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Slave labor: For-profit prison being sued for forcing immigrants to work for $1 per day or less

Noel Brinkerhoff, Danny Biederman
AllGov
Wed, 15 Jul 2015 17:37 UTC
alejandro menocal, GEO detainee
© Brennan Linsley, AP
Alejandro Menocal, former GEO detainee who is party to lawsuit
One of the nation's largest private prison operators is being sued for forcing immigrant detainees to work for a dollar a day, and in some cases even less than that.

GEO Group Inc., which contracts with the government to imprison illegal immigrants awaiting deportation proceedings, has allegedly forced detainees held at its facility in Colorado to do maintenance work while paying them only $1 a day. The chores included cleaning toilets, showers, windows and floors; doing laundry, clerical and landscape work; operating the law library; plus preparing and serving meals for GEO law enforcement events, according to ThinkProgress.

A lawsuit (pdf) filed by nine current and former detainees at the 1,500-bed Aurora Detention Facility also says they were told to clean prison cells without receiving any compensation. Those who refused were threatened with being placed in solitary confinement, according to the complaint.

The suit seeks to represent more than 1,000 detainees who had been forced to work for free at the facility since 2004.

Comment: The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world, which is directly correlated with the advent of the private for-profit prison system. This highly profitable industry is rife with abuse, with the ACLU reporting numerous instances of poor medical care, lack of basic sanitation and a tendency to overuse extreme isolation of prisoners. Immigrants fleeing desperate conditions in their home countries are now discovering what American 'exceptionalism' actually means.

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Sherlock

"Counter Jade Helm"? 100s of civilians plan to monitor possible military takeover of Texas

Catherine Thompson
Talking Points Memo
Sat, 11 Jul 2015 13:13 UTC
Image
© AP Photo / Jay Janner
If President Barack Obama really is planning to implement martial law under the guise of a military training exercise beginning Wednesday, hundreds of civilian volunteers will be ahead of him.

The Houston Chronicle in a story published Friday spoke with a leader of the Texas branch of a civilian surveillance group calling itself "Counter Jade Helm." Eric Johnston, 51, told the newspaper that he's expected to coordinate 20 volunteers throughout the Lone Star state who will monitor incoming troops.

"If a team member sees two Humvees full of soldiers driving through town, they're going to follow them," Johnston told the newspaper. "And they're going to radio back their ultimate location."

The operation dubbed "Jade Helm 15" is expected to take place across seven states from July 15-Sept. 15. A map from the U.S. Army had labelled Texas as "hostile territory" for the purposes of the training exercise, generating suspicion among Texas residents and giving fuel to an Internet conspiracy theory machine that churned out hundreds of rumors about martial law and secret detention centers inside shuttered Wal-Marts.

Comment: Interesting that Pete Lanteri, the organizer of Counter Jade Helm, was a former marine and that his group of volunteers is heavily made up of former military and law enforcement individuals. Their skepticism must be borne of experience and knowledge of the groups they have taken it upon themselves to surveil. And make no mistake about these people of conscience; they are about as brave and ballsy as they come. Because if Jade Helm 15 and all the other signs leading to martial law do come to pass - we will see an inevitable crackdown on dissenters in the U.S. that will make the internment of Japanese/American citizens during WWII look like a Sunday picnic - and these good folks will be at the top of the list.

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People

Greek pharmacists & civil servants launch 24hr strike, protesting austerity measures


RT
Wed, 15 Jul 2015 14:29 UTC
Image
© Reuters/Alkis Konstantinidis
A protester shouts slogans during a rally organised by the country's biggest public sector union ADEDY marking a 24-hour strike in Athens, Greece July 15, 2015.
Public workers and pharmacists in Greece have gone on strike and launched a protest against proposed austerity measures set to be debated by parliament on Wednesday. Meanwhile, pensioners are expected to hold a separate demonstration.

A few thousand protesters hit the streets of central Athens, holding banners reading, "Cancel the bailout!" and "No to the policies of the EU, the ECB and the IMF."

Comment: Will we see more of this while Greece traverses the rocky road the EU has laid out for it?

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Alarm Clock

5th holistic doctor (age 33) died in Florida making 5 dead and 5 more missing

Erin Elizabeth
Health Nut News
Tue, 14 Jul 2015 13:37 UTC
holistic doctor death
© Unkown
UPDATE: TIMELINE OF ALL 10 deaths and disappearances at bottom which I highly recommend you read.

I read about Dr. Baron Holt DC not long after he died less than a month ago near me here on the East Coast of Florida. Father's day June 21st. Dr. Holt was coincidentally found the very same day that Dr. Bruce Hedendal (also a DC found here on the E Coast of Florida) was found slumped over in his car. Like Holt, Dr. Hedendal was also extremely fit. Dr Hedendal been doing an athletic event earlier in the day before he died.

