Book Cliffs, Flickr user trosier. East-Central Utah, south of the Uintas and north of I-70.
Enjoy the view. The valley below is scheduled for fracking, which may not only impact the now-pleasant view, but contaminate the water in Lake Powell (and Lake Mead).
JanF and I team up to bring you news. Here is a big handful for Sunday evening. See you with a fresh diary mid-week.
notes: bombing in abbas, afghanistan? kenya elections?
From the newswires …
Sotomayor Leads Liberal Justices In Defending The Voting Rights Act
Seemingly aware that they were outnumbered and fighting an uphill battle, the four liberal justices on the Supreme Court defended the Voting Rights Act during Supreme Court oral arguments Wednesday with a mix of sharp questions, appeals to history, and indirect rejoinders to the more conservative justices.
All four of them participated actively in oral arguments. None was more emphatic than Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
The Obama-appointed justice asked the first question of the day. She hammered Burt Rein, the lawyer representing the challengers, Shelby County of Alabama, over its record of discrimination. The county contends that Section 5 is unfair to its residents and other jurisdictions that it requires to obtain federal preclearance before changing their voting laws.
Read More: Scalia: Voting Rights Act Is ‘Perpetuation Of Racial Entitlement’
Read More: Jamelle Bouie: Today in Magical Beliefs about Racism
Read More: Josh Marshall: Scalia, Top Democratic Plant?
AFL-CIO Executive Council Calls for Repeal of Sequestration to Disarm the Republican Hostage Takers
The AFL-CIO Executive Council today called on Congress to repeal-not replace-the economically destructive budget cuts that Republicans in Congress are using as leverage to demand Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare benefit cuts.
Read More: Woodward’s Sequester Spat With The White House (TIMELINE)
The Conservative Political Action Conference is facing backlash from … conservatives.
It began when it was reported that gay Republican groups like the Log Cabin Republicans and GOProud would not be in attendance at this year’s conservative confab in Washington, D.C. GOProud, in fact, was banned before last year’s event and was not welcomed back this year, either.
There was more trouble for CPAC when, this week, the chair of the American Conservative Union, which organizes the conference, explained that CPAC snubbed super-popular New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie because he opted in to the Medicaid expansion under Obamacare, and put too much pressure on congressional Republicans who were blocking Hurricane Sandy aid.
Read More: Conservative Group Gets Jump On ‘Primarying’ Republicans In 2014
Syria conflict: John Kerry set to up US aid to rebels
New US Secretary of State John Kerry is meeting Syrian opposition leaders in Rome, as the US prepares to increase its support for rebels fighting to topple President Bashar al-Assad.
He is attending a gathering of the Friends of Syria group of nations that support the Syrian opposition.
Mr Kerry is expected to announce increased “non-lethal” aid for the rebels but not weapons.
Police Chief Embarrasses Lindsey Graham At Gun Hearing
The police chief of Milwaukee called out Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) – an opponent of gun safety regulation – for echoing National Rifle Association talking points about the uselessness of expanding background checks for all gun purchases. The organization argues that the government should enforce existing laws instead.
Read More: Mark Kelly Says NRA Trying ‘To Make It Easier’ For Criminals And Mentally Ill To Get Guns
Quick Takes …
Photos: Rosa Parks Statue Unveiled On Capitol Hill: Civil Rights Leader Honored
Panic in Greek pharmacies as hundreds of medicines run short
“Pharmaceutical companies accused of cutting supplies because of low profits and unpaid bills”
Shell to suspend Arctic offshore drilling program over safety fears
“Oil company will ‘pause’ exploration off Alaska’s northern coasts over concerns for equipment and employees”
Are NFL hopefuls being vetted for their sexuality?
“The Player’s Association has called for an investigation into interview practices at the NFL combine”
EU agrees to cap bankers’ bonuses
“European Union officials have struck a provisional deal on new financial rules, including capping bank bonuses.”
Climate-Changed Coastlines Need New Maps
Mississippi Republicans Would Prohibit Towns From Establishing A Minimum Wage
From the newswires …
[]
Read More: []
Read More: []
[]
Read More: []
Read More: []
Quick Takes …
[]
[]
[]
This is NOT from Glacier National Park. It is nearby, and perhaps tweeted by a BLM person or a State Park person. I wish I had better attribution, I readily admit to nabbing this from the twitter.
UPDATE: commenters have identified the photo as Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska. So my twitter-radar was way off. I do have taking my kids to Glacier NP on my mind, and son and I are reading Ice Station Zebra.
Jan F and I are bringing your this Open News Thread! Watch for updates in comments! I’ll track this through Thursday, probably. Week is kinda busy ’til then.
I did find a little bird:
(in story below)
Photo credit to the National Park Service
Welcome to your Open News Thread! This diary will remain open and monitored through Sunday night, when I post my big fat diary. Jan F will add stories in the comments, and you are invited to add stories too.
Today my stories all came from twitter links.
People in China standing in line for a civil service exam.
Welcome to your nearly-nightly news diary that we leave open throughout the weekend! JanF and I are combining forces for an open news thread we hope will please all of you.
Please comment on any of the stories in the diary or comments, or share any news stories you like from anywhere! I tend to share lesser-known stories, and especially look for stories from original journalists w/ byline credits. And I frequently highlight my home state of Utah.
News stories may be added in comments throughout the day and night, so please stop back if you are inclined.
Welcome to your nearly-nightly news diary that we leave open throughout the weekend! JanF and I are combining forces for an open news thread we hope will please all of you.
Please comment on any of the stories in the diary or comments, or share any news stories you like from anywhere! I tend to share lesser-known stories, and especially look for stories from original journalists w/ byline credits. And I frequently highlight my home state of Utah.
News stories may be added throughout the day and night, so please stop back if you are inclined.
This will serve as the open news thread until Monday.
Warm sunny photo, Arches National Park, October 2012. Every photo I took of my kids, okay 95%, they had the sun in their eyes.
Welcome to your nearly-nightly news diary that we leave open throughout the weekend! JanF and I are combining forces for an open news thread we hope will please all of you.
Please comment on any of the stories in the diary or comments, or share any news stories you like from anywhere!
News stories may be added throughout the day and night, so please stop back if you are inclined.
This will serve as the open news thread until Thursday or Friday overnight.
Because sometimes we need warm sunny beach pictures.
Welcome to your nearly-nightly news diary that we leave open throughout the weekend! JanF and I are combining forces for an open news thread we hope will please all of you.
Please comment on any of the stories in the diary or comments, or share any news stories you like from anywhere!
News stories may be added throughout the day and night, so please stop back if you are inclined.
This will serve as the open news thread until Tuesday overnight.
2/3 of these came from my twitter and fb feed. 1/3 from my usual sources & topics, the last 5 in the International section. Because I am compelled to include Afghanistan (war), Pakistan (neighbor to Afghanistan & India), and India and China (population).
Welcome to your nearly-nightly news diary that we leave open throughout the weekend! JanF and I are combining forces for an open news thread we hope will please all of you.
Please comment on any of the stories in the diary or comments, or share any news stories you like from anywhere!
News stories may be added throughout the day and night, so please stop back if you are inclined.
This will serve as the open news thread until Sunday overnight.
Followup: Amish group sentenced – the Cleveland.com site for the Plain Dealer had an original article too, but I was unable to link to it. This is the AP’s work hosted at New York Daily News.