To contact us Click HERE
From NORAD's website:
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The North American Aerospace Defense Command is getting ready to track Santa’s yuletide journey! The NORAD Tracks Santa website, www.noradsanta.org, went live today featuring a Countdown Calendar, a Kid’s Countdown Village complete with holiday games and activities that change daily, and video messages from students and troops from around the world. With the addition of Brazilian Portuguese, the website is now available in eight languages: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, and Chinese.
Starting at midnight MST on Dec. 24, website visitors can watch Santa as he makes all the preparations for his flight. Then, at 4 a.m. MST (6 a.m. EST), trackers worldwide can talk to a live phone operator to inquire about Santa’s whereabouts by dialing the toll-free number 1-877-Hi-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) or by sending an email to noradtrackssanta@gmail.com. NORAD’s “Santa Cams” will also stream videos as Santa makes his way over various locations worldwide.
NORAD Tracks Santa has truly become a global experience, delighting generations of families everywhere. It is due, in large part, to the efforts and services of numerous contributors. New to this year’s program are Acuity Scheduling, Big Fish Worldwide, Carousel Industries, the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Council, General Electric, the National Tree Lighting Ceremony, RadiantBlue Technologies Inc., thunderbaby studios, the U.S. Coast Guard Band, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Band, Visionbox, and the West Point Band. Returning collaborators include the Air Force Academy Band, Analytical Graphics Inc., Air Canada, Avaya, Booz Allen Hamilton, Colorado Springs School District 11, the Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System, the Federal Aviation Administration, First Choice Awards & Gifts, Globelink Foreign Language Center, Google, the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, Meshbox, the Naden Band of the Maritime Forces Pacific, Naturally Santa’s Inc., the Newseum, OnStar, PCI Broadband, the Space Foundation, tw telecom, Verizon and UGroup Media.
It all started in 1955 when a local media ad directed kids to call Santa direct – only the number was misprinted. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone rang through to the Crew Commander on duty at the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center. Thus began the tradition which NORAD has carried on since it was created in 1958.
“NORAD stands the watch protecting the skies of North America 365 days a year, but on Christmas Eve the children of the world look to NORAD, and our trusted partners, to make sure that Santa is able to complete his mission safely,” said General Charles H. Jacoby, Jr., NORAD Commander.
“This mission is a duty to the children of the world and a privilege we've enjoyed for 56 consecutive years, but the effort could not be carried out without the superb assistance of numerous government and non-government contributors. It is the generosity of these contributors, the hard work of the more than 1,200 volunteers who man the NORAD Tracks Santa Operation Center, and vigilance of the Canadian and U.S. forces who work at NORAD that guarantees the program's success each and every year."
BTW: This is based on Google Earth. If you press the plus sign, you can zoom in close enough to see buildings and such, and maybe catch Santa actually going down a chimney
24 Şubat 2013 Pazar
What a Florida Wanna-be Cop Says about the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security
To contact us Click HERE
After the holocaust of WWII, a number of significant studies were performed to try to understand how civilized people in Germany and occupied France and Poland could descend, almost overnight, into a state where they could kill their own neighbors.These studies unanimously found that, when the threat of negative consequences (punishment) is removed, ordinary people are capable of extraordinarily cruel and evil acts.
The murder of Trayvon Martin by a wanna-be cop is an excellent example of this idea. Empowered by the knowledge that a newly-passed (2011) Florida law would allow him to use "deadly force" if he or she "reasonably believe[d] that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony;" and inspired by his own vision of himself as a "protector" of his community, he felt safe in hunting down and killing an innocent boy who he considered merely to be "suspicious."
The 2011 law eliminated two things. It eliminated the burden of proof that would have required Mr. Martin's murderer to actually show that he was under attack, and it eliminated the burden of proof that a citizen acting to protect himself or others would have to meet to show that he was acting to prevent the commission of a felony. The only proof required was "reasonable belief," something that cannot be disproved, and is, by definition, hidden within the mind of the believer.
In doing so, it removed the barrier of punishment, so the wanna-be cop could act as he pleased.
