1) http://healthland.time.com/2011/10/21/why-the-latest-study-on-cell-phone-use-and-brain-cancer-wont-be-the-last-word/?hpt=he_c2
2) http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/24/nyregion/prescription-pads-stolen-from-new-york-city-hospitals.html?_r=1&ref=health
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Trend Story
The 57/75 BNS. Lightfoot brigade are everywhere and nowhere, a single group among an exploding number of local militia in America that have boomed following 9/11, President Obama’s election and the economic meltdown.
“Because of the overt liberal biases of our community, and the propagandization of the word ‘militia’ – we all feel publicizing our activities puts us all at risk, even though we are a strictly law-abiding organization,” an anonymous spokesperson for the 57/75 said in a series of emails.
“Because of the overt liberal biases of our community, and the propagandization of the word ‘militia’ – we all feel publicizing our activities puts us all at risk, even though we are a strictly law-abiding organization,” an anonymous spokesperson for the 57/75 said in a series of emails.
The number of active “patriot groups” in the US increased 244 percent from 2008-2009, while militia groups increased more than 300 percent in the same period, a Southern Poverty Law Center quarterly report said.
The number of militia groups-defined by the SPLC as the paramilitary arm of this “patriot movement”-has continued to rise since 2009 as well.
The Palouse is no exception to the trend.
The militia is a self-described joint operational command, comprised of the 57th Lightfoot Militia Battalion of Moscow and the 75th Lightfoot Millitia Battalion of Pullman. The 57/75 have also trained with the 63rd Lightfoot Militia of Spokane.
Once the 57/75 has enough members, they will begin to train locally, their site says.
The militia is a self-described joint operational command, comprised of the 57th Lightfoot Militia Battalion of Moscow and the 75th Lightfoot Millitia Battalion of Pullman. The 57/75 have also trained with the 63rd Lightfoot Militia of Spokane.
Once the 57/75 has enough members, they will begin to train locally, their site says.
“Our members have joined together for purposes of preparedness, search and rescue operations (including supplementing local law enforcement in emergency situations) and defensive tactical training,” the 5775 Lightfoot’s website said.
"We are interested in training with others to become a deterrent, defensive force. A first response mechanism to assist in times of natural disaster," a post on their facebook page said. "An organization we can use to offer leadership and assistance to our fellow citizens, community, and families"
Special Agent Frank Harris of the FBI has noted a resurgence of militia groups in recent years.
His position with the Inland Northwest Joint terrorism task force has put him in a unique position to assess the more extreme ends of the militia spectrum.
“In the post-9/11 era there’s a lot of focus on terrorism abroad, but domestic extremism is just as real a threat,” Harris said.
Harris cited the 2008 murder of an abortion doctor in Michigan and the fatal shooting in a holocaust museum as examples of domestic militia groups taking extreme actions.
“Violent militia groups lost a lot of momentum after the Oklahoma city bombings, but we’ve seen a number of attacks lately that indicate they’re on the rise,” he said.
However, the 57/75 have made it clear they do not condone illegal activity, a message that is repeated throughout their published materials.
Despite the attacks from extremists, Harris was quick to dismiss these events as fringe happenings.
“While the FBI and law enforcement must remain vigilant, we still need to respect and protect the rights of all Americans, no matter how fringe their political positions may seem,” he said.
However, the 57/75 have made it clear they do not condone illegal activity, a message that is repeated throughout their published materials.
"We are interested in training with others to become a deterrent, defensive force. A first response mechanism to assist in times of natural disaster," a post on their facebook page said. "An organization we can use to offer leadership and assistance to our fellow citizens, community, and families"
Though the 57/75 militia are active on Facebook and have a well-polished website, its members strive for a high level of anonymity. The group's page shows individuals - whose names are never labeled - engaged in joint training exercises with the Spokane militia.
Despite the group's commitment to secrecy, the 57/75 actively seeks new members, which requires a foray into the public sphere.
Despite the group's commitment to secrecy, the 57/75 actively seeks new members, which requires a foray into the public sphere.
“We began posting fliers late last May,” the 57/75 spokesperson said. “While some stayed up, a majority were taken down within days, some within hours.”
The fliers asked potential recruits to join the group for tactical training and instruction on topics like first aid and marksmanship.
While some fliers fell victim to private business owners, many were taken down by customers and managers unhappy with the militia’s message, the source said. Not to be dissuaded, the 57/75 continues to replace flyers that are torn down.
“We would prefer as low of a public profile as possible, but we need members to form a functional unit and execute quality training,” the 57/75 spokesperson said. “We do not seek public recognition of any kind.”
"Outside of media sources, the area is saturated with university employees and professors, who tend to traditionally hold a liberal to leftist ideology," the source said. "We have observed the local Tea Party and its organizers over the past three years, and watch their members and leaders be ostracized for simply speaking their minds on constitutional issues."
"Outside of media sources, the area is saturated with university employees and professors, who tend to traditionally hold a liberal to leftist ideology," the source said. "We have observed the local Tea Party and its organizers over the past three years, and watch their members and leaders be ostracized for simply speaking their minds on constitutional issues."
Pullman Police Commander Chris Tennant said he was not aware of the militia’s existence and has not run into any problems with their fliers or training activities.
“Being a militia group, isn’t on the face of it, necessarily illegal,” Tennant said. “In fact the right to bear arms and the right to free speech pretty much covers most groups.”
As long as they’re not engaging in any illegal activities, Tennant said law enforcement would leave local militia alone.
However, this guarantee from local law enforcement won’t bring members of the 57/75 out into the public eye just yet.
“Because of the overt liberal biases of our community, and the propagandization of the word ‘militia’ – we all feel publicizing our activities puts us all at risk, even though we are a strictly law-abiding organization,” the source said.
The 57/75 contact cited local media outlets like the Daily Evergreen and Moscow Pullman Daily news as well as university employees as potential sources of bias in the community.
“Our members definitely fear social ramifications (related to group membership) ... ,” the 57/75 source said. “I think it’s fair to say several have economic concerns.”
The 57/75 has university employees within its ranks, and are convinced that if the employees’ identities were exposed, they would be fired, the source said.
“We would prefer to not put that theory to the test,” the source said.
Until disaster strikes, the 57/75 seem content to wait in the background while they grow their ranks.
Skeptics need not apply.
“We would prefer to not put that theory to the test,” the source said.
Until disaster strikes, the 57/75 seem content to wait in the background while they grow their ranks.
Skeptics need not apply.
"If you think militia groups are crazy, idiotic, racist, bigoted, xenophobic, claustrophobic... we aren't doing anything illegal," the 57/75's facebook profile says. "We don’t need or want your approval, and we don’t care about your opinion."
Monday, October 10, 2011
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Stories for teh week
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/09/us/research-on-bleeding-and-heat-could-help-soldiers-and-outdoor-workers.html?_r=1&ref=health
http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/07/yoga-helps-addicts-homeless-find-peace/?hpt=he_c2
http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/07/yoga-helps-addicts-homeless-find-peace/?hpt=he_c2
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
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