CHRISTIAN NEWS FROM RAY
A free service of Jesus Christ is Lord Ministries
News selected and edited by Ray Mossholder
Thursday, January 16, 2014
34 MISSILE LAUNCH “EXPERTS” CAUGHT IN CHEATING SCANDAL
Thirty-four nuclear missile launch officers were caught Wednesday in a cheating scandal and have been stripped of their certification. Three others have been implicated in a drug probe, in what the Air Force says is the largest such breach of integrity in nuclear force history. These men were part of the elite service members who maintain and operate America’s 450 nuclear missiles.
The officers apparently texted to each other the answers to a monthly test on their knowledge of how to operate the missiles. The number includes who did the cheating as well as those who may have known about it but did not report it.
Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James told a Pentagon news conference that 600 missile crew members across the Air Force were retaking the test and that the alleged cheating took place late last summer.
Last week the Pentagon disclosed the original drug probe of a total of 10 officers — nine lieutenants and one captain — at six bases. It provided few other details beyond saying the officers were suspected of possessing “recreational drugs.” That has now expanded to 11 officers. The matter is being probed by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations.
The Associated Press has reported that the Air Force’s nuclear arm has been weighed down by a series of problems involving security lapses and morale-related issues, leading one officer to complain of “rot” in the force.
The original disclosure of a drug investigation said the officers alleged to be involved were at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.; Schriever Air Force Base, Colo.; Royal Air Force base Lakenheath in England; Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., and two bases that operate intercontinental ballistic missiles — F.E. Warren and Malmstrom.
First word of the investigation came last Thursday moments before Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel appeared at F.E. Warren to deliver a pep talk to members of the 90th Missile Wing, which operates 150 ICBMs. Hagel did not mention the drug probe but praised the missile force for its dedication and professionalism.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
US NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY BUGGING COMPUTERS EVERYWHERE
One day after a Senate panel heard testimony on the oversight of the National Security Agency’s surveillance program, The New York Times reports the agency is using software to monitor about 100,000 computers around the world.
Citing NSA documents, the report says the software sends information by radio waves. It can also be used to create a digital highway to launch cyber-attacks.
The technology has been in use for years, monitoring the Chinese and Russian militaries as well as trade groups in the European Union. It’s also been used to spy on U.S. allies in the war on terror, such as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and India.
The NSA was already in trouble for requesting phone companies collect millions of records of private citizens.
While the report may create more trouble overseas, the revelations made by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden — especially about the data collection on Americans — forced the appointment of a special panel to look into possible NSA abuses of Section 215 of the Patriot Act.
“Our judgment about the government holding that data is that the primary danger with the 215-telephone metadata program is not if it is used only in the way in which its use is authorized, but that it leaves sitting out there a huge amount of information, personal information about Americans, that could be used in awful ways,” Professor Geoffrey Stone, part of the five-member Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technology, told the Senate panel.
“We’ve seen this movie before; we know how it ends,” Senator Mike Lee, R-Utah, warned. “We know that if that much information remains in the hands of the government it will eventually be abused. It will be manipulated for partisan and otherwise nefarious purposes, and we can’t let that happen.”
All three branches of government are likely to be involved in the future battle between protecting privacy and safeguarding Americans, especially against terrorism. President Obama plans to give a major speech concerning freedom versus safety on Friday.
SUPREME COURT HEARS ZONE DEFENSE
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court considered Wednesday whether it is legal for states to set up zones around abortion clinics where pro-life activists aren’t allowed to speak against abortion. They argue freedom of speech and that one fourth of this generation of young people were never allowed to live.
Planned Parenthood argues that women have a right to their own bodies and don’t want to be preached at, especially at such a difficult time.
The court has upheld a bubble zone law in the past, but a number of justices in their questioning Wednesday seemed opposed to this Massachusetts law. The fate of similar buffer zone laws around the country now hangs in the balance.
“CONGRESS TOTALLY BETRAYS WAR VETERANS”
The founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Paul Rieckhoff, says the United States Senate will have committed “total betrayal” if it passes the $1.1 today because it includes a large cut to the veterans retirement benefits. He said,
“It’s a promise that’s been made with our military folks when they raised their right hand and they sign up,” he said. “Somebody in Washington came up with this stupid idea to try and find some money to save and they are going to do it on the backs of retirees from the military? It’s absolutely absurd.”
Rieckhoff called on the public to join veterans’ groups and phone their Congressman telling him or her to get the cuts to military pensions repealed “immediately.”
“Find the money somewhere else,” he said. “You mean to tell me in the entire Defense budget they can’t find somewhere else to make cuts outside of the retirement benefits of folks who have served sometimes eight or nine tours?”
