This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here

Category: Breaking News

  • Really Cindy?

    Going to piggy back on Jon’s post about here with this story about the local’s reaction to the American pilots who crashed in Libya.

    Six Libyan villagers are recovering in hospital after being shot by American soldiers coming in to rescue the U.S. pilots whose plane crash-landed in a field.

    The helicopter strafed the ground as it landed in a field outside Benghazi beside the downed U.S. Air Force F-15E Eagle which ran into trouble during bombing raid last night.

    And a handful of locals who had come to greet the pilot were hit – among them a young boy who may have to have a leg amputated because of injuries caused by a bullet wound.

    A second aviator – the F15’s weapons officer – was found in a field full of sheep and was greeted like a hero by locals and anti-Gaddafi rebels.

    As the officer was surrounded by villagers, he held his arms out, calling ‘okay, okay’, according to the Evening Standard – but the grateful Libyans queued to thank him and give him juice.

    Younis Amruni told the newspaper: ‘I hugged him and said “Don’t be scared, we are your friends”. We are so grateful to these men who are protecting the skies.’

  • Security Council authorizes no-fly zone

    Yeah, it sounds unbelievable, doesn’t it;

    The U.N. Security Council passed a resolution endorsing a no-fly zone to halt government troops now around 100 km (60 miles) from Benghazi. It also authorised “all necessary measures” — code for military action — to protect civilians against Gaddafi’s forces.

    But time was clearly running short for the city that has been the heart of Libya’s revolution.

    Residents said the Libyan air force unleashed three air raids on the city of 670,000 on Thursday and there has been fierce fighting along the Mediterranean coastal road as Gaddafi moves to crush the month-old insurrection.

    French diplomatic sources said military action could come within hours, and could include France, Britain and possibly the United States and one or more Arab states; but a U.S. military official said no immediate U.S. action was expected following the vote.

    Yeah, I wasn’t really expecting any US action. So let’s see how long it really takes to apply the necessary force.

  • Breaking news: 8.4+ hits Japan.

    This is hours old that a earthquake of a 8.9 has hit Japan.

    A massive 8.9 magnitude earthquake has struck off Japan’s northeastern coast, triggering a four meter tsunami that washed away cars along parts of the coastline.

    Additional aftershocks and Tsunami are expected.

  • Enough is enough, already

    I guess the Wisconsin legislators have finally run out patience with the rowdy protesters. Fox News is running video of the rent-a-mob being dragged out of the Capitol by the State Police. Associated Press writes;

    Police carried dozens of protesters from a hallway leading to the Wisconsin Assembly on Thursday as Democratic representatives pounded on the locked door of the chamber, demanding to be let in to the room where a vote was scheduled on an explosive bill that would take away public workers’ collective bargaining rights.

    At least 100 protesters packed the hallway, pounding drums, while the Democratic representatives gathered in front of the doors, which were opened just before 11:30 a.m. At least 50 protesters were carried out by police, and the building was locked down briefly while officers did a security review.

    the longer this was allowed to continue, the more obnoxious the protesters became. Like a toddler pushing the limits of his parents’ patience. There’s a point at which freedom to assemble becomes noisy, pointless third grade playground antics.

    Not realizing their time is up, some of the homos at the protest are making police drag them across the ground. the police are just doing their job, making their job harder is just childish…if I haven’t made that clear before now.

    Years ago, I disrupted a Code Pink rally in front of the White House. I stood my ground when “the men” confronted me. The Park Police asked me to leave, and I complied. The officer who escorted me out of the park got a handshake and a “Thank you”. It’s not that hard.

  • USSC rules for Westboro

    The Associated Press reports that the Supreme Court has ruled 8-1 in favor of the Westboro “Baptist” Church.

    The decision upheld an appeals court ruling that threw out a $5 million judgment to the father of a dead Marine who sued church members after they picketed his son’s funeral.

    Alito was the lone dissenter according to Fox News.

    I guess everything is protected speech now.

    ADDED: Brandy sends us a link from MSNBC;

    While the protests were painful, the majority wrote that the Constitution protects even hurtful speech on public issues.

    “What Westboro said, in the whole context of how and where it chose to say it, is entitled to ‘special protection’ under the First Amendment,” Roberts wrote, “and that protection cannot be overcome by a jury finding that the picketing was outrageous.”

  • Libyan Special Forces defeated by rebels.

    I wanted to bring this up because if the success in Egypt had a ripple effect then I am sure that the effects of this event cannot be ignored.

    Opposition forces in Libya have fought off elite pro-Gaddafi units who tried to retake the rebel-held town of Zawiya, near the capital Tripoli.

    The overnight attempt to take back Zawiya was made by some of Libya’s best-equipped troops, the Al Khums force under the command of one of Moamar Gaddafi’s own sons.

    Despite attacking the city from several sides they were beaten back, and Zawiya is still in the hands of the opposition, although it is also still surrounded.

    I did a double take because this is big, The people who are revolting are not a organized fighting force. Yes they may have soldiers that defected, but if a group has never worked or much less trained together then the odd of winning anything are small. So the idea that this group can repulse a well trained and equipped force now gives any militia hopes that they can stand against any organized Army that any Middle Eastern country can muster. I thought that the pilots defecting was bad enough.

    Also the Rebels are starting to change their views about needing outside military their help. Now people need to look into the assumption that Foreign Aid will solve this.

  • “Texas resident” in bomb plot

    Why would the Justice Department call Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari, the Saudi citizen who was arrested in a bomb plot, a “Texas resident” instead of a Saudi jihadist?

    Seems a little like avoidance to me.

  • A small break for local stories.

    Considering the media coverage for the Middle East I want to look the stories that would normally get overlooked. I have three, two are tragic and the last one has a happier ending. But all are a reminder of those that volunteer for the risks and dangers of public service.

    The first one is from Poughkeepsie, New York where the community is remembering the loss of Officer John Falcone. He was killed in the line of duty. The link has more details about his life and the the loss of one of New York’s Finest.

    Nearby, lower Main Street’s neighborhood was somber, as many people there who had never met fallen police Officer John Falcone mourned the loss of his life. Falcone was killed by 27-year-old Lee M. Welch after the Catskill man fatally shot his estranged wife, Jessica Welch, 28, in the presence of their 3-year-old daughter.

    Residents in Augusta, Maine are paying their last respects to twenty year old Private Jordan Chase. He died in Fort Jackson and a cause of death has not been made public.

    LePage says he joins all Maine residents in extending their deepest condolences to Chase’s family. He says Chase was “in training to serve and defend us all.” He says he’s saddened by Chase’s death.
    Maine’s U.S. Sen. Olympia J. Snowe says the 20-year-old’s service “will live on in the collective heart of our grateful nation.” She says he “answered our country’s most honorable call” by joining the Maine Army National Guard.

    Two Cadets were rescued in a night air lift in the area of Highlands New York by Local Police.

    The helicopter’s pilot, Officer Steven Browning, said in a telephone interview on Sunday that he had never faced such difficult flying conditions in his 14 years with the Police Department, with powerful winds blasting in two directions and with his rotors clearing the cliff face by just 20 feet.