China Talks, More NSA Revelations to Come

What Xi Said: President Obama and Chinese leader Xi Jinping finished a day and a half of economic talks Saturday, which both sides described in diplomatic language as “productive”. Obama spoke to Xi about Chinese computer hacking, even while defending himself at home about the US government’s secret data mining of telephone and Internet information. The two also discussed climate change and agreed to limit use hydrofluorocarbons, a damaging greenhouse gas.

National: Glenn Greenwald, The Guardian reporter who broke that story about government information-collecting, said this morning on ABC News to expect more revelations from him. The Director of National Security has called The Guardian’s reporting “reprehensible”.

  • The gunman in Friday’s Santa Monica shooting spree had a semi-automatic rifle and 1300 rounds of ammunition, according to the police chief. John Zawahri, 24, killed four people including his father and brother before he was shot dead by police. Police Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks said one woman who was wounded “has a grim prognosis”.
  • Newark mayor Cory Booker announced he is a Democratic candidate for New Jersey Senator in the Oct. 16 special election, which is now the subject of a lawsuit. A county-level Democratic official filed suit charging that the special election just three weeks before the Nov. 5 general election will suppress the vote for all other state offices, including governor.
  • Neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman goes on trial this week for murder in the 2012 shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.

Sports: Palice Malice beat the winners of the Kentucky Derby and The Preakness in the Belmont Stakes. Preakness winner Oxbow, ridden by jockey/movie star Gary Stevens, finished 2nd, and Derby winner Orb, 3d.

  • The Chicago Blackhawks went into double overtime to beat the Los Angeles Kings 4-3 and move on to meet the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup finals. First game, Wednesday.

Lone Star Justice: A Texas man was acquitted of murder last week in the shooting death of a professional escort who refused him sex after accepting $150. The ruling was under a Texas law authorizing use of deadly force “to retrieve stolen property at night.”

Back to the Future: A Southern California family found a 1961 nuclear fallout shelter 15 feet below their back yard. It was stocked with canned “Multi-Purpose Food”, coffee, medical supplies and household goods like Saran Wrap, Dixie Cups, and Kleenex, all in their vintage 1961 packaging. And the magazines were older than the ones in your doctor’s office.

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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Page Two

The Most Corrupt Justice

Monday, October 2, 2023

Democracy and Video in the Dark

Sunday, February 26, 2023

Page Two: Do the Right Thing

Tuesday, February 1, 2022

Page Two: Sound Recall

Monday, September 13, 2021

Page Two: Cuomo Must Go

Friday, August 13, 2021

Trump and the Truth

Tuesday, November 3, 2020

The “Great” President

Monday, March 30, 2020

The Wright Stuff

Saturday, February 29, 2020

It's Been Said

"In my mind, I’ve never crossed the line with anyone, but I didn’t realize the extent to which the line has been redrawn. There are generational and cultural shifts that I just didn’t fully appreciate, and I should have, no excuses."

-Andrew Cuomo, resigning as governor of New York after accusations of sexual harassment

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