Bulbs 'must be dangerous if they will pollute sewage' Is Congress finally waking up to hazards of CFLs?

Amplify’d from www.wnd.com

Bulbs 'must be dangerous if they will pollute sewage'

Is Congress finally waking up to hazards of CFLs?

ANOTHER BRIGHT IDEA

Congress apparently is waking up to the concept that Americans are fully capable of making their own choice about the type of light bulbs they use, and the dangers that are presented by the so-called "green" compact fluorescents the Democrat majority mandated for public use a few years back.

A team of some 15 members of the U.S. House has introduced, and is working for support of the Better Use of Light Bulbs Act, H.R. 91, which simply would repeal Subtitle B of Title III of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, "which is a de facto ban on the incandescent light bulb."

That ban on incandescents is scheduled to take effect fully in 2012.

Claiming that incandescents were bigger consumers of energy than compact fluorescent bulbs, Congress banned their existence in favor of the CFLs. There has been, ever since, a wave of opposition because of the government's decision to micromanage light bulb choices, as well as the possible dangers from those CFLs.

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Reps. Joe Barton, R-Texas; Michael Burgess, R-Texas; and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, were among the 15 House members to introduce the plan.

Phyllis Schlafly, founder and president of Eagle Forum, applauded their work.

"When Elena Kagan was asked in her confirmation hearing by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., if it would be constitutional for the government to order all of us to eat 'three fruits and three vegetables every day,' she evaded answering. She is part of the progressive Obama administration that is committed to the unconstitutional notion that government should tell us how to spend our own money and live our lives, even within our own homes," Schlafly wrote.

"The essence of Obamacare is forcing individual Americans to buy health insurance they don't want. Federal Judge Henry Hudson just ruled it is unconstitutional to force Americans to buy health insurance, and we shouldn't be forced to buy light bulbs we don't want."

Besides, look at the known dangers from CFLs, she wrote.

"CFLs are so toxic because of the mercury in the glass tubing that the cleanup procedure spelled out by the Environmental Protection Agency is downright scary. The EPA warns that if we break a CFL, we must take the pieces to a recycling center and not launder 'clothing or bedding because mercury fragments in the clothing may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage,'" she wrote.

"CFLs must be rather dangerous if they will pollute the sewage," she said.

Burgess told WND the ban on incandescents, signed into law by President Bush, "was one of those areas Congress clearly overstepped its authority."

He said he fought the ban back in 2007 in subcommittee, in committee and on the U.S. House floor, unsuccessfully. But he said the measure actually would be counterproductive.

He cited a home construction project he was involved with where dimmer switches were installed through the structure to save electricity. However, CFLs don't work with dimmer switches.

"We were making a responsible decision about how much energy to purchase," he said, "and then the government says that 'we're going to tell you how much you can use.'"

"This is about more than just energy consumption, it is about personal freedom. Voters sent us a message in November that it is time for politicians and activists in Washington to stop interfering in their lives and manipulating the free market. The light bulb ban is the perfect symbol of that frustration. People don't want Congress dictating what light fixtures they can use," said Barton.

"Traditional incandescent bulbs are cheap and reliable. Alternatives, including the most common replacement Compact Fluorescent Lights or CFLs, are more expensive and health hazards – so why force them on the American people? From the health insurance you're allowed to have, to the car you can drive, to the light bulbs you can buy, Washington is making too many decisions that are better left to you and your family," Barton said.

"These are the kinds of regulations that make the American people roll their eyes. It is typical of a 'big Washington' solution to a non-existent problem. In this case it manifests itself as an overreach into every American home, one that ships good jobs overseas and infuriates the American consumer," added Blackburn.

Other co-sponsors include: Reps. Todd Akin, R-Mo.; Rob Bishop, R-Utah; Paul Broun, R-Ga.; Ann Marie Buerkle, R-New York; Dan Burton, R-Ind.; Howard Coble, R-N.C.; Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo.; Tom McClintock, R-Calif.; Ron Paul, R-Texas; Steve Scalise, R-La.; Cliff Stearns, R-Fla.; and Don Young, R-Alaska.

