As the flag of Japan spreads across the Pacific, commanders fly personalized flags.
U.S. Intelligence agents work diligently to assemble information on this threat.
So I called the ISP. While going through the prompts I found it interesting that they have a new automated message saying that FOID cards are now taking 56 days to process. Well, I entered the selection saying that it had been more than 56 days and on the voice menu after that it said 30 days. Seems like someone is really behind.
I finally got ahold of someone who very quickly asked me for my info. He stuttered out a few lines about an old applications, something to do with the $10 (it sounded more in general than related to me specifically). I got a few rambled lines about how they're behind and that the system is messed up and that they're taking more time because of it. I mentioned that I had put my app in back in Oct and he said it was entered/processed on Nov 21. By my reckoning its still past 60 days and he fed me a generic "you should get it in 7-10 days" bs line. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't they say that about the original 30 days? Ugh.
So hopefully I'll have it later this week. I have a feeling that they are letting things get caught up in red tape for a reason.
Good Afternoon Jack,
This is the response we recieved from our Legislative Contact within the State Police. As always, if you have additional questions, please don't hesitate to give us a call.
"Unfortunately the ISP has experienced severe backlogs in the processing of FOID cards. This has most definitely not been done as a means to deprive citizens of their rights to own firearms and is directly resulting from staffing and funding deficiencies. Two additional employees were hired 12/16/08 and recent software changes should allow us to recognize a significant decrease in the backlog in the near future. Please let me know if you have further questions. "
Beth C. Goncher
District Director
Representative Tim Schmitz
(630)845-9590
CHICAGO — A 14-year-old aspiring police officer donned a uniform, walked into a Chicago police station and managed to get an assignment — patroling a squad car for five hours before he was detected, police said Sunday.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Texas' concealed carry law has been in effect for over a dozen years, and statistics show that Concealed Handgun Licensees have amassed an impressive track record of law-abiding and responsible behavior over that time period. The committee does not believe that eliminating a geographical boundary beyond which they cannot currently go legally armed - in this case, college and university campuses - will suddenly transform them into dangerous and irresponsible individuals. Moreover, we do not believe that campuses will become overwhelmed by a new population of armed students: the minimum age requirements established in law serve to limit the number of adult students who would actually qualify for a license. And again, statistics provided to the committee indicate that individuals who fit into the age group most closely associated with the typical adult college student account for a very small fraction of the CHL population overall...
Over the past several weeks, the ISRA has received several dozen phone calls from irate firearm owners who have been waiting a month or more to have their applications for Firearm Owner Identification (FOID) cards processed by the Illinois State Police.Yet anecdotal evidence is showing that many cards seem to be being held until the applicants make a stink about it, receiving them days after making calls. A friend of mine applied in Oct. and still hasn't received his.
After making inquiries into the backlog, ISRA representatives were told by ISP officials that inadequate staffing and funding were to blame for the slowdown in application processing. Those same officials were unable to say when, if ever, the situation would improve.
MEXICO CITY – President Felipe Calderon's war on drug trafficking has led to his own doorstep, with the arrest of a dozen high-ranking officials with alleged ties to Mexico's most powerful drug gang, the Sinaloa Cartel.
Operation Clean House comes just as the U.S. is giving Mexico its first installment of $400 million in equipment and technology to fight drugs. Most will go to a beefed-up federal police agency run by the same people whose top aides have been arrested as alleged Sinaloa spies.
The Gulf cartel is led by military-trained hit men so violent that they reportedly planned to attack even U.S. law enforcement agencies.
"I never require a client to do what I say but I do require them to at least listen to what I say. ... I wish the governor good luck and godspeed," Genson said in brief remarks to reporters.

We are in control and we are the winner," Hamas legislator Mushir al-Masri declared this week, after attending the funeral of four Hamas gunmen.
WASHINGTON – A Saudi militant who was released from Guantanamo Bay after six years of confinement is now a top figure in the Yemeni branch of al-Qaida, a U.S. counterterrorism official confirmed Friday...
At least 18 former Guantanamo detainees have "returned to the fight" and another 43 are suspected of resuming terrorist activities, Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said on Jan. 13. He declined to provide the identity of the former detainees or what their terrorist activities were.
BLACKSBURG, Virginia — Virginia Tech Police say a female graduate student from China who was stabbed to death on campus was decapitated.
"Animals should be permitted to bring suit, with human beings as their representatives ... Any animals that are entitled to bring suit would be represented by (human) counsel, who would owe guardian like obligations and make decisions, subject to those obligations, on their clients' behalf."Yep, that's right. Animals should be able to sue.
