Video: "Credible But Not Specific" Threat: HIGH ALERT

US and European officials said Tuesday they have detected a plot to carry out a major, coordinated series of commando-style terror attacks in Britain, France, Germany and possibly the United States. A senior US official said that while there is a "credible" threat, no specific time or place is known. President Obama has been briefed about the threat, say senior US officials.
Intelligence and law enforcement authorities in the US and Europe said the threat information is based on the interrogation of a suspected German terrorist allegedly captured on his way to Europe in late summer and now being held at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan.
US law enforcement officials say they have been told the terrorists were planning a series of "Mumbai-style" commando raids on what were termed "economic or soft" targets in the countries. Pakistani militants killed 173 people with guns and grenades during the 2008 attacks in Mumbai, India.
In testimony before Congress last week, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said, "We are all seeing increased activity by a more diverse set of groups and a more diverse set of threats."
Officials in France have put the country on high alert for a terror attack and authorities in Paris shut down the Eiffel Tower for the second time in two weeks today after what was termed a "false alarm."

No bomb was found but officials in France are taking no chances, given what they believe is a very real threat.
"We currently have reached a spike in the threat of an attack, which is unquestionable," said the head of the French National Police last week. He also said France was at particular risk from al Qaeda's North African affiliate.
The new threat to France, and to Germany and Britain and the U.S., is coming from Pakistan, according to intelligence officials. The captured German reportedly said several teams of attackers, all with European passports, had been trained and dispatched from training camps in Waziristan and Pakistan. Officials say the German claimed the attack plan had been approved by Osama Bin Laden.
US intelligence officials said they believed an attack on American soil was more likely to come from terrorists connected to the al Qaeda group in Yemen, known as AQAP, al Qaeda of the Arabian Peninsula.

But an official of the New York Police Department said while the most specific information was about Europe, NYPD intelligence officers were following the new information closely. "Nobody here is letting their guard down, the NYPD is watching," the official said.

Read More

Video: Chris Christie on NJ education

Read More

Chris Christie(NJ Gov): I'm ready to TEST TEACHERS in reading & math!

Christie Announces Sweeping N.J. Education Reform

Governor Ready To Test Teachers In Reading And Math

September 28, 2010 5:30 PM

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (credit: NJ Governor’s Office)

From jcap17

OLD BRIDGE, N.J. (CBS 2) — Determined to turn New Jersey’s education system on its head, Gov. Chris Christie on Tuesday unveiled a tough-love reform package that will make classroom achievement — not seniority or tenure — the basis for pay hikes and career advancement in Garden State public schools.
Christie is turning his take-no-prisoner’s style to the classroom, demanding a top to bottom overhaul of how New Jersey students learn and teachers teach. And that means undoing tenure, seniority and other union work rules.
“We cannot wait. Your children are sitting in these classrooms today. We cannot wait to make it better,” Christie told CBS 2’s Marcia Kramer.
Unqualified teachers will feel the lash. The governor is demanding that teachers in kindergarten through fifth grade actually pass tests in reading and math in order to be certified.
“It might lead to the firing of teachers and principals who hurt our children,” Christie said.
The governor wants to turn the old seniority system inside out and put quality teaching ahead of lack-luster performance. He will:
* Prohibit salary scales based on seniority
* Grant raises based on classroom performance
* Give tenure based on classroom performance
“We are paying a fortune for something that is not giving our children the hope and the feeling that their tomorrow can be better than their future,” Christie said.
The governor said he would appoint a task force to come up with standards to measure teacher achievement.
Educational experts applauded the governor’s actions.
“He is with excellence in education for everyone by prioritizing teachers — their brilliance, their art and their skills. We will dramatically improve the quality of education of our kids in New Jersey, particularly those most in need,” said Derrell Bradford, director of Excellent Education for Everyone.
The governor needs the state Legislature to approve the changes to seniority and tenure. The rest of the things he did by signing executive orders.
A spokesman for the New Jersey Education Association attacked the governor’s plan saying that once again he was “trying to implement education reform without any input from educators.”

Read More

A Little More Rant About Aunt Zeituni :

A video follows this rant. To hear it properly, please mute the sound on the "Ave Maria" music widget on the right hand side of this page.

