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U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced new funding to the Palestinian Authority and held talks with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit on Wednesday, a day before her scheduled meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in New York.  

Clinton said that she and her Egyptian counterpart discussed several issues here in Washington, ranging from Israeli-Palestinian issues to the international tribunal investigating the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.  

"It is important that we do everything we can at a particularly sensitive time in the region to try to redouble our efforts to achieve a two-state solution [to Israeli-Palestinian tensions], to help stabilize the situation in Sudan, and to work to ensure that the people of Lebanon can have accountability in the search for justice," said Hillary Clinton.

Clinton said that the issue at the top of the agenda was the need for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks toward a two-state solution.

The U.S. Secretary of State has echoed President Barack Obama's criticism of Israel's announcement this week that it is moving ahead with plans to build 1,300 new housing units in East Jerusalem.

Egypt's Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit told reporters at the State Department that Egyptian officials believe the United States is making a serious effort to bring both parties to the negotiating table and that Israel needs to show it is serious about peace.

"I have to tell you that we are concerned," said Aboul Gheit. "We are concerned because we feel that Israel is not doing what is required on the Israeli side to do."

U.S.-brokered peace talks stalled last month when Israel did not extend a freeze on most West Bank settlement activity.  The Palestinians say they will not return to the talks without an extension of the freeze.

Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat has said that in the absence of peace talks, the Palestinians might seek support in the United Nations for a declaration of independence.

Clinton said the United States believes that both sides should refrain from unilateral actions that could jeopardize the peace process.

Earlier, Clinton announced that the United States has transferred $150 million in new aid to the Palestinian Authority to help close its budget gap.  

"This new funding will help the Palestinian Authority pay down its debt, continue to deliver services and security to its people, and keep the progress going," she said. "It will support our work together to expand Palestinians' access to schools, clinics and clean drinking water in both the West Bank and Gaza [Strip]."

The secretary of state said the funds bring U.S. direct budget assistance to the Palestinian Authority to $225 million this year.  Overall support and investment to the Palestinians is nearly $600 million for the year.

http://www.voanews.com/english.....-Aid--107047048.html

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"This new funding will help the Palestinian Authority pay down its debt, continue to deliver services and security to its people, and keep the progress going,"

Wait, we borrow from China, to give it to the Palestinians, while our own people are suffering??

Excuse me Lord, but WTF?

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More Americans than ever rely on federal support to put food on their tables. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that fully 1 in 8 Americans use food stamps to purchase monthly groceries.

That number is staggering and yet there doesn't appear to be an end in sight to the increase. In three years, the number of people utilizing food stamps has increased from 26 million Americans to 42 million, as unemployment soared from 4.3% to over 9% nationally.

Maybe we should give Castro, Park and Putin some $$ to, so that THEIR economy and country is stabilized - the hell with US.

It's called redistribution of wealth isn't it great.

no.....it's called buying friends

My goodness these "world rulers" are really over the top. This is where the local ones take their lead from.
They talk about millions and billions like it is pocket change.
They will hang themselves, till then best we can do is stop giving them "money" wherever we can.
SO ,they give 150 mill to the Palestinians, they also give mega bucks to the "chosen ones" on the other side of the fence.
A 2 state solution would be good?
We will see how she feels about a 50 state solution.
I see her talk about Libya ,how Mubarack should not do harm to the people, but here on our side of the pond it is good for government goons to come down hard on our people.
News Link  •  Drug War
http://blog.montananorml.org/2011/03/14/live-blog-dea-raids-of-medical-marijuana-in-montana/
Now myself is not a weed fan but I ain't never seen someone smoke a joint and then go out and kill anyone or beat up his wife.
I have seen drunk dudes beat up there wife and kids though but that is a legal drug.

