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It began in 1871 as P. T. Barnum’s Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan Hippodrome, back when Prussia was still a kingdom and Jesse James was robbing banks. It survived the Depression, two world wars and the new media of its time, including radio, film and television. But on May 21, the world’s most historic circus, Ringling Brothers and Barnum Bailey, will shut down after failing to sufficiently dazzle the children of the smartphone age and to overcome the fierce opposition of the animal rights movement, which does not want to see animals in the circus. Backstage and from the bleachers during a run in Washington, the frenzied spectacle of today is still rooted in its traditions, with a dash of the modern mixed in. Clowns flop. Trapezists fly. Wild animals jump. Contortionists bend. Horses gallop. Tightrope walkers wobble. But ticket sales, which had been declining for a decade, plummeted last year, when the elephants left the ring for the last time. Feld Entertainment, which owns Ringling, spent years battling animal rights groups and accusations of elephant abuse. The circus never lost in court it won a total of $25 million in two settlements from two major animal rights groups and beat back allegations that it had mistreated elephants with chains and bullhooks. But a surreptitious 2009 video showing tactics against the elephants and a powerful online campaign helped dampen enthusiasm for the circus, even as Ringling moved to revamp its practices. “We won in court — and obviously in the court of public opinion we didn’t prevail,” said Kenneth Feld, the chairman and chief executive of Feld Entertainment, which bought the circus in 1967 and owns a variety of successful traveling shows, including Monster Jam and Disney on Ice. In an unforgiving marketplace, he said, it just became too hard for the circus to hold on to its most crucial fans: kids and their nostalgic parents. “There has been more change in the last decade than in the preceding 70 years,” Mr. Feld said recently. “The circus had to be all things to all people. Now we live in a world of specialization. ” Running a circus, even one that has downsized over time, didn’t get any cheaper. The operation — there are two traveling troupes — is gargantuan: Two circus trains to move people and equipment more than 500 performers and crew members to pay and house 100 animals to care for and feed 800 costumes and a universe of props, sound and lights. In a world of distractions, the circus, whittled from five rings to three to, finally, one, found it impossible to compete with cellphones, video games and endless entertainment. Now, in its last days, the men and women who have dedicated years to an enterprise that felt eternal are looking back with pride, grief and a sense of disbelief that “the greatest show on earth” is going dark for good. There is no place like the backstage of a circus — in this case the production of “Out of This World. ” Unicyclists weave past motorcyclists who rev up to roll into their globe of steel. Clowns in slapstick shoes cross paths with lions waiting in cages for their cues. Acrobats sidestep trapezists who pull up on a practice bar. Poodles in a wagon zip by equestrians who jog in place next to their horses. Above it all, literally, stands the ringmaster — Johnathan Lee Iverson, the man who became the first and the youngest person in Ringling history to don the bedazzled top hat and tails. (Last year, a woman stepped in as ringmaster for the first time in the other show.) With his megaphone tenor and towering presence, Mr. Iverson opens the circus on a float — a rocket ship, in this case. These days, with the circus ambling toward its final farewell, Mr. Iverson does less presiding than marveling and philosophizing over this “theater of the impossible” and the talent it boasts. He has spent 18 years and five months as ringmaster with Ringling the circus is where he married, welcomed a son and daughter (who are now in the show) saw the world unfurl through the window of a train (his home) and adopted an extended family of international circus performers. “I wear the moniker of circus freak with pride,” said Mr. Iverson, 41, who grew up in Manhattan and sang with the Boys Choir of Harlem. But let’s be clear, he said: His job is the least of the bunch. “There is nothing miraculous about what I’m doing,” Mr. Iverson said, as he sat in his dressing room at the Verizon Center before donning his topcoat. “I miss a note, or crack, or sound off pitch, I will live. ” The excitement of the circus is rooted in the possibility of things going horribly wrong. There are no stunt doubles, no C. G. I. no “” Mr. Iverson said. Take the eight motorcyclists who race at 65 miles an hour around the steel globe within a foot of each other. Or the equestrian who shimmies under the belly of a horse as it races 25 miles an hour in the ring at a tilt. “There is art in thrills,” Mr. Iverson said. “You have to be cognizant of each and every move, every single day. ” The circus, he said, is a “compulsion” with little, if any, down time. “To see people put hours, days, years into eight perfect minutes is a really inspirational thing,” he said. “There are so many lessons in it — lessons of community, lessons of commitment, and a devotion to something. ” As for his own future, opera may lure him back. A talk show would be wonderful. Playwriting is a possibility. But Mr. Iverson also carries traces of disappointment. The way he sees it, Feld Entertainment should have used a little more razzmatazz in its publicity and marketing — concepts that P. T. Barnum practically invented — particularly on the “World Wide Web,” as he calls it, to save the circus and counter the narrative of the animal rights groups. “We are selling miracles,” Mr. Iverson said. “I don’t care how old you get, how much technology advances, people will always be enamored with other people flying and doing daring things. ” The first thing Alexander Lacey, Ringling’s heartthrob animal trainer, does every morning after he feeds and waters the 14 lions, tigers and one leopard he has raised since birth is gauge their mood. Who is grouchy? Is a female in heat? Does Max the tiger’s growl mean he’s hungry or tired? Is Goldie the lion’s penchant for laziness just that, or something more? “You have to really learn to read them,” said Mr. Lacey, 41, who was born in England into a lion and family. “Once you understand your animals so well, there is no reason to be scared of them, because you are never going to put yourself in a position where it is dangerous. ” The worst injuries he has suffered are scars and scratches. On and off the ring, he hugs many of his lions and tigers and, with Masai, a male lion, he kisses him on the mouth and lets the lion lie on top of him. In his last act, he stuck his head in his mouth. “His breath doesn’t smell, but if he burped, I was green by the time I came out,” said Mr. Lacey, whose quips backstage are as common as clown gags onstage. Like so many other Ringling performers, his family springs from the circus. His mother and father ran a zoo in Chester, England (where they met) until he was 6 years old. Then they ran a circus and started breeding big cats. At the age of 12, their son announced that he wanted to be a lion trainer. “Everyone does,” his father replied. He suggested his son prove his dedication: He told him to care for the animals and pick up their poop for five years. Mr. Lacey obliged. At 21, he finally took the stage with his own lions and tigers. Wild animals at Ringling have long sparked protest. In 1925, the Ringling Brothers dropped the acts because “the impression has been spread that wild animals are taught their tricks by cruel methods,” they told The New York Times. They changed their minds when the legendary lion tamer Clyde Beatty was hired in 1931. Today’s animal rights groups raise the same issues. They say animals simply don’t belong in captivity. “The circus can’t find anybody who wants to buy a ticket to see their cruelty and displays of human dominance over animals,” said Rachel Mathews, associate director of captive animal law enforcement for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which did not take part in the lawsuits. Beatty’s whip, pistol and chair are long gone. Gunther the trainer and performer, changed the culture of animal training, one that Mr. Lacey embraces. Starting at 8 months, the lions and tigers learn through a system of meat treats, guides (a thin pole) and repetition. Mr. Lacey puts his nose in their mouth and blows when they are teeny to get them used to the feel. As they grow, his face goes in deeper. Two years later, they perform, doing jumps, laying down, rolling over. He notices which tiger stays up the longest on hind legs when they play, and assigns them that trick. The less social ones he teaches to onstage. They know to snarl and wave their paws to draw oohs and applause. “Audiences want to be excited a little bit,” he said. “Everybody wants to see the trapeze guy fall off and the lion trainer killed. ” The big cats travel inside specialized vehicles that carry large enclosures. As for the food, they eat $5, 000 a week in beef, chickens, cow livers and hearts. Tricks and training keep their minds occupied, which is important for animals in captivity, Mr. Lacey said. After the final show, he plans to take his cats and go to Germany to join his brother, another animal trainer and breeder. His wife, Katie, who works at Ringling with the “fuzzies” — the alpacas, llamas and goats — will join him. Showtime beckoned, and Mr. Lacey got ready to slip into his sleeveless tight outfit, a that pleases many women in the audience. He grinned. “When I came here,” he said, “they said I had to look more sexy. ” The act never fails to draw gasps and cheers. Tatiana Tchalabaeva hangs upside down off her horse, Bunny, one strap across her foot, her head inches from the ground. Two men ride horses side by side at a gallop as a woman straddles them, one foot on each man’s shoulders. It seems a fall could come at any moment. Equestrianism was a building block of Ringling, along with clowns and acrobats. For Ms. Tchalabaeva and the other 15 equestrians, who come mostly from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Mexico, the job is about pushing boundaries. And that requires constant work. (The person in charge is her husband, Kanat, the trainer.) “We try to keep our act at a very, very high level,” said Ms. Tchalabaeva, 43, with her Russian lilt, as she waited to put on her flowing green costume for the role of the evil Queen Tatiana. “We are creating something new every day. ” Broken bones, stitches and bruises are part of the job, even though the equestrians learn to roll away from horses to avoid being crushed. Horses can trip, sending riders flying. Riders can mistime the speed of a horse and fall. It is dangerous and exhausting work. Staying fit is crucial. (Ms. Tchalabaeva does situps and .) “Horses require a lot of your strength,” she said. “To do it, flawlessly and nice and easy looking, you have to be in great shape. ” And as with Mr. Lacey and his big cats, caring for the horses is a job. The equestrians exercise them, visit them in the barns, feed them treats and rub their noses. The result can be seen backstage. Fourteen horses, lined up two by two, look serene before racing into the ring. Ms. Tchalabaeva, who started as a rhythmic gymnast, has spent 13 years at Ringling, on and off, and her two daughters, 7 and 14, have grown up here. When news spread that the circus was closing, she was in shock. Her children, who go to school at the circus with teachers and use an online program, wept. This is home. “You know, it’s the best show in the world it’s everybody’s goal and dream,” she said. “It’s like underneath, the floor, being taken out of you. ” She can’t help feel bitter about the loss of the elephants and the virulence of the animal rights groups, she said. She recounted spending $10, 000 on surgery to save a horse badly injured by another stallion. It was misrepresented by animal rights groups as a tale of abuse, she said. “To me, I wish more people would believe us and protect us and support us,” she said, her voice cracking. “If I can be a spokesman for that, believe me, I will go anywhere I need to go. ” Davis Vassallo paints red cheeks on his daughter, then moves over to her lips, getting her ready to play a child version of his character. Adriana is 7. It is a family business, clowning, and she is its fifth generation. “My father and grandfather were clowns in a little circus in Italy,” said Mr. Vassallo, 37, the head clown. “My father was an acrobat and a clown because a clown needs to do a little bit of everything. ” If elephants were Ringling’s most famous icons, clowns embody its soul. “We go out there and make people forget about their problems,” said Mr. Vassallo, who has been with Ringling four years. “And then we forget our own problems. We live for that. ’’ Right before a show, Mr. Vassallo, who spent his childhood in Italy shuffling from town to town, changing schools every time, empties his mind. He thinks about nothing, and then gauges the audience. “You can’t plan clown gags,” he said. Clowns have always been multitaskers, a survival technique. Mr. Vassallo is an acrobat and a tightrope walker, which his father taught him. In the show, he walks the tightrope, performing several sitting somersaults, and does a handstand atop a sway pole. In arenas, clowning has also grown bigger — larger gestures, more falls, gargantuan props. Mr. Vassallo is a “sweet clown” because he was told he has a sweet face. Even for a clown, it’s hard to cut against type. And he wears little makeup. (“I’ve been told I look stupid in makeup,” he said, laughing.) Mimicry is his signature. He uses his expressive face and, in this show, his squeaky voice to embody a character. Soon, he will move on, as he always has, to another circus, or perhaps theater. With sawdust in his lineage, walking away is impossible. “Every time I go home, I get bored,” he said. “That’s when you realize you love your job. ” | 1 |
22 people have been confirmed dead and around 120 others are injured following reports of multiple explosions after an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester in the North of England on Monday Evening. [Greater Manchester Police originally said there had been a “number of fatalities and others injured” at the Manchester Arena, where pop singer Ariana Grande was performing. Nineteen people were confirmed dead as of 8pm EST. Chief Constable Ian Hopkins has confirmed the man suspected of carrying out last night’s attack was Salman Abedi. Eyewitness accounts posted to social media show convoys of ambulances moving to the centre of Manchester as thousands of music fans fled the Manchester Evening News Arena. Live updates: UPDATE 0900 BST — First image released of Salman Abedi, UPDATE 0820 BST — Home Secretary Amber Rudd confirms Manchester bomber Salman Abedi was known “up to a point” to the intelligence services Ms. Rudd disclosed on Sky News that Salman Abedi was known “up to a point” to intelligence services. She also warned it seemed “likely” Abedi “was not doing this on his own”. UPDATE Wednesday 24 May 0800 BST — Metropolitan police confirms military to be deployed at key locations across London, Following the terror threat level being raised to its highest rating, critical, London’s Metropolitan police confirmed the military will be working under the police and deployed as armed guards across key locations in London. In a statement, the Metropolitan Police Services (MPS) confirmed: “As part of the and tested deployment under Operation Temperer the military will be working under the MPS command structure to provide static armed guarding at key locations. This will include Buckingham Palace, Downing Street, Embassies and the Palace of Westminster. This will free up armed officers to carry out patrols. ” Commander Jane Connors, leading the London policing operation, said: “We are using every tactical option — not just through the use of armed officers but ongoing work by the Counter Terrorism Command working with partner agencies and gathering community intelligence. ” He added: “Operations for upcoming events are now under review and there will be additional security arrangements put in place. Specialist officers who are experts in protective security arrangements are advising businesses, event organisers and venues across London. ” UPDATE 2210 BST — May raises threat level to critical, ready to deploy Army on the streets — “Operation Temperer is now in force. ” In a televised statement from Downing Street, Prime Minister Theresa May said the U. K.’s terrorism threat level has been raised from severe to critical. ITV notes this level means “a terrorist attack is considered imminent. ” “It is a possibility that we cannot ignore that there is a wider group of individuals linked to this attack,” said May. She said the higher threat level means “there will be additional support available to the police as they work to keep us safe. ” “Operation Temperer is now in force,” May stated. Operation Temperer is a plan formulated after the Paris massacre, once considered secret by the British government, that could put up to 5, 000 soldiers on the streets in the event of a major terrorist attack. May specifically stated that initiating Operation Temperer meant the protection of key sites would be handed over to military personnel instead of the police, freeing up police officers for other duties. “You might also see military personnel deployed at certain events, such as concerts and sports matches, helping the police to keep the public safe,” the Prime Minister explained. “In all circumstances, members of the Armed Forces who are deployed in this way will be under the command of police officers. ” “I do not want the public to feel unduly alarmed,” she emphasized. “We have faced a serious terrorist threat in our country for many years. The operational response I have just outlined is a proportionate and sensible response to the threat that our security experts judge we face. I ask everyone to be vigilant and to cooperate with and support the police as they go about their important work. ” “The spirit of Manchester and the spirit of Britain is far mightier than the sick plots of depraved terrorists,” May declared. “That is why the terrorists will never win, and we will prevail. ” UPDATE 2115 BST — Morrissey: “Politicians tell us they are unafraid, but they are never the victims. ” Singer Morrissey, who hails from Manchester and was celebrating his birthday in town when news of the bomb attack broke, wrote a furious Facebook post in which he excoriated British politicians for leaving the people at risk while they enjoy security protection. “The anger is monumental. For what reason will this ever stop?” Morrissey asked, before calling everyone from the mayor of Manchester to the Queen of England on the carpet: Theresa May says such attacks “will not break us” but her own life is lived in a bubble, and she evidently does not need to identify any young people today in Manchester morgues. Also, “will not break us” means that the tragedy will not break her, or her policies on immigration. The young people of Manchester are already broken — thanks all the same, Theresa. Sadiq Khan says “London is united with Manchester” but he does not condemn Islamic State — who have claimed responsibility for the bomb. The Queen receives absurd praise for her ‘strong words’ against the attack, yet she does not cancel today’s garden party at Buckingham Palace — for which no criticism is allowed in the Britain of free press. Manchester mayor Andy Burnham says the attack is the work of an “extremist”. An extreme what? An extreme rabbit? In modern Britain, everyone seems petrified to officially say what we all say in private. Politicians tell us they are unafraid, but they are never the victims. How easy to be unafraid when one is protected from the line of fire. The people have no such protections. UPDATE 1945 BST — Man with knife and baseball bat arrested at vigil in Birmingham: The Sun reports that police “swooped on a suspected knifeman armed with a baseball bat in Birmingham as a vigil was being held for victims of the Manchester terror attack. ” A witness reported “loud shouting” and armed police officers announcing a security alert. UPDATE 1840 BST — Manchester United players observe moment of silence before practice: The team is scheduled to play in the Europa League final on Wednesday. “We are all very sad about the tragic events last night we cannot take out of our minds and our hearts the victims and their families. We have a job to do and we will fly to Sweden to do that job. It is a pity we cannot fly with the happiness that we always have before a big game. I know, even during my short time here, that the people of Manchester will pull together as one,” said team manager Jose Mourinho. ITV reports that Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola’s wife and two children attended the Ariana Grande concert. They are all said to be “safe and well. ” UPDATE 1825 BST — Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai lit with Union Jack for Manchester victims: Dubai’s Burj Khalifa lit up with the Union Jack tonight #ManchesterBombing, (via gzshr on instagram) pic. twitter. — Anup Kaphle (@AnupKaphle) May 23, 2017, UPDATE 1745 BST — Police confirm terror suspect is Salman Abedi. Two searches carried out in the Whalley Range and Fallowfield areas of Manchester, Latest statement from Chief Constable Ian Hopkins: “Can I start by once again passing on our heartfelt sympathies to all the innocent people caught up in last night’s despicable act. “We now have a team of Family Liaison Officers who are supporting families. “There has been much speculation and names of those who may have been killed in the media and social media. We accept that this is inevitable however we ask that people allow the police and coroner to release the names once the families are ready and appropriately supported. “As you would expect the police response to this across Greater Manchester has been significant as we support people to go about their daily business. “Part of this response has seen us arrest a man in connection with the attack and we have also carried out two warrants, one in Whalley Range and one in Fallowfield that included a controlled explosion to enable safe entry. “We understand that feelings are very raw right now and people are bound to be looking for answers. However, now, more than ever, it is vital that our diverse communities in Greater Manchester stand together and do not tolerate hate. “We have been visited by the Prime Minster and Home Secretary and we have taken them through the emergency response so far and what we plan to do in future days. “I can confirm that the man suspected of carrying out last night’s atrocity has been named as Salman Abedi. However, he has not yet been formally identified and I wouldn’t wish, therefore, to comment further. “The priority remains to establish whether he was acting alone or as part of a network. UPDATE 1635 BST — Salman Abedi confirmed as Manchester bomber, The AP news agency has confirmed previous reports over the identity of the Manchester attacker, saying British authorities had named him as Libyan origin British citizen Salman Abedi. BREAKING: US officials: British authorities have identified suspected Manchester suicide bomber as Salman Abedi. — The Associated Press (@AP) May 23, 2017, UPDATE 1555 BST — Claim: Attacker was Salman Abedi, CBS reports the suicide bomber who killed 22 on Monday evening was Salman Abedi, who they report was “known to British authorities” prior to the attack. If this is so, Abedi would be the man the Islamic State claimed as a “soldier of the Khaliph” on Tuesday. Abedi is distinct from another 23 year old man arrested as a suspect in Manchester Tuesday morning. The NBS network has published a similar claim, but stated the killer’s name was spelt slightly differently as Salmon Ramadan Abedi. British police and the Prime Minister have said they have identified the attacker, but have not yet made the name public. UPDATE 1545 BST — Update on injuries, There has been an update on the number injured, bringing the figure of 60 injuries in addition to the 22 fatalities up to 120. The reason for this change is the previous figure only counted those who were treated in hospital — paramedics also treated an additional 60 “walking wounded” on the scene last night as well. Many of those who were admitted to hospital last night remain there, some in “critical” condition, with a reported third of injured under the age of 16. UPDATE 1415 BST — Third victim named, “Beautiful soul” John Atkinson has been named as the third victim of the Manchester attack. As the news comes in, the sympathies and condolences to the familes of Georgia Callender, Saffie Rose Roussos and John Atkinson #RIP, — GMP Middleton (@GMPMiddleton) May 23, 2017, UPDATE 1355 BST — Police raid Manchester home of suspected killer, use controlled explosion, Armed police used explosives to enter a house in Elsmore Road, Fallowfield, Manchester in the past hour reports the Manchester Evening News, which is understood to be the former residence of the suicide bomber who killed 22 at last night’s Ariana Grande concert. A neighbour told the paper: “There were about 20 armed officers in all black with machine guns. There were another 20 uniformed officers who were in the street. “There were also plain clothes officers who were also armed. The road was cordoned off, but there was no evacuation of the street”. The force subsequently confirmed there had been a “controlled explosion” at the property as part of the investigation. There have been others raids across the city Tuesday, including one near a supermarket where a witness reported possibly seeing “an Asian guy” being arrested. pic. twitter. — G M Police (@gmpolice) May 23, 2017, UPDATE 1335 BST — Casualty numbers — 12 children under 16 years old amongst injured, BREAKING: UK ambulance official: 12 children under age of 16 were among 59 injured in concert attack. — The Associated Press (@AP) May 23, 2017, Medical professionals speaking from Manchester Royal Infirmary have confirmed that following reports of the terror attack shortly after 10:30 pm Monday night, plans for responding to mass casualty events were put into action by the emergency and hospital services. At 10:46, a response was mounted and 60 vehicles were sent to the Manchester Arena with highly specialised crews who were able to stabilise patients at the scene before transporting 59 patients to local AEs in the Greater Manchester area. Patients in need of surgery were sent straight to theatre without delay. Patients were sent to the following hospitals: Manchester Royal Infirmary — 9 casualties, Salford Royal Trust — 6 casualties, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital — 12 casualties, University Hospital South Manchester — 6 casualties, Stepping Hill Hospital Stockport — 6 casualties, Bolton Hospital — 8 casualties, Royal Aldham Hospital — 7 casualties, North Manchester Hospital — 5 casualties, There was also a number of walking wounded who were not transported by emergency services. UPDATE 1325 BST — Saffie Rose Roussos second named victim, Saffie Rose Roussos has been named as the second victim of the Manchester suicide bombing, reports the Guardian. The schoolgirl had been at the concert with her mother and sister, both of whom were taken to hospital last night for shrapnel injuries. The headmaster of Saffie’s school Tarleton Community primary school said in a statement to the paper: “Saffie was simply a beautiful little girl in every aspect of the word. She was loved by everyone and her warmth and kindness will be remembered fondly. Saffie was quiet and unassuming with a creative flair”. UPDATE 1315 BST — Full text of Islamic State claim, The Site Intelligence Group, a monitoring organisation which has access to the Islamic State’s media channels including the Amaq news agency has repoduced the