The members of Congress noted the CFL drawbacks:

Most CFLs are not manufactured in the United States. A recent Washington Post story reported that GE is shuttering a plant in Winchester, Va., killing 200 jobs in the process.

CFLs contain mercury and have to be disposed of carefully. The amount of mercury in one bulb is enough to contaminate up to 6,000 gallons of water beyond safe drinking levels. The EPA recommends an elaborate cleanup ritual, including throwing away any clothes or bedding that has come in direct contact with the mercury from the bulb.

CFLs are not designed to be turned off and on frequently; the lifespan of a CFL may be reduced by up to 85 percent if you switch it off and on a lot.

People with certain health conditions can be harmed by CFLs. Reactions range from disabling eczema-like reactions, to light sensitivities that can lead to skin cancer.

And the Energy Star program warns that CFLs can overheat and smoke.

The course reversal being considered now in Congress already has been endorsed by talk radio icon Rush Limbaugh.

"One of the first things the Democrat Congress did when they were sworn in and took the oath in 2007 was this light bulb ban," Limbaugh said recently. "So I think symbolically one of the first things we ought to do is repeal it. ...

"The government ought to have not a damn thing to say about the light bulb I buy.  It's none of their business, especially when this is based on a total, freaking hoax [climate change]."

"It insults my intelligence that so many people can be made to believe that light bulbs could destroy or irreparably harm something as complex and out of our control as the climate!" he shouted. "I don't care if there are billions of light bulbs on at the same time. I don't care. It's not a factor."

Limbaugh then went on a tirade about Big Brother-style intrusion and incompetence:

They have no business whether I buy a Big Mac, nobody's business how many calories are in it, nobody's business whether there's food justice or what the hell, what kind of toys are in a Big Mac Happy Meal. These people are an order of fries short of a Happy Meal, as far as I'm concerned, and they got no business telling me what kind of lightbulb I can and can't have and when I can turn the damn thing on and off, but they sure want that power. ... For crying out loud, we got a missile we can't even figure out what it was. We can't figure out where it came from. And they're telling us not to worry about it even though they don't have the slightest clue what it is. Bottom line is they do know what it is and they don't think we can handle being told what it is. They know what it is, we got satellites all over the world that pinpoint this kind of thing. And now we've got the stupid TSA, Big Sis, all the radiation and crotch grabs, people wearing latex gloves for cavity searches now for people getting on airplanes under the guise of preventing terrorism and so forth. No matter where you look, these incompetent SOBs are trying to take over every aspect of our lives.

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'Communist Manifesto,' 'Mein Kampf,' listed as alleged gunman's favorite reads

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Assassin's politics lean 'left wing, quite liberal'

'Communist Manifesto,' 'Mein Kampf,' listed as alleged gunman's favorite reads

ATTACK IN ARIZONA

By Aaron Klein © 2011 WorldNetDaily

"The Communist Manifesto" and Hitler's "Mein Kampf" were among the favorite reading materials of Jared Lee Loughner, the suspected gunman in today's fatal shooting that reportedly left six dead and gravely injured a U.S. congresswoman.

Lougher, 22, listed those tomes among his favorites on his YouTube channel, in which he wrote that "conscience dreams" were a "great study" at his college, Pima Community College.

Understand what's happening to America's culture and what you can do to fight it with "How Evil Works," autographed, from the WND Superstore.

One user on Twitter, Caitie Parker, wrote she went to high school, college and was in a band with the gunman. She said she hadn't seen him since 2007.

Parker wrote of Lougher, "As I knew him he was left wing, quite liberal and oddly obsessed with the 2012 prophecy."

She also described him as "more left."

Lougher also left a trail of bold political statements.