That would not be the case had the wanna-be cop been a real cop. Florida's "stand your ground" law aside, other state and federal laws apply to actual law enforcement agents actually performing law enforcement functions. Not only is "use of force" regulated by both laws and agency-specific regulations, but also other acts - including the mere question of whether to even confront a citizen who, apparently, has done nothing more than walk faster when being followed. Real Law Enforcement Officers acting in an official capacity, have to meet real burdens of proof, including a substantial evidence standard for reasonable cause.
Had the wanna-be cop been a real cop accused of killing a minor - accused of walking fast and wearing a "hoodie," armed only with a packet of candy - he would have been immediately relieved of duties (at least temporarily) and all aspects of the matter investigated in a transparent manner. Regardless of the outcome, there would have been consequences. Consequences that have yet to be applied to Trayvon Martin's murderer.
The State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS) performs many functions, only some of which involve law enforcement. Its agents are Federal Special Agents trained in law enforcement. When they actually perform law enforcement functions, they generally perform them well. They have an impressive record of arrests of overseas fugitives, and a reasonable record of success developing cases for prosecution. When DS performs a real law-enforcement function it has to meet the same burdens of proof that other law enforcement agents must meet, and conform to the same investigative standards. In law enforcement matters DS overwhelmingly tends to comply with those laws and standards.
DS, however, has other functions, including the performance of administrative investigations and security clearance adjudications. These, by and large, tend to be much less properly performed - involving frequent violations of law and regulation. These include improper searches and seizures, entry into premises under false pretexts, interviews conducted without appropriate warnings, and routine falsification of information in Reports of Investigation. In security clearance cases, this routine DS malfeasance is aggravated by routine failure to apply the most basic rules of adjudication, including regular failure to perform "whole-person reviews."
When performing law enforcement functions, DS Special agents perform them legally, because they face the same threats of punishment that other LEAa do should they fail to comply with the law. However, despite dozens of documented examples of fraud, false statements, and investigative improprieties in administrative investigations, DS has never disciplined a single agent who conducted such acts in an administrative or security-clearance-related matter. When DS performs functions that Law Enforcement Agencies typically do not perform (functions normally performed by trained Human Resources personnel)DS employees do not face any barriers to improper behavior, and are allowed by DS to act as they please.
Florida's "stand your ground law" created a legal loophole which could be abused by any Floridian to murder anyone they pleased, as long as a reasonable pretense could be created that the individual felt threatened.
In administrative matters, the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security exploits similar loopholes to destroy the lives and careers of Foreign Service Officers, without any of the protections DS would apply to drug dealers, pedophiles or spies.
Ultimately, the blame lies at higher levels in State - which continue to allow DS both to perform functions it should not be performing and to perform those functions illegally. Step one would be to remove the authority for those decisions from the wanna-be cop who controls them now, and to enforce regulations holding DS to the same standards in administrative matters as are applied to its real law enforcement functions.
The murder of Trayvon Martin by a wanna-be cop is an excellent example of this idea. Empowered by the knowledge that a newly-passed (2011) Florida law would allow him to use "deadly force" if he or she "reasonably believe[d] that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony;" and inspired by his own vision of himself as a "protector" of his community, he felt safe in hunting down and killing an innocent boy who he considered merely to be "suspicious."
The 2011 law eliminated two things. It eliminated the burden of proof that would have required Mr. Martin's murderer to actually show that he was under attack, and it eliminated the burden of proof that a citizen acting to protect himself or others would have to meet to show that he was acting to prevent the commission of a felony. The only proof required was "reasonable belief," something that cannot be disproved, and is, by definition, hidden within the mind of the believer.
In doing so, it removed the barrier of punishment, so the wanna-be cop could act as he pleased.
That would not be the case had the wanna-be cop been a real cop. Florida's "stand your ground" law aside, other state and federal laws apply to actual law enforcement agents actually performing law enforcement functions. Not only is "use of force" regulated by both laws and agency-specific regulations, but also other acts - including the mere question of whether to even confront a citizen who, apparently, has done nothing more than walk faster when being followed. Real Law Enforcement Officers acting in an official capacity, have to meet real burdens of proof, including a substantial evidence standard for reasonable cause.
Had the wanna-be cop been a real cop accused of killing a minor - accused of walking fast and wearing a "hoodie," armed only with a packet of candy - he would have been immediately relieved of duties (at least temporarily) and all aspects of the matter investigated in a transparent manner. Regardless of the outcome, there would have been consequences. Consequences that have yet to be applied to Trayvon Martin's murderer.