“We ought to ban hunting, I suggest, if there isn’t a purpose other than sport and fun. That should be against the law. It’s time now.”
GREEN SUBDUEDWeather Underground founder and Barack Obama supporter William Ayers was not permitted to clear customs at a Toronto airport Sunday.
Hi Roy,
Your application for Campus Leader has been approved. Please take some time to review SCCC's Answers to the Most Common Arguments located at http://www.concealedcampus.org/arguments.htm to familiarize yourself with our response to a variety to claims. You may also find the SCCC Handbook of interest, as it contains a far more detailed look at SCCC's mission, history, and outlook for the future. You can find the handbook here: http://www.concealedcampus.org/sccc_package.pdf (approximately 6MB).
Thanks for your willingness to help and welcome aboard,



"The conflict has been going on for 60 years and I don't have any illusions, I don't think we are going to see a resolution tomorrow. Above all we need to try to reduce the violence and obtain a ceasefire," Mirek Topolanek told the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
"But at this point I am fairly sceptical that we will achieve it very soon."
I am the ED of Ceasefire NJ, as in New Jersey.So Philly must have been moved by an earthquake or some sort of divine intervention then if Bryan is active in PA politics.
Durbin, the senior senator from Illinois, talked to Burris to congratulate him, he told FOX News. Reid was to do so later in the day, according to Reid spokesman Jim Manley.
"I congratulated him and he was stunned," Durbin said.
Sen. Dick Durbin threw a sizable roadblock in Roland Burris' path to the U.S. Senate on Friday, saying firmly the former Illinois attorney general cannot be seated without a missing signature certifying his appointment.Whether he's legally correct or not isn't the point. It's that he's opposing the Lightbringer.
This makes what? Seven?
Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon has been indicted on public corruption charges. The 31-page, 12-count indictment includes charges of perjury, theft, and fraudulent misappropriation and misconduct.
Chief Justice John Roberts agreed to hear my case, Lightfoot v Bowen, challenging eligibility for presidency of Barack Hussein Obama. He distributed the case to the full conference of the Supreme Court. The timing of this decision by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Roberts, is absolutely remarkable.
Dr.Orly Taitz, ESQ
drorly.blogspot.com
dr_taitz@yahoo.com
No. 08A524
Title: Gail Lightfoot, et al., Applicants
v. Debra Bowen, California Secretary of State
Docketed:
Lower Ct: Supreme Court of California
Case Nos.: (S168690)
~~~Date~~~ ~~~~~~~Proceedings and Orders~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dec 12 2008 Application (08A524) for a stay pending the filing and disposition of a petition for a writ of certiorari, submitted to Justice Kennedy.
Dec 17 2008 Application (08A524) denied by Justice Kennedy.
Dec 29 2008 Application (08A524) refiled and submitted to The Chief Justice.
Jan 7 2009 DISTRIBUTED for Conference of January 23, 2009.
Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, who would take over if Blagojevich is ousted, said it's time for the governor to "face reality" and give up his office.
The Illinois General Assembly must act this month to restore $9.25 million in restricted funds diverted to pay state bills, or the state risks losing $16 in federal dollars for fish and wildlife management.
But when Arya's run with Blagojevich came to an end, he had a story to tell — one of intense jealousies by the governor toward President-elect Barack Obama, House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) and others, a terrorized staff, and emotional instabilities that Arya said demonstrate the need for a psychological evaluation by the legislative panel weighing the governor's impeachment...
“Many staffers cringed at the notion of calling him and we were under strict orders to never let the phone ring more than three times.”In fact, Arya said, the running joke among staffers used to Blagojevich's disdain for the office was that he should go “on a trade mission so he could be gone for a few months and things might actually get done.”
Looking back on his 23 months on the state payroll, which ended last October, Arya described Blagojevich as “a good father and a great guy to go to a ballgame with” but an ineffective, emotionally unstable chief executive.

Gen. McCaffrey,
In regards to your report from December regarding crime in Mexico, I would like to make some corrections to your assertions that military grade firearms are being smuggled into the country from the United States.
To legally purchase a Class III firearm, one needs to follow all the regulations of the 1934, 1968, and 1986 firearm acts. This includes a background check, $200 tax stamp, licensing, and registration through the BATFE. No new fully automatic or select fire weapons have been added to this registration since 1986. The cheapest firearms cost over $2500 with AK-47's averaging $5000 ea. Licensed dealer rarely have more than a few in stock at any one time if at all. RPG's, Grenades, and other heavy weapons are not available through any firearm dealer unless they are licensed for explosives as well, also not common. What the Mexican authorities are facing from the US are semi-auto only clones of military firearms, commonly known as 'assault weapons'.
