a covered person or his or her representative or health care professional is notified of an initial adverse determination of a concurrent or prospective utilization review or of a benefit request that was based, at least in part, on medical necessity and
  2.if the covered person, representative, health care professional has not already filed a grievance of the initial adverse determination.
  The conference is not considered a grievance of the initial adverse determination.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  Reviews (§ 75 (d))
  By law, the covered person or his or her representative can grieve an adverse determination.Under the bill, if the decision in a review of a case that is not based on medical necessity upholds the adverse determination, the notice of the decision must include a statement disclosing:
  1.the covered person's right to contact the insurance commissioner's office or OHA at any time;
  2.that the covered person may benefit from free assistance from the department's consumer affairs division or OHA, which can help him or her file a grievance;and
  3.the contact information for the offices.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  Continuing Treatment While Determination Is Appealed (§ 73 (b)(1)(B))
  Under the bill, if a non-urgent request is a concurrent review request, as defined by federal law (i.e., one that takes place when the service is being requested), the treatment must be continued without liability to the covered person during the review or any grievance filed by a covered person or his or her representative of an adverse determination or a final adverse determination of the concurrent review.Existing law has a similar requirement in the case of urgent requests.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  Clinical Peers (§§ 70, 72, & 74)
  By law, carriers must contract with clinical peers to evaluate the clinical appropriateness of adverse determinations.The bill additionally requires that clinical peers be used to review all adverse determinations based at least in part on medical necessity.
  The bill requires that carriers contract with clinical peers to conduct utilization reviews, rather than requiring them to contract with health care professionals to oversee the determinations in these reviews.It requires the clinical peers to participate in various stages of the review process.
  The bill requires certain clinical peers to have additional qualifications.Under current law, clinical peers are health care professionals who hold a non-restricted license in any state in the same or similar specialty as typically manages the medical condition, procedure, or treatment under review.
  For a review or benefit determination concerning a substance use or mental disorder in a child or adolescent, the clinical peer must (1) hold a national board certification in child and adolescent psychiatry or child and adolescent psychology and (2) have training or clinical experience in treating child and adolescent substance use or mental disorder, as applicable.
  For a review or benefit determination concerning substance use disorder or mental disorder in an adult, the clinical peer must (1) hold a national board certification in psychiatry or psychology, and (2) have training or clinical experience in the treatment of adult substance use or mental disorders, as applicable.
  The bill requires that each carrier have procedures to ensure that the appropriate or required clinical peers are designated to conduct utilization reviews and makes conforming changes.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 77 '-- OFFICE OF THE HEALTH CARE ADVOCATE
  The bill applies the requirement that employers post a notice concerning the services OHA provides to (1) self-insured employers and (2) all employers that provide health care benefits to their employees.By law, employers that provide health insurance to their employees must post such notices.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 79 '-- MENTAL HEALTH PARITY AND COMPLIANCE CHECKS
  Information Gathering
  The bill requires the commissioner, by September 15, 2013, to seek input from stakeholders on methods the department might use to check for compliance with state and federal mental health parity laws by health insurance companies and other entities under its jurisdiction.The stakeholders must at least include the Healthcare Advocate, health insurance companies, health care professionals, and behavioral health advocacy groups.The department also must post notice of the request for input on its web site and provide for a written public comment period of 30 days following the posting.The posting must include the date the public comment period closes and how to submit comments to the department.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  Report
  By January 1, 2014 the commissioner must issue a report and provide an educational presentation to the Insurance and Real Estate and Public Health committees.The report and presentation must:
  1.cover the methodology the department is using to check for compliance with the interim or final regulations or guidance, whichever is in effect, published by the U.S.Department of Health and Human Services relating to the compliance and oversight requirements of federal law on mental health parity;
  2.cover the methodology the department is using to check for compliance with state law on mental health parity;and
  3.detail the department's regulatory and educational approaches relating to the financing of mental health services in this state.
  In addition, the report must describe and address any public comments the department received.
  By February 1, 2014, the Insurance and Public Health committees must hold a joint public hearing on the report.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  § 78 '-- CONSUMER REPORT CARD
  By law, the insurance commissioner must prepare an annual consumer report card that, among other things, addresses managed care organizations and mental health services.The bill requires the commissioner to annually analyze this data for the accuracy of, trends in, and statistically significant differences in the data among the health care centers and health insurers included in the report card.It allows him to investigate such differences to determine whether he should take further action.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:October 1, 2013
  § 80 '--SCHOOL SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE COUNCIL
  Council Duties
  The bill creates the School Safety Infrastructure Council (SSIC) that must develop school safety infrastructure standards for (1) the existing school construction projects program and (2) a new school security infrastructure competitive grant program the bill creates.
  The new standards must be submitted to DESPP and education commissioners, the School Building Projects Advisory Council, and Public Safety and Education committees by January 1, 2014 and annually every year after.The bill does not explicitly require any body to approve the standards once SSIC issues them.
  The standards must conform to industry standards for school building infrastructure and, at a minimum, include:
  1.school building and classroom entryways, such as, reinforcement of entryways, ballistic (bullet-resistant) glass, solid core doors, double-door access, computer-controlled electronic locks, remote locks on all entrance and exits, and buzzer systems;
  2.use of cameras throughout the school building and at all entrances and exits, including the use of closed-circuit television monitoring;
  3.penetration resistant vestibules;and
  4.other security infrastructure improvements and devices as they become industry standards.
  Council Membership
  The bill creates the eight member council with the following membership:
  1.the construction services commissioner, or his designee;
  2.the DESPP commissioner, or his designee;
  3.the education commissioner, or his designee;
  4.one Senate president appointee, who must be a person with expertise in building security, preferably school building security;
  5.one House speaker appointee, who must be a licensed professional structural engineer;
  6.one Senate majority leader appointee, who must be a certified public school administrator;
  7.one House majority leader appointee, who must be a firefighter, emergency medical technician, or a paramedic;
  8.one Senate minority leader appointee, who must be a school resource officer (police officer assigned to a school);and
  9.one House minority leader appointee, who must be a certified public school teacher.
  The construction services commissioner chairs the council.The administrative staff of the Department of Construction Services (DCS) serves as its staff.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §§ 81 & 82 '-- SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AND THE NEW SCHOOL SAFETY STANDARDS
  Under current school construction project law, a school district can receive state reimbursement for the eligible parts of a school construction project if its application meets certain criteria.The bill requires DCS, on and after July 1, 2014, to review each local school construction grant application for compliance with the SSIC-developed school safety infrastructure standards.It gives DCS the authority to disapprove any application that does not comply with these new school safety standards starting on or after July 1, 2014.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:July 1, 2013
  §83'--SCHOOL BUILDING PROJECTS ADVISORY COUNCIL
  By law, the School Building Projects Advisory Council must develop model blueprints for new school building projects.The bill expands that requirement so that the blueprints are for school building projects that comply with industry standards for school buildings and the new school safety infrastructure standards the SSIC is required to develop.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §§ 84 & 85 '-- COMPETITIVE SCHOOL SECURITY INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS
  The bill establishes a competitive state grant program to improve security infrastructure in schools and authorizes up to$15 million in state bonds for the program.The grant program, jointly administered by DESPP, DCS, and the State Department of Education (SDE), and funding are available for FYs 13, 14, and 15.
  The program will reimburse towns for certain expenses for (1) the development or improvement of security infrastructure, based on the security assessment the bill requires, and (2) (a) school personnel training in the operation and maintenance of the new or improved security structure or (b) the purchase of portable entrance security devices, including metal detector wands and screening machines and related training.
  Eligible infrastructure includes the installation of surveillance cameras, penetration resistant vestibules, ballistic glass, solid core doors, double-door access, computer-controlled electronic locks, entry door buzzer systems, scan card systems, panic alarms or other systems.
  Application Process
  Local or regional boards of education can apply to DESPP for funds on behalf of its town or member towns beginning the day the bill become law.The DESPP commissioner prescribes the application process time and related details.There are two phases when boards of education can apply, before and after SSIC develops standards.Before the date SSIC makes its initial submission of infrastructure standards under the bill, the DESPP commissioner, in consultation with the construction services and education commissioners, determines which expenses are eligible for reimbursement.After the SSIC submits is new infrastructure standards, decisions to approve or deny applications and which expenses are eligible for reimbursement must meet the most recent SSIC standards as provided for in the bill.
  The grants reimburse school districts for 20% to 80% of the eligible expenses for such security measures incurred after the act's effective date.The reimbursement percentage is based on the district's wealth.
  To receive a grant, a district must show that it (1) has conducted a uniform security assessment of its school entrances and any security infrastructure, (2) has an emergency plan at its schools developed with applicable state and local first-responders, and (3) periodically practices the plan.The security assessment must be carried out under the supervision of the district's local law enforcement agency and use the Safe Schools Facilities Check List published by the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities (see BACKGROUND).
  If there is not enough money to reimburse every district for its full percentage, the DESPP commissioner, in consultation with the DCS and education commissioners, must give first priority to applicants with schools they determine most need entrance security, based on the required security assessments.From among those applicants, they must give first priority to schools that have no entrance security infrastructure and second priority to schools located in priority school districts.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  § 86 '-- SCHOOL SAFETY AND SECURITY STANDARDS
  The bill requires DESPP to develop school safety and security plan standards by January 1, 2014, in consultation with SDE.The standards must follow an all-hazards approach to public school emergencies, and DESPP must make them available to local officials, including local and regional boards of education.At a minimum, these standards must include:
  1.requirements that local and regional school boards conduct security and vulnerability assessments of their schools every two years, develop a school safety and security plan for each school based upon the assessment results, and give DESPP annual fire and crisis response drill reports;
  2.requirements that local officials, including the chief executive officer of the municipality, superintendent of schools, law enforcement, fire, public health, emergency management, and emergency medical services, participate in school security and safety plan development;
  3.requirements that local law enforcement and other local public safety officials evaluate fire and crisis response drills;
  4.guidelines for command center organization structure, based on the federal National Incident Management System, as well as command center responsibilities;
  5.guidelines for crisis management and various emergency management procedures;
  6.requirements that each school establish a school security and safety committee;
  7.requirements that each school's safe school climate committee collect, evaluate, and report information about disturbing or threatening behavior, which is distinct from bullying, to the district safe school climate coordinator and the school security and safety committee;and
  8.guidelines for providing school safety and security plan orientation, as well as violence prevention training, to each school employee.
  DESPP must annually report its standards and recommendations for legislation to the Public Safety and Education committees beginning January 1, 2014.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §87 '-- SCHOOL SAFETY AND SECURITY PLANS AND COMMITTEES
  The bill requires local and regional boards of education to annually do the following, beginning in the 2014-15 school year:
  1.develop and implement a school security and safety plan for each school within their school district, based upon standards issued by DESPP;
  2.review, update, and submit school safety and security plans to DESPP;and
  3.establish a school security and safety committee at each school to assist in developing and administering the school's safety and security plan.
  Membership of the school security and safety committee must consist of (1) a local police officer, (2) a local first responder, (3) a teacher employed at the school, (4) an administrator employed at the school, (5) a mental health professional (guidance counselor, school social worker, school psychologist, school nurse, or child mental health specialist), (6) a parent or guardian of an enrolled student, and (7) any other person the governing board of education finds necessary.Parents or guardians who serve on this committee must not have access to information about disturbing or threatening student behavior reported to the committee, since it may compromise student confidentiality.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §88 '-- SAFE SCHOOL CLIMATE COMMITTEES
  The bill expands the responsibilities of the safe school climate committees.These committees, primarily tasked with duties related to bullying prevention, are required by law in each school serving grades kindergarten through 12.This bill requires the committees to collect, evaluate, and report information about disturbing or threatening student behavior, even if it falls outside the definition of bullying.Parents or guardians who serve on the committees must not participate in this new duty, since it may compromise student confidentiality.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §89 '-- REPORT ON SCHOOL DISTRICT EFFORTS TO PREVENT BULLYING
  This bill increases the frequency and the recipients of SDE's report that analyzes public school districts'bullying prevention efforts.This report tracks the number of bullying incidents in the state, describes responsive actions taken by districts, and offers recommendations for additional activities or funding to prevent bullying and improve school climates.SDE must submit this report every year, rather than biennially, and must add to the list of required recipients the speaker of the House, president pro tempore of the Senate, and majority and minority leaders of the House and Senate.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §90 '-- MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING
  The bill requires the mental health and addiction services (DMHAS) commissioner, in consultation with the education commissioner, to administer a mental health first aid training program.Participants must include all district safe school climate coordinators and may include teachers, nurses, counselors, and other employees at the discretion of each local or regional board of education.
  DHMAS must provide training for individuals appointed to serve as district safe school climate coordinators for the 2014-15 school year who must successfully complete the training.For the 2015-16 school year, only district safe school climate coordinators who did not successfully complete the training or serve in the prior school year must successfully complete the training.No individual must successfully complete the training more than once.
  Training must teach participants how to (1) recognize signs of mental disorders in children and adults, and (2) connect them with professionals who could provide suitable mental health services.The commissioners administering this training may seek funding from the federal or state government, as well as from private donors.
  (For additional mental health provisions, see § § 64 and 65.)
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §91 '-- SCHOOL SECURITY CONSULTANT REGISTRY
  The bill requires DESPP to establish and maintain a registry of school security consultants doing business in the state.DESPP must update the registry annually, publish it on the DESPP website, and furnish it to the public upon request.The registry must contain (1) the consultants'names, (2) their employers, and (3) other information that the DESPP commissioner may require.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §92 '-- HIGHER EDUCATION SECURITY PROTOCOL PLANS AND THREAT ASSESSMENT TEAMS
  Security Protocol Plans
  The bill requires UConn and all its campuses, all state colleges in the Connecticut State University System (CSUS), all regional community-technical colleges, and all Connecticut independent institutions of higher education to do the following:
  1.by October 1, 2013, give an up-to-date security protocol plan to DESPP, which by law must outline how faculty and staff should identify and respond to students at risk for harm to self or others;and
  2.by July 1, 2015, and every two years afterward, review and revise its security protocol plan with chiefs of police or campus security and submit revisions to DESPP by August 1 of the affected year.
  Threat Assessment Teams
  The bill also requires all of the above colleges to establish trained threat assessment teams on each campus by January 1, 2014.
  The institution president must choose team membership in consultation with the campus chief of police or head of security.A membership model must include at least one member from its special police force or campus security personnel, administration, faculty, and senior and mid-level staff.The chief of police or head of security for each campus must ensure that each member is capable of (1) executing the security protocol plan, and (2) receiving training in identifying at risk people and safety threats.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §93 '-- HIGHER EDUCATION POLICE FORCES
  By law, UConn and all its campuses, the four colleges in CSUS are authorized to establish their own police forces, who can be armed and have the authority to make arrests.These officers are state employees.The bill excludes these positions from certain aspects of the State Personnel Act that address civil service qualifying exams.The bill gives the respective governing bodies for UConn and the CSUS the authority to determine:
  1.the preliminary requirements, including educational qualifications, for members of the special police forces for the UConn and the state colleges, respectively, and
  2.the timeline for filling vacancies on the respective police forces, including when an exam for a vacant position will be offered and how soon after the exam an appointment to a vacant position can be made.
  If an exam is unnecessary due to a sufficient candidate list the administrative services commissioner provides under state civil service law, then an the governing body of UConn or CSUS must make an appointment of from that candidate list.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §94 '-- SPECIAL POLICE FORCE EFFICACY STUDY AND COORDINATED SECURITY PLAN
  Special Police Force Efficacy Study
  The bill requires the Board of Regents for Higher Education (BOR), in consultation with DESPP, to evaluate whether the establishment of a special police force for each regional and technical community college would be effective.By January 1, 2014, the BOR president must deliver the results to the Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee.
  Coordinated Security Plan
  The bill also requires BOR to develop a coordinated security plan for CSUS and the regional community-technical college system.By January 1, 2014, the BOR president must report on the plan to the Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §95 '-- CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR ARMED HIGHER EDUCATION SECURITY
  The bill requires all armed campus security personnel to be certified by the Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) Council (see BACKGROUND).
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §96 '-- CAMPUS SAFETY AND SECURITY AUDITS
  The bill requires DESPP, by December 1, 2014, to perform or require an audit of the following campuses to determine their safety and security characteristics:UConn and all its campuses, all state colleges in CSUS, all regional community-technical colleges, and all Connecticut independent institutions of higher education.
  The bill also requires DESPP to base any recommendations for campus security upgrades on the audit's findings and align them with the campus's security protocol plan.DESPP must report the audit results to the Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee by January 1, 2015.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §97 '-- TERMINOLOGY CHANGE
  The bill renames ''independent college or university'' under current law as ''independent institution of higher education.'' Its definition still refers to non-profit institutions established in Connecticut that have (1) degree-granting authority in the state, (2) a home campus within the state, (3) no function in the state system of public higher education, and (4) a primary function other than religious vocation preparation.
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  §§ 98 & 99 '-- BOND AUTHORIZATION REPEALER
  The bill repeals a$3 million bond authorization, initially created in 2007 for a school security infrastructure program and reduced in 2010 as part of a bond cancellation.The bill repeals the remaining$3 million in bond authorizations.Statutory language for how schools could apply for, and how the education commissioner could distribute, these funds was never included in the original act (PA 07-7, June Special Session, § 13 (j)(6)).
  EFFECTIVE DATE:Upon passage
  BACKGROUND
  National Clearinghouse on Educational Facilities (§84)
  The clearinghouse was created by the U.S.Department of Education and is funded by the department and overseen by its Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools.It provides information on planning, designing, funding, building, improving, and maintaining safe, healthy, high-performance schools.The clearinghouse's Safe Schools Facilities Check List allows schools to assess the safety of their buildings and grounds.
  POST Authority and Regulations (§95)
  POST establishes minimum qualifications for municipal police officers and enforces professional standards for certifying and decertifying them.Its entry level requirements for police officers include personal interviews, fingerprint examination, background investigation, psychological examination, criminal history record check, controlled substance screen, and physical fitness and medical tests (Conn.Agencies Reg.§ 7-294e-16).
VIDEO-George Carlin - Life is Worth Losing (Greek Subtitles) on Vimeo
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  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:12
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  standuparchive.gr/2012/04/special-5-george-carlin-life-is-worth.html
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Amnesty International Welcomes Putin to Amsterdam - Neatorama
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  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:01
  Russian president Vladimir Putin arrived in Amsterdam today to celebrate new economic ties between the Netherlands and Russia. He was greeted with rainbow flags flying at half-staff from gay rights groups. Amnesty International had welcome signs out as well, with several along the lines of the one pictured here, which you can see in an imgur album. Link -via reddit
  Read more at NPR. Link
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CHARTS: Where Did the Money Donated to Columbine, Aurora, and Virginia Tech Mass-Shooting Victims Go? | Mother Jones
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  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 15:56
  Connecticut officials announced a couple weeks ago that they are asking the 69 charities publicly identified as raising money for victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown to explain how the money is being spent. The news arrived after dozens of families affected by other mass tragedies, like Columbine and Virginia Tech, urged the Sandy Hook charities to give the money directly to victims, arguing that in the past, money hasn't been distributed effectively. Families are also petitioning the White House to establish a national fund so in the future, 100 percent of the money raised in the aftermath of mass shootings goes directly to victims. The local foundation in charge of most of the Sandy Hook donations (around $11 million) is still meeting with families and members of the community, and hasn't yet distributed any of the money.
  Mother Jones looked at the biggest charities set up for victims of mass shootings at Columbine High School in 1999, Virginia Tech in 2007, and a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, in 2012. We found that donations can be slow-moving and are not necessarily sufficient to cover victims' medical costs, but the majority of money given to the largest charities in the wake of a mass shooting does eventually make its way to victims and their families, instead of alternatives such as violence prevention, mental-health services, or memorials.
  Charities to support specific individuals (as well as an untold number of phishing scams) often spring up in the wake of mass shootings, but in each of the shootings we studied, one charity managed a large bulk of the total contributions. After Columbine, for example, over $6 million was donated to 30 charities, but the Healing Fund, organized by Mile High United Way in collaboration with the McCormick Tribune Foundation, took in about $4.5 million of that total. In the case of Virginia Tech, donations were spontaneously sent to the university, which was authorized through executive order to distribute the funds. And after the Aurora theater shooting, the Community First Foundation took in the vast majority of the donations. These are the organizations we looked at.