The State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS) performs many functions, only some of which involve law enforcement. Its agents are Federal Special Agents trained in law enforcement. When they actually perform law enforcement functions, they generally perform them well. They have an impressive record of arrests of overseas fugitives, and a reasonable record of success developing cases for prosecution. When DS performs a real law-enforcement function it has to meet the same burdens of proof that other law enforcement agents must meet, and conform to the same investigative standards. In law enforcement matters DS overwhelmingly tends to comply with those laws and standards.
DS, however, has other functions, including the performance of administrative investigations and security clearance adjudications. These, by and large, tend to be much less properly performed - involving frequent violations of law and regulation. These include improper searches and seizures, entry into premises under false pretexts, interviews conducted without appropriate warnings, and routine falsification of information in Reports of Investigation. In security clearance cases, this routine DS malfeasance is aggravated by routine failure to apply the most basic rules of adjudication, including regular failure to perform "whole-person reviews."
When performing law enforcement functions, DS Special agents perform them legally, because they face the same threats of punishment that other LEAa do should they fail to comply with the law. However, despite dozens of documented examples of fraud, false statements, and investigative improprieties in administrative investigations, DS has never disciplined a single agent who conducted such acts in an administrative or security-clearance-related matter. When DS performs functions that Law Enforcement Agencies typically do not perform (functions normally performed by trained Human Resources personnel)DS employees do not face any barriers to improper behavior, and are allowed by DS to act as they please.
Florida's "stand your ground law" created a legal loophole which could be abused by any Floridian to murder anyone they pleased, as long as a reasonable pretense could be created that the individual felt threatened.
In administrative matters, the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security exploits similar loopholes to destroy the lives and careers of Foreign Service Officers, without any of the protections DS would apply to drug dealers, pedophiles or spies.
Ultimately, the blame lies at higher levels in State - which continue to allow DS both to perform functions it should not be performing and to perform those functions illegally. Step one would be to remove the authority for those decisions from the wanna-be cop who controls them now, and to enforce regulations holding DS to the same standards in administrative matters as are applied to its real law enforcement functions.
23 Şubat 2013 Cumartesi
Top 10 Animals Found in Street View
To contact us Click HERE
Google Street View World has put together a cool slideshow of the best shots of animals found in Google Maps Street View. They were also kind enough to let me reproduce the slideshow on Google Maps Mania.
Google Street View World has been collecting the weird and wonderful sights that can be found in Street View for a number of years so they have a great back catalogue of amazing finds. I'm hoping that we can turn this into a regular feature of slideshows around different themes.
I've had to reduce the size of the slideshow to fit into a Google Maps Mania post. So to see the skideshow in its full glory make sure you check it out on Google Street View World.
Google Street View World has put together a cool slideshow of the best shots of animals found in Google Maps Street View. They were also kind enough to let me reproduce the slideshow on Google Maps Mania.
Google Street View World has been collecting the weird and wonderful sights that can be found in Street View for a number of years so they have a great back catalogue of amazing finds. I'm hoping that we can turn this into a regular feature of slideshows around different themes.
I've had to reduce the size of the slideshow to fit into a Google Maps Mania post. So to see the skideshow in its full glory make sure you check it out on Google Street View World.
The Week in Maps
To contact us Click HERE
Creeping in at the end of this week Buzzfeed's 38 Maps You Never Knew You Needed probably just scraped in as the most shared map story on the internet this week.
It is an eclectic and interesting mix of maps, ranging from a map of the world's seas and land masses inverted (pictured) to a Super Mario inspired map of the world.
The Guardian this week posted a map showing The Twitter Languages of New York. The map shows the languages used by New Yorker's when posting to Twitter. The map was created by the University College London and includes a link to view a similar map of London's Twitter languages.
Two of the biggest news stories this week involved meteorites. The Guardian (once again) this time teamed up with CartoDB to create a map of Every Meteorite Fall on Earth. CartoDB has also created a screencast about how the map was created.
The most interesting online map I came across this week however was this Contour Lines Density Map. The map takes an innovative approach to visualising 'stop and frisk' incidents carried out by the police in New York.
To draw attention to the neighborhoods where stop and frisks happened most frequently elevation contours are used to show the density of the stops.
