The U.S. government’s Terrorist Screening Database included roughly 1.2 million people as of 2017, among them about 4,600 U.S. citizens or green card holders.
Click here for the full article.
Source: The Intercept_
Saturday, September 7, 2019
The Longer Children Are in Detention, the More Their Health Deteriorates, Says DHHS
This report was published on YouTube on September 6.
Mumia Abu-Jamal Regains Sight After Surgery
By Noelle Hanrahan
Mumia Abu-Jamal has fought for and won his first round of cataract surgery! He is no longer blind in his left eye and will have the same procedure soon on his right eye.
Finally, he can see well enough to read, edit, and complete Perfecting Tyranny, his and Stephen Vittoria's final book in the Murder Inc. trilogy published by Prison Radio. It is a deep dive into mass surveillance and the security state.
Mumia turned 65 in April and is sentenced to life without parole. He is still confronting significant health problems. While cured of Hep C, he is still recovering from the ravages of the disease and his near death from renal failure. His body remains covered in deep scars, the result of open wounds left untreated for over a year.
We need to bring Mumia home.
He is preparing for his release and moving forward on his life goals, such as getting his PhD.
Finally, he can see well enough to read, edit, and complete Perfecting Tyranny, his and Stephen Vittoria's final book in the Murder Inc. trilogy published by Prison Radio. It is a deep dive into mass surveillance and the security state.
Mumia turned 65 in April and is sentenced to life without parole. He is still confronting significant health problems. While cured of Hep C, he is still recovering from the ravages of the disease and his near death from renal failure. His body remains covered in deep scars, the result of open wounds left untreated for over a year.
We need to bring Mumia home.
He is preparing for his release and moving forward on his life goals, such as getting his PhD.
Noelle Hanrahan is a private investigator and the director of Prison Radio.
'Money Wives': Nigerian Girls Sold Off to Settle Debts
This report was published on YouTube on September 6.
Brexit Protests Form Outside U.K. Parliament
Global News: Protesters including pro and anti-Brexit supporters had a demonstration on Sept. 7 outside U.K. parliament, after Britain's Brexit conundrum recently intensified.
Opposition parties refused to support the Prime Minister Boris Johnson's
call for an election until he secures a delay to Britain's exit from
the European Union, something Johnson vows he'll never do.
Hong Kong Protesters Rally Around Mong Kok Police Station
Global News: Protesters gathered near Mong Kok Police Station in Hong Kong on Sept. 7.
Activists have not called off plans for further protest even after Chief
Executive Carrie Lam announced the decision to withdraw an extradition
bill that sparked the protests three months ago.
Mugabe Death Leaves 'Big Void': Zimbabwe President
This report was published on YouTube on September 6.
Friday, September 6, 2019
Rappers Issue National 'Stay in School' Challenge
This video was published on YouTube on May 23, 2019.
#StayInSchoolChallenge Join the challenge!
Source: Marc Webster Music
After Leaving Gang Life to Become a Millionaire, He Helps Others Turn Their Lives Around
This report was published on YouTube on May 29, 2019.
WGN News: A former Chicago gang member not only left a life on the streets to
become a self-made millionaire, but also made it his purpose to show
others how to change the trajectory of their lives.
Jonas Brothers Surprise Fan Who Had to Miss Concert Due to Chemotherapy Treatment
This report was published on YouTube on September 2.
Random Acts of Kindness: Videos to Restore Your Faith in Humanity
This video was published on YouTube on July 13, 2019.
Source: TheSoundProject
Source: TheSoundProject
$100,000 Donated to Bahamas Woman Who Took in 97 Rescue Dogs
This report was published on YouTube on September 4.
Homeless Man Reunites with Family After 24 Years, Thanks to Transit Police Officer
This report was published on YouTube on September 4.
Snow White Comforts Boy with Autism Who Had 'Meltdown' in Disney World
This report was published on YouTube on September 4.
Meet Meaza Ashenafi, Ethiopia's First Female Chief Justice
This report was published on YouTube on September 4.
Thursday, September 5, 2019
Cuomo Urges Congress to Rescind Fed's Proposed DSH Payment Cuts
The following statement was issued today by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
"The impending Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital program cuts would decimate hospitals that provide uncompensated care to uninsured and low-income New Yorkers by taking away over $2.6 billion over the next 18 months and more than $14.5 billion cumulatively through 2025.
