D.C. Police ? NBC requested and was denied ... - Legal Insurrection

As noted in an earlier post, an email has surfaced purporting to be from the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department stating that NBC requested permission to use a high capacity ammunication magazine and that the request was denied.

The email first appeared on?the AR15 gun forum, and then at the The Patriot Perspective blog which first broke the Gregory story.

Here is the email, with the addressee?s identity removed:

?From: ?DC Police (imailagent)? <customerservice.mpd2@dc.gov>
Subject: Email from DC Police (Intranet Quorum IMA00519327)
Date: December 24, 2012 4:13:12 PM EST
To: -

The Metropolitan Police Department is in receipt of your e-mail regarding David Gregory segment on ?Meet the Press.? MPD has received numerous e-mails informing us of the segment. NBC contacted MPD inquiring if they could utilize a high capacity magazine for their segment. NBC was informed that possession of a high capacity magazines is not permissible and their request was denied. This matter is currently being investigated. Thank you for taking the time to bring this matter to our attention.

Customer Service ? Metropolitan Police Department?

Fearing the email was a hoax, I was cautious about running the text of the email. But as earlier reported, a confidential source who works for D.C. government verified that the email was in a format used by the MPD:

?? the Metropolitan Police Department email reply you received is genuine. DC Government uses ?Intranet Quorum? software designed by Lockheed to manage general inquires. The email address and the subject line of the email you received are consistent with that software.?

Now I have received confirmation that the e-mail is authentic.

(added) For much of the day yesterday and last night I sought confirmation from the D.C. Police.? After numerous emails exchanged last night and conversations this morning, I finally was able to receive the authentication needed, as well as confirmation of the request by NBC and denial by the MPD.

I forwarded the text of the email, exactly as it appears above, to?Gwendolyn Crump, Director, Office of Communications for the MPD, with the following question:

Can you confirm that is a real email sent from your system. I am informed that the email format is consistent with the Intranet Quorum format you use. Putting aside the substance of the investigation, I just want confirmation that it is a genuine email sent from your system.

I would appreciate your response on that specific question. Thank you.

Ms. Crump responded:

?Yes. I can confirm that what you sent appears to be the IQ system message.?

I further followed up to make sure that the email was an actual email sent by MPD, not just that it ?appeared? to be one, and Ms. Crump confirmed:

?Yes, that email was sent from MPD.?

Officer Aziz Alali of the MPD Public Information Office further confirmed the authenticity of the e-mail, and gave me this statement by telephone:

?NBC contacted the Metropolitan Police Department inquiring if they could utilize a high capacity magazine for this segment. NBC was informed that that possession of a high capacity magazine is not permissible and?the request was denied. This matter is currently being investigated and I cannot get into any further specifics on this investigation.?

NBC News has not responded to multiple inquiries?as to the request and denial, or whether the magazine was real or just a prop. During the segment in question, Gregory stated ?here is a magazine for ammunition that carries 30 bullets.?

If it turns out the magazine was in violation of D.C. law, the fact that NBC News was warned by the D.C. Police not to use the magazine puts a whole new light on the incident, turning it into an intentional violation of the law.? While the law does not require intent, the existence of intent could influence a decision whether or not to prosecute.

Update:? Thanks to all the blogs and websites who linked here and properly credited us with getting the D.C. Police to confirm?this story, including but not limited to, Instapundit, Huffington Post (!), Hot Air, The Daily Caller, Breitbart.com, and more ? Newsbusters.

As to this, well, at least there?s some emotional satisfaction:

Drudge - Gregory Defy Police

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Source: http://legalinsurrection.com/2012/12/d-c-police-nbc-requested-and-was-denied-permission-to-use-high-capacity-magazine-in-news-segment/

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Gene-Altered Fish Moves Closer to Federal Approval

[unable to retrieve full-text content]The Food and Drug Administration concluded that a genetically engineered salmon would have ?no significant impact? on the environment.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/22/business/gene-altered-fish-moves-closer-to-federal-approval.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

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Michael Chang tips about surprising the opponents ? Tennis News ...