12-YEAR-OLD SHOOTS TWO CLASSMATES
A middle school student opened fire in his gym with a shotgun yesterday and critically wounded two students in Roswell, New Mexico. The injured were a 13-year-old girl and a 1i-year-old boy who were “simply sitting in their gym waiting to go to class,” New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez said. The shooting occurred shortly before class was to begin at Berrendo Middle School.
The Eastern New Mexico Medical Center confirmed it treated two patients, who were then air lifted to the University Medical Center in Lubbock, Texas, located about 175 miles from the middle school.
State Police Chief Pete Kassetas said Wednesday it appeared the shooting was planned, but the two who were shot were chosen at random. The boy got the sawed-off shotgun from his family’s home. All three rounds were expended during the incident.
When the shots first rang out in the school’s gym, some students started laughing, assuming it was just another drill. It wasn’t. But those emergency exercises that students and teachers have undergone regularly for the past two years were being credited Wednesday with the quick disarming of the suspect.
The whole thing was over in 10 seconds, police say, thanks to John Masterson, an eighth-grade social studies teacher who stepped in and talked the boy into dropping his weapon. Masterson then held the boy until authorities arrived.
The family says its remorse cannot be expressed in words. They added that they love their boy and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement as they piece together “how this awful tragedy occurred.”
NEW LETHAL DRUGS TO BE USED IN EXECUTION
(CNN)– An Ohio man is set to be put to death today by a two-drug cocktail never before used in a U.S. Execution. Like many states, Ohio has been forced to find new drug protocols after European-based manufacturers banned U.S. prisons from using their drugs in executions — among them, Danish-based Lundbeck, which manufactures pentobarbital. Ohio has run out of that drug. In place of it the executioner will use midazolam, a sedative, and hydromorphone, a painkiller.
Dennis McGuire was convicted in 1994 of the aggravated murder of Joy Stewart in Preble County, Governor John Kasich has denied a request for clemency. The combination has never before been used in a U.S. execution.
“Lawyers for McGuire contend that he will suffocate to death in agony and terror. The state disagrees. But the truth is that no one knows exactly how McGuire will die, how long it will take or what he will experience in the process,” says Elisabeth A. Semel, clinic professor of law and director of the Death Penalty Clinic at U.C. Berkeley School of Law.
CNN’s Ross Levitt and Deborah Feyerick contributed to this report.
EGYPT’S CHRISTIANS REJOICING OVER VICTORY
AZIYAH, EGYPT – In past Egyptian elections, Islamists used fear or intimidation to stop Christians from voting against them. This time around, Christians faced no more obstacles then Muslims did on their way to the ballot box.
“I cast my ballot as I pleased. I am not afraid of anybody,” said Heba Girgis, a Christian resident of the village of Sanabu, who said she was harassed and prevented from casting a vote against the 2012 Islamist-backed constitution. “Last time I wanted to say no. I waited in line for two hours before the judge closed the station.”
“This time we said yes and our opinion matters,” Girgis added as she walked home with a friend after casting her vote. “This is for our children, for all those who died and suffered. Our word now carries weight.”
The new document accepted by 55% of the people bans political parties based on religion, gives women equal rights and protects the status of minority Christians. It also gives the military special powers to name its own candidate as defense minister for the next eight years and bring civilians before military tribunals.
Christians number nearly 2 million of the 5 million voters in the southern provinces of Assiut and Minya, almost four times the national average. In Aziyah, which prides itself as the “capital” of Coptic Christians in the south, getting out the vote in support of the constitution was a serious enterprise.
During the two-day referendum, security and army troops deployed heavily in the south, where daily protests by Morsi supporters were particularly violent.
More than 15,000 troops fanned out across the two provinces, and sandbags were erected outside a number of polling stations, fearing attacks from opponents. There were frequent helicopters runs and flyovers by F-16 jets. As helicopters hovered over the heads of voters Wednesday in the Christian village of Kunbuah, a loud cheer went up. “Thank you el-Sissi!” the crowd shouted, referring to the country’s increasingly popular military chief, Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.
“Christians are the No. 1 voters,” said monitor Ezzat Ibrahim, adding that turnout overall has been far lower in the south, where support for Morsi was strongest during his presidential bid — a reflection of the Islamist boycott.
Primarily, Christians are demanding a law that enshrines their right to build churches without the restrictions that have long forced them to build make-shift houses of worship, many of which have been torched by pro-Morsi protesters as part of the backlash against his removal from office.
