Category: 2018

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New Jersey Bureau of Securities Orders Three Online Cryptocurrency Promoters to Stop Offering Unregistered Securities in the State

Utah Software Engineer Mints Physical Bitcoins

May 22,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

NEWARK NJ, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal and the Division of Consumer Affairs announced that the Bureau of Securities (“the Bureau”) today issued three emergency orders to stop online cryptocurrency-related investment entities from fraudulently offering unregistered securities in New Jersey.

The Cease and Desist Orders against Bullcoin Foundation a/k/a Bullcoin Gold (“Bullcoin”,) Trident d/b/a Trident Crypto Index Fund (“Trident”,) and Springcryptoinvest were announced today as part of “Operation Cryptosweep,” an international crackdown on fraudulent Initial Coin Offerings (“ICOs”) and crypto currency-related investment products.
More than 40 other state and provincial securities regulators in the United States and Canada are participating in the sweep, which is being coordinated by the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA), of which the Bureau is a member.

“New Jersey’s Bureau of Securities has been a national leader in proactively protecting investors against the significant threat of fraudulent activity involving initial coin offerings and cryptocurrency-related investment products,” said Attorney General Grewal. “Today the Bureau joins securities regulators across the nation and beyond in sending a message that we will vigilantly safeguard our financial industry from schemes and scams involving cryptocurrencies.”
Operation Cryptosweep has resulted in nearly 70 investigations and 35 completed or pending enforcement actions since the beginning of May. NASAA members are conducting additional investigations into potentially fraudulent conduct that may result in additional enforcement actions. These actions are in addition to more than a dozen enforcement actions previously undertaken by NASAA members regarding these types of products.
“New Jersey is proud to announce enforcement actions under Operation Cryptosweep to help raise public awareness of the risks associated with initial coin offerings and cryptocurrency-related investment products,” said Kevin Jespersen, Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. “The Cease and Desist Orders we issued today successfully shut down three online entities seeking to prey on New Jersey investors.”
The Bureau found that Bullcoin is offering investors an unregistered security in the form of an ICO of its Bullcoin Gold cryptocurrency (the “BCG token”) through its website and through various social media websites. The Bullcoin securities were not registered with the Bureau to be sold in New Jersey. Bullcoin further violated the law by failing to disclose key material facts to prospective investors, including its assets and liabilities, or financial information about the business; the risks associated with the BCG tokens; and the cryptocurrencies that the Bullcoin fund would invest. The Bureau also found that Bullcoin made untrue statements of material facts on its website, including that it is “the leading crypto-hedge fund,” an assertion that is either untrue or unsupported.

The Bureau found that Trident is offering investors an unregistered security in the form of an ICO of its Trident coins (“TDC Coin”) through its website and through various social media websites. The TDC Coins were not registered with the Bureau to be sold in New Jersey. Trident further violated the law by failing to disclose key material facts to prospective investors, including the identity of its principals; its physical address and principal place of business; its assets and liabilities, or financial information about the business; the persons or entities that developed the TDC coins; and the persons or entities that are buying and selling the cryptocurrency in the Trident Crypto Index Fund. The Bureau also found that Trident made untrue statements of material facts, including a statement on its website that in 2017 the Trident Crypto Index Fund had a return of more than 1400 percent but there is no evidence provided of these returns; and a statement on its WhitePaper that since the beginning of 2016 TDC coin has “gained by a factor of 154” but the Trident Website indicates that Trident was not founded until 2017.