Michael Chang tips about surprising the opponents ? Tennis News

American professional, Michael Chang, rocked the world in 1989 by clinching a Roland Garros French Open title at the age of 17. He was the youngest male player ever to register such a majestic milestone in his teenage.

The media reporters of The Tennis Space visited the 40-year-old American earlier this month and asked him to give some tips about dismantling the concentration of the rival. During his conquest at Paris, he shocked the world by hitting an under-arm serve against Ivan Lendl in the fourth round. It is something that we don?t often see at the elite platforms.

Commenting about upsetting the opponent with guile, Chang stated to The Tennis Space, "You don?t want to be predictable. It was Andre Agassi who first showed me how effective an underarm serve could be, and how you could unsettle an opponent. He used to do that in junior matches in the 12-and-unders and the 14-and-unders."

Remembering the event when he used that technique in the fourth round of the French Open, Chang added, ?It was a spur of the moment decision, really, for me to hit an underarm serve during my fourth-round match against Ivan Lendl at the 1989 French Open. He was forced to come in and he didn?t like that. I think that underarm serve changed the whole mentality of the match. After that, he became more frustrated that the match wasn?t going his way.?

Chang was one of the most agile players of his era. He moved quickly on the court and played from the baseline. He was the founder of the jumping double-handed backhand as well. He reached the career-high ranking of world number two in his professional career and stayed amongst the Top-10 players for a long period of time during 1990?s.

Chang registered five consecutive years of success at the elite podium. He maintained a consistent record from 1992 to 1997; scoring 58, 62, 66, 65, 63 and 55 victories in each year respectively. He said goodbye to the world of tennis in 2003 at the age of 31. It was a pleasure to witness such a prolific 5?9 professional athlete of 90?s.

Source: http://blogs.bettor.com/Michael-Chang-tips-about-surprising-the-opponents-Tennis-News-a210870

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Egypt constitution passes, economic crunch looms

CAIRO (AP) ? The official approval of Egypt's disputed, Islamist-backed constitution Tuesday held out little hope of stabilizing the country after two years of turmoil and Islamist President Mohammed Morsi may now face a more immediate crisis with the economy falling deeper into distress.

In a clear sign of anxiety over the economy, the turbulence of the past month and expected austerity measures ahead have some Egyptians hoarding dollars for fear the currency is about to take a significant turn for the weaker.

The battle over the constitution left Egypt deeply polarized at a time when the government is increasingly cash-strapped. Supporters of the charter campaigned for it on the grounds that it will lead to stability, improve the grip of Morsi and his allies on state institutions, restore investor confidence and bring back tourists.

"In times of change, politics are the driver of the economy and not the other way around," said Mourad Aly, a media adviser for the political arm of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood, the backbone of Morsi's presidency and the main group that backed the constitution.

But there are already multiple fights on the horizon.

The U.S. State Department bluntly told Morsi it was now time to make compromises, acknowledging deep concerns over the constitution.

"President Morsi, as the democratically elected leader of Egypt, has a special responsibility to move forward in a way that recognizes the urgent need to bridge divisions, build trust, and broaden support for the political process," said Patrick Ventrell, acting deputy spokesman. "We hope those Egyptians disappointed by the result will seek more and deeper engagement. "

He said Egypt "needs a strong, inclusive government to meet its many challenges."

After a spate of resignations of senior aides and advisers during the constitutional crisis, Morsi appeared to have lost another member of his government late Tuesday night when his communications minister posted on his Twitter account that he was resigning.

The minister Hany Mahmoud said he "couldn't cope with the culture of government work, particular in the current conditions of the country." The resignation could not be immediately verified because it came so late at night.

Morsi signed a decree Tuesday night that put the new constitution into effect after the election commission announced the official results of the referendum held over the past two weekends. It said the constitution has passed with a 63.8 percent "yes." Turnout of 32.9 percent of Egypt's nearly 52 million registered voters was lower than most other elections since the uprising nearly two years ago that ousted authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak

Morsi is expected to call for a new election of parliament's lawmaking lower house within two months.

