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01 Nov 2011 00:16

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U.S.: We just hope “Breaking Bad” doesn’t end the way this drug cartel did.

  • 76 arrested in a major drug ring which ran from Mexico into Arizona
  • $2B in profits over the past five years collected from the ring
  • 3M number of pounds of marijuana the drug ring brought to the U.S. source
  • » Their leader “El Chapo,” or “Shorty,” is still at large. Officials admit that it took them a long time to bust this particular ring, which also sent tens of thousands of pounds of cocaine and heroin into the United States. The drug ring, linked to the Sinaloa cartel, reportedly operated right under the noses of authorities by staying on rugged terrain. There are still plenty of holes in the U.S./Mexican border, but this is a very big win in the Drug War, regardless.
Posted by samimain • 0 Comments • Permalink

28 Sep 2011 10:50

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U.S.: Judge to decide on Jared Lee Loughner’s fitness to eventually stand trial

  • The gunman in the Gabrielle Giffords shooting has been diagnosed as a schizophrenic. Loughner’s mental health issues, which manifested themselves in a disturbing way back in January, could prevent him from going to trial on 49 charges relating to the shooting which nearly killed a congresswoman. Did his time in a federal prison hospital help improve his condition enough to eventually stand trial? Does he need more time (as prosecutors are arguing), or is he not improving at all, as his defense attorneys claim? A judge will parse through these issues today. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Sep 2011 15:48

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U.S.: Tucson Air Force base: No shooting, but unconfirmed gunman reports

  • first Reports of gunfire at Tucson’s Davis-Monthan Air Force riled up Twitter users nine months after the Gabrielle Giffords shooting.
  • then Details were scarce from the beginning, with word of gunfire, ambulances on the scene — but ultimate news coming in drips rather than buckets.
  • now The reports now suggest suspicious activity, not a shooting. “No shots have been fired and no one has been hurt,” the Air Force base says. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

09 Sep 2011 11:56

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U.S.: Power service restored on West Coast; power grid “very fragile.”

  • Restoring power in the aftermath of the loss of the entire local grid serving San Diego and southern Orange counties was a monumental task. The restoration process, however, has left our local power grid very fragile and we are asking our customers to conserve electricity throughout the day Friday.
  • SDG&E vice president of electric operations David Geier • Discussing last night’s blackout, which affected nearly five million people in Mexico, Arizona and California. The blackout led to some great photos, but fortunately, it looks like it ended relatively painlessly. We’ll keep an eye on this today. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

15 Aug 2011 22:30

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U.S.: Arizona: Home of the Grand Canyon and the country’s cheapest gas

  • desert Quick, road trip to Arizona! The state has seen the lowest gas prices of the country since early July. Residents of the state pay an average of $3.347 per gallon, and if you’re in Tucson, you’re paying a fairly svelte $3.255 per gallon.
  • oasis? Quick, road trip to — uh, maybe not. The islands of Hawaii show the country’s highest price per gallon since March: over $4. But you wouldn’t be able to drive to Hawaii anyway, unless your car was equipped with fins. source
Posted by samimain • 0 Comments • Permalink

11 Jul 2011 21:07

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Politics: Arizona State Sen. Lori Klein points loaded gun at reporter

  • Whoever would do something like that needs to have a better grounding in gun safety before ever laying a hand on a firearm.
  • Rob Mermelstein, range master of the Phoenix Rod and Gun Club • Speaking on Arizona state senator Lori Klein, who during a conversation about carrying her gun in her purse while on the floor of the legislature, drew said gun and pointed it at a reporter’s chest to show off the laser sight. Her disclaimer? “I just didn’t have my hand on the trigger.” Mermelstein is absolutely right, and what he’s saying is the moral baseline for responsible gun ownership. We’ll take the advice of a former military man we knew — you never, ever aim a gun at somebody who you’re not prepared to kill. This is unsafe and reprehensible behavior, for which Klein will richly deserve any scrutiny she receives. The article also reports that her gun has no safety, which seems crazy — you’re going to carry a loaded, readied gun in your purse? Has Plaxico taught us nothing? source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

06 Jul 2011 15:21

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U.S.: Incredible footage of the climatic Phoenix dust storm

  • Adventures in time-lapse: Here we have some videos (credit to Mike Olbinski and Blaine Coury) of the colossal dust storms that touched down in Phoenix, Arizona on July 5th. As always, safety is crucial during extreme natural events. We’ll admit, though, it’s hard to watch this footage without feeling wonderment and stark awe towards the natural world. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

28 Jun 2011 13:44

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U.S.: Loughner’s lawyers: Doctors are forcing medication on him

  • If Jared Lee Loughner takes psychotropic drugs, he could become competent enough to stand trial. A while back, a judge ruled that Loughner can take any medicine he wants voluntarily, but his lawyers must be notified if he’s forced to take any medication to restore him to competency. However, those lawyers say that they weren’t in the room during a June 13th hearing which allowed a mental hospital to force him to take drugs to improve his mental condition — against the wishes of Loughner. Now they’re having a judge decide on the matter for a third time. So, the question is: If his lawyers are trying to prevent him from taking the medicine he needs to get better, how is he supposed to stand trial? Answer: If the decision favors Loughner, he probably won’t. source
Posted by Justin Jones • 0 Comments • Permalink

23 Jun 2011 16:25

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U.S.: Southwest fires slowly (but surely) getting contained

  • monument Officials told the last of the evacuees from this fire that they can return home today. That’s the good news. The bad news: Though firefighters hope to declare potential victory soon, the fire is only 59 percent contained and may keep burning until mid-July.
  • wallow That one is still burning. The largest active fire in the U.S. and the largest in Arizona’s history, it’s currently around half the size of Rhode Island. A highway around the area is open now, but homes are still being evacuated. This fire is about 60 percent contained. source
Posted by Justin Jones • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Jun 2011 23:20

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Politics: John McCain blames Arizona wildfires on unsecured borders

  • There is substantial evidence that some of these fires have been caused by people who have crossed our border illegally. The answer to that part of the problem is to get a secure border.
  • Arizona Sen. John McCain • Pointing the finger at an unlikely target for the wildfires currently causing significant problems in the state. Now, we’re not experts here, but this seems like a fairly questionable leap of judgment — and the claim met significant criticism from Latino groups — especially since the “substantial evidence” McCain claims hasn’t actually been substantiated. Whether or not the border needs securing, bringing xenophobia into the mix of an unrelated disaster seems like a terrible idea.  source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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