Sure, D.C. is the mecca for politicians. But it's a more clandestine army of professionals that defines the District -- lawyers.
An astounding one in 12 District residents -- by far the highest rate nationwide -- is a lawyer, according to American Bar Association and census figures. Put another way: The nation's capital accounts for just one-fifth of 1 percent of the U.S. population but one in every 25 of its lawyers.
[...]Coupled with the cocoon of a massive federal work force, an abundance of litigators has catapulted the Washington region to the wealthiest in the nation, where the typical household banks nearly $85,000 a year.
According to a recent survey by the National Association for Law Placement, the median salary for an associate lawyer in the Washington region with between one and eight years of experience was $186,250, eclipsing the national median by $63,000 a year.
The attack on protesters in Oakland by a large and heavily-armed police force received particular attention, with one protester struck in the head and severely injured by a police projectile. Video footage shows the protester, Scott Olsen, standing still as projectiles were fired. Then, while Olsen lay on the ground bleeding, a cop threw a stun grenade into a group of protesters who c... (more)
In August 2010, while searching for an officer’s stolen handgun, Harrisburg police seized tens of thousands of dollars in cash from Antoine Black’s home on Logan Street.
Black is claiming in a federal lawsuit that the cops should have left that money alone, especially since they didn’t find the missing gun in his house or charge him with a crime.
He is arguing that the seizure of the cash, which authorities unsuccessfull
16 Reasons Why Mitt Romney Would Be A Really, Really Bad President
posted 10/31/2011, 11:56 PM (EndoftheAmericanDream) [Category: Politics/Corruption] At this point, it appears very likely that Mitt Romney is going to be the Republican nominee for president in 2012. He has raised far more money than any of the other candidates, he is leading or is near the lead in all of the early states, the mainstream media have anointed him as the frontrunner and a number of recent polls show that most Republicans fully expect Romney to win the nomination. So will ... (more)
Oo-rah
posted 10/31/2011, 11:59 PM (Fred Reed) [Category: Commentary] I read frequently among the lesserly neuronal of the supposed honor of soldiers, of the military virtues of courage, loyalty, and uprightness – that in an age of moral decomposition only the military adhere to principles, and that our troops in places like Afghanistan nobly make sacrifices to preserve our freedoms and democracy. Is not all of this nonsense?
Honor? A soldier is just a nationally certified hit-man, perfectly amoral. When he joins the military he agrees... (more)
Middle East Propaganda 101
posted 10/31/2011, 11:56 PM (Glenn Greenwald) [Category: Commentary] When it comes to American propaganda about the Middle East, this New York Times article — detailing U.S. plans to bolster its influence in the region after it “withdraws” from Iraq — is a masterpiece. Here’s the crux of the new American strategy and its ostensible rationale:
With an eye on the threat of a belligerent Iran, the administ
"They should be frustrated with the government; that's what's wrecked the economy, not capitalism," says Peter Schiff on Fox & Friends. Schiff says he sympathizes with the Wall Street Occupiers' outrage but his understanding of the free market tells him anger should be directed toward Washington DC instead. Air Date: October 28, 2011.
FBI Targets V For Vendetta Mask Owners
posted 10/31/2011, 11:48 PM (Bleeding Cool) [Category: Tyranny/Police State] The FBI have targeted anyone who might have been involved with the Denial Of Service attacks on PayPal, Mastercard, Amazon and more in the wake of the Wikileaks release of ambassadorial communiques, with over forty search warrants and subpoenas so far.
Professor Richard Muller, of Berkeley University in California, and his colleagues from the Berkeley Earth Surface Temperatures project team (BEST) claimed to have shown that the planet has warmed by almost a degree centigrade since 1950 and is warming continually.
A Sister's Eulogy for Steve Jobs
posted 10/31/2011, 11:47 PM (New York Times) [Category: Science/Technology] I grew up as an only child, with a single mother. Because we were poor and because I knew my father had emigrated from Syria, I imagined he looked like Omar Sharif. I hoped he would be rich and kind and would come into our lives (and our not yet furnished apartment) and help us. Later, after I’d met my father, I tried to believe he’d changed his number and left no forwarding address because he was an idealistic revolutionary, plotting a new world for the Arab people.