Creeping in at the end of this week Buzzfeed's 38 Maps You Never Knew You Needed probably just scraped in as the most shared map story on the internet this week.
It is an eclectic and interesting mix of maps, ranging from a map of the world's seas and land masses inverted (pictured) to a Super Mario inspired map of the world.
The Guardian this week posted a map showing The Twitter Languages of New York. The map shows the languages used by New Yorker's when posting to Twitter. The map was created by the University College London and includes a link to view a similar map of London's Twitter languages.
Two of the biggest news stories this week involved meteorites. The Guardian (once again) this time teamed up with CartoDB to create a map of Every Meteorite Fall on Earth. CartoDB has also created a screencast about how the map was created.
The most interesting online map I came across this week however was this Contour Lines Density Map. The map takes an innovative approach to visualising 'stop and frisk' incidents carried out by the police in New York.
To draw attention to the neighborhoods where stop and frisks happened most frequently elevation contours are used to show the density of the stops.
NORAD is ready to track Santa's flight
To contact us Click HERE
From NORAD's website:
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The North American Aerospace Defense Command is getting ready to track Santa’s yuletide journey! The NORAD Tracks Santa website, www.noradsanta.org, went live today featuring a Countdown Calendar, a Kid’s Countdown Village complete with holiday games and activities that change daily, and video messages from students and troops from around the world. With the addition of Brazilian Portuguese, the website is now available in eight languages: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, and Chinese.
Starting at midnight MST on Dec. 24, website visitors can watch Santa as he makes all the preparations for his flight. Then, at 4 a.m. MST (6 a.m. EST), trackers worldwide can talk to a live phone operator to inquire about Santa’s whereabouts by dialing the toll-free number 1-877-Hi-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) or by sending an email to noradtrackssanta@gmail.com. NORAD’s “Santa Cams” will also stream videos as Santa makes his way over various locations worldwide.
NORAD Tracks Santa has truly become a global experience, delighting generations of families everywhere. It is due, in large part, to the efforts and services of numerous contributors. New to this year’s program are Acuity Scheduling, Big Fish Worldwide, Carousel Industries, the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Council, General Electric, the National Tree Lighting Ceremony, RadiantBlue Technologies Inc., thunderbaby studios, the U.S. Coast Guard Band, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Band, Visionbox, and the West Point Band. Returning collaborators include the Air Force Academy Band, Analytical Graphics Inc., Air Canada, Avaya, Booz Allen Hamilton, Colorado Springs School District 11, the Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System, the Federal Aviation Administration, First Choice Awards & Gifts, Globelink Foreign Language Center, Google, the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, Meshbox, the Naden Band of the Maritime Forces Pacific, Naturally Santa’s Inc., the Newseum, OnStar, PCI Broadband, the Space Foundation, tw telecom, Verizon and UGroup Media.
It all started in 1955 when a local media ad directed kids to call Santa direct – only the number was misprinted. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone rang through to the Crew Commander on duty at the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center. Thus began the tradition which NORAD has carried on since it was created in 1958.
“NORAD stands the watch protecting the skies of North America 365 days a year, but on Christmas Eve the children of the world look to NORAD, and our trusted partners, to make sure that Santa is able to complete his mission safely,” said General Charles H. Jacoby, Jr., NORAD Commander.
“This mission is a duty to the children of the world and a privilege we've enjoyed for 56 consecutive years, but the effort could not be carried out without the superb assistance of numerous government and non-government contributors. It is the generosity of these contributors, the hard work of the more than 1,200 volunteers who man the NORAD Tracks Santa Operation Center, and vigilance of the Canadian and U.S. forces who work at NORAD that guarantees the program's success each and every year."
BTW: This is based on Google Earth. If you press the plus sign, you can zoom in close enough to see buildings and such, and maybe catch Santa actually going down a chimney
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The North American Aerospace Defense Command is getting ready to track Santa’s yuletide journey! The NORAD Tracks Santa website, www.noradsanta.org, went live today featuring a Countdown Calendar, a Kid’s Countdown Village complete with holiday games and activities that change daily, and video messages from students and troops from around the world. With the addition of Brazilian Portuguese, the website is now available in eight languages: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, and Chinese.
