On January 14th around 3:30 am, two officers from LAPD’s Pacific Division responded to calls for help and confronted a naked, unarmed, 25-year old man jumping on cars and behaving erratically.  After trying several times to detain the man, they ended up on the ground in a struggle with Reggie Doucet Jr., a six-foot, 190-pound former college football defensive-back.  One of the officers shot Mr. Doucet who was then transported to a local hospital where he died as a result of his injuries.  Both officers were injured and were transported to a local hospital.

This entire incident is a tragedy.  My heart goes out to all involved, from Mr. Doucet’s family, to his loved ones and his friends, as well as to the officers involved.  In meetings with community leaders shortly after this tragic event occurred, I expressed deep sympathy for their loss.  I assured them that this incident would be fully and objectively investigated.  And it will.  As the investigation continues, I will provide the facts in the most transparent manner I can without compromising the investigation.

Understandably, some wonder how it’s legal for police to use deadly force against unarmed suspects.  LAPD policy is based on the 1989 Supreme Court ruling in Graham v. Conner in which the court mandated application of an “Objectively Reasonable Standard.”  Under this guideline, officers are trained to evaluate the severity of the crime the suspect is committing or is about to commit and the likelihood his or her behavior will inflict serious injury to an officer or other person.  If a suspect’s behavior is likely to cause serious bodily harm, injury or death, officers are, by law, justified in using deadly force to defend themselves and others.  Indeed, many people have died at the hands of unarmed killers and many police officers are slain by unarmed suspects who gain control of officers’ weapons.  No less than 44 officers died this way between 1998-2008; at least two in 2009.  Only a rigorous and exacting investigation can determine whether the use of deadly force in this instance was objectively reasonable.  Whenever officers use deadly force, the LAPD’s Force Investigation Division (FID) conducts an extensive and thorough investigation.  Next, a Use of Force Review (UOFR) Board is convened on all incidents involving use of deadly force, where the use of force requires hospitalization of the arrestee or results in a death.  The Board submits its findings and recommendations to me, the Chief of Police, and I review the case.  I have to decide whether the force was within Department policy and the law, and present my findings and recommendations to the Board of Police Commissioners.  The L.A. County District Attorney’s Office independently investigates the use of force, as does the Inspector General (IG), which monitors the ongoing investigation and conducts its own independent review.  Both are totally separate from the LAPD.  They do not report to me.  The IG’s office submits its findings and recommendations to the Police Commission, which makes the final decision as to whether or not a shooting falls within Department policy.

Certain things are already known: We know that if a suspect takes or tries to take an officer’s gun by force, it’s reasonable to assume he or she intends to kill that officer and possibly others.  As recently as November 2010, Riverside Officer Ryan Bonaminio was likely killed with his own duty weapon.  A few weeks ago, the Police Chief of Ranier, Oregon, struggled with an unarmed suspect.  The Chief was killed with his own gun.

And we know, every single day, law enforcement officers in Los Angeles place themselves at life-threatening risk to keep the rest of us safe.  What’s more, they consider it a privilege to do so and so do I.

Keeping the people of Los Angeles safe is our highest priority.  Major crime rates may be at decade-low levels, but the threat of deadly violence is always present.  LAPD continuously looks at ways to improve our policies and training.  In fact, in 2009, we made further changes to our Use of Force Policy making it even more concise, more easily understood and consistent with prevailing law and law enforcement best practice.

While both Mr. Doucet and the officer involved in this incident are African-American, some have alleged race played a role in this tragedy.  Though that seems unlikely, I ask all concerned to withhold judgment until the facts are in and we can make a reasoned determination based on actual circumstances, available evidence and provable facts.  To those who protect and serve the City of Los Angeles, we owe them that much and more.

George Thomas

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Corel’s VideoStudio Pro X5 Ultimate is a real outstanding value because it literally has—hundreds of bonus effects, filters, transitions and templates that can be interchanged on all levels!