The Bureau found that Springcryptoinvest is offering investors an unregistered security in the form of various investment packages through its website and through various social media websites. In order to invest with Springcryptoinvest, investors must open an online account through its website. After opening an account, investors are urged to fund the account by purchasing a plan using the cryptocurrencies Bitcoin, Litcoin, or payment websites PerfectMoney or Payeer. The Springcryptoinvest investment packages were not registered with the Bureau to be sold in New Jersey. Springcryptoinvest further violated the law by failing to disclose key material facts to prospective investors, including the identity of its principals; Springcryptoinvest’s assets and liabilities, and other financial information; and how investor funds are invested. The Bureau also found that Springcryptoinvest made untrue statements of material facts on its website by claiming it was incorporated in the United Kingdom in November 2002 with 04588340 as its registration number. However, United Kingdom registration number 04588340 is not assigned to Springcryptoinvest, and there is no United Kingdom registration number for the name Springcryptoinvest.

“Not every initial coin offering or cryptocurrency-related investment is fraudulent, but the risk of fraud is significant,” said Christopher W. Gerold, Chief of the New Jersey Bureau of Securities and Chair of NASAA’s Enforcement Section. “Since cryptocurrencies began attracting headlines last year, we have been warning investors to approach crypto-related investments with extreme caution and stay away from any investment that requires them to transmit funds to an unidentified online entity that fails to disclose who is behind its investment products, the financial status of its business, and the physical location of its operations.”
In April 2018, NASAA organized a task force of its member state and provincial securities regulators to begin a coordinated series of investigations into ICOs and cryptocurrency-related investment products. Regulators identified many cryptocurrency-related products and as part of its work, the task force identified hundreds of ICOs in the final stages of preparation before being launched to the public. These pending ICOs were advertised and listed on ICO aggregation sites to attract investor interest. Many have been examined and some were determined to warrant further investigation. A number of these investigations are ongoing and others resulted in enforcement actions announced today.
NASAA’s task force also found approximately 30,000 crypto-related domain name registrations, the vast majority of which appeared in 2017 and 2018.

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Tuna Fish Price Fixing

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May 19,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Washington DC, A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Christopher Lischewski, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Bumble Bee Foods LLC, for participating in a conspiracy to fix prices for packaged seafood sold in the United States, the Department of Justice announced Wednesday.

The indictment, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in San Francisco, charges Lischewski with participating in a conspiracy to fix prices of packaged seafood beginning in or about November 2010 until December 2013.

“The Antitrust Division is committed to prosecuting senior executives who unjustly profit at the expense of their customers,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “American consumers deserve free enterprise, not fixed prices, so the Department will not tolerate crimes like the one charged in today’s indictment.”
“This indictment demonstrates the personal accountability of senior leadership at corporations,” said Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett. “The FBI and the Department of Justice will hold corporate leaders accountable for criminal actions that defraud American families.”

The one-count felony indictment charges that Lischewski carried out the conspiracy by agreeing to fix the prices of packaged seafood during meetings and other communications. The co-conspirators issued price announcements and pricing guidance in accordance with these agreements. Bumble Bee has already pleaded guilty and been sentenced to pay a criminal fine of at least $25 million as a result of the government’s ongoing investigation.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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North Jersey Partners Organizer of Harnessing the Power of the Millennial Workforce

NoJerseyPartnersMillennialWorkforceEvent2018

May 6,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Montclair NJ, North Jersey Partners brings you this event with the support of our generous sponsors:

Montclair State University, New Jersey Health Care Talent Network, NJIT Construction-Utilities Talent Network/TDC, Life Sciences Talent Network, NJMEP Advanced Manufacturing Talent Network, NJMEP Transportation, Distribution and Logistics Talent Network and the New Jersey Retail, Hospitality and Tourism Talent Network.

Employers, business owners and human resource professionals are cordially invited to attend our FREE spring event!
Executives from Bayer, Investors Bank, NJ Advance Media, Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health, SUEZ and Wawa will share how they have embraced this generation of workers and achieved workplace success. You will also have the opportunity to hear from millennials actively engaged in the workforce who will share their insights into the unique strengths of and challenges facing their generation in today’s labor market.
Millennials will comprise 40% of the workforce population by 2020.
Is your business prepared?

Parking is available at the Red Hawk parking deck on campus. Park on the 5th floor, if possible. The parking fee is $6.00 for a half day and $12.00 for a full day.

