Americans Spent $7.45B in 3 Years Helping Other Countries Deal with ‘Climate Change’ (+video)

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Photo Credit: AP Photo/POLFOTO, Claus Bjorn Larsen

Photo Credit: AP Photo/POLFOTO, Claus Bjorn Larsen

American taxpayers spent $7.45 billion to help developing countries cope with climate change in fiscal years 2010 through 2012, according to a federal government report submitted to the United Nations on a subject that Secretary of State John Kerry described as “a truly life-and-death challenge.”

That sum of $7.45 billion, which reached more than 120 countries through bilateral and multilateral channels, met President Obama’s “commitment to provide our fair share” of a collective pledge by developed nations to provide a total of nearly $30 billion in “fast start finance” (FSF), the report stated.

The pledge was made at a Dec. 2009 U.N. climate conference in Copenhagen, and the FSF funding aims to support developing countries adapt to and cope with phenomena blamed on climate change, such as droughts and rising sea levels.

“International assistance for climate change continues to be a major priority for the United States,” the administration said in its “Climate Action Report,” submitted to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on Wednesday.

Read more from this story about what Americans spent on climate change HERE.

Duck Commander and Mossberg Team Up to Release Line of Guns (+video)

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Duck DynastyThe family-owned business at the center of the hit TV show “Duck Dynasty” has launched its own line of guns.

The gunmaker Mossberg has teamed with Duck Commander, the company owned by “Duck Dynasty’s” Robertson clan, to release nine different shotguns, as well as two semiautomatic rifles and a semiautomatic pistol.

Mossberg has begun shipping some of the shotguns to distributors, according to spokeswoman Linda Powell. She declined to name specific retailers that will carry them.

Duck Commander was founded 40 years ago by Phil Robertson, the family patriarch who was recently suspended — and then reinstated — by A&E after making controversial remarks about gay people and African-Americans. He and his sons are featured prominently in four video ads for the new guns on Mossberg’s web site. Phil narrates one of the spots saying, “Do you know what makes me happy ladies and gentlemen? To blow a mallard drake’s head smooth off.”

Read more from this story HERE.

MSNBC Host Apologizes to Romney Family for Making Fun of Black Grandchild (+video)

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Photo Credit: YouTube

Photo Credit: YouTube

MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry apologized in a series of tweets Tuesday morning for using Mitt Romney’s black adopted grandchild in a comedy segment over the weekend.

“I am sorry. Without reservation or qualification. I apologize to the Romney family,” the apology started. “I work by guiding principle that those who offend do not have the right to tell those they hurt that they (are) wrong for hurting. Therefore, while I meant no offense, I want to immediately apologize to the Romney family for hurting them.”

Each tweet of the apology came with the hashtag #MHPApology.

“As (a) black child born into large white Mormon family I feel familiarity w/ Romney family (picture) & never meant to suggest otherwise,” she continued. “I apologize to all families built on loving transracial adoptions who feel I degraded their lives or choices.”

Read more from this story HERE.

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MSNBC uses Romney grandson in comedy segment

On Sunday, MSNBC’s Melissa Harris-Perry hosted a look back at 2013 through the lens of laughter, complete with a panel of comedians. The hour included a section on the most talked-about photos of the year, such as the Barack Obama selfie at the Nelson Mandela memorial. But toward the end of the segment, Harris-Perry pulled up a Romney family photo that included their recently adopted grandson Kieran Romney, who is black.

“A lot of people had emotions about this baby picture this year,” Harris-Perry said.

One of the panelists, actress Pia Glenn, started singing “one of these things is not like the others,” while Harris-Perry laughed.

“And that little baby, front and center, would be the one,” Glenn said.

Read more about the MSNBC host apology to Romney HERE.

Franklin Graham: Homosexuality is ‘A Sin,’ and ‘I Want to Warn People’ (+video)

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Photo Credit: AP

Photo Credit: AP

In a Meet the Press interview Sunday, Franklin Graham, the son of famed preacher Billy Graham, refused to back down from his Biblical stance against homosexuality. “It’s sin,” he said, and added that he wanted to warn people about it because they will have to stand before God who will judge.

The younger Graham was speaking in the NBC interview about his father’s legacy, as the elder Graham, 95, is ‘very weak’ and eating little. He described how he helped to arrange a final sermon for his father that aired in November. He felt it was God’s will that he help his father “finish well.”

In the context of about Pope Francis’ “who am I to judge” comment, Franklin Graham was asked if he would shift his position on “gays.”

“God would have to shift, and God doesn’t,” Graham replied. “God’s word is the same yesterday and today and a million years from now, that it’s sin.”

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Global Warming Scientists Forced to Admit Defeat (+video)

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Photo Credit: AFP/Getty

Photo Credit: AFP/Getty

They went in search evidence of the world’s melting ice caps, but instead a team of climate scientists have been forced to abandon their mission … because the Antarctic ice is thicker than usual at this time of year.

The scientists have been stuck aboard the stricken MV Akademik Schokalskiy since Christmas Day, with repeated sea rescue attempts being abandoned as icebreaking ships failed to reach them.