"Health care is a right, not a privilege, and Congress must stand up for the safety of our most vulnerable neighbors. I am calling on Congress to immediately rescind these impending cuts before they take effect on October 1st. If they don't, they will put critical health care services at risk for millions of New Yorkers."
Source: The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
What is the Disproportionate Share Hospital Program?
Brady President Kris Brown on Proposals to Prevent Gun Violence.
Brady: As President of Brady, Kris Brown combines a lifelong background in policy, law, and grassroots activism with considerable strategic management expertise to help forge the direction of the organization’s programs and ensure the successful impact of its national and field assets.
A veteran of gun violence prevention work, Ms. Brown
started her career on Capitol Hill working for Rep. Jim Moran,
advocating for the bill that would eventually become the groundbreaking
Brady Act requiring background checks on federally licensed gun sales.
Click here for the full bio.
This video may not play on certain browsers. Click here if you experience problems.
What Middle America is Saying About Climate Change and Gun Violence
This report was published on YouTube on September 4.
NYPD Update: The Latest Crime Stats and Other Information
This report was published on YouTube on September 4.
Jews in Comedy: Joan Rivers and Mel Brooks
Long Island University professor and author Joe Dorinson talks about Brooklyn comedians Joan Rivers and Mel Brooks.
Source: Brooklyn Jewish Historical Initiative
$2.7 Million Awarded for Refugee Mentoring Programs
The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance today announced $2.7 million to fund five mentorship programs in upstate New York that will help recent youth and young adult refugees develop the social and life skills they can use to succeed at school or advance in the workplace. The Making a Connection program will provide young refugees with an adult mentor to help them adapt to American culture, while also maintaining their own heritage.
“As New Yorkers, we have a proud tradition of welcoming refugees with open arms and they are now playing an increasingly critical role in the economic vitality of many communities across the state,” said Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Mike Hein. “By helping these teens and young adults acclimate to life in their new communities, we can open the door of opportunity for them and greatly increase their chances for future success.”
The $2.7 million in federal funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children & Families. Making a Connection promotes positive civic and social engagement among recently arriving refugees between the ages 15 and 24, regardless of their education level. Adult mentors serve as case managers for young refugees to support their educational advancement and career development.
Mentors will provide refugees with academic support services, including English language training and tutoring, in addition to career development assistance, such as job counseling and resume preparation. The program will also provide participants with health and financial literacy services to help them address social issues that sometimes negatively affect outcomes for newly arriving refugee youths and young adults.
Recipients include the following organizations with the amount of funding they will receive annually over five years: Journey’s End Refugee Services, Inc., Erie County; $166,196, Catholic Charities of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse, Onondaga County; $110,797, Rochester City School District’s Office of Adult and Career Education Services, Monroe County; $110,797, S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, Inc., Albany County; $83,098, and Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees, Oneida County; $83,098.
Refugees who enter the United States as children typically graduate high school and enter college at similar rates as native-born youth, according to a 2017 study by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Refugees entering as older teenagers have a much lower level of achievement, the study found, with the difference attributable to language barriers and because many of these youths are not accompanied by a parent.
Furthermore, the study found that overall outcomes for refugees improve considerably within six years of their resettlement, and they typically have higher rates of employment than native individuals.
The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance’s Bureau of Refugee Services provides resources to local entities that help refugees and their families, as well as others in a similar immigration status, to achieve economic and social self-sufficiency. Refugees are defined as any person outside of their country who is unable or unwilling to return there due to persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution based on their race, religion, nationality, membership in a social group, or political opinion.
The number of refugees admitted each year into the United States is established by the President, Congress and the U.S. Department of State. The Department of State works with the national voluntary resettlement agencies to decide the number of refugees to be settled in a region or state.
About 89 percent of the 1,281 refugees resettled in New York between
October 2017 and September 2018 were placed in upstate communities. Most
of the refugees resettled in New York last year came from five
countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Burma, Ukraine and Bhutan.