Date and Time
Fri, May 11, 2018
8:30 AM – 12:00 PM EDT

Location
Feliciano School of Business
Montclair State University
1 Normal Avenue
Montclair, NJ 07043

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Seaside Heights Bar Kicks Out Patron for Wearing a Trump Hat

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May 2,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Seaside Heights NJ, according to Christine Shapiro  on April 28th after our Trump Party , I went inside a bar called “Spicy Cantina” at Seaside Heights, NJ , while I was there , I ordered a drink and I started speaking with a couple. They had told me that they were from North Jersey and I said that I was also from North Jersey. Suddenly, the bartender approaches me and he says, “Listen I can’t have you harassing our customers about Politics. I will ask you to leave “. And I said that I didn’t harass anybody neither spoke about Politics. I felt offended of them telling me to leave. I spoke with the manager and I said that was discrimination of them judging me by my Trump Train shirt and flag that I was wearing on my back. He said it wasn’t a big deal. Afterwards, I left and came back again within 15 minutes. When I approached the door, the security guard said , ” I can’t have you come inside. The manager said your not allowed to come in.”

I was so disappointed. This is a country of freedom. Who kicks you out of a bar because of the clothing that you are wearing? Trump is our president. People need to accept it. I didn’t even say a word about politics inside. I couldn’t believe this was true.  I never felt so discriminated throughout my whole life. they are telling people that my side of the story is false but the truth is their side of the story is false.

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NORTH KOREA WILLING TO ACCEPT ‘COMPLETE DENUCLEARIZATION’ WITHOUT CONDITIONS

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April 19,2018
by Kevin Ryan

Seoul South Korea,  South Korean President Moon Jae-in said today that North Korea has expressed a commitment to “complete denuclearization” of the Korean Peninsula, and is not seeking conditions.

“They have not attached any conditions that the U.S. cannot accept, such as the withdrawal of American troops from South Korea. All they are talking about is the end of hostile policies against North Korea, followed by a guarantee of security.” He added that a deal could be reached that includes denuclearization, a peace treaty, and normalization of relations between the two Koreas and the United States.

Moon’s announcement comes following President Trump’s statement that he’d walk away from talks if he didn’t think they were producing results. Trump also said during a news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that his campaign of “maximum pressure” on North Korea would continue until Pyongyang gave up its nuclear weapons.

CIA Director Mike Pompeo visited North Korea last week and formed a “good relationship” with Kim Jong Un. A summit between the Korean leaders and President Trump is planned for May or June.

sourced :https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/north-korea-willing-accept-complete-denuclearization-without-conditions-moon-says-n867421

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Reader says The founding fathers designed the Constitution to deal with the eternal truth that national government USUALLY accumulate and abuse power

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The founding fathers designed the Constitution to deal with the eternal truth that national government USUALLY accumulate and abuse power and wanted the citizenry to have the ability to resist threats to their liberties. There is no mention nor even spirit in the language of the Constitution or Federalist Papers that law-abiding citizens be limited to weapons inferior to that of the military. There is AMPLE evidence that the founders wanted the citizenry to be able to DEFEAT a regular army (not to mention the paramilitaries of the blue windbreaker agencies FBI, DEA, ATF, IRS, etc. whose very existence would have chapped their @ss) if used to infringe on civil liberties. If you find such language, please feel free to share it.

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Reader says “Youth Led March” was a Leftist-organized exploitation of poorly-informed kids to stifle reasoned, fact-based debate

gun control march

You make simple arguments designed to hide the fact that 1) the NRA is a lobby group which gets its funds from its millions of law-abiding CITIZEN members (who vote accordingly), not a corporate treasury or union dues forcibly extracted from workers and 2) we already had in place all the laws necessary to have prevented Parkland, but the local and Federal government blew it badly in about a dozen different ways. The “March to Consolidate Coercive Power in the Hands of the Corrupt, Incompetent and Apathetic” was a Leftist-organized exploitation of poorly-informed kids to stifle reasoned, fact-based debate on this topic. They noticably excluded Andrew Pollack and Parkland students who deviated from the anti-gun myopia and shamefully used children to bash the NRA, Trump (but not Sheriff Israel) and register voters for Democrat demagogues who use crisis to further their agenda and quite frankly, can’t wait for the next shooting to occur.