  At least $15 million has been raised for victims of Newtown, but most of the money, almost $11 million, has been raised by United Way of Western Connecticut, which passed control of the money to the Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation, which has local Newtown residents on its board. Patrick Kinney, a spokesman for the branch, tells Mother Jones that the funds "will not be limited to families of the 26 deceased adults and children" or spent only on health care costs. Instead a board will work with the community to distribute funds to "those most profoundly affected by the tragedy, such as families, survivors, teachers, and first responders," in both the short and long term. The foundation did not accept designated funds.
  Addressing why funds haven't been distributed yet, Kinney doesn't give a date, but says, "I'm not trying to be weasely; it's everyone's priority to have this process move as fast as possible." Another smaller fund, My Sandy Hook Family, has already started sending checks to families.
  Claudette Carveth, spokesperson for the Department of Consumer Protection in Connecticut, tells Mother Jones that she doesn't have any information on how United Way and other charities have been distributing money, but the charities are expected to respond by April 12.
  "This is not an audit. This is about transparency'--providing information that is not otherwise available to the public," says Susan Kinsman, spokesperson for the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General. "We are unaware of any misdirected money or sham charities at this point."
  In the aftermath of mass shootings, victims and their families have criticized the response time of donations, the difficulty of proving "hardship," and how the money was distributed, arguing that it shouldn't necessarily go to nonprofits that don't directly assist victims. After the Aurora shooting that took place in July, for example, the Community First Foundation, which collected about $5.8 million in funds, initially only distributed $5,000 to each family through the Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance (COVA). The fund didn't distribute the remaining funds until November.
  Sandra Miniutti, vice president of marketing and CFO for Charity Navigator, which evaluates charities across the United States, agrees that the process isn't perfect, because "victims shouldn't have to wait so long to receive assistance that donors intended for them to have." But she points out that there is a place for charities in the donation process, "if for no other reason than giving to a charity provides the donor a tax-deduction and greater transparency and accountability in how the donation is spent. Giving directly to someone has a much greater potential to turn out to be a scam."
  The donation process at Virginia Tech also illustrates how complicated charity laws can be: Michael Pohle, whose son was killed at Virginia Tech, told the Denver Post that the shooting created a $100 million "windfall" for the university, and only about $10 million of that actually went to victims, or designated memorial funds. But Larry Hincker, a spokesman for the university, tells Mother Jones that the shooting happened in the middle of a major fundraising campaign, and the money was largely designated by donors to go to building construction, scholarships, or other program funds. "We couldn't have easily distributed [the money] to those injured'...the law doesn't allow for that and donors designate their gifts." He also maintains that the shooting had "no causal effect on our institutional fundraising."
  Mass shootings can be a devastating financial blow to victims and their families, especially if they don't have health insurance. Dr. Adil Haider, the codirector of the Center for Surgery Trials and Outcomes Research at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, tells Mother Jones that "if a person has insurance'--it will mostly likely cover everything apart from the deductible." But, he adds, "unfortunately, most of the patients we see do not have insurance." If a victim is paralyzed by a gunshot wound, costs could easily surpass $1 million'--although a patient could be eligible for Medicaid or disability at that point. The chart below shows the biggest amounts of money awarded to families of deceased or severely injured victims, but it's not representative of the amount of money most patients receive: In Virginia Tech and Columbine, the most commonly awarded amount was $11,500 and $10,000, respectively, and payment amounts are often distributed based on number of nights spent in the hospital (after Aurora, victims who spent fewer than seven days in the hospital received $35,000).
  "How much should people donate? As much as they can," Haider says. Miniutti recommends that you give with your head, not just your heart. "Take the time to find the charity that is committed to providing the assistance that you want to fund'--that could be helping the victims financially, preventing future gun violence, or providing funding for the mental-health issues that will develop overtime," she says. "Make sure the charity is transparent."
MONGOLIA Ninja miners: Four pitfalls for Mongolia's astonishing growth
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  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 15:43
  Traditionally, Mongolian life has been based around herding, with nomadic families sleeping in yurts and tending livestock. That's why it's surprising to hear stories like that of Khorloo, a 65-year-old Mongolian who spends her days digging through the Mongolian steppe with metal detectors and shovels, plucking out the occasional gold nugget after days of scratching in the dirt.
  Ninja miners in Mongolia (AP)
  ''It took us a week to dig this out,'' Khorloo told Reuters, holding a nugget that could earn her family as much as $6,000. ''But we dug for three years to reach the vein.''
  Khorloo is one of Mongolia's 60,000 or so ''ninja miners'' '-- former herders who took up amateur mining, using whatever rudimentary tools they have at their disposal, amid soaring mineral demand from China. (They're called ninjas because the large green pans they carry on their backs look like turtle shells.)
  A former economic underdog, Mongolia is now the world's fifth fastest-growing economy, with an 12.3 percent GDP growth rate that would make today's anemic, Western economies salivate. (For comparison, the U.S. economy is growing at 1.7 percent.) Like many other Central Asian countries, Mongolia is growing rich from selling minerals to China. According to a report by the Associated Press, Mongolia sends 90 percent of its exports to Chinese markets, and the two-way trade with Beijing makes up 75 percent of Mongolia's economy.
  But several recent reports indicate that Mongolia's economic success story may turn out not to be all that it seems. Here are four ways its meteoric growth could go awry:
  1. The Ninjas: Though they sound like some sort of ore-hunting SWAT team, the herders who have recently sought their fortunes in freelance mining are actually a bit of a drag on the mining economy. Not only do they not pay taxes, notes Morris Rossabi in Foreign Affairs, they also contribute to prostitution, gambling, and other illegal activities. And the herders who have resisted mining complain that mining companies have undermined their way of life, forcing them to migrate.
  2. Becoming too dependent on China: Because China has fueled so much of Mongolia's growth, there could be scary repercussions as China's economy slows. China's demand for Mongolian minerals has already slumped somewhat, and most analysts say Mongolia needs to diversify its economy away from just one main trading partner.
  Granted, Mongolia has pushed back against Chinese influence, even going so far as to lay railroad tracks at a gauge that makes it impossible for them to connect to Chinese rails. China and Russia are now each limited to a third of Mongolia's total foreign investment, and Mongolia has been attempting to foster partnerships with the United States, the European Union and Japan in order to hedge against Beijing and Moscow.
  ''We will not be another Africa,'' Ganhuyag Ch. Hutagt, a Mongolian banker and former vice finance minister told the AP. ''We cannot afford to have one particular nation control our businesses.''
  3. Its mines have been plagued by problems: Mongolia's ''resource nationalists'' have made it difficult for mining projects to get off the ground. Nationalist policymakers worried about foreign influence over Mongolia's resources want to amend the agreement on Oyu Tolgoi, a massive copper mine, so that Mongolia gets a bigger share. Last week, Rio Tinto Group, a British-Australian mining giant that owns the majority stake in the project, said it was considering a temporary halt to construction work at Oyu Tolgoi because of Mongolia's demands for a larger share.
  Mongolia's massive coal mine in Tavan Tolgoi has also suffered a number of setbacks. In July, the Mongolian government withdrew a decision to hand mining rights in Tavan Tolgoi to a consortium consisting of China's Shenhua Group, U.S.-based Peabody, and Russian Railways, saying Mongolia might develop the mine on its own. In the past few weeks, tensions between China and Mongolia have escalated after Erdenes-Tavan Tolgoi halted coal exports to China and threatened to cancel a coal-supply deal, with Mongolia's ambassador to Beijing telling The Wall Street Journal that the pricing terms of the deal were ''unacceptable in the sense of normal international trade.''
  4. Mongolia is still pretty corrupt: Transparency International ranks Mongolia as 80th most corrupt of 182 countries '-- not as bad as 62nd most corrupt in 2011, but still not great. Inequality is on the rise, and it's hard to tackle because independent groups suspect the government is falsifying the country's true poverty numbers (which are already astonishingly high, at somewhere between 29 to 39 percent), Rossabi points out.
  Screenshot: Transparency International
  Either way, this is hardly the sort of environment where dramatic, sudden economic growth can be expected to improve quality of life for most citizens.
  Or as Sumati Luvsandendev, the director of a polling organization in Ulan Bator, told the Guardian recently: ''Our society worries that things are not going that well in terms of social justice, that there is a growing gap between rich and poor, and that there is an oligarchic class.''
The CIA's Image in Films has Never been Shinier | The Constantine Report
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  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 15:42
  Related:''A Timeline of CIA Atrocities''
  By LIAM LACEY
  The Globe and Mail, Feb. 21 2013
  They both like to dress up, spin fictions and keep their unsavoury behaviour out of the headlines: No wonder the CIA and Hollywood are such a natural couple, though they've only recently stepped into the limelight together.
  Two of the more prominent films in Oscar contention celebrate the triumphs of the Central Intelligence Agency: Zero Dark Thirty (Kathryn Bigelow's film about the decade-long hunt for Osama bin Laden) and Argo (Ben Affleck's film about the freeing of six hostages sheltered by the Canadian embassy in Iran). Both directors have been effusive in their praise for the bravery and dedication of the agency. The third sighting is the hit TV show Homeland, starring Claire Danes as a bipolar CIA agent, fighting al-Qaeda with her brilliant intuitions.
  All of these productions have had CIA assistance creating their scripts (in the case of Zero Dark Thirty, controversially so). And the stories have a common thread: They tell tales of flawed, emotionally intuitive human beings, who are sometimes insubordinate to their cautious, by-the-books overseers because they care so much about American lives.
  The soft-propaganda program, marching in lockstep with a gunfight against terrorism, has changed our perception of the agency. A new stereotype has emerged: The CIA is neither an idiot nor a sinister killer, and its agents are no longer thin-lipped Machiavellian spooks, pulling the strings of international intrigue. They are struggling and intuitive men and women, making the personal sacrifices to fight the war on the shape-shifting monster called terrorism.
  The typically reticent CIA showed up relatively late to the Hollywood party, in the 1990s. The Federal Bureau of Investigation had been managing its image in popular media since the 1930s (1936's G-Men, and the TV series The F.B.I.) , and the Department of Defence started Hollywood outreach in 1947, with the Pentagon offering support to such rah-rah films as Patton, Top Gun and Pearl Harbor.
  But the post-Cold War period was a tough time for the CIA, which was undergoing downsizing, criticism from Congress and questions about its competency. Hollywood had not been traditional ally. Films from Three Days of the Condor (1975) to JFK (1991) typically showed the agency as either sinister, incompetent or both. Professor Tricia Jenkins, author of The CIA in Hollywood: How the Agency Shapes Film and Television (2012), categorized the negative stereotypes into three categories, ''rogues, assassins and buffoons.''
  In 1996, the CIA appointed its first Hollywood liaison officer, Chase Brandon (a first cousin to Tommy Lee Jones), to turn that image around. What could the agency offer? Not tanks and fighter jets like the Pentagon. But they could provide script advice, access to real spies, story ideas and an aura of authenticity. The agency started consulting on movies such as Enemy of the State (1998), The Sum of All Fears (2002) and The Recruit (2003) and television shows such as The Agency, Alias and 24 (in the fall of 2001, coincident with the 9/11 attacks).
  The movie-friendly approach worked. Even in the wake of intelligence failures of 9/11 and the weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, the controversies over renditions and waterboarding, the agency's representation on film and television has generally been more positive.
  The CIA does not have final say over the final film, but the agency won't help filmmakers if it finds a script unflattering, as in the cases of Spy Game (2001) or The Bourne Identity (2002). The benefits aren't just about sending a message of competence, ingenuity and intimidating technology (''Terrorists watch TV, too,'' Brandon told one producer). TV shows and movies are also regarded as recruitment tools, especially as the agency, which was criticized in the 9/11 Commission Report for a lack of diversity, reaches out to women and minorities: Jennifer Garner, star of Alias, and later Ben Affleck's wife, did a recruitment video for the agency in 2004, which was posted on the CIA website and used at college employment fairs.
  Of course, not all spy movies are officially approved. Retired CIA agents are also consulted on movies that cast the agency in a bad light, such as 2005's Syriana, based on former agent Robert Baer's memoir, See No Evil. Another retired agent, Milton Bearden, was a key player in The Good Shepherd, an unflattering history of the agency from its inception to the failure of the Bay of Pigs.
  The agency doesn't seem to hold grudges, or miss a PR opportunity. George Clooney, who produced and starred in Syriana, also directed Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002), based on the memoir of Gong Show host Chuck Barris, who claimed in his memoir that he was an assassin for the CIA. Clooney also starred in The Men Who Stare At Goats (2009), directed by his friend and producing partner, Grant Heslov, about the intelligence community's ridiculous mind-control experiments. Both Clooney and Heslov are in line to win best picture Oscars as producers on Argo, which was given CIA co-operation and access to shoot at the agency's Langley, Va., headquarters.
  In The Recruit, Al Pacino tells a young apprentice that the public knows only the CIA's failures, not its successes, but that has changed. Credit the agency with one of the greatest successful stealth missions ever perpetuated on the moviegoing public: It has made the CIA seem human.
  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/the-cias-image-in-films-has-never-been-shinier/article8935790/
Fake Somali Pirates Scam Western Journalists - The Daily Beast
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  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 15:34
  They're the most feared outlaws in the world. Since 2005, Somali pirates have kidnapped hundreds of people'--and extorted hundreds of millions of dollars in ransom payments. They've turned their stretch of the East African coastline into the most dangerous waters on earth for the shipping industry.
  An armed Somali pirate sits along the coastline of Hobyo town in northeastern Somalia on January 7, 2010. (Mohamed Dahir/AFP/Getty)
  Naturally, foreign journalists have beaten a path to the relative safety of neighboring Kenya to interview the elusive pirates. But asChannel 4 News's Jamal Osman'--himself a Somali'--found out, some of the seekers didn't get quite what they bargained for.
  The story begins in the slums of Eastleigh, a sprawling suburb of Nairobi in Kenya and home to a huge Somali community. There, I met Adan. He and his friends are running an industry that had been fooling some of the best journalists from around the world. Their business? Pretending to be pirates.
  ''We pretend because we have the talent,'' Adan told me. With ships being regularly seized and crews kidnapped, Somali pirates have been much in demand by the news media. ''They [journalists] go to the boss and say, 'We need pirates,''' Adan said. ''The boss comes to us and says, 'The white men need pirates.' So he says, 'Assume to be a pirate.'''
  The scam is coordinated by a ''fixer'' who offers journalists the opportunity to interview ''real live pirates'''--for a fee. Touting his local knowledge, he promises to reach parts of the community a Western journalist never could. There then follows an elaborate scheme to convince journalists of the plan's legitimacy. The ''fixer'' drives the Westerners around'--sometimes for days'--in search of the elusive pirates, telling them it is too dangerous yet to approach the men.
  The scheme culminates in sit-down interviews with the so-called pirates'--interviews that have made it into the venerable pages of international newsmagazines and broadcast in documentaries, one of which was reportedly shown in some 18 countries across the world.
  The ''fake pirates'' are mostly Kenyans; many of them, including Adan, are not even Somalis. They are Boran, an ethnic group that lives in southern Ethiopia and northern Kenya.
  He now says he can't believe anyone thought he was a pirate in the first place.
  In his day job, Adan works in a restaurant, but the money he makes as a faux pirate is far greater. ''My daily fee is $200. I depend on myself. I'm an asset, not a liability.''
  Adan is relatively new into the industry. However, ''Bashir'''--not his real name'--has been in the pirate role-playing trade a long time. He was harder to convince to come clean, but eventually admitted he was no pirate but an ''actor.'' He now says he can't believe anyone thought he was a pirate in the first place.
  Despite this, Bashir features in a 2010 Danish documentary pretending to be one of Somalia's most feared pirates. The film was made by Rasmus Krath, a prominent Danish investigative reporter, and was broadcast by the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR). In a statement to Channel 4 News, DR said: ''That one out of the many pirates met in Rasmus Krath's documentary should be an actor does not change the overall credibility of the film.''
  The Danish film was just one of many interviews ''Bashir'' gave to different media organizations over the years. Here he is again, this time in Time magazine. In its April 2010 edition, the magazine reports: ''Bashir bared his black, rotted teeth every time he smiled ... Bashir was once a fisherman. The pirates wanted to hire him because he knew how to swim, a valuable skill he could teach other recruits.
  ''He told me: 'We are the ones out on the water taking all the risks and suffering.'"
  Time magazine declined to comment. But as of press time, the article remained on its website.
  In fact, Bashir says that he has never even been to Somalia. For me, as a Somali, it was very easy to recognize which particular region he comes from. Because of his accent I know he is a Somali-Sijui. In the northeastern province of Kenya, there are more than 2 million ethnic Somalis, who are known as Somali-Sijui. Bashir is one of them.
  Bashir claims that all these years of giving interviews he thought he was just taking part in a drama film.''The fixer tells us, 'It is drama film,''' he told me. ''The white men want it and we get paid.''
  ''We act. And the film has to look real,'' says Bashir. ''Whether you accept it or not, there are no pirates here.
  ''Why would a pirate act in a film when they have money? Pirates have money. Why would they do this? They don't have time to tell their stories to white guys for money.''
  Adan has no regrets about the acting and feels no remorse. ''You know, Western guys think the Africans are fools. But we have discovered we are not fools. We are much cleverer than the Western people. We are fooling them--but they think they are fooling us.''
  As I was about to say goodbye to Adan, his phone rang. I wondered if it was his next job.
  By Jamal Osman, for Britain's Channel 4 News.
Department of Public Safety: Emergency Plan | PCC
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  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 15:22
  There are three components of Emergency Preparedness. See PCC's plans for each:
  Crisis Prevention & Management PlanBusiness Continuity Plan (To see this document, contact your manager or Public Safety.)Emergency Operations PlanEmergency GuidesSafe Assembly Area (SAA)Emergency TeamsResourcesCampus Team Leaders
Fireworks surprise Louisville coach Rick Pitino in moments after historic championship | The Dagger - Yahoo! Sports
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  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 14:45
  Somebody forgot to tell Rick Pitino about the postgame fireworks at the national title game.Pitino became the first coach to win a national championship at two different schools Monday when Louisville beat Michigan 82-76 in Atlanta.
  Television cameras caught Pitino ducking for cover reacting to the fireworks just before shaking hands with Michigan counterpart John Beilein.
  The Basketball Hall of Fame officially announced Monday that Pitino has earned induction. Another Hall of Fame coach was watching tonight's game and noted on Twitter Pitino's reaction to the fireworks.
  Did Rick think someone was shooting at him?
  '-- Phil Jackson (@PhilJackson11) April 9, 2013
  NCAA tournament video from Yahoo! Sports
  More NCAA tournament coverage from Yahoo! Sports' Freshman's crazy alley-oop punctuates Cardinals' first-half comeback' Louisville earns redemption, third national title' Rick Pitino caught off guard by celebration fireworks' Little-known Spike Albrecht lights up first half of title game for Michigan
Climate Change Could Mean Bumpier Flights
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  Archived Version
  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 14:36
  Jane J. Lee
  Buckle up'--thanks to climate change, airline passengers may be in for a bumpier ride.
  By 2050, airplanes could see a doubling in instances of moderate-intensity turbulence over the North Atlantic Ocean'--one of the world's busiest flight corridors'--due to shifts in the jet stream as a result of global warming, according to a new study. (Related: "6 Ways Climate Change Will Affect You.")
  Those bumps could also become stronger due to the intensification of conditions that lead to a type of turbulence called clear-air turbulence, according to the study published online today in the journal Nature Climate Change.
  Unlike the turbulence associated with storm clouds, clear-air turbulence is mainly associated with jet streams'--large rivers of air in the atmosphere'--and can occur in clear blue skies. (Related: "Severe Weather More Likely Thanks to Climate Change.")
  "The pilot can't see it and the sensors onboard can't see it'--that's why it's a particularly dangerous form of turbulence," said Paul Williams, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom and lead author of the new paper.
  Turbulence occurs mostly because of a change in airspeed with respect to height, said Mitchell Moncrieff, an atmospheric scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado, who was not involved in the study.
  It happens mostly in in frontal areas'--places where air masses of different characteristics meet'--and jet streams.
  Since climate change will accelerate the jet stream over the North Atlantic, Williams said, that river of air will flow faster, making the atmosphere more susceptible to turbulence'--much like a fast-running river develops white water.
  Double Leads to Trouble
  Climate models have shown that climate change will draw the jet stream over the North Atlantic even farther north, said Williams. He and his colleague, Manoj Joshi of the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom, wanted to know what that would mean for clear-air turbulence.
  So the researchers took a well-known climate model from the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory in New Jersey and looked at the jet stream over the North Atlantic Ocean during the winter months, when jet stream strength peaks.