version of the Islamic State claim for responsibility for last night’s attack. Calling the Ariana Grande concert a “gathering of the Crusaders in the British city of Manchester … the shameless concert arena” the release referred to the children at the show “worshippers of the cross” and the attacker “a soldier of the Khalifa”. What this claim means for the investigation is unclear. The Islamic State has claimed many terror attacks in Europe in recent years — an easy thing to do if the killer is already dead. It may be the case that while the Islamic State didn’t have advance warning of the attack the killer may have been inspired by Islamic State propaganda, and informed by Islamic State documents on bomb making and attacks as has been the case in the past. #ISIS releases version of claim for #Manchester bombing pic. twitter. — SITE Intel Group (@siteintelgroup) May 23, 2017, UPDATE 1300 BST — Associated Press: Islamic State claim responsibility for Manchester Suicide Bombing, The Associated Press agency has reported the Islamic State group has claimed one of their members was responsible for last night’s attack. More follows. BREAKING: Islamic State group says one of its members carried out the Manchester attack that killed 22 people. — The Associated Press (@AP) May 23, 2017, UPDATE 1220 BST — HM Queen Elizabeth II’s Statement, British Monarch Queen Elizabeth II has sent a message to the Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, a traditional means of addressing the people of Manchester through her official senior representative in the city. The Queen said: The whole nation has been shocked by the death and injury in Manchester last night of so many people, adults and children, who had just been enjoying a concert. I know I speak for everyone in expressing my deepest sympathy to all who have been affected by this dreadful event and especially to the families and friends of those who have died or were injured. I want to thank all the members of the emergency services, who have responded with such professionalism and care. And I would like to express my admiration for the way the people of Manchester have responded, with humanity and compassion, to this act of barbarity. ELIZABETH R. UPDATE 11550 BST — Manchester Police make arrest, With regards to last night’s incident at the Manchester arena, we can confirm we have arrested a man in South Manchester. — G M Police (@gmpolice) May 23, 2017, Greater Manchester Police have announced their first arrest following Monday night’s suicide bomb attack on the Arena music venue, who has been identified as a “ man in South Manchester”. The arrest comes after Manchester’s major Arndale shopping centre was evacuated late Tuesday morning. Hundreds of shoppers and staff were seen fleeing the area in tears. A man was arrested at the centre but Manchester Police said it was not “currently beleived to be connected to last night’s attacks”. The shopping centre was the site of a 1996 IRA terror attack which caused millions of pounds of damage to property, but caused no fatalities. UPDATE 1140 BST — Prime Minister Theresa May’s statement following a meeting of COBRA, In a statement by the prime minister following a meeting of the Government’s crisis response committee COBRA, Theresa May praised emergency and security services for their response and the generosity and strength of the people of Manchester. The prime minister confirmed there have been 22 fatalities and 59 people were injured, some with conditions. On the attack, the prime minister said: “We now know a terrorist detonated his improvised explosive device near one of the exits of the venue, delivered at a time and place to cause maximum carnage and to kill indiscriminately at the end of a pop concert which was attended by many young families and groups of children. “All acts of terror are cowardly attacks against innocent people, but this attack stands out for it appalling sickening cowardliness deliberately targeting innocent children and young people who should have been enjoying the night of their lives. ” She confirmed: “The threat level remains at ‘severe’ meaning that a terror event is likely, but the independent joint analysis centre, which sets the threat level on the basis of intelligence available to them, will continue to assess this throughout the day and in the days ahead. ” The prime minister will travel to Manchester to meet the chief constable of Greater Manchester Police Ian Hopkins, the mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, and members of the emergency services. Mrs. May will chair another meeting of COBRA later on Tuesday. UPDATE 1055 BST — President Trump’s Comments from Bethlehem, United States President Donald Trump has condemend the “evil losers” who perpetrated the Manchester attack while speaking in Bethlehem. Get the full story from Breitbart Jerusalem. UPDATE 1050 BST — General Election Campaigning Suspended, Britain is just fifteen full days away from the next general election, and campaigning has been suspended by all major parties out of respect for the dead following Manchester’s suicide bombing at the Manchester Arena. Read the full story at Breitbart London. UPDATE 1040 BST — Prime Minister to make a statement shortly, The press pack are assembled outside 10 Downing Street, waiting on the Prime Minister who is expected to make a statement on last night’s suicide bombing, following her meeting with the ‘COBRA’ national security council this morning. Updates to come. UPDATE 1030 BST — London Bus Station Evacuated Over ‘Suspicious Package’ Victoria coach station, the main hub for coach travel in and out of the capital was evacuated this morning after a “suspicious package” was discovered, just hours after last night’s Manchester suicide bombing. London’s Metropolitan Police told the public to stay clear of the area as they closed off nearby roads. The area was later declared safe as officers assessed the package to be . UPDATE 0500 EST (1000 BST) — First victim named as Georgina Callander, The first victim named following the terror attack at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester Monday night has been confirmed as Georgina Callander. It is believed she was one of the first people rushed to hospital after the attack. According to a close friend, the teen died with her mother by her bedside in hospital. On Sunday, she had tweeted that she was “so excited” to see Ariana Grande who she was pictured with two years ago. Friends of Georgina described her as “a beautiful girl with the kindest heart and soul”. UPDATE 0400 EST (0900 BST) — Death toll at 22, Greater Manchester Police have confirmed the explosion at Monday night’s Ariana Grande concert at Manchester City Arena was a terror attack, with the perpetrator dying in the explosion. The death toll has risen from 19 to 22, and children are confirmed amongst the dead. UPDATE 22:37 EST — North West Ambulance Service has released an update on the casualties of the attack. The ambulance service has said that there still remain 19 fatalities and the number of injured has increased to 59. UPDATE 22:08 EST — Greater Manchester police confirm 19 dead, 50 injured at 6 hospitals and call incident a terror attack. Chief Constable Ian Hopkins gave a brief press conference confirming the number of victims and said the incident is being investigated as terrorism. Hopkins said for people to avoid the area as emergency workers are still working at the scene. UPDATE 21:55 EST — Witness claims there was a total lack of security at the concert. Eyewitness Chris Pawley appeared on Tucker Carlson on Fox News this evening and said that there was very little security at the Arianna Grande concert. “I’ve been to concerts before and sometimes you get patted down, or have to empty your pockets. There was absolutely nothing at this concert tonight,” he said. Manchester attack eyewitness Chris Pawley: there was no security whatsoever. pic. twitter. — Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) May 23, 2017, UPDATE 21:31 EST — Dr Sebastian Gorka noted the attack occurred on the anniversary of the killing of soldier Lee Rigby. Dr Gorka, an adviser to U. S. President Donald Trump, tweeted that the attack occurred on the same day as Rigby’s murder, which took place four years ago. “Dates matter to jihadi terrorists,” he wrote. NOTE: Manchester explosion happens on 4th anniversary of the public murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby. Dates matter to Jihadi terrorists. pic. twitter. — Sebastian Gorka DrG (@SebGorka) May 23, 2017, UPDATE 21:26 EST — UK Prime Minister Theresa May has issued a statement on the attack. “We are working to establish the full details of what is being treated by the police as an appalling terrorist attack. ” Ms May went on to add, “all our thoughts are with the victims and the families of those who have been affected. ” UPDATE 21:00 EST — Reuters suggests a “suicide bomber” may be responsible: Initial signs point to a suicide bomber as the cause of a blast at a music venue in Manchester, England, that killed 19 people and injured 50, two U. S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said on Monday. British police said they are treating the explosion at a concert for U. S. singer Ariana Grande as a “terrorist incident. ” BREAKING: Suicide bomber suspected in Manchester Arena explosion — two U. S. officials. https: . pic. twitter. — Reuters UK (@ReutersUK) May 23, 2017, UPDATE 20:59 EST — Further eyewitness reports suggest a “nail bomb” may have been used. Gary Walker, who was at the show with his wife and two daughters, told the New York Times he “heard a massive bang and saw a flash”. The NYT reports: “He turned and realized that his wife had been hurt. Mr. Walker, who is from the northern city of Leeds, said she had a stomach wound and possibly a broken leg. He said he lay down with her and saw “metal nuts on the floor. ”” UPDATE 20:56 EST — Nigel Farage tells Breitbart London: “We have literally not even debated immigration let alone security so far in this election. All the reasons people voted for Brexit have been airbrushed from the debate”. The Brexit leader was keen to stress how there has not yet been a motive or suspect confirmed, and how the last nail bomb in the United Kingdom was used by an “ ” Neo Nazi. He stated his belief, however, that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn — who is perceived as soft on terrorism and security issues — would be the most likely to suffer politically ahead of the UK General Election on June 8. UPDATE 20:48 — There are no claims regarding the attack yet, but social media accounts have been reported to have been “celebrating” the incident: 1) No claim regarding blast in #Manchester, but #ISIS accounts celebrating the attack, disseminating media threats pic. twitter. — Rita Katz (@Rita_Katz) May 23, 2017, UPDATE 20:44 — Former UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage has told Fox News this is a “new low” in the sense that the explosions appear to have targeted children. It is worth noting that while Greater Manchester Police are keeping terrorism high on the agenda in terms of assessing this attack, it has not yet been confirmed. “This is going to be a very big shock for the country … Actually terror, open door immigration have played relatively low roles in the election so far. ” UPDATE 20:35 — Police are performing controlled explosions in the local area: There will be a controlled explosion in Cathedral gardens shortly if you hearing anything don’t be concerned. — G M Police (@gmpolice) May 23, 2017, UPDATE 20:25 — CBS reports a large group of young girls are amongst those dead. Various news outlets are also now reporting the possibility of the explosions containing nails, which has not yet been confirmed by local authorities: CBS News confirms a large group of young girls are among the 19 dead following alleged terror attack at Ariana Grande concert in England, — David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) May 23, 2017, CBS News confirms there were two explosions at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, Englad — the devices contained nails. — David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) May 23, 2017, UPDATE 20:10 — Police report 19 dead, 50+ injured: Latest statement on incident at Manchester Arena pic. twitter. — G M Police (@gmpolice) May 23, 2017, UPDATE 19:48 — Eyewitness Kiara Dawber has told CNN: “There as a massive, massive explosion, a bang, there as smoke coming up through the steps. Everyone was screaming and shouting … it could be a bomb, people were screaming for their kids … . there were bodies scattered about everywhere … we were just running through the road … it was just chaos … you could see people were just dead … passed away … there was a lot of blood”. EXPLOSION AT MANCHESTER ARENA AND EVERYONE RAN OUT SO SCARY😭 pic. twitter. — ♡♡ (@hannawwh) May 22, 2017, UPDATE 19:30 EST — Eyewitness David Richardson is quoted by the Manchester Evening News: “The lights came on after the gig and people were starting to leave. As I turned to the left there was an explosion. It was about 40ft behind us near one of the exits. We just thought it was people messing about then it happened again. Another explosion sounded. “Then we saw the smoke. Everyone just fled. Some people were injured. We saw blood on people when we got outside. People were just running all over the place. “People have said it was a speaker or balloons but it wasn’t. It was explosions. ” UPDATE 19:24 EST — Bomb disposal units have been seen entering the area around the arena. Bomb disposal going into the arena. pic. twitter. — Frances Perraudin (@fperraudin) May 22, 2017, Original story follows: Greater Manchester Police and the local NHS trust confirmed they had responded to a “serious incident” at the Manchester Arena, and urged members of the public to stay clear of the area. Manchester’s Victoria railway station has been evacuated and all lines closed — both mainline services and local Metrolink trams. National Rail said in a statement that “Disruption is expected to continue until the end of the day”. Video shows people running inside Manchester’s Victoria Station after blast reported following Ariana Grande concert https: . pic. twitter. — World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) May 22, 2017, A spokesman for Ariana Grande told media the songstress was safe. Eyewitness Andy Holey told the BBC he saw “several bodies”. He said the explosion was near the ticket office and he was blown off his feet by the blast, while another eyewitness, Ivo Delgado told CNN he heard “a big bang and little ones”. The Manchester Evening News reports “two loud bangs” in the vicinity of the Manchester Arena. Video posted to social media platform Twitter shows the moments after the event in the arena, and in which the sounds of screams and panic are clear. | 1 |
Warren Buffett likened American workers who have seen their jobs and factories destroyed by global trade to animals slaughtered by cars and trucks on the highway. [“Nobody should be roadkill,” Buffet said Saturday at the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway in Omaha, Nebraska. The billionaire, who supported Barack Obama and backed Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election, now sounds almost . His comments on American workers echoed the remarks of President Donald Trump in his inaugural speech in January, which described a landscape of “American carnage” where closed factories are “scattered like tombstones. ” Toward the end of the question and answer session with Buffett and his longtime sidekick Charlie Munger, investor Whitney Tilson asked if businesses should consider the fates of millions of Americans displaced by trade and technology instead of focussing solely on maximizing shareholder value. Buffett argued that free trade was a benefit to the economy at large but that politicians needed to “take care of the people who become roadkill. ” This wasn’t the first time Buffett has used the phrase. Back in February, he gave this material a test run on CNBC’s Squawkbox. So free trade is wonderful for the world and for the United States, but its benefits are diffused among 320 million people. You buy your bananas cheaper because we don’t try and produce them in the United States. But the penalties from free trade are terrible to specific industries. And as an investor, I can own — make a dumb decision on owning a shoe company. But if I own a good insurance company, I can diversify away the problems. If you’re a steelworker, you can’t diversify away your talents. I mean, you had it if steel or textiles or shoes become subject to total, it all moves offshore. So you want to have free trade, but you also have to take care of the people who, through no fault of their own, have spent their life learning one profession. And you can talk about retraining and all that, but it just isn’t practical. And just take Berkshire Hathaway. We started with 2, 000 employees in New Bedford, Mass, turning out textiles. And that business was doomed. And we had workers there who really they didn’t have alternatives at age 50. Fair number of them just spoke Portuguese. They didn’t have a chance. And a rich country that’s prospering because of free trade, and as the world is prospering, should keep the free trade as much as possible. But they also should take care of the people that become the roadkill, you know, when an industry moves. | 0 |
October 29, 2016 - Ruslan Ostashko, PolitRussia - translated by J. Arnoldski -
Every speech of the Russian president at international forums is a landmark event. I say so not because I am a Russian journalist and support the president, but because Vladimir Putin is on the very short list of global politicians who can speak inconvenient and politically incorrect truths from the podium even if someone is shocked or hurt.
For example, Barack Obama’s speeches can be listened to learn a new flat joke about the Russian economy, which he tore to shreds. But Putin, Trump, and Xi Jinping’s speeches are worth listening to for the sake of those moments when they tear off the veils of unnecessary political correctness and call things by their names. Who else among world leaders, and not marginal oppositionists, can tell us about supranational oligarchical and bureaucratic elites?
Of course, as Putin himself said, he cannot allow himself to make sharp epithets, but for anyone who speaks Russian, it is not difficult to understand who he had in mind and what he thinks about them. I often doubt the psychological health of the American political elite, but Putin prefers to say that Western elites are “acting irrationally” and “stepping on the same rake.” One can only envy the restraint of our president.
Putin used his speech at Valdai to pointedly and very wittily respond to the claims that the collective West has made against Russia lately.
I especially liked the rhetorical “fork” with which he poked the Americans accusing Russia of meddling in the American elections. Putin said that this is impossible since the US is a great power, not a banana republic, and thereby humiliated his opponents. If they will continue to insist that Russia is interfering, then they will humiliate the US by admitting that the US is now at the level of a banana republic. If Putin is to be agreed with on the greatness of the US, then it turns out that all the accusations of Russian intervention look silly.
Putin also expressed a thesis which will be used by all anti-systemic European politicians. He said that the European Parliament now has more influence on the lives of ordinary Europeans and controls more spheres of life than the Supreme Soviet in the USSR. Putin stressed that Brexit was a surprise for the European elite, systemic media, and politicians who suddenly discovered that a significant part of society is discontent with the current situation in which ordinary citizens have no say.
In this spirit, he explained the popularity of Donald Trump, who has become the spokesman of the desires of ordinary Americans who are tired of irresponsible politicians and elites.
Overall, Putin painted with broad strokes for the audience a revolutionary situation, one in which “those at the top can’t go on and those at the bottom don't want to” [a reference to Lenin’s famous description of a "revolutionary situation" in his Left-Wing Communism: An Infantile Disorder - JA].
In this case, the top is the supranational oligarchy and bureaucracy mentioned by Putin which, feeling dizzy with success after victory in the Cold War, made mistakes, and is now faced with a situation in which it has to acknowledge that globalization and multiculturalism are not working.
The bottom is the world’s citizens, including those of the West and those political leaders who are called “marginal” by systemic elites. Putin even formulated a mini-program that the peoples of Russia, China, and France can all get behind. Putin said that the ordinary inhabitants of the planet want to be ensured preservation of cultural identity, freedom, and independence.
The problem is that the existing supranational bureaucracy and oligarchy can’t give them this. After all, the preservation of cultural identity means the end of globalization and independence means the end of the hegemony of one civilizational project. Freedom is like an acid eating away at formal and informal structures dictating countries how to live, what currency to use, what history to remember, and who to call terrorists and who freedom fighters.
I am very pleased that Russia has strong media working towards Western audiences, and I am sure that many ordinary Westerners will recognize themselves in this description of frustrated and angry citizens who no longer want to live the old way and want to smash the existing system. It is as if Putin is holding out his hand to them and assuring them that we are the same, that we have one big, serious, and common problem: the very same supranational oligarchy and bureaucracy which is pulling the strings of some American and European leaders. Psychologists say that the joint resolution of complex problems is the best way to tie a long and enduring friendship.
We can’t be friends with today’s Western elites. Putin is not going to retire, and in the future disgruntled citizens will be able to change the Western elites.
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Monday in Miami after attending a Martin Luther King Day event, while commenting on Donald Trump saying NATO is obsolete, Sen. Marco Rubio ( ) said NATO was “not only not obsolete I believe it’s as important as it’s been since the end of the Cold War. ” Rubio said, “Well, NATO is not obsolete. It most certainly needs to be reinvigorated given the new challenges of the 21st century. But our Transatlantic alliance with our partners in Europe is not only not obsolete I believe it’s as important as it’s been since the end of the Cold War. ” Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN | 0 |
Eight Clowns Jabbering---But Next Time Please Spare Us The Pecksniffery November marks month #95 of the Fed's ZIRP regime. That is, during only one of its 63 meetings since December 2008 has our monetary politburo permitted the Federal funds rates to rise by even 25 basis points. So after dithering once again with its boot heel planted hard upon the neck of the money market, we have a question for the FOMC. Exactly what hobgoblins and menacing economic threats did it identify to justify continuation of its ultra-emergency interest rate policy at Wednesday's meeting? | 0 |
When I was reading the news this morning, I discovered a quote that was so very ironic, I wanted to think that it was satire. But it wasn’t. The Clinton campaign, who really liked the FBI during their first go-round , had the audacity to say now that the FBI has double standards. “It is impossible to view this as anything less than a blatant double standard,” Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook said. He also called on Mr Comey to “immediately explain this incongruence and apply the same standard to Donald Trump’s associates as he has applied to Hillary Clinton’s.” ( source ) BWHAHAHA. LOL. ROTFL. Excuse me, I can’t stop laughing…a nervous, manic kind of laughter that also makes one of my eyes twitch. Why? This is coming from the spokesperson of a woman who is trying to pull in young voters and calling them “F*&$ing dumb” behind their backs. This is coming from the spokesperson of a woman who is trying to connect with the American people at the same time as saying she has no clue about real life due to her background. This is coming from the spokesperson of a woman who preaches honesty and integrity and practices neither, saying in a paid speech that sometimes you have to lie. I have never heard a more ridiculous, two-faced audacious comment in my whole life. And considering I write about politics, I’ve heard a lot over the years. Speaking of double standards, did you hear the latest about the re-opened email investigation? The incestuous connection between the Clinton campaign and the Department of Justice continues. The person in charge of the new investigation is none other than Peter Kadzik. Kadzik has a long history with both the Clinton family and campaign manager John Podesta. Podesta wrote “ The Power of Progress” in 2008, in which he outlined his plan to save the world. And by longtime connections, I mean… Kadzik represented John Podesta after he perjured himself during the Monica Lewinsky case Kadzik lobbied for Marc Rich, a fugitive that was pardoned by then-President Bill Clinton Kadzik led the effort to nominate Loretta Lynch as Attorney General Kadzik had a celebratory dinner with Podesta the day after the Benghazi hearings Kadzik denied a request from Republicans to appoint special counsel in the last Clinton email investigation Kadzik and Podesta appear from Wikileaks to be the best of friends, celebrating birthdays and other occasions together Those are some of the links between Kadzik and Clintonland – check out this very thorough report on Zero Hedge for all of the details. Can you imagine the hue and cry if Donald Trump’s nearest and dearest ran the investigation about his alleged links with Russia? How is this possibly okay? Open letter to Peter Kadzik After stumbling across Kadzik’s email address in an online group (by the way, it’s [email protected] – don’t they every learn about email security?) I sent this very polite email suggesting that he recuse himself from the investigation. Dear Mr. Kadzik: When I learned that you were to be the person in charge of the investigation into Huma Abedin and her emails, I was curious to learn about your connections. With just a teeny tiny bit of Googling, I was aghast to discover that you have a close friendship with John Podesta, Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager.I was further discomfited by the fact that you have direct connections with the Obamas and the Clintons themselves. While I’m sure you take your job very seriously, it seems to me a direct conflict of interest for you to handle this investigation. I strongly urge you to do the right thing and recuse yourself from overseeing this investigation. If you find the emails without merit, there was always be a cloud over your findings due to your close connections with the Clintons, President Obama, and Mrs. Clinton’s campaign. Please hand this over to independent investigators who can do this job without the appearance of bias. Sincerely, Daisy Luther Surprisingly, I’ve had no response to my courteous request. He’s probably out there busily finding a non-biased replacement. Article first posted at DaisyLuther.com Submit your review | 1 |
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The Obama administration has ordered the Pentagon to immediately cease demanding the repayment of enlistment bonuse s from some 10,000 National Guardsmen who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service argued that the soldiers were not qualified to receive the money or that accounting errors had resulted in improper payments, despite many of them having served multiple tours.
