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48 militants killed, 36 wounded in Paktika airstrikes
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Page 6: Politix
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-Lurid Crime Tales-
Katie Couric's Anti-Gun Producers Repeatedly Violated Federal Gun Laws
Ooops....
Katie, get your gun lawyer.

By now you've probably heard about Katie Couric's new anti-gun documentary "Under The Gun," and how her producer doctored video of interviews with gun owners in order to make them look stupid and heartless. Couric's producer and director, Stephanie Soechtig, admitted to doctoring the video, and Couric herself kinda sorta apologized for it.

But that's not the worst thing that happened with the making of this documentary. It turns out that Couric's production team deliberately conspired to violate federal gun laws. According to video obtained by Ammoland, a shooting sports news website, one of Couric's producers deliberately committed at least four separate felonies by purchasing four separate firearms across state lines without a background check.

In the video, Soechtig openly admits that she directed one of her employees to purchase guns across state lines, and that he absolutely followed her orders:
And "just following orders" isn't a valid defense
SOECHTIG: We sent a producer out and he was from Colorado. He went to Arizona, and he was able to buy a Bushmaster and then three other pistols without a background check in a matter of four hours. And that's perfectly legal. He wasn't doing some sort of underground market.

nd he just met someone in the parking lot of Wendy's and bought a Bushmaster. Legally. Like, this is legal.


Except it's not legal. Like, it's illegal. Super duper illegal. Quadruple illegal in the case of the Soechtig employee who purchased four firearms across state lines without processing the sale through a federal firearms licensee (FFL) in his home state of Colorado.

Federal law is abundantly clear on what types of transactions require federal background checks. Gun owners tend to understand these laws incredibly well. Gun controllers like Soechtig do not. Under federal law, all gun purchases from an FFL must be accompanied by a federal background check. It doesn't matter if the FFL sells a gun at a retail location, at a gun show, or out of the back of a car in a Wendy's parking lot. All FFL transactions require a federal background check. It doesn't matter who you are or where you're from: if you buy a gun from an FFL, the FFL must confirm that you have passed a federal background check.

Next we have interstate purchases, all of which must be conducted through an FFL in the buyer's home state. It is illegal to purchase a gun across state lines unless the transaction is processed through an FFL in the buyer's home state. And what did we just learn about all FFL purchases? That they require federal background checks. Ergo, all interstate purchases must be accompanied by federal background checks.

What does that mean? It means that a producer who resides in Colorado cannot legally buy a gun in Arizona unless that gun is shipped to an FFL in Colorado, whereby that FFL confirms that the Colorado resident can legally own that firearm. The Colorado resident who bought the gun from someone in Arizona cannot take possession of that gun until the Colorado FFL receives the gun from Arizona and confirms that the Colorado buyer can legally own that weapon. Once that happens, the Colorado FFL would transfer possession of the gun to the Colorado buyer.

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives even has a handy FAQ on its website which directly answers the question of whether you can buy a gun across state lines:

How may an unlicensed person receive a firearm in his or her State that he or she purchased from an out-of-State source?

An unlicensed person who is not prohibited from receiving or possessing firearms may purchase a firearm from an out-of-State source, provided the transfer takes place through a Federal firearms licensee in his or her State of residence.

[18 U.S.C 922(a)(3) and 922(b)(3); 27 CFR 478.29]

But that's not what happened according to Soechtig's very own testimony. According to Soechtig, she gave direct orders to an employee of hers who lives in Colorado to buy some guns in Arizona without undergoing a federal background check. He then acted on those orders, and, according to Soechtig's own admission, proceeded to illegally purchase four separate firearms from a seller in Arizona. And if he was purchasing the guns for Soechtig rather than himself, you can add illegal straw purchases to the list of federal crimes.
Can we get them on a RICO charge too?
Soechtig's employee, acting on her orders, repeatedly violated federal gun laws. And he did so not just because of his own monumental ignorance, but because of the aggressive ignorance of Stephanie Soechtig, Katie Couric's hand-picked producer, director, and writer of the anti-gun documentary.

Soechtig's chest-thumping ignorance and arrogance on display in that interview;"Legally. Like, this is legal."-are a perfect example of why so many gun owners care so little about the opinions of sanctimonious gun controllers. Because they have absolutely no clue what they're talking about. They don't understand how guns work. They don't understand crime statistics. They don't know the difference between semi-automatic and automatic. And they can't even deign to spend 5 minutes researching actual gun laws before declaring that those laws just aren't sufficient.