  Williams and Joshi doubled the amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide with respect to pre-industrial conditions in their climate model and looked at how clear-air turbulence conditions compared with respect to a world in which carbon dioxide levels remained at pre-industrial levels.
  They then took wind and temperature profiles from that future scenario and plugged the numbers into 21 models forecasters currently use to predict clear-air turbulence.
  "All 21 were showing an increase in the strength of turbulence," Williams said, while 20 models showed an increase in the frequency of turbulence, with some models predicting at least a doubling in frequency.
  These increases are for moderate turbulence, he added. "So your drink might spill over, you might lift out of your seat a little bit'--certainly the pilot would have the seatbelt sign on."
  The volume of different models predicting the same result was striking, Williams said.
  Shake, Rattle, and Roll?
  This doesn't mean that airplanes will start to shake apart over the North Atlantic by mid-century.
  The most severe turbulence, more powerful than what Williams modeled in his study, exerts about 1.5 G forces on an airplane, said Bret Jensen, a spokesperson for Boeing, an aircraft manufacturer based in Seattle, Washington.
  But airplanes are designed to withstand 2.5 G forces before taking damage, and 3.5 G forces before experiencing structural failures, he added.
  The real danger lies with injuries, particularly to the flight crew, said Bruce Carmichael, director of the Aviation Applications Program at NCAR, who was not involved in the study.
  Since flight attendants aren't usually buckled in, they can get thrown around the cabin, he said. "They're really the ones most at risk."
  A Valid Approach
  Though Carmichael thinks Williams and Joshi took a novel and legitimate approach to the problem of predicting future occurrences of clear-air turbulence, "you have to be a little careful about how you interpret the results," he said.
  Climate models are meant to look at large trends over big areas, Carmichael said'--on the scale of hundreds of kilometers. Clear-air turbulence, meanwhile, occurs over tens of kilometers.
  It's hard to know how accurate a climate model would be at predicting atmospheric conditions over the relatively small area right around an airplane, he explained.
  Moncrieff agrees and said he looks forward to seeing how the study's results stack up to other models. Each climate model has its own quirks and biases, he explained, and so they can come up with varying future atmospheres. (Learn about climate modeling.)
  In the meantime, Williams said his work has changed his habits when he flies: "I used to not keep my seatbelt fastened, but now I always do."
BBC News - Huge survey reveals seven social classes in UK
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  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 14:33
  3 April 2013Last updated at00:00 ETPeople in the UK now fit into seven social classes, a major survey conducted by the BBC suggests.
  It says the traditional categories of working, middle and upper class are outdated, fitting 39% of people.
  It found a new model of seven social classes ranging from the elite at the top to a "precariat" - the poor, precarious proletariat - at the bottom.
  More than 161,000 people took part in the Great British Class Survey, the largest study of class in the UK.
  Class has traditionally been defined by occupation, wealth and education. But this research argues that this is too simplistic, suggesting that class has three dimensions - economic, social and cultural.
  The BBC Lab UK study measured economic capital - income, savings, house value - and social capital - the number and status of people someone knows.
  The study also measured cultural capital, defined as the extent and nature of cultural interests and activities.
  The new classes are defined as:
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  Elite - the most privileged group in the UK, distinct from the other six classes through its wealth. This group has the highest levels of all three capitalsEstablished middle class - the second wealthiest, scoring highly on all three capitals. The largest and most gregarious group, scoring second highest for cultural capitalTechnical middle class - a small, distinctive new class group which is prosperous but scores low for social and cultural capital. Distinguished by its social isolation and cultural apathyNew affluent workers - a young class group which is socially and culturally active, with middling levels of economic capitalTraditional working class - scores low on all forms of capital, but is not completely deprived. Its members have reasonably high house values, explained by this group having the oldest average age at 66Emergent service workers - a new, young, urban group which is relatively poor but has high social and cultural capitalPrecariat, or precarious proletariat - the poorest, most deprived class, scoring low for social and cultural capitalThe researchers said while the elite group had been identified before, this is the first time it had been placed within a wider analysis of the class structure, as it was normally put together with professionals and managers.
  At the opposite extreme they said the precariat, the poorest and most deprived grouping, made up 15% of the population.
  The sociologists said these two groups at the extremes of the class system had been missed in conventional approaches to class analysis, which have focused on the middle and working classes.
  MethodologyProfessor of sociology at Manchester University, Fiona Devine, said the survey really gave a sense of class in 21st Century Britain.
  Continue reading the main story''Start QuoteThe survey has really allowed us to drill down and get a much more complete picture of class in modern Britain''
  End QuoteProf Fiona DevineManchester University"What it allows us is to understand is a more sophisticated, nuanced picture of what class is like now.
  "It shows us there is still a top and a bottom, at the top we still have an elite of very wealthy people and at the bottom the poor, with very little social and cultural engagement," she said.
  "It's what's in the middle which is really interesting and exciting, there's a much more fuzzy area between the traditional working class and traditional middle class.
  "There's the emergent workers and the new affluent workers who are different groups of people who won't necessarily see themselves as working or middle class.
  "The survey has really allowed us to drill down and get a much more complete picture of class in modern Britain."
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  Solicitor Vikki Harding is classed as an 'emergent service worker' under the new ranking
  The researchers also found the established middle class made up 25% of the population and was the largest of all the class groups, with the traditional working class now only making up 14% of the population.
  They say the new affluent workers and emergent service workers appear to be the children of the "traditional working class," which they say has been fragmented by de-industrialisation, mass unemployment, immigration and the restructuring of urban space.
  Continue reading the main storyWhat class are you?The full class survey takes about 25 minutes and covers wealth and job type, interests and social circleCompare your score to the nation'sReceive a personalised coat-of-armsBBC Lab UK worked with Prof Mike Savage of the London School of Economics and Prof Devine on the study.
  The findings have been published in the Sociology Journal and presented at a conference of the British Sociological Association on Wednesday.
  Researchers asked a series of questions about income, house value, savings, cultural and leisure activities and the occupations of friends.
  They were able to determine a person's economic, social and cultural capital scores from the answers and analysed the scores to create its class system.
  The GBCS was launched online in January 2011, but data showed participants were predominantly drawn from the well-educated social groups.
  To overcome this a second identical survey was run with a survey company GFK, with a sample of people representing the population of the UK as a whole, using the information in parallel.
United States v. Kebodeaux | Cato Institute
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  Archived Version
  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 14:08
  Legal Briefs
  April 4, 2013
  Last year's partial victory in NFIB v. Sebelius (the Obamacare case) is already being applied to new cases reaching the Supreme Court. Recall that, in that case, the Court accepted our argument that the government cannot use the Commerce and Necessary and Proper Clauses to compel someone to purchase health insurance. The Court held that allowing Congress to compel commerce into existence would be an improper use of a great and limitless power. In United States v. Kebodeaux, the Supreme Court will once again address an assertion of power that, if upheld, could give Congress nearly limitless power. In 1999, Anthony Kebodeaux was sentenced to three years in prison for statutory rape. He served his time, was freed from any post-release parole or probation requirements, and ended his relationship with the federal government in the matter of criminal law. Years later, when Kebodeaux moved intrastate from San Antonio, Texas to El Paso, Texas, he failed to update his change of address within the three-day period as required by the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) of 2006. Even though Kebodeaux was unconditionally released from custody before SORNA was enacted, he was sentenced to one year in federal prison. The Fifth Circuit overturned his conviction en banc, meaning that every judge on the Fifth Circuit heard the case rather than the traditional three-judge panel. They found the registration requirement unconstitutional because Congress lacked jurisdiction over Kebodeaux after they unconditionally released him from custody. The government's arguments to the contrary, the court held, would permit not just ''unending criminal authority'' over Kebodeaux but unending authority over every American who was once in federal jurisdiction, which is, of course, every American.
  With Professor Ilya Somin of George Mason University School of Law acting as counsel, the Cato Institute filed an amicus brief arguing that it would be improper under the Necessary and Proper Clause to permit Congress to have unending authority over all Americans. Congress already lacks a general power to punish criminals, much less monitor previously released criminals and impose new and onerous restrictions on them at will. Indeed, if the Court rules in favor of the government's position, it will give Congress virtually unlimited power to regulate nearly all Americans. In essence, it would justify the gradual imposition of endless new requirements on anyone who had previously been subject to federal jurisdiction. Cumulatively, these federal impositions amount to unlimited federal authority over anyone who has ever been held in federal custody or otherwise in federal jurisdiction. This cannot be a power vested in a Congress with ''few and defined'' powers. As the Supreme Court held in the Obamacare case, Congress doesn't have the power to ''regulate an individual from cradle to grave.''
  Read the Full Legal Brief
Army Reserve training material lists Catholics, evangelical Christians and some Jews in 'religious extremism' category along with the KKK, Hamas and Al Qaeda | Mail Online
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  Archived Version
  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 13:10
  Pentagon based conclusions on Southern Poverty Law Center reportChaplains' group calls lecture material 'dishonorable' and 'wrongheaded'Presentation says extremism is increasing because some Americans fear '4 more years under a black president'By David Martosko
  PUBLISHED: 16:09 EST, 5 April 2013 | UPDATED: 16:09 EST, 5 April 2013
  A slideshow presentation shown to US Army Reserve recruits classifies Christians, including both evangelicals and Roman Catholics, as religious extremists, placing them in the same category as skinheads, the Ku Klux Klan, Hamas and Al Qaeda.
  The presentation also warned that members of the military are prohibited from taking leadership roles in any organization the Pentagon considers 'extremist,' and from distributing the organization's literature, whether on or off a military installation.
  The opening slide warns that 'the rise in hate crimes and extremism outside the military may be an indication of internal issues all [armed] services will have to face.'
  Citing a Southern Poverty Law Center report as evidence that extremism is on the rise, the Army Reserve presentation blames 'the superheated fears generated by economic dislocation, a proliferation of demonizing conspiracy theories,the changing racial make-up of America and the prospect of 4 more years under a black president who many on the far right view as an enemy to their country.'
  RELIGIOUS EXTREMISM: These groups were all lumped together in a slideshow for US Army Reserve recruits
  EXTREMIST ORGANIZATIONS: The presentation described groups like the religious organizations as advocating force, violence or extremist causes
  Presenters were instructed in accompanying notes to read this slide in its entirety. It warns that soldiers may not take leadership positions in any group the military considers 'extremist' in nature, nor may they distribute their literature
  Later in the slideshow is a list of groups that exemplify 'religious extremism.'
  Included are 'evangelical Christianity,' 'Catholicism,' 'Ultra-Orthodox' Judaism, and 'Islamophobia.'
  Most of the list is populated by more widely accepted examples of religious extremist groups, including Al Qaeda, Sunni Muslims, Hamas, and the Ku Klux Klan.
  'Men and women of faith who have served the Army faithfully for centuries shouldn't be likened to those who have regularly threatened the peace and security of the United States,' retired Col. Ron Crews, executive director of the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty, said in a statement.
  'It is dishonorable for any U.S. military entity to allow this type of wrongheaded characterization.
  Are Catholic clergy like Pope Francis (L) and racist Klan wizards in the same boat? An Army Reserve training presentation described both groups as examples of 'religious extremism.'
  Crews also took a shot at the Southern Poverty Law Center.
  'It also appears that some military entities are using definitions of "hate" and "extreme" from the lists of anti-Christian political organizations,' he added. 'That violates the apolitical stance appropriate for the military.'
  He noted that the Army Chief of Chaplains has investigated the presentation and determined that it was 'an isolated incident not condoned by the Department of the Army.'
  The Army Reserve presentation defines religious extremism as 'beliefs, attitudes, feelings, actions, or strategies of a character far removed from the "ordinary."'
  It concedes that 'ordinary' is a subjective term, but condemns religious Americans 'who believe that their beliefs, customs and traditions are the only "right way" and that all others are practicing their faith the "wrong way," seeing and believing that their faith/religion [is] superior to all others.'
  SPOT THE RELIGIOUS EXTREMIST: The ultra-orthodox Lubavitch jew (R) or the late Osama bin Laden? Trick question: the Army Reserve includes both men's religious movements
  Many Christians and Jews, the presentation suggests, fit into that category, making them as objectionable as Muslim terrorists.
  The U.S. Army Office of the Chief of Chaplains did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But the Catholic Archdiocese for the Military Services said it 'is astounded that Catholics were listed alongside groups that are, by their very mission and nature, violent and extremist.'
  'The Archdiocese calls upon the Department of Defense to review these materials,' the organization said in a statement, 'and to ensure that tax-payer funds are never again used to present blatantly anti-religious material to the men and women in uniform.'
April 17 Trial To Determine Fate Of America
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  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 13:09
  World's Largest English Language News Service with Over 500 Articles Updated Daily
  "The News You Need Today'...For The World You'll Live In Tomorrow."
  What You Aren't Being Told About The World You Live In
  IronMountainApocalypse: The True Story Of 2013
  A ''must have'' book for those seeking to understand the true events surrounding the most troubled years of our modern times. (Continued)
  Picking up the Pieces: Practical Guide for Surviving Economic Crashes, Internal Unrest and Military SuppressionBy: Sorcha Faal ''In the span of less than 3 months gasoline prices will rise 500%. The prices of both food and shelter rise over 300%. (Continued)
  Partisans Handbook:By: Sorcha Faal ''Essential Survival Guide For Resisting Foreign Military Occupation, Escape And Evasion Techniques, Surviving Interrogation, Facing Execution, Wilderness Survival (Continued)
  April 9, 2013
  April 17 Trial To Determine Fate Of America
  By:Sorcha Faal, and as reported to her Western Subscribers
  A startling report prepared by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) is today warning that the case known as United States v. Kebodeaux, and due to be heard by the United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) on 17 April, will be the most important ruling in all of American history as should it be lost, the Obama regime, and all of those to follow, will have gained total power to rule the lives of US citizens ''from cradle to grave''.
  Important to understand, this report says, is that under the United States Constitution, the ''general power of governing,'' commonly known as the ''police power,'' belongs to the 50 individual American States'-- not to their Federal Government.
  Because the US Congress has limited powers granted in the Constitution, the Federal government does not have a general police power, as the States do. The exceptions are laws regarding Federal property and the military; the Federal government was also granted broad police powers by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887.
  The main effect of this ''balance of power'' between the States and the Federal government, this report continues, are the different laws seen among the many States, the most contentious of them being abortion, health care, gun rights and homosexual marriage.
  Not being understood by the majority of Americans, this report says, are that States are ''free and able'' to ignore Federal laws almost at will, but fail to do so because of the Federal governments ''carrot and stick'' relationship with them. For example, this report cites the mandatory seat belt laws adopted by the States after their being enticed to enact them by the Federal government offering tens of millions of dollars in funding bribes, but should they have failed to make them law they would have lost billions in matching highway funds.
  So dependant upon Federal government ''bribes to enact laws'' have the States become over the past century, MOJ experts say in this report, the percentage of State budgets dependant upon these monies range from the lowest of North Dakota's 25.99% to Mississippi being the highest at 49.01%, with the average being nearly 40%.
  An adverse ruling in United States v. Kebodeaux, however, this report says, would forever change the current relationship between the States and Federal government giving to the latter the police power they have so long coveted, yet been denied by the US Constitution.
  The case being pushed by the Obama regime to enable the Federal government to gain police power over the States has at its center a 34-year old Texas man named Anthony Kebodeaux.
  In March 1999, Kebodeaux was a 20-year-old airman stationed at Peterson Air Force Base, in Colorado when he began a consensual sexual relationship with a 15- year-old girl, who would sneak out of her home at night and take a cab to the base to be with him. This relationship led to charges that Kebodeaux had ''carnal knowledge'' of a ''female under the age of 16,'' in violation of Article 120 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and that he disobeyed orders to have no contact with the girl and to remain on base.
  In special court-martial proceedings, Kebodeaux pleaded guilty to the charges and the tribunal sentenced him to three months confinement and a bad-conduct discharge on 17 May 1999. Kebodeaux served his sentence in the Air Force Corrections System, was unconditionally released from custody, and returned to his home in Texas sometime before 18 September 1999.
  Between the years 1999-2006 Kebodeaux lived trouble free in Texas until he failed to register as a ''sex offender'' during a short move and a time of great personal upheaval in his life. The State of Texas had no interest in prosecuting him, but the same could not be said of the Bush regime.
  Arrested by Federal police, not the State of Texas, in 2006, Kebodeaux was charged under a Federal law recently enacted, and 7 years after he had been unconditionally released. Though he was tried and convicted by a Federal jury, and served 1-year and 1-day in Federal prison, his conviction was overturned upon appeal by the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, in a unanimous decision, who ruled his arrest and prosecution were unconstitutional.
  At this point, MOJ experts in this report say, and using past US Federal government precedent, this case, and the issues surrounding it, should have been settled'...that is until the Obama regime came to power in 2009.
  Seeing in United States v. Kebodeaux a ''unique'' chance to overturn the US Constitutions application of police power, this report continues, the Obama regime pushed two similar cases through the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit obtaining rulings in conflict with the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, thus insuring it would ultimately be ruled on and decided by the US Supreme Court.
  To how frightening this case has become, this report notes, can be see in the Amicus Curiae in Support of Respondent filed with the US Supreme Court by the public policy research organization Cato Institute (CATO) which, in part, warns: ''Stripped to its essence, the government's argument would ultimately allow perpetual jurisdiction over anyone merely because they were once subject to federal jurisdiction and are now deemed to be dangerous to the public.''
  Critical to note is that United States v. Kebodeaux is the second case the Obama regime has used during the past years in their effort to gain for the Federal government unlimited power, and as we can also read as reported by the American legal scholars at CATO:
  ''Last year's partial victory in NFIB v. Sebelius (the Obamacare case) is already being applied to new cases reaching the Supreme Court. Recall that, in that case, the Court accepted our argument that the government cannot use the Commerce and Necessary and Proper Clauses to compel someone to purchase health insurance. The Court held that allowing Congress to compel commerce into existence would be an improper use of a great and limitless power. In United States v. Kebodeaux, the Supreme Court will once again address an assertion of power that, if upheld, could give Congress nearly limitless power.''
  To which Americans are ''subject to Federal jurisdiction'' is the ''key'' to this titanic struggle, this report says, and which the Obama regime in United States v. Kebodeaux is, once again like Obamacare, asserting that even those who don't engage in commerce are still doing so by just doing nothing, because if they wanted to they could.
  With the US Pentagon now listing Catholics, evangelical Christians and some Jews in the ''religious extremists'' category along with the KKK, Hamas and Al Qaeda, this report concludes, and with the Obama regimes ''official mouthpiece'' MSNBC now telling Americans that their children no longer belong to the parents but, instead, ''belong to the collective,'' and should the Federal government get total police powers granted to them by the US Supreme Court, the United States will effectively cease to exist.
  April 9, 2012 (C) EU and US all rights reserved. Permission to use this report in its entirety is granted under the condition it is linked back to its original source at WhatDoesItMean.Com. Freebase content licensed under CC-BY and GFDL.
  [Ed. Note: Western governments and their intelligence services actively campaign against the information found in these reports so as not to alarm their citizens about the many catastrophic Earth changes and events to come, a stance that the Sisters of Sorcha Faal strongly disagrees with in believing that it is every human beings right to know the truth. Due to our missions conflicts with that of those governments, the responses of their 'agents' against us has been a longstanding misinformation/misdirection campaign designed to discredit and which is addressed in the report ''Who Is Sorcha Faal?''.]
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Margaret Thatcher `Paedophile Cabinet Prime Minister` Dies of Stroke
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  Archived Version
  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 12:34
  Margaret Thatcher known as the "Iron Lady" has "died of a stroke" according to media reports within the past hour. This came amidst mounting questions about the extent of child sexual exploitation (paedophile) conspiracies involving British intelligence and security agencies (MI5, SIS) and senior British politicians who were protected by Thatcher.During her rule as Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher took the unusually strong step of issuing clear and loud threats against the British media warning them not to publish the name of Leon Brittan who was her "Home Secretary" and went on to become a European Commissioner in Brussels, another location of intense paedophile activity.
  The British media at the time complied and it is only within the past few months that Leon Brittan's name started to circulate again in connection with his involvement as an abuser of young boys. At the time he was Home Secretary Leon Brittan paid the family of a young boy who he had sexually abused, to keep quiet about his name.
  Margaret Thatcher gave him full protection along with all her cabinet ministers who had been chosen without exception because of the "skeletons" they all had "in their cupboards" -- i.e. dirty secrets of highly illegal activities, often involvement in child sexual exploitation, which was also nurtured and encouraged by the Zionist Jews within the British intelligence community and establishment. Leon Brittan himself was a Jew.Brittan went on to become European Commissioner for Competition at the European Commission early in 1989.