 

 

 

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Shades of 1939 in “Hitler Youth” student gun control march

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March 26,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, there has been some objection even a few threats to the use of Nazi imagery by this blog , but more and more others are noticing the same thing . In an article on Saturday, March 24, 2018 by: Mike Adams of Natural News , titled “Hitler Youth” student gun control march invades Washington, follows in the footsteps of Nazis who disarmed the Jews before the Holocaust .https://www.naturalnews.com/2018-03-24-hitler-youth-student-gun-control-march-invades-washington-follows-in-the-footsteps-of-nazis-who-disarmed-the-jews-before-the-holocaust.html

Mike goes on to pull no punches The “Hitler Youth” invasion of Washington D.C. took place today as young fascists-in-training were corralled into the nation’s capitol to demand that government authoritarians strip away the civil liberties of all law-abiding Americans in the name of “gun control.” Even goes as far to say, ” Just like Hitler Youth enthusiasts, these fascists-in-training are told they’re “saving lives” for “a better future,” and that the only thing standing in their way is a bunch of violent gun owners who want to murder every baby in sight. (The irony of all these left-wingers actually condoning the abortion murder of babies, of course, is completely missed in all this.) ”

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The rest of the article Adams tears into the “Hitler Youth” student gun control movement, including point out the eerily similar salute and arm bands of the Hiler youth era.

Hitler youth on parade

While one reader made threats , “There is a small group – that likes to divide the community and is not open to change or new ideas. Constantly attacking and bullying the residents and especially people not in their camp – it is easy to look back and complain, rehash old things. This group – never brings new ideas or recommendations to the table for positive change – they are toxic. Anyone associated with this blog and supports those action and supports pictures of Nazi’s are disturbed. And if anyone is associated with this from the VC or any other public committee should dismiss themselves – You all discuss our prior councils short falls – this is far far worse in comparison.”

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Another reader states, The point of relevance is that the picture illustrates the small subset of Nazism called the Hitler Youth. The administrators and faculty of any given public school system in America are fixated, in love with the notion of converting the students under their care and instruction into political “mini me’s” (hence the “Hitler Youth” analogy), ready at the drop of a hat (or at a triggering tweet to a “flash mob”) to “fight the power” of any governmental authority that is not actively pushing their radical progressive political agenda. A picture is worth a thousand words”

Another reader voiced his thoughts,”your ignorance of world history is showing. If your a product of the Ridgewood schools, I want my $110 million back. One can point to countless examples of government slaughter of innocents (due to having all/most of the weapons). Just in the 20th Century alone, please reference 60 million dead in China 1958-62, 2-7 million dead in the Ukraine during the Holomodor, the Holocaust. (Jews were disarmed in Nazi Germany), etc., etc., etc. Thanks, I’ll keep my Bill of Rights (intact) and the lives it protects. The authorities had all the laws they needed in the Parkland case already on the books and they blew it. If you want stricter gun laws, move to Venezuela. The weather is great and you’ll be sure to lose those extra pounds from the winter on the “Maduro Diet”.

“People have been comparing these brats to Hitler Youth, but we might want to appreciate our good fortune that they are Starbucks loving, pot smoking, lazy, gender confused fornicators completely devoid of the German excellence, nationalist pride and quality graphic design (!) that marked their forebears.”

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Top Lobbying Spenders of 2017

Top 50 Lobbying Spenders of 2017

March 25,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, according to Open Secrets a government watchdog , the NRA is nowhere near the top lobbyist in Washington DC . Even though , “the NRA reported $779,000 in individual contributions in February. It was the most money raised in 11 months and more than the total raised in November, December and January combined.”