The Century of the Self: The Untold History of Controlling the Masses Through the Manipulation of Unconscious Desires
Operation Gladio: The Hidden History of U.S. Sponsored False Flag Terrorism in Europe
The New American Century: The Untold History of The Project for the New American Century
One is probably sitting near you when you Metro into work. And eating lunch at the table next to you. And one, if not many, likely lives on your block on Capitol Hill or Georgetown.
The Occupy movement continues to spring up across America, and the authorities are taking notice.
At this point, it appears very likely that Mitt Romney is going to be the Republican nominee for president in 2012. He has raised far more money than any of the other candidates, he is leading or is near the lead in all of the early states, the mainstream media have anointed him as the frontrunner and a number of recent polls show that most Republicans 
Cop Who Karate Chopped NY Judge In Throat Gets Off Scot-Free
Florida Cop Smashes Compliant Woman's Face Into Car -- "Maybe Now You Can Understand Simple Instructions"
VIDEO: Lapel Cam Reveals A Day In The Life Of A U.S. Police Officer (Tasing, Beating, Breaking & Entering, Stomping On Heads... and Laughing About It)
Caught On Tape: Officer Sucker Punches Inmate In Face, Files Report Claiming 'Self Defense'
Insult Person On Twitter, Go To Jail
SWAT Team Brings TV Crew To Film Raid Against Threatening Internet Critic -- Raids Innocent Grandma Instead
Cop Karate Chops NY Judge In The Throat
When the Right to Resist Becomes the "Duty to Submit"</a></font></td></table><br><table width='100%' bgcolor='white' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0'>
<td><a id='title2' href='index.php?id=37117'><b>Central banks top up gold reserves</b></a><font face='Arial' class='Arial12'>
posted 10/31/2011, 11:49 PM (<a href='http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/commodities/8858493/Central-banks-top-up-gold-reserves.html'>The Telegraph</a>)<br>[<a href='index.php?categories'>Category</a>: <a href='index.php?category=Economy'><b>Economy</b></a>]<br><font face='Arial' class='Arial12'>
<IMG hspace='5' src='files/thumbnails/Gold_Bars.jpg' align='left' border='1'>Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Thailand spent a collective $1.52bn (£942m) buying 26.7 tons of gold. However, the Mexican central bank was a seller, reducing its holding by 0.1 ton, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.<br />
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Thailand's gold reserves rose 11pc to 152.41 tons and Bolivia's bullion reserves increased 17pc to 49.34 tons. Bolivia increased its holdings by 5pc to tons and Tajikistan's bullion stockpile increased 26pc to 4.74 tons.<br />
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Over the past 20 year</font>... <a href='index.php?id=37117'>(more)</a></font></td></table><br><table width='100%' bgcolor='white' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0'>
<td><a id='title2' href='index.php?id=37116'><b>Greek Bailout Delays the Inevitable</b></a><font face='Arial' class='Arial12'>
posted 10/31/2011, 11:49 PM (<a href='http://www.fff.org/blog/jghblog2011-10-31.asp'>Jacob G. Hornberger</a>)<br>[<a href='index.php?categories'>Category</a>: <a href='index.php?category=Commentary'><b>Commentary</b></a>]<br><font face='Arial' class='Arial12'> The European Union’s bailout of Greece will only delay the inevitable because it doesn’t get to the root of the problem — Greece’s welfare state, along with the fierce refusal of the Greek citizenry to abandon the welfare-state way of life. <br />
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It’s amusing to watch Greek citizens protest so vehemently against Germany, whose taxpayers have just been plundered to bail out the beleaguered Greek government. It’s also amusing to watch those same Greek citizens protest any reductions in</font>... <a href='index.php?id=37116'>(more)</a></font></td></table><br><table width='100%' bgcolor='white' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0'>
<td><a id='title2' href='index.php?id=37115'><b>Occupy Wall Street, Obamacare, & Bailouts - Peter Schiff on Huckabee</b></a><font face='Arial' class='Arial12'>
posted 10/31/2011, 11:49 PM (<a href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CRs9J1_MfE'>YouTube</a>)<br>[<a href='index.php?categories'>Category</a>: <a href='index.php?category=Economy'><b>Economy</b></a>]<br><font face='Arial' class='Arial12'><iframe width=){kind=link}