The new constitution provides that such a law be drafted within a year, Malek said. In addition, Christians have also received reassurances that their longstanding complaints that they are denied high posts in government and the military will be addressed.
SUDANESE FLEEING SUDAN
(CNN) – A month of conflict has displaced more than 413,000 Sudanese in South Sudan, the United Nations said Wednesday, after a major surge in the number of people fleeing violence this past week.
SO YOU STILL WANT TO DRINK?
Alcohol consumption is the direct cause of nearly 80,000 deaths in the Americas each year, according to a new study. “This is just the tip of the iceberg,” Monteiro said. “Of course there are many more alcohol-related deaths from injuries, traffic accidents, violence, and also chronic conditions – where alcohol has a role but is not the only cause. But the data does not cover that. We’re only getting the most severe cases.”
“We know how to reduce mortality – with population-based policies, controlling availability and increasing price,” Monteiro said. “We need to prevent people from getting to that stage where you have alcohol dependence or you die.”
BEWARE OF 876
Your phone rings and caller ID shows an 876 area code. While it appears the call is coming from the US, be cautious with this Jamaican area code. If you do not have friends, relatives, or business associates in Jamaica, there is probably a scammer on the other end of line.
NETFLIX HIT HARD WITH NEW LAW
SAN FRANCISCO – Netflix may be exposed to higher costs in the wake of a major court decision that voided rules governing Internet access known as net neutrality. This ruling will impact those websites that transmit the most data, so sites that stream video content (particularly in high definition) will potentially feel the most significant impact.
Netflix is the leading streaming video provider on the Internet and regularly accounts for a notable chunk of the data flowing across the web, so Wall Street expects the compaNY may face an incremental $75 million to $100 million in annual content delivery costs to cable companies for access to their residential customers who are streaming Netflix content.
Netflix shares fell 2.3% to $330.11 in afternoon trading on Wednesday.
MORE THAN 100,000 FISH MYSTERIOUSLY DIE IN NEVADA
SPARKS, NEV. – State wildlife officials are trying to figure out why all the fish have died in a northern Nevada marina where the stocked fishery has flourished since the man-made lake was created nearly 15 years ago. An estimated 100,000 trout, bass and catfish have died over the past month in the Sparks Marina along U.S. Interstate 80 east of Reno, apparently the result of a dramatic, unexplained drop in dissolved oxygen levels, Nevada Department of Wildlife spokesman Chris Healy said Wednesday.
Scientists say a bitter cold snap could have caused oxygen-poor waters to rise from the old rock quarry’s bottom to the surface, but they don’t understand what sparked the massive die-off. Fish biologists confirmed low oxygen levels caused the death of an estimated 3,000 fish in one corner of the lake in mid-December, but Healy said they thought at the time that the event was localized and of limited impact. Since then, they’ve been unable to detect any live fish in the 77-acre lake. Numerous dead fish have been removed from the lake’s shoreline, and Healy said it’s likely the rest sank to the bottom.
The department annually stocks the marina in late February or early March 1, but he said they won’t be doing that this year unless the dissolved oxygen level “makes a big recovery.”
WALMART NOT SUPPOSED TO FIRE PROTESTERS
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal officials filed a formal complaint Wednesday charging that Wal-Mart violated the rights of workers who took part in protests and strikes against the company.
The National Labor Relations Board says Wal-Mart illegally fired, disciplined or threatened more than 60 employees in 14 states for participating in legally protected activities to complain about wages and working conditions at the nation’s largest retailer.
Walmart insists its actions were legal and justified. “We now we have the opportunity to present the facts of these cases in front of a judge,” said Wal-Mart spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan. “No reasonable person thinks it’s ok for people to come and go from their scheduled shift without being held accountable.”
OLD FOLKS AT HOME IN McDONALDS
A McDonald’s in Queens, New York has become the contentious scene between some elderly patrons and management who says the group is driving away business.
According to the New York Times
A manager said they have called the police on the group in an effort to get them to move on, but that doesn’t seem to deter them much. Nor does the sign posted at the restaurant saying customers have 20 minutes to finish their food, reports the New York Times.
“They ordered us out,” says one customer, Man Hyung Lee, 77. “So I left. Then I walked around the block and came right back again.”
The group say they’re entitled to stay as long as they like. “Do you think you can drink a large coffee within 20 minutes?” David Choi, 77, says. “No, it’s impossible.”
One of the group Hoick Choi, 76, even told the New York Times that he doesn’t really like the food.
Oddly enough, right down the street is another McDonald’s and Burger King, but neither draw any crowds.
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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Is God or your employer your real source of income?
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Thursday, January 16, 2014