The one thing gun controllers all agree on, however, is that strong enforcement of commonsense gun laws is key to preventing senseless gun violence. Katie Couric, Stephanie Soechtig, and their entire anti-gun documentary team now have a chance to put their money where their mouths are. If enforcement of federal gun laws is essential to preventing gun violence, then Soechtig and her team must pay the price for their willful and admitted violations of federal gun laws.

When Soechtig and her team plea to federal charges for violating the nation's commonsense gun laws, we'll know they're serious about cutting down on gun crime. Until then, we'll know they're just a bunch of ignorant, gun-trafficking profiteers who want to take away our rights while they violate with absolute impunity the very laws they demand.
Posted by: DarthVader || 06/03/2016 16:47 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Maybe she can plea bargain for info on the guy in the parking lot.
Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 || 06/03/2016 17:20 Comments || Top||

#2  Like David Gregory waving an AR magazine around on TV, nothing will come of this...
Posted by: M. Murcek || 06/03/2016 19:10 Comments || Top||

#3  Stephanie Soechtig did not violate firearms laws. The seller did. Davis is wrong.
Posted by: badanov || 06/03/2016 21:11 Comments || Top||


Africa Subsaharan
SA's dogfight to save rhino
[Times Live] From drones to toxic mass relocations, South Africa's war on poaching is being fought on many fronts. But one of the most effective weapons in the arsenal comes in canine form.

An initiative of the Ichikowitz Family Foundation, the operation puts together dogs and handlers to be trained using special forces techniques to try to stem the scourge of poaching that has resulted in thousands of rhino and other endangered animals being killed in South Africa and other African countries in the past decade.

Conservationists, the government and landowners are trying more military-oriented operations with dogs and their handlers to stem the illegal trade in wildlife.
Posted by: Besoeker || 06/03/2016 04:19 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:


Down Under
AUSTRALIA: Clever sign in a butcher's store window has boosted bacon sales while angering Muslims


Some background at link.
Posted by: Vast Right Wing Conspiracy || 06/03/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Brave man. He will be attacked by someone.
Posted by: Dale || 06/03/2016 8:57 Comments || Top||

#2  Poor Allah! It sure casts a pall
That Franks prefer oinks to his call,
For pork in a pan
Far outpolls his Koran,
And the best part? It isn't halal.
Posted by: Zenobia Floger6220 || 06/03/2016 14:25 Comments || Top||

#3  I like it!
Posted by: Old Patriot || 06/03/2016 15:12 Comments || Top||


Economy
Only 38,000 jobs added, labor participation fell
[WSJ] The Labor Department said the pace of hiring slowed sharply in May. This is the last jobs report before the Federal Reserve’s June 14-15 meeting, where policy makers will decide their next step on interest rates. Here are highlights–or lowlights–from Friday’s report.
Posted by: DarthVader || 06/03/2016 11:18 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Heading into another beautiful recovery summer!

Posted by: DarthVader || 06/03/2016 11:19 Comments || Top||

#2  The news this morning was all about that U6 unemployment figure inching down further. I thought they were about to uncork some champagne right there, so party on folks. It's good times out there.
Posted by: Rex Mundi || 06/03/2016 12:22 Comments || Top||

#3  Wasn't that captain of capitalism President of 'ours' telling us two days ago how freaking wonderful the economy was?
Posted by: Raj || 06/03/2016 13:35 Comments || Top||


Theranos founder goes from $4.5 billion to zero
A fraudster's due is coming, and just in time for the fall!
Last year, Elizabeth Holmes topped the FORBES list of America’s Richest Self-Made Women with a net worth of $4.5 billion. Today, FORBES is lowering our estimate of her net worth to nothing. Theranos had no comment.

Our estimate of Holmes’ wealth is based entirely on her 50% stake in Theranos, the blood-testing company she founded in 2003 with plans of revolutionizing the diagnostic test market. Theranos shares are not traded on any stock market; private investors purchased stakes in 2014 at a price that implied a $9 billion valuation for the company.

Since then, Theranos has been hit with allegations that its tests are inaccurate and is being investigated by an alphabet soup of federal agencies. That, plus new information indicating Theranos’ annual revenues are less than $100 million, has led FORBES to come up with a new, lower estimate of Theranos’ value.