  In 1995 he became European Commissioner for Trade and European Commissioner for External Affairs, also serving as Vice-President of the European Commission.
  Brittan resigned with the rest of the Santer Commission in 1999 amid accusations of fraud.
  Thatcher went on to dismantle socialism and the welfare state in Britain and destroyed trade unions, none of which were ever to recover. She also waged war on Argentina and Libya, which she bombed together with her strong ally Ronald Reagan, the U.S. President at the time.
  The British Conservative Party continued to be heavily involved with paedophiles. The photo here is of British "Foreign Office Secretary" (Foreign Minister) William Hague, again with Jimmy Saville. Hague was groomed by Leon Brittan to replace him as MP for Richmond. Hague had formerly shared an apartment with the openly homosexual conservative "tory" MP Alan Duncan.While International Development Minister, Alan Duncan helped establish a secret 'Libyan Oil Cell' in Hague's Foreign Office which played a vital role in helping to supply fuel to Islamist (Al-Qaida allied) rebels in Libya.
  It later emerged (see The Guardian 2/9/2011) that Duncan's unit also helped arrange meetings between the Libyan "rebels" and the Swiss-based multinational Vitol, the world's largest oil trader.Vitol went on to supply oil to the rebels 'largely without upfront payments'. Vitol and its president Ian Taylor have close past links to Mr Duncan.
  While in opposition Duncan's office received tens of thousands of pounds from Mr Taylor via donations to the Conservative Party. Mr Duncan is also a former director of another oil firm, Arawak Energy, which was 40 per cent owned by Vitol at the time.
  In addition to Duncan's oil deals, his Tory colleagues, principally Hague and Prime Minister Cameron, were responsible for the decision to spend up to £3 Billion bombing Libya in pursuit of extra profits for giant oil companies and the US/UK elite's neo-con agenda to "remake the Middle East".
  Multi-millionaire Hague has up until now led a charmed life, shrugging off little problems such as the failure of his Waterhouse Inquiry to get to the bottom of the paedophile abuse at children's homes in North Wales, or the brief media interest in his room-sharing arrangements with a young male advisor, his 25-year old driver at the time, Christopher Myers.There are many leads and much information we have at Mathaba that needs following up with further research and documentation that would bring down the British Establishment once and for all if it were to become public. Meanwhile due to our ongoing resource shortage we encourage those with the ability to conduct further research and to publish their findings.
  -- Support Mathaba:#
Margaret Thatcher death parties: The Left's sick 'celebration' on Brixton's streets | Mail Online
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  Archived Version
  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 12:33
  History: Brixton was the scene of intense rioting during her time as PM - it was blamed on deep social divisions, racial tensions and unemployment
  Speaking to Stephen Nolan on BBC Radio Ulster, former prime minister Tony Blair said the celebrations of Baroness Thatcher's death were in poor taste.
  'Even if you disagree with someone very strongly, you can still particularly at the moment of their passing, you should show some respect,' he said.
  When asked if he worried there would be similar celebrations when he dies, Mr Blair said'When you decide, you divide. I think she would be pretty philisophical about it and I hope I will be too.'
  In Brixton, south London, two women were arrested on suspicion of looting a store and riot police were deployed as the crowds which had been drinking since 5pm started to become more aggressive, refusing to let buses through the streets.
  Controversial: This banner was paraded last night in Liverpool - during her time in power the Tories were seen as being indifferent to the industrial decline in Merseyside
  More than 300 people, including the young and old partied until late at night on the streets of London, clutching cans of cider and cartons of milk as they danced along to reggae and 1980s music.
  Many children also attended the impromptu event with their parents some wearing fancy dress, fairy wings and clutching balloons.
  The carnival-like celebrations also drew crowds who had no knowledge or interest in at Thatcher, but who wanted to join in with the revelry.
  Brixton was the scene of intense rioting during her time as Prime Minster - the unrest was blamed on deep social divisions, racial tensions and unemployment.
  At 11pm last night, party-goers climbed the Ritzy Cinema to replace the billboard of films to say 'Margaret Thatchers dead' .
  They received cheers and applause from fellow revellers as they did so.
  Later they added the words 'LOL', meaning 'laugh out loud', followed by 'Oh Aye'.
  The two hooded men who covered their faces as they replaced the words on the Picture House cinema also attached a sign reading 'the bitch is dead'.
  The Ritzy Cinema said it had nothing to do with masked people and later tweeted its thanks to those who helped clean up broken letters and damage.
  Pictures of anti-Thatcher graffiti scrawled on walls in Brixton also appeared on Twitter, with one reading: 'You snatched my milk! & our hope.'
  Banners were held stating 'Rejoice Thatcher is dead' by drunken crowds, many of whom were too young to remember her as prime minister.
  Margaret Thatcher's death appears to provoke Belfast street...
  Delight: Revellers huddle in a circle in Falls Road, Belfast last night after news of her death
  Public: Graffiti on the Falls Road in west Belfast. Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams has said Margaret Thatcher caused 'great hurt to the Irish and British people' during her time as Prime Minister
  Disappointing: A Democratic Unionist member of the Stormont assembly Jonathan Bell described parties organised in Derry and Belfast as 'disappointing and disgusting'
  Announcement: A man makes his way past graffiti daubed on the Free Derry Corner in the Bogside area of Londonderry, northern Ireland
  Sickening messages also began flooding the internet minutes after the official announcement.
  Revellers danced the conga, drank champagne and chanted: 'Maggie, Maggie, Maggie '' Dead, Dead, Dead.
  Response: The reaction to Baroness Thatcher's has split people across Britain
  Barnados charity shop was a casualty of the celebrations and this morning the store front had been left with a gaping hole in the glass.
  Alex Bigham, a councillor in Lambeth representing Stockwell condemned the celebrations and said 'Even if you detested her policies, many of which I did, it is tasteless posturing.'
  The Metropolitan Police said: 'Police dealt with a group of approximately 100 people in Brixton who caused low level disorder including throwing missiles at officers.'
  They confirmed that two women were arrested on suspicion of burglary after being found inside a shop in Brixton. The shop front had been smashed.
  Meanwhile, in Glasgow, more than 300 people gathered in the city centre for street party, organised on Twitter.
  Members of organisations including the Anti-Bedroom Tax Federation, the Communist party, the Socialist party, the Socialist Workers party and the International Socialist Group, were joined by members of the public in the city's George Square.
  A chorus of 'so long, the witch is dead', along with chants of 'Maggie Maggie Maggie, dead dead dead,' could be heard among the popping of champagne bottles.
  In Leeds, people cheered and even handed out 'Maggie death cake' at another of several street parties across the UK last night.
  Happy: A woman drinks from a bottle and holds a front page of a newspaper displaying an image of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as she and others celebrate her death in Brixton, south London
4 10 Operation Kim Chi Pot
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: Lame Cherry
  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:51
  Concerning the events of April 10, in another Lame Cherry matter anti matter exclusive.
  Upon inquiry the noted "Korean nuclear bomb" which is in the mix comes out of the Obama ledger. It is not North Korean in the least.
  Preparations are underway for a single missile launch. The target is steered toward Okinawa, and is why the show of force in anti missiles in Guam.This is a set up long in the making.
  As part of the deal to remove US troops from Okinawa and illegally station them into the Philippines, Obama asked the Japanese to build a North Korean warhead, based upon their blueprints.
  The nuclear material came from a Chinese contact who acquired the material from a North Korean warlord.
  Joe Biden, John Kerry, Chuck Hagel are in the loop on this, and Janet Napolitano is not.
  China, the Philippines and South Korea know nothing of this "event". This is geared from 1600 Penn Avenue with the Japanese. The nuclear warhead is on Okinawa at this time in full knowledge of Japan, as they constructed this device to make smear Kim Jong Un in over reaching.
  The mud in the waters though is Obama has prepared for one missile, and Kim is going to launch two. The operation is to "discover" this unexploded nuclear warhead in the burn pattern of the North Korean missile.With two missiles launched from North Korea and striking the American base there, the denials will come from the Obama regime that there was only one missile, but two burn marks.
  Questions will arise then why did Kim only launch one nuclear warhead in sending in two missiles.Speculation will be laid that one was a decoy in the North Korean method was to hope in two missiles the one armed with a nuclear device would get through.
  This operation will catch the North Koreans flat, and be utilized to turn Russia and China against Kim Jong Un, as the propaganda and talking points are already laid for a large United Nations performance, including Obama to center stage looking like a leader.
  No one will get a look at this Obama made in Japan warhead which will be scuffed up enough in photographs to pass for anything.
  Those are the main points in this upon inquiry. If these events progress as they are currently in the flow, then this will be most interesting.It is hoped that in publication here that this Obama operation will be stopped and not turn into a nuclear anal Benghazi.
  The Obama master plan in this is then to use this "dangerous event" to leverage not only the Persians, but also the Israeli's to disarm of all nuclear weapons. The advent of Hiroshima was deliberate in that ghost being played here.
  nuff said
  agtG 234
THE REAL THATCHER
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: aangirfan
  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:49
  People in London celebrate the death of Margaret Thatcher. Photograph: Danny E. Martindale/Getty ImagesMargaret Thatcher is one of the architects of the present economic crisis."Her legacy is of public division, private selfishness and a cult of greed.""As Germany and other northern nations have shown, economic dynamism has been possible without the squandering of social cohesion that Mrs Thatcher promoted."
  Margaret Thatcher: the lady and the land she leaves behind
  During Thatcher's time as prime Minister, "Britain for the first time since the beginning of the industrial revolution imported more manufactured goods than it exported, a situation that has never been reversed."[18]The disastrous Margaret Thatcher:1. Increased public spending.
  2. Signed the Single European Act.
  3. Replaced vast number of good Grammar Schools with horrid Comprehensive Schools.
  Michael Potillo in - FT.com
  Peter Morrison with Thatcher (right). Bryn Estyn children's home (left). Allegedly, the UK security services used Bryn Estyn as a boy brothel.Peter Morrison, reportedly a child abuser, became Margaret Thatcher's Parliamentary Private Secretary.Member of parliament Edwina Currie wrote in her diaries:"'One appointment in the recent reshuffle has attracted a lot of gossip and could be very dangerous: Peter Morrison has become the PM's PPS[Parliamentary Private Secretary]. "'Now he's what they call a 'noted pederast', with a liking for young boys.
  CabinetHe admitted as much to Norman Tebbit when he became deputy chairman of the party but added 'However, I'm very discreet' - and he must be! She [Thatcher] either knows and is taking a chance, or doesn't; either way, it's a really dumb move."'[Conservative MP] Teresa Gorman told me this evening (in a taxi coming back from a drinks party at the BBC) that she inherited Morrison's (woman) agent, who claimed to have been offered money to keep quiet about his activities. It scares me as all the press know, and as we get closer to the election someone is going to make trouble, very close to her indeed.'"
  Margaret as a child"We need some serious answers to serious questions aboutwhy Tebbit, Margaret Thatcher and her other key aides and ministers like Willie Whitelaw, Leon Brittan and Lord McAlpine did not expose this well-known paedophile to policeand public instead of giving him jobs in the party and government and allowing him to be right in there among Thatcher's inner circle for 15 years."
  Margaret (left)Margaret Thatcher's father was a leading member of Rotary.
  "Through Rotary, her family received an Austrian Jewish girl called Edith into their home after the Anschluss in 1938."
  www.telegraph.co.uk
  Funeral of Margaret's husband Dennis.Thatcher, the first British prime minister to visit Israel. ''She was beautiful, gay, very kind and thoughtful,'' Denis Thatcher said in an interview. www.timesofisrael.comMargaret Thatcher, n(C)e Roberts, while in her final year at Somerville College, Oxford, studied under the supervision of Dorothy Hodgkin.
  Thatcher installed a portrait of Dorothy Hodgkin in Downing Street.
  Dorothy married Thomas Lionel Hodgkin, a one-time member of the Communist Party.
  "Because of her political activity and her husband's association with the Communist Party, she was banned from entering the US in 1953."
  Dorothy Hodgkin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  Thatcher 1994, with Skye McAlpineMargaret Thatcher was elected as MP for Finchley, in London.She regarded Finchley's Jewish residents as "her people" and became a founding member of the Anglo-Israel Friendship League of Finchley as well as a member of the Conservative Friends of Israel.[33]
  Alistair McAlpine, Lord McAlpine, was the Tory Party Treasurer while Thatcher was prime Minister. Sir Jimmy Savile told Esquire magazine: "I am the eminence grise: the grey, shadowy figure in the background. The thing about me is I get things done and I work under cover."Savile says he spent "11 consecutive Christmases ... with the Thatchers."
  Speaking of former Prime Minister Thatcher, Savile told Esquire: "I knew the real woman and the real woman was something else. The times I spent up there (Chequers) - Denis, me and her, shoes off in front of the fire."http://www.dailymail.co.uk/
  There were many gay people in Thatcher's cabinet."She appointed gay ministers including the tragic Earl of Avon (son of ex-Prime Minister Anthony Eden) who was one of the earliest victims of Aids."
  New Statesman - Thatcher the GAY icon
  Lord Victor Rothschild
  Margaret Thatcher had many Jewish links.
  Margaret Thatcher appointed Victor Rothschild as her unofficial security adviser. In 1994, Roland Perry, in his book The Fifth Man, claimed that Victor Rothschild may have helped Israel to gain important nuclear secrets.Jonathan Freedland, on 31 10 2003, wrote in The Guardian:Margaret Thatcher had a Cabinet "which included no fewer than five Jews:
  "More old Estonians than old Etonians," joked the aged Harold Macmillan."I was born to a Lithuanian father and am of Jewish descent," noted Minister David Young."My only brother, Stewart, is chairman of the BBC. My father used to say, 'One son deputy chairman of the government, another chairman of the BBC -- that's not bad for immigrants."
  http://www.jewishtribalreview.org/27govt2.htm
  Claire McAlpine. Claire McAlpine was 15 when she died. She left behind a diary naming many famous people who had abused her. Jimmy Savile was interviewed by a newspaper about the death of Claire McAlpine. The UK's Foreign Office was concerned at Thatcher's Jewish links "Foreign Office officials were so concerned about Margaret Thatcher's pro-Israeli sympathies when she became Tory leader they wanted her to break off links with local Jewish groups, according to newly-released official papers.
  "Files released to the National Archives in Kew, west London, under the 30 year rule reveal that diplomats feared she would be seen by Arab countries as a 'prisoner of the Zionists'.
  "One official even suggested that she should give up her Finchley parliamentary seat in north London - with its large Jewish community - for somewhere more palatable to Arab opinion.
  Margaret Thatcher with Yitzhak Shamir in Jerusalem in 1986. (photo credit: Yossi Zamir/Flash90)The issue of Thatcher's membership of groups such as the Anglo-Israel Friendship League of Finchley and Conservative Friends of Israel was raised during a visit by shadow foreign secretary Lord Carrington to Jordan in 1975.Mark Thatcher.In 1998 South African authorities investigated a firm owned by Mark Thatcher for allegedly running loan shark operations.
  The company offered unofficial small loans to hundreds of police officers, military personnel and civil servants. Those who defaulted were pursued by debt collectors and charged 20% interest rates, according to the Star of Johannesburg.[8]
What is behind the natural gas hype?
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: Atomic Insights
  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:43
  Gail Marcus at Nuclear Power Talk recently published a post titled Natural Gas: A Flash in the Pan? in which she points to two recent articles (Rise of natural gas may mean fall of alternative energy and Is Natural Gas the Next Bubble ? Has Fracking Promised More Than It Can Deliver?) that describe our current energy supply situation as a natural gas bubble. She concludes by wondering what the rest of us should be doing in case those articles are correct and the current oversupply of natural gas is not sustainable.
  Waiting for something to take shape is simply not in my nature. I was trained to look ahead, bring some technology to bear, sense the rocks on the radar and note the shoal water warnings on the chart.
  Still other recent items look at the same problem from other angles. One, for example, notes that many wind farms have long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs). These could keep costs low and exert a downward pressure on rising gas prices. While the article is focused only on wind, the same should, of course, be true of PPAs for other energy sources. I am not sure what the terms are for PPAs, so wonder if these could possibly hold prices down for the longer term, but it may be one way we can buy time as the full dimensions of the gas bubble begin to take shape.
  Waiting for something to take shape is simply not in my nature. I was trained to look ahead, bring some technology to bear, sense the rocks on the radar and note the shoal water warnings on the chart. When I see that we are ''standing into danger'' (to use some more nautical terminology) I must advocate or take effective action to avoid calamity. That need is even more imperative when I realize that the obstacle ahead is not necessarily natural ''rocks and shoals'' but a high powered, very large ship that is purposely building ramming speed with the intention of harming all of us.
  I know Gail on a personal level and believe that she is wonderfully incapable of seeing purposefully destructive marketing behavior. Like many technically-trained nuclear professionals, she projects her natural integrity onto others who do not deserve it. Here is the comment that I left on her blog, which, by the way, is a terrific resource with a unique perspective on energy technologies and politics.
  @Gail
  As I tried to imply here quite some time ago in response to your review of ''Why We Hate Oil Companies'', I see a purposeful marketing strategy behind what has been painted as a spontaneous, technology-enabled shift in the supply picture for natural gas. In my analysis, one of the factors behind the natural gas bubble is a purposeful effort to derail the nuclear revival.
  The oil companies '' which are also the natural gas companies '' have taken some pages right out of Rockefeller's dusty old Standard Oil book. They have invested heavily into the infrastructure required to extract and deliver gas, driven down the price and are capturing market share.
  As gas producers drive out their competition '' primarily new nuclear power plants that do not burn ANY natural gas to supply electricity, which is their most lucrative market '' they will act surprised as demand for their product increases faster than their ability to increase production. That process will inevitably lead to an imbalance between the rate at which customers want their product and the rate at which they can deliver.
  Prices and profits will rise. Since gas infrastructure is notoriously difficult to build because of the nature of the commodity '' it is a low energy density gas at STP '' the price increase will be rapid and sustained.
  People that extract and sell gas understand its price history. They have very fond memories of the ''good old days'' from 2001-2008 when their wells were incredible cash cows because they were extracting with essentially zero marginal cost, but selling for $6, $8, $10, $14 or even $25 per MMBTU.
  There was a brief period last winter in New England when natural gas prices exceeded $30 per MMBTU. That should have been a clear warning, but it does not seem to have been heeded.
  Unfortunately, many of the most powerful influencers in the nuclear industry also remember the last gas price mountain with fondness. When you are operating nuclear plants with a marginal cost of 2 cents per kilowatt-hour in a competitive market where the ''last-in'' supplier sets the price, skyrocketing natural gas leads to high priced electricity.
  Every commodity supplier likes high prices for their commodity, especially when they already know that their production costs are far lower than the market price in a supply-constrained environment.
  Rod Adams
  Once again, I think it is important to try to burn the below graph into the collective consciousness of all energy decision makers. (That includes all of us, we make energy decisions every day, though most of them are a bit on the automatic or unconscious level.)
  Natural gas electric power price
  Please do not take this as investment advice, but I feel the need to tell you that one of the things I have done to protect my personal savings against the inevitable rise in natural gas prices is to buy stocks in companies that will benefit as those prices increase. My portfolio is overweighted in nuclear focused engineering firms and competitive market nuclear power plant operators like Exelon.
Bitcoin Passes $200 | Zero Hedge
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: BadChad's ThoughtPile
  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:38
  Bitcoin is a protocol. It is a set of transactional rules over a computer network. The specifications of those rules on a high level are outlined here: http://bitcoin.org/bitcoin.pdf and their specific implimentation as computer code here: https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin
  Of course there are alternative digital currencies. One list can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_currency
  There are different digital currencies for the same reason there are different digital network protocols: they have different features and benefits.
  HTTP, HTTPS, email, SMS, TELNET, TCP, UDP -- these protocols are used on the Internet and on phones everyday. Why different ones? Because each is good for the thing is does. If you don't need the service the protocol provides, then it doesn't have any value for you. Not everyone has email. But most do. Email is a valuable protocol. Anyone can introduce a new protocol, if it is adopted then it is valuable. If old protocols are no longer useful, they go away.
  The Bitcoin protocol was designed to have the features of a currency (see the pdf for details). More and more people are using the protocol and it is becoming more useful, thus more valuable.
  Perhaps its useful to think of the charts as adoption rate charts rather than asset value charts.
  That said, I'm sure there is plenty of speculation.