On his now deleted MySpace page, Lougher wrote a series of disjointed rants, including:

"If there's no flag in the Constitution, then the flag in the film is unknown. There's no flag in the Constitution. Therefore, the flag in the film is unknown. Burn every new and old flag that you see. Burn your flag!"

"I bet you can imagine this in your mind with a faster speed. Watch this protest in reverse! Ask the local police, 'What's your illegal activity on duty?'"

"If you protest the government, then there's a new government from protesting. There's not a new government from protesting. Thus, you aren't protesting the government."

Three months ago, Lougher made a YouTube video in which he proclaimed, "I know you're illiterate! This is the greatest protest for exposure into a wrongful act. The school is breaking the Constitution. If you watch the video then you'll understand. The teachers are taking advantage of you in the First and Fifth Amendment. The United States Constitution, which is the law, can be broken at this school."

With research by Brenda J. Elliott Read more at www.wnd.com

 

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Crime AZ Sheriff: ‘We’re Not Convinced He Acted Alone’

Amplify’d from www.theblaze.com

Crime AZ Sheriff: ‘We’re Not Convinced He Acted Alone’

Meredith Jessup

In a press conference Saturday evening, Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik confirmed that law enforcement officials have reason to believe another person may be involved in the shooting spree which killed six Saturday and injured 18 more, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz.

“We’re not convinced that he acted alone,” Sheriff Dupnik said, referring to the accused perpetrator, 22-year-old Jared Loughner. Until the other suspect has been found and questioned, police are refusing to identify him.  Authorities are reportedly hunting for a white man in his 50s.

Loughlin’s shooting massacre was brought to a halt when two “brave individuals” tackled him, the Sheriff announced.

Though Dupnik offered no details concerning the shooter’s motives for the crime, the Sheriff blamed unnamed members of the media for inciting the violence.

“When you look at unbalanced people, how they respond to the vitriol that comes out of certain mouths about tearing down the government. The anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous. And, unfortunately, Arizona I think has become sort of the capital. We have become the Mecca for prejudice and bigotry.

“It’s not unusual for all public officials to get threats constantly, myself included. And that‘s the sad thing of what’s going on in America. Pretty soon, we’re not going to be able to find reasonable, decent people who are willing to subject themselves to serve in public office.”

Additionally, Dupnik noted that federal judge John Roll was in the wrong place at the wrong time. According to the Wall Street Journal, Roll had showed up at Giffords event Saturday morning to thank her:

The federal judge who was shot dead Saturday at a political event in Tucson, Arizona, was there to thank U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords for backing his effort to get more judicial support for the swelling numbers of immigration cases in his district, according to two U.S. federal judges.

In an interview, Michael Hawkins, U.S. Circuit Court Judge of the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco, said Judge John Roll had recently asked Ms. Giffords to sign a letter to Alex Kozinsky, the chief judge of the Ninth Circuit, to help convince the court to declare his federal judicial district a judicial emergency due to the high number of immigration and border control cases that were being heard in that district. Read more at www.theblaze.com

 

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Government “The right of the people peaceably to assemble…”

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Government “The right of the people peaceably to assemble…”

Meredith Jessup

In a tragic irony, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was charged with reading the First Amendment on the House floor this week as the U.S. Constitution was read aloud. (emphasis mine)

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Best wishes for a speedy recovery for Rep. Giffords and all those injured in Saturday’s shooting.  My sincerest thoughts and prayers go out to all those who lost a loved one today. Read more at www.theblaze.com

 

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Amplify’d from www.theatlantic.com

