On the way home for Christmas (in New Hampshire), my long drive took me past Newtown, Connecticut, site of the Sandy Hook Elementary School Massacre. I didn't attempt to go to the school, knowing that it would still be roped off as a crime scene. It was Friday, exactly one week from the shootings. But I stopped on Main Street, … Read More
Breaking: School Shooting In Connecticut
Again? RT @hartfordcourant: #Newtown groups of students, some crying being escorted away from the school — Michael van Poppel (@mpoppel) December 14, 2012 BREAKING — Newspaper says a child, apparently seriously injured, being carried from Newtown, CT elementary school — Michael van Poppel (@mpoppel) December 14, 2012 Elementary #school #shooting in #Newtown, CT.Responders on scene are reporting several injured.Will update … Read More
No News Is Good News
Not a single person was reported shot, stabbed or slashed in New York City on Monday. Very unusual, but part of a downward trend since the 1990's. In fact, in 1990, there were 2,245 murders. Last year, there were only 472. This year (which is almost over) – 366.
The GOP Voter Fraud Scandel Grows
Well, well. The party that is so worried about voter fraud that they will suppress voters, is now in the hot seat for… voter fraud. Even here: The North Carolina board of elections is determining whether a GOP-allied firm, Strategic Allied Consulting, submitted fraudulent voter registration forms in the state, following reports the group submitted 106 “questionable” forms in Florida. In the … Read More
This Week’s Mass Shooting: NYC Edition
Gunman this morning opened fire at the Empire State Building this morning at 9 am. One woman killed, four nine others shot (not life threatening). Gunman killed in police fire. Early reports say he was upset over losing his job. UPDATE: AP is reporting that some of the shooting victims may have been hit by the police's bullets.
Another Mass Shooting
Here we go again — only seven days after the last mass shooting, which itself was a mere two weeks after the mass shooting before that.: COLLEGE STATION – Multiple people, including at least one officer, were reported injured in a shooting near the Texas A&M University campus Monday afternoon. Police said the suspect, who was taken into custody, was firing shots from a house … Read More
Blame Game
The rightwing went ballistic this morning because Brian Ross on ABC News cited unconfirmed reports (he pointed out that they were "unconfirmed") that James Holmes, the Aurora Colorado "Dark Knight" gunman, was a member of the Tea Party. It turns out those reports were wrong, and ABC retracted the unconfirmed report. But it was too late. "They're blaming us!" screamed the right … Read More
How Not To Respond To A Tragedy
From Steve Benen: In the wake of tragic gun violence, most politicians realize the decent, responsible thing to do is send sympathies to those affected while leaving politics out of it. Others aren't as sensible. After the Columbine massacre, for example, then-Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas) blamed science textbooks for the murders: "Our school systems teach the children that they are nothing but … Read More
Sobering Tweet
Last night, 11:37 p.m.: Jessica Redfield sends her last tweet from the movie theater. She was later confirmed dead by a friend on Twitter. UPDATE: More about this particular victim here. And ironically, she was at a shooting that happened at Eaton Mall in Toronto in June 2012, which she blogged about here (her last post) UPDATE #2: Here's Jessica, … Read More
Aurora Shooting
At least 12 people were shot and killed, and 50 injured in a shooting at an Aurora, Colorado movie theater showing The Dark Knight Rises this morning around 1 AM. Witnesses have varying accounts of a man in black and/or body armor releasing tear gas and opening fire in what sounds like more than one theater in a multiplex. A 24 year-old … Read More
Fast And Furious Exposed
Forbes, a magazine not known for its liberal leanings, does an old-school journalism investigation of the "Fast and Furious" scandal, and — wait for it — finds it to be little more than Republican hype. The facts that the wingnuts have been presenting — much of it picked up by Fox and even more balanced mainstream media — turns out … Read More
Quote Of The Day
Publicity hound-lawyer Gloria Allred represents Yovonka Bryant. Bryant is a 27-year-old woman whose boyfriend, Rudy Eugene, ate the face off a homeless man last month in Florida (Eugene was shot and killed by police). Allred organized a press conference because, well, because she can't help it, I guess. Today's quote of the day goes not only to what Allred said in … Read More