Presidential Proclamation -- National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: White House.gov Press Office Feed
  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:38
  The White House
  Office of the Press Secretary
  For Immediate Release
  April 08, 2013
  NATIONAL FORMER PRISONER OF WAR RECOGNITION DAY, 2013
  - - - - - - -
  BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
  A PROCLAMATION
  From the days of the Revolutionary War to the trials of our times, America has been blessed with an unbroken chain of patriots who have always stepped forward to serve. Whenever our country has come under attack, our men and women in uniform have risen to its defense. And whenever our freedoms have been threatened, they have responded with unyielding resolve -- sometimes trading their liberty to secure our own.
  Today, we pay tribute to former prisoners of war who made that profound sacrifice. Caught behind enemy lines and stripped of their rights, these service members endured trials few of us can imagine. Many lost their lives. But in reflecting on the tragic price they paid, we also remember how their courage lit up even the darkest night. Where others might have given up or broken down, they dug in. They summoned an iron will. In their strength, we see the measure of their character; in their sacrifice, we see the spirit of a Nation.
  As we express our gratitude to heroes who gave so much for their country, we remain mindful that no one gesture is enough to truly honor their service. For that, we must recommit to serving our veterans as well as they served us -- not just today, but every day. We must pursue a full accounting of those who are still missing. And for service members who have come home, we must never stop fighting to give them the stability and the support they have earned. That is the promise we renew today -- for former prisoners of war, for their families, and for every American who has sworn an oath to protect and defend.
  NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 9, 2013, as National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day. I call upon all Americans to observe this day of remembrance by honoring all American prisoners of war, our service members, and our veterans. I also call upon Federal, State, and local government officials and organizations to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.
  BARACK OBAMA
Presidential Proclamation - Equal Pay Day
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: White House.gov Press Office Feed
  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:38
  The White House
  Office of the Press Secretary
  For Immediate Release
  April 08, 2013
  NATIONAL EQUAL PAY DAY, 2013
  - - - - - - -
  BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
  A PROCLAMATION
  Over the past 4 years, the American people have come together to lift our economy out of recession and forge a foundation for lasting prosperity. Our businesses have created millions of new jobs, our stock market is rebounding, and our housing market has begun to heal. But even now, too many Americans are seeing their hard work go unrewarded because of circumstances beyond their control. Women -- who make up nearly half of our Nation's workforce -- face a pay gap that means they earn 23 percent less on average than men do. That disparity is even greater for African-American women and Latinas. On National Equal Pay Day, we recognize this injustice by marking how far into the new year women have to work just to make what men did in the previous one.
  Wage inequality undermines the promise of fairness and opportunity upon which our country was founded. For families trying to make ends meet, that gap can also mean the difference between falling behind and getting ahead. When working mothers make less than their male counterparts, they have less to spend on basic necessities like child care, groceries, and rent. Small businesses see fewer customers walk through their doors. Tuition payments get harder to afford, and rungs on the ladder of opportunity get farther apart. And just as diminished wages shortchange families, they slow our entire economy -- weakening growth here at home and eroding American competitiveness abroad.
  To grow our middle class and spur progress in the years ahead, we need to address longstanding inequity that keeps women from earning a living equal to their efforts. That is why I have made pay equity a top priority -- from signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act days after I took office to cracking down on equal pay law violations wherever they occur. And to back our belief in equality with the weight of law, I continue to call on the Congress to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act.
  Our country has come a long way toward ensuring everyone gets a fair shot at opportunity, no matter who you are or where you come from. But our journey will not be complete until our mothers, our wives, our sisters, and our daughters are treated equally in the workplace and always see an honest day's work rewarded with honest wages. Today, let us renew that vision for ourselves and for our children, and let us rededicate ourselves to realizing it in the days ahead.
  NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 9, 2013, as National Equal Pay Day. I call upon all Americans to recognize the full value of women's skills and their significant contributions to the labor force, acknowledge the injustice of wage inequality, and join efforts to achieve equal pay.
  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.
  BARACK OBAMA
NY Gun Confiscation Underway '' Citizens Told to Turn in Pistol Owner ID & Firearms
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:36
  Dan Robertswww.AmmoLand.comApril 9th, 2013Reader Views: 1,445
  Manasquan, NJ --(Ammoland.com)- Remember all those who denied that firearms confiscation as a result of New York's new gun laws was too ''insane'' to even consider?
  That it was strictly in the realm of paranoid conspiracy theorists and the ''it cant happen here crowd''?
  Those were and remain some of the standard replies to anyone who even thought about the possibility, let alone gave voice to it, despite the fact that Gov Cuomo and numerous other officials made public comments about such a plan, as I discussed in my article ''Feinstein & Cuomo Admit Planning Australian Style Government Gun Buy Back'' .
  Elected Officials, the media, various Gun Control Groups and their zealous forced disarmament supporters, even some firearms owners themselves all insisted it was to crazy to even consider.
  There's just one huge problem it is happening now in New York State!
  It seems those that tried desperately to warn of such an insidious plot had hit the bullseye with their warnings after all. News came from multiple NY State based firearms enthusiast websites late Friday that confiscations of Pistol Owner ID Cards, as well as firearms and accessories has commenced in NY under the provisions of the horribly flawed, draconian and blatantly unconstitutional NY SAFE Act.
  Those folks having their weapons and FID cards confiscated have been discovered to have been prescribed multiple different types of psychotropic drugs, such as those for Depression or Anxiety. These are known as SSRI ( Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) class drugs and have the potential to cause serious and adverse side effects, something I wrote about extensively last week in an article that went viral in days and caused multiple Anti Gun and Progressive News Groups to initiate a concentrated denial of service hacker attack against Ammoland Shooting Sports News (see Daily KOS '' Keeping Track Of The RKBA Crowd'' http://tiny.cc/ug67uw), in an effort to keep the information from the public.
  From NY http://tiny.cc/nyfirearms
  ''John Doe, an upstanding professional with no outstanding criminal convictions and no history of violent action received a letter from the Pistol Permit Department informing him that his license was immediately revoked upon information that he was seeing a therapist for anxiety and had been prescribed an anxiety drug. He was never suicidal, never violent, and has no criminal history. The New York State Department of Health is apparently conducting a search of medical records to determine who is being treated for anxiety drugs and using this as a basis for handgun license revocation.
  Those are the facts. Nothing more, nothing less.''
  Now, before anyone trots out the old saw about how this is nothing more then a paranoid, unsubstantiated rumor on a ''gun nuts'' internet forum. I spoke to the Attorney of Record in this matter on the phone this morning and he confirmed that the above snippet is accurate and these cases are happening!
  James Tresmond Esq confirmed in our conversation that the above mentioned case is occurring in Erie County NY, it is his client that has been effected, and as yet unknown sources have seen fit to take it upon themselves to share confidential medical records with NY State Officials without authorization, a massive HIPPA violation.
  It seems these supposedly confidential records are then compared against a list of known NY pistol license holders and letters are sent out demanding their Pistol Owner ID Cards be surrendered, as well as any firearms and accessories.
  This is an unprecedented violation of a Citizens 2nd, 4th, and 5th Amendment RIGHTS, brought to fruition by power and control hungry tyrants holding elected office who swore an Oath to uphold and defend the very rights they are now actively stripping from their constituents.
  Moreover, the confiscation efforts underway in NY State have had another, albeit unintended effect. By undertaking this course of action, those in power have inadvertently pulled back the curtain on something they have suppressed from the Citizens for far to long, leaving them with precious little wiggle room to explain away their actions.
  Either they are acknowledging that there is in fact some sort of little reported link between the prescribing of psychotropic drugs and violent behavior, thus they are somehow, at least in their own minds ''justified'' in their actions to preempt someone from violence.Or, this is nothing more then a backdoor confiscation effort and massive abuse of governmental power unleashed on innocent Citizens.Those are the only two possible explanations.
  If anyone still feels some level of doubt regarding the veracity of this story, Attorney Tresmond welcomes anyone to visit his website tresmondlaw.com, Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/james.tresmond.7), or send an email to TresmondLaw@gmail.com.
  Mr Tresmond asks that those making inquiries be mindful and respectful of the fact that they have been deluged with inquiries in recent days and therefore a personal reply may be delayed or impossible due to the volume.
  About Dan Roberts:Dan Roberts is a grassroots supporter of gun rights that has chosen AmmoLand Shooting Sports News as the perfect outlet for his frank, 'Jersey Attitude' filled articles on Guns and Gun Owner Rights.As a resident of the oppressive state of New Jersey he is well placed to be able to discuss the abuses of government against our inalienable rights to keep and bear arms as he writes from deep behind NJ's Anti-Gun iron curtain. Read more from Dan Roberts or email him at DRoberts@ammoland.com You can also find him on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dan.roberts.18
  Distributed to you by - AmmoLand.com '' The Shooting Sports News source
  Delivered by The Daily Sheeple
  Contributed by Dan Roberts of www.AmmoLand.com.
  Leave A Comment...The Daily Sheeple Home Page
The government has the right to infringe on your freedom, says Bloomberg
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:25
  (NaturalNews) You're not smart enough to make your own decisions. You're irresponsible with liberty and you can't be relied upon to know how best to live your own life.Only government can make those decisions for you, and by golly, government ought to be doing that. Or so says the narcissistic mayor of New York City.
  Anyone who has been following the antics of Michael Bloomberg in recent years knows he doesn't care much for our founding principles or our Constitution, and he recently stated as much. Ironically, in doing so, he also said inadvertently that he doesn't give a damn about the very constitutional process that saw him win elections, thus allowing him the privilege of serving in office.
  He thinks democracy and freedom are good things when he is getting elected; they are bad qualities, however, when it comes to everything else.
  'We should infringe on your freedoms...'
  That's because Bloomberg, you see, is a zealot. He's also a statist and would-be tyrant who believes government is the end-all, be-all of our existence, despite constitutional protections that were written into our nation's founding documents and were designed to prevent wannabe dictators like him from usurping authority. What's more, he believes, we, the little people, should just bend over and take whatever "government" gives us, and then be thankful for it, because Nanny knows best.
  "I do think there are certain times we should infringe on your freedom," he said during a recent appearance on NBC, when discussing his ban on sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces that was just struck down as improper by a New York state court. And, like a true zealot, he vowed that he would continue to pursue the ban - despite what the courts say and despite what New Yorkers want.
  "We think the judge was just clearly wrong on this," Bloomberg ranted. "Our Department of Health has the legal ability to do this. ... [They're] not banning anything."
  There's no doubt that his hand-picked health department did indeed "ban" some food and beverage outlets from serving drinks larger than 16 ounces, but zealots defy logic by ignoring what is real and instead clinging to falsehoods in order to advance their own personal agenda.
  Imposing his will on the nation - not
  That is, after all, what Bloomberg's recently-launched $12 million ad campaign aimed at pressuring federal lawmakers into passing new gun control legislation.
  Besides believing that you and I don't really have a right to own guns, the egomaniacal Bloomberg's massive streak of zealotry is driving him to do this as well.
  "I think I have a responsibility, and I think you and all your viewers have responsibilities, to try to make this country safer for our families and for each other," he told NBC's David Gregory on Meet the Press, a friendly media contact with similar viewpoints on the subject of guns and who will never challenge Bloomberg's audacity. "And if I can do that by spending some money and by taking the NRA from being the only voice to being one of the voices so the public can really understand the issues, then I think my money would be well spent, and I think I have an obligation to do that."
  Funny how you don't see Bloomberg taking aim at the First Amendment, "spending some money" in a bid to combat violent, gun-toting Hollywood films.
  In fact, his state's governor, Andrew Cuomo, is even busy making special arrangements for Hollywood, giving movie makers the "right" to come to New York and skirt the state's new draconian firearms ban and magazine limitations - a move in which Bloomberg has largely remained silent. Now he can add hypocrisy to his list of personality traits.
  If you ever doubted the wisdom of the founding fathers, re-read the Bill of Rights and the Constitution, and you will see that they were written explicitly with people like Michael Bloomberg in mind.
  Sources:
  http://m.washingtontimes.com
  http://hotair.com
  http://www.glennbeck.com
  http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/
  people have commented on this article.
Emails show history of illness in Adam Lanza's family, mother had worries about gruesome images
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:19
  Daily News Photo IllustrationExcerpts of some of the emails Nancy Lanza sent to a friend, touching on her family's history and her feelings on kids and weapons.
  It ran in the family.
  Newtown school killer Adam Lanza's mother Nancy told friends in emails and in private chats about a genetic disorder that killed her grandfather, nearly took her life and had already manifested itself in her son.
  ''Nancy indicated that Adam's issues were genetic like hers,'' friend Marvin LaFontaine told the Daily News.
  Adam Lanza had been diagnosed with the form of autism known as Asperger's syndrome, and a sensory perception disorder that prevented him from recognizing pain and caused him to recoil from being physically touched.
  But only his mother feared he was suffering from the family's black plague.
  In hundreds of Nancy Lanza's emails obtained by The News, she said doctors had no explanation for the autoimmune disorder that killed her grandfather in just six weeks.
  RELATED: CONN. GOV. MALLOY SLAMS NRA'S LAPIERRE AS 'CLOWN' OVER OPPOSITION TO STRICT NEW GUN LAWS
  Doctors found lesions on her brain in 1999, and Nancy Lanza described her illness as ''like living on top of a time bomb.'' But she decided not to tell her children.
  ''I am carrying the gene for this type of self-destruct,'' she emailed LaFontaine at the time. ''My diagnosis was not good. I was going under the premise that I had a limited time left . . . about enough to get the boys settled in. . . . At one point I was trying to deal with the time frame of about 12 months.''
  The disease went into remission, but she told a pal in January 2012 it had ''flared up.''
  By November, she realized her son's troubles were deeper than just genetics.
  Just two weeks before the Newtown shooting, Nancy discovered ghastly and sinister pictures in her son's room featuring dead bodies, but she did not confront him.
  ''One (drawing) had a woman clutching a religious item, like rosary beads, and holding a child, and she was getting all shot up in the back with blood flying everywhere,'' a friend said.
  RELATED: SANDY HOOK MURDER SPREE POSSIBLE 'ACT OF REVENGE'
  ''Nancy was disturbed, really disturbed, but didn't confront him,'' he said. ''She wanted to think it over.''
  As the world now knows, on Dec. 14, Nancy was shot dead by her son, who then killed 26 more people during a rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
  Since that rampage, Connecticut cops have been poring over evidence seized from the 20-year-old killer's bedroom, but have yet to disclose any details.
  Nancy Lanza's emails, some dating to 1999, also reveal that she coddled her children, particularly Adam, and was outraged by news of school violence.
  After being told in March 1999 of an incident in New Hampshire involving a student attacking another with a nail, Nancy Lanza's outrage hinted at her growing frustration over Adam's troubles.
  ''That kid (with the nail) should be expelled from school,'' she wrote in an email in March 1999. ''(Schools) go on and on about their great 'zero tolerance' regarding drugs and alcohol . . . but go ahead and let a kid attack another with a weapon!
  RELATED: ATF REVOKES LICENSE OF CONN. SHOP THAT SOLD GUN TO ADAM LANZA'S MOTHER
  ''They will spend THOUSANDS of dollars on that child to keep an aide sitting with him . . . and then they say they don't have money for one hour a week of speech therapy for a smart, quiet child with a speech impairment,'' she wrote, apparently referring to Adam.
  On Sunday, The News reported that Adam Lanza idolized his Uncle Jim, a hero New Hampshire cop and former Green Beret. Friends said Adam's dreams of following his uncle's footsteps into the military were dashed because of his wide spectrum of mental problems that may have triggered his killing spree.
  ''I really miss having my brother right next to me. I always felt so safe that way,'' Nancy Lanza emailed LaFontaine.
  She recalled how her brother gave her self-defense lessons as a girl.
  ''I don't know if there is a name for the kind of training the Green Berets get . . . they are simply trained to kill,'' she wrote.
  Nancy Lanza kept a collection of guns, including those her son used to kill her and commit the slaughter, but her emails made no mention of weapons. They also did not hint of the bullying her friends claim Adam endured as a student at Sandy Hook.Her emails also show that she was a doting mother, who threw birthday parties for Adam and his older brother Ryan, and made sure their summers were full of fun activities.
  In retrospect, one email about her parenting philosophy was especially chilling, considering Nancy's fate on Dec. 14.
  ''Parental bonds are formed so early in life . . . they are either there or they aren't. It is a direct product of how much the parent put into that relationship,'' she wrote. mlysiak@nydailynews.com
What is an Emergency Action Message or EAM?
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Tue, 09 Apr 2013 09:45
  USN E-6B Tacamo on the ramp at Offutt AFB, Nebraska. (US Navy photograph)Monitoring Times Milcom Column December 2009By Larry Van Horn
  Copyright 2009 by author and Monitoring Times magazine. This article may not be reprinted or reposted in any form, links only are ok back to this article.
  November-Foxtrot-India-India-Four-Sierra
  "November Foxtrot India India Four Sierra, I say again, November Foxtrot India India Four Sierra, this is Andrews out."
  So you just heard a transmission like the one above on 8992 kHz and it now has you scratching your head wondering what was it? Most likely it was an EAM or Emergency Action Message transmitted by the U.S. military.
  It really doesn't seem that long ago that I first wrote about this topic here in the pages of MT. In reality it has been over 15 years while I was still writing the Utility World column that I first discussed what an EAM was. Since that time the learning process has not stopped.
  Dedicated monitors continue to intercept these unique high priority message and learn about how the military uses them in their operations. To bear fruit, this sort of effort takes a long time to monitor the broadcast, compile information, compare it to public information, analyze it and come to some sort of conclusions based on what has been compiled.
  I really need to put in a caveat here for all you who prowl the Internet. I have seen a lot written about these military messages over my many years as a monitor and writer, and unfortunately, quite a bit of it is just plain junk. Fortunately for our radio hobby several monitors have dedicated a major portion of their listening hobby to the study of these broadcasts and have slowly, but surely uncovered some of the basic facts that surround the usage of these U.S. Department of Defense transmissions.
  In this edition of MT's Milcom, I will publish some of the new information never before released within our radio hobby on these interesting DoD messages that we have found and put together.
  But first, I'm going to wind the clock back a bit. Here is some of what we published in the past to catch you up regarding what we knew about EAMs transmissions 15 years ago.
  So what is an EAM really?
  From Jeff Haverlah's "What is an EAM?" available on the Monitoring Times website (Blog editor note: note also published below after this article):
  From Strategic Command, Control, and Communication - Alternative Approaches For Modernization; John J Hare, Richard H. Davison, and Peter Tarpgaars; Congressional Budget Office (CBO), October 1981 ''
  Page 12: "....Proper coding and formatting of EAMs is of crucial importance, since nuclear forces are prepared to execute any messages they receive that meet rigid specifications. In addition to specific instructions contained in an EAM, proper coding provides the means by which a commander expresses his authority to release nuclear weapons and an officer controlling those weapons verifies that authority."
  Page 44: "EAM: Though generally referring to a category of urgent messages from commanders to deployed forces, EAM is often used as a short-hand expression for a specially coded nuclear attack directive."
  From the May 1995 MT page 33, Monitoring Times Utility World column by this author: "Several issues ago (Dec 94) we talked about the U.S. military's Emergency Action Messages (EAM) broadcast. Here is an interesting explanation, taken from a U.S. Air Force manual, of what an EAM is.
  "Joint Chiefs of Staff Emergency Action Messages (EAMs) contain key instructions or information from high level authority and have predetermined formats (pro forma). Such messages are transmitted by various communications systems and normally carry FLASH precedence. They are vital messages of an extremely time-sensitive nature, and rapid processing is mandatory to obtain the fast reaction required by their content. Usage and handling procedures are of the highest classification and have been issued by the JCS only to those who have a need to know." (AFM-01-1-18, sub 3, amended 01 Jan 1990)."
  Since that information was published I have uncovered a few more sources with information on EAM messages. A 2001 U.S. Army regulation issued at the Rock Island Arsenal gave a slightly different twist on EAMs from their service viewpoint.
  "EAMs come in as FLASH or IMMEDIATE messages. Ordinarily, they provide notification of a change in Defense Readiness Condition (DEFCON) status, but they are also used to alert personnel of any emergency situation needing immediate action."
  According to the instruction above an EAM may pertain to "a real emergency, a scheduled exercise, or a special test." So one of the important things that monitors need to keep in mind is that not "all" EAMs involve critical real world events.
  In a recent USAF Wing instruction, it indicated that an EAM could be used for emergencies, contingencies and exercises as well. In this instruction one possible result based on the unit receiving an EAM follows: "The 403 WG will notify the 81 TRW Command Post upon receipt of an emergency action message directing recall for the 403 WG."
