Ida Making Landfall Between Mobile and Panama City

A weakened Tropical Storm  Ida is barreling down on the Gulf Coast between Panama City,Fl and Mobile, AL Tuesday. The national weather service has issued tropical storm warning from Grand Isle, LA to Aucilla River,Fl. The warning including the city  and parish of New Orleans  and Parishes surrounding Lake PONTCHARTRAIN.

At 9P.M. CST Ida was moving north 13 mph; a decrease of speed. When Ida makes landfall near Mobile Ida will make a turn to the north-northeast; bringing heavy seas, high winds and heavy rains. Maximum sustained winds is 65 mph.

Tropical Storm force winds will be felt in a radius of  200 miles.

Ida is expected to bring between 3-6 inches of rain. Some isolated storm cells will dump up to 8 inches of rain across portions of the Southeast US and Mid-Atlantic states.

Schools, and government offices except first responder will be closed.

Storm surge will cause 3 to 5 feet above ground.

WKRG has a list of Shelters in the Mobile area.

WJHG-TV/HD “NewsChannel7″ has the list of  shelters in Panama City,FL area.

WKRG-TV/HD “News5″

WJHG-TV/HD

Controversy: US Attorney General Speaks at CAIR Event

 

US Attorney General Eric Holder, the nations top cop will be speaking at an event in Detroit that will have members of Michigan branch of CAIR  the Council of American-Islamic Relations. Except one thing there The FBI has cut off all ties with CAIR in 2007.

The event hosted by Advocates and Leaders for Police and Community Trust, a coalition of several dozen law enforcement and community group including  the ACLU and US Department of Justice.  A flyer list CAIR as a participant

Holder will speak at the Event which will be held on November 19 in Detroit.

In 2007, The FBI severed ties with the controversial group after federal prosecutors  in the trial of Officers of the Texas Religious charity and group  Holy Land  Foundation for Relief and Development. Document show that link between CAIR and  the Muslim Brotherhood which is related to Hamas.

A spokesperson with Advocates and Leaders for Police and Community Trust, said CAIR is member of group.

“CAIR has been involved for a while,” said Chandra McMillion, community development facilitator for ALPACT. “CAIR is listed as an official member.”

In fact the local CAIR  leader Dawud Walid, the Michigan Executive Director told the Politico that CAIR is member of ALPACT.

“It’s really nothing controversial. We’ve been part of this organization for years,” he said. “We meet every month and included with us is the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI.”

Walid regularly with members of ALPACT. “A lot of people are there: the NAACP, the ACLU, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee…the National Lawyers’ Guild,” he said.

Calls to the Department  of Justice were referred  to the FBI field office in Detroit. FBI office in Detroit referred to FBI headquarters in Washington,D.C.

A spokesman with the FBI confirmed of Special Agent-In-Charge in Detroit Andy Area will be the host.

“We are co-chairing the event. We are not sponsoring the event,” spokeswoman Jennifer Burnside said. She said the FBI “didn’t have any role” in selling tickets for the event or in issuing invitations.

Burnside also stressed the fact that the dinner is not a closed briefing. “It’s a public event and Joe off the street could attend,” she said.

Another reason the FBI is involved is the tribute to  FBI agent  Paul Sorce, an  agent that was killed in the line of duty while preforming surveillance

“Honoring a fallen agent is very important to us,” Burnside said.

Asked about the FBI’s policy regarding CAIR  Burnside said, “Our policy doesn’t prohibit the FBI participating in meetings where CAIR is going to be involved.”

Former Federal Prosecutor Andrew McCarthy, was disappointed but not surprise of the FBI involvement with CAIR.

I wish I could say I’m surprised but I’m not remotely surprised,” McCarthy said. “When [the FBI] said they cut off formal ties with them, whenever they say something like that you have to look very carefully at the way it’s worded… The last administration was guilty of it, this administration is guilty of it—they have determined it is more important to have what it can publicly hold out as ties to the Muslim community than it is to be careful about who you have the ties with.”

The Politico has more.

Did Major Hasan Attempt to Contact Al Qaeda???

New Questions has arisen now that the Army and Feds knew that Major Nidal Hasan had tried to contact Al Qaeda ABC news has learned.

US intelligence agencies including the CIA have been monitoring Major Nidal  for months  discovered he was trying Al Qaeda by “electronic means” brief ABC news anonymously on classified material.

Brian Ross of ABC News says the Army was aware but what was done about it is not certain.