The Cloudy Logic of 'Political' Shootings

James Fallows

After this horrible news from Tucson.... ... let me amplify something I said half-coherently in a live conversation with Guy Raz on All Things Considered a little while ago. My intended point was: Shootings of political figures are by definition "political." That's how the target came to public notice; it is why we say "assassination" rather than plain murder. But it is striking how rarely the "politics" of an assassination (or attempt) match up cleanly with the main issues for which a public figure has stood. Some killings reflect "pure" politics: John Wilkes Booth shooting Abraham Lincoln, the German officers who tried to kill Hitler and derail his war plans. We don't know exactly why James Earl Ray killed Martin Luther King, but it must have had a lot to do with civil rights. There is a longer list of odder or murkier motives: - Leo Ryan, the first (and, we hope, still the only) Representative to be killed in the line of duty, was gunned down in Guyana in 1978 for an investigation of the Jim Jones/Jonestown cult, not any "normal" political issue.   - Sirhan Sirhan horribly transformed American politics by killing Robert F. Kennedy in 1968, but Sirhan's political causes had little or nothing to do with what RFK stood for to most Americans. - So too with Arthur Bremer, who tried to kill George C. Wallace in 1972 and left him paralyzed. - The only known reason for John Hinckley's shooting of Ronald Reagan involves Jodie Foster. - It's not often remembered now, but Manson family member Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme tried to shoot Gerald Ford, again for reasons that would mean nothing to most Americans of that time. - When Harry Truman was shot at (and a policeman was killed) on the sidewalk outside the White Blair House, the attackers were concerned not about Cold War policies or Truman's strategy in Korea but about Puerto Rican independence. - The assassinations of William McKinley and James Garfield were also "political" but not in a way that matched the main politics of that time. The list could go on. So the train of logic is: 1) anything that can be called an "assassination" is inherently political; 2) very often the "politics" are obscure, personal, or reflecting mental disorders rather than "normal" political disagreements. But now a further step, 3) the political tone of an era can have some bearing on violent events. The Jonestown/Ryan and Fromme/Ford shootings had no detectable source in deeper political disagreements of that era. But the anti-JFK hate-rhetoric in Dallas before his visit was so intense that for decades people debated whether the city was somehow "responsible" for the killing. (Even given that Lee Harvey Oswald was an outlier in all ways.) That's the further political ramification here. We don't know why the Tucson killer did what he did. If he is like Sirhan, we'll never "understand." But we know that it has been a time of extreme, implicitly violent political rhetoric and imagery, including SarahPac's famous bulls-eye map of 20 Congressional targets to be removed -- including Rep. Giffords. It is legitimate to discuss whether there is a connection between that tone and actual outbursts of violence, whatever the motivations of this killer turn out to be. At a minimum, it will be harder for anyone to talk -- on rallies, on cable TV, in ads -- about "eliminating" opponents, or to bring rifles to political meetings, or to say "don't retreat, reload." Meanwhile condolences on this tragedy, and deepest hopes for the recovery of all who still have a chance. Read more at www.theatlantic.com

 

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Arizona Suspect Likely Facing Death Penalty for Fatally Shooting Federal Judge

Amplify’d from www.foxnews.com

Arizona Suspect Likely Facing Death Penalty for Fatally Shooting Federal Judge

AP

In this April 3, 2006, file photo, Arizona Federal District Judge John McCarthy Roll appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill to discuss immigration litigation reduction.

U.S. District Judge John M. Roll was killed in the shooting rampage in Arizona that took the lives of five others and injured as many as 12 more, including Rep. Gabrielle Jeffords. And while Roll's death initially was overshadowed by news of Giffords' injuries, the federal judge's murder could bring the harshest sentence if and when charges are filed against suspect Jared Loughner.

Roll was killed while just passing through an outdoor town-hall style event called "Congress on your Corner" held by Giffords in a Safeway parking lot in Tucson.

"My understanding is he just went to the Safeway to do some shopping ... and he just stopped to chat and say hi, " C.J. Karamargin, Giffords communications director, told Fox News.

Police say suspect Jared Lee Loughner, who is in FBI custody, killed six people, including Roll, a 9-year-old child and Giffords' aide Gabe Zimmerman, and wounded 13 others, including Giffords, who was shot in the head as she met with her constituents at the start of the meeting.