Starting at midnight MST on Dec. 24, website visitors can watch Santa as he makes all the preparations for his flight. Then, at 4 a.m. MST (6 a.m. EST), trackers worldwide can talk to a live phone operator to inquire about Santa’s whereabouts by dialing the toll-free number 1-877-Hi-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) or by sending an email to noradtrackssanta@gmail.com. NORAD’s “Santa Cams” will also stream videos as Santa makes his way over various locations worldwide.
NORAD Tracks Santa has truly become a global experience, delighting generations of families everywhere. It is due, in large part, to the efforts and services of numerous contributors. New to this year’s program are Acuity Scheduling, Big Fish Worldwide, Carousel Industries, the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Council, General Electric, the National Tree Lighting Ceremony, RadiantBlue Technologies Inc., thunderbaby studios, the U.S. Coast Guard Band, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Band, Visionbox, and the West Point Band. Returning collaborators include the Air Force Academy Band, Analytical Graphics Inc., Air Canada, Avaya, Booz Allen Hamilton, Colorado Springs School District 11, the Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System, the Federal Aviation Administration, First Choice Awards & Gifts, Globelink Foreign Language Center, Google, the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, Meshbox, the Naden Band of the Maritime Forces Pacific, Naturally Santa’s Inc., the Newseum, OnStar, PCI Broadband, the Space Foundation, tw telecom, Verizon and UGroup Media.
It all started in 1955 when a local media ad directed kids to call Santa direct – only the number was misprinted. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone rang through to the Crew Commander on duty at the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center. Thus began the tradition which NORAD has carried on since it was created in 1958.
“NORAD stands the watch protecting the skies of North America 365 days a year, but on Christmas Eve the children of the world look to NORAD, and our trusted partners, to make sure that Santa is able to complete his mission safely,” said General Charles H. Jacoby, Jr., NORAD Commander.
“This mission is a duty to the children of the world and a privilege we've enjoyed for 56 consecutive years, but the effort could not be carried out without the superb assistance of numerous government and non-government contributors. It is the generosity of these contributors, the hard work of the more than 1,200 volunteers who man the NORAD Tracks Santa Operation Center, and vigilance of the Canadian and U.S. forces who work at NORAD that guarantees the program's success each and every year."
BTW: This is based on Google Earth. If you press the plus sign, you can zoom in close enough to see buildings and such, and maybe catch Santa actually going down a chimney
What a Florida Wanna-be Cop Says about the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security
To contact us Click HERE
After the holocaust of WWII, a number of significant studies were performed to try to understand how civilized people in Germany and occupied France and Poland could descend, almost overnight, into a state where they could kill their own neighbors.These studies unanimously found that, when the threat of negative consequences (punishment) is removed, ordinary people are capable of extraordinarily cruel and evil acts.
The murder of Trayvon Martin by a wanna-be cop is an excellent example of this idea. Empowered by the knowledge that a newly-passed (2011) Florida law would allow him to use "deadly force" if he or she "reasonably believe[d] that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony;" and inspired by his own vision of himself as a "protector" of his community, he felt safe in hunting down and killing an innocent boy who he considered merely to be "suspicious."
The 2011 law eliminated two things. It eliminated the burden of proof that would have required Mr. Martin's murderer to actually show that he was under attack, and it eliminated the burden of proof that a citizen acting to protect himself or others would have to meet to show that he was acting to prevent the commission of a felony. The only proof required was "reasonable belief," something that cannot be disproved, and is, by definition, hidden within the mind of the believer.
In doing so, it removed the barrier of punishment, so the wanna-be cop could act as he pleased.
That would not be the case had the wanna-be cop been a real cop. Florida's "stand your ground" law aside, other state and federal laws apply to actual law enforcement agents actually performing law enforcement functions. Not only is "use of force" regulated by both laws and agency-specific regulations, but also other acts - including the mere question of whether to even confront a citizen who, apparently, has done nothing more than walk faster when being followed. Real Law Enforcement Officers acting in an official capacity, have to meet real burdens of proof, including a substantial evidence standard for reasonable cause.
Had the wanna-be cop been a real cop accused of killing a minor - accused of walking fast and wearing a "hoodie," armed only with a packet of candy - he would have been immediately relieved of duties (at least temporarily) and all aspects of the matter investigated in a transparent manner. Regardless of the outcome, there would have been consequences. Consequences that have yet to be applied to Trayvon Martin's murderer.
