The Dittmar Deliverer

U.S. Army Gerneral John Craddock says that President Obamas order of closing down Guantanamo Prison within a year will be difficult in a report by USA Today.
The prison currently holds 245 prisoners and officials are unsure where detainees will be transferred and how some will be prosecuted. Of these inmates the U.S. military has said there are at least 60 that cannot be returned to their countries without facing possible torture and death penalties.
Officials reluctance to release prisoners grew after a newly freed detainee was seen in an al-Qaeda militant video last week.
"I'm always concerned when bad people are released and show up again trying to kill either American or international forces," says U.S. Gen. John Craddock
Guantanamo Bay was originally created in 2002 by the Bush Administration to place prisoners of war that were suspected of terrorist activity says a report in the NY Times
Now seven years later on January 22, President Obama has signed official orders to close the prison under its questionable interrogation tactics.
“I believe strongly that torture is not moral, legal or effective,� he told the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

Posted by dittm027 at 2:47 PM | Permalink

Minneapolis will be limiting it’s use of road salt in the upcoming winter months due to a national shortage according to a report by the Star Tribune.
The harsh conditions in the last two years of winter have reduced rock salt supplies and budgets. With continual days of snowfall Minneapolis has already depleted half of their salt in stock.
“ We just have these continuous smaller events, and that's harder on us both budgetarily and as far as materials usage and staff time than to have a couple of big snowfalls,� says Mike Kennedy, a Minneapolis public works director.
To avoid a complete depletion of salt , an act that has occurred in the past, Minneapolis officials will begin to use more sand on roads if weather conditions mirror those of December. Though in a report by The Twin Cities Daily Planet, Steve Lund, Minnesota's Department of Transportation chief maintenance engineer says that sand is largly ineffective for improving traction, and like salt, it is also a pollutant.
Also Bud Osmundson, another public works director, says that sand is costly to sweep up and vacuum out of storm sewers. Currently according to Osmundson, the city cannot renew its supplies because of a state contract. Though officials say that there is enough salt for the remaining winter.

Posted by dittm027 at 12:11 AM | Permalink