Pima County, Ariz., Sheriff Clarence Dupnik said authorities believe Giffords was targeted by the shooter. But Fox News legal analyst Andrew Napolitano said the killer is likely facing the death penalty even if he didn't target Roll or others in particular during the shooting.

Napolitano said it would be a federal crime of capital murder eligible for the death sentence if the killer's motive was to prevent Roll from carrying out his judicial role.

"If on the other hand he was just killed because he happened to get in the way, then it's not a federal crime, then Arizona law would take place. He still may be exposed to the death penalty but it would be under Arizona jurisdiction and not federal."

Napolitano said a federal prosecution is likely to occur first.

"The federal government almost always takes precedence when there is a joint jurisdiction," he said, explaining that there is joint jurisdiction in the investigation because two of the targets -- Giffords and Roll -- were federal officers. Homicide is typically a state crime.

Roll was appointed to the federal bench by President George H.W. Bush where he built a record that analysts say was "middle of the road."

Napolitano said that Roll wasn't a controversial jurist, didn't issue bizarre rulings that were outside the mainstream and wasn't known for interfering with the works of the state government.

"He was just a methodical, hard-working, well-respected, well-liked conservative jurist whose death is a shock to all of us in the legal community," he said.

Former Rep. John Shadegg, R-Ariz., told Fox News that Roll was "energetic, enthusiastic, he was very thoughtful, he would always thank me for anything I was able to do for the judges." He had been working to get a federal courthouse built or located in Yuma, Ariz., to deal with the vast number of immigration cases that arise from that sector of the border.

"He made no big waves," Shadegg said. "There has been no weird rulings from him. Just a serious, conservative judge who served the people for the entirety of his adult life in one way or another."

Roll's murder drew a rare public statement from Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.

"We in the judiciary have suffered the terrible loss of one of our own," he said. "Chief Judge John Roll was a wise jurist who selflessly served Arizona and the nation with great distinction, as attorney and judge, for more than 35 years."

"I express my deepest condolences to his wife Maureen and his children, as well as the other victims and their families," Roberts continued. "Chief Judge Roll's death is a somber reminder of the importance of the rule of law and the sacrifices of those who work to secure it."

President Obama mentioned Roll during a brief statement in which he said he "offered the full resources of the federal government" to Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer.

"Obviously our hearts go out to the family members of those who have been slain," he said. "We are going to get to the bottom of this, and we're going to get through this."

A statement issued on the U.S. District Court in Arizona said Roll was appointed to the federal bench in 1991, and served as chief judge of the district since 2006.

"The devoted husband, father of three, grandfather of five, and friend to all who knew him, will be greatly missed by his family and community. He was a warm, compassionate judge and inspirational leader in what is one of the busiest districts in the country. His death will leave a significant void in the District of Arizona and the entire federal judiciary, and we are all deeply saddened," the statement reads.

According to the Arizona Republic, Roll and his wife were given a protection detail from the U.S. Marshal's Service for about a month in 2009 after he presided over a $32 million civil-rights lawsuit filed by illegal immigrants against an Arizona rancher.

Roll and his family received hundreds of threatening phone calls after the judge ruled the case could go forward. But Roll didn't like the detail.

"It was unnerving and invasive," he told the newspaper. "By nature it has to be."

After four key men had been identified as threat makers, the newspaper reported, Roll followed the advice of the Marshals Service not to press charges. Read more at www.foxnews.com

 

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Sins are not forgiven without the shedding of blood! What people fail to realize is that Jesus died and shed His blood for all of our sins once and for all! So there is no further shedding of blood necessary if only you would accept God sacrifice of His only son for those sins! http://amplify.com/u/bl3jv

Bloodshed Puts New Focus on Vitriol in Politics

Amplify’d from www.nytimes.com

Bloodshed Puts New Focus on Vitriol in Politics

By CARL HULSE and KATE ZERNIKE

Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images

A woman dropped off flowers outside the office of Representative Gabrielle Giffords in Washington on Saturday.

