August 26, 2014

Maine lobsterman catches rare blue lobster

Photo By Meghan LaPlante/AP

SCARBOROUGH, Maine (AP) — A Maine lobsterman says he and his 14-year-old daughter caught a one-in-two-million crustacean: a blue lobster.

WCSH-TV (http://on.wcsh6.com/1loUcOM ) reports Jay LaPlante of the Miss Meghan Lobster Catch company caught the curious creature in Scarborough around 10:45 a.m. Saturday. LaPlante and daughter Meghan were hauling traps when she discovered the bright blue critter.

The story has a happy ending for the lobster. Meghan says she is naming it Skyler and donating it to the Maine State Aquarium, far from any dinner rolls or pats of butter. The aquarium says it has three other blue lobsters and an orange one.

LaPlante says it's the first time he has caught a blue lobster.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/article/Maine-lobsterman-catches-rare-blue-lobster-5710714.php#photo-6771068

[font color=blue]It's about time that we got one in the lobster constituency to vote for a Democrat![/font] :groan:

August 26, 2014

9-year-old girl accidentally shoots instructor in Arizona

DOLAN SPRINGS, Ariz. (AP) — Authorities say a 9-year-old girl has accidentally shot her shooting instructor in the head in northwestern Arizona.

Mohave County Sheriff's officials say the 39-year-old shooting instructor was shot at an outdoor range in Dolan Springs about 10 a.m. Monday.

Details weren't immediately released.

Sheriff's officials say the man was airlifted to a medical center in Las Vegas, Nevada and his condition isn't immediately known.

http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Girl-accidentally-shoots-instructor-in-Arizona-5711622.php

August 26, 2014

Gubernatorial candidate Davis releases 2013 tax info; earned $250k

State Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, earned significantly less income from her legal work in 2013 than in previous years, according to tax documents released Friday by her campaign. But the Democratic gubernatorial candidate also received a six-figure payment last year for her upcoming memoir.

Davis, a Harvard Law School graduate, recorded a $120,000 income from her work as an attorney. That’s down from $275,000 the year before. Davis’ legal work has been a flashpoint in the governor’s race, as her Republican opponent Greg Abbott has criticized her work at the law firm Newby Davis, which has numerous public sector clients with interests before the state Legislature.

For her work on an upcoming memoir, titled Forgetting to be Afraid, Davis received $132,000. She recorded $100,000 in expenses related to the book, which is scheduled to be published in September.

Davis filed for an extension on her 2013 returns, but had promised to release them once they were ready. Abbott, who publicized his tax return in April, has made repeated calls for Davis to do the same.

Read more: http://www.themonitor.com/news/local/gubernatorial-candidate-davis-releases-tax-info-earned-k/article_f50370e8-2c96-11e4-99e6-0017a43b2370.html

August 26, 2014

Site of eatery with 'World's Most Insulting Closing Notice' razed

A crew from Atkinson & Associates Builders is closing a bizarre chapter in Amarillo restaurant history with the demolition of a structure that most recently housed the Sava! Italiano eatery.

-snip-

The building had been vacant since September 2013 when Sava gained notoriety for the way it went out of Amarillo.

A photograph of a sign trashing Amarillo posted – or not? — inside a window of the closed doors of the Italian eatery went viral, with Grub Street calling it the “World’s Most Insulting Closing Notice.”

Sava co-owner and executive chef Mark Coffman denied posting the Sava-branded note, which read: “You sorry (expletive), rednecked sacks of goat sperm had no idea what you had here! Good luck with your prepackaged frozen (expletive) food in this town. ... We are off to make money in a town whose average IQ is above room temperature. CIAO!!!”

Read more: http://amarillo.com/news/local-news/2014-08-25/site-eatery-worlds-most-insulting-closing-notice-razed

Related thread:
Texas Monthly gives Italian eatery the Bum Steer Award for insulting community in closing notice
http://www.democraticunderground.com/107814115

August 25, 2014

Rick Perry’s lawyers file 60-page motion to dismiss case

The two-count indictment against Gov. Rick Perry defies common sense and should be dismissed “immediately if not sooner” as a violation of the U.S. and Texas constitutions, Perry’s legal team told the trial judge Monday.