VideoStudio Pro X5 Ultimate

The software has a very useful screen capture utility that allows you to capture what you needs for still framing and titles or credit creation. There is also a Proxy mode which is designed to helps older systems and it actually is the first software I have seen with HTML5 output for precise coordination and editing. The only thing about the HTML5 , it can take a while to process.
INSTALATION: Very easy. Just be patient and read all your plug ins for your machine you want to use.
MANUALS/GUIDES: Nice full sized manual that I wish had slightly better graphics and more detailed illustration, but it still seems fairly easy to use as a reference too.
USER INTERFACE: Stand Corel VideoStudio Pro X5 Ultimate is Corel’s seems to be the most complete video-editing collection software package I have used to date. It combined a really fast performance and an intuitive editing tools with advanced effects and screen recording.
USING SOFTWARE: Not being a computer programmer myself, but comfortable with using several kinds of software, I learned this is the first video editor with Sandy Bridge and Fusion CPU optimizations, and the first with HTML5 output, but the reality is that if you don’t have a newer PC or operating system, you may be disappointed with the performance.
I used it to fix one of the shakiest videos I had with the image correction tool and it really had a rock-steady video stabilization process. You can even apply animated pen effects to maps, graphics and all your photos.
Fun things that will make your video seem top quality and broadcast professional include using the chrome key where you can combine things with your green screen to shoot subjects in front of one background, then place them in another setting. You also have complete screen recording Create screen recordings for less than one-third of the cost of the leading screen recording software. Also record slideshows, tutorials, product demonstrations, gameplay, how-to videos and more directly from your screen in one easy capture interface.
There is also a sharing feature where you can get your video onto the web fast with integrated export to YouTube, Facebook and Flickr, or build your own website via HTML5. And, the fun part you can use the comprehensive disc authoring tools to put your screencast on DVD or Blu-ray, complete with onscreen graphics, menus, titles and subtitles. You can also share your movies on iPad, iPhone, PSP and other mobile devices.
Some of the listed features that I have only barely scratched the surface using include; 20 high-end filters and effects from NewBlue Video Essentials, template-driven, broadcast-quality titles and effects from Boris Graffiti 5.4, advanced image correction and rock-steady video stabilization from proDAD Mercalli SE, 100+ fully customizable, high-speed effects, transitions and filters from proDAD VitaScene V2 LE and animated pen effects to maps, graphics and photos from proDAD RotoPen.

I really like the software and it is extremely user friendly to the operator. And something that makes you projects look and sound very professional!

Lorenzo Marchessi

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The loud noises can make communication impossible, cutting these social animals off from their families. When faced with this noise, endangered whales stop singing for mates and dolphin mothers can no longer whistle at their babies.

Save the dolphins!

The Department of the Interior is proposing seismic testing along the Middle and South Atlantic. Tens of thousands of dolphins and whales will be affected, including endangered right whales, whose only known calving grounds are at the edge of the testing zone.

George Thomas

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Where does one turn when faced with only one “possible” road to travel, which lead down a destructive path? As many as 40 percent of the American electorate now describe themselves as independent voters rather than Republican or Democratic. As the 2012 Presidential and Congressional elections draw inevitably closer, independents are turning away from the partisan “road” that continually puts the interests of the political parties ahead of those of the country. Independents – whom studies have shown are not “moderates” but in fact span the entire political spectrum – are unified by the belief that government is broken. And why shouldn’t they think that?

Currently 42 percent of the states in our country conduct either closed primaries or caucuses, which lock independent voters out of the process and feed the partisanship that has distressed America. With California leading the way, a new wave of reform has been building to give expression to the non-partisan desires of this voting bloc. Due to the efforts of this independent-led reform wave, California voters have remade their political process ahead of the 2012 elections. Open Primaries – which allow all voters to participate equally regardless of party – and Redistricting Reform – which takes away the politicians’ power to redraw their election districts and turns it over to a citizens commission – have served to make California’s 3.5 million independent voters without a party real players in the process.

