Watch President Obama Discuss the NSA and Syria Tonight on Charlie Rose | The White House

Before leaving for this week’s G-8 summit in the United Kingdom, President Obama sat down with Charlie Rose in the White House Library for a 45-minute interview on topics ranging from Syria to the National Security Agency.

via Watch President Obama Discuss the NSA and Syria Tonight on Charlie Rose | The White House.

In the can now – wish I could see now – will not see till tomorrow – not staying up till 11 PM- gotta get up too early in the AM – grin

Rule #1. Show up! Skipped briefings lead to fewer facts – The Maddow Blog

Last November, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) was struggling to turn Benghazi into a political controversy. At one point, he scheduled a press conference to raise questions he wanted answers to, unaware of the fact that there was a classified briefing underway on Benghazi — which McCain had been invited to, but did not attend.

It was an embarrassing setback, which left McCain looking foolish. He had questions, and could have received answers, but instead complained to the media about his lack of information.

As it happens, McCain isn’t the only one. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) recently complained to Attorney General Eric Holder about the scope of NSA surveillance, demanding to know, among other things, “How could the phone records of so many innocent Americans be relevant to an authorized investigation as required by the [Patriot Act]?”

Sensenbrenner’s interest was more noteworthy than most — the Wisconsin Republican did, after all, take the lead in writing the Patriot Act during the Bush/Cheney, so his questions and concerns carry some additional weight.

But just as McCain failed to get the available information on Benghazi, it turns out that Sensenbrenner failed to get the available information on NSA surveillance. MSNBC’s Adam Serwer reported that the congressman chose not to attend “classified briefings on the National Security Agency’s program over the last three years.”

via Skipped briefings lead to fewer facts – The Maddow Blog.

Off the Charts Blog | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities | New Research Shows SNAP, Facing Big Cuts in the House, Reduces Extreme Poverty

Even as the House prepares this week to cut SNAP (formerly food stamps) by $21 billion and push 2 million low-income people off the program, new research shows that SNAP is the most effective program pushing against the steep rise in extreme poverty.

The number of households with children living on $2 or less per person per day — one definition of poverty the World Bank uses for developing nations — more than doubled between 1996 and 2011, to 1.6 million, according to research by the University of Michigan’s H. Luke Shaefer and Harvard University’s Kathryn Edin.

via Off the Charts Blog | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities | New Research Shows SNAP, Facing Big Cuts in the House, Reduces Extreme Poverty.

Supreme Court Rules Arizona Citizenship Proof Law Illegal | Fronteras Desk

The Supreme Court ruled Monday that states cannot on their own require would-be voters to prove they are U.S. citizens before using a federal registration system designed to make signing up easier.

The justices voted 7-2 to throw out Arizona’s voter-approved requirement that prospective voters document their U.S. citizenship in order to use a registration form produced under the federal “Motor Voter” voter registration law.

Federal law “precludes Arizona from requiring a federal form applicant to submit information beyond that required by the form itself,” Justice Antonia Scalia wrote for the court’s majority.

via Supreme Court Rules Arizona Citizenship Proof Law Illegal | Fronteras Desk.

‘The stupidity is simply staggering’ – The Maddow Blog

‘The stupidity is simply staggering’ – The Maddow Blog.

And including rape and incest exceptions might make the proposal slightly less offensive in a culture-war context, but problems remain. For one thing, the bill would require a woman to prove that she has reported her rape before she can exercise her constitutional right to terminate the unwanted pregnancy. For another, Franks’ original version also banned abortions in “medically futile pregnancies,” involving fetuses so badly compromised that they have no chance of survival. If this provision remains intact, it’s still intended to force women to carry such pregnancies through to the doomed birth.

But even putting these details aside, I get the sense Republican leaders are missing the point.

Making the legislation slightly more palatable to the American mainstream, and removing the offensive lawmaker from his role in championing his bill publicly, is predicated on a dubious assumption: that this is what the House of Representatives should be working on right now. It is, in other words, the best use of lawmakers’ time.

It’s really not. We’re talking about legislation that’s probably unconstitutional, has nothing to do with the nation’s top priorities, and can’t pass the Senate anyway, making the entire effort a vanity exercise intended to make the far-right feel better about itself.

Altering the language and changing the lead sponsor slaps some new paint on a car that won’t start. That’s what Dent appeared to be referencing when he talked about the staggering stupidity, and on this, he certainly has a point.

California Cantaloupe Producers Launch Mandatory Safety Program

Article – QA – Quality Assurance & Food Safety.

(“Invite” does not equal inspect if there are not sufficient funds or inspectors – just saying)

“The CCAB food safety program invites government auditors to inspect all aspects of operations including growing, harvesting, packing and cooling to ensure a set of science-based standards is being followed,” Patricio said.

Israeli official blasts idea of Palestinian state | News , Middle East | THE DAILY STAR

(Seldom have I heard such a pointless and self-delusional statement by an Israeli official – the world will not allow you to swallow or wipe out Palestinians.)

The statements by Naftali Bennett, economics minister and leader of the Jewish Home party, chime with similar sentiments expressed by other officials in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government and come as the United States is trying to restart peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

“The idea that a Palestinian state will arise inside the land of Israel has reached a dead end,” Bennett said Monday at a meeting of the Yesha settlement group. “Never in the history of Israel have so many people dealt with so much energy with something so pointless,” he said.

via Israeli official blasts idea of Palestinian state | News , Middle East | THE DAILY STAR.

Erdogan escalates the crisis | Europe | DW.DE | 17.06.2013

Erdogan delivered a speech to hundreds of thousands of bused-in supporters. He accused the international press of a plot against him and his government: “CNN, Reuters, remain isolated with your lies!” he said, and attacked the protest movement once more. He described them again as “plunderers,” and threatened them: “You are no real Turks. Watch out: those who work against Turkey will have cause to tremble with fear.” Hotel owners who hid these “terrorists” would also have to pay the reckoning.

The journalist and writer Cengiz Aktar considers Erdogan’s rhetoric to be dangerous: “People who only listen to their prime minister and read newspapers which support the government don’t understand what it’s all about,” he told DW. Erdogan always appeared angry and was only increasing the tension in the country: “If he carries on like that, the country will have an even bigger crisis. He’s always pouring oil into the fire.”

via Erdogan escalates the crisis | Europe | DW.DE | 17.06.2013.

The Lancet: Virological Analysis Of A MERS-CoV Patient

The Lancet: Virological Analysis Of A MERS-CoV Patient.

Overnight The Lancet published a detailed report on the clinical symptoms and virological analysis of the 17th known MERS case – a 73 year old man from the UAE who was first treated at a hospital in Abu Dhabi and was then transferred by air ambulance to Germany on March 19th.

(This is one of the big problems – enough money can get you moved to a new hospital 0 where the disease may be passed on!)

Turkey: Stop police violence – allow the protests!

The brutal crackdown on protests at the end of May in Istanbul’s Taksim Square has shocked the entire world — and triggered a massive wave of protests across Turkey. A coalition of organizations including trade unions has issued demands which trade unionists everywhere will support. These include: free all those arrested; drop all charges against them; hold accountable those responsible for the police violence; and lift all bans on meetings and demonstrations. Please send your message of protest and spread the word today.

via Turkey: Stop police violence – allow the protests!.