Society's ChildS


Attention

UK: Public 'At Risk' After 999 Operators Strike

Mark Hughes, Robert Winnett and Andrew Porter
The Telegraph, UK
Thu, 30 Jun 2011 02:19 UTC
Britain's biggest police force faced a staffing crisis today after 95 per cent of its 999 call handlers failed to turn up for work because of the national strike.


The number - which relates to 192 out of 202 members of police staff - was revealed by Scotland Yard commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson, who warned that the public were receiving a "degraded" service because of the walk-out.

Sir Paul said that 335 officers had to be taken off their usual beat to man the phones.

But he warned that, due to officers not being used to handling the sophisticated call-handling and despatch technology, calls were being handled slower than usual.

Speaking to members of the Metropolitan Police Authority, he said: "90 per cent of police staff call handlers have not turned up for duty. It is a very, very significant number.

"While I fully understand the lawful right of people to withdraw their labour in certain circumstances...I am the commissioner of the Met and my job is to run a police service.
Read More...
Stormtrooper

UK: Dozens of protesters arrested just yards from Downing Street after violence breaks out on strike march

James Chapman and Richard Hartley-parkinson
The Daily Mail, UK
Thu, 30 Jun 2011 06:26 UTC
  • Protesters stage 'sit-in' on Whitehall as police try to re-open the road
  • Up to 1million children stayed at home as two-thirds of schools hit
  • Just one in five civil servants took part in strike action
  • Dozens of people have been arrested for various offences
  • Leave cancelled for 10,000 police officers to control any violence
  • 192 out of 202 999 operators in London join the walkout
Riot police today swooped and arrested protesters as violence broke out during pension reform protests.

A large group split from the main demonstration, pushing over a fence before being penned in by over 100 police in Central London.

There were some scuffles between officers and protesters after fears that anarchists might infiltrate the march were realised close to Downing Street.

Image
© Getty ImagesThis protester is one of several arrested along Whitehall as a group broke from the main crowd and rushed towards Downing Street

Image
© The Associated PressAfter troubles settled on Whitehall, some protesters staged a 'sit-in' but were swiftly removed by police
Read More...
Wolf

Best of the Web: Uncle Sam Food History Exhibit Promotes Food Control

Rady Ananda
Food Freedom
Thu, 30 Jun 2011 19:29 UTC
Image

Oh, gag me with a bowl of propaganda. The National Archives is hosting an historical exhibit on government say in what we eat and grow and how to cook it: "What's Cooking, Uncle Sam: The Government's Effect on the American Diet." From the opening lines of the website, you know our control freak "Uncle" has launched another major psyops campaign to convince us that Government Knows Best when it comes to food:
"We demand that our Government ensure that it is safe, cheap, and abundant. In response, Government has been a factor in the production, regulation, research, innovation, and economics of our food supply."
Though painting Uncle Sam as Mrs. Doubtfire, when it comes to the results of government intrusion into the food supply, he's more like Joseph Mengele. Over the last hundred years, we've seen climbing rates of cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart disease and neurological disorders, thanks to Uncle Sam's "regulation" of food additives and environmental pollutants. We've also seen the number of farms decline by 98%.
Read More...
Footprints

Genetically Modified Crop Saboteurs Go Free in France

Rady Ananda
foodfreedom.wordpress.com
Wed, 29 Jun 2011 19:46 UTC
Image
© wikipediaJoseph (José) Bové is French farmer and member of the alter-globalization movement, and spokesman for Via Campesina
On June 28, 2011, the court of Poitiers in central France acquitted eight defendant Volunteer Reapers (les Faucheurs Volontaires) of destroying a genetically modified field trial in 2008.

Among those acquitted were anti-globalist Jose Bove and Francois Dufour, recognized as "repeat offenders."

The court also dismissed Monsanto's financial claims. Apart from their own legal expenses, the Reapers owe nothing for the 2008 mowing of a GM field trial of Monsanto's GM corn, Mon810 x Nk603.
Read More...
Vader

Best of the Web: US: Cops Just Love Those Tasers-Mentally Handicapped Boy Tasered, Pepper Sprayed and Hog Tied

Kevin Koeninger
Courthouse News Service
Wed, 29 Jun 2011 17:13 UTC
Image

Dayton, Ohio - Dayton police "mistook" a mentally handicapped teenager's speech impediment for "disrespect," so they Tasered, pepper-sprayed and beat him and called for backup from "upward of 20 police officers" after the boy rode his bicycle home to ask his mother for help, the boy's mom says.