As similar reform battles brew in neighboring Arizona, independent voters are again rising in California. Independents realize that it is not just enough to gain political power, but that in order to effect real change that power must be used. Unified around an agenda of reform to open up the political process, independent voters in California are beginning to wield their power in the state’s congressional races. If the candidates want the votes of independents, they must do more than mouth the same tired partisan arguments and attacks. In order to win the support of independents, the candidates must promise to fight for true political reforms that strip the parties of power and return it to the people. This is the new road forward for the United States of America, forged by independent voters. (Pete Tejada — Member, IndependentVoice.org — Rancho Cucamonga)

Joanne Lewis

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When you read the Thirteenth Amendment, Section 1, to the Constitution of the United States of America, you will clearly see and understand that slavery of the Negro population after the Civil War was prohibited. Involuntary Servitude, protecting all of us, was also prohibited. The amendment reads as follows; “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” The latter is violated daily through our federal and state judicial system throughout the 50 states of this country.

Not one single Judge, legislator, Governor or President has even spoken against such exploitation.

What is Involuntary Servitude?

It is being coerced, forced, being in bondage (slavery), without being remunerated or paid for your services and being threatened with severe punishment if you refuse to comply. A juror who serves at the many thousands of trials in our Judicial Court System, be it federal, state or local in the U.S.A. is a victim of this illegal system. This inequitable and illegal system must be brought to a halt. While this illegal system is in every state, I will reference what occurs to jurors in the stat of California State Courts. I have personal experience as a juror in both Civil and Criminal Courts in this state. Beautifully printed and colorful pamphlets are presented to all persons called to service as a juror. They read, in part, “You have been called to serve as a trial juror in the Superior Court of Los Angeles County.

Such service is a privilege, a serious responsibility and a mark of good citizenship. We look forward to your participation in the justice system and know that you will find the experience both interesting and rewarding. Etc, etc.” Interesting, maybe, but certainly not rewarding in a monetary sense. What they ingeniously fail to inform you about is (1) you have no choice (2) you will not get paid. In fact, this service will probably set you back a few dollars. We are all paying to serve! In a different publication they inform you that you will be fined $1,500 if you fail to respond to the call for this rewarding, interesting and privileged service as a juror. A federal minimum wage was promulgated by our legislators scores of years ago. California followed suit! In California this wage is $7.25 per hour. This is violated in the case of all jurors. A jury is the most important part of any judicial system. As jurors, we are supposedly independent, but this is an illusion, because the judge does, in fact, curtail this independence at every opportunity.

Yet, in a trial, we are the one element that is at least appreciated, honored and many times disparaged. Every other person in the court room of a jury trial is earning hundreds of dollars per day. The Judge makes $750 to $850 per day plus earning dollars for his or her retirement of over $130,000 per year. Even the lowly Sheriff makes over $175 daily. Now the insult! The juror is allotted $15 per day after the first day, plus .34 cents per mile, one way. Nice, eh! If one doesn’t eat much of a meal those two days, we may be able to make it with $15. Certainly the cost of getting to and from the court house will not be covered by the .34 cents per mile. We are actually paying for what the judges state is the privilege and reward of serving. This is worse than slavery. The Negro slave did not have to pay for such a privilege.

We may have to request an Emancipation Proclamation from the President to free all of us from this Involuntary Servitude as did President Abraham Lincoln to free the Negro slaves. Why have we not spoken up about this inequitable and illegal system? It is because we have been brainwashed by the establishment into truly believing that we are being rewarded with a great privilege. Bah. Humbug! We must all demand payment for our important service. It must be at least the minimum pay, that is paid the janitor at the court house. The violation of our right under the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution must cease. The crime of Involuntary Servitude must not be tolerated any longer.

daryl

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Van Nuys, CA

Wake-up Los Angeles, it’s time to start asking some questions, especially of our illustrious political leaders. For instance, just how much has that “sales tax” increase we’ve been saddled with off-set the budget shortfall? And of course, the “Re-Districting” process — what happened? And just how were those “Commissioners” selected? How and why did they vote the way they did? Let’s start with re-districting in the case of District 6.