Since every firearm of any type needs to undergo an NICS check from a licensed dealer, a purchase of "a hundred at a time" would flag the buyer and warrant an immediate investigation by the BATFE.
If you have direct knowledge that this is not so and dealers are actually selling fully-auto firearms and high explosives 'out the back door', it should be brought to light and these dealers indicted.
If the authorities are facing these types of firearms from the cartels, and I have no doubt they are, they need to look south, not north, and to their own house for the reason. Numerous Mexican officials have been caught in the US attempting to purchase firearms while the entire system, as you have stated, is rife with corruption. Which would make more sense, finding officers or soldiers who are willing to accept a bribe for them to 'lose' their weapon or leave an armory door unlocked, or travel to the US to try and find a very uncommon class of weapon costing thousands of dollars? The very existence of the "Zeta's" should answer that question.
Regards,
Thirdpower
WASHINGTON -- A 50 percent increase in gasoline and diesel fuel taxes is being urged by a federal commission to finance highway construction and repair until the government devises another way for motorists to pay for using public roads.
The National Commission on Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing, a 15-member panel created by Congress, is the second group in a year to call for higher fuel taxes.
Your analysis of the Zumbo affair is not entirely complete. Through your own link he did much more than state that he felt "Assault Weapons" weren't good for hunting. That is merely and uneducated opinion. What really got the sh*tstorm to hit was his statement that they were 'terrorist rifles' and that they should be banned from outdoor activities.Update: Seems that being polite and presenting counter information isn't as effective as she claims.
That showed not only a level of ignorance and elitism from someone who was a 'lifelong hunter' but also gave ammunition to all the anti-gun groups. Within a few weeks, the Brady Campaign and others were repeating his words as the voice of hunters in the US.
Calling a firearm an "assault weapon" in no way makes it more or less accurate. There are many different configurations of the many models out there, hunting, home defense, target shooting, etc. What it boils down to is that an 'assault weapon' is merely a semi-auto firearm that has cosmetic features similar to some military firearms. They function no different than any other semi-auto.
The Rev. spoke out in ignorance and hostility and was responded to in kind. Many gun owners are tired of being called terrorists and criminals because they choose to be gun owners.
That's really all I have to say on the subject. I'm not going to answer any more comments on it. Sorry, I'm just out of time and interest.Translation: Facts don't matter so please don't present them if they don't fit my worldview.

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Where have I seen this division before? Oh right. When I played Fortress America in High School.
KAMPALA (AFP) – The Ugandan army on Sunday accused Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels of hacking to death 45 people in a church in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Monserrate - who just racked up his second arrest after an alleged violent outburst - claimed to be struggling with psychological issues when he quit the NYPD after 11 years.
His May 19, 1999, application for a disability pension was troubling enough that cops immediately seized his guns, public court filings show...
Yesterday's bust on charges that he slashed his girlfriend was the second time Monserrate faced a judge after a nasty confrontation.
He was arrested in the early-morning hours of Sept. 11, 2001, on charges of trying to run over a tow truck operator attempting to repossess his car. The outcome of that case could not immediately be determined.
WASHINGTON ,Dec. 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In response to a man dressed in a Santa suit opening fire at a home in Colvino,California , shooting an eight-year-old girl in the face, her 16-year-old sister in the back, then killing eight others and himself,Paul Helmke , President of the Brady Campaign, issued the following statement:"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and community touched by this terrible tragedy. It is profoundly sad that a distraught man would take up arms to kill his family and others.
"In this season of hope, however, we should not despair and say this kind of violence is inevitable. We should not tolerate the steady drumbeat of gun deaths and injuries that tears our families and communities apart. We can and should do all that is within our power to find solutions to gun violence.
"In the New Year, we hope that our nation's leaders have the courage and conviction to take steps that will help protect our families and communities from gun violence."
webmaster@gunssavelife.com
"the Bush administration's parting gift for the gun lobby to allow hidden weapons in our parks threatens the safety of these national treasures and those who visit them."One can almost imagine Paul Helmke quietly whispering "pleaseohpleaseohplease" while hoping for a shootout somewhere so they can send out another email alert and press release.
VPC representative Binks was later quoted as saying:"Meesa no like thees Big Boomas. Meesa theenk Big Boomas endanga Da Cheeldree."