  In fact, during one of our recent sweeps of the Internet, we uncovered an unclassified document that clearly stated that TACAMO aircraft regularly receive "exercise equivalents of actual emergency action messages."
  The Navy and EAMs
  Every time I think of EAMs and the Navy, I always think about one of my favorite movie dramas '' Crimson Tide. We certainly saw a lot of EAM traffic in that movie. How accurate was that portrayal compared to the real world. I really can't say for sure as I have never wanted to do the sub thing. Based on some information that I have uncovered, it may not be totally accurate and some license was definitely taken when compared with what actually happens regarding how a submarine finds out it has an EAM message when it is doing the underwater gig.
  In the world of Navy SSBN submarines, they operate a bit differently when working with and using EAM transmissions. The Navy ELF communications system broadcast three letter codes '' as described by Douglas Waller in Big Red: Inside the Secret World of a Trident Nuclear Submarine '' that didn't seem to be authorization codes to launch nuclear weapons:
  "If the sub had to operate more covertly, still another wire antenna could be reeled out for two thousand feet to receive extremely low frequency (ELF) signals that penetrated deep into the water. The ELF signal came in agonizingly slowly, so the message consisted of only three letter codes. The shack had an inch-thick book in its safe that could translate each trigraph, often sent as a bell-ringer to order the sub to sail nearer the surface so it could pick up a lengthier message on another frequency."
  At this point if your on the sub you would probably hear "Conn, Radio, receiving EAM."
  The Emergency Action Message, according to Waller, contained much more information '' sets of instructions identifying the warplan indicating the number of weapons and targets; date and time window for attack; combination to the safe containing the launch keys and an authentication code.
  The Definitive Word?
  But I think the best information comes from the top dogs in DoD, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). In a JCS instruction 5721.01D dated February 8, 2008 on Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3) Hybrid Solution (HS), they wrote:
  "(1) The NC3 HS Emergency Action Message (EAM) architecture supports fixed and mobile EAM injectors and recipients and provides for EAM dissemination to time critical (TC) and non-TC users...In addition to EAM dissemination, the NC3 HS provides transport for the general service (GENSER) traffic up to TOP SECRET OPLAN 8044...
  "(2) EAMs are highly structured, authenticated messages primarily used in the C2 of nuclear forces. EAMs are disseminated over numerous survivable and non-survivable communication systems, including terrestrial and space systems. The NC3 HS is the principal means of dissemination of EAMs in a pre-attack environment. The NC3 HS is comprised of several existing systems including the Navy's Nova, the Air Force's Strategic Automated Command Control System, the Defense Improved Emergency Message Automatic Transmission System Replacement Command and Control Terminal, the DMS, and the Pentagon Telecommunications Center."
  In another online publication published in 2008, the Nuclear Matters: A Practical Guide, Chapter 5 had these two statements:
  "Emergency Action Message'--Use Authorization Control. An Emergency Action Message (EAM) is the medium through which actions involving nuclear weapons are authorized. These messages are encrypted and sent to lower-echelon units for action. The messages have different formats and may require authentication with sealed authentication code cards depending on the intent of the message.
  "National Military Command and Control System. The Joint Staff Director for Operations (J-3) operates the C2 system. EAMs are conveyed to the Combatant Commands through secure communications links."
  But this may not be the whole story. In another publication we recently uncovered on the Internet it clearly indicated that the JCS may not be the only originator of EAM messages that we hear coming from our radio speakers. There are also STRAT Emergency Action Messages that are transmitted by Navy TACAMO aircraft. If a major command like the US Strategic Command can issue EAMs, who else also can originate and release their own EAM traffic into the various communications systems that DoD uses?
  So how do they disseminate EAMs?
  This depends on branch of the military you are looking at. Radio hobbyists usually hear EAM broadcasts on the Joint Chiefs of Staff/Air Force operated HF-GCS network. But that is only a small tip of the iceberg, and there is a lot more that we never hear or see.
  The following radiotelephone, radioteletype and land based systems/communications networks have been confirmed as carriers of DoD EAM broadcasts:
  Landline based systems: Autodin/Nova, Strategic Automated Command and Control System (SACCS), Digital Remotely Programmable Conference Arrange (DRPCA), Defense Switching Network (DSN), Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Alerting Network (CJCSAN), Strategic Emergency Action Telephone System (SEATS), DDN, and the Strategic Operational Conference System (SOCCS).
  Other known communications networks: UHF-FDM Northstar GEP Network, CJCS HF Broadcast on CJCS HF network and its sub-nets, Survivable Mobile Command Center (SMCC) HF network, Worldwide TACAMO (WTAC), SMCC UHF LOS, CJCS VLF/LF, CJCS CINCNET, TACAMO Intranet, UHF ADIS, CJCS Data* (JCSDATA), CJCS Voice* (JCSVOICE), CJCS EAM Cross-banded Network* (JCSEAM-X), Missile Warning Teletype* (MWTTY), Mobile Ground System-Global Summary Message* (MGS-GSM), CTF-124 Voice, Strategic Force Management Network* (STRATFM), Strategic Report Back Submarine Network* (STRRBSUB), STRINTEL*, STRINTD-E*, STRRB-E, STRFD-E, National Command Authority Secure* (NCASEC), North Secure* (NORTHSEC), STRAT Secure* (STRATSEC), and Airborne Launch Control System (ALCS).
  These networks can use VLF, HF and UHF frequency ranges, AFSATCOM transponders and Milstar EHF/AEHF satellite capability. In the list above an * indicates a Military Strategic and Tactical Relay (MILSTAR) satellite network.
  Things may not stay the same.
  Nothing in the nuclear mission world stays static, especially with the dissemination of EAM messages. Back in 2005, Rockwell Collins was selected by the U.S. Air Force as the prime contractor for Phase 2 of the Ground Element Minimum Essential Emergency Communications Network (MEECN) System (GEMS) program.
  The GEMS program replaces Air Force and Navy fixed and deployable communications for bomber, tanker, reconnaissance and other alert communications facilities. When operational, this system will provide an upgraded networked infrastructure incorporating improved capabilities for aircrew alerting, message handling and the supporting communications links.
  Improvements include updated Extremely High Frequency (EHF)/Advanced EHF (AEHF) satellite communications and redundant Very Low Frequency (VLF) communication paths for critical strategic message traffic. The improvements will eliminate obsolescence issues associated with the current aircrew alerting devices (pagers and klaxons), Ultra High Frequency (UHF) communications and Emergency Action Message (EAM) processing systems.
  Rockwell Collins has been involved in the MEECN system since its inception and continues to provide key portions of the network for the U.S. military. As of this writing, we are still not sure if GEMS is up and running. There may be additional systems and networks that we still do not know about as we approach 2010.
  Where to Hear an EAM.
  So if you want to hear an EAM broadcast, where do you park your receiver or scanner?
  The best place to monitor these transmissions are on HF when they are transmitted by stations working within the previously mentioned USAF HF-GCS network. Tune your receiver to one of the following frequencies (low at night, high during the day), switch on the upper sideband (USB) mode, and wait. Frequencies: 4724.0 6739.0 8992.0 11175.0 13200.0 15016.0 kHz
  If you are lucky to be within line of sight range of one of the airborne units that transmit EAMs you might want to program 311.000 321.000 or 323.800 MHZ (AM mode) into your scanner and wait for one to be transmitted.
  Whether they are transmitted for exercise or contingency purposes, or an indication of something important happening in the real world, Emergency Action Messages are a fascinating aspect of the Milcom radio hobby to monitor and study.
  Milcom Resource GuideNuclear Matters: A Practical Guide, Chapter 5 http://www.acq.osd.mil/ncbdp/nm/nmbook/chapters/ch5.htmWhat does an EAM sounds like? Check out this YouTube EAM Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTZuJQ4xtE0
  What is an EAM?By Jeff Haverlah
  Also published at http://www.monitoringtimes.com/html/eam.html
  "EAM: Though generally referring to a category of urgent messages from commanders to deployed forces, EAM is often used as a short-hand expression for a specially coded nuclear attack directive."
  From "Strategic Command, Control, and Communication - Alternative Approaches For Modernization"; John J Hare, Richard H. Davison, and Peter Tarpgaars; Congressional Budget Office (CBO); October 1981; Page 44:
  "....Proper coding and formatting of EAMs is of crucial importance, since nuclear forces are prepared to execute any messages they receive that meet rigid specifications. In addition to specific instructions contained in an EAM, proper coding provides the means by which a commander expresses his authority to release nuclear weapons and an officer controlling those weapons verifies that authority."
  Ibid, Page 12:
  ''[In the December 94 issue of Monitoring Times] we talked about the U.S. military's Emergency Action Messages (EAM) broadcast. Here is an interesting explanation, taken from a U.S. Air Force manual, of what an EAM is.
  "Joint Chiefs of Staff Emergency Action Messages (EAMs) contain key instructions or information from high level authority and have predetermined formats (pro forma). Such messages are transmitted by various communications systems and normally carry FLASH precedence. They are vital messages of an extremely time-sensitive nature, and rapid processing is mandatory to obtain the fast reaction required by their content. Usage and handling procedures are of the highest classification and have been issued by the JCS only to those who have a need to know." (AFM-01-1-18, sub 3; amended 01 Jan 1990)."
  From the May 1995 Monitoring Times; Utility World column by Larry Van Horn; page 33; section titled "What are EAMs?":
  =========================
  From a shortwave utility hobbyist's standpoint what are they? Park your HF receiver (set to upper side band mode) on 15016.0 kHz, 13200.0 kHz, 11175.0 kHz (the most productive for day to day monitoring of the U.S. military on HF), 8992.0 kHz (ideal for monitoring during North American nights), 6739.0 kHz , 6712.0 kHz or 4724.0 kHz.
  Eventually you'll hear ground stations of the USAF's HF-GCS (led by ANDREWS or OFFUTT or MCCLELLAN, identified in the clear since 1992) broadcast one or more Emergency Action Message, or EAM. You will hear a six-character alpha-numeric string (known as the "preamble") read phonetically, repeated three times. This will be followed by the same 6-character string either by itself (as the entire message), or concatenated with additional alpha-numeric characters to produce alpha-numeric strings that total 28 characters (the most common length; 30-characters prior to 01 Oct 2000; 26-characters prior to 01 Oct 1998), or 22 characters (20 character prior to 01 Oct 2000), or strings with character-counts that can extend into the hundreds of characters (with the available character set universe consisting of all 26-characters of the English alphabet plus the numerals two, three, four, five, six and seven; with extremely rare exceptions there are no zeros, ones, eights or nines heard in these strings).
  [Eventually you might discover that this HF EAM activity is also heard on a group of HF frequencies that are known as the ZULU frequencies utilized by communication assets (both airborne and ground based) of the JCS and U.S. Strategic Command (see the "Military Lists Area" column in any recent WUN newsletter for the known frequencies) and on HF frequencies utilized by the U.S. Navy during apparent exercises. However, since FY 2000 the ZULU frequencies have become much less active with daily connectivity communications to the point of silence.]
  The above activity is heard daily, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, year after year.
  A second group of coded messages heard on the GHFS (and the ones that produce the most comments from new listeners because of the "SKYKING do not answer" nature of the broadcasts) are the so-called FOXTROT broadcasts. These are heard only on the GHFS frequencies listed in the previous paragraph and take the form of the GHFS operator broadcasting a message that states "SKYKING, SKYKING. Do not answer. [3-element alpha-numeric group] [minutestamp] [time dependent two-character authenticator]" and repeated once.
  These transmissions appear to be initiated by any of the GHFS ground stations except ASCENSION and HICKAM, with the initiating ground station prefacing the broadcast with a codeword that can consist of DECENT (or DESCENT), ENLIST, FAIRLY, EYESTRAIN (or sounds as), DEFROSTER, "ANY STATION" and maybe one more codeword recently reported. The codeword appears to determine which other GHFS ground stations are to "echo" the transmission. As an example, the DECENT transmission appears to apply only to CONUS stations while all the others appear to apply (with an occasional exception) to non-CONUS stations that fall outside an arc from Guam to Japan to Alaska to Greenland to the UK to the Azores.
  These coded messages are said to be *only* for the positive control of ACC/AMC airborne forces detailed to the U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM). These messages appear to have higher priority on the GHFS voice circuits than do the EAM transmissions as an EAM transmission will be terminated in midstring in order to immediately transmit these "SKYKING" DNA broadcasts.
  ========
  04 Apr 2005 Update:
  The information in the above paragraph was written in 1998 and will remain unaltered in the interest of "history''; however, unlike the subtly changing information in the earlier EAM paragraph, there are some notable changes in the FOXTROT broadcasts since 1998.
  Prior to 1992 all FOXTROT broadcasts were initiated with aliased echo rotation callups similar to that described above.
  For a short time in the second half of 1992 (which represents the activation of the USSTRATCOM following the deactivation of SAC) the echo rotation callups were "in the clear."
  From maybe late in 1992 (or early 1993 lost in the fog of memory) the GHFS went back to aliased callup echo rotations as described in the above paragraph.
  In the 21 century the GHFS ceased to exist, replaced with the HF-GCS.In the immediate post 11 September 2001 time period, during the run up to the purging of the Taliban from Afghanistan, the echo rotations appeared to go through a transformation. They were no longer aliased and at least two new stations were added to the echo rotation call up: DIEGO GARCIA and for a brief period CYPRUS FLIGHT WATCH. After this conflict ALL requests for echo rotation disappeared from the FOXTROT broadcasts, and it remains that way into CY 2005.
  ========
  Further detailed information can be found from the following sources:
  Hobby sources:
  Ary Boender's "Numbers & Oddities" column in the July 1995 (FOXTROT broadcasts) and August 1995 ("EAMs") WUN Newsletters (both newsletters are now "archived" at the WUN web site to save drive space - wunv1n7.zip and wunv1n8.zip) - a short overview of how these broadcasts 0manifest themselves on various HF frequencies.
  The December 1994 issue of Monitoring Times containing the "Utility World" column of Larry Van Horn, titled "US Air Force Global High Frequency (HF) System." A concise overview of the GHFS, and the traffic contained on the GHFS.
  The September 1995 issue of Monitoring Times containing the "Utility World" column of Larry Van Horn, titled "What's the meaning behind the messages." An overview of the "message" traffic heard on the GHFS and the NIGHTWATCH net.
  "The Aeronautical Communications Handbook - HF Edition" by Robert E. Evans; 1989 (and out of print, I believe); pages 7.11-7.13. Written while the Strategic Air Command was still in existence, so most of the information is out of date in it's details, but apparently not in it's overview of the EAMs.
  "Academic" sources:
  There are no known public sources for detailed descriptions of these strings, but there are a number of books and papers published that cover this topic in broad strokes (and, which I suspect are in many ways greatly out of date - I've found nothing that covers the post 1992 strategic world in a way that is as detailed as they cover the pre 1992 world. It may be too early to do so, as it is probably still in transition). Some examples follow:
  "The Logic of Accidental Nuclear War" by Bruce G. Blair; The Brookings Institution; 1993 (still in print); ISBN 0-8157-0983-8 (paper). There are numerous additional sources listed within the extensive "notes" section of this book. The notes section also contains detailed information that covers the uses of these messages.
  "Strategic Command and Control - Redefining the Nuclear Threat by Bruce G. Blair; The Brookings Institution; 1985 (still in print as of the middle of 1996); ISBN 0-8157-0982-X (hardbound). Much of this information covers what is now the foundation for today's strategic world, but I suspect that many of the specific details covered in the book are now greatly altered, maybe beyond recognition (such as the integration of the USN into much of the then SAC-centric activity in his book.)
  "Global Zero Alert for Nuclear Forces" by Bruce G. Blair; The Brookings Institution; 1995 (May or so, and still in print); ISBN 0-8157-0941-2. The only "book" (it's actually an "occasional paper" of 108 pages) in this group that can be said to be up-to-date in the post 1992 strategic world. On EAMs, in particular see pages 59-60.
  "Guarding the Guardians: Civilian Control of Nuclear Weapons in the United States" by Peter Douglas Feaver; Cornell University Press; 1992 (out of print unfortunately). Mostly covers PAL (Permissive Action Link) locks but has an overview on EAMs throughout the book.
  "Dark Sun - The Making of the Hydrogen Bomb" by Richard Rhodes; Simon and Schuster; 1995 (still in print); ISBN 0-684-80400-X. Page 573: "..SAC routinely transmitted DefCon increases as unclassified messages until 1972." Question: what happened after 1972? - "SAC routinely transmitted DefCon increases as classified messages"?
  The 10 May 1976 issue of "Aviation Week and Space Technology", devoted almost entirely to the Strategic Air Command. Written during the "Alpha Net" days of OFFUTT/BARKSDALE/WESTOVER/MARCH but has information that might still apply in some aspects 20 years later (probably modified.)The Winter 1996 (Volume 27) issue of "World Air Power Journal" devoted to the B-52H with a long article beginning on page 54 written by Robert F. Dorr and Brian C. Rogers. See page 89 for a description of the receipt and authentication of an emergency war order onboard an airborne B-52H.
  Fiction
  "The Hunt for Red October" by Tom Clancy; Naval Institute Press; 1984 (still in print); ISBN 0-87021-285-0. Pages 65-66 (hardcover) for EAM information; and page 68 (hardcover) for "traffic analysis" fans."Arc Light" by Eric L. Harry; Simon and Schuster (his editor was also Rhodes' editor on "Dark Sun"); 1994 (Aug); ISBN 0-671-88048-9. The author gets to engage the Midnight Express (see the "Logic..." book) and run his SIOP, in a probable pre-92 way though.