In the meantime, the traditionally toothless upper house, the Shura Council, will hold legislative power. But the chamber is overwhelmingly Islamist-dominated so any laws it passes could spark a backlash from the opposition. Many fear a legal crackdown on independent media, highly critical of Islamists.

In a bid to reach out to opposition, the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood said he hoped the charter will be a "good omen" for Egyptians.

"Let's all begin to build the renaissance of our country with free will, good intentions and strong determination, men, women, Muslims and Christians," Mohammed Badie said on his Twitter account.

But the opposition said the passing of the document is was not the end of the political dispute. Critics fear the constitution will usher in Islamic law in Egypt and restrict personal freedoms.

"This is not a constitution that will last for a long time," said Khaled Dawoud, a spokesman for the main opposition group, the National Salvation Front, vowing to fight for more freedoms, social and economic rights.

In a sign that the new front for the opposition against Morsi's policies may be the economy, Dawoud said the Morsi administration was "confused" both on the political and economic fronts.

"We want stability and economic prosperity like everybody else. But we don't believe that the policies of Morsi and the Brotherhood will lead to more stability," he said.

The turmoil over the constitution sparked huge protests that turned deadly at times. For a moment, the tension looked like it was spiraling out of control and only added to an already weakened economy.

At the height of the protests, the government called off its talks with the International Monetary Fund over a $4.8 billion loan which Morsi's government viewed as a way to attract much needed foreign investors, and deal with a high budget deficit.

Major foreign currency earners, such as foreign direct investment and tourism, have dropped off because of political unrest and deterioration in security following Mubarak's ouster in February 2011.

Over the last two years, the country has lost more than half of its foreign currency reserves from $36 billion in 2010 to around $15 billion currently. The reserve level has been slightly propped up by some Qatari deposits in past months.

Economic experts say that Egypt's current foreign reserves barely cover three months of imports, which is the IMF's minimum recommended coverage.

There were signs on Tuesday that some Egyptians were starting to hoard dollars for fear that the local currency could weaken significantly.

The run on the dollar was fueled in part by a decree issued by Morsi late Monday banning people from leaving Egypt with more than $10,000 or its equivalent in other currencies.

Some currency exchanges in the upscale Cairo neighborhood of Zamalek ran out of dollars by midday and offered only euros ? a rare occurrence. Some banks, too, said they had run out of cash dollars.

"I asked around in many exchange places and can't find dollars anywhere," said Cairo resident Mahmoud Kamel after unsuccessfully visiting one exchange office. "I want to exchange money because I'm afraid the Egyptian pound will not have any value soon."

The dollar rush prompted the Central Bank of Egypt to issue a statement on Monday calling on banks not to listen to rumors circulating about the fiscal health of the nation.

The bank declared its commitment to guarantee all deposits in local and foreign currencies to banks in Egypt and said banks are "financially strong enough."

There was one particularly nerve-rattling report in recent days that longtime Central Bank Governor Farouk Okdah had resigned. The report came on Saturday during the second and final round of voting on the constitutional referendum.

Official media quickly retracted the news after reporting it. The governor then turned up at a meeting of the government's economic team on Sunday in an apparent attempt to quell nervousness over the state of the economy.

Egypt's currency had been stable trading around 6 pounds to the dollar for the first half of the year. It has since slipped, especially in the past two months as political instability worsened. The dollar was selling Tuesday at 6.18.

Rumors swirling around impending tax hikes, subsidy cuts and other bread-and-butter issues have heightened the public's concern. Around 40 percent of Egyptians live just at or below the poverty line of surviving on around $2 a day.

In a sign of the worsening economy, the number of people living on under $1 a day rose to 25 percent in 2011, up from 21.6 percent in 2009, according to government statistics released last month.

Promises that the Islamist-drafted constitution would bring about the stability Egyptians crave were dismissed by economic experts who warned that without enough currency reserves, there is little to stop the pound from falling.

"The instability of the foreign exchange rate is not at all detached from the political instability. It is a reflection and clear mirror to what is happening," said Haytham Abdel Fattah, head of the Treasury and International Markets Manager at Industrial Development Bank.

