This is the dis-ease

[the-dis-ease]

"TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — What first appeared to be an isolated problem in one Florida county has now spread statewide, with election officials in nine counties informing prosecutors or state election officials about questionable voter registration forms filled out on behalf of the Republican Party of Florida.

State Republican officials already have fired the vendor it had hired to register voters, and took the additional step of filing an election fraud complaint against the company, Strategic Allied Consulting, with state officials. That complaint was handed over Friday to state law-enforcement authorities." (Friday, September 28, 2012)

[loveyourrebellion]

D.C. Launches First Ever Transgender Respect Ad Campaign

[votifi]

56 days left until voting. Here is a snapshot of who actually votes in elections. 

[the-dis-ease]

"Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh on Tuesday proposed putting “bags of money” around the levees in New Orleans so that “Republicans can get rid of even more Democrats” when poor people drowned because they tried to make off with the cash." (The Raw Story)

Classy...

[the-dis-ease]

At least 7 dead, including shooter; reported hostage situation (TMJ4)

[the-dis-ease]

"OAK CREEK - Police and fire departments have responded to the scene of deadly shootings at a religious site in Oak Creek Sunday morning.

Pictures from Chopper 4 showed at least four people who were reportedly killed, though Oak Creek Police did not confirm those reports.

One witness told Newsradio 620 WTMJ's Dan O'Donnell that at least two, possible four gunman were hiding inside the temple.

As of 12:10 p.m., JSOnline reported at least 20 people who were shot, and shooters possibly inside holding children as hostages." (TMJ4)

[the-dis-ease]

Spain: austerity measures spur nationwide protests, rallies turn violent (July 19/20 2012)

[the-dis-ease]

"Prosecutors in Norway have called for self-confessed mass killer Anders Behring Breivik to be considered insane in their closing argument at his trial.

Prosecutor Svein Holden said there were still doubts about his insanity but he should be placed in psychiatric care, not sent to prison.

Judges in the trial in Oslo are due to deliver their verdict in the trial in July or August." (BBC News)

[the-dis-ease]

"An earthquake in northern Italy has killed at least four people and caused serious damage to buildings in several towns, local officials say.

The magnitude-six quake struck in the middle of the night, about 35km (22 miles) north of the city of Bologna.

The four victims were killed by falling masonry. Italian media report two more quake-related deaths.

The tremor caused "significant damage to the cultural heritage" of Emilia Romagna region, the government said." (BBC News)

[the-dis-ease]

"Germany's Deutsche Bank has agreed to pay $202m (£125m) to settle charges it defrauded the US government over the resale of risky mortgages.

The US Department of Justice said Deutsche's MortgageIT subsidiary lied to get Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insurance for its loans.

The bank admitted responsibility, which cost the federal government $386m when the mortgages defaulted." (BBC News)

[the-dis-ease]

"JPMorgan Chase, the biggest US bank, has revealed a surprise trading loss of at least $2bn (£1.2bn) on complex investments made by its traders.

Chief executive Jamie Dimon blamed "errors, sloppiness and bad judgement" for the losses and warned "it could get worse".

The risky hedging strategy could cost the bank an additional $1bn, he added.

JPMorgan shares dropped 7% in after-hours trading, and other bank shares also fell." (BBC News)

See also: Loss may cost all banks

[reuters]

A new Gallup poll shows sentiment on the legality of same-sex marriage is close, with 50% of people surveyed in favor of the law recognizing same-sex marriages as valid, while 48% of those surveyed think it should not be valid.

The poll shows, politically, the most support for same-sex marriage comes from those who identify as Democrats. Most who identify as Republicans came out in opposition to same-sex marriage. [REUTERS]

READ MORE: President Obama voices support for same-sex marriages

[huffpost]

“I’ve always been adamant that gay and lesbian Americans should be treated fairly.”

Obama Backs Gay Marriage! (via huffingtonpost)

[shortformblog]

Wal-Mart hit with almost $500,000 in fines after losing overtime suit

$4.8 million in unpaid overtime to be paid by Wal-Mart source

» The ruling follows a probe by the U.S. Department of Labor, during which investigators determined that Wal-Mart unfairly exempted approximately 3,700 employees from receiving overtime. All of the employees come from two departments, with 1,700 set to receive an average of $290 a piece, and the remaining 2,000 or so receiving approximately $2,300 a piece.

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[thepeoplesrecord]

The Occupy Wall Street May Day drone in Union Square

[the-dis-ease]

"News Corp chairman Rupert Murdoch took to the stand at the Leveson Inquiry declaring his session was an opportunity "to put certain myths to bed". He is seen here with his wife Wendi Deng leaving the court having repeatedly claimed there had been a "cover-up" at the News of the World over the extent of phone hacking, but insisting it was kept hidden from him." (BBC News)

See also...

[the-dis-ease]

"Rupert Murdoch is as finished in the United Kingdom, like Conrad Black and Robert Maxwell before him. The only difference is that they can't quite get him into jail. This, in a sense, means his agony is going to be prolonged. Understanding that Britain is a lost front, he will retreat to his US stronghold. From New York, the process of disposing of the British papers, which, by reliable insider accounts, has begun, will hasten (meaning less qualified buyers will be considered, hardly a good outcome for British journalism); and the fate of BSkyB will be weighed. Should they stand and fight? Can they hold on? Or is the cost insuperable, and the task impossible? They – the Murdoch family, and News Corp executives – still regard themselves as safe in New York. The seventh floor of 1211 Sixth Avenue is their bunker. Nothing less than a direct hit will take them out. A curious thing about the various British investigations is that no American-based News Corp executives have been called to testify. While it is true that the British papers operated as remote outposts, with, often, only Murdoch himself as their connection to company headquarters, it is the people in New York – probably, only the people in New York – who can establish what Rupert knew and when did he know it." (Michael Wolff, Guardian)