US Chamber of Commerce $82,190,000
National Assn of Realtors $54,530,861
Business Roundtable $27,380,000
Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America $25,847,500
Blue Cross/Blue Shield $24,330,306
American Hospital Assn $22,074,214
American Medical Assn $21,535,000
Alphabet Inc $18,150,000
AT&T Inc $16,780,000
Boeing Co $16,740,000
Open Society Policy Center $16,110,000
DowDuPont $15,877,520
National Assn of Broadcasters $15,460,000
Comcast Corp $15,310,000
Lockheed Martin $14,464,290
Amazon.com $13,000,000
Southern Co $12,970,000
National Retail Federation $12,890,000
NCTA The Internet & Television Assn $12,790,000
Oracle Corp $12,385,000

Data for the most recent year was downloaded on February 28, 2018.
Feel free to distribute or cite this material, but please credit the Center for Responsive Politics. For permission to reprint for commercial uses, such as textbooks, contact the Center: [email protected]

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The Satanic Temple Files Discrimination Lawsuit Against Scottsdale for refusing to allow Satanists deliver invocation at city council meeting

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March 4,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Scottsdale Arizona , the Satanic Temple (TST) has filed a lawsuit against the City of Scottsdale, Arizona alleging religious discrimination following the city’s refusal to allow TST to deliver an invocation prior to a City Council meeting. Both Scottsdale policy and Constitutional law require that if religious invocations are permitted, then any religious denomination that wants to deliver an invocation must be given an opportunity. Over the past eight years, every invocation given before the Scottsdale Council has been exclusively from Judeo-Christian faiths.

Evidence of willful and intentional discrimination was provided by communications from the council members. Public records of the council members’ emails reveal a flagrant bias against TST with Councilwoman Kathy Littlefield openly stating that she did ‘NOT want the Satanists’ to speak, and that the notion that a member of TST had the right to do so was an example of “taking equality too far.”

Attorney Stu de Haan, representing TST, states, “By the City Council’s own statements, it’s clear that their refusal to allow The Satanic Temple to speak was motivated by their intent to discriminate against a minority religion.”
After approving TST member Michelle Shortt to deliver a City Council invocation, the Council rescinded its offer and replaced Shortt with a Pastor from a local Baptist Church. During his Mayoral re-election campaign, Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane listed the silencing of Shortt as an “accomplishment” achieved during his time in office explaining on his website, “In Scottsdale we’ve decided to keep our traditional invocations and we’ve decided to send this Satanist sideshow elsewhere.”

According to TST spokesperson and co-founder, Lucien Greaves, “It’s disheartening when public officials can display such a flagrant disregard for the most foundational bedrock principles of Constitutional Law while acting upon their personal biases at the expense of their taxpayer base, who are ultimately left to pay the legal costs for the ignorance of their Mayor and City Council.”

While the invocation policy is supposed to allow for voices of any religious denomination, Mayor Lane has also stated that, “These invocations celebrate our diversity, as we have heard respectful and thoughtful messages from Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and countless other faiths.”

However, TST’s lawsuit notes, “At no time have members of the Muslim, Buddhist, or Hindu faith given an invocation before the Scottsdale City Council.”

The Satanic Temple is a non-theistic religious organization dedicated to Satanic practice and the promotion of Satanic rights. The Temple understands the Satanic figure as a symbol of man’s inherent nature, representative of the eternal rebel, enlightened inquiry and personal freedom rather than a supernatural deity or being. The mission of The Satanic Temple is to encourage benevolence and empathy among all people, reject tyrannical authority, advocate practical common sense and justice, and be directed by the human conscience to undertake noble pursuits guided by the individual will.