Councilman Tony Cardenas selected Jose Cornejo, his former Chief of Staff, to be on the re-districting commission. Having attended virtually all of the hearings, it was clear that Mr. Cornejo was one of the chief architects of the original map released to the public — the map that morphed District 6 into a 73 percent Latino district. Hmmmm… re-districting is about voter fairness. Creating a district with 73 percent of any population just screams fairness, right? Wrong! It was also abundantly clear that many commissioners were kept “out of the loop” and those who were in “the loop” voted in lock-step — no matter what THE CITIZENS were saying. Curiously, an appointee of the mayor (who wasn’t in “lock-step”) became ill and was replaced by someone who never asked a single question, but instantaneously knew exactly how to vote in (“lock-step”) every instance.

We also saw disinterest by certain commissioners — especially Mr. Cornejo — who would lean back in his chair with eyes closed, unless he was texting or laughing during public comments. A few brave commissioners identified that “back-room deals” had clearly been made and that many commissioners agreed on how they would vote prior to even hearing anything from the PUBLIC. This is corruption and it is wrong! The up-shot of re-districting is that the LA City Council rushed a vote on 3-16 to pass the new district maps that will last for the next 10 years! Many say this was done to end public awareness and to protect councilmembers (like Tony Cardenas) running for a Congressional seat, as well as helping a former chief of staff easily snag the CD 6 council seat with a lop-sided population majority.

Time to clean house Los Angeles! Thousands of people came to the re-districting hearings — those engaged citizens VOTE, and most elected councilmen and congressman win with a very small number of VOTES, so every vote counts and You can make a difference. We need to elect people who truly want to be “servants of the people.” We cannot afford any more self-serving politicians. It’s time to bring Los Angeles back to a city that people want to live and work in, a city we can all afford to retire in. As for the sales tax increase helping our budget shortfall — this is rather difficult to do when spending is rampant and foolish. For example, about five years ago our city council and mayor passed a $250 million salary increase for government workers. That “political gift” was so well thought out that thousands wound up losing their jobs in the interim.

We also had some ridiculous motions from people like Tony Cardenas, who wanted to spend $200,000 on a “feasiblity study” to determine the feasibility for government offices being utilized for women nursing their children. Now, I think it’s pretty safe to say that most women who know how to make a baby can figure out the “feasibility of a location” and where to go for privacy to nurse their baby. Los Angeles is a great city and we need good people to lead our communities and our city. We need citizens who have no hidden agendas — people who are determined to improve the quality of life for all, not just their own “special interests.” The upcoming elections give us an opportunity. Let’s make sure we end the “lock-step nonsense” and get serious people to lead Los Angeles.

Joanne Lewis

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President Obama

But we live in the real world. We don’t have unlimited resources. We have a deficit that needs to be paid down. And we also have to pay for investments that will help our economy grow and keep our country safe: education, research and technology, a strong military, and retirement programs like Medicare and Social Security. That means we have to make choices. When it comes to paying down the deficit and investing in our future, should we ask middle-class Americans to pay even more at a time when their budgets are already stretched to the breaking point? Or should we ask some of the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share? That’s the choice. Over the last decade, we’ve spent hundreds of billions of dollars on what was supposed to be a temporary tax cut for the wealthiest two percent of Americans. Now we’re scheduled to spend almost a trillion more. Today, the wealthiest Americans are paying taxes at one of the lowest rates in 50 years. Warren Buffett is paying a lower rate than his secretary.

Meanwhile, over the last 30 years, the tax rates for middle class families have barely budged. That’s not fair. It doesn’t make any sense. Do we want to keep giving tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans like me, or Warren Buffett, or Bill Gates – people who don’t need them and never asked for them? Or do we want to keep investing in things that will grow our economy and keep us secure? Because we can’t afford to do both. Now, some people call this class warfare. But I think asking a billionaire to pay at least the same tax rate as his secretary is just common sense. We don’t envy success in this country. We aspire to it. But we also believe that anyone who does well for themselves should do their fair share in return, so that more people have the opportunity to get ahead – not just a few. That’s the America I believe in. And in the next few weeks, Members of Congress will get a chance to show you where they stand. Congress is going to vote on what’s called the Buffett Rule: If you make more than $1 million a year, you should pay at least the same percentage of your income in taxes as middle class families do. On the other hand, if you make under $250,000 a year – like 98 percent of American families do – your taxes shouldn’t go up.