Republican  Representative Pete  Hoekstra of Michigan the top ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee is asking the CIA and other agencies of   what was known and what is being done. The CIA rebuffed  Hoeksta.

Rep. Hoekstra issued what a called a document preservation request to CIA head Leon Panetta. The letter dated on November 7th went to the following agency heads Dennis Blair(DNI),  Robert Mueller(FBI); Lt. Gen Keith Alexander (NSA) and Leon Panetta (CIA).

Hoekstra is “absolutely furious” that the requests were denied to the intelligence committee.

“This is a law enforcement investigation, in which other agencies—not the CIA—have the lead,” CIA spokesman Paul Gimigliano said in a response to ABC News. ” Any suggestion that the CIA refused to brief Congress is incorrect.”

Investigators want find out if Hasan  was in touch with radical Muslim Cleric Anwar al Awlaki, who was the head of a mosque in Falls Church,VA in Suburban Washington,D.C. Al Awlaki is now in Yemen.

Ironically, Cleric al Awlaki posted on his blog:

“Nidal Hassan Did the Right Thing,” Awlaki calls Hasan a “hero” and a “man of conscience who could not bear living the contradiction of being a Muslim and serving in an army that is fighting against his own people.”

The AP learned the Hasan attended the same mosque in Falls Church that Al Awlaki preached at about  time of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

The London Telegraph  revealed that Al Awlaki  had made contact with two of the 9/11 hijackers when he was based in San Diego. Al Awlaki denied knowing the hijackers and he was never charged. Soon Afterward Al Awlaki left for Yemen.

On Sunday, Senator Joseph  Lieberman(I-CT) wonders out loud if Hasan is a Radical Muslim extremist and calls for an investigation to find out if the Army missed clue into Hasan’s mindset.

“If Hasan was showing signs, saying to people that he had become an Islamist extremist, the U.S. Army has to have a zero tolerance,” Lieberman told Fox News Sunday.

ABC News

Eyes on Hurricane Ida for The Gulf Coast.

Hurricane Ida has left death and destruction in its wake. It is on a collision course with US Gulf Coast. Ida has killed 91 people in El Salvador. Sixty people were missing. The cause of the missing was mudslides and floods.

US oil refiners has evacuated oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday. Louisiana Offshore Oil plant. The facility that can handle larger supertankers have stop unloading ships  due to the storm.

A quarter of the US oil refining 15 percent of natural gas are produced in the  Gulf of Mexico. The  region produces 40% of the nations refining capacity.

The National Hurricane Center in Florida has issues a Hurricane watch from Grand Isle, LA to Mexico Beach,Fl.  New Orleans was not including.

Governor Bobby Jindal,  of Louisiana has proclaimed a state of Emergency on Sunday. This allows the government mobilized first responders.

The government in Mexico has called for mandatory evacuations for islands in the Caribbean Sea. However, the government will  not evacuate Cancun resorts.

Reuters

Secretary of US Army Warns Against Looking at Muslim Soliders

Army Secretary is concerned that Thursday shooting by Major Nidal Hassan will paint all Muslim soldiers as unpatriotic because of their religious beliefs.

General George Casey warns not to cast aspersions Muslim soldier and officers that would “cause a backlash against some of our Muslim soldiers.”

General Casey who appeared on three network news magazines including “This Week With George Stephanopoulos,”  asking for calm. Casey set out to remind the public the good of diversity.

“A diverse Army gives us strength,” General Casey, who visited Fort Hood Friday, said on “This Week.”

“The speculation could heighten the backlash,” he said on “This Week.” “What happened at Fort Hood is a tragedy and I believe it would be a greater tragedy if diversity became a casualty here.”

Senator Lindsy Graham on CBS News program “Face the Nation” Along with Senator Jack Reed of Senate Armed Services Committee pointed out Muslims have served with honor in the Army.

“At the end of the day this is not about his religion — the fact that this man was a Muslim,” Senator Graham said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

He added: “To those members of the United States military who are Muslims, thank you for protecting our nation, thank you for standing up against the people who are trying to hijack your religion.”

Senator Graham renews his support for Muslim soldiers and officers.

“I mean does every soldier who shows discontent with the war and every soldier that has had a bad performance report — what are we going to do with those folks?” Sen. Graham said. “At the end of the day, maybe this is just about him. It’s certainly not about his religion, Islam.”