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U.S. Supreme Court to Hear Unions vs Free Speech Case

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February 23,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Washington DC, The Supreme Court is scheduled to return to Washington next week after nearly a month off. The justices will hear a number of important oral arguments, including a case involving free speech, and public employee unions.

Next Monday February 26th , the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in one of the most anticipated cases of the year, the case of Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Council 31.

This case could have an enormous impact on big union states like New Jersey and may impact many unions political influence like the NJEA.

The case focuses on Mark Janus who is not a public sector union member but has to pay fees ie inion dues anyway. Janus argues these fees “violate his free speech and free association rights.”

This case involves forcing public employees who opt out of union membership to pay a fee for the “fair share” of costs associated with collective bargaining. Mark Janus, an Illinois state employee, argues that forcing him to subsidize the union he has declined to join violates his free speech and free association rights.

The court will look at whether to overturn its 1977 decision in Abood v. Detroit Board of Education, which held that public employees could be forced to pay an agency fee.

This very issue was before the court in 2016 when Justice Antonin Scalia died. The court deadlocked 4-4 in Friedrichs v. California Teachers’ Association, thereby upholding the lower court ruling in favor of the California Teachers Association.

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FBI Will Review 16,750 Pages of Comey Documents in Response to Judicial Watch FOIA

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FEBRUARY 16, 2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Washington DC, Judicial Watch today announced that the FBI agreed to review 16,750 pages of records in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking the records for former FBI Director James Comey that were archived after he was dismissed. Judicial Watch came to this agreement with the FBI shortly after it filed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit to obtain the Comey records (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of Justice (No. 1:18-cv-00262)).

Judicial Watch discovered the cache of Comey records as a result of disclosures by the Justice Department in separate Judicial Watch litigation (here and here) to obtain the controversial “Comey memos” that allegedly memorialize conversations Comey had with President Trump.

There is significant public interest in Comey’s conduct and the FBI’s handling of the Clinton email and Russia collusion investigations and targeting of President (and candidate) Trump.

“The FBI has a terrible record of playing shell games with records – whether it be texts or memos by its disgraced former director James Comey,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “Our lawsuit, we hope, will force the FBI to expedite the review and the release of the 16,750 pages of Comey documents. Open the files.”

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Fox News Host Comments on How To Stop Mass Shootings Without Gutting the 2nd Amendment

1Greg Gutfeld

February 19,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Fox News host Greg Gutfeld made some concrete suggestions as to stemming the tide of school shootings.

Greg Gutfeld Show (@GregGutfeldShow) February 18, 2018

His points include:
Harden soft targets with security and training. Gutfeld notes that this is already being done by a wide swatch of business, entertainment, and political figures, plus many companies and organizations.
If you see something, say something, should be followed with do something. “The punk had a zillion red flags. The FBI were tipped off and blew it.” Gutfeld suggests a new motto: See something, say something, do something. Gutfeld explains that part of the problem is that neither of the two main sides in the gun debate trusts the other. “Common-sense gun control” is mostly a euphemism for taking away or harshly limiting gun rights, he suggests, while also implying that gun-rights maximalists are willing to let deranged “creeps” to get weapons as the cost of maintaining their own freedoms. “We need a database” to keep people such as Florida school shooter Nikolaus Cruz from getting guns, says Gutfeld. But as important, he says we need to “tag” people such as Cruz the minute they start acting off. Violation of the database would result in a felony conviction.
Address mental illness seriously. “Bring back psychiatric hospitals,” says Gutfeld, who notes that of course they still exist but that they “house less than one-tenth of the people they did back in the ’50s.”
Re-examine the media’s role. “If you look at [mass-shooting] killers, you’ll find an interest in those who came before them.” Gutfeld argues that the media should not report the names of mass shooters or show their pictures as a way of tamping down such incidents. “We advertise infamy,” which he says has an impact.