You’re the ones struggling with the rising cost of everything from college tuition to groceries. You’re the ones who deserve a break. So every Member of Congress is going to go on record. And if they vote to keep giving tax breaks to people like me – tax breaks our country can’t afford – then they’re going to have to explain to you where that money comes from. Either it’s going to add to our deficit, or it’s going to come out of your pocket. Seniors will have to pay more for their Medicare benefits. Students will see their interest rates go up at a time when they can’t afford it. Families who are scraping by will have to do more because the richest Americans are doing less. That’s not right. That’s not who we are. In America, our story has never been about what we can do by ourselves – it’s about what we can do together. It’s about believing in our future and the future of this country. So tell your Members of Congress to do the right thing. Call them up, write them a letter, pay them a visit, and tell them to stop giving tax breaks to people who don’t need them and start investing in the things that will help our economy grow and put people back to work. That’s how we’ll make this country a little fairer, a little more just, and a whole lot stronger. Thank you.”

daryl

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Why aren’t all of the government agencies at all levels (local, state and federal) required to put at least a small percentage of their budgets aside for times like these? Any smart household puts some money aside for emergencies and if income decreases. The governmental agencies at all levels act as if they have to spend or commit every penny that they raise through taxes, fees, and are budgeted for, during the same fiscal year that they are received. The fact is that many agencies do loose all monies that they don’t spend or commit during that year to a general fund.

They should be required to place any received and budgeted monies not spent or committed during good income years into that agencies’ general emergency fund. In addition, a small amount, say 3% of the current budget, should also be placed in that fund. That money can then be accessed only during disastrous emergencies and low- income years to prevent, or slow, a lowering of services to the taxpayer. Many years ago, a procedure was actually started in a small accounting division that had all encumbered (earmarked to be spent only on a specific project) monies examined at the end of each fiscal year. The purpose was to identify any monies encumbered, but not spent, and not needed to complete that project to be unencumbered, and transferred to that superior agency’s general fund. For example, if money is encumbered but not needed to complete a specific street treetrimming project, that money currently reverts from the street tree division to the City’s general fund.

I propose that instead, the monies be placed into a special emergency fund in the street tree division to be spent only as described above and under strict supervision from a citywide agency. Current government accounting practices should be amended to reflect and enforce this practice. The “Conservative Republican Party” no longer exists. The “Republican” Party has become the REACTIONARY PARTY and is trying to change the United States of America in ways that will destroy individual freedoms. They use subterfuge, such as the manufactured nonsense about President Obama’s citizenship. Some rich and powerful people who only want to increase their wealth and power used this to cover up a deep-seated prejudice and the take over of the “Republican” Party. The Reactionary Party is pushing towards outlawing contraceptives and abortions.

They‘re also pushing hard to keep same sex (gay) marriages illegal and gay living arrangements illegal. While at the same time, they’re saying that government should stay out of the bedroom. They want to push the Catholic agenda and appease the reactionaries who say less government. That includes reducing, and thus restricting, the food and drug administration’s ability to protect our food and drug supply, amongst other things. The “Republican” Party is supporting valid STATE PHOTO IDENTIFICATIONS to be shown before one can vote in many states. Weren’t those laws declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in the 1960’s? Oh yes, the recent Supreme Court has said that states have the right to impose that restriction on voters.

These ID laws will keep those who have never driven, those who cannot afford to pay for the documents, or have lost their driving licenses due to age, and the least educated and informed from voting (who are often the poorest). Whether you want some of them to vote or not, they should have the rights they were granted in the constitution and won in the sixties and before. What’s next, revoking women and minority’s rights to vote? What happened to one citizen (natural born or naturalized) one vote? Attacking a woman in the broadcast media in a vile way because she doesn’t agree with your ideas is un- American and shows how far the Reactionary Party will go to stifle free speech and the American people’s right to disagree. Agree? Disagree? Email me: ileemon@socal.rr.com

Iving Lemon

Contributing Columnist

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The recent spate of shootings in schools seems to have a couple of things in common. They appear to be associated with relatively small towns and townships. Most of the shooters are teenage students that are loners, are the victims of harassment, usually on the Internet, and they get their guns from their houses or close friends or relatives. That pattern is disturbing and the press and public discussions are not addressing it. As we know, teenagers hunger for association with, and acceptance by, their peers. Students are not being taught in the schools or by examples of, and discussions with, their parents, sensitivity towards others who are “different”.