Soldiers from California have been badgering their Congressional representatives about this issue for two years , but Congress has done nothing to alleviate the Pentagon’s demands that soldiers repay money they were given years ago and have certainly earned by putting their lives and limbs on the line serving American interests abroad. Some $70 million was spent by overzealous recruiters looking to fill their quotas that the Pentagon is now looking to get back.
“While some soldiers knew or should have known they were ineligible for benefits they were claiming, many others did not. About 2,000 have been asked, in keeping with the law, to repay erroneous payments. We’re not going to nickel-and-dime them when they get back, and we’re not going to hold service members responsible unfairly for unethical conduct or fraud perpetrated by someone else” said Secretary of Defense Ash Carter. The Obama Administration is now looking to “fast-track” the investigations, which have been dragging on for years.
However, the Obama administration is still not bowing to bipartisan pressure from Congress to fully forgive the money.
In a statement, Paul Rieckhoff, founder and CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, applauded the move but says more still needs to be done.
“This is a good step from the Pentagon. But it is long overdue and far from enough. Thousands of lives have been turned upside down and veterans who have served honorably are now in financial ruin through no fault of their own. While it’s good for them to know recouping has been halted, that does not make them financially whole or address their urgent needs. Many will be stuck waiting for clarity and the results of the investigation until next year. The Pentagon needs to do more than just halt the recouping, it needs to pay them back–with interest.”
The war against Daesh (ISIS/ISIL) is costing the American taxpayer about $11 million a day . The United States military budget is around $600 billion a year , and the Pentagon has “lost track” of some $8 trillion over the past few decades . We can definitely afford to forgive a measly $70 million in order to ensure the financial security of the brave men and women defend our country and our national interests overseas. To hear the Pentagon cry poverty and try to squeeze money out of our National Guardsmen and women after wasting billions of dollars on projects like the defective F-35 joint-strike fighter jet is appalling. | 0 |
Students at the University of Notre Dame have reacted strongly to the announcement that Vice President Mike Pence will serve as this year’s commencement speaker. [University President John Jenkins announced the decision to host Pence as the speaker at this year’s graduation event in a press release. Jenkins stated that it “is fitting that in the 175th year of our founding on Indiana soil that Notre Dame recognize a native son who served our state and now the nation with quiet earnestness, moral conviction and a dedication to the common good characteristic of true statesmen. ” Although there have been no calls to disinvite Vice President Pence, students at the University of Notre Dame have been expressing their concern over the decision to offer him the role of commencement speaker. The university’s College Democrats organization expressed their concern over Pence’s stances on immigration, abortion, and healthcare, suggesting that his values contradict those of what the group would consider an appropriate commencement speaker. “Vice President Pence has demonstrated this ‘quiet earnestness’ and ‘moral conviction’ on numerous other occasions: when he refused to allow Syrian refugees, fleeing from violence and terrorism, to find refuge in our state when he limited a woman’s right to control her own body by slashing access to women’s healthcare or when he limited needle exchange programs that could have prevented the worst HIV outbreak Indiana has ever seen,” the College Democrats of Notre Dame wrote in a statement that appeared on their Facebook page. “The new Administration has shown a basic disregard for the fundamental rights of so many communities. We are saddened that Fr. Jenkins would invite Vice President Pence to serve as an ambassador of that Administration, as he receives an honorary degree on a stage shared by members of the very communities he marginalizes,” the statement adds. Senior Film, Television, and Theatre major Elizabeth Hynes expressed her criticism of the decision in a satirical video that she uploaded to YouTube. “Just as many people were opposed to the invitation of President Obama in 2008, I’m opposed to the university inviting Pence today,” Hynes claims. “The invitation of a man who, during his tenure as governor, made decisions that harmed the quality of life for many marginalized groups (e. g. refugees, drug users from lower socioeconomic levels, members of the LGBT community, and women) runs counter to the Catholic values of inclusion that both Pence and our university claim to perpetuate. Additionally, Pence’s complicity in an administration that is hostile towards — among many other groups — DACA students and their families makes him a threat to many of our peers’ ways of life. ” Hynes adds that she plans to protest Pence’s commencement address, but claims that she holds no hostilities towards the university. “But I do plan to protest, which won’t invalidate any of the gratitude I feel towards Notre Dame and everyone that commencement weekend celebrates. My parents and this university have taught me to stand up for what I believe is right, so remaining silent would be a betrayal to those lessons. ” Tom Ciccotta is a libertarian who writes about education and social justice for Breitbart News. You can follow him on Twitter @tciccotta or email him at tciccotta@breitbart. com, | 0 |
By wmw_admin on October 28, 2016 Ben Jacobs, Sabrina Siddiqui and Spencer Ackerman — The Guardian Oct 28, 2016
The FBI is investigating newly discovered emails related to Hillary Clinton’s personal server, its director has announced.
The FBI had announced in July that its investigation into the Democratic presidential candidate’s private email server had concluded with a recommendation of no criminal charges in the matter, although James Comey, the FBI’s director, criticised Clinton as “careless”.
But in a letter sent to members of Congress on Friday, Comey said new emails had been discovered in an “unrelated” case.
“In connection with an unrelated case, the FBI has learned of the existence of emails that appear to be pertinent to the investigation,” Comey wrote. “I am writing to inform you that the investigative team briefed me on this yesterday, and I agreed that the FBI should take appropriate investigative steps designed to allow investigators to review these emails to determine whether they contain classified information as well as to assess their importance to our investigation.”
Comey added: “Although the FBI cannot yet assess whether or not this material may be significant and I cannot predict how long it will take to complete this additional work, I believe it is important to update your Committees about our efforts in light of my previous testimony.”
“The system might not be as rigged as I thought,” remarked Donald Trump at a rally on Friday afternoon.
A US security source firmly ruled out that the “unrelated case” Comey referred to in his letter was the investigation into the digital penetration of the Democratic National Committee earlier this year. US intelligence officials have blamed Russia for hacking the DNC and releasing its internal communications online.
The source, who would not speak on the record, said neither that inquiry nor its adjuncts were related to the new investigative developments related to Clinton. Nor is the recent criminal investigation into a National Security Agency contractor accused of hoarding highly classified intelligence data.
Later the Associated Press, citing an unnamed official, claimed the newly discovered emails “ did not come from her private server ”.
The letter from Comey comes 11 days before the presidential election and nearly four months after the FBI director announced the bureau would not recommend criminal charges against Clinton for what it dubbed “extremely careless” use of a private email server while secretary of state. The FBI director said then: “Although there is evidence of potential violations of the statutes … our judgment is that no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case.”
It was not immediately clear if Clinton would address the matter publicly. She ignored shouted questions from reporters waiting on the tarmac about the FBI’s announcement and did not raise the issue after taking the stage in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, sticking with her routine stump speech. | 0 |
(Want to get this briefing by email? Here’s the .) Good evening. Here’s the latest. 1. President Trump revised his travel ban, removing Iraq but leaving six other predominantly Muslim nations on a list of those barred from entering the U. S. He also scrapped a provision that explicitly protected religious minorities. “Unregulated, unvetted travel is not a universal privilege, especially when national security is at stake,” said John Kelly, the Homeland Security secretary, above right. Here’s who is barred and who is not. _____ 2. House Republicans unveiled their plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. The proposal would scrap a system of tax credits aimed at the poor for one that would be most generous to the elderly. The bill’s unveiling sets the stage for a bitter and consequential debate over the possible dismantling of the most significant health care law in a . _____ 3. Mr. Trump’s assertion that former President Obama tapped his phone has consumed the White House, the F. B. I. the Justice Department and the worldwide news media. It is a conspiracy theory that was born on talk radio. The F. B. I. director, James Comey, asked the Justice Department to rebut the assertion as false, but the department has not done so. Here are some basics about surveillance — including that the power to order domestic wiretaps resides with federal judges, after applications from the Justice Department. _____ 4. The Supreme Court announced it would not hear a major case on transgender rights. The justices vacated an appeals court decision upholding the right of a transgender boy, Gavin Grimm, above, to use the boys’ bathroom at his Virginia high school. They sent the case back for further consideration in light of the Trump administration’s policy on the issue. Separately, the court ruled that jury deliberations need not remain secret when evidence emerges that they were marred by racial or ethnic bias. _____ 5. The White House made an offer to Planned Parenthood: Stop providing abortions and you can keep federal funding. The group — which does not use its federal funds for abortions — refused. “Offering money to Planned Parenthood to abandon our patients and our values is not a deal that we will ever accept,” the group’s executive vice president said. _____ 6. Japan is on heightened alert over North Korea’s capabilities, weighing whether Pyongyang’s launch of four ballistic missiles could be testing a “saturation attack” meant to overwhelm missile defenses. Above, an antimissile battery in Tokyo. Today’s episode of “The Daily” podcast discusses U. S. efforts to disrupt North Korea’s missile program, as well as Mr. Trump’s accusation against Mr. Obama. _____ 7. Here’s the reality about illegal immigrants in the United States. Of an estimated 11 million, many labor in farm fields, atop towers and in restaurant kitchens. Others swell classrooms, detention centers and immigration courts. About 60 percent have been in the country for at least a decade. Many now live in fear of immediate deportation. “I am in limbo,” one woman said. “I am afraid I will go out and never come back. ” _____ 8. An Airbnb listing offered luxury, great views of Midtown New York and tight security. Oh, and some notable neighbors: the Trumps. In other Airbnb news, we have this strange tale of a intruder hanging out in a home. _____ 9. The World Baseball Classic opened in Seoul. Israel beat South Korea . Many of the world’s best players are sitting it out because of scheduling challenges, but the Major League Baseball commissioner, Rob Manfred, said that the tournament would go on. John Smoltz, the announcer and former pitcher, said the U. S. was overdue for its first title. _____ 10. Do you leave your vacation car rental to the last minute? Tips such as avoiding airports and planning toll payments can help keep you from getting with industry fees. _____ 11. Finally, it’s mating season for the booby, a bird found on the Galápagos Islands. These celebrated, beloved residents of the archipelago perform a highly ritualized courtship display, complete with an elaborate dance that shows off the relative of their feet. The optimal color — which signals good health, as it turns out — is more of a turquoise. Photographs may appear out of order for some readers. Viewing this version of the briefing should help. Your Evening Briefing is posted at 6 p. m. Eastern. And don’t miss Your Morning Briefing, posted weekdays at 6 a. m. Eastern, and Your Weekend Briefing, posted at 6 a. m. Sundays. Want to look back? Here’s Monday night’s briefing. What did you like? What do you want to see here? Let us know at briefing@nytimes. com. | 1 |
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/hi...
Maybe you missed the memo. Hillary Clinton has already announced that we will never ever have single payer health care and even if that happened, her support for the TPP (and YES, she supports it and that's why Obama is going to try to ram it through), could result in ISDS challenges from health care companies. | 0 |
WATCH As Chris Cuomo Tells Rudy Giuliani: You Live In Fact-Free ‘Trumpland’ By Andrew Bradford
There was a battle royale this morning on CNN, and when it was over with, host Chris Cuomo made sure Rudy Giuliani was reduced to rubble.
The interview began with Cuomo telling the former New York City mayor that he didn’t smile very much at last week’s Al Smith charity dinner when Hillary Clinton took a few comedic jabs at him: “You looked like Grumpy Cat.”
Sullen and sour, Giuliani said Clinton should be in prison and wearing an orange jumpsuit. But when Rudy began trying to filibuster, Cuomo interrupted him and said he while he might not agree with the decision the FBI made to not charge Clinton with any wrongdoing when it came to her email server, Giuliani wasn’t entitled to make things up:
Next, Giuliani began ranting about some “bribe” that predated the email controversy, and that was when Cuomo shut him down with one line : “My entire life because you’re so accurate and all of a sudden, you’re in Trumpland and the facts are all over the place.”
As if he hadn’t been embarrassed enough, Giuliani then attempted to start talking about the recent announcement that Obamacare premiums will rise by as much as 25 percent in 2017: “As a result, because the Democrats forced this down the Republicans’ throat, the ACA, they decided to punish them. And they won’t work with the Democrats to fix any of the problems that they could fix.”
Cuomo was ready for that line, too, and again lit into his guest : “Oh, that’s a bunch of nonsense. They created it themselves. They cut out bipartisan support.”
When it was over with, you could tell by the look on Rudy’s face that he knew he had just been bested. Maybe Trump should rethink letting the unhinged Giuliani be one of his main surrogates. He really stinks at it.
Here’s both parts of the interview:
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Andrew Bradford is a single father who lives in Atlanta. A member of the Christian Left, he has worked in the fields of academia, journalism, and political consulting. His passions are art, music, food, and literature. He believes in equal rights and justice for all. To see what else he likes to write about, check out his blog at Deepleftfield.info. Connect | 0 |
Just how securely are banks moving money around the world? New details emerged on Friday about a pair of related attacks on banks that use the Swift message service, which allows financial firms and companies to transfer payments around the world. Computer security researchers briefed on the investigation into one of the attacks, on the Bangladesh Bank, raised several theories about the crime, including the possibility that groups from Pakistan and North Korea may have been spying on the bank. Other analysts investigating the attacks said there were striking similarities between the “multiple bespoke tools” used by the hackers in both the banking cases and the attack on Sony Pictures in 2014. The latest breach detailed by Swift in a letter to its users on Friday occurred at a commercial bank that appeared, according to a leading online security firm BAE Systems on Friday, to be located in Vietnam. That attack and the $81 million heist from the Bangladesh central bank account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in February are thought to be part of a broad assault on the global banking system by thieves whose operating methods and digital fingerprints are being studied carefully by analysts worldwide. In both attacks on banks, the intruders obtained legitimate credentials to sign in to the Swift network. They initiated fraudulent money transfers, then covered their tracks using malware. Swift, an acronym for the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, is a global banking consortium that operates a secure and trusted network that sends payment instructions between banks across international borders. In the predictable that has followed the news of the attacks, Swift has pointed out that its core network was not hacked — just the end points at which the banks tap into it — and the New York Fed has reiterated that it followed all proper procedures. On Friday, Representative Carolyn B. Maloney, Democrat of New York, released a statement calling on the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to bolster its security even further. “I remain concerned that there are critical security gaps in the international payment system,” Ms. Maloney said in a statement. She also released correspondence between her office and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, in which the bank’s general counsel, Thomas C. Baxter Jr. assured her that “there is no evidence that any Federal Reserve systems were compromised. ” Investigators briefed on the investigation at the Bangladesh central bank say that they had uncovered the presence of three groups of intruders inside the bank’s systems: two nations — Pakistan and North Korea — and a third, unidentified group of digital criminals thought to have siphoned the funds from the bank to accounts in the Philippines. Also on Friday, two forensics investigators at BAE Systems outlined evidence that suggested similarities between the Bangladesh heist and a 2014 attack against Sony Pictures that law enforcement and intelligence agencies in the United States have traced to North Korea. That year, Sony released the farcical movie “The Interview,” which poked fun at North Korea. The investigators pointed to specialized, identical tools — including identical encryption keys, file names and a highly unusual data deletion technique — that were used in the attack on Sony Pictures, the Bangladesh central bank and the Vietnamese bank. However, people briefed on the actual investigation at the Bangladesh bank, who would speak only on the condition that they not be named, said that while the same tools were present inside Bangladesh’s systems, suggesting any link between that heist and the North Korean hackers would be premature. Banks are frequent targets not just for digital criminals, but also nation states hoping to track spending by their perceived enemies or to gain insights into activity. In 2012, investigators at the Russian security firm Kaspersky Lab revealed a campaign by nations, presumably the United States or Israel, aimed at banks in Lebanon, including the Bank of Beirut, Blom Bank, Byblos Bank and Credit Libanais, along with Citibank and PayPal. In that case, the organizations involved in the Lebanese bank intrusions never stole any funds. Rather, they used stolen credentials to track customers’ assets and spending. By their nature, hackers are difficult to trace, and theories advanced immediately after a breach can turn out to be wrong. In summer 2014, when hackers stole account information from tens of millions of customers at JPMorgan Chase, experts initially pointed to Russia, raising concerns about national security. In the end, federal prosecutors said that attack might have been partly the work of Israeli nationals and individuals who knew each other from Florida State University, and that their attack on the bank may have been aimed at advancing a stock scheme. No money was stolen from JPMorgan in that breach. Large banks in the United States and Europe, which are part owners of Swift, have been monitoring the developments and are studying whether they need to adjust any of their defenses to guard against similar intrusions. “We are pretty fast learners,’’ said Doug Johnson, senior vice president for payments and security at the American Bankers Association, a trade group. “We proactively share information about how to mitigate these threats. ” In the heist at Bangladesh Bank, the thieves used the stolen credentials to authorize the transfer of $951 million from the central bank’s account at the New York Fed. The Fed approved five of the payments to accounts in Sri Lanka and the Philippines. As far as the bank employees in the United States could tell, the payment requests had been authenticated by Swift. One of those five requests was ultimately blocked by a bank in Sri Lanka, which noticed that the name of the supposed nonprofit group that was to receive the funds was misspelled. Instead of “Foundation,” it was spelled “Fundation,” according to a person briefed on the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of a continuing criminal investigation. The New York officials relied entirely on Swift to authenticate the transfers, according to a letter from the New York Fed that Ms. Maloney’s office released on Friday. It does not independently vet other users on the Swift network. The New York Fed withheld an additional 30 requested transfers from Bangladesh because one address that was supposed to receive a payment contained the same name as a ship known for smuggling activity, the person briefed on the matter said. It turned out the address and the smuggling ship were unrelated, but that was enough to raise the New York Fed’s concerns. When they couldn’t reconfirm with officials in Bangladesh that transfers were legitimate, the New York bank denied them. | 1 |
President Donald Trump delivered one of his most important campaign speeches at the Williston Basin Petroleum Conference in Bismarck, North Dakota on May 26, 2016. During the speech, Trump presented his “America First Energy Plan,” a fundamentally different path for the U. S. industry. [Trump’s plan called for a significant expansion of the oil, natural gas, and industries. In the same speech, the future president pledged to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, which had been signed by President Barack Obama in 2016. The Paris agreement calls for America to drastically reduce its emissions in the name of slowing or preventing climate change. During the eight years of the Obama administration, the federal government put into place a series of regulations designed to reduce and ultimately eliminate fossil fuels as an American energy source, and the Paris agreement was meant to continue Obama’s legacy in the future. Policies that aim to reverse and disparage CO2 use have always been popular in the media, among ensconced government bureaucrats, and in academic circles, but they are anathema to the men and women who work in industry and agriculture. In my view, Trump is in the White House today largely because of that North Dakota energy speech. And if you doubt it, take a look at an election map showing the results of the 2016 presidential race. You’ll see that 84 percent of the nation is colored red, with huge majorities of Trump voters residing in America’s Heartland. The Heartland and its various industries have for many decades depended on fossil fuels in one form or another, and the people living there know it, which is bad news for Democrats, who could remain out of power in the Heartland for a decade or more. Both the Trump speech and his plan were roundly criticized by media elites, academics, and those who make a living regulating people’s lives. Their argument has been and remains today that Trump’s America First Energy Plan is proof the president is ignorant about the supposed benefits of limiting production and the potential of the market. There is also a lot of anger that’s derived from Trump’s rejection of policies that aim to fight climate change by reducing CO2. But on both scores, it’s the elites that are the ignorant ones. Ramping up production will spur economic growth, and thus help to balance the budget fund infrastructure projects and allow all Americans to enjoy a higher quality of life. A massive world market is eager to see the United States increase its production and energy exports. Billions of people around the world go without energy every day, and billions more people will soon be living in the same countries where energy poverty is currently endemic. America’s industries could help these people enjoy the prosperity and comfort of a lifestyle and all the benefits that come with it, including living longer. Trump understands the potential for fossil fuels better than any American political leader in modern history. He has made the media and the crazy because he has refused to embrace their vision of apocalyptic global warming. That, in their eyes, is the president’s cardinal sin, but the Heartland sees it as a virtue. The president’s call to withdraw from Paris was as sound as his support for policies that would help the country secure energy dominance. Of course, not everyone agrees. Some Republicans, including people within Trump’s own team, believe America should “stay in Paris. ” This would be a massive mistake. Paris is an impediment to human development. Using fossil fuels to power the world is the only realistic way to bring billions of people out of poverty and provide affordable and abundant energy for the billions more that will soon join us on Earth. As I compose this today the news is full of stories that President Trump does indeed intend to keep the campaign pledge to withdraw from Paris. All praise, Mr. President, and please adhere to this path even as the Swamp, the Europeans and the major media all try to dishonestly shame you into staying in Paris. Stay on the course that recognizes the Paris agreement incorrectly demonizes carbon and CO2 emissions. Stay on the course that recognizes the Paris agreement is deeply flawed as it would put the world on a path to eliminate the use of fossil fuels. Americans and people everywhere would be deeply harmed by staying in Paris. While the lawyers and experts figure out how to the undo the legal and diplomatic labyrinth the Obama team put in place to protect his flawed legacy, the American people, the world community and the natural environment will all benefit as Team Trump manages our energy policy and vast fossil fuel resources to fulfill their America First Energy Plan. Fred Palmer (fpalmer@heartland. org) is a senior fellow for energy policy at The Heartland Institute, a think tank founded in 1984 and based in Arlington Heights, Illinois. | 1 |
