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President Obama Signs Bill Giving Himself, George W. Bush Lifetime Secret Service Protection

January 10, 2013 by 1 Comment
300px Five Presidents Oval Office President Obama Signs Bill Giving Himself, George W. Bush Lifetime Secret Service Protection

President Obama Signs Bill Giving Himself, George W. Bush Lifetime Secret Service Protection. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

President Obama signed the Former Presidents Protection Act of 2012, which will give himself and former President George W. Bush lifetime Secret Service protection. President Obama signed the bill on Thursday, which reverses a mid-1990s law which capped protection at 10 years after leaving office.

The new legislation [HR-6620], which was introduced in the House of Representatives in November 2012 by Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC), removes the 10-year cap and grants all president’s lifetime protection by the Secret Service. Their wives, Michelle Obama and Laura Bush, will also get lifetime Secret Service protection, unless they remarry. This also covers their children until age 16.

Presidents Obama and Bush were the only presidents to have not served prior to January 1, 1997 when the law took effect, Buzzfeed reports. The legislation will also cover future ex-presidents.

Before the right wing pundits go nuts over this, the bill passed by voice-vote in early December by both Republicans and Democrats. Its co-sponsors included Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX), and Reps. John Conyers  (D-MI) and Bobby Scott (D-VA). HR-6620 was passed in the Senate by unanimous consent on December 28th, and sent to the White House for President Obama’s signature on New Year’s Day.

Here’s an ignorant response from a reader at right wing site Daily Caller:

Secret Service protection Daily Caller 300x70 President Obama Signs Bill Giving Himself, George W. Bush Lifetime Secret Service Protection

President Obama signs bill to grant lifetime Secret Service protection

Filed Under: George W. Bush, President Obama, U.S. Politics Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Rocker Ted Nugent Calls Gun Owners the Next “Rosa Parks”

January 10, 2013 by Leave a Comment
300px Rosa Parks Booking Rocker Ted Nugent Calls Gun Owners the Next Rosa Parks

Rocker Ted Nugent Calls Gun Owners the New “Rosa Parks” (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

SMH:  Ted Nugent went on another rant, calling gun owners the next “Rosa Parks” over possible gun control legislation.

During an interview with WorldNetDaily, Nugent said, “There will come a time when the gun owners of America, the law-abiding gun owners of America, will be the Rosa Parks and we will sit down on the front seat of the bus, case closed.”

Rocker Ted Nugent Calls Gun Owners the Next Rosa Parks
Filed Under: Gun Violence, Latest News Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Tyler Perry Offers $100K Reward in Missing Persons Cases of Terrance Williams, Felipe Santos

January 10, 2013 by Leave a Comment
300px 82nd Academy Awards%2C Tyler Perry army mil 66455 2010 03 09 180359 %28cropped%29 Tyler Perry Offers $100K Reward in Missing Persons Cases of Terrance Williams, Felipe Santos

Tyler Perry Offers $100K Reward in Missing Persons Cases of Terrance Williams, Felipe Santos. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Tyler Perry is offering a $100,000 reward for information in the cold-case of two missing Florida men, Terrance Williams and Felipe Santos. The men went missing from the Naples-area three months apart in 2003.

Tyler Perry was joined at a news conference on Thursday by Rev. Al Sharpton and NAACP head Ben Jealous to discuss the missing-person investigations of the two men. Terrance Williams and Felipe Santos disappeared after crossing paths with Collier County Sheriff’s Deputy Steven Calkins. He was never charged but was fired in 2004.

I echo Tyler Perry’s sentiment that the media doesn’t pay too much attention to missing-persons cases involving blacks and Hispanics. Terrance Williams was black and Felipe Santos was an illegal immigrant from Mexico.

Tyler Perry Offers $100K Reward in Missing Persons Cases of Terrance Williams, Felipe Santos
Filed Under: Entertainment, Missing Persons Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Two People Shot at Taft High School, Shooter in Police Custody

January 10, 2013 by Leave a Comment

TAFT HIGH SCHOOL SHOOTING:  Two people were shot at Taft High School in Taft, Calif., Thursday morning. The suspected shooter is in police custody.

KABC:  Authorities say the shooting was reported at about 9 a.m. The suspect, whose name has not yet been released, was taken into custody at about 9:20 a.m.  Parents were asked to pick up their students at the football field. It was unclear if the two shooting victims were students or staff.

Update:  1 victim treated, a second declined treatment -  @TurnTo23

UPDATE:  Officials-Student shot in #Taft H.S. was flown to a local hospital-Suspect was a student, shotgun was used in the attack. — @eyewitnessnyc

Filed Under: Breaking News, Gun Violence Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Destiny’s Child to Release 1st Album of Original Music in 8 Years

January 10, 2013 by Leave a Comment
destinys child love songs 300x300 Destinys Child to Release 1st Album of Original Music in 8 Years

Destiny’s Child to Release 1st Album of Original Music in 8 Years

Destiny’s Child will release their 1st album of original music in 8 years, lead singer @Beyonce announces. Here’s the link to “Destiny’s Child Love Songs.

Here’s a single, “Nuclear” from their upcoming album:

Filed Under: Latest News Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Rev. Louie Giglio Backs Out of Obama Inauguration Over Previous Anti-Gay Comments

January 10, 2013 by Leave a Comment
300px Giglio Rev. Louie Giglio Backs Out of Obama Inauguration Over Previous Anti Gay Comments

Rev. Louie Giglio Backs Out of Obama Inauguration Over Previous Anti-Gay Comments. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Rev. Louie Giglio, who had been tapped to give the invocation at President Obama’s inauguration January 21, has backed out over previous anti-gay comments, sources confirmed to ABC News.

Here’s a passage from Louie Giglio’s sermon in mid-90s uncovered by Think Progress:

“We must lovingly but firmly respond to the aggressive agenda of not all, but of many in the homosexual community. … Underneath this issue is a very powerful and aggressive moment. That movement is not a benevolent movement, it is a movement to seize by any means necessary the feeling and the mood of the day, to the point where the homosexual lifestyle becomes accepted as a norm in our society and is given full standing as any other lifestyle, as it relates to family. “

Addie Whisenant of the Presidential Inaugural Committee said in a statement:

We were not aware of Pastor Giglio’s past comments at the time of his selection and they don’t reflect our desire to celebrate the strength and diversity of our country at this Inaugural. Pastor Giglio was asked to deliver the benediction in large part for his leadership in combating human trafficking around the world. As we now work to select someone to deliver the benediction, we will ensure their beliefs reflect this administration’s vision of inclusion and acceptance for all Americans.

Rev. Louie Giglio Backs Out of Obama Inauguration Over Previous Anti Gay Comments
Filed Under: Barack Obama, Gay Rights, Religious News Tagged With: , , , ,

Black Actors/Actress in Antebellum Movie “Django Unchained” Snubbed by Oscar Awards

January 10, 2013 by Leave a Comment
#Oscars: Black actors/actress in Quentin Tarantino’s controversial antebellum movie  ”Django Unchained” get snubbed, no #Oscarnoms for Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington and Samuel L. Jackson. Some people are about to make a big stink out of nothing. Personally, I felt Jamie Foxx got lucky when he won the Oscar award for his portrayal of Ray Charles, even though Don Cheadle did a far better job in “Hotel Rwanda.”
“Django Unchained” was nominated for best picture, original screenplay and best supporting actor for Christoph Waltz. One more thing for the “hate patrol” – Leonardo DiCaprio was overlooked for best supporting actor and director Quentin Tarantino was also snubbed. In other words, it wasn’t just the black actors/actress who got snubbed.
I am extremely happy to see Quvenzhané Wallis get the Best Actress nod for “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” & Denzel Washington, the Best Actor nod for “Flight.” Both far more credible roles.
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Filed Under: Latest Movie News Tagged With: , , , , ,

Gabby Giffords Gun Control Group Wants to Raise $20 Million By 2014

January 10, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Americans for Responsible Solutions, a new gun control group led by Gabby Giffords, the former U.S. congresswoman who was wounded in Jared Loughner’s Tucson shooting rampage, wants to raise $20 million for the 2014 congressional elections. The group wants to match the National Rifle Association’s spending in last November’s elections, the group’s treasurer, Steve Mostyn, said on Wednesday.

The move marks the entry of the high-profile couple, both gun owners, into a heated national debate over gun control fueled by the massacre of 20 children and six teachers at a Connecticut elementary school last month.

“We’re just getting things started, but I’ve had conversations with a dozen other large political donors who have worked with me on other issues in the past, and I’ve had a good response,” Mostyn told Reuters.

Even if the group manages to meet its funding targets, it and other similar groups face a steep battle to change U.S. gun laws. The U.S. House of Representatives has a pro-gun rights majority and it’s too early to know if the outcry after the Connecticut shooting will lead to a shift in how they vote.

Filed Under: Gun Violence, U.S. Politics Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

‘Beasts’ Quvenzhane Wallis, Youngest Best Actress Nominee for Oscars at 9

January 10, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Quvenzhane Wallis Beasts Quvenzhane Wallis, Youngest Best Actress Nominee for Oscars at 9

‘Beasts’ Quvenzhane Wallis, Youngest Best Actress Nominee for Oscars at 9 (Photo credit:  IMDB)

Congrats to “Beasts of the Southern Wild” Quvenzhané Wallis, who is now the youngest best actress Oscar Award nominee at nine. “Beasts of the Southern Wild” got four nods — Best Picture, Best Director (Benh Zeitlin), Best Adapted Screenplay (Benh Zeitlin & Lucy Alibar) and Best Actress.

Quvenzhané Wallis beasts of southern wild 300x199 Beasts Quvenzhane Wallis, Youngest Best Actress Nominee for Oscars at 9

Emmanuelle Riva, 85 is the oldest and youngest best actress #Oscar nominee ever

Filed Under: Latest Movie News Tagged With: , , , , , ,

‘Lincoln’ Leads Oscar Awards Contenders with 12 Nominations, Including Best Picture

January 10, 2013 by Leave a Comment
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‘Lincoln’ Leads Oscar Awards Contenders with 12 Nominations, Including Best Picture (Photo credit: Vectorportal)

‘Lincoln’ leads Academy Award contenders with 12 nominations, including Best Picture.

Best Picture Oscar nominees: ‘Amour,’ ‘Argo,’ ‘Beasts of the Southern Wild,’ ‘Django Unchained,’ ‘Les Misérables,’ ’Life of Pi,’ ‘Lincoln,’ ‘Silver Linings Playbook,’ ‘Zero Dark Thirty.’

Best Actor Oscar nominees: Daniel Day Lewis, Denzel Washington, Hugh Jackman, Bradley Cooper, Joaquin Phoenix.

Supporting Actress Oscar nominees: Sally Field, Anne Hathaway, Jacki Weaver, Helen Hunt, Amy Adams.

Best Actress Oscar nominees: Naomi Watts, Jessica Chastain, Jennifer Lawrence, Emmanuelle Riva, Quvenzhané Wallis.

 Supporting Actor Oscar nominees: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tommy Lee Jones, Christoph Waltz, Robert De Niro, Alan Arkin.

Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar nominees: ‘Beasts of the Southern Wild,’ ‘Argo,’ ‘Lincoln,’ ‘Silver Linings Playbook,’ ‘Life of Pi’

Best Foreign Language Film Oscar nominees:  ’Amour,’ ‘NO,’ ‘War Witch,’ ‘A Royal Affair,’ ‘Kon Tiki’

Lincoln Leads Oscar Awards Contenders with 12 Nominations, Including Best Picture
pixel Lincoln Leads Oscar Awards Contenders with 12 Nominations, Including Best Picture
Filed Under: Latest Movie News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,