People have always tended to reject other people who are “different”. This stems from a fear of any difference in looks, behavior, religious belief systems, or economic status. Today, most people will not admit that they are afraid, but will say that they don’t want to associate with others just because they are “different”. The irony is that the “normal” people have a large range of many of these differences. Body sizes and shapes vary dramatically; eye shapes vary, eye and hair colors come in many shades; skin color (even in “whites”) varies dramatically. As children we tend to be afraid of anyone who is mentally not “normal.” It’s only recently that our society has accepted that some people who are different can really add to our technological and scientific society. This is not being properly taught to our students. Religious belief systems also vary.

There are a myriad of different beliefs in Christianity, from the Roman Catholics to the Greek Orthodox, and the numerous Protestant sects. And there are the various Jewish sects, Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, etc., etc. Then there are those who do not believe in the same way as the Jews and Christians; Buddhism, Mohammedanism, Hinduism, Atheism, Jainism, Vodun, Islam, etc., etc., etc. The irony is that most of these teach the same golden rule, “treat others as you would be treated by them,” and they also believe in a deity that is the one god. We tend to group our living quarters by ethnic and economic sameness. We want to associate, and have our children associate only with people who are “like us”. We talk about “those people” who do not have as much as us as if they are completely inferior to us.

We are jealous of, and talk about those who have more then us as if they are all crooks and thieves. Yet, we all aspire to have more, bigger and “better” then we have now. Our children hear and see this and tend to believe that any one who is different is to be shunned. I believe that if we are to survive as a society we have to start teaching our children tolerance and acceptance of people who are “different” both by example, teaching in our schools, and the type of entertainment that they see. Agree? Disagree? Email me at ileemon@socal.rr.com.

Iving Lemon

Contributing Columnist

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Recently, every day, in the papers, on the radio, and on TV there are beatings, shootings, killings, armed robberies, and suicides in Southern California, and other parts of the nation. I believe that this is a result of the poor economy and the lack of jobs, and the number of people who are under employed. People do desperate things when they feel desperate and cannot feed their families or keep a roof over their heads. They begin to think of themselves as useless and hopeless. They also begin to feel that their families and loved ones would be better off without them. The Republicans, Tea Partiers, and other extreme political organizations, are running a campaign that denounces anything the government does to try to help its citizens, even access to a free basic education.

If they have their way we will definitely continue the slide down into a third world country and be ruled by a few wealthy people and corporations. Santorum wants to run a campaign that’s about religion; specifically, he supports the Catholic religion. I believe in the separation of church and state. The Catholic Church is looking for ways to denounce other religions and exert its influence on the political system in this country. They are attempting to do so now with the arguments against birth control and abortions. They have even tried to outlaw circumcision that is a religious and health practice of more then one religious faith. The people of this country are free to believe and practice what they want, as long as their practices do not hurt animals, and does not infringe on other people’s freedoms and religious practices. Look at what parts of this country now have. If you don’t believe as most of the local people do, and don’t practice a specific type of religion you are ostracized.

What are the countries whose governments are tied to a specific religion like? Look at Mexico and some of the South American countries. They are poor and most of their citizens are barely surviving without any of the benefits of a modern society, and, without any way of climbing out of extreme poverty. In addition, you have most of the Middle Eastern countries where women are treated as personal property with no personal freedoms and rights. Bringing the “golden rule” (do unto others as you would have them do unto you) into the political campaigns is good, but bringing a specific religion and its beliefs is not. Agree? Disagree? Email me: ileemon@socal.rr.com.

Iving Lemon

Contributing Columnist

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