NTEB Ads Privacy Policy Black Americans Going For Donald Trump In Record Numbers As Election Day Approaches Donald Trump is gaining in Michigan partly because many African-American voters — especially younger voters who backed Sen. Bernie Saunders — distrust Clinton, said Wayne Bradley, state director of African-American engagement for the Michigan Republican Party. by Geoffrey Grider November 5, 2016 Donald Trump is on track to double Gov. Mitt Romney’s support among African-American voters, according to a series of state polls. In 2012, African-Americans comprised a record 13 percent of all voters. President Barack Obama was reelected with 93 percent of the African-American vote, leaving Gov. Mitt Romney with only 6 percent of the African-American vote. Obama is now campaigning against Trump, and hoping to keep his share of the African-American vote below the 11 percent that George W. Bush won in 2004 during the housing bubble. On Friday , a poll of 506 Pennsylvania voters by Harper Polling showed Trump has the support of 18.46 percent of African-Americans. That’s eight points more than Romney’s share of the national vote in 2012, and if it proves true during the ballot, that 18.46 percent African-American support translates into 2 point shift towards Trump. The poll also said another 4.6 percent were undecided. Trump acknowledges ‘Blacks for Trump’ supporters: The Harper poll is small , with an error margin of 4.4 percent, but an Oct. 30 poll of 1,249 likely voters in Pennsylvania showed Trump has 19 percent support among African Americans, while another 7 percent remain undecided. That poll has a error margin of 2.77 percent. In next-door Michigan, two nights of a tracking poll conducted for Fox 2 of 1,150 likely voters showed Trump with 14 percent support and 19 percent support, leaving Clinton with 83 percent and 79 percent support. That’s equivalent to a two-point shift from Clinton to Trump in the state. “We’re showing Donald Trump doing far better among African-Americans than any other Republican in modern memory, said John Yob, CEO of a Michigan-based polling firm, Strategic National . Trump “has done an excellent job in campaigning for the votes of African-Americans,” he said, partly by campaigning in Detroit, said Yob, whose automated tracking polls show Trump and Clinton running level in the state. Black Trump Supporters Explain Why They are Voting for Donald Trump: Donald Trump is gaining in Michigan partly because many African-American voters — especially younger voters who backed Sen. Bernie Saunders — distrust Clinton, said W ayne Bradley, state director of African-American engagement for the Michigan Republican Party. “T here is a tremendous trust deficit with Hillary Clinton” because tough anti-crime laws established when her husband was president in the 1990s, he said. That distrust has helped cause a sharp drop in the number of absentee ballots mailed in from Detroit, even as other part of the state send in more ballots that before, Bradley said. Faced with a low turnout, the Clinton campaign is trying to frighten African-Americans to vote, but “t hat’s not a convincing enough argument,” he said. “Detroit as of Wednesday had seen absentee ballots returns equaling just 46 percent of the total 2012 absentee vote in the city, and the city clerk’s office is forecasting a decline of 10,000 absentee ballots compared to 2012, a fall of 12.5 percent,” according to a review of absentee records by the Gongwer.com website, which intensively tracks Michigan politics. It is “possible that the falloff portends reduced [election day] voting at the precincts, in which case … Clinton could net something like 32,000 fewer votes out of the city than President Barack Obama did in 2012.” But other polls offer better news to Clinton. A Detroit Free Press poll of 600 likely Michigan voters released Nov. 4 showed that “Among black voters, her margin also grew substantially, to 92% compared to 88% two weeks ago.” National Trends Trump’s gain among African-American voters is happening in many states, alongside an overall reduction in African-American enthusiasm and support for Obama’s designated successor. That drop-off in support from Obama’s 93 percent level will likely reduce the turnout for Clinton. MSNBC reporter wasn’t expecting Black Americans to vote for Trump: That’s a problem for Democrats, because a 7.5 percent drop in nationwide African-American turnout would be equal to a one-point drop in a nationwide vote for Clinton. Reports say the early-voting turnout by African-Americans has dropped by up to 10 percent in North Carolina and by somewhat less in Florida . President Barack Obama and other top Democrats have hopscotched through the states to push that turnout back up by election day. But pollsters face problems when trying to gauge opinions in a high-stakes emotional competition. For example, a large slice of African-Americans are picking “undecided” in some polls. The Washington Post is reporting that Clinton is leading Trump by 79 percentage points among African-Americans, but the fine print in the article says Clinton’s score is 82 percent and Trump’s score is 3 percent — leaving 15 percent who did not pick either candidate. So if Trump gets just one-in-five of the undecided African-American voters, he reaches Romney’s 2012 level. Blacks for Trump, It’s a Thing: Some concerned people lie to pollsters. For example, roughly 7 percent of college grads hide their support for Trump when they’re ask by pollsters over the phone, perhaps out of fear of penalties if their choice was made public. So when polls show a non-answer from respondents, for example, many undecided voters, the votes may be hiding a weak or strong preference for Trump. These factor may be impacting polls of African-Americans, who are being hammered by claims from Clinton and Obama that Trump is supposedly a racist. “If you accept the support of Klan sympathizers — the Klan — and hesitate when asked about that support, then you’ll tolerate that support when you’re in office,” Obama told an African-American crowd in North Carolina on Nov. 3. For example, Public Policy Polling — which mostly works for Democratic clients — used phone interviews in a poll that showed Trump with just 9 percent support in Michigan among 957 likely voters, of whom 12 percent were African-American. The poll said none of the roughly 110 African-Americans were undecided in a two-person race, even though 8 percent said they were unsure when they were asked if they had a favorable view of Trump. In contrast, the Harper Polling survey in Pennsylvania got very different answers from African-Americans. Trump got 18.5 percent support in a four-person race, although many respondents waffled when they were asked to pick between just Clinton and Trump. When asked to pick either of the two main candidates, only 12.3 percent supported Trump, while 13.9 percent declared themselves to be undecided. So Trump actually picked up half of the undecideds when the respondents were allowed to chose from the four candidates. Polls A national poll by TIPP showed Clinton at only 75 percent support among all non-whites, including Hispanics, African-Americans and Latinos. That poll showed Trump getting support from 15 percent of non-whites , leaving 5 percent undecided and 5 percent supporting other candidates. In North Carolina, 19 percent of African-Americans support Trump, according to an Oct. 30 survey of 1176 likely voters by Remington Research Group. An Oct. 28 to Oct. 31 poll in North Carolina by SurveyUSA showed Trump with 14 percent support in a poll of 800 adults, including 659 likely voters. African-Americans comprised 21 percent of the voters in the poll. SurveyUSA is the top-ranked pollster in Nate Silver’s rankings . But a late October poll of African-Americans in North Carolina by Siena University showed 89 percent support for Clinton and 1 percent for Trump — but it also showed 6 percent staying they did not know who they will vote for, and 11 percent support for the GOP Gov. Pat McCrory. In Florida, a Siena University poll showed that Trump had the support of 13 percent of African-Americans. More ominously for Clinton, she had the support of only 83 percent, while 4 percent said they didn’t know who to vote for. If Trump gets one-quarter of the 4 percent, he reaches 14 percent of the African-American vote, leaving Clinton with roughly 86 percent. In Virginia, a survey by Public Policy Polling taken in Nov. 3 and Nov. 4 showed Trump with 9 percent support and Clinton with 91 percent support. A Remington Research automated poll of 1,106 likely voters in Virginia showed Trump with 19 percent , and Clinton with just 78 percent support. In Georgia, a Nov. 2 to Nov. 3 poll of 1,000 likely voters showed Trump with 12 percent of the African-American vote, leaving Clinton with 85 percent. Amid the disagreement, rivalries and complexity, Bradley is confident that Trump will do well among African-Americans. His final tally as the GOP candidate “will be a higher number that it has been in the past… [because] he’s working, he’s coming to these cities to deliver the message.” The African-American vote may even be enough to help push Trump over the so-called “blue wall” of Democratic northern states that stands in his path to the White House. source SHARE THIS ARTICLE Geoffrey Grider NTEB is run by end times author and editor-in-chief Geoffrey Grider. Geoffrey runs a successful web design company, and is a full-time minister of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. In addition to running NOW THE END BEGINS, he has a dynamic street preaching outreach and tract ministry team in Saint Augustine, FL. NTEB #TRENDING | 1 |
*Articles of the Bound* / Trump’s Amazing Victory Against a Stacked Deck Trump’s Amazing Victory Against a Stacked Deck November 18, 2016, 2:27 pm by Roger Aronoff Leave a Comment 0
Accuracy in Media
While the media and the Democrats are in disarray over last week’s elections, it looks like President-elect Donald Trump’s honeymoon is over before it even began. While there may have been a few reports in the past week that were simply factual about Trump’s transition team and process, virtually all of the reports in the mainstream media have been negative and even hostile towards Trump, his transition team and his supporters.
The media meltdown that accompanied Trump’s victory last week has been a sight to behold. How could they have completely missed this outcome?, they wondered. Most of the articles—such as those by The Washington Post (sampling, weighting and voter estimation), The New York Times (misunderstanding major swaths of our country), and Pew Research (underestimating Trump’s support and “non-response bias”)—attempted to explain away their acknowledged failure. Hillary Clinton and her campaign manager John Podesta are blaming the media, and FBI Director James Comey for his public comments on the ongoing investigation into Hillary’s mishandling of classified information.
But this misses the larger point. In spite of a thoroughly biased and corrupt news media and popular culture that worked their collective hearts out to rid the country and the world of what they viewed as an uncouth, dangerous egotistical businessman and reality TV star, a significant majority, as measured through our Constitutional system of the Electoral College, chose Trump over Hillary. Yes, Hillary won the popular vote, but that’s not how we elect our president.
Whether Trump’s campaign was brilliant, or he was running against such a flawed candidate that he pulled off a win in spite of himself, will long be a subject of dispute. But he did just that. Along the way, he knocked off two political dynasties: Bush and Clinton. Through WikiLeaks, the FBI investigation, Project Veritas—which revealed ties between the Clinton campaign, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and various left-wing activist groups that plotted to create violence and havoc at Trump rallies and pursue efforts at voter fraud—the public learned enough to understand how corrupt and manipulative the Democrat Party and its top leaders had become.
Another explanation is that Trump was the beneficiary of billions of dollars of free publicity on TV that enabled his victory. But the truth is that at least 90 percent of that attention was negative, intended to make him look bad—and some of it deservedly so. Trump did have conservative talk-radio on his side, and several spokespeople who got considerable air time. He had Sean Hannity’s support, and otherwise fairly balanced coverage on Fox News.
But for the most part, the media were apoplectic at the outcome of the election. In essence, their narrative was that Trump was beyond the pale, and that reports of Hillary’s actions were exaggerated and false, especially concerning her handling of classified material, and her actions as secretary of state that might have influenced payments to the Clinton Foundation, to Bill Clinton personally, and to allies of the Clintons, such as in Haiti.
Brian Stelter of CNN’s Reliable Sources said, “Donald Trump was tapping into something that already existed, which was distrust of the media, particularly on the right, but among many Americans who for various reasons distrust the media, partly because they’re told to by conservative talk radio hosts like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity. But Trump exploited that mistrust and deepened it…Trump tapped into that anger at the media and made it much, much worse.”
Over at MSNBC, Lawrence O’Donnell called Trump a “tyrant,” and said that the Democrats in Congress must do all they can to block him. Rachel Maddow then referred to Trump as “vengeance minded.” Not much of a honeymoon.
I have heard very few complaints about Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson or Green Party candidate Jill Stein. Granted, we don’t really know how many of those who voted for them would have otherwise voted for Hillary, Trump, or stayed home. But, take Michigan, for example. That is the one state that, according to most websites keeping track, still hasn’t been officially called. Trump leads by less than 12,000 votes, while Johnson received 173,000 votes and Stein 50,000. In Wisconsin, Trump won by 27,000, while Johnson received 106,000, and Stein got 31,000. Regarding Florida, Trump won by 120,000, Johnson received 206,000 votes while Stein got 64,000.
Trump could have lost Wisconsin and Michigan and still have received enough electoral votes to win. But if he also had lost Florida, Hillary would have won. In Pennsylvania, Trump won by 64,000, while Johnson/Stein won 190,000 votes. Remember Ralph Nader in 2000? He earned the wrath of Democrats forever for supposedly preventing Al Gore from winning Florida. But that anger aimed at third-party candidates doesn’t seem to have caught on this year. Despite the many pleas from Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Hillary, and the Obamas to not vote for third party candidates, many did anyway.
And now, Republicans dominate the political landscape, with 33 governors, 68 of 99 legislative bodies across the country, the House, the Senate and the White House. The left-wing website Daily Kos has published the best graphics that I found on how dramatic the Republican dominance of the political landscape across the country actually is. Currently Republicans outnumber Democrats in the Senate by 52 to 48. But in 2018, Democrats must defend 25 seats (including the two Independent senators who caucus with the Democrats), while the GOP must defend only eight seats. The Democrats thought that bringing out some big guns—former Sen. Russ Feingold (WI), former Sen. Evan Bayh (IN) and former Gov. Ted Strickland (OH)—would give them control of the Senate. But all three lost. Hillary is being criticized for never having gone to Wisconsin to campaign, overconfident that she would win it. The Democrat blame game and finger-pointing is only beginning
Hillary never held an open press conference throughout this entire year. It was always controlled situations whenever she met the press.
Trump struck a chord with many who haven’t been voting in recent elections through his relentless attacks on the bias and dishonesty of the media, and on the incompetence and corruption of the Obama/Clinton administration. Hillary wrapped herself in Obama’s supposed popularity—he and Michelle certainly worked hard for her victory, at least in the last month or so—but in the end, it was to no avail. His appeal to certain voters didn’t transfer to Hillary.
What is remarkable about Trump’s victory is what he had to overcome to win. Besides the media, two former Republican presidents, Google, Facebook, Pope Francis, pollsters, a money gap ( reports indicate that Hillary raised $380 million more than Trump), Trump’s inexperience, and the complete panoply of pop culture—from Lady Gaga to Katy Perry to Miley Cyrus; Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, everyone on the Comedy Central Channel, many scripted shows such as “Madam Secretary,” and LeBron James—there was active voter fraud, some of which the Public Interest Legal Foundation has documented . And still Trump won.
The name-calling, caterwauling, crying and disgust will continue on the left, as they figure out how to pick up the pieces and move forward. Roger Aronoff
Roger Aronoff is the Editor of Accuracy in Media, and a member of the Citizens’ Commission on Benghazi . He can be contacted at [email protected] . View the complete archives from Roger Aronoff . 0 | 1 |
Speaking at the Valdai International Discussion Club in Sochi on Thursday, Putin said Russian patience has limits. “We(‘ve) show(n) restraint so far and (haven’t) respond(ed) to our partners (sic) in the same gauche manner, but everything has its limits. We can do it,” he explained. So what is he waiting for, given endless US provocations, refusing mutual cooperation on vital issues, rejecting normal relations, heading inevitably for war unless challenged and stopped. He’s not stupid or uninformed. Russia’s intelligence capability likely matches America’s, so he knows what it’s up to in Eastern Europe, Syria, elsewhere in the Middle East, along with virtually everywhere else. Pretending both countries are “partners” defies logic. Thinking mutual cooperation with Washington is possible one day is like waiting for Godot. And things may get exponentially worse once Hillary succeeds Obama, a virtual certainty at this point by fair or foul means – likely the latter, election theft a longstanding US tradition, showing democracy in America is pure fantasy. On Thursday, screaming deceptive Western headlines outrageously blamed Russia and Syria for bombing a Syrian school in Idlib province. It was a hoax. No bombing occurred. US-supported terrorists attacked the school, killing at least six children, injuring many others. An exclusive RT International investigation determined that “a gas canister and a mine landed in a classroom in Hadaiq al-Andalus” – projectiles launched from terrorist-controlled eastern Aleppo. Yet media scoundrels irresponsibly blamed Russia and Syria – while ignoring daily eastern Aleppo shelling, US supported terrorists killing and injuring civilians in government controlled parts of the city. Long before Internet access to important information from reliable independent sources, famed humorist/social commentator Will Rogers once said: “All I know is just what I read in the papers, and that’s an alibi for my ignorance.” Reporting then was deplorable. Today it’s beyond the pale. It’s hard imagining why anyone wastes time and money on pure rubbish – or believes television news is credible. Media misinformation proliferates. Readers, viewers and listeners are systematically lied to. Daily fare isn’t fit to print or broadcast. Mainstream editors, reporters and commentators are a virtual Noah’s Ark of scam artists. On Thursday, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman General Igor Konashenkov called video footage of the Idlib incident shown on Western television fake – “more than ten edited fragments assembled together,” he explained. No Russian or Syrian warplanes were in the area when the attack occurred. No bomb craters existed. Damage to the school was inconsistent to a bombing. Only one wall was damaged, not the ceiling, desks or chairs. Had a bombing occurred, the blast would have destroyed or severely damaged the building. Furniture inside would have been “swept away.” “As one can see on a photo from the Russian drone, the roof of the school is not damaged and there are no bomb craters in the area adjacent to the school,” Konashenkov explained. A US drone in the area at the time of the attack has the same footage. Yet Washington concealed what should have been revealed straightaway to set the record straight. “UNICEF leadership fell…victim to a new deception of swindlers and (Al Qaeda-affiliated) White Helmets,” said Konashenkov. Washington perhaps orchestrated what happened, part of its sinister anti-Russia/anti-Syria agenda. Submit your review | 0 |
On Nov. 8, American voters for the first time in history will see a woman’s name on the ballot as a major party’s nominee for president. A broad majority of voters — men and women — say they are happy this milestone has been reached, but fully half of them say they would have preferred that that first woman not be Hillary Clinton, according to the latest New York News poll. The poll looked closely at women’s political views and broader outlook on American life, as well as how the wider society views the role of women. The survey found that women think more progress has been made toward ending sexism than racism in society. They value motherhood more than marriage. They think that sexual harassment is a significant issue in the workplace. And they think the greatest problem facing American women is inequality in pay and career opportunities. Mrs. Clinton is supported by 52 percent of women likely to vote in November, while 39 percent back Mr. Trump. Mr. Trump’s problems with women are significant: 55 percent of female respondents say he does not respect women and about half think a Trump presidency would be bad for women. Only 11 percent think electing him would be good for women, while 45 percent of women say Mrs. Clinton’s election would benefit them. Mrs. Clinton’s nomination has done little to reverse women’s perceptions of gender discrimination in America, and in many cases, their views differ sharply from men’s. percent of women — but just 35 percent of men — think there are more advantages in being a man than in being a woman in society today. Majorities of women with a college degree, those who identify as Democrats, those younger than 30, those with household incomes of at least $100, 000, and black women all say men hold an advantage. Asked to name the most important problem facing women today, women cited issues related to gender inequality in the workplace, primarily pay, more than any other. Gender divisions were particularly pronounced on issues related to the workplace. of women said women in the United States are paid less than men doing similar work, while 55 percent of men held the same opinion. “What I see that as a reflection of is that we have a done a good job on the awareness issue,” said Teresa Boyer, executive director of the Center for Women and Work at Rutgers University. “The negative is that it still exists. ” Women were also more likely than men to say there is “a lot” of sexual harassment in most American workplaces today — fully said so, compared with 18 percent of men. But the same number of men and women, 53 percent, acknowledge that there is “some. ” Younger women and women are most likely to say there is a lot of sexual harassment. A poll of women conducted for Virginia Slims in 1994 found virtually the same result: of women said there was some sexual harassment or a lot in the workplace. By a ratio of almost two to one — 51 percent to 27 percent — American women think more progress has been made in overcoming sexism than racism in the past 20 years. But Joyce Coleman, an from Southfield, Mich. and a retired human resources consultant, said in a interview that there had been less progress toward ending sexism. “I’m 71 years old and I was born in Mississippi, so I’ve experienced racism from several different quarters,” Mrs. Coleman said. She said that although racism had not disappeared, there is “a lot more tolerance,” and she could not say the same about sexism because of “things that continue to happen to women in the workplace. ” The nationwide poll was conducted from Sept. 9 through 13 on landlines and cellphones with 1, 770 adults and has an overall margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points. Men are significantly more likely than women to see themselves as ever being leaders in business or government. Nearly half of men say they could achieve this while less than a third of women do. women are much more likely than white women to see themselves as leaders (40 percent versus 26 percent). Likewise, women younger than 45 and those with more education or higher incomes are the more likely than other women to think this high level of leadership is achievable. Carla Lytle, a manages election officials at the Election Commission in Shelby County, Tenn. and is one of the survey participants who sees herself as a leader. “Initially I was a mom, and I have a large family: eight children,” Ms. Lytle said. “I them. I think the leadership skills and things I learned at home I was able to bring to the workplace. It’s just hard work and being able to be structured and organized and sustain a vision: having a vision and working for something. ” Women rate success at work as much more important than their appearance in determining how they feel about themselves, but significantly more think that society places a higher emphasis on looks than on their success at work. percent of women say their appearance is very important in how they view themselves, while 71 percent say society judges them by their physical appearance. women are far more likely to rate their appearance as very important. percent of women think Mrs. Clinton is a good role model for women. By contrast, in 2007, during her first campaign for the presidency, a News poll found that 70 percent considered her a good role model. Willa Speiser, 68, a freelance editor in Warwick, N. Y. plans to vote for her but does not consider her a role model. “I think she’s achieved much of what she has because of who she married,” Ms. Speiser said. “I don’t think she’s a good role model for women because it’s not a life path that a lot of women have available to them. ” Significantly more men than women consider marriage to be very important. While 58 percent of men said being married is very important, just 47 percent of women overall said so. Most women with household incomes over $100, 000, those who identify as Republicans and those between the ages of 30 and 45 said marriage is very important to them. But in roughly equal numbers (almost ) both men and women said being a parent was very important to them. Women under the age of 30 were least likely to rate parenthood as very important, but still, 59 percent hold this belief. Nancy Brownell, a retired teacher in Houston, said: “I’ve been married 47 years, and I have a good marriage. But it was another time. Marriage was another thing on your list. You couldn’t at that time go to a hotel and check in by yourself. When I went to college, they locked us into the dorms at 11 at night. ” Today, she said, “I think a woman can do quite well on her own. ” | 1 |
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Lil Wayne, known for his relentless forward progress, is in something of a holding pattern. It’s not by choice. For the last two years, this rapper, now two decades into a career defined by prodigious output, has been enmeshed in a messy public contract dispute with Cash Money Records, his longtime label, and in a more personal clash with its boss and his onetime father figure, Baby, or Birdman. In addition to his 11th solo album, “Tha Carter V,” the fate of his label imprint, Young Money, teeters in the balance, with Lil Wayne, 34, claiming in court that he was never properly compensated for his work or for helping to birth the careers of Drake and Nicki Minaj. In a string of emotional tweets last month, Lil Wayne expressed his exhaustion with his career status and threatened to retire. “I AM NOW DEFENSELESS AND mentally DEFEATED I leave gracefully and thankful,” he wrote. Adding to the anxiety surrounding his career, there have also been a series of health scares, including a spate of seizures in recent years. Yet Lil Wayne has proved vital in 2016, sounding renewed in a torrent of collaborations, including his work with 2 Chainz in the duo Collegrove, and in appearances on songs by Chance the Rapper and Solange. On Tuesday, in lieu of new music, Lil Wayne released “Gone ’Til November,” his prison journals from the eight months in 2010 he spent behind bars at Rikers Island for gun possession. The slim book, printed on lined paper in an approximation of his handwriting, evokes the monotony of jail, with flashes of humor (his snack is a tortilla stuffed with Doritos) and darkness (an inmate with AIDS berates him for being “a junkie”). At a book signing at the Strand in Lower Manhattan on Tuesday, about 200 fans, diverse in age and appearance, lined up beginning at 3:30 a. m. for a few seconds with the Lil Wayne, lavishing him with praise and tears as he sipped from his trademark double cup of lean (or syrup, the dangerous prescription cough syrup mixture). Later that afternoon, in a hotel suite, he was engaged and feisty as he discussed his struggle to remain optimistic and his inability to feign an interest in politics. After obtaining a soap dish in which to ash his collection of chubby blunts, his eyes widened with focus. “Shoot,” he said. These are edited excerpts from the conversation. With this book, were you worried about revisiting a difficult time? I haven’t read it, and I don’t plan on reading it. I’m not one of those people who revisit things. I don’t remember [expletive]. I could meet the president and forget it. Of course I thought it was because I smoke too much. But somebody told me: “The reason why you don’t remember things is that it’s not the same for you as it is everybody else. Because you are it. ” You write in the introduction that the book is for fans to “have something from me while they continue to be ever so amazing and patient. ” Plain and simple, because they’re not getting anything from me, unfortunately. They’re not getting a damn thing from Wayne other than a tweet here or there. You’ve done plenty of guest verses. I do that all the time. I’ve been doing features since they named them features. Two that stick out are the Chance song “No Problem” and Solange’s “Mad. ” Those are personal in a way that you haven’t been in some time. Are you in a different given the career turmoil? It’s just the song. If you send me a song about football, then I’m gonna go hard about football. It’s also about the artist. Is there something about working with younger musicians who are pushing boundaries? I would say so. It’s different. These people are turning the clock right now. They are the trendsetters of tomorrow, and I actually pay attention to what they send me. If [my manager] Tez sends me a song and says, ‘I need you to do this verse for whoever,’ I knock it out in that one night and send it right back. When I get the Solange or Chance song, I’m actually riding in my car, banging that. When I put my verse on it, I’m telling my engineer, “Let me get a copy. ” The other ones, I’m just sending back to Tez. Are there rappers in the new school that are motivating you? Are you keeping up with Yachty, Uzi Vert, 21 Savage, Kodak? I swear to God I didn’t know you were saying people’s names just now, so that should probably answer that question. I just do my own thing. After being in prison, someone like T. I. made fighting for criminal justice reform part of his life. You’ve said Black Lives Matter was a wave that passed you by. Why haven’t you been attracted to activism? I believe there’s a bunch of different types of artists and musicians. To even notice what’s going out there — I’m trying to make these words stop popping up in my head, I’m trying to make them rhyme. I’ve got all kind of color lives mattering up in here — green, all kinds of stuff mattering. I’m trying to make sense of what’s on in this world up in here [points to head]. In prison, you got a letter from a pastor who asked you to rap about God. You consider your influence and say, “I would have straight killers in the church every Sunday. ” But ultimately you decide that’s not you. Not at all. I was on a sports show recently, and I was asked a question like that about black lives or whatever. When we got off the air, [the host] Shannon Sharpe said: “I really want to commend you for answering like that, because you didn’t make something up just to make yourself one of us. And to make yourself a victim. ” I’m not that. And honestly, I don’t care. I care what’s going on with me and my kids and my world and my mom and who’s going to pay this next bill. That’s what matters to me. In prison, you watched a lot of reality TV — “American Idol,” “Celebrity Apprentice. ” Do you have any words for Donald Trump? [Laughs] Who’s that? Is “Tha Carter V” an album that’s finished, or is it constantly evolving as the months and years go by? It’s done, sitting and wrapped as is. I just listened to it for the first time in months the other day. I had forgotten every single word on it, because I work every day. I popped it in, and I was like, it’s still so much better than everything I’ve ever heard. Not what’s going on right now — everything I’ve ever heard. You’ve always been a creature of the studio. When the music isn’t coming out, are you still in there as much? Probably more. I’m a positive thinker, so I’m still looking forward to the day that it does come out. Plus, I am musician to the heart. I love to get better every day. Has your recording process changed in this stage of your career? Not at all. Put the beat on, I’mma smoke one and bob my head and be ready in a few minutes. When other artists came out in support after your retirement tweets, did that make up for how low you were feeling? I’d be a liar to say it didn’t. People always say, “How could not expect it?” But when I saw people giving a damn about what I’m going through, that made me think and obviously uplifted me. Sometimes what you’re going through takes you far away from what the reality is. It takes someone to remind you: Look this way and remember what’s over here. I never have bad days I have bad moments. Do you see any light at the end of the tunnel with the label situation? I do. I don’t have to even look. I’m gonna make sure that there’s light. If there’s a wall at the end of the tunnel, I’m gonna shoot that [expletive] down. And there’s gonna be light behind that wall. | 1 |
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When most people make health resolutions, it usually involves their physical health. Most of us make decisions to exercise more, change our diets, lose weight, and lose body fat, but there are few of us that make resolutions to better our mental health.