WASHINGTON — The shooting of Representative Gabrielle Giffords and others at a neighborhood meeting in Arizona on Saturday set off what is likely to be a wrenching debate over anger and violence in American politics.

While the exact motivations of the suspect in the shootings remained unclear, an Internet site tied to the man, Jared Lee Loughner, contained antigovernment ramblings. And regardless of what led to the episode, it quickly focused attention on the degree to which inflammatory language, threats and implicit instigations to violence have become a steady undercurrent in the nation’s political culture.

Clarence W. Dupnik, the Pima County sheriff, seemed to capture the mood of the day at an evening news conference when he said it was time for the country to “do a little soul-searching.”

“It’s not unusual for all public officials to get threats constantly, myself included,” Sheriff Dupnik said. “That’s the sad thing about what’s going on in America: pretty soon we’re not going to be able to find reasonable, decent people willing to subject themselves to serve in public office.”

In the hours immediately after the shooting of Ms. Giffords, a Democrat, and others in a supermarket parking lot in Tucson, members of both parties found rare unity in their sorrow. Top Republicans including Speaker John A. Boehner and Gov. Jan Brewer of Arizona quickly condemned the violence.

“An attack on one who serves is an attack on all who serve,” Mr. Boehner said in a statement. “Acts and threats of violence against public officials have no place in our society.”

President Obama made a brief appearance at the White House, calling the shooting an “unspeakable act” and promising to “get to the bottom of this.”

Not since the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 has an event generated as much attention as to whether extremism, antigovernment sentiment and even simple political passion at both ends of the ideological spectrum have created a climate promoting violence. The fallout seemed to hold the potential to upend the effort by Republicans to keep their agenda front and center in the new Congress and to alter the political narrative in other ways.

The House was set to vote Wednesday on the new Republican majority’s proposal to repeal the health care law that had energized their supporters and ignited opposition from the Tea Party movement. Representative Eric Cantor of Virginia, the new majority leader, said Saturday that the vote and other planned legislative activity would be postponed.

The original health care legislation stirred strong feelings that flared at angry town hall meetings held by many Democratic lawmakers during the summer of 2009. And there has been broader anger and suspicion rising about the government, its finances and its goals, with the discourse partially fueled by talk shows and Web sites.

Tea Party activists also condemned the shooting. Judson Phillips, the founder of Tea Party Nation, noted on his Web site that Ms. Giffords is “a liberal,” but added, “that does not matter now. No one should be a victim of violence because of their political beliefs.”

But others said it was hard to separate what had happened from the heated nature of the debate that has swirled around Mr. Obama and Democratic policies of the past two years.

“It is fair to say — in today’s political climate, and given today’s political rhetoric — that many have contributed to the building levels of vitriol in our political discourse that have surely contributed to the atmosphere in which this event transpired,” said a statement issued by the leaders of the National Jewish Democratic Council. Ms. Giffords is the first Jewish woman elected to the House from her state.

During last spring’s health care votes, the language used against some lawmakers was ratcheted up again, with protesters outside the House hurling insults and slurs. The offices of some Democrats, including Ms. Giffords’s in Tucson, were vandalized.

Ms. Giffords was also among a group of Democratic House candidates featured on the Web site of Sarah Palin’s political action committee with cross hairs over their districts, a fact that disturbed Ms. Giffords at the time.

“We’re on Sarah Palin’s targeted list,” Ms. Giffords said last March. “But the thing is the way that she has it depicted has the cross hairs of a gun sight over our district. When people do that, they’ve got to realize there’s consequences to that.”