Zeituni Onyango, the 58-year-old Kenyan-born aunt of Barack Hussein Obama, next to Valerie Jarrett, seems to be the person who best understands his political philosophy. At a time when we are faced with unprecedented deficits and swelling government dependence nudging the economy toward a Greek-style debt crisis, this illegal alien who has never paid a dime in (U.S.) taxes, receives public housing and a $700 monthly disability check. Yet she insists her new country has treated her as “public enemy number one” and put her through “a Hell of a lot,” so she owes it “nothing,” (Boo-Friggen-Hoo). It turns out she believes we took advantage of her, and she angrily lectures American taxpayers they have the “obligation” under “Almighty God” to “help the poor, help other countries, and take care of women.” After all, her steep legal bills are being footed by God Himself in “Heaven." Do you suppose that all Kenyans believe in "Collective Salvation", "Social Justice", and "Redistribution of Wealth"?

She is an angry, thankless slug, and she is clueless about where all the benefits she enjoys come from. She is hostile toward those who pay for them, and insistent they come faster, more frequently, and at an ever-greater cost. In other words, Aunt Zeituni appears to perfectly express Barack Obama’s outlook and policies.

Aunt Zeituni came to the United States in 2000. In time, she said she became aware she “overstayed,” and in 2004 Judge Leonard Shapiro denied her asylum. This did not keep her from attending her nephew, Barack Obama’s, swearing in as a U.S. Senator nor his inauguration as president — where Boston’s WBZT-TV said she had been “invited.” Then, this May, the same judge suddenly changed course and granted her petition on the grounds she would face danger in Kenya because of her notoriety. But isn't it strange, the media reports do not portray Obama’s “home country” as especially hostile to his relatives? His ancestral village of Kogelo threw a four-day-long party for his inauguration, and Time magazine has reported villagers have elevated his half-brother Malik to celebrity status. Still, the judge reversed himself. Ever since, she has remained on the taxpayers’ dole. And that has her steaming mad — at America.

Her waltz through the tax coffers of the nation she remains in despite its laws has not been sufficiently pampering for her. She told WBZT, “To me, America’s dream became America’s worst nightmare.” She whined, “I’ve been treated like public enemy number one” and been put through “a Hell of a lot, Hell of a lot.” Aunt Zeituni feels America had taken advantage of her.

The answer seems clear: she’s entitled, and Americans have been too stingy in handing over their cash and their country.

The media have widely reported her view that “If I come as an immigrant, you have the obligation to make me a citizen.” Since the president has set the full force of the federal government into providing amnesty for 15-20 million Democratic voters, oops, I mean illegal immigrants, one could reasonably infer he believes the United States has the “obligation” to make anyone who lands on these shores a citizen. But how can the United States pay for the massive welfare spending that attends this immigration?

Not to worry, be happy: God will rain down pennies from Heaven.

Whatever people perceive to be Barack Obama’s faith, he and his aunt have a shared belief that money magically appears and Americans have a God-given obligation to “spread the wealth around.” Aunt Zeituni said “Heaven” was paying for her high-powered immigration attorney and “even my food.” That is an odd description of federal welfare spending. But what does she owes American citizens?

She said she owes us nothing. Why? "It's God’s miracles. Don’t you believe in miracles?”

She even said that it is our religious obligation to keep shelling out for every one else. In her words, she said; "You people who preach Jesus Christ, Almighty God, and the rest of it, you are here to help people, help the poor, help other countries, and take care of women. And you have to give me my rights like any other person’s rights." I must have missed that during my Bible studies.

The danger in his aunt’s remarks are not only that Obama appears to share them, but he seems to desperately want the rest of America to adopt them, as well.

Page Two:

Obama Ally Could be Tried for Treason:

Read More

Legislation Allows Proof Silver Eagles, Changes America the Beautiful Silver Bullion Coins

Legislation was recently introduced which finally seeks to address the legal hurdle for the production of Proof Silver Eagles and technical stumbling blocks for the 5 oz. America the Beautiful Silver Bullion Coins.

The bill known as H.R. 6162 Coin Modernization, Oversight, and Continuity Act of 2010 was introduced by Rep. Melvin Watt on September 22, 2010. The bill primarily addresses the issue of the composition of circulating U.S. coins by authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to conduct research and development necessary to make recommendations to Congress related to coin composition. You can read more details on this aspect of the bill on Coin Update News.

The portion of the bill which would allow the production of collectible American Gold and Silver Eagles seeks to adjust the language of current law. Rather than the US Mint being required to produce the coins in "quantities sufficient to meet public demand", they would be required to produce the coins in "qualities and quantities that the Secretary determines are sufficient to meet public demand'.