Pamela Ford says her "mentally challenged/handicapped" son Jesse Kersey, 17, was riding his bike near his Dayton home when Officer Willie Hooper stopped him and tried to talk to him.

The mom says that "Prior to the incident described below, defendant Hooper knew Jesse and was aware that Jesse was mentally challenged/handicapped and a minor child."
Read More...
Eye 1

U.S. recognizes Muslim Brotherhood

Tim Mak
Politico
Thu, 30 Jun 2011 16:59 UTC
Image
© APThe rise in the group's political prominence makes contact necessary, U.S. official said.

The U.S. has decided to formally resume contact with Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood group - which does not recognize Israel - in a move that could further alienate some Jewish voters already skeptical of President Barack Obama, it was reported.

One senior U.S. official said the Brotherhood's rise in political prominence after the forced departure of former President Hosni Mubarak earlier this year makes the American contact necessary.

"The political landscape in Egypt has changed, and is changing... It is in our interests to engage with all of the parties that are competing for parliament or the presidency," said the official, who confirmed the news to Reuters on condition of anonymity.
Read More...
People

US: 3 students die after being hypnotized by principal

David Ferguson
Raw Story / ABC
Thu, 30 Jun 2011 16:26 UTC
3 students die after being hypnotized by principal

Three Florida high school students are dead after being hypnotized by their school principal in Sarasota County, one in a car accident and two by suicide. Principal George Kenney is believed to have hypnotized up to 75 people, including students, members of the school staff and their children. Sarasota County School District officials repeatedly warned Kenney to stop the practice, which the principal insists was only done in the interest of helping students to be motivated and focused on school work and sports.

Watch the video, from ABC news, below:
Read More...
Eye 1

Bachmann fans float Wikipedia edits to cover candidate's recent gaffes

Stephen C. Webster
Raw Story
Tue, 28 Jun 2011 16:08 UTC
Image
Several strange edits have shown up on Wikipedia entries pertaining to famed Americans referenced by Republican presidential candidate Michelle Bachmann -- specifically, it appears that her fans have attempted to rewrite the lives of actor John Wayne and President John Quincy Adams to fit her woefully inaccurate retellings of history.

Bachmann, who officially launched her campaign yesterday in Waterloo, Iowa, told a Fox News reporter that she was proud to be in the town where John Wayne was from, because she embodies his ideals. Unfortunately for her, it turns out that the actor John Wayne was not from Waterloo, but serial killer John Wayne Gacy was.

Shortly after the gaffe, the Wikipedia page for actor John Wayne was altered to change his birthplace from Winterset, Iowa to Waterloo, apparently as an effort to cover for the misguided politician.
Read More...
Cult

Pat Robertson warns God will destroy America over same sex marriage

David Edwards
Raw Story
Mon, 27 Jun 2011 16:00 UTC
Television evangelist Pat Robertson responded to New York's decision to legalize same sex marriage by warning Monday that the result would be America's destruction.

"I think we need to remember the term sodomy came from a town known as Sodom and Sodom was destroyed by God Almighty and the thing that they practiced was homosexual activity and even they tried to rape angels who came down there, so that's the kind of people they were," Robertson said. God "sent an angel down there and He said to Lot and his family, 'get out now because I'm gonna destroy this whole area.'"

"We're heading that way as a nation. In history there's never been a civilization ever in history that has embraced homosexuality and turned away from traditional fidelity, traditional marriage, traditional child-rearing, and has survived. There isn't one single civilization that has survived that openly embraced homosexuality. So you say, 'what's going to happen to America?" Well if history is any guide, the same thing's going to happen to us,'" he predicted.
Read More...
Briefcase

UK: "Bizarre" Bail Ruling Stuns Police


The Independent, UK
Wed, 29 Jun 2011 00:00 UTC
Image
© 1936 Hasbro
Tens of thousands of murderers, rapists and violent criminals could escape prosecution following a "bizarre" legal ruling.

The ruling, made by a district judge at Salford Magistrates' Court and backed by the High Court, means an end to the practice of releasing people on bail and calling them back for further questioning later - a common practice in most major inquiries.

Police forces can no longer put anyone out on bail for more than 96 hours without either being in a position to charge or release them.

After the four days is up, officers can no longer question suspects and can only re-arrest them if they have new evidence, the ruling says.

Police chiefs have been left baffled by the "bizarre" ruling and both the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) are currently considering the ramifications for forces across England and Wales.

Home Secretary Theresa May said: "I think this is a matter of great concern.
Read More...