The image is no longer on the Web site, and Ms. Palin posted a statement saying “my sincere condolences are offered to the family of Representative Gabrielle Giffords and the other victims of today’s tragic shooting in Arizona. On behalf of Todd and my family, we all pray for the victims and their families, and for peace and justice.” (Late Saturday, the map was still on Ms. Palin’s Facebook page.)

Democrats have also pointed out cases where Republican candidates seemed to raise the prospect of armed revolt if Washington did not change its ways.

But many Republicans have noted that they too are subject to threats and abuse, and during the health care fight some suggested Democrats were trying to cut off responsible opposition and paint themselves as victims.

Sensitive to the issue, Tea Party activists in Arizona said they quickly reviewed their membership lists to check whether the suspect, Mr. Loughner, was associated with them. They said they found no evidence that he was.

Tea Party members in Tucson had disagreed sharply with Ms. Giffords, particularly as the health care debate unfolded, but she ended up backing the measure despite the political risks. They strongly supported her opponent, Jesse Kelly, in the November election, and staged several protests outside her office.

DeAnn Hatch, a co-founder of the Tucson Tea Party, said her group had never staged any rallies against the congresswoman elsewhere, and she did not believe there were any Tea Party protesters at the event Saturday.

“I want to strongly, strongly say we absolutely do not advocate violence,” she said. “This is just a tragedy to no end.”

But others said it would be hard to separate this shooting from the ideological clash.

“At a time like this, it is terrible that we do have to think about politics, but no matter what the shooter’s motivations were, the left is going to blame this on the Tea Party movement,” Mr. Phillips, from Tea Party Nation, said on his Web site.

“While we need to take a moment to extend our sympathies to the families of those who died, we cannot allow the hard left to do what it tried to do in 1995 after the Oklahoma City bombing,” he wrote. “Within the entire political spectrum, there are extremists, both on the left and the right. Violence of this nature should be decried by everyone and not used for political gain.”

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: Correction: January 8, 2011 An earlier version of this article misstated the year when Democratic lawmakers held town hall meetings about the health care legislation. It was 2009, not 2007. Read more at www.nytimes.com

 

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Amplify’d from voices.washingtonpost.com

Slain federal judge John Roll was at the center of Arizona's immigration debate

By Jerry Markon

John. M. Roll, the federal judge killed Saturday in the Tucson shooting that critically wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), has been at the center of the state's complicated political battle over immigration.

In February 2009, Roll received hundreds of threats after he allowed a lawsuit filed by illegal immigrants against a rancher to go forward. "They cursed him out, threatened to kill his family, said they'd come and take care of him. They really wanted him dead," a law enforcement official told The Washington Post in May 2009.

Threats against federal judges and prosecutors nationwide have been soaring in recent years. There is no indication he was the gunman's target, and witness accounts describe the shooter as firing at Giffords first.

U.S. marshals put Roll, who was appointed to the federal bench by President George H.W. Bush in 1991, under 24-hour protection for about a month. They guarded his home in a secluded area just outside Tucson, screening his mail and escorting him to court, to the gym and even to Mass.

Roll told the Post in May 2009 that "any judge who goes through this knows it's a stressful situation" and that he and his family were grateful for the protection.

More than a year after the threats against Roll, Arizona passed what is considered the nation's toughest immigration law, triggering a fierce national debate over illegal immigration and a lawsuit against the state by the Justice Department.

Roll, a Pennsylvania native, has served as the chief U.S. District Judge in Arizona since 2006. He is a former Arizona state appeals court judge and a former assistant U.S. attorney in Arizona, focusing on prosecuting drug cases, according to his judicial biography on Judgepedia. Read more at voices.washingtonpost.com

 

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Amplify’d from www.ydr.com

York County community works to combat elderly falling deaths

As the number of elderly fall deaths rise, organizations join efforts to end it.