Source: The
New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Cuomo Deploys Water Rescue Personnel and Resources to North Carolina
Agencies Will Assist with Hurricane Dorian Response and Recovery
Governor Andrew Cuomo today deployed 34 water rescue personnel from the State Office of Fire Prevention and Control and the Department of Environmental Conservation to North Carolina to assist in the response to Hurricane Dorian, which is expected to come ashore early Friday morning. Earlier this week, the Governor deployed resources to Florida to assist communities there impacted by the storm.
"New York understands all too well the destruction that extreme weather can cause, and we will always step up to help our fellow states in times of need," Governor Cuomo said. "We have some of the best emergency response personnel and resources in the country and I'm confident this highly trained water rescue team will be a huge help to North Carolina's response and recovery efforts."
This deployment includes members from NY Task Force-2, managed by the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, consisting of staff from NYS Office of Fire Prevention and Control and local first responders, and Forest Rangers from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. The 34 personnel include 21 OFPC Fire Protection Specialists, seven Task Force-2 members from local agencies, and six DEC Forest Rangers. The deployment team will bring Zodiac-type inflatable rescue boats, along with support trailers. In addition to providing water rescues, the teams can also provide high angle rope rescue and K-9 search and rescue capability.
Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Patrick Murphy said, "Our water rescue teams have extensive experience in helping individuals during flooding incidents so I know they will be extremely helpful to local emergency managers in North Carolina during their response efforts. I applaud Governor Cuomo for deploying these rescue specialists so that they can assist people during this devastating storm."
Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said, "Governor Cuomo prioritizes helping other states in their time of need, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is proud to send our expert emergency management and search and rescue personnel to help deal with the potential effects of Hurricane Dorian. I wish our crew a safe journey and thank them for volunteering for this critical mission."
This deployment is the second time water rescue personnel have deployed to assist another state during an emergency. Staff deployed in 2017 to assist Florida during Hurricane Irma.
Source: The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
"New York understands all too well the destruction that extreme weather can cause, and we will always step up to help our fellow states in times of need," Governor Cuomo said. "We have some of the best emergency response personnel and resources in the country and I'm confident this highly trained water rescue team will be a huge help to North Carolina's response and recovery efforts."
This deployment includes members from NY Task Force-2, managed by the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, consisting of staff from NYS Office of Fire Prevention and Control and local first responders, and Forest Rangers from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. The 34 personnel include 21 OFPC Fire Protection Specialists, seven Task Force-2 members from local agencies, and six DEC Forest Rangers. The deployment team will bring Zodiac-type inflatable rescue boats, along with support trailers. In addition to providing water rescues, the teams can also provide high angle rope rescue and K-9 search and rescue capability.
Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Patrick Murphy said, "Our water rescue teams have extensive experience in helping individuals during flooding incidents so I know they will be extremely helpful to local emergency managers in North Carolina during their response efforts. I applaud Governor Cuomo for deploying these rescue specialists so that they can assist people during this devastating storm."
Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said, "Governor Cuomo prioritizes helping other states in their time of need, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is proud to send our expert emergency management and search and rescue personnel to help deal with the potential effects of Hurricane Dorian. I wish our crew a safe journey and thank them for volunteering for this critical mission."
This deployment is the second time water rescue personnel have deployed to assist another state during an emergency. Staff deployed in 2017 to assist Florida during Hurricane Irma.
Source: The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Statute of Limitations Increased in New York for Civil Suits Related to Injury Caused by Domestic Violence
Governor Andrew Cuomo today signed legislation (S.2416/A.1945) to increase the statute of limitations for civil suits related to injury caused by domestic violence to two years. Under current law, civil suits for domestic violence must be initiated within one year after the incident and the law fails to take into consideration the highly emotional and extremely difficult factors involved in domestic violence situations that often prevent survivors from making the decision to initiate a civil suit. The new law recognizes the sensitive nature of domestic violence and affords victims two years to initiate a civil suit against their abuser. The bill takes effect immediately.
"The trauma of domestic violence can take years to overcome, and frankly one year isn't enough time for survivors to come to terms with what happened to them and to take action against their attacker," Governor Cuomo said. "This new measure will help address this injustice, providing victims more time to file a lawsuit and ensuring people who are guilty of domestic violence are held accountable."
Source: The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
NYS Public Campaign Financing Commission to Hold Public Hearing in Manhattan
The New York State Public Campaign
Financing Commission will hold a public hearing exclusively for existing
organizations with recognized expertise in the area of campaign finance
and elections for the purpose of obtaining expert testimony and opinion
on matters before the Commission.