______________

Mariam Rizk contributed to this report

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-12-25-Egypt/id-6899c2c3f0c74d259fc076654d4177c6

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A Gift Wrapping Idea Using Sheet Music That's As Simple As 'Do Re Mi'

  • Tea Wreath

    This unique wreath is perfect for any hostess, homemaker or tea-lover you know.

  • Striped Umbrella

    Turn a blah umbrella into a stylish accessory in no time.

  • Leather Pouch

    A one-of-a-kind gift that only costs $15 to make.

  • Collegiate Scarf

    Forget the college bookstore -- you won't even need to leave home to make this spirited gift.

  • Shower Curtain

    This hand-embroidered shower curtain will turn any bathroom into a fun and relaxing oasis.

  • Instagram Cards

    Bring memories to life by turning Instagram photos into a very personal greeting card set.

  • Fabric Scrap Keychains

    These keychains make inexpensive stocking stuffers.

  • Animal Bookends

    Brighten up a bookshelf with these fun and colorful bookends.

  • Wool Throw Blankets

    A great way to stay warm and cozy this winter!

  • Typographic Coasters

    A great gift for anyone who has an opinion on Helvetica vs Times New Roman.

  • Altoid Tin Toolbox

    This mini toolbox is the perfect place to store nails, screws and other small hardware.

  • Heart-Shaped Potholders

    The perfect gift for the hostess with the mostess.

  • iPhone Book Dock

    A decorative way to hold and charge your smartphone.

  • Neckties For Men

    Give him something he will actually use.

  • Monogrammed Mugs

    A great way to personalize a practical item.

  • Icy Treat Cell Phone Holders

    These cute popsicles and ice cream sandwiches will help you stay organized.

  • Pantone Chip Magnets

    A colorful gift any artsy friend would love.

  • Confetti-Sprinkled Napkins

    A great gift to give the frequent entertainer on your list.

  • Paint-Splattered Umbrella

    Brighten up a rainy day with a neon umbrella.

  • Knitted Coasters

    Practice knitting squares make for a perfect set of coasters.

  • Washi Tape Journals

    The perfect gift for the writer on your list.

  • Monogrammed Soaps

    This gift is really easy to personalize.

  • Paper Doll Kit

    Give a gift that any creative and crafty kid would adore!

  • His And Hers Pillowcases

    These his and hers pillowcases are perfect for any couple sharing an apartment or moving into their first home together!

  • Kindle Case

    Any e-reader owner will love this one-of-a-kind case.

  • Neon Coiled Bowls

    Fill these bowls with something they love to make this the ultimate gift.

  • Chic Luggage Tag

    This personalized fabric tag is perfect for the jet-setter on your list.

  • Placemat Clutch

    Turn a funky-patterned placemat into a one-of-a-kind fashion accessory for the fashionista on your list.

  • Wristlet Key Fobs

    A cute and customized ribbon key fob to carry their keys.

  • Make Embellished Dishtowels

    Their kitchen will look brighter with these pretty, embellished dish towels.

  • Photo Collage Star

    Make a decorative photo collage with meaningful photos for the recipient.

  • DIY Cocktail Ring

    Use an old costume earring or button to create a fancy (and inexpensive!) ring. Perfect for someone who loves fun and unique jewelry.

  • Paint Swirl Vases

    Give the gift of funky home decor with these swirled vases.

  • Keyboard Message

    Use old keys from a keyboard to create a personalized gift with a meaningful message.

  • Marbled Drinking Glasses

    Use nail polish to give plain glassware a pop of color. Perfect for a friend with a new home or apartment.

  • Reversible Apron

    Give your favorite hostess a new kitchen accessory: this cute reversible apron.

  • Coffee Cozy

    Help the coffee fiend on your list go green with a reusable coffee sleeve.

  • Felt Phone Case

    This pretty felt case is a personalized way to keep their phone safe.

  • Pet Dishes

    Know someone with a new pet? Create these personalized pet dishes by using a simple wood burning tool.