The State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS) performs many functions, only some of which involve law enforcement. Its agents are Federal Special Agents trained in law enforcement. When they actually perform law enforcement functions, they generally perform them well. They have an impressive record of arrests of overseas fugitives, and a reasonable record of success developing cases for prosecution. When DS performs a real law-enforcement function it has to meet the same burdens of proof that other law enforcement agents must meet, and conform to the same investigative standards. In law enforcement matters DS overwhelmingly tends to comply with those laws and standards.
DS, however, has other functions, including the performance of administrative investigations and security clearance adjudications. These, by and large, tend to be much less properly performed - involving frequent violations of law and regulation. These include improper searches and seizures, entry into premises under false pretexts, interviews conducted without appropriate warnings, and routine falsification of information in Reports of Investigation. In security clearance cases, this routine DS malfeasance is aggravated by routine failure to apply the most basic rules of adjudication, including regular failure to perform "whole-person reviews."
When performing law enforcement functions, DS Special agents perform them legally, because they face the same threats of punishment that other LEAa do should they fail to comply with the law. However, despite dozens of documented examples of fraud, false statements, and investigative improprieties in administrative investigations, DS has never disciplined a single agent who conducted such acts in an administrative or security-clearance-related matter. When DS performs functions that Law Enforcement Agencies typically do not perform (functions normally performed by trained Human Resources personnel)DS employees do not face any barriers to improper behavior, and are allowed by DS to act as they please.
Florida's "stand your ground law" created a legal loophole which could be abused by any Floridian to murder anyone they pleased, as long as a reasonable pretense could be created that the individual felt threatened.
In administrative matters, the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security exploits similar loopholes to destroy the lives and careers of Foreign Service Officers, without any of the protections DS would apply to drug dealers, pedophiles or spies.
Ultimately, the blame lies at higher levels in State - which continue to allow DS both to perform functions it should not be performing and to perform those functions illegally. Step one would be to remove the authority for those decisions from the wanna-be cop who controls them now, and to enforce regulations holding DS to the same standards in administrative matters as are applied to its real law enforcement functions.
The murder of Trayvon Martin by a wanna-be cop is an excellent example of this idea. Empowered by the knowledge that a newly-passed (2011) Florida law would allow him to use "deadly force" if he or she "reasonably believe[d] that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony;" and inspired by his own vision of himself as a "protector" of his community, he felt safe in hunting down and killing an innocent boy who he considered merely to be "suspicious."
The 2011 law eliminated two things. It eliminated the burden of proof that would have required Mr. Martin's murderer to actually show that he was under attack, and it eliminated the burden of proof that a citizen acting to protect himself or others would have to meet to show that he was acting to prevent the commission of a felony. The only proof required was "reasonable belief," something that cannot be disproved, and is, by definition, hidden within the mind of the believer.
In doing so, it removed the barrier of punishment, so the wanna-be cop could act as he pleased.
That would not be the case had the wanna-be cop been a real cop. Florida's "stand your ground" law aside, other state and federal laws apply to actual law enforcement agents actually performing law enforcement functions. Not only is "use of force" regulated by both laws and agency-specific regulations, but also other acts - including the mere question of whether to even confront a citizen who, apparently, has done nothing more than walk faster when being followed. Real Law Enforcement Officers acting in an official capacity, have to meet real burdens of proof, including a substantial evidence standard for reasonable cause.
Had the wanna-be cop been a real cop accused of killing a minor - accused of walking fast and wearing a "hoodie," armed only with a packet of candy - he would have been immediately relieved of duties (at least temporarily) and all aspects of the matter investigated in a transparent manner. Regardless of the outcome, there would have been consequences. Consequences that have yet to be applied to Trayvon Martin's murderer.
The State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS) performs many functions, only some of which involve law enforcement. Its agents are Federal Special Agents trained in law enforcement. When they actually perform law enforcement functions, they generally perform them well. They have an impressive record of arrests of overseas fugitives, and a reasonable record of success developing cases for prosecution. When DS performs a real law-enforcement function it has to meet the same burdens of proof that other law enforcement agents must meet, and conform to the same investigative standards. In law enforcement matters DS overwhelmingly tends to comply with those laws and standards.