Presumably this would mean that in times when public demand for bullion coins exceeds precious metals blank supplies, the Secretary of the Treasury could determine the proper quantities of bullion coins, collectible uncirculated coins, and proof coins that should be produced. Under the US Mint's interpretation of the current law, they allocate all precious metals blanks to the production of bullion coins at times when bullion demand exceeds precious metals blank supply.

The introduction of the bill seems a bit late. At the House subcommittee meeting in July when such legislative changes were discussed, Director Moy mentioned that a change in law would need to be enacted "soon" and provided a production time line for 2010 Proof Silver Eagles beginning in September. Subsequent to the hearing, the Silver Eagle bullion coin rationing program was ended, suggesting some slack in the blank supply that could possibly be used to strike proof coins. Meanwhile, the release of 2010 Proof Gold Eagles has already been confirmed with a release date of October 7, 2010. Nonetheless, if the bill is enacted, the changes in law would ensure continuity for collectors in future years.

The portion of the bill dealing with the America the Beautiful Silver Bullion Coins would change the design requirement from "exact duplicates" to "likenesses" of the quarter dollar designs. The required diameter would be changed from "3.0 inches" to a diameter "determined by the Secretary that is no less than 2.5 inches and no greater than 3.0 inches". Finally, the requirement for incuse edge lettering indicating the weight and fineness of the coin would be removed.

The changes allowed by the bill may already be irrelevant. Although the US Mint did encounter numerous problems with the over sized bullion coins earlier this year, they must have managed to overcome the issues. According to a story from Numismatic News, production of the coins is already underway. If the coins are currently being produced they would have to comply with the existing law.

Coin Update News: Latest US Mint Sales Report Available

Read More

Chef from Kitchen Nightmares commits suicide

A New Jersey restaurateur once featured on Gordon Ramsay's "Kitchen Nightmares" -- and told by the TV chef that his debt-ridden eatery was "about to swim down the Hudson" -- was eerily found floating in the river after jumping off the George Washington Bridge.

Joseph Cerniglia, the 39-year-old owner of Campania in Fair Lawn, is the second chef to commit suicide after appearing on one of Ramsay's high-heat, reality-cooking series.

Cerniglia -- once the executive chef at Manhattan's famed Gallagher's Steak House -- had been deeply in debt when his Italian eatery was featured in the first season of "Kitchen Nightmares" in 2007.

During the series, foul-mouthed celebrity foodie Ramsay would verbally bash down-on-their-luck restaurateurs in hopes of getting them back on track.

"Your business is about to f--king swim down the Hudson," the brash Brit berated Cerniglia, a married dad of three who lived in Pompton Lakes.

Ramsay fumed about the eatery's huge portions, lousy food quality, poor service and the sophomoric antics of the kitchen staff.

"Why did you become a chef-owner if you haven't a clue how to run a business?" Ramsay railed at Cerniglia.

Cerniglia conceded that "Campania definitely has its share of problems, big problems."

Continue reading at The New York Post.

Read More

Thin edge

This is another "thin edge of the wedge" story but its going our way for a change.
One of the unintended side-effects of cases like the Robert Dziekański tasering has been that police are increasingly hostile toward anyone near them with camera -- we saw lots of this during the G20 protests, when people had their camera memory cards wiped.
Now a circuit court judge in Maryland has dismissed the "wiretapping" charges that an ambitious prosecutor tried to bring against a motorist who posted a video on YouTube of a policeman giving him a ticket.
Not so fast, said the judge:

Judge Emory A. Pitt Jr. had to decide whether police performing their duties have an expectation of privacy in public space. Pitt ruled that police can have no such expectation in their public, on-the-job communications.
Pitt wrote: "Those of us who are public officials and are entrusted with the power of the state are ultimately accountable to the public. When we exercise that power in public fora, we should not expect our actions to be shielded from public observation. 'Sed quis custodiet ipsos cutodes' ("Who watches the watchmen?”)."
Graber was also charged with possessing a “device primarily useful for the purpose of the surreptitious interception of oral communications" -- referring to the video camera on his helmet. The judge disagreed with the prosecutor that the helmet cam was illegal, and concluded the state's argument would render illegal “almost every cell phone, Blackberry, and every similar device, not to mention dictation equipment and other types of recording devices."

Read More