Syria using chemical weapons, meh. Russia invading Crimea, eh, oh well. Iran developing nuclear weapons, meh2.0. But a faux controversy about a possible cyber attack in Hollywood, which has controversial footprints looing more like an inside job at Sony, and watch out, here comes the xo pen – now things are serious…
WASHINGTON DC – The Obama administration on Friday imposed a wave of sanctions against members of the North Korean government, amounting to the U.S. government’s first official response to the cyber-attack against Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Despite lingering questions from private security analysts over whether North Korea was responsible for the hack — as the FBI has alleged — the White House described the new sanctions as retaliation against Pyongyang.
“We take seriously North Korea’s attack that aimed to create destructive financial effects on a U.S. company and to threaten artists and other individuals with the goal of restricting their right to free expression,” White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said in a statement. “As the president has said, our response to North Korea’s attack against Sony Pictures Entertainment will be proportional, and will take place at a time and in a manner of our choosing. Today’s actions are the first aspect of our response.” (more…)

This next step continues the previously outlined Nine Stages Of Outrage – Obamacare 

(Via CNN )The next Obamacare controversy is right around the corner.
Obamacare enrollees who received subsidies to help pay for coverage will soon have to reconcile how much they actually earned in 2014 with how much they estimated when they applied many, many months ago.
This will likely lead to some very unhappy Americans. Those who underestimated their income either will receive smaller tax refunds or will owe the IRS money.
That’s because subsidies are actually tax credits and are based on annual income, but folks got their 2014 subsidy before knowing exactly what they’d make in 2014. So you’ll have to reconcile the two with the IRS during the upcoming tax filing season.
It won’t be surprising if many enrollees guessed wrong. The sign up period began in October 2013 and many people did not know what they’d earn in 2014. Some went off what they earned in 2012.  (read more)

Day #25 is HERE

Obviously there’s a rather vocal group of people who are committed to injecting two very specific narratives into this research.  One narrative being pushed hard surrounds race issues; the second more recent narrative, surrounds race-based “gangs”.
♦ Again, I repeat -with a disclaimer that I could be absolutely wrong- that I just don’t see race as the primary driver for this horrible crime.
Certainly race seems to surface as a consequence of inquiring into the individual people and what they express as their outlook.  However, as previously stated, if you look around Jessica’s social circle you’ll find a myriad of both black and white friends in almost equal proportions. So when someone seems to identify race as a motive for attention in her murder it strikes me as an incorrect assumption and leap. (more…)

During the battle for Kobane many people were willing to join the Kurdish YPG forces to aid in battle against ISIS.  Catherine Herridge interviewed on such American…. 
(Via Fox News) All it took was a plane ticket, and an informal background check over Facebook. Then he was ushered to the front lines in Syria, fighting against the Islamic State.
In a rare, exclusive interview with Fox News, a U.S. military veteran with multiple tours in Iraq detailed his journey to Syria to fight against ISIS, on the condition his identity was protected.
The veteran, who asked to be identified as “John,” described a surprisingly simple process that took him from America to the dangerous Syrian civil war – and not as part of the U.S. military.
“I just went online and bought a ticket. It was that easy. It was like booking a flight to Miami Beach,” said “John.”
Then he found a Kurdish group known as the YPG. (more…)

The unstable FTP people continue to threaten law enforcement…
ST. LOUIS (AP) — A St. Louis man was charged Thursday with making threats against police and the St. Louis City Justice Center on Twitter.
Jason Valentine, 35, faces 10 felony counts of making a terrorist threat, the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s office said Thursday.
Valentine is being held on a $100,000 cash-only bail, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, which did not specify which jail. It wasn’t clear from online court records whether he has an attorney or when his first court appearance would be.
Valentine allegedly tweeted about “Kill a pig Night” throughout December, the probable cause statement said, and that he threatened an explosion at the Justice Center on Wednesday.
“St. Louis City Justice Center Mysteriously Exploded 12/31/2014,” one tweet read, according to the statement. Another said, “New Years Eve Massacre Kill A Pig Night.”
(more…)

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

(Via Truth Revolt) The outgoing Governor of Maryland, Martin O’Malley (D)—who also happens to be a possible 2016 presidential candidate—has commuted the sentences of the state’s remaining death row inmates.
Last year, Maryland’s death penalty was repealed, which O’Malley cited in a statement Wednesday as the basis for his decision:
“Recent appeals and the latest opinion on this matter by Maryland’s Attorney General have called into question the legality of carrying out earlier death sentences — sentences imposed prior to abolition,” O’Malley said. “In fact, the Attorney General has opined that the carrying out of prior sentences is now illegal in the absence of an existing statute. The question at hand is whether any public good is served by allowing these essentially un-executable sentences to stand.” (read more)

“Seek first to understand, then to be understood”.

1.) First, please READ THIS ENTIRE THREAD – and the full context of any discussion thread you wish to participate in. Skipping to the comments to express an opinion without reading the content of the discussion is not helpful. Often we find many of the points injected into comments are already outlined in the construct of the thread itself.
2.) STAY ON TOPIC – please do not post something unrelated to the specific matter and content of the thread subject. There is a ALWAYS a daily open thread available for any subject you feel should get attention. However, if we are currently investing time in a current case discussion (ex. Zimmerman/Martin, Wilson/Mike Brown, Chambers) DO NOT, post those topics on the Daily Open Thread.
3.) NARROW YOUR THOUGHTS – Quality beats quantity. Construct your comments to target specific areas and not broad generalizations about the discussion topic at hand. If you have four or five disconnected points, break them up into individual comments.
(more…)

It’s a forgone conclusion that Jeb Bush will be the GOP candidate for the 2016 Republican GOP Presidential ticket.  The only possible roadblock was eliminated on May 11th 2014.  Jeb’s anticipated pathway is essentially the same as Mitt Romney in 2012. 
Hold breath, don’t make any fabulous gaffes => Blow off Iowa, place 2nd or better in New Hampshire, show face in South Carolina, then begin to pull away by taking Florida.  The roadmap of The Romney 2.0.  
The Tom Donohue approved bilingual Chamber candidate committed to three essential principles: ¹Maintain ObamaCare, ²advocate for comprehensive immigration reform, and ³support Federal Common Core education standards.
IOWA – Former Florida governor Jeb Bush has declined an invitation to speak at a political event organized by U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Kiron.
A Bush aide said Wednesday that the former Florida governor appreciated the invite from Republican congressman Steve King but would not be able to attend the Iowa Freedom Summit on Jan. 24 because of a scheduling conflict.
More than a half-dozen potential Republican presidential contenders are set to appear, including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
Bush’s absence is notable because of King’s status as a conservative power broker in Iowa, home of the nation’s first presidential caucuses. (read more)