DS, however, has other functions, including the performance of administrative investigations and security clearance adjudications. These, by and large, tend to be much less properly performed - involving frequent violations of law and regulation. These include improper searches and seizures, entry into premises under false pretexts, interviews conducted without appropriate warnings, and routine falsification of information in Reports of Investigation. In security clearance cases, this routine DS malfeasance is aggravated by routine failure to apply the most basic rules of adjudication, including regular failure to perform "whole-person reviews."
When performing law enforcement functions, DS Special agents perform them legally, because they face the same threats of punishment that other LEAa do should they fail to comply with the law. However, despite dozens of documented examples of fraud, false statements, and investigative improprieties in administrative investigations, DS has never disciplined a single agent who conducted such acts in an administrative or security-clearance-related matter. When DS performs functions that Law Enforcement Agencies typically do not perform (functions normally performed by trained Human Resources personnel)DS employees do not face any barriers to improper behavior, and are allowed by DS to act as they please.
Florida's "stand your ground law" created a legal loophole which could be abused by any Floridian to murder anyone they pleased, as long as a reasonable pretense could be created that the individual felt threatened.
In administrative matters, the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security exploits similar loopholes to destroy the lives and careers of Foreign Service Officers, without any of the protections DS would apply to drug dealers, pedophiles or spies.
Ultimately, the blame lies at higher levels in State - which continue to allow DS both to perform functions it should not be performing and to perform those functions illegally. Step one would be to remove the authority for those decisions from the wanna-be cop who controls them now, and to enforce regulations holding DS to the same standards in administrative matters as are applied to its real law enforcement functions.
YouTube Just Got Hotter: Views Added to Billboard’s Charts
To contact us Click HERE
Billboard and Nielsen have shaped the core measures of success for entertainers around the world. These institutions created the standard we all look to when assessing the popularity of an artist, an album or that song you just can’t stop playing. Each week, their rankings are eagerly awaited by budding musicians, bona fide rock stars and music executives alike.
Of course, the music industry has changed dramatically in recent years. We’ve seen artists become stars through channels that simply didn’t exist a decade or two ago. From Gangnam Style and grandpa style to the Alabama Shakes and the Harlem Shake, YouTube has become a place where artists connect with new audiences, and music fans are finding songs, bands and genres they never knew they loved.
That’s why we’re partnering with Billboard and Nielsen to include our U.S. data into their “Hot” charts--the Hot 100 List, Hot Country Songs, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, R&B Songs, Rap Songs, Hot Latin Songs, Hot Rock Songs and Dance/Electronic Songs. Meaning, all official videos on YouTube, including user-generated clips that utilize authorized audio, will now factor into how a song’s popularity is determined.
This announcement marks a big step in accurately reflecting how music lovers are finding their new favorite songs. And it builds upon our efforts to share this kind of data with key industry analytical tools like Next Big Sound and BigChampagne, which also help artists succeed both on and offline. Most importantly, we hope this news will excite our users, who have helped us discover some of the biggest stars and songs of the past seven years.
AJ Frank, New Business Development, recently watched “Harlem Shake (Matt and Kim Edition).”
Of course, the music industry has changed dramatically in recent years. We’ve seen artists become stars through channels that simply didn’t exist a decade or two ago. From Gangnam Style and grandpa style to the Alabama Shakes and the Harlem Shake, YouTube has become a place where artists connect with new audiences, and music fans are finding songs, bands and genres they never knew they loved.
That’s why we’re partnering with Billboard and Nielsen to include our U.S. data into their “Hot” charts--the Hot 100 List, Hot Country Songs, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, R&B Songs, Rap Songs, Hot Latin Songs, Hot Rock Songs and Dance/Electronic Songs. Meaning, all official videos on YouTube, including user-generated clips that utilize authorized audio, will now factor into how a song’s popularity is determined.
This announcement marks a big step in accurately reflecting how music lovers are finding their new favorite songs. And it builds upon our efforts to share this kind of data with key industry analytical tools like Next Big Sound and BigChampagne, which also help artists succeed both on and offline. Most importantly, we hope this news will excite our users, who have helped us discover some of the biggest stars and songs of the past seven years.
AJ Frank, New Business Development, recently watched “Harlem Shake (Matt and Kim Edition).”
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