  • Canvas Portrait

    Turn a photo into beautiful canvas wall art that doubles as a very meaningful gift.

  • Tablet Case

    Create this case for any of your techie friends.

  • Instagram Calendar

    This personalized calendar is an awesome way to display some of the recipient's most memorable moments.

  • Emergency Zippered Pouch

    This zippered pouch is both cute and useful. The perfect stocking stuffer!

  • Geode Bottle Stoppers

    These pretty bottle stoppers are a great gift for anyone on your list who loves to entertain.

  • Floppy Disk Planters

    Repurpose old floppy disks into a fun planter to make an awesome green gift.

  • Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/24/gift-wrapping-idea-sheet-music_n_2356188.html

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    Michelin Sums Up New Pilot Sport AS/3 by Spider Chart

    Michelin

    ?

    While the breadth of a vehicle's functionality can be difficult to summarize in a single graphical representation, tires are an entirely different story.

    ?

    Spider charts are seemingly tailor made for illustrating performance parameters like dry handling and rolling resistance, and the representation of Michelin's new Pilot Sport All Season 3 tires suggests a marked improvement over its predecessors in all but one category. But how do hard numbers like roadholding g-forces and stopping distances translate to seemingly arbitrary spider charts like the one seen here?

    ?

    According to Michelin, one segment equals a difference perceptible to a professional test driver. Two segments can be noticed by the average consumer, while-- get this-- a difference of three segments can be noticed by "your grandmother." Regardless of the (relative) charms of illustrating a tire's capabilities via infographic, there's no substitute for firsthand experience-- and indeed, our?recent test at NOLA Motorsports Park revealed favorable seat of the pants impressions against its competitors, with exceptional performance on wet autocross courses. The moral of the story? Perhaps we have more in common with our grandmothers than we care to admit.

    Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/auto-blog/michelin-pilot-sport-as3-spider-chart?src=rss

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    Indian Jews from 'lost tribe' move to Israel

    JERUSALEM (AP) ? Dozens of Jews who claim to be the descendants of a lost biblical Jewish tribe emigrated to Israel on Monday from their village in northeastern India, celebrating their arrival after a five-year struggle to get in.

    The Bnei Menashe say they are descended from Jews banished from ancient Israel to India in the eighth century B.C. An Israeli chief rabbi recognized them as a lost tribe in 2005, and about 1,700 moved to Israel over the next two years before the government stopped giving them visas.

    Israel recently reversed that policy, agreeing to let the remaining 7,200 Bnei Menashe immigrate.

    Fifty-three arrived on a flight Monday. Michael Freund, an Israel-based activist on their behalf, said nearly 300 others will arrive in the coming weeks.

    "After waiting for thousands of years, our dream came true," said Lhing Lenchonz, 26, who arrived with her husband and 8-month-old daughter. "We are now in our land."

    Not all Israelis think Bnei Menashe qualify as Jews, and some suspect they are simply fleeing poverty in India.

    Avraham Poraz, a former interior minister, said they were not linked to the Jewish people. He also charged that Israeli settlers were using them to strengthen Israel's claims to the West Bank.

    When Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar recognized the Bnei Menashe as a lost tribe in 2005, he insisted they undergo conversion to be recognized as Jews. He sent a rabbinical team to India that converted 218 Bnei Menashe, until Indian authorities stepped in and stopped it.

    The Bnei Menashe come from the states of Mizoram and Manipur near India's border with Myanmar, where, they say, their ancestors landed after the Assyrians banished them. Over the centuries they became animists, and in the 19th century, British missionaries converted many to Christianity.

    Even so, the group says they continued to practice ancient Jewish rituals, including animal sacrifices, which they say were passed down from generation to generation. Jews in the Holy Land stopped animal sacrifices after the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

    Source: http://news.yahoo.com/indian-jews-lost-tribe-move-israel-121503473.html

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    Chinese professional social network Ushi launches ... - The Next Web

    Ushi, often referred to as the Chinese LinkedIn, has released an app for scanning and storing name card information, as it works to build momentum for its professional social network.