  04 April 2005 update to information published on 02 September 1998 and 30 March 2005
Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney, 4/8/2013
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: White House.gov Press Office Feed
  Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:50
  The White House
  Office of the Press Secretary
  For Immediate Release
  April 08, 2013
  James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
  1:07 P.M. EDT MR. CARNEY: Welcome. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Thanks for being here. I hate to startle to you with my relative punctuality -- (laughter) -- but I do have to -- I have to leave at 1:45-ish, 1:50, so I want to go straight to your questions. Julie. Q Five Americans were killed in Afghanistan over the weekend, including a 25-year-old diplomat. Did that incident or any of the other recent violence we've seen in Afghanistan color the President's decision-making as he's looking to settle on a post-2014 force? MR. CARNEY: Well, first of all, our thoughts and prayers go out to those who lost their lives, both military personnel as well as civil personnel, as well as to those who were wounded. What is absolutely the case is Afghanistan remains a very violent place. It is also true that we have made great strides in our efforts to train up the Afghanistan National Security Forces as they take increasing responsibility for the security in their country, and that process continues. So, broadly, in answer to your question, the answer is no, that no specific incident is affecting a decision-making process in a policy that the President is convinced is the correct one and that he is engaged in with his national security team and military commanders. Q General Dempsey said that the U.S. should wait until the summer or perhaps even later to make the decision on the post-2014 force. Is that the timeline that the President is operating on -- summer or perhaps later? MR. CARNEY: I don't have any preview to give you of that process except that the President is committed to it as in keeping with the stated policy objectives he's made in the past, as well as our coordination with our allies. But I have nothing further for you on that. Q And then, just quickly, this is sort of a big week on a lot of different fronts -- guns, immigration, the budget. How does the White House view this week in terms of the President's second-term agenda? Do you see it as a pivotal week for him? MR. CARNEY: I wouldn't distinguish this particular week from ones that have led to it or that will come after it except to say that we have a lot of work to do on behalf of the American people. The President set forth in his State of the Union address and in his inaugural address a vision and a policy agenda that demonstrates his commitment in his second term to continue to build on the progress we made in the first. When it comes to jobs and economic growth, that remains his number-one priority. The middle class, growing it and expanding it; providing ladders of opportunity to the middle class, for those who aspire to it -- that's his North Star. He is also committed to comprehensive immigration reform. And you've seen the efforts that he's made and we've made in concert with those working on it in Congress to help bring that about. And we've been encouraged by the progress, the bipartisan progress on that effort. Actions to reduce gun violence -- very much a priority. The President, as you know, is traveling later today to Connecticut to talk about the need for Congress to act, to vote on common-sense measures to reduce gun violence. And at that event he will meet with families of Newtown victims, as you would expect. These are all very important priorities. And the President believes that he was sent back to this office and that lawmakers on the Hill were elected, or reelected, to do the business of the American people, and there's no time to waste in getting about doing that business. So every one of these weeks is full of the possibility for progress on a range of fronts, and this is not unique in that case. Certainly, Congress is back, and that affects what's happening on Capitol Hill. But the President, the White House, the administration are constantly trying to move forward on all of these issues. Q So on the subject of guns, as I'm sure I don't have to tell you, there's some sense that momentum may have stalled a little bit on the legislation. And there are also reports that Senators Toomey and Manchin may be working towards a compromise on a background check -- that would focus on background checks but with some exemptions. Would that be enough for the White House, or are you simply encouraged that there's forward progress? MR. CARNEY: Well, I'll say a few things. One, we are working with those on Capitol Hill who are working towards solutions to the legislative priorities the President laid out. Closing the loopholes in our background check system is a major priority, and it is something that we should be able to achieve; after all, more than 90 percent of the American people support universal background checks. Democrats, Republicans, independents; Americans from across the country, every region; gun owners, a majority -- a large majority -- support background checks. It is a common-sense thing to do -- to take the system that exists and improve it so that those who should not obtain or be able to obtain a weapon under existing law cannot obtain them because of the loopholes that exist. So we are working with those who are trying to make progress on this issue of both parties on Capitol Hill and we'll continue to do so. You've seen the President's proposals, or his ideas on this issue, and I would just say on the issue of background checks the President's ideas include exemptions for family-to-family transfer or a loan of weapon, a firearm, between hunters who are friends. So this is not -- I mean, I wouldn't want to cabin that issue as particularly problematic. But I'm not going to get into details about the negotiations going on between individual senators or groups of senators except to say that we continue to press for action by Congress. And we continue to press for, as my colleague, Dan Pfeiffer, said yesterday, the absolute obligation of Congress to vote on each one of these proposals. I recently watched the State of the Union address again, and it is a powerful moment, it is worth reviewing when the President called on Congress to vote on each of these measures because Gabby Giffords deserves it; because Hadiya Pendleton deserves it; because the children of Newtown deserve it. And members of both parties stood and applauded. So they ought to fulfill the message they sent by applauding by allowing a vote on every one of these issues. Q Can you confirm, too, that, as a distinguished colleague is reporting, that parents of the victims of Newtown are traveling with him on Air Force One? MR. CARNEY: I can tell you two things, which is -- regarding that. First, prior to delivering his remarks, the President will meet with families of victims and survivors of the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, as well as with first responders. Following the remarks, 11 family members of victims will return to Washington, D.C. with the President onboard Air Force One. These are family members who are planning to be in Washington to speak with Congress about the importance of taking action to reduce gun violence. And in order to make sure they were able to attend the event in Connecticut and still be in Washington when they needed to be, we invited those family members to fly back with the President. Q I just had a question about North Korea as well. Over the weekend, some senior Chinese officials, Xi Jinping and Foreign Minister Wang made comments alluding to North Korea. It seemed to be statements that were encouraging North Korea to stand down a little bit. Is the United States encouraged by those statements? Do you have any reaction to that? MR. CARNEY: I can tell you that we welcome efforts by Beijing and Moscow to encourage Pyongyang to refrain from provocative rhetoric and threats. We will continue to work with our Chinese, Russian and other partners to get North Korea to abide by its international obligations. As we've said in the past, we have been working with the Chinese and the Russians, and encouraging those nations and those governments to use their influence with the North Koreans to persuade the North Koreans to cease these provocative actions and this provocative rhetoric, because stability in the region is obviously in the interest of every country in the region. Q Jay, these 11 family members that will be coming back with the President and lobbying members of Congress this week, how important is their role? And what kind of an impact do you think they can have up on Capitol Hill? MR. CARNEY: I think those family members who have felt the pain of the Sandy Hook tragedy most keenly are important voices in this discussion. I think it's almost self-evident. When the President recently held a roundtable in Denver at the police academy there last week, there were family -- there was parents of a victim in Aurora, and they spoke passionately about how their lives had been torn apart and turned upside-down by the loss of their child in that movie theater, and how they were then committed for the rest of their lives to work for improvements in our laws that can reduce gun violence. And I think that that message is very powerful. So it's been stated in recent weeks that somehow the memory of Newtown has faded, at least in Washington, and I think it's important to remember for those families and for everyone in that community and for so many people across America, those memories will never fade. The pain will never go away. And it is the obligation of the members of Congress who stood and applauded when the President called on them to vote on these issues to live up to that applause when the cameras were on, and not to take the less courageous route by using procedural measures to block a vote. Imagine that. Imagine what would they say to the families of the victims of Newtown about why a certain measure never came to a vote because they filibustered it or used other procedural measures to block it. That would certainly be inappropriate. Q It seems the key players right now are Pat Toomey and Joe Manchin. Has the President been in touch with either of them or both of them? MR. CARNEY: I will simply say that at the White House we have been in contact with all of those who are working towards solutions to making progress on these issues. I don't want to get into specific conversations with anyone here at the White House and those lawmakers involved in that process. There are a number of fronts in this effort, as you know. And we are engaged with everyone involved in the effort, in a good-faith effort, to try to accomplish the goals the President set out. Q And will the President, lastly, be satisfied if at the end of this process, all he is able to accomplish -- and even this is in doubt -- but all that he's able to accomplish is improving the background check system? MR. CARNEY: Well, I would say a couple of things. The President supports every element in the comprehensive proposal he put forward, every legislative piece of those proposals. And he supports them all strongly, and he urges Congress to vote on all of them because it is the right thing to do, in the memory at least of the victims of Newtown and Aurora and Tucson and Oak Creek. The idea that passing significant legislation to improve background checks would be something you would describe as ''only,'' when if you would imagine the prospects that political prognosticators would have given such legislation six months ago, I think says something about the road we've traveled since then. And the fact is there are a number of elements, legislative elements, that have moved forward and we hope will move forward. And the President hopes that every one of these bills, that every piece of this legislative package is voted on and passed. But he has also said from the beginning that this would be hard and every element of it would be hard. It was wrong to suggest, as some did a month or two ago, that somehow background checks, getting universal background checks would be a cakewalk. I think that might even be a quote from someone. That was never going to be the case. If it were the case, if it had been the case, it would have happened long ago, and that's true with every piece of this. Q But you seem to be suggesting if the background checks are all you get, the glass is still half full. MR. CARNEY: I'm saying that we need to take action everywhere we can. And the President will implement all 23 of the executive actions that were part of his proposal, and he is pushing for every piece of the legislative agenda that he's put forward and that Congress is deliberating on right now. They are all important and they all should be voted on, and they all, in the President's view, should be passed. Q Governor Bill Richardson was on ''Meet the Press,'' yesterday -- this is on the issue of the budget -- and he was discussing the sequester and saying, ''at least in the hinterlands, it has not been that devastating.'' Would the President agree with that assessment? MR. CARNEY: With former Governor Richardson? I didn't see those comments. On that, I would simply say, ask the families who have lost a slot in Head Start, or the families of the individuals themselves who have been furloughed or lost their jobs, and then ask those economists who have said quite clearly that if the sequester remains in place, our economy will grow more slowly, it will create up to three-quarters of a million fewer jobs, and then assess whether or not it's being felt, or it will be felt. I mean, these are simple facts. It's bad policy. It was designed as bad policy, although it has been embraced as a political victory, a tea party victory by Republicans in the House who only a few months ago decried the horror that would come with imposition of the sequester. The fact is what was true then is true now. It was never meant to become law. It's arbitrary by nature and by design. It's not the way to go about reducing our deficit, as Republicans and Democrats made clear when it was crafted. And it achieves none of the goals that those who now embrace it say they want when it comes to long-term deficit and debt reduction. It does almost no good, and it does a lot of harm. Q Jay, on the background checks, as you know, The Washington Post has now given the President three Pinocchios for using a statistic: About 40 percent, I believe, of all gun purchases, he has said, are done without background checks. And it turns out that's a study from a couple of decades ago. Is the White House pulling back from using that? Do you have any regrets in making your case that this was a bogus stat? MR. CARNEY: Look, I think that a substantial number of purchases of weapons are achievable without background checks. I mean, that's a fact. Everybody who has worked on this issue, Republicans and Democrats alike, understand that. And simply making sure that the background check system does not have loopholes -- giant loopholes that allow criminals and others who should not by law be permitted to buy a weapon to buy them -- that is a basic, common-sense proposal that has enjoyed the support, at least rhetorically of legislators of both parties, in other words Republicans, not just Democrats, that is supported by more than 90 percent of the American people, and that must be voted on and must be passed and signed into law. This is a common-sense measure that takes not a single firearm away from a law-abiding citizen, that protects our Second Amendment rights, and that will help in the cause of reducing gun violence in America so that what happened in -- that lives are saved -- the kinds of lives that were lost in Newtown and Aurora and elsewhere. And the President made clear in the State of the Union address -- in his State of the Union address that we will not -- nothing we can do now will prevent all senseless acts of violence. And there's no question that there will be victims of gun violence even if all of these measures are enacted. But that number will be reduced and those lives saved are worth saving. Q A moment ago you said the President is pushing for all of his legislative proposals on this. On January 16th, he mentioned -- when he took those executive actions that you've noted -- he talked about wanting Congress to fund research into the effect of violent video games. Why don't we hear him talking about that? When you're asked about this issue, you don't talk about it. Mental health, as well, at the beginning of this was talked a lot about. I know the President took some executive action on that. But why does it appear that you're not pushing Congress on violent video games, violent movies, and mental health? MR. CARNEY: Well, I'd say a couple of things. One is we're pushing on all fronts. These are very important issues. It is a fact that there were efforts in the past to prevent -- supported by the usual suspects -- to prevent the federal government from doing research, the CDC and others from doing research on the impacts of violent video games, for example, on violence. And the President is committed to making sure that that research is done. It is very important. He is also committed -- mental health is an important aspect of this problem. And he's committed, as evidenced by his proposal, and you will see in a variety ways in the coming days and weeks, how strong that commitment is. So I think it's a good question, because it's a reminder that the legislative action taking place around gun trafficking, banning military-style assault weapons, or limiting the capacity of ammunition magazines, or closing the loopholes in our background checks systems, those are all very important but they're not the whole story. And what we said from the beginning and the President said from the beginning that this is a problem that a single piece of legislation will not resolve and a gun law alone will not resolve. There are many aspects to this problem. Q So last thing on that. When Jon asked you, I believe you said that on the gun part of this, we've talked to all parties, lawmakers, whether it's Pat Toomey, whatever -- without specific names, he's talked to everyone. Has he talked to Chris Dodd at the Motion Picture Association, any of his friends in Hollywood about violent movies? I know the Vice President I believe met with the Motion Picture Association January 10th or so, or early part of this year, but has the President gotten these folks on the phone? MR. CARNEY: Again, I'm not going to read out specific conversations of the President or any others that we haven't already made public. The fact is we're pushing on all fronts. Part of the process that led to the set of proposals that the Vice President provided to the President and the President presented to the public was a look at that particular aspect of it and included meetings with representatives of industry, and we will continue on that front. Yes, Peter. Q Jay, you spoke a minute ago about the potential for filibuster. Right now we've heard from a series of Republicans that that's something they're considering very seriously right now. Is the White House considering a plan B of sorts, if that is to be the case? MR. CARNEY: I would simply say that if there's a member of Congress who's contemplating filibustering some of this, it would be interesting to see if they stood and applauded at the State of the Union address when the President said that these victims deserve a vote. And regardless, if they oppose this legislation, have the courage to say so on the floor and vote no. Don't block it. Don't hide behind a procedural action to prevent a vote. That's the wrong thing to do. And that's how the President clearly feels. Q If that happens, as they continue to threaten, then what happens? What does the White House plan to do? MR. CARNEY: Well, I don't want to predict an outcome like that or to engage in hypothetical strategic planning from the podium. I would simply say that the President believes it is vitally important and a matter of honoring the memory of these victims to allow votes on all of these issues. Q I want to ask you about immigration, briefly, if I can. There appears to be some bit of inconsistency on that. Chuck Schumer, Senator from New York, just said that the Gang of Eight was hoping to have legislation brought to the floor by the end of this week. Lindsey Graham said it would likely be longer than that -- two, perhaps three weeks. What's the White House's expectation on when immigration is taken up in earnest here? MR. CARNEY: Soon. I would simply say that we are encouraged by the progress we've seen. We are working with those of both parties who are making progress on this issue and putting together legislation. The President made clear at the beginning of this process that he thought the best way to create success was for the Senate to take the lead through the Gang of Eight. And there has been significant progress, and I don't think anybody can contest that.
  The President still believes that we should not waste time; that this is an issue that is essential to act on, where there should be and has been substantial bipartisan agreement, and there is evidence that bipartisan agreement is there. And we are encouraged by what we have seen. But we're not there yet, so we're not going to prejudge legislation or the language contained in it before it arrives. But whether it's Senator Schumer's comments or Senator Graham's comments, the fact is most of what we are seeing are comments that reflect the progress, the positive progress that's been made. And the President is encouraged by that. Q And then, finally, acknowledging that the White House put out a statement for the President a short time ago regarding the passing of the former Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, I'm just curious for some of the thoughts that you can share in terms of the President's view of Margaret Thatcher, the impact she had, and his thoughts on this day. MR. CARNEY: Well, I think the statement reflects the President's views. I mean, this is a loss certainly for Great Britain, but also for the world. Baroness Thatcher, former Prime Minister, was one of the great champions of freedom and liberty, and a true friend of the United States. She forged an important and special relationship with her counterpart in President Reagan. And she was an unapologetic supporter of the transatlantic alliance between our two nations, which has continued to be so unique and vital to the United States, as well as to Great Britain. So he is certainly saddened by her passing, and I think there are a great many Americans who feel the same way. Q Has the President offered his condolences to Prime Minister Cameron to this point? MR. CARNEY: I don't have a conversation to read out at this time. Q Jay, two members of Congress have written to the Treasury Department expressing concern about the trip to Cuba last week by Beyonc(C) and Jay-Z. Does the White House share the concerns that somehow the travel restrictions have been pulled out a little bit; that people-to-people travel is not allowed for tourism? MR. CARNEY: Well, I would say a couple of things. Decisions made about cultural travel and academic travel are made by the Treasury Department, and I would refer you for specific cases to the Treasury Department. It is certainly the case that under this administration we have eased the ability to travel to Cuba for those purposes. But the decisions at the individual level are made at the Treasury Department, not here. Q But the trip was sort of built by them and by the Cuban government as a tourism trip. MR. CARNEY: Again, that's not a White House matter. That's a Treasury matter, and I would refer you to Treasury. Q But you guys wrote the rules that prohibit tourism from -- MR. CARNEY: Right. And there's a process in place where those who would like to travel seek a license to travel, and that's done through Treasury, it's not done through here. So it's not something we have any insight into or comment on. Q Jay, you talked a lot about judicial nominees. Harry Reid on Friday said that he's prepared to go ahead with the nuclear option -- change the rules of the simple majority of Republicans keep on delaying it, blocking nominations. Is the President prepared to support Reid on that if he goes ahead and uses that nuclear option? MR. CARNEY: Well, you've heard me in recent days and weeks express the President's view and our view here that it is highly unfortunate that the President's nominees have been delayed considerably longer -- three or four times longer -- than President W. Bush's nominees, and that we consistently see a pattern where a nominee who is cleared out of committee unanimously is then blocked for months or longer. And then, when that obstacle is removed, an obstacle that often had nothing to do with the qualifications of the nominee or even with the nominee himself or herself, that nominee is confirmed by the Senate 91 to nothing, or 93 to 2, or something like that. And that's just -- it's a problem for our judicial system, and it's I think a source of immense frustration for those who work within it. So having said that, I also have noted that there have been some signs of improvement, and we acknowledge that improvement and hope that it continues. Q But a nuclear option, is that something that the White House is considering? MR. CARNEY: Again, I think I will simply say that we share Senator Reid's frustration and we hope that the Senate continues to improve in its consideration of and confirmation of the President's judicial nominees. Yes, Alexis. Q Jay, I want to follow up on something you were saying earlier about reviewing the State of the Union video. You mentioned the range of lawmakers who stood up during the President's speech. Were you trying to draw our attention to the forthcoming video advertising the Newtown -- MR. CARNEY: No, no, no. I'm simply saying that it was a memorable moment for those of us who were in the hall or watched it on television. And we have spoken of late about the President's call at that time to allow a vote on all of these measures. In other words, do not block them procedurally; do not prevent them from coming to a vote. If you feel that you have to vote no, vote no and explain why. Don't hide behind procedure. Vote your conscience and explain why you're against universal background checks, if you are. That's all. And I just think -- because it had been talked about recently, I took a look, and I was reminded of how powerful a moment it was. Chris. Q Jay, in recent weeks, we've seen an avalanche of support for marriage equality on Capitol Hill. Just last week, six new senators announced their support for same-sex marriage. It's easy to forget that it hasn't even been a year since the President himself came out in support of the right for gay couples to get married. By making that announcement in May, does the President deserve credit for setting the stage for seeing the announcements that we're seeing now? MR. CARNEY: The country deserves credit. It's been a remarkable evolution and represents an embrace of the basic principles of equality that the President feels strongly about but Americans across the country feel strongly about. And I think I can safely say that the President hopes it continues. Q There are still four Democratic senators who don't support marriage equality: Mary Landrieu, Tim Johnson, Joe Manchin, and Mark Pryor. Does the President want them to make similar announcements in favor? MR. CARNEY: Obviously, each individual -- whether an elected lawmaker or anyone else -- makes this evaluation, decision, himself or herself. So the President spoke about his views in that interview that you made reference to, and other lawmakers have been doing so recently as there have been other issues related to this being debated and discussed. But I wouldn't -- he's not here -- he was not and is not in a position to pass judgment on others simply to say what he believes very strongly. Andrei. Q Thank you. Mr. Donilon is scheduled to Moscow, so can you tell us anything about the trip; whether he's bringing a message from the President, anything at all? MR. CARNEY: I'm afraid I don't have anything more for you beyond the fact that obviously the National Security Advisor travels frequently to meet with his counterparts around the world, and I know he's looking forward to this meeting. We have a very important relationship with Russia. We have a number of issues, including North Korea, as I mentioned earlier, that are subjects of discussion right now with the Russian leadership. So I'm sure that that will be one of the many subjects that Mr. Donilon will discuss with his counterparts on this visit. Yes, Victoria. Q Jay, there have been a couple of oil spills just in the last week, and there was one in Canada as well. Are these impacting or factoring into the President's decision on Keystone? MR. CARNEY: I got this question last week, and I would simply say that, as you know, the process of evaluating an application for a pipeline like Keystone because it crosses international boundaries is something that is undertaken by the State Department in keeping with longstanding procedures under administrations of both parties. And that process is underway. For status updates on it, I would refer you to the State Department, but I have nothing further for you on it from here. Q And also on the question of immigration, Senator Grassley and some other senators have said that they want to know from the Gang of Eight by the end of today exactly what's going on. They say that it's time for transparency. They don't want anything more to be behind closed doors. Are you concerned that if everything gets out into the open too quickly that the cat could be out of the bag and that the whole thing could get derailed? MR. CARNEY: Well, I would simply point to the fact that the Gang of Eight, the so-called Gang of Eight, is comprised of an even mix of Democrats and Republicans who I'm quite sure are reporting and discussing issues -- reporting to and discussing issues with their leadership, and that they've made progress, as I think members of the Gang of Eight have stated clearly and publicly. The procedures that take place on Capitol Hill and how this bill moves forward, I'll leave to leaders there -- committee chairmen and the like. Our focus is on helping that progress continue, to nudging it forward and having it conclude in a bill that represents or reflects the President's principles and that can earn the support of Democrats and Republicans. And again, as I've said earlier, we are encouraged by the progress that's been made thus far. And we are urging those senators involved in the process to keep it up and to bring it to conclusion. Donovan, last one. Q Thanks, Jay. Quick question. McClatchy has reported, citing Israeli and Palestinian officials, that the President when he was in the Middle East was able to persuade Israel to stop announcing new settlement activities, and also to persuade the Palestinians to stop taking unilateral actions at the U.N., for example, for two months to create a diplomatic window for Secretary of State Kerry to possibly renew talks based on the Saudi Arabia initiative from 11 years ago. And I was curious if you could confirm those reports, and also talk to us about what he hopes to achieve there. MR. CARNEY: Well, I cannot confirm that specific report, because I think what is true is simply what the President has long said and others have long said, which is that we discourage actively both sides from taking unilateral action that makes it more difficult to come together to negotiate over the issues that divide them, and to negotiate in a way that can bring them to peace. That has long been the case, and I can absolutely confirm that the President repeated that message to both parties -- that unilateral actions are not helpful to moving towards peace. But a specific construct like that, I cannot confirm. I can simply say that that is our position, and remain -- has been and is our position. Q Did they agree, though, to this two-month window? MR. CARNEY: I would let the parties speak for themselves. And again, I'm trying to be relatively clear here, which is that the -- I can't confirm a construct like that. I can simply confirm that it is our position, and it is a position the President reflected in his conversations, that it is counterproductive for either side -- whether it's the Palestinians through the U.N., or the Israelis through settlement construction -- to take unilateral action that makes it more difficult to engage in constructive negotiations towards peace. Thanks, everybody. Q Jay, we may have missed it -- North Korea. Does the White House see any imminent threat of a nuclear missile launch at some point from North Korea? MR. CARNEY: Well, we have been taking prudent measures in response to the increased provocative behavior and rhetoric emanating from Pyongyang. That is a matter of concern, and it is something that we obviously are in regular consultation about with our allies in Seoul and Tokyo, as well as with our partners around the region and the world. I spoke earlier about our conversations with the Chinese and the Russians, asking them to use their influence with the North Koreans to get them to -- to persuade them to cease this kind of provocative behavior. Having said that, I think it's important to note, as veterans of this issue from past administrations have made clear, that this is a pattern of behavior we have seen before. And it has never achieved anything substantial for the North Korean people who continue to suffer from the decisions made by the regime to pursue a path that is in direct contradiction with their international obligations, and that comes at the expense of the health and welfare of the North Korean people.