Preserving your mental health is one of the most important things that you can do to make sure that you are getting the most out of your life. Letting your mental health slide is going to put you under more stress and will limit your ability to enjoy your life and get the most out of your relationships with others.
The good news is, there are some simple habits that you can start using in your life right now to make sure that you are taking care of your mental health, and getting the most out of every day. 1) Set a Sleep Schedule
Sleep is one of the most important aspects of our overall health, and many experts and doctors cite health as more critical to our overall health and survival than food or water. Though, when we get stressed or life gets busy, sleep is the first thing that we start to put off.
Whether stress starts to make it harder for you to go to sleep, or you decide that you can function on less sleep to get more done, eating into your sleep is one of the worst things that you can do for your mental health. Set a strict bedtime and wake up time for yourself. Your body works best when it has a routine for sleeping and waking up in the morning.
Read or journal before you go to bed, and see if you can stay away from your phone, laptop, TV, or tablet. Get yourself into the habit of having a habit to wind down at night. 2) Focus on your strengths
With work or in your personal life, it is so easy to be self critical and focus on only your weaknesses. Our culture in working society has ingrained in us over the years to focus on what we are bad at, and get better at it. To strive for being better in all facets of our lives, and to be well rounded.
Always focusing on what you aren’t good at, is not good for your mental health. Take an inventory of your strengths and find ways to use those daily in work and in your personal life. 3) Exercise
It can be so difficult to make time to exercise when you are exhausted with all of your daily responsibilities and obligations. Between work, home, family, friends, and hobbies or downtime, the last thing that you want to worry about is commuting back to your gym to fight over equipment.
Here’s the thing though, exercise is something that your body needs. Whether you have been burnt out with working 9-5, being a full time student, or being a full time parent, you need to give your body the movement that it craves.
Sitting frequently throughout the day can wreck your posture, deplete your energy, and actually make you sad or depressed. You don’t need to exercise for an hour every day to reap the benefits of exercising for your mental health.
See if you can block out just 15-30 minutes per day to exercise. Whether that be taking a run, lifting weights, yoga, or taking a class, the endorphins and health benefits that you get from exercising will help your mental health. 4) Eat well
Diet is one of the major keys to mental and physical health. Eating crappy foods, synthetic ingredients, tons of sugar, starches, and fast food can dismantle your mental health in more ways than one.
Stick to real food that your body recognizes. Focus on eating fruits, vegetables, protein rich foods, and healthy fats that will digest slowly with your body, and serve more of a purpose than just filling you up. 5) Be thankful
Take time every day to be thankful and start each day with thankfulness. Keep a notepad or a sheet of paper to track all of the things that you are thankful for every day. 6) Take life a day at a time
Leave the worries and stresses of tomorrow for tomorrow, and focus on what you can do today. It is so easy to get stressed out when looking at the next 2-3 years or even the next 2-3 weeks of your life, but taking time to be present in the moments of each day can do a world of good for your mental health. | 1 |
WATCH! Six Communists Arrested After Attacking Trump Supporters, Media Yawns (Video) WATCH! Six Communists Arrested After Attacking Trump Supporters, Media Yawns (Video) November 16, 2016, 1:46 pm by Guest Author Leave a Comment 0
By: Renee Nal | New Zeal Top row: Jarred Roark, 34 (Left); Taylor Tomas Chase, 21 (Center); Joseph Wayne George, 36 (Right); Bottom row: Samuel Benjamin Lauber, 21 (Left); Jason Peterson, 24 (Center); Jade Tabitha Shackelford, 19 (Right). (Photo: DPS)
Communists from the “ Red Guards Austin ” were arrested after violently attacking Trump supporters during an anti-Trump rally at the Capitol on Sunday night, as reported at a local CBS affiliate .
Trevor Loudon is well aware of the violent and “secretive” Red Guards Austin, who he describes as “extreme Maoist.” This communist group, Loudon explains, is “aligned with the Red Guards Los Angeles and the Kansas City Missouri-based Progressive Youth Organization , both of which were heavily involved in anti-Trump protests before the election.”
Referring to the arrests, the Red Guards Austin posted the following on Facebook using the code name “Puka” for one of those arrested:
A brief perusal of Red Guards Austin Facebook page reveals that this anti-capitalist group is not interested in peace. Advertising an anti-Trump rally last Thursday, they wrote :
“Calling all militants. F— the police. Show up if your pissed at this system and lets shut s— down.”
The communist group shared an event for students from the “ Revolutionary Student Front ” (which describes itself as a “revolutionary anti-capitalist student movement” ) scheduled for this Friday night called “‘Not My President’ to ‘No More Presidents!'” which seeks to build “a movement that can create a revolution to end capitalism will burn the oppressive roots from which fascism grows:”
“With Donald Trump as president-elect, a lot of us are wondering how we got here and what we can do about it. The Democratic Party won’t save us; even ‘progressives’ like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have said they’ll work together with President Trump. Peaceful protest won’t save us ; as Stokely Carmichael said, “Nonviolence only works if your opponent has a conscience. The United States has none.”
The only thing that has stopped fascism historically is an organized anti-fascist fighting force; Hitler was only stopped by the Red Army. The rising wave of fascist movements emboldened by Trump’s presidency can only be countered by an even more bold mass movement of anti-capitalist resistance. Now more than ever, the steps necessary for building this type of mass revolutionary movement need to be made. And only a movement that can create a revolution to end capitalism will burn the oppressive roots from which fascism grows.
Join the Revolutionary Student Front at Jester A203A (tentative) on 6:30 on Thursday, to talk about the concrete steps necessary in building power on campus as working-class students to create a better world and defend each other from the threat of fascism.”
The Revolutionary Student Front supports the Red Guards Austin, according to this post: Red Guard Austin are friends with the Revolutionary Student Front – Austin
The Red Guard Austin’s cover photo on Facebook: Red Guards Austin Facebook photo
The Revolutionarfy Student Front gives tips to protesters who are “new to protests that are more on the disruptive and confrontational side,” such as writing the phone number of the National Lawyers Guild on the protester’s arm before the protest. Not surprisingly, the communist agitators do not discourage violence.
Watch a local CBS affiliate report (mildly) on the arrest:
The same communist organization attacked Alex Jones during a pro-life rally in May, 2015.
Watch the video here:
It is highly unusual for a local news report to identify “activists” as members of communist groups, although the majority (if not all) of the recent anti-Trump protests are indeed organized by communists.
READ MORE: | 0 |
0 115 1 0 MONTEVIDEO (Sputnik) — Los avances en la nueva etapa de relaciones entre Cuba y EEUU han sido significativos, pero los temas importantes como el bloqueo a la isla, que se debate nuevamente en la ONU, no han sido discutidos ni lo serán en el corto plazo entre los dos países, dijo a Sputnik la francesa Janette Habel, experta en temas cubanos. "Ha habido avances, pero limitados; los avances no se han producido en las cuestiones importantes", dijo Habel, del Instituto de Altos Estudios de América Latina de la Universidad Sorbona III de París y señaló también que otro tema pendiente es la devolución a La Habana del territorio de Guantánamo. © REUTERS/ Alexandre Meneghini Bloqueo de EEUU a Cuba afecta también a ciudadanos norteamericanos Para la especialista, pese a las directivas del presidente de estadounidense Barack Obama para levantar ciertas restricciones, "se mantienen los mecanismos que tienen como base debilitar al Gobierno cubano".
El 14 de octubre, Obama anunció una serie de medidas que amplían el intercambio comercial entre ambos países.
Entre las directrices más destacadas está el levantamiento a la restricción que prohibía a los barcos extranjeros que habían tocado puertos cubanos ingresar a territorio de EEUU para carga y descarga por un plazo de 180 días.
Además, desde el 17 octubre se permite a los ciudadanos estadounidenses comprar en Cuba ron y habanos para uso personal e ingresarlo a EEUU como parte de su equipaje.
Más: Bloqueo costó a Cuba más de 4.600 millones de dólares en un año
Según Obama, el objetivo es que la apertura con Cuba sea "irreversible".
Habel cuestionó sin embargo la actitud del mandatario estadounidense quien si bien tiene la "voluntad para que no se vuelva hacia atrás, no toca temas importantes".
Temas pendientes
Entre estos temas está el levantamiento del bloqueo, explica la especialista. "El levantamiento del embargo depende del Congreso, pero hay medidas que Obama podría tomar y no tomó, como facilitar la importación de productos cubanos y el intercambio en dólares", dijo Habel. © REUTERS/ Alexandre Meneghini Rusia insta al mundo a apoyar el fin del bloqueo de EEUU contra Cuba Respecto a la base militar de Guantánamo, la especialista francesa consideró que se trata de una situación "increíble" desde el punto de vista jurídico y recordó que documentos del Pentágono reconocen que Washington no quiere desprenderse de la base "por miedo a que China se beneficie" de la posibilidad de utilizar ese territorio.
El otro gran asunto pendiente en el que pese al llamado "deshielo" entre ambos países no hay propuestas concretas para su solución es el de la normativa migratoria conocida como "ley de ajuste" o política de "pies secos y pies mojados".
Esa política garantiza la residencia en EEUU a los cubanos que logren pisar suelo estadounidense, mientras que determina la deportación de quienes sean encontrados en el mar.
Lea también: Tema del bloqueo contra Cuba volverá a la ONU
Las salidas de cubanos de su país se dispararon desde que Washington y La Habana reanudaron sus relaciones diplomáticas en julio del año pasado, pues muchos ciudadanos de la isla caribeña temen ahora perder esos privilegios migratorios que les ofrece Washington.
Según Habel es una política que "empuja a la inmigración".
"Cuba quiere poner fin a esta ley", sostuvo la experta.
Clinton-Trump Empresas de Trump pudieron haber violado el bloqueo comercial de EEUU a Cuba Las elecciones del próximo 8 de noviembre en EEUU marcarán el futuro de este deshielo entre La Habana y Washington.
Las perspectivas de continuar con el camino iniciado por Obama dependerán en gran medida quién se instale en la Casa Blanca el 1 de enero de 2017, si la demócrata Hillary Clinton o el republicano Donald Trump.
Para la especialista francesa, de ganar, la ex secretaria de Estado "no va a cambiar lo que Obama ha hecho".
"Con Clinton va a ser más fácil, pero no quiere decir que esté resuelto el tema", agregó.
En el caso de Trump, sostuvo, "no sabemos qué puede ocurrir, porque ha dicho cosas contradictorias".
Sin embargo, para Habel, esta nueva etapa en las relaciones entre Cuba y EEUU no es un tema "que oponga de por sí" a demócratas y republicanos. "Hay grupos de presión dentro del Partido Republicano que buscan el levantamiento del embargo y hay minorías dentro del Partido Demócrata en contra de las medidas de Obama", afirmó.
Este miércoles, en el marco de una nueva sesión de la Asamblea General de la ONU (Organización de las Naciones Unidas), Cuba pedirá por vigesimoquinta vez consecutiva el levantamiento del bloqueo.
Más aquí: Un año de la reapertura entre Cuba y EEUU: ¿qué hace falta para terminar el bloqueo?
El año pasado, 191 votaron a favor de Cuba y solo EEUU e Israel lo hicieron en contra.
Según el Gobierno cubano, el bloqueo ha causado pérdidas a la isla por más de 753.000 millones de dólares.
El bloqueo comenzó en octubre de 1960 y se intensificó en 1962, cuando Washington incluyó en la medida los alimentos y las medicinas. ... | 1 |
Tweet Home » Gold » Gold Miners » Precious Metals Stocks Poised for a MAJOR Upswing? | Clive Maund
The new bull market that is believed to have begun early this year should take gold way above its previous highs in the $1,900 area. Technical analyst Clive Maund outlines why he believes the correction in gold and precious metals stocks is OVER…
Submitted by Clive Maund, Streetwise :
It now looks like gold’s correction is done and its intermediate base pattern is completing. If so, then we are at an excellent entry point for many better precious metals (PM) stocks, which have been savagely beaten down over the past several months—a necessary correction following their outsized run-up earlier in the year.
On its one-year chart, we can see that gold’s corrective action from early July has brought it all the way back to its steadily rising 200-day moving average, a classic buy spot, where a potential intermediate base has formed. This corrective action has more than completely unwound the earlier overbought condition, and it may well be that the price is bottoming at the lower boundary of the large parallel uptrend channel shown, which is what various factors suggest.
These factors are behind the major uptrend still in force, as symbolized by the rising 200-day moving average already alluded to: the bullish alignment of moving averages, the price being at the lower boundary of the prospective channel shown, the earlier overbought condition having unwound and, finally, the dollar looking like it is breaking down from its uptrend of the past month, which we will look at later.
The seven-year chart for gold shows its new bull market in the context of the preceding bear market from the 2011 highs. This new bull market ran into trouble at the first resistance level shown, but after the recent correction it should now gather itself to take out this resistance on the next upleg, and target the next resistance level in the $1,520–1,550 zone. Needless to say, an advance to this objective will result in PM stocks, which have been severely beaten back on the correction, soaring to much higher levels. If this interpretation is correct, then we are at an excellent entry point for many PM stocks RIGHT NOW.
The 20-year gold chart is interesting, as it makes plain that the 2011–2015 bear market is really nothing more than a correction to the giant bull market from 2001 that preceded it. It also shows that this giant correction ended right at the zone of strong support shown just above the zone of extensive trading that occurred in 2008–2009, a very good point for it to reverse to the upside. The new bull market that is believed to have begun early this year should take gold way above its previous highs in the $1,900 area.
Another possible bullish factor for gold here is that the dollar appears to be breaking down from its uptrend that started at the beginning of the month, with an increasing risk that it will drop back across its range. We can see this to advantage on the year-to-date chart for the dollar index.
The three-year chart for the dollar index shows that it’s still no change for the dollar, as it remains stuck in the giant trading range that started to form back at the March 2015 peak. Right now, having approached the resistance again at the top of the range, it looks like it is rolling over to drop back across the range again, which will be good news for gold.
The one-year chart for GDX is most interesting. Many would-be PM-sector stock buyers are currently deterred from doing so by seeing that the red downtrend shown on our chart is still in force. However, it is very possible that this index is close to the lower boundary of the larger order uptrend channel shown—which is, of course, closely related to the parallel channel that we have observed on the one-year gold chart.
If so, then we are clearly at a very good point to buy, as the index will go on to break out upside from the red channel. Various factors strongly suggest that this is what is going to happen. In the first place, the index is close to a zone of strong underlying support, which arrested the decline early this month. Second, the 200-day moving average is still rising strongly, which shows that the major trend is still up. The moving averages are definitely in bullish alignment, with any rally now turning the 50-day up above the 200-day. Third, stocks are still oversold, after correcting back from being heavily overbought early in July.
Last but not least, most would-be investors in the sector are cringing timidly in the shadows as they usually are after a sharp drop. It’s their right to buy high, and nobody and nothing is going to stop them. This is made abundantly plain by the Gold Miners Bullish Percent Index chart, which we will look at next.
Finally, for those of you who are still feeling leery of buying gold stocks here, take a look at the latest Gold Miners Bullish Percent Index chart, which shows that sentiment has dropped from “foaming at the mouth,” 100% bullish back in early July, when for many there was no sign of the impending sharp correction, to a paltry 18% bullish now. Ask yourself if you felt more bullish toward the sector back early in July than you do now, and you will have the answer to whether you should buy the sector now. Sure, it could drop more from here, but technically it’s a lot less likely than it was back in July, and much more likely that a big rally starts soon.
Right now, gold and silver are thought to be powering up for another major upleg, hence these latest updates.
Clive Maund has been president of www.clivemaund.com, a successful resource sector website, since its inception in 2003. He has 30 years’ experience in technical analysis and has worked for banks, commodity brokers and stockbrokers in the City of London. He holds a Diploma in Technical Analysis from the UK Society of Technical Analysts. This entry was posted in Gold Miners , Gold News , Silver Miners , Silver News and tagged Clive Maund , gold update , silver update . Bookmark the permalink . Post navigation | 1 |
“The key idea for the space fence is about surveillance beyond comprehension, all the way down to the DNA.” — Elana Freeland By Lucas Dare
Lockheed Martin, one of the world’s largest military industrial contractors , is leading the development of a ‘ space fence ‘ to surround planet earth with a new breed of high frequency satellite communications. The ostensible purpose is to provide the U.S. Air Force with the ability to identify and track objects and ‘space junk,’ and to detect space events, however, the system will also provide an unprecedented level of surveillance over the entire planet.
“ Construction is underway on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands to build Space Fence, a sophisticated system that will dramatically improve the way the U.S. Air Force identifies and tracks objects in space.
Space Fence will use Gallium Nitride (GaN) powered S-band ground-based radars to provide the Air Force with uncued detection, tracking and accurate measurement of space objects, primarily in low-earth orbit.
The locations and higher wave frequency of the new Space Fence radars will permit the detection of much smaller microsatellites and debris than current systems. Additionally, Lockheed Martin’s Space Fence design will significantly improve the timeliness with which operators can detect space events, which could present potential threats to GPS satellites or the International Space Station. The flexibility and sensitivity of the system will provide coverage of deep space geosynchronous orbits while maintaining the surveillance fence.”
A promotional video from Lockheed Martin touts the benefits and capabilities of the space fence:
Version 1.0 of the space fence, dubbed Air Force Space Surveillance System , went live in 1961 and came offline in 2013 in preparation for the new version, which will be able, ‘use S-band radar and will track a larger number of small objects than previous space radars: “about 200,000 objects and make 1.5 million observations per day, about 10 times the number” made by existing or recently retired US assets.“‘
Hidden Intent Truthful information, not marketing propaganda, is as always difficult to come by when examining military industrial projects, however to some, the space fence is more than a complex system to keep us safe in space, and technology of this nature and power represents an extreme escalation in the war on the individual and the war on consciousness .