The hearing will be held on September 10, from 10 a.m to 2 p.m., at Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC).
This event is in addition to the general public comment hearing taking place at 4 p.m. at BMCC.
The hearing will be open to the public and the press.
Organizations wishing to participate and provide testimony should email the member acting as coordinator for this event: Jay.Jacobs@
Testimony will be called in the order in which they were received. Requests to testify will all be reviewed by the entire Commission and the Commission will extend invitations to participants. Requests should be received by 10 a.m. on September 6 and those groups invited to participate will be notified by 5 p.m. on September 6. Testimony will be limited to 20 minutes per party. To ensure quick transition between speakers, no PowerPoint or visual displays will be permitted. Written testimony will also be accepted at the hearing and may also be emailed to the above address.
Source: The New York State Public Campaign
Financing Commission
U.K. Parliament Votes to Potentially Extend Brexit Deadline
Global News: The U.K. parliament will vote later today to potentially extend the
Brexit deadline, in order to curb chances of leaving the European Union
with a no-deal Brexit. The vote will come after a day of debate in the
House of Commons in London.
Hong Kong Leader Carrie Lam Formally Withdraws Extradition Bill That Sparked Mass Protests
Global News: Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam on Wednesday withdrew a controversial
extradition bill that triggered months of often violent protests so the
Chinese-ruled city can move forward from a “highly vulnerable and
dangerous” place and find solutions.
The announcement was live on television after reports revealed that
Beijing had thwarted an earlier proposal from Lam to withdraw the bill
and that she had said privately that she would resign if she could,
according to a leaked audio recording.
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Legislation Signed in New York to Prevent Dangerously Mentally Ill People from Obtaining Firearms
Governor Andrew Cuomo today signed legislation
(S.2438/A.1213) closing a loophole to give law enforcement access to
out-of-state records to help prevent the dangerously mentally ill from
obtaining a firearm license in New York. Under current law, individuals
can apply for a firearm license in the county in which they reside,
regardless of the location of the individual's permanent residence.
Before a firearm license is issued, individuals must submit to a
background check, but current rules often prevent access to out-of-state
records pertaining to people who are dangerously mentally ill, and the
National Instant Criminal Background Check System only flags people who
have been involuntarily committed.As a result, the current system does
not prevent dangerously mentally ill people who have not been
involuntarily committed from applying for a firearm license in New York -
this new law closes that loophole. Additionally the Governor signed a
measure allowing local and state law enforcement officers more access to
an individual's information on a firearm license application
(S.6160/A.7739).
This legislation builds on the strongest gun laws in the nation, including the SAFE Act, the Red Flag
law - which went into effect August 24 and prevents individuals who
show signs of being a threat to themselves or others from purchasing or
possessing a firearm - and legislation Governor Cuomo signed this year extending the background check waiting period and banning bump stocks.
"While
Washington stands idly by and allows a gun violence epidemic to tear
our nation apart at the seams, causing more and more families to grieve
and children to grow up without their parents, New York is leading the
way and enacting smart, common sense gun safety laws to help prevent
these needless tragedies," Governor Cuomo said. "These measures continue
to build on our nation-leading gun laws by helping keep guns out of the
hands of dangerous individuals and providing law enforcement with the
tools and knowledge they need to keep our communities safe from
situations that may involve a deadly firearm."
Click here for the full announcement.
Source: The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Matthew Weil Discusses Election System Security
Weil, Bipartisan Policy Center Elections Project Director, discusses election system security.
This video may not play on certain browsers. Click here if you experience problems.
Brexit Showdown in U.K. Parliament as Lawmakers Try to Block No-Deal
Global News: British lawmakers return to Westminster following summer recess on
Tuesday and are expected to try and stop Prime Minister Boris Johnson
from pursuing what they cast as a calamitous no-deal Brexit, a challenge
a senior government source said would prompt him to call for a snap
election on Oct. 14.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to speak later ahead of a
reported effort by Pro-Remain MPs to apply for an emergency debate on
Brexit
Mocking Slave Owners and Celebrating Freedom
Take in the subversive beauty of J’ouvert, a Caribbean street party in Brooklyn. Revelers go all out.