FORBES spoke to a dozen venture capitalists, analysts and industry experts and concluded that a more realistic value for Theranos is $800 million, rather than $9 billion. That gives the company credit for its intellectual property and the $724 million that it has raised, according to VC Experts, a venture capital research firm. It also represents a generous multiple of the company’s sales, which FORBES learned about from a person familiar with Theranos’ finances.
More at the link
Posted by: badanov || 06/03/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Ya mean she's flat busted??????
Posted by: Canuckistan sniper || 06/03/2016 0:47 Comments || Top||

#2  “People who go broke in a big way never miss any meals. It is the poor jerk who is shy a half slug who must tighten his belt.” ― Robert A. Heinlein
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 06/03/2016 3:36 Comments || Top||

#3  Theranos' new net worth is US$800.0Milyuhn,+ she's still broke - NO WAY!
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 06/03/2016 6:53 Comments || Top||

#4  Joe, Joe, Joe, she's only worth $400 mil. now (50% of $800 mil.) How's she supposed to buy access to Hillary with such a paltry pile?

She's really broke now. ;^)
Posted by: AlanC || 06/03/2016 7:30 Comments || Top||

#5  The FDA had become increasingly demanding and slow to approve things since I worked in an area at the receiving end of their attentions, back in the '80s. Since 2008, they've not only gotten worse, but taken over entire areas they'd not regulated before. I don't know if that's what happened here, but I would not be surprised,
Posted by: trailing wife || 06/03/2016 12:39 Comments || Top||


India-Pakistan
Blasphemer gets death sentence
[DAWN] MUZAFFARGARH: A blasphemy accused was sentenced to death by the additional district and sessions court here on Tuesday.

Nauman Chandia was convicted in a 2013 case for sending blasphemous messages from the mobile phone number of a security guard at his workplace to his own.

In 2013, Chandia started the paperwork but haven't done much else at City Police Station against guard Mehr Ali. After investigation, police declared Ali innocent and Chandia confessed to his crime.

Talking to Dawn, District Police Officer Awais Ahmad said he had constituted a special team that would probe blasphemy cases on the same lines as homicide cases.

Posted by: Fred || 06/03/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan


Science & Technology
Russian Subs Waging Cold War-Style ‘Battle of the Atlantic'
I think I've seen this movie already...
Russia has stepped up its submarine operations and is regularly probing U.S. anti-submarine networks in a new "Battle of the Atlantic," the commander of U.S. 6th Fleet said.

In an article for the U.S. Naval Institute’s June issue of Proceedings, Vice Adm. James Foggo III outlined a new era in U.S. and Russian submarine warfare he dubs "The Fourth Battle of the Atlantic."
"Russians don't shit without a plan, son..."
In his piece, Foggo compares the current uptick in Russian submarine posture to the great submarine battles between the Allies and the Germans in World War I and World War II and the Soviets and the U.S. during the Cold War.

"Once again, an effective, skilled, and technologically advanced Russian submarine force is challenging us. Russian submarines are prowling the Atlantic, testing our defenses, confronting our command of the seas, and preparing the complex underwater battlespace to give them an edge in any future conflict," Foggo wrote.
"Not only have Russia’s actions and capabilities increased in alarming and confrontational ways, its national-security policy is aimed at challenging the United States and its NATO allies and partners."
"One ping only, Vasily."
Since the Russian seizure of Crimea in 2014, Russian Navy surface ships, aircraft and submarines have been much more active in presence operations ‐ particularly the submarines.
"Andrei - you've lost another submarine?"
Posted by: Raj || 06/03/2016 15:12 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Wow, you know what would be neat? That's right, a carrier based four man "sea-control" aircraft. Starting up the f-22 line is all the rage right now, but 100 new, wait a second, aren't we getting ready to sell the SORKS S-3s from the boneyard?

No brainer, tell me why I am wrong (again)
Posted by: Shipman || 06/03/2016 17:44 Comments || Top||

#2  I think I've seen this movie already...

The Bedford Incident.
Posted by: SteveS || 06/03/2016 18:23 Comments || Top||


Government
USAF Thunderbirds Jet Crashes Outside Colorado Springs, pilot ejects
[CBS Denver] EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) ‐ A pilot of a U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds jet wasn't injured after ejecting before the F-16 crashed outside of Colorado Springs Thursday afternoon.