Elana Freeland, investigative journalist and author of Chemtrails, HAARP, and the Full Spectrum Dominance of Planet Earth , is publishing a new book in 2017 entitled, The Space Fence , which combines her knowledge of covert technologies and the frequency war on planet earth with specific information related to the space fence project. Her analysis leads to the conclusion that this project is part of a web of technologies being put into place to monitor, surveil and influence humans on a mass and on an individual scale, with the intention of creating a high-frequency prison of sorts, which will affect human behavior and consciousness in a way that benefits the aims of the world’s ruling elite .
The space fence is precisely the type of technology needed to bring human consciousness under full control in a new kind of government, the technocracy . According to journalist Jon Rappoport , this is the realization of the dark vision for humanity as described by Aldous Huxley in Brave New World . Rappoport remarks:
“Every time I read Brave New World I see complacent animals grazing in pastures. That’s the picture. Human animals at peace in the fields. Nothing to care about. Nothing to think about. Just bend and chew. Don’t worry, be happy.
Brave New World reveals a landscape in which people would be unable to turn around and throw off what has been done to them. They would not consider it. They would have no basis for comparison. They would have no cultural memory.
They are living in a universal super-welfare state. Their needs are satisfied—especially the central need: pleasure. It isn’t gained or worked for. It’s given. It’s a fact as basic as rain and sun. It’s there. It’s the shortest distance between the present moment and the next moment.”
Jon Rappoport
Secrecy is the norm in our world today, and there are, of course, two stories behind the space fence project: the official version of creating a safer world, and the more holistic version uncovered and revealed by dedicated journalists and whistleblowers.
“The degree of secrecy from official sources that we’ve learned to live with in modern society is reaching a dysfunctional level between the public state and deep state covert operations. Programs that include geoengineering, weather manipulation, and attempts to ionize our atmosphere for the purposes of surveillance do exist, although they’re completely ignored by mainstream media. The idea of an enormous space fence being built with public money but with no compelling explanation being given, leads to the possibility that there are powerful reasons for hiding it.”
Dark Journalist
The Frequency Prison – How the Space Fence Will Act as a Planetary Lockdown System In a recent interview with Dark Journalist , Freeland explains how a deluge of advanced technologies developed by the military and funded by the deep state will be brought to bear on the human race.
Her investigation looks into the covert intention to modify and invade the human body with nano-technologies designed to act as receivers for frequency information distributed by programs such as HAARP and the space fence. Nano-bots , nano-fibers , genetically modified organisms , engineered bacteria , and heavy metals, are already being delivered into the human population by geoengineering projects , vaccines , foods, water, and pharmaceuticals.
“They want those nano-bots inside our bodies. These are the little towers inside that will give complete control, not only over our body, but over our brains.
These nano-bots are wired for a wireless world and can be remotely triggered.”
Elana Freeland
Speaking on the matter of remote mind control as achieved by a global network of electromagnetic control , she remarks:
“The key idea for the space fence is… about surveillance beyond comprehension, all the way down to the DNA. and the surveillance is not, don;t think satellites and things up in the sky, think your cell towers and the GWEN towers and the NEXRADs across the nation. And now think of the little heavy metals inside your bloodstream that are turning your entire body into – it’s always been an electric tower, our bodies are transmitters and receivers – but now, with the heavy metals in there, that are highly conductive, and living in a wireless environment with masses of waves moving through us all the time, even in remote areas, we have to think that this is part of the surveillance system. These are the little towers inside us, that will give complete control, not only over our body, but over our brains. And this is what they’re heading toward. The space fence is very much connected to transhumanism, and the so-called singularity that they believe is coming. They are working hard to transform the earth plane into something unnatural, artificial.”
Elana Freeland
The web of technological control becomes even more complex and more encompassing when you add to this the deployment of sounding rockets delivering aluminum-oxide into the upper atmosphere, the spraying of barium in the skies, CERN, and HAARP technology . The aim is the formation of a saturnine ring around the planet, creating a tight ring of surveillance and genetic control over planet earth and the human race.
The space fence is the kind of project, shrouded in secrecy and disinfo , American taxpayers are funding with little to no explanation, no accountability, and no possible way to understand. While our economy at home is being gutted by central banks and a globalist takeover, we are being led into the shackles of the technocracy.
Foreshadowing This Dark New World As with many of the darkest plans of the world elite, their intent is often foreshadowed by Hollywood in science fiction films. The predictive programming regarding SKYNET in the film The Terminator is a classic example.
The following clip from the 2009 movie Gamer , offers a glimpse of a system such as this. In it, the villain has delivered nano-technologies into the brains of people, which act as receivers of signals sent by himself, giving him the power to direct the actions of others.
In the following breakdown of the villain’s plan in the film Kingsman: The Secret Service , the evil capitalist, played by Samuel Jackson, has given free SIM cards to everyone on the planet, whereby he can transmit a signal causing people to unwittingly go into a violent murderous rage. The endgame here is global depopulation to rid the earth of the ‘virus,’ which is how he views human beings.
Final Thoughts “We’re up against something very organized, very scientific, and very dangerous.”
Elana Freeland
The evidence of a war on consciousness being waged against the human race is substantial. Journalist Graham Hancock has outlined with great eloquence how the war on drugs attempts to restrict our access to the vast powers of our spirituality, and now this war is going digital, taking to the heavens.
Information of this nature presents with the opportunity to increase our own personal awareness and work towards the elevation of personal and collective consciousness , empowering us to both resist and survive this madness.
Lucas Dare is a staff writer for Waking Times , where evolution and revolution unite, and for Offgrid Outpost .
Source: Waking Times
Related: The Space Fence — Planetary Lockdown Doctor Says Mysterious New Blood Bacteria Seems Like Nanobot Bioweapon | 1 |
https://web.archive.org/web/20161109183253/http://www.huffingtonpost.com They pretend Trump’s win is a victory for bigots, instead of a defeat for the aristocracy (‘Wall Street’, ‘The Establishment’, or America’s billionaires and their agents such as lobbyists and the leading politicians). However, a close look at the evidence shows Huffington Post to be wrong: Trump’s win was overwhelmingly driven by Americans’ repudiation of the aristocracy itself (such as, for example, repudiation of the Institute that runs Huffington Post’s neoconservative international edition, World Post , the Berggruen Institute (including Eric Schmidt , Lawrence Summers , Fareed Zakaria , Arianna Huffington, Nicholas Berggruen , Ernesto Zedillo , Carl Bildt, Niall Ferguson, and Joseph Nye , all being proponents of Obama’s building war against Russia — such as : “To confront Putin, Europe will have to make changes that will be deeply controversial on a continent long committed to environmentalism and marked by an aversion to the use of force”). And, as far as global warming is concerned, which is a real problem about Trump, it’s also very much and demonstrably — not merely in words — a real problem about Hillary too (and one that outside the context of the Presidential campaign has even been courageously reported by some of HuffPo’s own reporters ), but HuffPo and other Democratic Party propagandists pretend there’s reason to believe that Trump’s actions would be even worse than hers have been, and HuffPo’s readers thus end up being little else than Democratic Party suckers who feel satisfied in their ‘news’ reading to soak up what is almost entirely Democratic Party propaganda, which means the propaganda emanating out of the White House whenever a Democrat resides there — sort of like a Democratic Party version of the Republican Party’s Fox ‘News’. The aristocracy ( all of it, both its Republican and its Democratic Party branches) continue their campaign, and expect to crush their opposition — the public (of all parties). And that’s what a close look at the evidence shows explains Trump’s win — not bigotry on the part of the American public. Bigotry is a huge problem in every society, but especially amongst the aristocracy, who love to pretend that it’s mainly a problem ‘down below’ — so that they can continue to exploit the public while claiming to be superior to it. That’s the Big Lie, which Obama and the Clintons — and Huffington Post — promote and get paid very well to promote. Their campaign never ends. Only the personnel do. | 0 |
It’s a year of anniversaries for Lizzie Grubman, the archetypal celebrity publicist known equally for making friends, enemies and headlines. Ten years of marriage. Twenty years since the founding of her namesake firm, Lizzie Grubman Public Relations Management. And 15 since the Hamptons auto accident that dominated the tabloid news cycle for a summer, turning her into one of the most notorious women in New York. Shortly after midnight on a July morning in 2001, Ms. Grubman ignited a tabloid firestorm when she backed her father’s S. U. V. into a crowd outside the Conscience Point Inn, a Hamptons nightclub, injuring 16 people. “P. R. Gal’s Nightmare — Her SUV Plows Into Hamptons Club Crowd” and “Hard Fall for Rising P. R. Star Crash Shatters Grubman’s World” blared two typical New York Post headlines. It may be hard to believe now, but before Sept. 11, 2001, Ms. Grubman was one of the biggest news stories in the region. George Rush, a former gossip columnist who covered the accident and its aftermath for The Daily News, said the story played out as “a larger parable about class conflict. ” “For many readers, Lizzie was a vicious princess who was overdue for her comeuppance,” he said. Now 45, Ms. Grubman has stayed out of the spotlight for a decade. Mellowed by marriage and two children, and energized by her firm’s expansion into talent management and television development, she feels ready to talk about the remarkable roller coaster of her life, and lay to rest the ghosts of that infamous summer. “I do a lot of damage control, that’s what I love in P. R.,” Ms. Grubman said on a recent Sunday, sitting in her large corner office in the Flatiron district, which showcases “Rear Window” style views over a uniquely Manhattan hodgepodge of apartments, construction sites and artists’ studios. “Just think of Olivia Pope in ‘Scandal,’ but for Hollywood. ” Her full client list is confidential (“I do divorces, I do arrests and cop situations, when someone is resigning or getting fired,” she said) but her current roster includes the TV personalities Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Carole Radziwill, the rising producer C4 and the pop singer Inas X. “I think I’ve matured, I think I’ve grown up,” said Ms. Grubman, dressed in a Prada sundress and chunky platform heels, accessorized by a Givenchy Antigona black leather tote, whose oversize zipper teeth made it look like a document shredder for money. “Living a private, nonpublic life is a much happier life. ” Ms. Grubman was flanked by her sons, Harry, 9, and Jack, 7, and her husband, Chris Stern, executive creative director for the talent and management agency WME IMG. Mr. Stern is a chatty, gentle man with a fondness for Loro Piana cashmere sweaters. When together, the couple bring to mind a really expensive pair of new stiletto heels and the protective velvet bag that comes with them in the box. “Chris is my rock,” said Ms. Grubman, pulling him close. “He’s made me into a different person, and my children have, too. There’s been some rough times. ” The family divides its time between their East 61st Street apartment (a triple combine duplex) and a weekend home in Sag Harbor, N. Y. both designed by Mr. Stern. It’s a life filled with children, grandparents and all the trappings of professional success. Yet even now, with a happy home life and thriving business, Ms. Grubman has difficulty discussing the events of summer 2001, when everything changed. Elizabeth Stacey Grubman was born in 1971 to Yvette and Allen Grubman, a man whom Newsweek once described as “perhaps the music industry’s wealthiest and most powerful attorney with superstar clients like Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, U2 and Sean (Puffy) Combs. ” “The trials and tribulations that she went through, just like everybody else has gone through, she came out in a way that I’m very, very proud of,” Mr. Grubman said. “Every so often, I’ll bump into someone and they’ll say, ‘Oh, you’re Lizzie’s father.’ I get a kick out of that. ” Mr. Grubman was a famously bad student, a trait he passed on to his daughter. She had brief tours at four New York City private schools, including Horace Mann, Lenox and Dwight (“my social life became a little bit more important than studies,” she said) followed by a single semester at Northeastern University. It was in Boston that Ms. Grubman started promoting nightclubs and the public relations career that she pursued upon returning to New York. In 1995, she went to work for Nadine Johnson, an established P. R. agent known for her fashionable roster of art world and luxury clients. But the relationship quickly soured, and she left after a year to start her own firm, amid rumors that she had taken with her Ms. Johnson’s “list,” industry jargon for proprietary business contacts, which are jealously guarded. “Nadine’s list is not valuable, it’s only valuable to Nadine,” Ms. Grubman said. “I respect Nadine, I have nothing bad to say about her. She clearly does not like me. ” (Ms. Johnson did not respond to a request for comment.) In 1998, Ms. Grubman was one of three influential young female publicists featured on the cover of New York magazine with the headline “Power Girls. ” The article announced Ms. Grubman’s arrival as a personality in her own right. It inaugurated a golden age for her business, but her persona and moneyed background alienated some observers even as it attracted huge names to her client list, including entertainers like Jay Z, Gloria Estefan and Mr. Combs, and modish restaurants and nightclubs of fin de siècle New York, like Moomba, Spy Bar and Asia de Cuba. “She was there by my side and protected me when I was young and just getting into the spotlight,” Britney Spears, a former client for whom Ms. Grubman still occasionally consults, wrote in a text message from Los Angeles. “I was so grateful to know that Lizzie always looked out for me. ” But the article also ruffled feathers, with its depiction of the subjects as privileged party girls, an early backlash to the “princess” image that would attend Ms. Grubman for years to come. “I get it,” she said of the resentment at the time. “It would irritate me, too. ” But worse was on the way. On July 6, 2001, Ms. Grubman received the devastating news that her mother had ovarian cancer. (She died three weeks later, at age 58.) In an emotional state, Ms. Grubman nevertheless went out that Friday evening to attend July 4 weekend festivities in the Hamptons. After a party at the home of Alex and Alexandra von Furstenberg, she drove the black Mercedes S. U. V. to the Conscience Point Inn, then a fashionable Southampton nightclub. Sometime after midnight, she got into an argument with a doorman who insisted she move her car. Instead, the vehicle lurched backward into a line of waiting patrons, injuring 16 people. Months of denouncements and $100 million worth of lawsuits (which were quietly settled) followed, culminating with a stay in the Suffolk County jail. Ms. Grubman publicly apologized to the victims outside the courtroom in which she pleaded guilty to felony and misdemeanor charges, but she has otherwise declined to discuss the incident. But her days of being tabloid fodder were not over. In 2005, she starred in an MTV reality show about her professional life, called “PoweR Girls,” which flopped with critics and viewers, lasting six episodes. (Ms. Grubman has mixed feelings about it: “I think I gave away a lot of trade secrets, and I glamorized P. R. in a way that people didn’t understand. ”) That same year, Page Six announced her relationship with Mr. Stern, who was married at the time to Joyce Sevilla, who happened to work for Lizzie Grubman P. R. The ensuing divorce was acrimonious (as were the issues) but it freed the new couple to marry in March 2006. The gossip columns continued to needle, and it was an encounter with aggressive paparazzi that convinced Ms. Grubman that she needed to remove herself and her family from the spotlight. “One day, we’re out walking, and these photographers are out for my son, and he was so scared,” she said. “It hurt him so badly. We had problems in preschool with him taking class pictures. ” “Now, he’s O. K.,” she said, watching Harry gambol over her office furniture. “Now he has his own Instagram. ” If Ms. Grubman’s critics were hoping she would collapse under the sheer weight of the schadenfreude directed at her, they will be disappointed. In her stylishly decorated office, surrounded by family, she seems closer to the “having it all” balance promoted by tech industry like the Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg and the Yahoo chief executive Marissa Mayer. Ms. Grubman rises at 5 a. m. wakes her children at 6:30 and works from her office between 9:30 a. m. and 4 p. m. Back home, she balances work calls and family time (Mr. Stern is the cook) until a 9 p. m. bedtime. Jack, the younger son, who seemed completely at ease in her office, was asked to describe his mother. “She buys us stuff,” he said. “And she talks on the phone a lot. ” (Ms. Grubman laughed it off, but it seemed clear there would be some media training when he got home that night.) Amid the happy family din, however, there remains just a trace of sadness around the intertwined tragedies of her mother’s death and the car accident that changed her life. When asked to reflect on that fateful night, her normally polite smile sets into a thin, flat line. “That unfortunate night happened, which I prefer not to talk about, in respect to my children and family, and the people who were involved,” she said. “I never properly mourned my mother. We’ll leave it at that, you know why. ” In 2007, her husband decided to do something about it. “Understanding that Lizzie had a really tough time with Mother’s Day,” Mr. Stern said, “I decided, right after we had Harry, that I go to Barneys and walk around with a personal shopper and pick out the best shoes and the best handbags in the place, bring them to the apartment, and I proceeded to fill Harry’s entire crib with all of these pretty special boxes of treats. ” “It was piled high,” he said. “I just wanted to make it seem like Harry was giving her the gift. ” Ms. Grubman said, “He’s changed Mother’s Day for me, and he’s helped me through it. ” The anecdote captures Ms. Grubman’s uniquely contentious place in New York’s pantheon of characters. It’s a cherished and heartwarming memory for the family, but viewed from the outside, it will be perceived as overprivileged and materialistic enough to inspire a thousand mean tweets. Was Ms. Grubman prepared for such a social media response? “I’ve been there,” she said, sounding momentarily battle weary. “I’ve been beaten, I’ve been killed in the media. But at this point in my life, my family, my kids and my clients are the most important people to me. ” | 1 |
Geraldo Rivera says President Donald Trump is “surrounded by rats. ”[The Fox News correspondent unloaded on anyone accusing Trump of obstructing justice amid reports that the president asked former FBI Director James Comey to drop his investigation into former National Security adviser Mike Flynn. In a series of Twitter messages sent Wednesday morning, Rivera said Trump did not come “close to obstruction. ” “News Flash, @realDonaldTrump hoping @JamesComeyFBI cuts @MikeFlynn some slack because he is a ‘good man’ is not close to #Obstruction,” Rivera tweeted: News Flash, @realDonaldTrump hoping @JamesComeyFBI cuts @MikeFlynn some slack because he is a ’good man’ is not close to #Obstruction, — Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) May 17, 2017, “Attack @POTUS with reckless abandon it tanks #stocks, spreads uncertainty among our allies joy among our enemies. Empanel Select Cmte,” Rivera added: Attack @POTUS with reckless abandon it tanks #stocks, spreads uncertainty among our allies joy among our enemies. Empanel Select Cmte, — Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) May 17, 2017, The Fox News correspondent called talks of impeaching President Trump “lazy” and “reckless. ” “#Impeachment talk is lazy, uninformed no underlying crime. #ComeyMemo does not spell out #Obstruction@POTUS has rights too,” he wrote: #Impeachment talk is lazy, uninformed no underlying crime. #ComeyMemo does not spell out #Obstruction @POTUS has rights too, — Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) May 17, 2017, Refusing to mince words, Rivera said Trump’s administration is filled with “rats. ” “Whatever you think of @realDonaldTrump imagine how daunting it is to go to work each day surrounded by rats”: Whatever you think of @realDonaldTrump imagine how daunting it is to go to work each day surrounded by rats, — Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) May 17, 2017, The New York Times reported Tuesday that Trump had conversations with Comey, insisting that he shut down the investigation into Flynn. “I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go,” Trump told Comey, according to parts of the memo, as published by the New York Times. “He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go. ” The Trump White House has denied the Times story. Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter @jeromeehudson. | 0 |
by Yves Smith
Yves here. Germany seems determined to test the Eurozone experiment to destruction. As we’ve long said, it insists on contradictory aims: running large trade surpluses, not being willing to finance them, and not permitting high levels of fiscal spending to serve as another mechanism to provide for transfers to “deficit” countries. By contrast, people in New York and California don’t even think much about the fact that they are getting less out of the Federal government than they pay in taxes and are effectiely supporting consumption in places like Mississippi.
By Wouter den Haan, Professor of Economics and Co-Director of the Centre for Macroeconomics, London School of Economics; Martin Ellison, Professor of Economics at the University of Oxford; Ethan Ilzetzki, Assistant Professor, London School of Economics; Michael McMahon, Associate Professor of the Department of Economics, University of Warwick; and Ricardo Reis, A.W. Phillips Professor of Economics, LSE. Originally published at VoxEU
The October 2016 expert survey of the Centre for Macroeconomics (CFM) and CEPR invited views from a panel of macroeconomists based across Europe on Germany’s trade surplus, its impact on the Eurozone economy, and the appropriate response of German fiscal policy. More than two-thirds of the respondents agree with the proposition that German current account surpluses are a threat to the Eurozone economy. A slightly smaller majority believe that the German government ought to increase public investment in response to the surpluses.
Germany posted a record-high current account surplus of 8.5% of GDP in 2015; indeed, the German surplus has overtaken China’s surplus as the largest in the world. Germany’s current account was slightly in deficit when the euro was created in the late 1990s, it steadily increased in the early 2000s and has continued to rise since the Global Crisis of 2008. Since 2010, the increase in the current account has been accompanied by fiscal surpluses, with the German government moving from a deficit of 4% of GDP in 2010 to a surplus of 1.2% in the first half of 2016. Global Imbalances
Through the prism of the trade balance, the current account surplus can be viewed as a symptom of Germany’s economic success. German exports increased from 30% of GDP in 2000 to 47% in 2015. But with imports at merely 39% of GDP, this implies that Germany is providing capital to the rest of the world at a very high rate. Indeed, German savings have increased from roughly 20% to nearly 30% of GDP, while domestic investment has remained roughly constant at around 20% of GDP.
One view, harking back to Keynes, is that such large capital flows could be very destabilising, particularly within a system of fixed exchange rates (or a currency union). The argument is that while countries with current account deficits may come under severe pressure to adjust, countries with surpluses face no corresponding pressures. 1 Keynes’s solution – which was part of the inspiration for the creation of the IMF – was that occasional exchange rate adjustments might be necessary in order to rebalance international credit flows.
A number of commentators have suggested that Germany’s large current account surpluses reflect such imbalances. Paul Krugman attributes the Eurozone crisis in part to Germany’s current account surplus. The capital flows that this current account financed dried up as the crisis unfolded. But the burden of the adjustment fell solely on the Eurozone periphery, which closed their current account deficits, without the aid of Germany where the current account has only increased. In this view, German fiscal surpluses are an international version of the paradox of thrift. 2
The IMF (2016) and the European Commission (2016) have both warned of the risks of Germany’s current account surpluses; and both have urged Germany to take actions to reduce its external surplus, for example, by increasing public investment.