New York Times

Breaking News:House Passes 2nd Health Care Reform Bill 220-215

Late Saturday House of Representatives voted 220-215. Only one Republican voted for the newest bill  H.R. 3962 The Affordable Health Care for America Act.  The 2nd in a series of bills in the House and Senate to bring health care to all Americans. 39 Democrats join the Republicans opposing the bill. The bill penalties in stiff fines which  must be paid or face imprisonment example:

Section 7203 – misdemeanor willful failure to pay is punishable by a fine of up to $25,000 and/or imprisonment of up to one year.

• Section 7201 – felony willful evasion is punishable by a fine of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment of up to five years.” [page 3]

A jubilant Speaker Nancy Pelosi was greatful for the victor used the  gavel to signal the win “The bill is passed”

The bill sponsor  US Representative John Dingel(D-MI)

“It provides coverage for 96percent of American. It offer everyone, regardless of health or income, the peace of mind that comes from knowing that will access to affordable health care when they need it,” said Rep. John Dingell, the 83 year old Michigan lawmaker who introduced national health insurance in every Congress since succeeding his father in 1995.

Republican who opposed the bill due to its cost over $2 trillion over the next ten years; covers illegal immigrants, abortions.

“We are going to have a complete government takeover of our health care system faster than you can say, “This is making me sick,”  jabbed Rep.  Candice Miller(R-MI) adding that Democrats were intent on passing ” a jobs-killing, tax-hiking deficit-exploding” bill.

Republican  placed an alternative bill that wouldn’t raise taxes, create high risk pool and did not place penalties if a person does not buys their own  or employer does not provided. It went down in defeat  of 258-176.

It  went down on a party line  vote.

My Way News

Big Government

Not Again Shooting in Orlando Office Tower Kills One and Injured Five

One person is Dead and 5 others were injured when a gunman open fire on a engineering firm in Downtown Orlando Friday.  The  was caught after police discovered the killer at his mothers home  across town.

The shooting took place at 16 story Legion Place office tower.  Occupants who work at the office building  evacuated the building. Police originally thought that the gunman Identified as Jason Rodriguez 40, of Orlando; was still in the building. Orlando Police discovered that Rodriguez has fled the scene. An all point bulletin was set for Rodriguez. Hours later he was spotted at his mother’s home in Orlando.

Orlando Police Chief Val Demings  said he was found at his mothers home.  Police spotted him in the front window of the home and Ordered Rodriguez out of the home.

Rodriguez was fired from the engineering firm  two years ago. He was also going through a divorce and owed thousand of dollars in debt. He worked at a pizza joint as driver making a fraction of his architect salary.

Reuters

Ft. Hood Killer Slip Through the Cracks

When Major Nidal Hasan went his killing spree at Ft. Hood on Thursday. No one knew of his anger towards the US.

Hasan problems began after September 11th Terrorist attacks. Hasan’ cousin told Fox News anchor Shepard Smith that he was harassed by fellow soldiers. He believed that US should not be in Middle East. He was hoping that President Obama would get the US out of Afghanistan.

According to Gawker Hasan was on Obama campaign  Homeland Security Policy Institute’s presidential transition task force last year. The group was to draft American policy recommendations for the in-coming Obama Administration.

According to AP a former classmate of Hasan gave a startling presentation at the war on terror was  a war on Islam. Hasan “made himself a lightning rod for things” when his faith was challenged.

According to Wall  Street Journal soldiers who witnessed Hasan “shouted Allahlu Akbar” the Arabic Phrase for God is Great before opening fire. Meanwhile the Army is investigating  Hasan writing on his blog if it gives clues into his mindset and his defense of suicide bombing.

The Army warns not to draw conclusions  on why Major Hasan would attack his fellow soldiers. There questions if his religion play any role in attack.

The Army psychiatrist was also  angry  about his deployment to Afghanistan. Hasan was previously stationed at Walter Reed Army Hospital. At Walter Reed. He was not a sympathetic voice or a sounding board when listening and talking to soldiers coming back from Iraq or Afghanistan. Or those who are shipping out.

However, those who know Hasan wasn’t aware of his hostilities towards the war and US role in it. They said couldn’t tell by his actions.

“It’s a shock,” said Col. Kimberly Kesling, who supervised Maj. Hasan at Ft. Hood.

Neighbors found Hasan friendly and personable.  His neighbor Patricia Villa didn’t notice anything wrong as he was preparing to leave for Afghnistan.  Nadal ask Villa to tidy up his apartment for $60. Villa asked about him about the deployment.