  Thanks, everybody.
  END1:45 P.M. EDT
Obama To Bring Some Sandy Hook Families On AF1 CBS DC
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  Archived Version
  Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:23
  File photo of President Barack Obama boarding Air Force One. (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)
  WASHINGTON (AP) '-- President Barack Obama is providing rides to 11 relatives of those killed in the shooting at Connecticut's Sandy Hook Elementary School so they can attend his gun control speech Monday before heading to Washington on Air Force One to personally encourage senators to back gun legislation that faces tough opposition.
  After Obama's speech in Hartford, relatives of seven children and one staffer killed during December's massacre at the school will travel back to Washington with him, according to the nonprofit organization that works with the families, Sandy Hook Promise.
  The White House says Obama is going to argue in his speech that lawmakers have an obligation to the children killed and other victims of gun violence to act on his proposals.
  Gun legislation could come up for debate in the Senate this week as lawmakers return from spring break. The Sandy Hook families want to speak to senators who have not voiced support for the legislation, to ask for support in memory of their children and the school staff who were killed Dec. 14. The White House offered to give the families a ride so they could also attend Obama's speech before their lobbying push.
  Sandy Hook Promise said in a statement, ''The group is encouraging senators to come together around legislative proposals that will both save lives and respect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans.''
  In his speech Monday evening, Obama plans to invoke the memories of the 26 students and staff members killed. He is speaking at the University of Hartford, near the state capitol where last week the governor signed into law some of the nation's strictest gun control laws with the Sandy Hook families standing behind him.
  But legislation in Washington faces a tougher challenge, as the nation's memories of the shooting fade with time and the National Rifle Association wages a formidable campaign against Obama's proposals. Senators were negotiating Monday in search of an eleventh-hour deal to expand background checks for gun buyers, after weeks of talks had failed to reach a compromise that could win bipartisan support.
  Other measures Obama wants are unlikely to pass. Senate leaders say there are not enough votes for an assault weapons ban. Prospects are also bleak for a proposal to limit the number of rounds of ammunition in a single magazine to 10.
  With time running out on negotiations, the White House is making an all-hands-on-deck push this week. Vice President Joe Biden and Attorney General Eric Holder planned to promote their plan at the White House on Tuesday with law enforcement officials. First lady Michelle Obama planned to wade into the debate Wednesday with a speech on youth violence in her hometown of Chicago. And on Thursday, Biden was taking part in a discussion on MSNBC's ''Morning Joe'' with people who have different views on gun control.
  The matter is divisive in Newtown, Conn., as in the rest of the country. Not all Sandy Hook families support gun control, and even those involved with the lobbying push organized by Sandy Hook Promise are not backing the assault weapons ban. But those families are asking lawmakers to expand background checks, increase penalties for gun trafficking and limit the size of magazines. The magazine issue has a particular resonance with those families.
  Nicole Hockley told The Associated Press in an interview that she wonders if her 6-year-old son, Dylan, might still be alive if shooter Adam Lanza hadn't be able to bring 10 magazines holding 30 rounds each into the school that day. Lanza was able to get off 154 shots during a four-minute rampage in the school. But he stopped shooting briefly in her son's classroom to reload, giving 11 children time to escape.
  ''They ran for their lives,'' Hockley said in a telephone interview Friday. ''Dylan was not so fortunate. If there were lower capacity magazine clips, there's a chance Dylan would be here with me today.''
  Hockley plans to introduce Obama in Hartford and sit on stage during the speech with her husband, Ian. The other families who plan to fly on Air Force One are scheduled to meet privately with the president before he speaks and then attend the speech. Those relatives include:
  Mark and Jackie Barden '-- parents of 7-year-old DanielNelba Marquez Greene '-- mother of 6-year-old AnaNeil Heslin '-- father of 6-year-old JesseJennifer Hensel '-- mother of 6-year-old AvielleBill Sherlach '-- husband of Mary, a 56-year-old school psychologistBen and Cheyanne Wyatt '-- parents of 6-year-old AllisonDavid and Francine Wheeler '-- parents of 6-year-old Ben
  ((C) Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
Ghoul in chief: Obama flying in Newtown human props for anti-gun speech
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  Archived Version
  Source: Twitchy » US Politics
  Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:55
  Colleague Wendell Goler reports #Newtown families will travel on AF-1 with Obama to DC to campaign for gun control on Tuesday.
  '--Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) April 08, 2013President Prop-a-ganda strikes again.
  Barack Obama knows full well that when it comes to using facts to argue for gun-grabbing laws, he doesn't have a leg to stand on. Cue the human props! After delivering an anti-gun speech in Hartford, Conn., later today, Obama will fly 11 families of slain Sandy Hook children to D.C.
  #Desperation Obama is bringing 11 Newtown families back to DC on AF1 to lobby on guns bit.ly/10LmCTH'--Tom T. (@VRWCTexan) April 08, 2013
  Disgusting RT @jamiedupree: AP: Obama to bring some Newtown, CT families back to DC on Air Force One to lobby on guns bit.ly/10LmCTH'--Benjamin Norman (@BenjaminNorman) April 08, 2013
  Obama will parade families of passed Newtown children around like clowns for his gun take away. They will think he is the sweetest.'--Anna Teresa Arnold (@HomerWhite) April 08, 2013
  Let no tragedy'... RT @jamiedupree AP: Obama to bring some Newtown, CT families back to DC on Air Force One to lobby on guns'--Paul Seale (@paulvseale) April 08, 2013
  This is exploitation, pure and simple. The president's concern isn't with the Newtown families; it's with making himself look like a hero. It's absolutely despicable.
  Is he bringing little coffins too? RT @jamiedupree AP: Obama to bring some Newtown, CT families back to DC on Air Force One to lobby on guns'--Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) April 08, 2013
  @gabrielmalor Obama always likes to use props, doesn't he? Newtown families, "middle class folks" when talking about the fiscal cliff'...'--Mik(C) (@ThePantau) April 08, 2013
  Not a single ounce of shame.
  @AP WOW. #Obama is desperate to get his #GunControl thru. His Standing on the graves of the #Newtown kids to push said agenda is deplorable'--Grunge Junkie (@GrungeJunkie385) April 08, 2013
  ***
  Related:
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  Lapdogs swoon over Obama politicizing Newtown speech; 'Strongest call for gun policy change in generation'
  David Axelrod uses Newtown massacre to promote Obama campaign website
  Senator Ted Cruz: Within minutes of Newtown tragedy, Obama tried to 'exploit it'; Libs clutch pearls
  Shameless Obama scolds: 'Shame on us if we've forgotten' Newtown kids; Citizens: Shame on you
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New Meme Watch, the Next Phase of Gun control ... Your Crazy Uncle Ernie may prevent YOU from owning a firearm
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  Source: What Mel Cooley is saying.
  Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:46
  NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) '-- A shop that sold a gun to the Newtown school shooter's mother has lost its federal firearms license.
  The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives revoked the license of Riverview Gun Sales in East Windsor in December. The agency, which confirmed the revocation to reporters Thursday, didn't say why.
  Authorities raided the store for undisclosed reasons shortly after the December school shootings in which Adam Lanza killed 20 first-graders and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School. He also shot to death his mother, Nancy, at their home. Authorities say he fired 154 shots with a Bushmaster .223-caliber rifle inside the school, then killed himself with a Glock handgun.
  Nancy Lanza purchased a Bushmaster from Riverview, according to a person close to the investigation into the school shooting who spoke on condition of anonymity because the probe is continuing. It could not be confirmed whether the Bushmaster was the one used in the shooting.
  Shop owner David LaGuercia said in December that Nancy Lanza bought a gun from him years ago, but he couldn't remember what kind. LaGuercia said at the time he was cooperating with law enforcement.
  "There is nothing more devastating than the loss of a child," LaGuercia said in a statement in December. "We are absolutely appalled that the product that we sold several years ago would be used in this type of horrendous crime. Our hearts go out to the victims and the families."
  His wife, Shelley Clemens, said Friday that she and her husband still don't know why the ATF revoked his firearms license. She said the store remains open selling ammunition and other items that aren't firearms while LaGuercia appeals the revocation.
  "They just came in the store after Sandy Hook, raided the store and took away the license," she said, referring further questions to her husband. LaGuercia, of Agawam, Mass., didn't return phone messages Friday.
  ATF officials said federal firearms license holders receive a copy of the violations report before a revocation is initiated and are made aware of the violations again during the hearing process. They have 60 days to appeal and in this case they chose not to do so, officials said.
  The weapons used in the shooting had all apparently been purchased by Nancy Lanza, prosecutor Stephen J. Sedensky III said last week when search warrants were unsealed showing the Lanzas' home was packed with weapons and ammunition. Clemens said in December that store records show one gun was sold to Lanza. Continued...
  NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) '-- A shop that sold a gun to the Newtown school shooter's mother has lost its federal firearms license.The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives revoked the license of Riverview Gun Sales in East Windsor in December. The agency, which confirmed the revocation to reporters Thursday, didn't say why.
  Authorities raided the store for undisclosed reasons shortly after the December school shootings in which Adam Lanza killed 20 first-graders and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School. He also shot to death his mother, Nancy, at their home. Authorities say he fired 154 shots with a Bushmaster .223-caliber rifle inside the school, then killed himself with a Glock handgun.
  Nancy Lanza purchased a Bushmaster from Riverview, according to a person close to the investigation into the school shooting who spoke on condition of anonymity because the probe is continuing. It could not be confirmed whether the Bushmaster was the one used in the shooting.
  Shop owner David LaGuercia said in December that Nancy Lanza bought a gun from him years ago, but he couldn't remember what kind. LaGuercia said at the time he was cooperating with law enforcement.
  "There is nothing more devastating than the loss of a child," LaGuercia said in a statement in December. "We are absolutely appalled that the product that we sold several years ago would be used in this type of horrendous crime. Our hearts go out to the victims and the families."
  His wife, Shelley Clemens, said Friday that she and her husband still don't know why the ATF revoked his firearms license. She said the store remains open selling ammunition and other items that aren't firearms while LaGuercia appeals the revocation.
  "They just came in the store after Sandy Hook, raided the store and took away the license," she said, referring further questions to her husband. LaGuercia, of Agawam, Mass., didn't return phone messages Friday.
  ATF officials said federal firearms license holders receive a copy of the violations report before a revocation is initiated and are made aware of the violations again during the hearing process. They have 60 days to appeal and in this case they chose not to do so, officials said.
  The weapons used in the shooting had all apparently been purchased by Nancy Lanza, prosecutor Stephen J. Sedensky III said last week when search warrants were unsealed showing the Lanzas' home was packed with weapons and ammunition. Clemens said in December that store records show one gun was sold to Lanza.
  Riverview Gun Sales is about 15 miles north of Hartford and about 65 miles northeast of Newtown. In December, its website described it as a place that sold a variety of rifles and pistols, including Bushmaster and Glock, but on Friday, the website's links to specific guns indicated they were not available.
  The shop also sold high-capacity ammunition magazines like the ones authorities say were used by Adam Lanza. In a law passed this week, Connecticut banned the sale or purchase of magazines holding more than 10 rounds.
  Associated Press writer Dave Collins in Hartford contributed to this report.
Parijs publiceert over rijkdom ministers
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  Source: VK: Home
  Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:45
  08/04/13, 19:04 '' bron: ANP
  (C) afp. Jerome Cahuzac, tot vorige maand verantwoordelijk minister voor begrotingszaken.
  De Franse regering brengt volgende week gegevens over het vermogen van de individuele ministers naar buiten. Dat maakte premier Jean-Marc Ayrault maandag bekend.
  De 'nieuwe openheid' komt op een moment dat de regering onder leiding van de socialistische president Fran§ois Hollande zwaar onder druk ligt door het schandaal over de geheime Zwitserse bankrekening van een voormalige minister.
  Jerome Cahuzac, tot vorige maand verantwoordelijk voor begrotingszaken, erkende onlangs dat hij de rekening had, terwijl hij dat eerder hardnekkig had ontkend. Justitie verdenkt hem inmiddels van belastingfraude.
Statement from the President on the Passing of Baroness Margaret Thatcher
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  Source: White House.gov Press Office Feed
  Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:44
  The White House
  Office of the Press Secretary
  For Immediate Release
  April 08, 2013
  With the passing of Baroness Margaret Thatcher, the world has lost one of the great champions of freedom and liberty, and America has lost a true friend. As a grocer's daughter who rose to become Britain's first female prime minister, she stands as an example to our daughters that there is no glass ceiling that can't be shattered. As prime minister, she helped restore the confidence and pride that has always been the hallmark of Britain at its best. And as an unapologetic supporter of our transatlantic alliance, she knew that with strength and resolve we could win the Cold War and extend freedom's promise.
  Here in America, many of us will never forget her standing shoulder to shoulder with President Reagan, reminding the world that we are not simply carried along by the currents of history'--we can shape them with moral conviction, unyielding courage and iron will. Michelle and I send our thoughts to the Thatcher family and all the British people as we carry on the work to which she dedicated her life'--free peoples standing together, determined to write our own destiny.
That Dreadful Day
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  Source: Clusterfuck Nation
  Mon, 08 Apr 2013 08:45
  For the moment, the trend seems pretty clear. Money from far and wide rushes into the US stock markets because every other conceivable place to stash money produces no return, no interest, no increase, at a time when the value of central bank currencies is slip-slidin' somewhere south of Palookaville. The rush into equities gooses equities increasing the rush, goosing the goose. Consider, however, that trends by their nature must last longer than the moment to be trends in the first place. One thing you can be sure of: the trend will end. Another region of the trend concerns the recent peculiar behavior of gold and silver. Fear and greed may rule the trade in paper instruments, but something else rules the trade in hard metals: uncertainty. These days the uncertainty is very keen, not so much about the direction of the trade in paper - because the trend is up, up, and away - but whether the placeholders for the paper are for real, or whether you get to keep any of them when the dust settles at every dust-up. Markets can go wither they will, but it's another matter when the government slams on capital controls and you can't move your money or redeem it from your account. With the precedent of Cyprus now established (never mind MF Global), you'd think people all over the planet would be buying gold and silver as stores of value without counterparty risk, but the price keeps slowly sinking. I don't think it's because of the much chattered-about threat of confiscation. The US government could not be dumb enough to try to pull an FDR-style gold grab. This is a different land than it was in 1933. The people who hold gold are exactly the same people who are very heavily armed, and just because the Department of Homeland Security supposedly has been buying up all the ammo on God's green earth, virtually all the people who are heavily armed are already heavily stocked up on ammo, too, and have quite enough to start an insurrection if the treasury agents come calling for their life savings. Though I'm generally allergic to conspiracy theories, it smells like someone is engineering the downward behavior of the metals. The central banks of the US and Europe have a big incentive for driving the price down: it makes their currencies look stronger - despite the universal QE policies designed to make them actually weaker. That is, it gives the appearance that QE is not doing exactly what it is intended to do: wage currency war by driving down the value of money and incidentally inflating away the cost of debt denominated in these currencies. I think the Federal Reserve and its TBTF cronies will succeed in driving the price of gold down, perhaps as far as the $1350 range, for a while (a moment, let's say). But by the time it gets there they will have completely wrecked the economies they pretend to represent, and driven many citizens into penury. Now, consider that hyperinflation is always a rather sudden phenomenon. When it comes on, it comes fast and hard, by the day and then the hour. The Fed and its handmaidens will not be able to control it when it happens, because it will spring from all their previous actions, including the concealment of the loss of value of the dollar via manipulation of the gold and silver markets - and Ben Bernanke can't pretend that his helicopter is a time machine. There will be no going back to undo what he's already done. That's the point where you will see the price of gold very quickly head toward $3,500 or even $10,000 and beyond, depending on the damage done and the oafishness of the political response. QE to infinity really translates into dollar wreckage to infinity. History will record that this crisis of confidence in money was brought on by men who stupidly refused to acknowledge that the terms of daily human existence had changed in 2013. We could save the country and fashion a new economy appropriate to the new era of contraction, but it wouldn't look much like what you see out there now. It would be all about empty highways and empty WalMarts and people turning their energies elsewhere, to their communities, workshops, homesteads, and main streets. We'll get to that place, but the journey to it will be dark and lonely since it will be accomplished by individuals bravely venturing where no politician dares to speak of, and the lonely individuals will receive no support from their culture or any of the authorities who play at political leadership. There could well come a time, though, when those authorities will be disgraced, dragged down, and trampled, and I would tremble to be there on that dreadful day. That will be the day that the ultimate TV reality show debuts. Call it: Waterboarding the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. When elites circulate, things get messy.____________________________________
JOBS CRISIS
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  Source: aangirfan
  Mon, 08 Apr 2013 08:38
  South Korea. www.croptocuisine.orgSouth Korea may have the answer.
  South Korea has protected its industries from foreign competition.
  At the same time it has allowed competition, within the country.It has protected its small farms.
  Reap what you sow
she-who-remembers : Message: Opium Production on Rise
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  Mon, 08 Apr 2013 06:29
  By TODD PITMAN Associated PressBANGKOK October 31, 2012 (AP)The cultivation of illegal opium has increased in Myanmar for a sixth successive year, fueled in part by rising demand for heroin across Asia, the United Nations said Wednesday.
  The upsurge comes despite a government campaign to eradicate the crop from the Southeast Asian nation, which has won praise worldwide for taking major steps toward democratic reform after the long-ruling military junta ceded power last year.
  Myanmar is the world's second-largest producer of opium after Afghanistan, accounting for about 25 percent of global poppy production, according to the U.N.
  The rise in output of opium ½ the raw ingredient used to make heroin ½ was documented in the latest annual survey by the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime.
  The report said farmland under opium cultivation rose by 17 percent this year, up from about nearly 40,000 hectares (100,000 acres) in 2011 to 51,000 hectares (126,000 acres) in 2012.
  Myanmar's illegal crop is farmed mostly in Kachin and Shan states. The two areas, located along the country's borders with China, Thailand and Laos, have been plagued by fighting between insurgent groups and the army.
  Poppy is highly lucrative for impoverished farmers in need of cash, and the fact it can fetch as much as 19 times that of rice poses a huge challenge to government efforts to eradicate it.
  The estimated 690 metric tons produced in Myanmar in 2012 was valued at roughly $359 million, the report said. That output was up from an estimated 610 metric tons last year.
  "One probable factor behind the resurgence in opium production in Southeast Asia is the demand for opiates, both locally and in the region in general," the report said.
  The vast majority of consumers are in China, with opiate users in East Asia and the Pacific Ocean region accounting for about one quarter of the world's total.
  The swath of Southeast Asia where the borders of Myanmar, Thailand and Laos meet is known as the Golden Triangle. It produced more than half of the world's opium in 1990 and one third in 1998.
  A year later, Myanmar set out to become opium-free by 2014. That campaign had made considerable strides, but production has risen every year since 2006 as demand and prices grew.
  The latest U.N. survey indicated the government has stepped up efforts to curtail output.
  Citing government figures, the report said the government had eradicated poppies on about 24,000 hectares of land in 2012, compared to 7,000 hectares the previous year.
  The 236 percent increase "is a significant increase on the area reported as eradicated in previous years."
  --visit http://SheWhoRemembers.Org