While the nature of the Eurozone makes exchange rate adjustments impossible, the IMF reckons that Germany’s real exchange rate is now 15-20% undervalued (IMF 2016, p. 7). The US Treasury has gone so far as to add Germany to its ‘monitoring list’ of countries engaged in ‘unfair currency practices’, even though Germany does not have a national currency (US Treasury 2016).
In contrast, Jens Weidmann, President of the Bundesbank, has argued that German net capital outflows are primarily structural, resulting from Germany’s high level of economic development and ageing population. He also argues that the Eurozone’s common monetary policy allowed slower current account adjustments, thus mitigating the Eurozone crisis (Weidmann 2014). The German economics ministry claims that Germany’s surplus is “a sign of the competitiveness of the German economy and global demand for quality products from Germany”. 3
The first question in the October 2016 expert survey of the Centre for Macroeconomics (CFM) and CEPR addressed the question of whether large German surpluses are reasons for concern. 4 To focus the question, we asked the experts about its consequences for the Eurozone, but they were free to address wider implications in their comments.
Q1: Do you agree that German current account surpluses are a threat to the Eurozone economy?
Sixty-seven panel members answered this question and a large majority (69%) agree or strongly agree with the proposition. A number of panel members point to evidence of the risks of current account balances. Ricardo Reis (LSE), for example, says that “current account imbalances during 2000-08 played a central role in the Eurozone crisis of 2010-12” (see Obstfeld 2012 and Lane 2013).
Other panel members suggest that German current account surpluses are a symptom of the common European currency. Michael Wickens (Cardiff Business School and University of York) warns that “the main underlying problem is the single currency. Germany’s current account surplus reflects its competitiveness, but due to the single currency, it can’t appreciate against the Eurozone countries with chronic current account deficits. It is all reminiscent of the failures of the Bretton Woods system, which of course eventually collapsed due to currencies becoming misaligned.”
Simon Wren-Lewis (Oxford) agrees that “the surplus represents an undervalued real exchange rate in Germany, which requires more inflation in Germany relative to the rest of the Eurozone”.
Wouter Den Haan (LSE) suggests that the problem is exacerbated by conditions in the Eurozone periphery: “There is a very good chance that the Eurozone is in a bad equilibrium in which consumers do not spend because they are concerned about future earnings and firms are hesitant to hire workers and raise wages because they are concerned about demand for their products. Even if this is not behind the high savings rate in Germany, it does make this increase in precautionary savings more problematic in the periphery.”
A number of panel members (Charles Bean, LSE; Jonathan Portes, National Institute of Economic and Social Research) warn that Germany’s current account surplus is not uniquely a Eurozone problem, but is also large enough to contribute to the low global real interest rates.
The global dimension is also the main counter-argument of the panel members who think that the German current account is not a threat to Eurozone stability. Robert Kollman (Université Libre de Bruxelles) points out that “the German current account surpluses do not represent a threat to the Eurozone economy, because Germany trades more with the rest of the world than with the rest of the Eurozone”.
Pietro Reichlin (Università LUISS G. Carli) caveats his concern about the German current account with the view that “part of the surplus is due to exports to extra-European countries and these benefit some EU peripheral economies that are exporting intermediate inputs and parts to Germany”.
Others do not feel that there are theoretical grounds for concern about the German current account. Francesco Lippi (Università di Sassari) argues: “I do not see why the savings of my neighbour should be a problem for me. Rather, they are a potential source of financing my investment. I do not know a single reasonable model where current account surpluses are a problem.”
Robert Kollman points to research that the key shocks driving the German current account shocks are not central to the Eurozone’s ills (see Kollmann et al. 2015, 2016). Nezih Guner (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) agrees that German current account surpluses are structural: “current account surpluses partly reflect positive supply shocks (such as labour market reforms that lowered wages and made German economy more competitive) and the current demographic structure that results in high savings rates.” Germany’s Fiscal Policy
With exchange rate adjustment off the table within a currency union, the main policy recommendation to reduce Germany’s current account surplus has been a change in German fiscal policy. Martin Wolf points out that the current account surplus is driven primarily by an increase in the supply of savings of German households and thus reflects insufficient aggregate demand. 5 He warns that Germany isn’t carrying its weight in the global economy and has failed to contribute to global aggregate demand.
By this view, the German government’s move to fiscal surplus is a direct drag on the global recovery. The argument is that with interest rates at zero and other governments in worse fiscal positions, the German government should do more to contribute to European and global demand.
The IMF has called on Germany to “focus on raising potential growth and reinforcing rebalancing, which will also support the fragile recovery in the euro area”, including the use of fiscal resources to “boost high quality public investment”.
The European Commission concurs that “weak investment has contributed to the high and persistent current account surplus and poses risks for the future growth potential of the German economy”. The Commission joins the IMF in suggesting that “there continues to be fiscal space for higher public investment, while complying with the rules of the stability and growth pact”.
In contrast, Jens Weidmann suggests that an expansionary German fiscal policy will do little to spur demand in the Eurozone periphery as the import component of Germany public spending is merely 9%. And while Willem Buiter agrees that Germany’s current account surplus is excessive, he thinks that fiscal expansion may not be consistent with German inflation stability and that the European Central Bank should finance fiscal expansions elsewhere. 6
The second question in our survey asked the experts whether the current account imbalance is a reason for the German government to increase public spending. We were not asking whether public spending should increase for other reasons (say low interest rates), although current conditions may – of course – affect the answers given.
The question was explicitly conditioned on the fact that Germany is part of the Eurozone and we asked the respondents to answer from the point of view of the Eurozone. That is, when countries’ fiscal deficits are high, the Eurozone regularly demands that action is taken to reduce public spending: so does it similarly make sense for the Eurozone to ask Germany to increase public spending given its large current account surplus?
Q2: Do you agree that the German government should increase public spending given its persistently large current account surplus and given that it is part of the Eurozone?
Sixty-seven panel members answered this question with a large majority (67%) agreeing or strongly agreeing that the German government ought to increase public spending in response to the current account surpluses.
Panel members who think that the German current account poses risks to Eurozone stability largely supported policy action. The main policy recommendation is an increase in public investment. Stefan Gerlach (BSI Bank) proposes that “more public spending on specific public infrastructure projects that pass a careful cost-benefit analysis and contributes to economic growth would be desirable.”
Sweder van Wijnbergen (Universiteit van Amsterdam) notes that “Germany’s (public capital)/GDP ratio is HALF of the comparable ratio in the Netherlands”. In contrast, Nezih Guner thinks that public investment might be counterproductive: “Public spending on investment incentives or infrastructure, for example, can further enhance the productivity advantage of German economy and can very well make the situation worse.”
Another argument in favour of a German fiscal expansion relates to the asymmetry of fiscal rules in the Eurozone. Costas Milas (University of Liverpool) points out that “the EU Treaty talks about ‘corrective’ fiscal measures when the deficit exceeds 3% of a country’s GDP. There is no similar mechanism in case of a (relatively) big fiscal surplus”.
Ricardo Reis, on the other hand, states that “the Treaties do not put the European institutions in charge of aggregate demand management. Therefore, it makes perfect sense for there to be a pronounced asymmetry between requiring the reduction of fiscal deficits, but having nothing to say about fiscal surpluses.” But he does suggest that discretionary policy is desirable at this point in time: “It seems likely that both Germany and the rest of the Eurozone would benefit from some fiscal expansion in Germany… Given the increase in the primary surplus since 2004, there also seems to be some room to do so.”
A number of panel members support policy action, but not an increase in public spending. Francesco Giavazzi (IGIER, Università Bocconi) and Nicholas Oulton (LSE) advocate tax cuts. In addition, Jürgen von Hagen (Universität Bonn) warns that fiscal action is desirable at the federal level, but not at the state level: “Lander public finances are mostly unsustainable and an increase in spending is not called for.” Wendy Carlin (University College London) proposes increasing incentives for women to participate in the labour force.
Panel members who are opposed to German fiscal action largely point to the limited evidence that such action would reverse the current account surplus. Gernot Müller (Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen) points out that “evidence to date suggests that the link between fiscal policy and the current account is weak. In fact, not even the sign of how a fiscal expansion impacts the current account is clear (see Kim and Roubini’s 2008 paper on twin divergence).”
Evi Pappa (European University Institute) adds: “In my own research, I also show that fiscal consolidation, as a means to induce an internal devaluation in a two country model works, but it affects very little economic activity in the periphery. A more effective way for correcting current account imbalances is transferring resources from Germany to the periphery” (see bandiera et al. 2016).
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With a bright sun and an easy breeze, the morning had the makings of a perfect Sunday in Central Park for strolling visitors. Then, around 11 a. m. an explosion interrupted the quiet. Officials said a young man walking in the southeastern end of the park stepped on what turned out to be explosive material that had been left behind. Investigators believe it was part of an “experiment with fireworks,” police officials said, and declined to call the material a device. The police said they do not believe it was connected to terrorism. “It is not unusual for the public to make or try to create homemade fireworks around the Fourth of July,” said John O’Connell, a deputy police chief for counterterrorism with the New York Police Department. Soon after the blast, social media posts circulated describing a grisly scene, the victim bloodied and maimed. And there was a rush of journalists and police officers who, coincidentally, were already nearby for the funeral services of Elie Wiesel, the Nobel Peace Prize winner. Even President Obama was briefed about the explosion. The jolt escalated quickly from there as some news organizations reported that the authorities were shutting down Central Park, a colossal undertaking — clearing out the park — that would have indicated something worse than an accident involving fireworks had taken place. Those reports were quickly dismissed by police officials as erroneous, but still, fear and anxiety had been stirred around the park. “We are worried,” Giselle Brown, 42, said as she sat on a bench on Fifth Avenue with relatives visiting from Nicaragua. “We want to know exactly what happened. ” After the explosion, the man — Connor Golden, who was visiting from Fairfax, Va. — was lying against a boulder with his left leg below the calf severely wounded. Someone had tied a strip of blue fabric around his leg as a tourniquet before emergency workers carried him from the park on a stretcher. The authorities said Mr. Golden was taken to Bellevue Hospital Center in Manhattan, where he was in serious but stable condition. He was undergoing surgery, officials said on Sunday evening. They added that they believe Mr. Golden, who was with two friends at the time, had stumbled upon the material. “We don’t know what happened,” one of the friends, Thomas Hinds, told reporters near the scene. “There was a small explosion. And then dust. ” Lt. Mark Torre, the commander of the Police Department’s bomb squad, said he believed the man had encountered homemade fireworks that did not appear to be designed to explode from contact. “Their goal is to make a loud noise,” Lieutenant Torre said, “maybe make a flash. ” The material, he said, could have been left behind days ago. Later on Sunday, a swath of the park, starting from East 61st Street and heading a few blocks north, remained cordoned off as investigators from the Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation were still at work. Mohammad Matin, 58, left his cart selling ice cream, pretzels, soda and churros when the police told him to leave the area. He went home to Jackson Heights, Queens, leaving the cart unattended for hours. “I was really upset,” Mr. Matin said. “Today is Sunday, a very big day for business. I lost my business. ” Abdul Abdul, 29, heard something while working at a halal food stand outside the park. “I thought a tire had popped,” Mr. Abdul said. But he was stunned to hear what had happened. “Oh my God,” said Mr. Abdul, who has worked at the stand for about a year and a half. “I have never seen anything happen in Central Park before. ” | 0 |
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“In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing. ” That’s how Norman Maclean began “A River Runs Through It,” his revered 1976 autobiographical novella about his life in Missoula, Mont. as the son of a Presbyterian minister and devout angler in the years before World War II. On a Sunday morning in June, on the Big Blackfoot River, it was not hard to see how the Macleans came by their faith. Although the family’s home stream runs just outside of Missoula, a town of some 71, 000, it remains remarkably unspoiled, tucked away from the surrounding hallmarks of civilization like a secret world. For most of its length, from its source along the Continental Divide to its confluence with the Clark Fork River just east of town, the Big Blackfoot is lined with Ponderosa pine forest. No roads run along it. No bars or restaurants abut it. You’ll find none of the gaudy riverfront mansions that have given rise to the term “two by four by 10” in towns throughout the modern American West. (That’s two people, four weeks a year, and 10, 000 square feet.) There are bigger rivers and rivers that hold larger fish, but few offer anglers a more appealing mix of rapids, shallow flats, and swirling deep green pools, and almost none are prettier. On this day, at the County Line boat Montana’s Big Sky was living up to its name sunlight glinted off the river, and the only sound to speak of was the water burbling along. My guide for the day was John Herzer, a Missoula resident and the owner, with his wife, Terri, of Blackfoot River Outfitters, one of the area’s top operations. He slid our inflatable raft into the water, handed me the rod he’d rigged with one of his favorite flies, a Noble Chernobyl grasshopper pattern, and we launched. On my first cast, I got a strike but set the hook too slowly and missed the fish. But just a few casts later, I watched my fly alight and begin drifting downstream. In a moment, a fish rose from the depths, raced to the ’hopper and took it. When I brought it to the net, I saw it was a gorgeous, Westslope cutthroat trout, one of just a few species native to the Big Blackfoot. After I released my catch, Mr. Herzer and I paused for a moment to appreciate our good fortune. In less than five minutes, we had landed a fish of almost startling beauty in a setting no less lovely. I am not a religious person, but I’ll be damned if I didn’t feel something holy. Catholics have the Vatican, Muslims have Mecca. But to the faithful, there is no more sacred destination than the Big Blackfoot River. Once known mainly to local fishermen only, the Blackfoot gained widespread attention in 1992, when Robert Redford’s film adaptation of Maclean’s book, starring a young Brad Pitt, touched off a craze for the sport and made a trip to the river an essential pilgrimage for veteran and neophyte anglers from around the world. I was among the inspired. As a boy in upstate New York, I had fished with spinning tackle on local ponds and lakes, but when I saw the movie, struck me as something richer and more complex than conventional fishing, as much an art form as a sport. It had an ineffable appeal, too, something existential, Emersonian. Reading Maclean’s book only sunk the hook deeper. It wasn’t just the fishing. If there is a smarter, more affecting meditation on the themes of fathers and sons, brothers, the pleasures of the natural world, love, loss and the haunting power of water, I have yet to come across it. As it has for many others, “A River Runs Through It” became for me a kind of central text, equal parts fishing primer, literary masterwork and spiritual guide. I went on to become an editor, writer and avid reader, and it remains one of my most beloved books. I also took up with an almost obsessive passion, wetting a line everywhere from Wyoming and Idaho to the Bahamas and Belize. And yet, almost 25 years later, I had not traveled to the Big Blackfoot. It was time to see what had caused all the fuss. “A River Runs Through It” centers on Maclean’s relationship with his younger brother, Paul. Norman is the archetypal older sibling, married, and responsible. Paul is the golden child, handsome, athletic and charming, but with a weakness for whiskey and poker games. Paul is also a superior, almost superhuman, fisherman. Much of the book plumbs Norman’s love for Paul (and envy of him) as an angler and otherwise. But the story is also a tragedy involving Paul’s untimely death — he was fatally beaten over unpaid gambling debts — and the regret Norman feels that he could not help save him. The book is told in hindsight, when Maclean is a much older man, a point of view that lends everything a deep nostalgic ache. Maclean structured the work around four fishing scenes, three of which are set on the Big Blackfoot. Over two days, Mr. Herzer and I fished all three of those spots: the canyon above Clearwater Bridge, a beach downstream from that, and the mouth of Belmont Creek. “The canyon above the old Clearwater Bridge is where the Blackfoot roars loudest,” Maclean wrote. It is here that he first limns the almost heavenly beauty of and Paul’s nearly godlike gift for it. Watching Paul cast “a magic totem pole,” the water droplets left in the wake of his line “made momentary loops of gossamer,” Maclean wrote. “The canyon was glorified by rhythms and colors. ” I had a rapturous experience in the canyon myself. The old bridge has an early feel to it that seems to bring one back to Maclean’s time, and the surrounding water and wilderness are idyllic. After a period of neglect during the ’70s and ’80s, the Big Blackfoot has been thoughtfully managed by a consortium of public and private interests. It isn’t what it was when Maclean fished it (there were more fish then, and the area was less populated and more remote) and probably never will be again, but at a time when many rivers have been badly degraded, it is relatively pristine, nowhere more so than in the canyon. It is a heartening, even inspiring, success story. Just above the bridge, Mr. Herzer suggested I fish a fly called a Sparkle Minnow (generally speaking, anglers try to pick flies that match what the fish are eating on that particular piece of water at that particular time). Within minutes, I landed a stout brown trout with signature black and red markings. In the book, Maclean makes a point of noting that his father was unusual among Presbyterian ministers in his use of the word “beautiful. ” It’s partly a crack about Presbyterian ministers but also a detail that gives the word special weight. That morning, we went on to land about a dozen fish altogether. Every one of them was, by any definition, beautiful. Around 1 o’clock, Mr. Herzer and I anchored on a shady bank under a high canyon wall where he laid out a spread of Italian roast beef sandwiches and potato chips and a pile of fresh, local cherries gathered from a friend’s backyard. Our only company was a bald eagle tracing circles above us. You can’t talk about “A River Runs Through It” without talking about the sunburn scene, one of the most indelible moments in the book, and certainly the funniest. Maclean’s Neal, a dandy (and worse, a bait fisherman) visits Missoula from Los Angeles. But instead of fishing with Norman and Paul, as intended, he mostly gets drunk and enlists the services of a local prostitute known as Old Rawhide. On one outing, Norman and Paul wind up ditching Neal and Old Rawhide, only to come upon them later, passed out on a sand bar, unclothed and sunburned, their naked posteriors facing skyward. On my trip, the area in question produced an altogether more welcome sight: a beautiful bull trout with spots, measuring some 21 inches. (Because “bullies” are a protected species, anglers are prohibited from targeting them, but it’s acceptable to catch them if you do so while fishing for other species. The Big Blackfoot is primarily a river, in any case.) The alpha fish of the Big Blackfoot, bull trout are brawny, aggressive and almost . They seem to connect you, as fishing often does, to something primal. It was also the first bull trout I’d ever caught. To an angler, landing a new species is a special thrill, like traveling to an exotic new country or tasting a delicious new food. Today, the “nude beach” is a pretty, hangout where families and others swim and take in the sun. types sometimes still avail themselves of the spot, and Mr. Herzer, a friendly and highly knowledgeable guide with a touch of a prankster’s streak, has been known to tell anglers to fish the opposite bank as they approach the area, only to spin his boat at just the right moment. The ensuing sight, he told me, “is usually not what they expect to see. ” As we drifted past, we waved and smiled at the handful of people lounging on shore and splashing in the river. The scene called to mind “A Sunday on La Grande Jatte,” if Seurat replaced the urban sophistication of Paris with Montana’s charm. That night, back in Missoula, I had a Montanan pizza (Italian sausage, pepperoni, bacon and Canadian bacon) and a Yard Sale Amber Ale at the Tamarack Brewing Company, a local craft brewery. On their outing, Neal and Old Rawhide stole eight bottles of beer Norman and Paul had stashed in the river to keep cold while they fished. “It was either Kessler beer made in Helena or Highlander beer made in Missoula,” Maclean wrote. “What a wonderful world it was once when all the beer was not made in Milwaukee, Minneapolis, or St. Louis. ” Local breweries have since made a serious comeback, of course, and Missoula has several good ones. The Yard Sale may not have been a Kessler or Highlander, but it was fresh and delicious, and, with apologies to the Macleans, I’m guessing better. After dinner I walked along the Clark Fork River and across a bridge to Maclean’s boyhood home, a modest Craftsman with a wide front porch and white picket fence. I have been accused of being as unsentimental as a Presbyterian minister myself, and I am here to report that I did not mist up (mostly). Neither did I ring the doorbell or take a picture. I didn’t do anything, really. What happened was I found myself pantomiming a casting stroke. It was entirely involuntary, but I think of it now as a tribute to Maclean. The book’s climactic scene takes place near the Big Blackfoot’s confluence with Belmont Creek. At Paul’s suggestion, he and Norman spend the night at their parents’ home so the two brothers and their father, who is retired now, can wake up and fish together the next day. The bite is on, and Norman is filled with joy. “So on this wonderful afternoon when all things came together it took me one cast, one fish . .. to attain perfection. I did not miss another. ” Soon, Paul is hauling them in, too, and his artistry is such that Norman and their father stop to watch him. On the hunt for his 20th and final fish, Paul hooks a big rainbow trout, fights it brilliantly, and lands it. “ ‘That’s his limit,’ I said to my father,” Maclean wrote. “ ‘He is beautiful,’ my father said. ” Then, “This was the last fish we were ever to see Paul catch. ” The book’s final two paragraphs are a lyrical, almost mystical reflection that many anglers know by heart: “Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world’s great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs. “I am haunted by waters. ” Just above the mouth of Belmont Creek, I hooked a rainbow of my own whose eponymous colors flashed in the sunlight. Shortly before I had left for Montana, the Orlando mass shooting had taken place. The day before my departure, Britain had voted to leave the European Union, threatening the global economy. A family member had recently received a serious medical diagnosis. But at that moment on the Big Blackfoot River, all that existed were the sun and the water and a fish on the other end of my line. “One great thing about fly fishing,” Maclean wrote, “is that after a while nothing exists of the world but thoughts about fly fishing. ” It pains the cynic in me to say so, but my trip was more magical than haunting. The river was as pretty and as I could have dreamed for it to be. I caught fish, memorable ones, in the most storied spots from the book. I communed with one of my literary and fishing heroes. I held the rainbow for a beat, then another, and released him. Direct flights to Missoula, Mont. are available from major cities including Chicago, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, Denver and Seattle. Missoula is also accessible by car via Interstate 90. Blackfoot River Outfitters, 3055 North Reserve Street, Suite Missoula blackfootriver. com guided fishing, including lunch and gear, $500. The Resort at Paws Up, 40060 Paws Up Road, Greenough . com private cabins, lodges and luxury tents from $1, 195 per night. DoubleTree by Hilton — Edgewater, 100 Madison Street, Missoula doubletree3. hilton. com from $179 per night. Bitterroot Cabins, bitterrootcabins. com cabins throughout the Bitterroot Valley from $160. The Pearl Café, 231 East Front Street, Missoula pearlcafe. us. MacKenzie River Pizza Company, 137 West Front Street, Missoula mackenzieriverpizza. com. Tamarack Brewing Company, 231 West Front Street, Missoula tamarackbrewing. com. Fort Missoula Museum, fortmissoulamuseum. org Garnet Ghost Town, garnetghosttown. net kayaking and canoeing at Alberton Gorge, montanariverguides. com Norman Maclean’s former home, 302 South Fifth Street West, Missoula. | 1 |
WASHINGTON — The capital region’s subway system has failed to adequately learn from a series of dangerous and sometimes fatal episodes in recent years, making “little or no progress” toward instituting a culture of safety, the National Transportation Safety Board concluded on Tuesday. The assessment came as the board discussed the findings of a more than yearlong investigation into a fatal instance of smoke filling a tunnel in January 2015. Its conclusion painted the most complete picture to date of the how the aging infrastructure, flawed safety response and inadequate local and federal oversight combined to cause the event, which killed one person and injured 91 others. But the investigation also allowed the board members to express concerns about how the nation’s second busiest subway system has acted — or not acted — to address prominent safety lapses. “When the N. T. S. B. finds itself issuing a continuous stream of accident reports to address the basic safety management of a single transit rail system, something is fundamentally flawed,” Christopher A. Hart, the board’s chairman, said. “Here, that something is safety oversight. ” The report came as the newly installed managers of the transit agency, known here as Metro, grapple with several setbacks and continuing funding woes facing the system. The N. T. S. B. members acknowledged that Metro, under that leadership, appeared now to be taking steps in the right direction and offered more than 30 recommendations to the authorities involved in the incident, primarily involving maintenance and safety training. They also renewed their criticism of the Federal Transit Administration, which has overseen the system’s safety since October, arguing that it does not have the ability, the experience or the disciplinary authority to do its job adequately. Instead, Mr. Hart and other board members said, Metro should be reclassified as a commuter rail system and its oversight moved to the Federal Railroad Administration until authorities here conclude their efforts to create a federally approved local safety oversight body. That suggestion prompted a response after the meeting from Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx, who defended the F. T. A. in a letter released to the board and said it should continue its oversight of Metro. Though many of the investigation’s findings were forecast in a preliminary report in the days after the smoke event and during investigative hearings last June, the final report gave a account of what went wrong and who was to blame. Investigators concluded that the Jan. 12, 2015, episode was caused by “a prolonged short circuit that consumed power system components” that had been allowed to lapse under “ineffective inspection and maintenance practices. ” Water that contaminated the faulted cable, a dearth of smoke detectors in Metro’s tunnels, ventilation fans that did not work properly, and staff that was not trained in how to use them exacerbated the problem, the N. T. S. B. said. The board also said that city fire and emergency services were not prepared to respond to such an event. “Whatever could go wrong that afternoon did go wrong,” Robert L. Sumwalt, a member of the board, said, while questioning N. T. S. B. investigators. “To quote a Shakespearean play, it was a comedy of errors. Except, it was not funny. ” N. T. S. B. members made frequent comparisons to conclusions reached in a similar investigation after a 2009 train collision that killed nine people near the city’s outskirts. Top Metro officials attended Tuesday’s meeting. Paul J. Wiedefeld, its new general manager, is expected to announce a systemwide maintenance plan in the coming weeks. And on Monday, in advance of the safety board’s report, Metro took steps to address at least one of its concerns, announcing that it would station a fire department official at its operations control center at all times to help coordinate emergency responses. | 0 |
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An email published by WikiLeaks on Friday reveals the extent to which Democrats and their allies manipulate polls to serve their ends.