The wide-ranging attack argued that Perry’s criminal charges were based on state laws that are unconstitutional or, at the very least, were misinterpreted — constituting an improper attempt to criminalize politics and limit gubernatorial power in “intolerable and incalculable” ways.

“Continued prosecution of Governor Perry on the current indictment is unprecedented, insupportable and simply impermissible,” said the 60-page filing by defense lawyer David Botsford.

The charges, stemming from Perry’s veto last year of state money for the Travis County district attorney’s office, also violate the Texas Constitution’s separation-of-powers clause by improperly inserting the courts into the functions of the executive and legislative branches, the petition said.

Read more: http://www.statesman.com/news/news/rick-perrys-lawyers-file-60-page-motion-to-dismiss/ng8WP/

August 24, 2014

Happy Caturday! Teh DU Back To Skool Kittehs Grammar Purrimer--Furrst Edition

[font color=green]Niaou availabel n LOLCatese furreign langwij tu![/font]

August 23, 2014

Where is labor in Ferguson?

THE WEAKNESS of organized labor is often attributed to its low numbers, and they are low for sure. For example, AFL-CIO membership remained stagnant this year at 12.5 million, even with the whopping addition last year of 1.3 million United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union food and commercial workers.

Nonetheless, I believe the falling numbers are more a reflection than an explanation of labor's decline. Therefore, I do not agree with the prevailing opinion that spending more money on organizing will turn everything around. Our biggest problems are political, not organizational.

Put another way, corporate power looms large because unions are seriously disconnected from the social aspirations of the majority of working-class women and people of color who strive for equality, justice and fair play that cannot be measured or satisfied solely by the size of a paycheck.

It's been this way for some time, but nowhere is this wide gulf more vivid and more tragic than in the AFL-CIO's spineless reaction to the police murder of yet another young, unarmed African American.

Read more: http://socialistworker.org/2014/08/21/where-is-labor-in-ferguson

August 22, 2014

Rick Perry's attorney to file motion to dismiss case

A defense attorney for Gov. Rick Perry said Friday he will file a motion in court to dismiss criminal charges against Perry, citing the governor’s veto authority and First Amendment rights.

“The motion will speak for itself,” attorney David Botsford said.

Senior District Judge Bert Richardson of San Antonio has set a one-week deadline for Botsford to submit his pleading and once he does so, Perry prosecutor Michael McCrum will be given time to respond.

Outside of a brief hearing in Travis County state district court Friday morning, McCrum told reporters, “I’m confident the law applies in this case.” McCrum said he will not address evidence in his case and will approach it “with dignity and respect.”

Read more: http://www.statesman.com/news/news/rick-perry-attorney-to-file-motion-to-dismiss-case/ng7LM/

August 22, 2014

Policeman accused of sex assaults on duty

Daniel Ken Holtzclaw

OKLAHOMA CITY — An Oklahoma City police officer was arrested Thursday and is being held in lieu of $5 million bond after being accused of committing a series of sexual assaults against at least six women while on duty.

Daniel Ken Holtzclaw, 27, was arrested Thursday on complaints of rape, forcible oral sodomy, sexual battery and indecent exposure, The Oklahoman reported.

Oklahoma City Police Chief Bill Citty said at a news conference that Holtzclaw stopped women while he was working and forced them to expose themselves, fondled them and in at least one instance had intercourse with a woman.

Authorities have statements from six victims and expect a statement from a seventh, Citty said. He also said investigators believe there are additional victims.

Read more: http://lubbockonline.com/filed-online/2014-08-21/oklahoma-policeman-accused-sex-assaults-duty

August 22, 2014

Libertarian vies to become Texas’ first openly gay state senator

Texas already had a record number of openly LGBT candidates running for state Legislature this year.

Now, you can add one more name to the list — increasing the total to six.

Kerry Douglas McKennon, a Libertarian, is a candidate for the Texas Senate District 28 seat in a special election Sept. 9. Early voting begins Monday.

McKennon is one of several candidates vying to replace Republican Sen. Robert Duncan, who stepped down to become chancellor of Texas Tech University. District 28 is among the largest in the state, covering 47 counties in West Texas.

Read more: http://www.lonestarq.com/libertarian-candidate-vies-become-texas-first-openly-gay-state-senator/

[font color=green]This should be an interesting race, he is running against the 90-year-old guy that I mentioned in this thread yesterday:
[/font]
http://www.democraticunderground.com/107820290