Click here for the report.
Source: The New York Times
Monday, September 2, 2019
Supreme Court Case Could Give Families the Right to Sue U.S. Border Agents for Cross-Border Killings
This report was published on YouTube on August 31.
Einstein: Science Alone Won't Transform Society
By Ted Glick
(This article is taken from a longer essay, Does God Exist? Does It Matter?, which can be found at my personal website here.)
Albert Einstein was one of if not the most prominent scientists of the 20th
century. But in addition to his scientific accomplishments, he was also
a prolific writer on many issues. One of them was the relationship
between science and religion.
This is an important issue for those of us in the world-changing
business. Historically, some on the political Left have taken the
position that religion and spirituality are of little or no value to the
process of transforming society, that scientific processes, in not just
industry and technology but also in politics and social transformation,
are THE way revolutionary change happens. From my experience, professed
atheism has more adherents percentage-wise among leftists than among
the population as a whole.
Einstein was actually a socialist, but as far as I know he was never
active in movements for social change. But his views on science and
religion have definite relevance.
For example, Einstein believed that serious scientists inevitably
must come to believe in a mysterious, unknown, higher power in the
universe. He wrote, “everyone who is seriously involved in the pursuit
of science becomes convinced that a spirit is manifest in the laws of
the Universe – a spirit vastly superior to that of man, and one in the
face of which we with our modest powers must feel humble.” (Einstein
and Religion, by Max Jammer, p. 144)
This is not how the late, prominent scientist Steven Hawking saw the
issue. As reported in the Washington Post on March 14, 2018, he said
during an interview with El Mundo in 2014: “Before we understand
science, it is natural to believe that God created the universe. But now
science offers a more convincing explanation. What I meant by ‘we would
know the mind of God’ is, we would know everything that God would know,
if there were a God, which there isn’t. I’m an atheist.”
Click here for the full article.
Source: tedglick.com
The Doctrine of White Supremacy --- and the Hoaxer Tucker Carlson
By Steven Jonas
Ah, Tucker Carlson.
How pretentious is he. Pretends
to be an intellectual, but he doesn't even know the definition of the word
"hoax." Here's one, from the Cambridge English Dictionary : "1. a plan to deceive
someone, such as telling the police there is a bomb somewhere when there is not
one, or a trick: 2. to deceive, especially by playing a trick on someone 3. a
plan to deceive a large group of people; a trick.
By
definition then, "hoaxing" is something done in present time, something that
Carlson and Hannity and Levin and so on and so forth are doing on Fox"News," or
as MSNBC's Chris Hayes calls it, "Trump TV," all the time. But no, Tucker, the Doctrine of White Supremacy
--- and it is a doctrine as its proponents have made clear over and over again
throughout its history --- which is certainly long and ignoble, is indeed not a
hoax. It is not something that was just
invented, to trick people. In fact,
Tucker, is that not perhaps what you yourself are trying to do --- by labeling
white supremacy a "hoax" --- playing a trick on the less-informed members of your
viewership?
Click here for the full article.
Winners of the 2019 Carey Gabay Scholarship Program Announced
Governor Andrew Cuomo today announced the five 2019 winners of the Carey Gabay Scholarship Program. The scholarship program was created to honor the legacy of Carey Gabay, an attorney and public servant, who was tragically killed as an innocent victim of gun violence in September 2015 at the age of 43. Each scholarship covers all costs of attendance, including tuition, room and board, college fees, books and supplies, and transportation and personal expenses.
"Carey Gabay dedicated his life to building better communities, and these inspiring young people exemplify his selflessness and commitment to service and social justice," Governor Cuomo said. "I applaud this year's scholarship recipients for all their accomplishments and look forward to seeing them continue Carey's legacy and help create a better New York."
Carey grew up living in public housing and attending public school in the Bronx. After a successful high school career, he went on to graduate from Harvard University and then Harvard Law School. While at Harvard University, he was elected to become the president of the undergraduate student body. During his recent career, he worked tirelessly in public service, first as an Assistant Counsel to Governor Cuomo, and later as First Deputy Counsel for the Empire State Development Corporation. Carey had a longstanding commitment to public service and giving back to those around him.
Click here for the full announcement.
Source: The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo