March 8, 2012

SandBoxBlogs: Accuracy in Media "Scandal at The Washington Post: Fraud, Lobbying & Insider Trading "

Rusty Weiss:
"In the summer of 2010, business columnist for The Washington Post Steven Pearlstein lifted the veil on the little-known company operating procedure that involves an incestuous relationship between his own employer, and the scandal-plagued, for-profit university known as Kaplan.1 In his column, Pearlstein made the argument that while personnel in the newsroom may have nothing to do with Kaplan, they most certainly have “benefited from its financial success.”...."  (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Customs and Border Protection "$82 Million Cocaine Bust"

$15 million in marijuana over the past few days, in one bust.  Now $82 million in cocaine in one bust.
 
Since posting alerts from CBP (Customs and Border Protection) over $2 billion dollars has been reported as confiscated from drug traffickers trying to bring the dope up from Mexico and into the United States.
 
SandBox began posting these alerts aprx. 3 months ago.
 
Sort of makes you wonder how opinion columnists like Johnny Boyd and lawmakers like Jared Polis (D-Colorado) can justify their rhetoric to legalize all drugs.
 
Can you imagine an unencumbered pipeline of dope flowing across all of our borders and into the US.  You betcha.  That's really going to lower the addiction rates and kill the market.
 
Since discovering "Nannygate", Johnny has learned all about google alerts.  Here's a tip.
 
You can sign up for alerts from just about everywhere of interest to you.  DOJ, CBP, ICE, DEA, every kind of sport there is, every search engine with specific keywords to tell them what to send to your email box.
 
'Nanny' challenges Rep. Polis and Johnny Boyd to do some homework over an extended period of time in all things dope and trafficking.
 
You might just think again and change your mind.
  
"Washington — On February 27, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Air and Marine (OAM) P-3 operating out of National Air Security Operations Center-Jacksonville, detected a go-fast vessel carrying 1,100 pounds of cocaine valued at more than $82 million.
 
The 35’ twin-engine vessel was spotted speeding north off the coast of Panama and appeared to be loaded with numerous packages when the Florida-based CBP P-3 began tracking the vessel. Local foreign law enforcement assets were called in to board the vessel and after inspection, several dozen bales of cocaine were recovered.
 
During FY 2011, the CBP P-3 fleet continued its anti-smuggling success by seizing or disrupting more than 148 thousand pounds of cocaine valued at more than $11.1 billion; 20.6 pounds seized for every flight hour, valued at $1.5 million for every hour flown.
 
CBP OAM P-3s have been an integral part of the successful counter-narcotic missions operating in coordination with the Joint Interagency Task Force – South (JIATFS). The P-3s patrol in a 42-million square-mile area of the Western Caribbean and Eastern Pacific in search of drugs that are in transit towards U.S. shores. The P-3s’ distinctive detection capabilities allow highly-trained crews to identify emerging threats well beyond the land borders of the U.S. By providing surveillance of known air, land, and maritime smuggling routes in an area that is twice the size on the Continental U.S., the P-3s detect and monitor illegal air, land, and maritime smuggling activities before they reach the shores.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Power Line "The Party of Hate"

John Hinderaker:
"Millions of Americans voted for Barack Obama in the hope that he would be a trailblazer who would conduct the presidency in a new way. Well, he has: Obama has been the most divisive president in our modern history, unabashedly stirring up hate against not only his political enemies, but against private citizens who exercise their right to participate in our democracy. The most recent hatefest has been directed against Rush Limbaugh, and Obama has personally stirred the pot.

Of course, Obama has had nothing to say about the far worse invective that his own supporters have directed against Republican women. As I noted yesterday, he was asked a question about the double standard in his press conference yesterday, and ducked it. Bill Maher, who has contributed $1 million to re-elect Obama, called Sarah Palin a “c***” and a “dumb t***.” (Hey, when Rush rips a Democratic Party activist, at least you can print what he said on a family web site.) Obama has never criticized Maher or any of his many other supporters and minions who have kept up a steady drumbeat of hate for years...."
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"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Washington Post "Govt. sets record deficit in February"

Stephen Dinan:
"The federal government recorded its worst monthly deficit in history in February, according to a preliminary report Wednesday from the Congressional Budget Office that said the deficit in fiscal year 2012 is already more than half a trillion dollars...."  (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Aspen Times "Legislature delves into ballot transparency"

'SandBox Nanny' has to say how nice it is to have Janet Urquhart's reporting on Citizen Center and Marilyn Marks updates.

Balance, facts and details.  What a novel approach.  A  thank you goes out to Urquhart from bringing us the news rather than opinion.

Janet Urquhart:
"ASPEN — Legislation that would regulate the inspection of ballots through an open-records request — an issue that first came to a head in Aspen — was introduced in the Colorado Statehouse last week.

The bill was spawned in large part by Aspen election activist Marilyn Marks' requests to view ballots or other election-related data in counties around the state, including Jefferson County, where a resulting District Court hearing is scheduled Thursday and Friday. Pitkin County elections manager Dwight Shellman III has been subpoenaed as a potential witness for Marks.

Public access to ballots and whether ballots can be traced back to the voters who cast them are issues that have snowballed out of Marks' request to view ballot images from the city of Aspen's 2009 election, in which she lost the race for mayor. Marks filed suit after her request was denied and prevailed at the Appellate Court level. The city has appealed for review of the case by the Colorado Supreme Court.

Subsequently, Marks has become involved in litigation with several counties and in a federal lawsuit that challenges election practices in six Colorado counties..."  (Read more? Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Steamboat Today "Pot registry in decline in Routt County, state"

Jack Weinstein:
" — The number of registered medical marijuana patients has decreased 35 percent in Routt County since June 2011, a trend that mirrors statewide numbers.

As of Dec. 31, 2011, the state Department of Public Health and Environment reported 82,089 registered medical marijuana cardholders across Colorado. That’s down from a high of 128,698 on June 30, 2011. In Routt County, the number of cardholders dropped from 1,190 to 778 during the same time frame...."
(Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Summit Daily News "Summit County Dems back Barson for DA"

Caddie Nath:
"FRISCO — Local district attorney hopeful Todd Barson won overwhelming support from Democrats in Summit County in a straw poll conducted during the party's sparsely attended, but enthusiastic caucus Tuesday night...."  (Read  more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Aspen Times "Not ready to rule, judge leans in Aspen officer's favor in stolen shades case"

Rick Carroll:
"...Around midnight, Fain texted Mulcahy to call him back, and the officer eventually arrested him after a basketball game at the Skier Dome at Aspen High School. Mulcahy said Fain was accompanied by three other officers, who acted like a “SWAT team” when they positioned themselves by the gymnasium's exit doors with about two minutes remaining in the game.

Fain also testified that he did not believe he had probable cause to arrest Mulcahy at Kenichi, but more evidence surfaced that legitimized his warrantless arrest after the game. Fain also said he could have arrested Mulcahy in the middle of the game but elected not to out of respect for the players and those in attendance.

“I thought it would be disrespectful to walk out on the court and arrest him,” said Fain, who detained Mulcahy outside of the gym after the game.

Wills, however, had difficulty accepting that, saying that Fain deliberately tried to embarrass and harass Mulcahy.

“I believe that law enforcement can do their job and still be honest with people and fair,” Wills said. “My problem here is that (Fain) was forcing a bargain by threatening an arrest warrant to get people to waive their statutory and constitutional right to silence. ... Why is Fain in such a huff to get this guy prosecuted? Why is it OK for him to lie?”

If anything, Fain was patient with Mulcahy and gave him ample opportunity to turn himself in or, at the very least, explain himself, Nedlin said. And the judge noted that it's not unusual — and in many instances not illegal — for police to try to coerce a suspect into a confession.

Nedlin also said that Fain rightfully set a $500 bond on Mulcahy after he was arrested. The reason, Nedlin said, was that Mulcahy had three prior failure-to-appear violations, though Wills said those infractions actually stemmed from his nonpayment of traffic fines and court costs, which he later paid...."
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"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Steamboat Today "Pentathlon returns to Steamboat Springs"


— Don’t worry. They’ve checked. There’s nothing else like the Steamboat Pentathlon, and Susan Petersen with Steamboat Springs Parks, Open Space and Recreational Services Department said that’s what keeps the people coming back year after year.

“There’s just something truly unique about it,” Petersen said. “This is the only winter multi-sport event of its kind. There are a few winter triathlons, things like that, but really, this has the uniqueness.”

The event will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday.

More than 220 athletes again will swarm Steamboat Springs on a series of courses so elaborate simply writing them down gets tiring. As always, the five-event wonder will begin with a dash up Howelsen Hill from the staging area at its base in downtown Steamboat Springs. Athletes then will ski or snowboard down 400 vertical feet to the transition area. They will snowshoe 2.5 miles, cross-country ski for 4 miles, bike 12 miles and finish it all off with a nice 5-mile run..."  (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: KJCT News 8 "Finding A Voice On Horseback"

Dann Cianca:
"DELTA COUNTY, Colo. -- A special young man is finding his voice, and all from the back of a horse.


Therapeutic horseback riding is an increasingly popular type of therapy used to help people with disabilities or injuries regain skills or develop them for the first time.


Young riders Savannah Russell and Katelan Sinski learned about the practice while riding horses at the North Fork Riding School, southwest of Paonia. Their instructor, Helen Dennison, took them to Durango to see a therapeutic riding program in action.


When the girls returned to Paonia, they thought of their friend David, a classmate from North Fork Vision, a type of charter school in Paonia.


17-year-old David Burns has Down Syndrome and throughout his life, he has had difficulty with his speech. Now as David is getting older, he has embarked on a new endeavor. He has his own delivery business.


"I want him to do something that provides meaning to him," his mother Kitty said.


Now David needs his voice more than ever; that's where his classmates came in...." 
(Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Summit County Citizens Voice "Morning photo: Flower power"

All credit:  Bob Berwyn