    The first thing you do in just about any Chinese professional setting is whip out a name card. Lots of cultures put the time-honored practice to use, but it seems to me that the East Asia region is the most strict in its observance of business cards and introductions. For countries like China, Korea and Japan where the concept of ?face? is a crucial part of doing business, name cards and the titles and roles they convey are essential.

    But they?re also antiquated. We carry paper around with us, despite the face that we have powerful mobile computers at our fingertips. Often those business cards end up in a drawer collecting dust and we?re unable to find the one we need when it?s time to reconnect.

    Several startups are tackling the problem. Yolu Card Reader and Evernote?s Yinxiang Biji Renmai (the localized version of Evernote Hello) come to mind, but Shanghai-based Ushi, as the latest entrant, has the weight of its social network behind it.

    With 850,000 users, Ushi isn?t huge. It started out as an exclusive invite-only network targeting executives and entrepreneurs, though it has since opened up registration to all. Ushi Mingpian (Ushi Name Card) is designed to continue driving user growth by solving the name card problem. The app is currently available for both iPhone and Android.

     Chinese professional social network Ushi launches name card and contacts app

    Ushi CEO and co-founder Dominic Penaloza believes the app will help new users to a real-name professional social network because they?re already familiar with the concept of a name card being an important real-name tool. Whether Chinese netizens like it or not, real-name requirements are going to be more and more common on the country?s Internet, if not fully mandated.

    ?When two business people exchange business cards, not only is it the fundamental first thing they ever do, but it helps us to explain a lot of things. The name card of course is real-name. It?s for business, that?s what it?s for,? Penaloza said.

    The foundation of the app is a name card scanner, but it?s more importantly designed to be a self-updating address book.

    ?I think we?re in the best position in the market to deliver on the promise of the self-updating address book and create even more value for users,? he said, adding that the app balances the utility of card scanning with social aspects.

     Chinese professional social network Ushi launches name card and contacts app

    In its 2 1/2 year history, Ushi has managed to attract a highly valuable demographic to its professional network. The average age is 31 years old, so it skews heavily toward middle-upper management. One-third of Ushi?s users are in the technology, media and telecom industries, while 20 percent are in professional services. Penaloza also estimates there are 15,000 headhunters, 25,000 HR professionals and about 7,000 venture capitalists on the network.

    The company?s exclusive beginnings helped to Ushi to court an older crowd. Prior to launch, the team spent months in face-to-face meetings with Chinese CEOs and business leaders to convince them to become charter members. Penaloza says the network grew to 50,000 members in five months, roughly the same speed as Facebook. A year later, it was at 300,000 members and the company decided to open up registration to speed growth.

    A number of prominent Chinese angel investors have backed Ushi, as well as one of its clients, expert network Gerson Lehrman Group. In April, Ushi began offering commercial services to source experts for GLG.

    ?It really works. It?s becoming one of [GLG's] efficient channels,? said Penaloza.

    Ushi says it doesn?t need to directly make money from the new card-reading app. Penaloza compared his company?s status to that of LinkedIn, in that their revenue stream is robust enough not to have been adversely affected by the switch to mobile and the resulting lower revenue streams that non-professional Internet companies are dealing with.

    ?It gives us more liberty to make a great smartphone app and not worry directly about monetizing the users of it,? he said.

    Tianji, China?s leading professional social network, expects the market to grow to 100 million?next year. If that?s the case, Ushi?s going to have to move fast to secure a decent share of it, since it has yet to top 1 million. The industry is heating up fast, as Sina recently revealed that it is spinning off a business-focused subset of its Weibo microblog. Ushi?s new app is a step in the right direction, so this is definitely going to be an interesting space to watch next year.

    ? Ushi Mingpian

    Image credit: Comstock

    Disclosure: This article contains an affiliate link. While we only ever write about products we think deserve to be on the pages of our site, The Next Web may earn a small commission if you click through and buy the product in question. For more information, please see our Terms of Service.

    Source: http://thenextweb.com/asia/2012/12/25/chinese-professional-social-network-ushi-launches-name-card-and-contacts-app/

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