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There are 30,000 gun related deaths per year by firearms

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February 17,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, There are 30,000 gun related deaths per year by firearms, and this number is not disputed. U.S. population 324,059,091 as of Wednesday, June 22, 2016. Do the math: 0.000000925% of the population dies from gun related actions each year. Statistically speaking, this is insignificant! What is never told, however, is a breakdown of those 30,000 deaths, to put them in perspective as compared to other causes of death:
• 65% of those deaths are by suicide which would never be prevented by gun laws
• 15% are by law enforcement in the line of duty and justified
• 17% are through criminal activity, gang and drug related or mentally ill persons – gun violence
• 3% are accidental discharge deaths
So technically, “gun violence” is not 30,000 annually, but drops to 5,100. Still too many? Well, first, how are those deaths spanned across the nation?
• 480 homicides (9.4%) were in Chicago
• 344 homicides (6.7%) were in Baltimore
• 333 homicides (6.5%) were in Detroit
• 119 homicides (2.3%) were in Washington D.C. (a 54% increase over prior years)
So basically, 25% of all gun crime happens in just 4 cities. All 4 of those cities have strict gun laws, so it is not the lack of law that is the root cause.
This basically leaves 3,825 for the entire rest of the nation, or about 75 deaths per state. That is an average because some States have much higher rates than others. For example, California had 1,169 and Alabama had 1.
Now, who has the strictest gun laws by far? California, of course, but understand, so it is not guns causing this. It is a crime rate spawned by the number of criminal persons residing in those cities and states. So if all cities and states are not created equally, then there must be something other than the tool causing the gun deaths.
Are 5,100 deaths per year horrific? How about in comparison to other deaths? All death is sad and especially so when it is in the commission of a crime but that is the nature of crime. Robbery, death, rape, assault all is done by criminals and thinking that criminals will obey laws is ludicrous. That’s why they are criminals.
But what about other deaths each year?
• 40,000+ die from a drug overdose–THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THAT!
• 36,000 people die per year from the flu, far exceeding the criminal gun deaths
• 34,000 people die per year in traffic fatalities(exceeding gun deaths even if you include suicide)
Now it gets good:
• 200,000+ people die each year (and growing) from preventable medical errors. You are safer in Chicago than when you are in a hospital!
• 710,000 people die per year from heart disease. It’s time to stop the double cheeseburgers! So what is the point? If Obama and the anti-gun movement focused their attention on heart disease, even a 10% decrease in cardiac deaths would save twice the number of lives annually of all gun-related deaths (including suicide, law enforcement, etc.). A 10% reduction in medical errors would be 66% of the total gun deaths or 4 times the number of criminal homicides……Simple, easily preventable 10% reductions!
So you have to ask yourself, in the grand scheme of things, why the focus on guns? It’s pretty simple.:
Taking away guns gives control to governments.
The founders of this nation knew that regardless of the form of government, those in power may become corrupt and seek to rule as the British did by trying to disarm the populace of the colonies. It is not difficult to understand that a disarmed populace is a controlled populace.
Thus, the second amendment was proudly and boldly included in the U.S. Constitution. It must be preserved at all costs.
So the next time someone tries to tell you that gun control is about saving lives, look at these facts and remember these words from Noah Webster: “Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed, as they are in almost every kingdom in Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword, because the whole body of the people are armed and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops that can be, on any pretense, raised in the United States. A military force at the command of Congress can execute no laws, but such as the people perceive to be just and constitutional; for they will possess the power.”
Remember, when it comes to “gun control,” the important word is “control,” not “gun.”

https://www.quora.com/Every-year-there-are-about-30-000-close-to-0-009-of-the-population-gun-related-deaths-in-the-US-but-people-dont-seem-to-worry-about-guns-Why

 

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BREAKING Special Counsel’s Office Indictment : No allegation that any American knowingly participated and no alleged conduct altered the outcome of the 2016 election

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February 16,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Washington DC, The Department of Justice announced that a grand jury in the District of Columbia today returned an indictment presented by the Special Counsel’s Office. The indictment charges thirteen Russian nationals and three Russian companies for committing federal crimes while seeking to interfere in the United States political system, including the 2016 Presidential election. The defendants allegedly conducted what they called “information warfare against the United States,” with the stated goal of “spread[ing] distrust towards the candidates and the political system in general.”

