Galena Fire Burns 800 Acres Near Fort Collins

A wildfire which started Friday morning, has grown to eight hundred acres, near Fort Collins, Colorado.

Located to the west of Horsetooth Reservoir, the Galena Fire has been pushed by winds.

Firefighters were able to save two houses and the Lory State Park visitor center.

Currently, no structures are threatened, but evacuations are in place.

Homes near the Reservoir and on that side of the park are currently under mandatory evacuation.

Officials are hoping that they'll gain control of the fire, on Saturday, and be able to allow people back to their homes.

Organ Recipient Dies From Rabies Contracted by Donor

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that an organ recipient died from rabies, contracted from the transplant.

According to the CDC, the organ donor died in 2011, and their heart, kidneys, and liver were harvested for donation.

No test was done then for rabies, as it was not suspected as the cause of death.

It is extremely rare for rabies to take longer than three months to appear after exposure.

Officials say it is even rarer for it to be transmitted through organ donation.

The other three organ recipients are now being treated for rabies, and are expected to be fine.

North Dakota Bans Abortions After 6 Weeks

North Dakota's legislature passed two abortion bills, on Friday.

The first bans abortions as early as six weeks, or as soon as a heart beat is detectable.

It will be the strictest abortion policy in the US, where federal law is twenty-four weeks.

Last month, Arkansas passed a twelve week ban, when heart beats are easily detectible.

Both states will see legal challenges to their bills, and the federal government could decide to sue as well.

The second bill bans abortions in the cases of genetic abnormalities or when parents are looking for a specific gender.

Governor Jack Dalrymple now has to decide whether he will sign either or both bills, so far he has avoided committing one way or the other.

Hagel Announces Extra Missile Defenses in Alaska by September 2017

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced that one billion dollars will be spent to add fourteen extra missile interceptors to Fort Greely, Alaska.

There are already twenty-six missile interceptors at Fort Greely, but Hagel feels that the heightened aggression from North Korea, warrants the increased defenses.

The interceptors are expected to be in place, by September of 2017.

North Korea has become increasingly hostile, even threatening a preemptive nuclear strike against the US.

On Tuesday, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper suggested that North Korea might already have mobile ICBMs in the field.

Just a month ago, the North conducted a nuclear test and three months ago were successful in testing a long range rocket.

South Korean and US forces are currently in the midst of war games, set to last until the end of April. 

Syrian Civil War Turns 2

Friday marks the two year anniversary of what has become the Syrian civil war.

It began with mass protests against the Assad regime, but has since killed nearly seventy-five thousand people.

Originally contained to major cities, it has spread not just country wide, but into neighboring nations as well.

Rebel forces continue to slowly gain ground, taking over the country bit by bit.

A majority of the world recognizes an alliance of rebel groups as the actual government.

However, most countries have otherwise stayed out of the conflict, though a few are sending military aid to the regime.

The end is not yet in sight, and the conflict could easily go on for several more years.

Syria Threatens to Ignore Lebanese Border

Syria has warned Lebanon that it will begin firing into Lebanon, unless they start keeping Syrian rebels out of their country.

Rebel forces regularly cross the border, hiding in Lebanon, and coming out to strike against Syrian forces.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry stated that if the Lebanese army does not begin enforcing the border, then the Syrian military will not pay it any attention.

Lebanon has already seen violence, due to the civil war, as many Syrian refugees come to the country, and brought their sectarian strife with them.

It has only served to fuel divisions already present in the country.

New Israeli Coalition Formed

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has succeeded in forming a coalition, and securing his government.

An agreement was made, within hours of the deadline, between his Likud-Yisrael Beitenu alliance, Yesh Atid, and Jewish Home.

Netanyahu had already had to seek a two week extension.

Had he not been successful another would've been offered the Prime Minister spot.

The new government will have only twenty-two ministers, making it one of the smallest Israel has seen.

It also marks the first time in over a decade that a coalition government will not include any of the Ultra Orthodox parties.

7 Killed in Cancun Shooting

Soldiers patrolling Cancun

Seven people were killed and five wounded when gunmen shot up a bar, in Cancun, Mexico.

Most of Thursday's victims were members of a taxi driver's union.

Mexico has already increased the amount of military patrols in the town, which is heavily frequented by tourists.

Tourist areas have mostly avoided the drug war violence that has plagued the rest of Mexico.

However, over the last few months, those areas have seen an increase in troubles, leaving nowhere safe.

Sri Lankan Seizing Indian Fishermen Violating Waters

Over the past couple days the Sri Lankan navy have seized nine boats and fifty-three fishermen who violated their waters.

Starting on Wednesday, six hundred and fifty-two boats have come from Rameswaram, India and tried to fish in Sri Lankan waters.

Wednesday evening, naval forces detained four boats and nineteen fishermen.

Thursday morning, five more boats and thirty-four fishermen were taken.

The fishermen were tried in court, and sentenced to two weeks in jail.

Rameswaram fishermen say they plan on going back to fish, on Saturday.

South Africa Bus Crash Kills 24

Twenty-four people were killed and forty-five injured when a double decker bus overturned in South Africa.

Friday's crash happened about ninety miles outside of Cape Town.

Rescuers had to cut away parts of the bus to try and rescue people.

Eventually, a crane was brought in, to lift the bus off of trapped passengers.

According to authorities, the driver was having trouble with his brakes and tried entering the sand off the road to slow down, but ending up losing control.

8 Arrested for Attacks on Israeli Vehicles

Eight Palestinians were arrested on Friday, for taking part in vehicle stonings.

On Thursday, a group of men attacked vehicles near Ariel, with stones, causing a serious accident.

A three year old suffered head injuries and several other people received minor injuries in the crash.

Israeli security forces arrested the eight, after someone turned gave police their names.

Alan Grayson Wants to Tax Donations at 500%

Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL-9)
Photo Courtesy US House of Rep.
Public Domain

Alan Grayson introduced a bill proposing a five hundred percent excise tax on contributions to Non-Profits that conduct political activism.

This is the same Alan Grayson who slandered Representative Paul Ryan by stating Ryan's proposed budget plan meant Ryan wants poor people to die. This is the same Alan Grayson who supports violating the First Amendment by compelling religious institutions to violate their beliefs and provide abortions and birth control to employees.

The full bill text is not yet available. However, the title itself seems rather self explanatory: "To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to impose a five hundred percent excise tax on corporate contributions to political committees and on corporate expenditures on political advocacy campaigns."

This is most likely in reaction to the Supreme Court Decision regarding Citizens United. Grayson has also suggested other bills directed towards "restoring the rights the supreme court stole from citizens in the Citizens United decision". Ironically, that decision more insured citizens' rights than denying any.

The impact of this law, if passed and deemed constitutional, is that those donations may remain deductible from income taxes. However, they will be taxed at five dollars for each dollar donated in the form of an excise tax. That would mean if a citizen donated to GOProud, for example, a six dollar donation would grant six dollars to the NPO and five dollars to the IRS. The tax would not apply to donations given to Planned Parenthood, since they are allegedly an apolitical organization. Reality demonstrates, though, that Planned Parenthood engages in pro-abortion lobbying.

The bill, HR 1111, has been referred to the House Ways and Means Committee.

This article was originally published at P-G Matuszak's Mental Aikido. Copyright 2013, reprinted with permission.