By REBECCA LeFEVER Daily Record/Sunday News

York, PA - Retirement is seen as a time to enjoy relaxation and get good use out of the recliner that was neglected during a career. But for many aging adults, becoming inactive is one of the worst things they can do for their well being, according to Melissa Graham, aging services educator with York County Area Agency on Aging. Too much down time can lead to weaker muscles, Graham said. When that person finally stands to walk, their muscles aren't strong enough to carry them, and they fall. Falls are one of the leading causes of traumatic death in York County, according to the 2010 York County Coroner's Report. In an effort to combat fall death, the coroner's office has teamed with community organizations to reach out to the aging population. According to a 2004-2008 report by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, 8,181 inpatient hospitalizations were because of fall injuries, and 256 of those patients died from their injuries. "People need to realize that falling isn't a natural part of aging," said Beth Kehler, director of public relations and advocacy at the York County Area Agency on Aging. Kehler and Graham are each licensed trainers in the agency's A Matter of Balance program, which leads groups to create safer home environments and help the elderly develop strength and balance. Healthy Steps Fall Risk and Healthy Steps in Motion are also programs that have been used by area senior centers for about three years. While the agency sees members of the aging baby boomer population hitting the gym, a majority of their concern is with older adults who are in their homes and don't get out to senior centers or active senior groups. Community organizations teamed up last fall to reach the 90,000 aging adults in York County, Graham said. Representatives from a number of agencies, including Walgreens, York College, the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the York County Coroner's Office and Wellspan Trauma Service, gathered to find the best ways to assist the aging population. "People don't want to use bathroom grab bars or their cane because they feel they're accepting a handicap," Graham said. "That's probably one of our biggest battles." Getting into seniors' homes is the next step in fall prevention, according to Kehler. Kelly Niles-Yokum, assistant professor of gerontology at York College, instructs students on how to do home inspections and talk to aging adults about wellness. Getting rugs off the floor, installing additional lights and bathroom grab bars are some of the easiest ways to make a home safer. Niles-Yokum also recommends community involvement, such as longer crosswalk lights, neighborhood lighting and safer sidewalks to make it easier for senior citizens to be active outside their home. But cost remains a big factor in making changes, and while Graham and Kehler hope to apply for grants, they're also looking for companies and organizations to donate their time and goods. "A lot of partners means keeping the cost down," Kehler said. "It's also the best way for us to reach people from all different angles and needs." rlefever@ydr.com; 771-2088 How to help People interested in donating time and items to make seniors' homes safer can call Jenny Nace, information specialist with York County Area Agency on Aging, at 771-9007. Service available The York-Adams chapter of the American Red Cross is making it easier for aging adults to feel safe while alone by using a Lifeline pendant. Residents can subscribe for the service through a landline phone and wear a watch device that they press if they need help, according to Red Cross spokeswoman Victoria Connor. There is an activation, installation and monthly fee for the service, but discounts are available throughout the year, Connor said. There are more than 300 subscribers in York County. 2010 York County Coroner's Report --- Suicides: There were 59 reported suicides in 2010, down from the 75 in 2009, which was the most in a decade. York County has one of the highest rates of suicide in the state, according to the York County Suicide Prevention Coalition. Since 2005, not a month has gone by without at least one reported suicide. --- Drugs: 2010 had 44 drug deaths, the most in York County since 2001. Most of these deaths are accidental, according to York County Coroner Barry Bloss. Most victims are people who mixed or mistakenly overdosed on prescriptions, or abusers who overdosed. --- Drowning: The four drownings in 2010 were not unusual, except that three of them were reported in December had happened at private home pools or ponds, Bloss said. --- Auto: Crash deaths were down for the first time in 10 years, with 46 reported crash deaths in 2010. Bloss said more seatbelt use is a huge factor in driver safety, but DUI continues to be a problem. --- Homicides: There were 11 reported homicides in 2010, Bloss said, but that number seems to balance out with the past 10 years. As the population grows, Bloss said, they expect to see an increase in homicides, but that hasn't been the case. Instead, homicides have steadied out the past few years. Read more at www.ydr.com

 

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