The crash site is located at Fontaine Boulevard near Rolling View Drive in the Security-Widefield area.

The jet had just performed a flyover during the graduation ceremony at the Air Force Academy where President Barack Obama spoke. It's not clear of the president witnessed the flyover but he was still at the graduation site at the time of the crash taking photos with attendees.
Posted by: Besoeker || 06/03/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  A little more on the crash. The pilot reported a mechanical problem just before the crash. Apparently his gear wouldn't go down. He put the aircraft down in a clear spot, and ejected after he knew the craft would stay down.

When I was stationed at Shaw AFB, we lost three F-16s to mechanical failure, including one to a landing gear problem.
Posted by: Old Patriot || 06/03/2016 15:07 Comments || Top||


Navy: Pilot of Blue Angel jet died in crash in Smyrna, TN
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A Blue Angels F/A-18 fighter jet crashed Thursday near Nashville, Tennessee, where the team is scheduled to perform at an air show this weekend, the Navy said.

There are no details yet on whether the pilot was injured in the crash. The Blue Angels were practicing for the show.

This is the second fighter jet crash of the day for the military’s elite fighter jet performance teams. A member of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds crashed in Colorado following a flyover for the Air Force Academy graduation where President Barack Obama spoke. That pilot ejected safely into a field.

People near the crash site told The Tennessean newspaper that they heard a huge explosion and saw a massive plume of smoke when the plane went down. Jennifer Elliott, who had been watching the jets practice before going inside her house, said everything shook.

"It sounded like car crashed into my house," she said.

Rebecca Durand told the newspaper she thought the jet was performing a stunt when she saw its nose come straight down.

"Instead, I just saw this big orange explosion," she said.
Posted by: Besoeker || 06/03/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Colorado can't keep out of the news these days. The Blue Angels pilot that was killed yesterday was from the state:

SMYRNA, Tenn. -
KRDO NewsChannel 13 has learned that a Blue Angels pilot who died in a crash in Tennessee was from Colorado.

A U.S. official says the pilot was identified as Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss, 32. The official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Kuss is from Durango, which is in the southwestern corner of the state.
Posted by: Old Patriot || 06/03/2016 15:11 Comments || Top||

#2  RIP Marine.
Posted by: Bangkok Billy || 06/03/2016 20:27 Comments || Top||

#3  Amen, Billy
Posted by: Frank G || 06/03/2016 20:59 Comments || Top||



Who's in the News
32[untagged]
13Islamic State
5Taliban
2Govt of Pakistan
2Salafists
2Commies
1Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis (IS)
1Govt of Pakistain Proxies
1Hamas
1Hezbollah
1Tablighi Jamaat
1Thai Insurgency
1Abu Sayyaf
1al-Qaeda in Arabia
1al-Qaeda in Pakistan
1al-Shabaab
1Ansar al-Sharia

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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.

Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.

Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has dominated Mexico for six years.
Click here for more information

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Seafarious
tu3031
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Two weeks of WOT
Fri 2016-06-03
  48 militants killed, 36 wounded in Paktika airstrikes
Thu 2016-06-02
  Air Strikes in North Syria Kill at Least 42 Civilians
Wed 2016-06-01
  Taliban kill 17 passengers after kidnapping around 185 in Kunduz
Tue 2016-05-31
  Ninevah Nightmares: 158 ISIS Bad Guys die
Mon 2016-05-30
  Thousands of Peshmerga move on ISIS in major offensive
Sun 2016-05-29
  Anbar Antics: 190+ die
Sat 2016-05-28
  Iraq forces fire tear gas to disperse protesters
Fri 2016-05-27
  Iraqi forces, militias retake al-Karma from ISIS
Thu 2016-05-26
  Mullah Haibatullah new Taliban supremo
Wed 2016-05-25
  Italy: 5600 migrants rescued off Libya in 48 hours
Tue 2016-05-24
  120 die in bomb attacks near Tartus
Mon 2016-05-23
  Mullah Mansour carried Pak passport
Sun 2016-05-22
  Taliban leader Mansour 'likely killed'
Sat 2016-05-21
  ISIS commander kill his 11 fighters in east of Afghanistan
Fri 2016-05-20
  One of the eight killed militants in Multan was ‘Al Qaeda country head’

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