These two chiropractors who tragically died the same day in the same state, come 2 days after the death of Dr. Bradstreet MD who was found in a river in North Carolina with a gunshot wound to his chest. Previously Dr. Bradstreet had lived and practiced here on the East Coast of Florida as well. I hesitated covering Dr. Holt's story as I had no information and didn't feel comfortable as there were no recent articles I could reference.

Now there is.

From the article which refers to Dr. Holt as the faithful healer:
His unexpected death last month while on a trip to Jacksonville, Fla. has been a blow to his family and the community he'd created through his work. Though he had been struggling with recent health issues, none were thought to be life threatening by loved ones. His family is awaiting the results from an autopsy report.
I had searched before for any information but saw no statement from the family. Now that I see this article states his family felt he had no health challenge that was life threatening and was a mere 33 years old.
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Wall Street

Santa Cruz County decides to do away with big banks

James Job
The Fifth Column
Tue, 14 Jul 2015 01:36 UTC
Jamie Diamond
© Wikimedia Commons
I’m counting my money.
The Board of Supervisors in Santa Cruz County, California, have taken a bold step. The County has decided that they will not do business, including investment services or bond issuances, with five major banks that the Justice Department found to be associated with felonious acts in May of this year.

Ryan Coonerty, Supervisor of the Third District of the County, proposed to Mary Jo Walker, (Auditor-Controller-Treasurer) and the rest of the Board of Supervisors that they immediately, and for the term of at least 5 years, cease relations in business with Citigroup, J.P. Morgan & Chase, Barclays, The Royal Bank of Scotland, and U.B.S.

Comment: Here's hoping they are successful.

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Cross

Myrtle Beach restaurant patron jailed for not paying tab; planned for 'Jesus' to cover cost of meal


counton2.com
Tue, 14 Jul 2015 16:21 UTC
Image
© WBTW
51-year-old April Lee Yates is not happy with Jesus :(
A woman was arrested Sunday night after refusing to pay her dinner tab at a Myrtle Beach seafood restaurant because, as she explained to police, "Jesus" was going to cover the cost of her meal.

Myrtle Beach Police were called to Bennetts Calabash just after 9 p.m. Sunday night when, according to the incident report, 51-year-old April Lee Yates was asked to leave by management, but refused to do so. The report states that Yates was in the restaurant for nearly four hours before she started to cause a disturbance with other patrons. Management asked Yates to pay her dinner tab and leave, but she refused to pay the $26 bill.

When the officer asked Yates if she had any money to pay, Yates said she did not. The officer then asked Yates what she planned to do with the bill came, and Yates explained that "Jesus" was going to pay her tab.

Yates was arrested for defrauding a restaurant and booked into the Myrtle Beach jail.
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Eye 1

Alabama teenager tased by police three times during grand mal seizure; mother knocked to ground, handcuffed, tased and arrested for trying to help

William Thornton
al.com
Mon, 13 Jul 2015 15:17 UTC
Image
© Tina Noto/gulflive.com
A lawsuit filed this month by an Etowah County woman alleges that police officers from Rainbow City repeatedly fired Tasers at her and her teenage daughter at a concert while the daughter was suffering from grand mal seizures.

The 32-page lawsuit, filed July 9 in U.S. District Court, accuses at least five Rainbow City officers and three Gadsden officers who were allegedly handling security for a Jan. 16 hip-hop concert of excessive force, torture "and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment." It also names Rainbow City Police Chief Greg Carroll and Center Stage, the entertainment venue where the suit alleges the incident took place.

The woman and her daughter seek damages for pain, emotional distress, medical expenses, punitive damages and attorney's fees.

Gregory Harp, attorney for the plaintiffs, said the lawsuit speaks for itself.

"A Taser was used three times on a child's chest, during a medical emergency, while she was pinned to the ground by officers," he said. "Other officers present at the scene failed to intervene. Her mother was knocked to the ground, handcuffed, and then she herself Tased and arrested."

Gadsden City Attorney Lee Roberts said he had no comment as he has not seen the suit. A message left for Center Stage was not returned. Rainbow City Attorney Jim Turnbach said he had not seen the lawsuit, but said it would be "vigorously defended."

Comment: How absolutely horrifying for them both. May they get millions!

See also: Psychopathic corporate capitalism in the U.S. is the foundation of police brutality and the prison state

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Padlock

Amid budget cuts, UK prisons plagued by increase in violence, squalor and self-harm


RT
Tue, 14 Jul 2015 19:01 UTC
Image
© Reuters/Peter Macdiarmid
Violence has reached new heights in prisons across England and Wales, as increasing numbers of jails are characterized by staff cuts, overcrowding and failed rehabilitation practices, Britain's chief inspector of prisons warns.