On a more local level, I was stopped by a couple of the Rotterdam PD a while back while walking in the neighborhood, when they pulled along side one got out and barked at me about wanting to talk. I asked him is there something specific you want t talk about? He said no I just want to talk.
Which is okay I usually love talking to people but when they come on like Mr. Meany I become apprehensive.
My first thought was gee I ain't Dr. freakin Phil here, but rather than say that I politely told him , well sir if there is nothing specific I will be on my way and continued walking.
Well gosh o gee my guess is He did not like that, cuz He came after me and grabbed my arm and In his most authoritative tone said HEY I WANT TO TALK!
I asked him to let go ,he refused and then his little partner jumped out of his car and grabbed my other arm.
Wow.. I thought, these fellas are trying to handcuff me.So we danced around while till they finally gave up and tazed me 4 times to subdue me.
I think they enjoyed that cuz when I fell to the pavement the one cop stomped his boot right down in front of my face.
They got me to their man cave down under the courthouse and the supervisor guy accused me of assaulting his men.
I explained that I did not assault any men but your 2 boys assaulted me.  The one cop hollered, I only grabbed him with 2 fingers and a thumb kinda like my kids when they get caught taking cookies.
The they all look at each other and run upstairs. After a while they come back and with glee they had a whole list of charges.
They worked really hard to get me to contract with them  but I just kept my mouth shut.
They kept telling me how the ball was in my court, like this is basketball? gimmie a break hehehehehe.
They tell me I was making it hard on myself, LMAO!!!.
What really got me was when he said I could go home if I admitted to wrong doing or I could go to jail.
Their sundry other attempts to get me to play ball were pretty lame really.
It is a fun story though all in all.

ditcher.........there is a similar story that happened about 15 years ago to a friend of mine but with the SPD. The wife took pictures of her beaten husband. Tried to bring it to trial. FAILED!! They were told that both of their jobs would be in jeopardy if they continued to persude the issue.

Needless to say they all walked away like it never happened.

And may I say, that unless a cop has a SPECIFIC reason to stop anyone.............NO ONE HAS TO STOP FOR A COP!!!! Just ask any attorney!! Do you know that if you are stopped and they want to search your car.......IT'S A FLAT 'NO'!! Again,ask any attorney!!! Cops need to relearn the law!

Dang, that is sad obey or eat not?
  Not a new story I know, but one thing is I do not have anything to lose, except maybe my status as a blessed and highly favored Rotterdamian



DeBour’s Four Levels of Street Encounters

PEOPLE V. DEBOUR 40 N.Y. 2d 210 Predicate Permissible Response
LEVEL 1 Objective Credible Reason Approach to request information
LEVEL 11 Founded Suspicion Common Law Right of Inquiry
LEVEL 111 Reasonable Suspicion Stop and (if in Fear of
Weapon), Frisk.
LEVEL 1V Probable Cause Arrest and Full Search Incident

Specific Police Conduct
LEVEL 1
P.O. can ask non-threatening questions regarding name, address, destination and,
if person carrying something unusual, police officer can ask about that1.
Encounter should be brief and non-threatening. There should be an absence of
harassment and intimidation.2
Can say “STOP” (If not “forceful”)3
Can approach a stopped car.4
Can touch holster.5
Can not request permission to search.6
Can not cause people to reasonably believe they’re suspected of crime, no matter how calm and polite the tone of the questions.7

LEVEL 11
Can ask pointed questions that would reasonably lead one to believe that he/she is suspected of a crime.8
Questions can be more extended and accusatory. Focus on possible criminality.9
Can request permission to search.10
Can not pursue.11
Can not forcibly detain.12

LEVEL 111
Can forcibly detain 13
Can frisk for weapons, if in fear. 14
Can pull car out of flow of traffic.15
Can order defendant to lie on ground (for good reason)16
Can handcuff (for good reason)17
Can pursue.18

LEVEL IV
Can arrest and search incident.19


1 People v. Hollman & Saunders 79NY2d181(1992)
2 People v. Hollman, fn 1, supra.
3 People v. Bora 83NY2d531(1994)
4 People v. Harrison 57NY2d470 (1982)
People v. Ocasio 85NY2d982 (1995)
5 People v. Diaz 80NY2d950 (1992)
People v. Reyes 83NY2d945 (1994)
6 People v. Hollman, fn 1, supra.
7 People v. Hollman, fn 1, supra.
8 People v. Hollman, fn 1, supra.
9 People v. Hollman, fn 1, supra.
10 People v. Hollman, fn 1, supra.
11 People v. Holmes 81NY2d 1056 (1993)
12 Holmes, fn 11, supra.
13 CPL 140.50 Terry V. Ohio 392 US1 (196
14 Terry, fn 13, supra
15 People v. Ingle 36NY2d 413 (1975)
16 People v. Chestnut 51NY2d 14 (1980)
17 People v. Allen 73 NY2d 378 (1989)
18 People v Leung 68 NY2d 734 (1986)
19 U.S. v. Watson 423 US 411 (1976) Chimel v. Cal. 395 US 752 (1969)

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