“This indictment serves as a reminder that people are not always who they appear to be on the Internet,” said Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein. “The indictment alleges that the Russian conspirators want to promote discord in the United States and undermine public confidence in democracy. We must not allow them to succeed. The Department of Justice will continue to work cooperatively with other law enforcement and intelligence agencies, and with the Congress, to defend our nation against similar current and future schemes. I want to thank the federal agents and prosecutors working on this case for their exceptional service.”

According to the allegations in the indictment, twelve of the individual defendants worked at various times for Internet Research Agency LLC, a Russian company based in St. Petersburg, Russia. The other individual defendant, Yevgeniy Viktorovich Prigozhin, funded the conspiracy through companies known as Concord Management and Consulting LLC, Concord Catering, and many subsidiaries and affiliates. The conspiracy was part of a larger operation called “Project Lakhta.” Project Lakhta included multiple components, some involving domestic audiences within the Russian Federation and others targeting foreign audiences in multiple countries.

Internet Research Agency allegedly operated through Russian shell companies. It employed hundreds of persons for its online operations, ranging from creators of fictitious personas to technical and administrative support, with an annual budget of millions of dollars. Internet Research Agency was a structured organization headed by a management group and arranged in departments, including graphics, search-engine optimization, information technology, and finance departments. In 2014, the agency established a “translator project” to focus on the U.S. population. In July 2016, more than 80 employees were assigned to the translator project.

Two of the defendants allegedly traveled to the United States in 2014 to collect intelligence for their American political influence operations.

To hide the Russian origin of their activities, the defendants allegedly purchased space on computer servers located within the United States in order to set up a virtual private network. The defendants allegedly used that infrastructure to establish hundreds of accounts on social media networks such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, making it appear that the accounts were controlled by persons within the United States. They used stolen or fictitious American identities, fraudulent bank accounts, and false identification documents. The defendants posed as politically and socially active Americans, advocating for and against particular political candidates. They established social media pages and groups to communicate with unwitting Americans. They also purchased political advertisements on social media.

The Russians also recruited and paid real Americans to engage in political activities, promote political campaigns, and stage political rallies. The defendants and their co-conspirators pretended to be grassroots activists. According to the indictment, the Americans did not know that they were communicating with Russians.

After the election, the defendants allegedly staged rallies to support the President-elect while simultaneously staging rallies to protest his election. For example, the defendants organized one rally to support the President-elect and another rally to oppose him—both in New York, on the same day.

On September 13, 2017, soon after the news media reported that the Special Counsel’s Office was investigating evidence that Russian operatives had used social media to interfere in the 2016 election, one defendant allegedly wrote, “We had a slight crisis here at work: the FBI busted our activity…. So, I got preoccupied with covering tracks together with my colleagues.”

The indictment includes eight criminal counts. Count One alleges a criminal conspiracy to defraud the United States, by all of the defendants. The defendants allegedly conspired to defraud the United States by impairing the lawful functions of the Federal Election Commission, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. Department of State in administering federal requirements for disclosure of foreign involvement in certain domestic activities.

Count Two charges conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud by Internet Research Agency and two individual defendants.

Counts Three through Eight charge aggravated identity theft by Internet Research Agency and four individuals.

There is no allegation in the indictment that any American was a knowing participant in the alleged unlawful activity. There is no allegation in the indictment that the charged conduct altered the outcome of the 2016 election.

Everyone charged with a crime is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. At trial, prosecutors must introduce credible evidence that is sufficient to prove each defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, to the unanimous satisfaction of a jury of twelve citizens.

The Special Counsel’s investigation is ongoing. There will be no comments from the Special Counsel at this time.