“I asked him, ‘Are you afraid of going over there?’” Ms. Villa recalls. “He said, ‘I’m ready for it.”

His    apartment complex owner Jose Padilla found him friendly. Hasan asked Padilla of his native language he said Spanish. He gave Padilla a Quran in Spanish. Two week ago Padilla give key to his owner and refused his $400 deposit.

“I cannot comprehend that the enemy was among us,” Padilla said, as he teared up. “I feel a little guilt that I was basically giving housing to someone who is going to do so much destruction.”

His relatives in the Washington D.C. area and the middle east was shock and troubled as well.

“Our family is filled with grief for the victims and their families involved in yesterday’s tragedy,” said Nader Hasan, a cousin who lives in northern Virginia. “We are mortified with what has unfolded and there is no justification, whatsoever, for what happened. We are all asking why this happened, and the answer is that we simply do not know.”

However, a cousin who lives in West Bank  said Hasan was treated poorly. “He told (them) that as a Muslim committed to his prayers he was discriminated against and not treated as is fitting for an officer and American,” said Mohammed Malik Hasan, 24, a cousin. “He hired a lawyer to get him a discharge.”

Mohammed Hasan said outside his home in Ramallah that he heard about the shooting from a relative. “I was surprised, honestly, because the guy and his brothers are so calm, and he, as I know, loves his work.”

Hasan filed a report with the Killeen Police Department  about vandalism to his car. An Army employee scratched his car causing about a $1000 in damages.  John Thompson manger of his building  said the soldier has just came back from Iraq and objected to Hasan’ religion. He took off sticker that read Allah is Love.

Wall Street Journal

AP Mobile News

Via Gateway Pundit

Fed Close Banks in California, Minnesota,Michigan, Georgia and Missouri

Another week another round of bank closings. This weeks of parade of Bank closures includes United California Bank based in San Francisco this largest to closes this week and the largest for the month November so far.

United California served largely Asian American community in California, New York, Georgia. UCB was also an international bank with branches in The People’s Republic of  China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. UCB had $11 billion in assets and $7.5 billion in deposits. Pasadena based East West Bancorp. Inc is the new owner.

United Security Bank  a very small bank in middle Georgia and it’s Atlanta area subsidiary Bank of Woodstock were closed by Georgia authorities. They were promptly sold to Ameris Bank.

Home Federal Savings Bank of Detroit was sold to Liberty Bank  of New Orleans. Home Federal was Detroit oldest Black owned bank. Home had two branches both will become branches  of Liberty.

Prosperan Bank of Oakdale,MN was closed by FDIC  quickly sold to Alerus Financial of Grand Fork, ND. Prosperan has three bank branches in Minneapolis-St. Paul suburbs all will be Alerus  Financial branches. The Oakdale and Maplewood branches re-opened today while Minnetonka re-opens on Monday.

Gateway Bank in St. Louis  was  closed by the Missouri Division Finance on Friday. Gateway’s lone branch will become a branch of Kansas City based Central Bank. Gateway Bank has $27.7 of assets and $27.9 deposits.

This brings numbers of bank closing to 120.

Yahoo Finance

Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Comcast.net Finance

KTVI-TV/HD “FOX 2 News”

Meet Sargent Kimberly Munley, Our American Wonder Woman

Sargent Kimberly Munley a civilian police  officer with Fort Hood Police shot down Major Nidal Hasan during the shooting spree at Fort Hood on Thursday. Sgt. Munley shot Hasan four times while he struck her in the shoulder and wrists.

US Army officials say it was Munley actions that stopped Hasan from reloading his gun. Munley was the first police officer who arrived on the scene at the Soldiers Readiness Processing Center.

Colonel John Rossi spokesperson for the Army told reporters at a briefing on Friday at Ft Hood said the victims  killed processing center system were unharmed.”Her efforts were superb,” he said.

Ft. Hood commander Lt. Col. Robert Cone praised Officer Munley.

“She happened to encounter the gunman. In an exchange of gunfire, she was wounded but managed to wound him four times,” he said.

“It was an amazing and aggressive performance by this police officer.”

Colonel Steven Braverman commander of FT. Hood’s Darnall Army Community Hospital says Sgt. Munley is at local community hospital and recovering and she is in stable condition.

Meanwhile Major Hasan has been transferred to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. Hasan in a coma  at this time.

Times of London