In his annual report published on Tuesday, Nick Hardwick said too many jails in Britain are "places of violence, squalor and idleness."

Citing official state statistics, the report revealed there were over 15,000 assaults in men's prisons in England and Wales in 2014 - the highest figure in a decade.

Hardwick's damning report also found that staff cuts and overcrowding in jails have had "significant" impact on Britain's penal system, and have sparked increased numbers of attacks on prison staff and inmates.

The study revealed there were 1,466 serious assaults by the close of 2013 in UK prisons, compared with 2,009 at the end of 2014. It said the majority of these assaults were serious, with more weapons being used in 2014 than in 2013.

Image
It also found many of these attacks were "fueled by the increased use of new psychoactive substances."

Reflecting on Britain's prison crisis, Hardwick said inmates are more likely to die in jails today than they were five years ago. He said murders, cases of self-harm, serious assaults and violence are on the rise in male prisons.

Comment: Historically, shrinking government budgets have led to increased corporate takeover the the prison systems, which has led to worse treatment and more exploitation of the prisoners. The view this 'leader' is taking is just another variation of blaming the victim. The increase in violence, squalor and self-harm is more likely due to the environment itself, not the prisoners. He's also likely to be alluding to or preparing UK society for the idea that more of them should be forced to work for outside corporations, for as little money as possible. Since they need a good, believable reason to do that, violence is it. That would bring us a little closer to the truth, maybe.

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Eye 1

Man who repeatedly raped girlfriend while she slept walks free from court; judge praises rapist's honesty

John Hall
Daily Mail, UK
Tue, 14 Jul 2015 16:08 UTC
Image
  • Magnus Meyer Hustveit, 25, admitted repeatedly raping his girlfriend, 28
  • She confronted him about the attacks and he confessed in a written email
  • Said: 'Now I've written this, you can have me prosecuted. I hope you won't'
  • Victim suffered anxiety, eating disorder and attempted to commit suicide
  • But Irish judge suspended the rapist's sentence and praised his honesty, adding: 'In truth this case comes here today out of his own mouth'
A Norwegian man has avoided a prison sentence despite admitting to repeatedly raping his sleeping girlfriend while he was living in Ireland. On trial at Dublin Central Criminal Court, Magnus Meyer Hustveit, 25, from Sandvika, confessed to sexually assaulting the 28-year-old Irishwoman up to 10 times over the course of a year.

After one episode the victim woke up and confronted him, prompting Hustveit to write an email for her to use as evidence against him. Despite the victim revealing that the attacks had caused her to develop anxiety issues and an eating disorder, as well as leading her to attempt suicide, the Irish judge decided not to jail Hustveit.

Justice Patrick McCarthy said that it was 'important' to take into consideration that Hustveit had confessed to the crime from the first confrontation, adding that without the confession a prosecution would have been impossible. He also pointed out that in his email to his then girlfriend, Hustveit had actually encouraged her to prosecute him.

'In truth this case comes here today out of his own mouth,' he said before suspending the sentence.

During the trial the victim described how Hustveit had admitted raping her in early 2012 - just a few months after the couple moved in together.

The victim, who is described as a deep sleeper, told of waking up to find herself covered in semen. Upon asking Hustveit what happened, he is said to have immediately admitted to raping her.
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Arrow Down

Millions facing acute water shortages in eastern Ukraine as a result of U.S. backed war

Magdalena Mis
Reuters
Tue, 14 Jul 2015 15:27 UTC
donbass
Up to 1.3 million people in war-torn eastern Ukraine are facing acute water shortages and a serious water crisis due to damaged or destroyed infrastructure, the United Nations children's agency UNICEF said on Tuesday.

Many in the Luhansk region have to rely on water trucks or travel to neighboring villages to get water. In Mariupol, a city of 500,000 in the Donetsk region, they rely on water from a "rapidly depleting" reservoir, UNICEF said.

"Water is one of the most acute needs of children and adults in eastern Ukraine," Giovanna Barberis, UNICEF representative to Ukraine, said in a statement.

"No children and families should have to risk their lives in order to access one of life's basic necessities for survival."

Comment: The U.S. government is responsible for creating this catastrophe simply to control the Ukraine as part of its strategy to encircle and contain Russia. The conscienceless psychopaths who have engineered this fiasco have no concern whatsoever for the monstrous conditions they have created for innocent civilians. In contrast, Russia has been sending humanitarian aid convoys on a continual basis. Putin actually has a sense of conscience, which is quite a rarity amongst the current crop of world leaders.

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