Now that effort has been ditched, with experts admitting the ice is just too thick. Instead the crew have built an icy helipad, with plans afoot to rescue the 74-strong team by helicopter.

The expedition is being lead by Chris Turney, a climate scientist, who was hoping to reach the base camp of Douglas Mawson, one of the most famous Antarctic explorers, and repeat observations done by him in 1912 to see what impact climate change had made.

It is thought that the group, which includes scientific researchers and a journalist, will now be able to escape by air after two sea rescues failed.

Read more about the global warming scientists HERE.

2014 Shaping Up to Be The Year of the Bible at the Box Office (+video)

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Odeya-Rush-mary_2774972bStudio executives who have spent the past few years releasing superhero and zombie films have, it seems, had an epiphany. Now their new best friends are evangelical pastors whose endorsements they actively seek, even inviting them on to sets during production. Pastors in turn play clips from films of which they approve to 10,000-strong congregations on 40ft wide movie screens…

Phil Cooke, a film-maker and media consultant to Christian organisations, said Hollywood’s epiphany had financial, not spiritual, origins. “What’s happened is they’ve understood it’s very good business to take Christians seriously, and this is a real serious market,” he said…

For their part, studio executives have taken something of a leap of faith that films in which religious figures save the world will bring big box office receipts [in 2014.]

That faith is based in no small part on the success of The Bible, a television mini-series shown on the History channel earlier this year, which averaged 11.4 million viewers and became America’s most watched cable show of 2013.

“It made the Bible cool to talk about again,” said Mr Cooke. “The separation of church and state in America is so strong that people had become afraid to talk about God, at work or at school. Suddenly, these Bible stories were water cooler conversation again.”

Read more from this story HERE.

Marine Vet Slams Paul Ryan’s ‘Outrageous Attitude’ Toward Military Pension Cuts (+video)

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Photo Credit: AP

Photo Credit: AP

Two days after President Barack Obama signed a budget compromise that slashed pension benefits for military veterans, retired Marine Jessie Jane Duff blasted Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) for his “outrageous attitude” toward the sacrifices those in the armed forces have made.

Appearing on Fox & Friends on Saturday, Jessie Jane Duff, who is at the E7 level, said Ryan, who brokered the deal with Sen. Patty Murray (D-WI), does not realize that many active duty military personnel go back to civilian life “broke” and “without a job” and have difficulty getting on equal footing with their “civilian counterparts.” She noted that many veterans have had to leave the armed forces early due to injuries or are suffering from things like PTSD.

The deal Obama signed includes a provision that would “pare down annual cost of living increases in benefits for military retirees under age 62, saving the government an estimated $6.3 billion over a decade.” What that means is a sergeant first class at the E7 level like Duff who retires at age 42 would lose $72,000 in benefits over a lifetime, according to a Fox News analysis.

Read more from this story HERE.

People Wait in Line to Register Guns Before New Laws Go into Effect (+video)

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Photo Credit: WFSB

Photo Credit: WFSB

There are only five more days until the new gun laws go into effect for our state, that means a dash to register assault weapons or high capacity magazines.

A long line of people stood outside of the Public Safety Building in Middletown all day Thursday to register firearms.

Specifically, anything the state considers an assault weapon or a high capacity magazine must be registered before Jan. 1, 2014.

“If they were trying to make them illegal, I’d have a real issue, but if they want to just know where they are, that’s fine with me,” said Charles Gillette, who was registering magazines.

“I understand why they’re doing it, but I don’t think it’s constitutional,” said Scott Boccio, who was registering guns.

WFSB 3 Connecticut

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Man Arrested For Having Concealed Compartment in Vehicle (+video)

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Photo Credit: Getty Images

Photo Credit: Getty Images

A man was arrested in Ohio for having a hidden compartment in a vehicle and could face up to 18 months in prison, even though there was nothing in the compartment.

Just days before Thanksgiving, 30- year old Norman Gurley was pulled over for speeding, but Ohio State Troopers noticed wires running to the back of the car he was driving.

“During the search, they noticed some components inside the vehicle that did not appear to be factory,” Lt. Michael Combs told WKYC-TV.

“We actually figured it out and followed the wiring and we were able to get it open,” said Combs.

There were no illegal drugs or weapons in the compartment, but Gurley became the first person arrested under the state’s “hidden compartment” law.

Read more from this story HERE.

Hundreds of Teens Trash Mall in Wild Flash Mob During Day After Christmas Sales

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Photo Credit: YouTube

Photo Credit: YouTube

Hundreds of teenagers stormed and trashed a Brooklyn mall in a wild flash mob that forced the shopping center to close its doors during day-after Christmas sales, sources said on Friday.

More than 400 crazed teens grabbed and smashed jars of candy, stole cheap items such as baby balloons and beat up security guards at Kings Plaza Shopping Center in Mill Basin between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., merchants said.

A violent game of “Knockout” also broke out on the upper level of the mall — and one teen may have been carrying a gun, sources said.

The teens used social media to plan the mass looting, vowing to put the mall “on tilt” – or to raid it, according to posts on Facebook and Twitter.

Clerks, who scrambled to close up their shops, said they were terrified.

Read more from this story HERE.