The 2008 email appears shows Democratic operatives plotting to intentionally oversample seniors in a poll in order to get their desired results.
“FYI: We are going to try to do an oversample of seniors on the poll. Sample too small otherwise,” operative Tom Matzzie wrote to Clinton adviser Paul Begala, campaign Chairman John Podesta, Media Matters for America founder David Brock, and operative Susan McCue. “Good,” Begala responded.
Trump and his supporters have claimed often that many polls showing a significant Hillary lead over Trump have been manipulated through selective sampling. There is ample evidence that this occurs in Democrat-friendly newsrooms.
“Hillary Clinton has opened up a 7-point lead over Donald Trump in an online poll that seems to reflect a ‘bounce’ for the former secretary of state after she wrapped up the Democratic nomination last week,” the Daily Mail reported in June.
"But the weekly tracking poll, from NBC News and the Surveymonkey company, included the opinions of 7 percent more self-identified Democrats than Republicans – the same margin as the poll's topline result," the article noted.
The email released by WikiLeaks Friday proves that Democratic operatives themselves engage eagerly in such tactics.
Polls are a powerful propaganda tool, and people exposed repeatedly to polls suggesting their candidate's loss is a foregone conclusion will often be influenced to stay home on Election Day.
"I think sometimes polling is done to dampen election turnout," Rand Paul said in an interview on Wednesday on "The Tom Roten Show" out of West Virginia. "When we say over and over someone can't win that is a form of rigging in the sense that it is designed to suppress turnout," he added. | 0 |
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Sonntag, 30. Oktober 2016 Wegen Ruhestörung gerufene Polizisten gewinnen überraschend Halloween-Kostümwettbewerb Ingelheim am Rhein (Archiv) - Zwei Polizisten haben in der vergangenen Nacht In Ingelheim am Rhein einen Kostümwettbewerb gewonnen, nachdem sie zu einer lauten Halloweenparty gerufen worden waren. Nachbarn hatten die Beamten wegen "Kiff-Geräuschen und zu lauter Musik" alarmiert. Einen knappen zweiten Platz belegten drei Rettungssanitäter, die wegen des hohen Alkoholkonsums einiger Gäste ebenfalls vor Ort waren. Martin D. und Yvonne A. trugen nach eigenen Angaben ihre normale Polizeiuniform, als sie gegen Mitternacht bei der Party im zweiten Stock eines Wohnhauses ankamen. "Im Innern der Wohngemeinschaft Sch./M./B. herrschte absolutes Chaos", erinnert sich Martin D. "Ungefähr 20 bis 25 Jugendliche grölten zu lauter Musik, tranken wild durcheinander und tanzten total falsch. Als endlich die Musik aus war, bekamen meine Kollegin und ich plötzlich unter Applaus eine Sektflasche überreicht. Das war schon toll, weil wir ja sonst so selten Anerkennung für unsere Arbeit bekommen." Stolz verließen die Beamten nach ihrem Sieg das Haus und fuhren zurück auf die Wache. Allerdings droht ihnen nun ein Verfahren wegen Bestechlichkeit, weil sie die Sektflasche angenommen haben. fed, dan, ssi; Foto: Kzenon / Shutterstock; Hinweis: Erstmals erschienen am 31.10.14 Artikel teilen: | 0 |
Share on Facebook Until corporate media and the neoliberal establishment refused to acknowledge their direct role in the election of Donald Trump and threw a temper-tantrum about misinformation on social media to scapegoat blame, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg balked at the notion faulty reports circulating on social media had anything at all to do with the November 8th shocker. “Of all the content on Facebook, more than 99 percent of what people see is authentic. Only a very small amount is fake news and hoaxes,” Zuckerberg wrote in a post to his platform last Saturday. “The hoaxes that do exist are not limited to one partisan view, or even to politics. Overall, this makes it extremely unlikely hoaxes changed the outcome of this election in one direction or the other.” Now, rather than stand by that original assertion, Zuckerberg instead cast all logic aside and unleashed a Machiavellian seven-point plan to eradicate the “ very small amount ” of false information — read: all opinion not in lock step with the establishment narrative — from the newsfeeds of Facebook’s billion-plus users. Because, apparently, we can't be trusted to think for ourselves. “The bottom line is: we take misinformation seriously,” Zuckerberg wrote late Friday evening, apparently forgetting what he posted exactly one week ago. “Our goal is to connect people with the stories they find most meaningful, and we know people want accurate information. We've been working on this problem for a long time and we take this responsibility seriously. We've made significant progress, but there is more work to be done.” Curiously, the head of the Facebook Ministry of Truth neglected to explain how the 65 corporate presstitutes and myriad mendacious mainstream outlets exposed in Wikileaks' Podesta Files for colluding with the Clintonite establishment were awarded a free pass to spread propagandic disinformation — and, frequently, flagrant lies. Worse, what Zuckerberg wrote next should send chills down the spines of anyone who has ever been forced to deal with fallout from the social media platform's already-rampant and oft-inexplicable censorship via erroneous and revenge reporting on posts, arbitrary unpublishing of pages, ghosting, and newsfeed suppression — as well as those who look to Facebook for alternatives to vapid mainstream media: “Historically, we have relied on our community to help us understand what is fake and what is not. Anyone on Facebook can report any link as false , and we use signals from those reports along with a number of others — like people sharing links to myth-busting sites such as Snopes — to understand which stories we can confidently classify as misinformation. Similar to clickbait, spam and scams, we penalize this content in News Feed so it's much less likely to spread.” Snopes? Really? The same Snopes that took it upon itself to “debunk” an inside joke in meme form that happened to go viral? In just those three sentences, Zuckerberg does more to expose the innate perils of censorship than any scholarly tome on the subject ever could — personal opinion always operates the censor's heavy hand. It's inescapable fact that what one individual deems devoid of value, another may find sacrilegiously offensive — while another may laugh off as innocuous. Dismissing that scripture — or, perhaps, forgetting it formed the foundation for First Amendment protections of free speech, press, and expression — Zuckerberg laid out his plan to combat the ‘relatively small percentage of misinformation,’ encompassing the following points: Stronger detection. The most important thing we can do is improve our ability to classify misinformation. This means better technical systems to detect what people will flag as false before they do it themselves. Easy reporting. Making it much easier for people to report stories as fake will help us catch more misinformation faster. Third party verification. There are many respected fact checking organizations and, while we have reached out to some, we plan to learn from many more. Warnings. We are exploring labeling stories that have been flagged as false by third parties or our community, and showing warnings when people read or share them. Related articles quality. We are raising the bar for stories that appear in related articles under links in News Feed. Disrupting fake news economics. A lot of misinformation is driven by financially motivated spam. We're looking into disrupting the economics with ads policies like the one we announced earlier this week, and better ad farm detection. Listening. We will continue to work with journalists and others in the news industry to get their input, in particular, to better understand their fact checking systems and learn from them. In other words, apart from spam detection, which other websites and platforms have effectively combatted for years, Facebook's plan to ‘detect’ misinformation will be based on what any idiot says. Although the people of this planet generally operate from a place of honesty and integrity, let's face it, humans have nasty penchants for retribution, revenge, sanctimonious arrogance, self-righteousness, misjudgment, mischaracterization, hyperbole, and — most imperatively — making mistakes. Relying on people's personal assessments of possibly-false news items as the primary driver of what deserves to be branded with a Scarlet Letter “F” is a system destined to fail everyone before it even begins. Facebook still does not provide the means to rebut post and link removals or the sudden unpublishing of pages — the platform has, in essence, a shoot first, ask questions later attitude when it receives a report something violated its Community Standards. This has already imperiled owners of perfectly legitimate pages with millions of fans to the arduous process of challenging unjustified reports and coping in the meantime with devastating loss of revenue. Nowhere in Friday's announcement does Zuckerberg address those concerns — which will exponentially increase if and when the plan begins. With little to no recourse to defend against what will undoubtedly be an explosion of posts erroneously flagged as ‘false information,’ Facebook is brazenly handing over the censor's black marker to a populace already too lackadaisical to bother investigating questionable news items. Therein lies the greatest threat to a free press and free speech this country has seen since Red Scare McCarthyism — Facebook, backed by a polarized public, will be the arbiter of acceptable thought — and those who dare question or criticize that thought will pay with their livelihoods. Far worse, everyone will pay the price of lost access to information. We're already starting to. Responses to Zuckerberg's announcement post seemed largely ambivalent, and many took the opportunity to question the validity of the authoritarian plan. “Please just be a neutral platform that display original voice from people as long as the content are not illegal. Do not try to treat your users are idiots and need somebody to tell them what is right what;s wrong. Fake or non-fake, people will figure it out. It's dangerous such decision or filtering will be done by your company or any other power. This will be called censorship if it happens in China or Russia,” user Chen Li implored. Others chided the head of Facebook for the disingenuous failure to apply the same standards to the mendacious corporate media. “Mark, will you also fight government sponsored propaganda of the United States?” asked user Jiri Klouda. “What about articles where unnamed government officials intentionally share false information with journalists, often with grave consequences. Like for example in the lead up to the Iraq war, or many other wars. We’d like to know that if you are going to fight against disinformation that it will be applied evenly and not just in one sided way as the mass market US media companies do.” Some noted how the platform's censorship and arbitrary suppression already irreparably harms honest business people. “You advertised Facebook as a great place for businesses to have pages, small businesses did well, like mine did. My 783k page that took years to build was unpublished, thousands of people have had their pages removed without reason, businesses are suffering, you are taking food off the table, heat from people's homes and kids presents away from under the tree. The Sad thing is you don't seem to care; you won't listen to us. I hope you have a great Christmas Mark Zuckerberg because lots of people won't be able to because of you,” wrote Laura Holmes. Facebook's plan might, indeed, rid the platform of misinformation — but, to be sure, it will also rid the platform of dissenting voices, the debate of controversial topics, editorial opinions provoking new thought, and alternative news outlets whose integrity proved the corporate media worthless. This plan will, in short, rid Facebook of the truth — that beautiful diversity of thought we once celebrated, rather than snuffed. Related: | 1 |
Peter Griffin, the patriarch of Seth MacFarlane’s animated Fox comedy Family Guy, is dressed in senior White House strategist Kellyanne Conway’s inauguration outfit in the show’s latest Emmy mailer. [Above Griffin’s head in the cartoon is a caption that reads, “Alternative fact: we are the smartest comedy on Television. ” Conway’s inauguration ceremony outfit was the subject of much mocking by members of the mainstream media and many Hollywood celebrities. Last year, the main character for MacFarlane’s animated series used its Emmy bid mailer to mock candidate Trump. Griffin was a Donald Trump doppelgänger dressed with a deep orange tan and a blonde below a caption that read: “As long as we’re voting for dumb loudmouths, can I get an Emmy?” The artwork was panned by Facebook users, who flooded the Family Guy Facebook page with critical comments. “Family Guy literally became less funny as they hired more and more liberal writers,” one top comment on the post read. The show’s Emmy mailers have stirred controversy in the past. In 2012, the show’s mailer featured Peter Griffin with a captioned message to Emmy voters that read: “Come on, you bloated, overprivileged Brentwood Jews. Let us into your little club. ” Family Guy, which is currently in its 15th season, has never taken home an Emmy in the coveted Outstanding Animated Program or Outstanding Comedy Series categories. Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter: @jeromeehudson | 0 |
Former presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders had a message for California’s Democrats on Saturday: “Please lead the country and pass the bill. ”[Sanders was speaking in Beverly Hills, according to the Sacramento Bee, where he was accepting an award from Consumer Watchdog, a organization devoted to consumer advocacy. Democrats, who hold a majority in the state legislature that allows them to pass bills virtually at will, are currently considering a “ ” health care system, also called “socialized medicine,” in which the state would cover the cost of health insurance and health care for everybody in California. The “Healthy California Act,” SB 562, promises: “to guarantee that every resident of California will receive comprehensive healthcare services. It’s like Medicare for All. ” The legislation took a step towards passage late last month with a hearing in the State Senate. The Senate Health Committee voted to approve the bill, which will now continue its circuitous pass through the State Senate before proceeding to a final vote. Town halls and rallies have been staged across the state to support the legislation, which has the backing of the powerful California nursing unions. However, Governor Jerry Brown is opposed to the idea, which he said in March was too costly. “Where do you get the extra money? This is the whole question,” he told the Los Angeles Times. Sanders’s home state of Vermont recently tried to implement a system — and failed. Sanders was evidently undeterred by the experience. “The great state of California can send a message that will be heard all over this country, and all over the world if you pass here,” he said on Saturday. Joel B. Pollak is Senior at Breitbart News. He was named one of the “most influential” people in news media in 2016. He is the of How Trump Won: The Inside Story of a Revolution, is available from Regnery. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak. This post has been updated to note Vermont’s experience. | 0 |
Email Ever wonder what’s on the mind of today’s most notable people? Well, don’t miss our unbelievable roundup of the best and most talked about quotes of the day: “ If I’m going to your birthday party, you sure as hell better have some cake, free booze, and at least some piece of evidence indicating that you’ve had a birthday within six months. ” —Paul Krugman On rigor “ When I was 15, my father told me I had a choice to make. He outstretched his arms. In one hand he held a microphone, representing a career in music, and in the other, a single sock, which I assume represented a career in something sock-related. Anyway, I chose the microphone, and I’ve regretted it ever since. ” —Aretha Franklin On her career “ All I need is my guitar, my friends, my health, my vast collection of rare stamps, and a pistol to ward off stamp bandits. ” —Willie Nelson | 0 |
German cities held their annual Rose Monday float parades today, with many mocking U. S. President Donald Trump, Brexit, and European populist leaders. [The carnival celebrations in Germany are one of the biggest holidays of the year and a part of the celebrations are a float parade on Rosenmontag or Rose Monday. From Cologne to Dusseldorf the major theme of the float parades this year was U. S. President Trump, whom they depicted performing sex acts with the Statue of Liberty, and being decapitated by a guillotine. In Dusseldorf, President Trump was shown performing a sex act on the statue of liberty, a criticism by the satirist that he was “screwing liberty” because of his travel ban against countries know to either sponsor terrorism or harbour large radical Islamic extremist elements. Another float in the parade showed the Statue of Liberty with the severed head of the President with “America Resist!” painted on her chest. The float was likely referencing the controversial cover of German magazine Der Spiegel in which Trump was portrayed cutting off the head of the statue in an Islamic execution. Trump was joined by Front National French leader Marine le Pen, and Dutch firebrand leader of the Party for Freedom (PVV) Geert Wilders in a float that compared the trio to a blonde Adolf Hitler. The float read “blonde is the new brown”. In Cologne, the violent imagery toward the U. S. President was also on display. President Trump’s severed head was shown on one float hung from a guillotine. Trump was not the only focus of the West German satirists. British Prime Minister Theresa May was shown on one Dusseldorf float putting a pistol in her own mouth which said “Brexit” on the side. The Polish government, which has had strained relations with the government of German Chancellor Angela Merkel over the past year, is shown as a pig eating sausages labelled “democracy” and defecating “dictatorship. ” In January, head of Poland’s ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS) Jaroslaw Kaczynski said Merkel bore some responsibility for negative coverage of Poland by German media. The German migration party, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) were not spared either. A float claiming to show an AfD supporter showed a fat man with an badge, and AfD badge and a Lügenpresse, or “lying press” badge. The party has seen gains in recent regional elections and is currently the third largest behind Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Social Democrats (SPD) led by former European Union Parliament President Martin Schulz. Follow Chris Tomlinson on Twitter at @TomlinsonCJ or email at ctomlinson@breitbart. com | 0 |
DAVOS, Switzerland — You have perhaps noticed that in many countries, numbers of people have grown enraged at the economic elite and their tendency to hog the spoils of globalization. This wave of anger has delivered Donald J. Trump to the White House, sent Britain toward the exit of the European Union, and threatened the future of global trade. The people gathered here this week in the Swiss Alps for the annual World Economic Forum have noticed this, too. They are the elite — heads of state, billionaire hedge fund managers, technology executives. They are eager to talk about how to set things right, soothing the populist fury by making globalization a more lucrative proposition for the masses. Myriad panel discussions are focused on finding the best way to “reform capitalism,” make globalization work and revive the middle class. What is striking is what generally is not discussed: bolstering the power of workers to bargain for better wages and redistributing wealth from the top to the bottom. “That agenda is anathema to a lot of Davos men and women,” said Joseph E. Stiglitz, a Nobel laureate economist and author of numerous books on globalization and economic inequality. “More rights to bargain for workers, that’s the part where Davos man is going to get stuck. The stark reality is that globalization has reduced the bargaining power of workers, and corporations have taken advantage of it. ” Davos is — at least rhetorically — consumed with worries about the shortcomings of globalization. About the deepening anxieties of the middle class in many developed economies. About the threat of trade protectionism and its attendant hit to economic growth. About the fear that robots are on the verge of sowing mass unemployment. It is a conversation fueled in part by fear: If the world is indeed in the throes of a populist insurrection, the pitchforks could do worse than to point here. The Davos elites have enjoyed outsize influence over economic policies in recent decades as a growing share of wealth has, perhaps not coincidentally, landed in the coffers of people with a need for bank accounts in the British Virgin Islands, while poor and households have seen their earnings stagnate and decline. Yet the solutions that have currency seem calculated to spare corporations and the wealthiest people from having to make any sacrifices at all, as if there is a way to be found to tilt the balance of inequality while those at the top hang on to everything they have. More entrepreneurialism, mindfulness training, education focused on the modern ways of technology: These are the sorts of items that tend to get discussed here as the response to the plight of those left behind by globalization. That perhaps private equity overseers should not be paid 1, 000 times as much as teachers while availing themselves of tax breaks is thinking that gets little airing here. At a dinner on Monday evening as the forum got underway, Ian Goldin, a professor of globalization and development at Oxford University, celebrated the connectedness of the global economy and the technological advancements that have liberated humans from disease, poverty and the drudgery of manual labor. “There’s never been a better time to be alive, and yet we feel so glum,” Mr. Goldin said. “So many people feel anxious. So many people feel that this is one of the most dangerous times. ” He denounced the frightened retreat from globalization manifest in Mr. Trump’s threats of a trade war with China, and in Britain’s abandonment of Europe, commonly known as Brexit. “You can’t stop managing an entangled environment by disconnecting,” he said. “This is the fundamental mistake of Brexit, of Trump, and of so many others. We are not simply connected. We are entangled. Our lives, our destinies are intertwined. What happens in China, what happens in Indonesia, what happens in India, what happens across Europe, and what happens in North America, across Africa and Latin America will affect all of us in dramatic new ways. The idea that somehow we can forge our future in an insular way, even for the biggest countries like the U. S. is a fantasy. ” And yet, Mr. Goldin said, if the benefits of globalization are not spread more equitably, the world could be in for a replay of the Renaissance, an extraordinary period of scientific progress, commercial growth and artistic creativity in Europe that ultimately yielded popular resentment. The gold leaf landing on cathedrals was not bettering the lot of the peasantry. The spices coming in from Asia were too expensive for most. The Medici family that ruled Florence was sent packing by the mob. Intellectuals were persecuted and books burned. “We need to learn these historical lessons and realize that this is the most precious moment in human history,” Mr. Goldin said. “We need to make the choices to ensure that globalization is sustainable, that connectivity is sustainable, that we deal with the intractable problems that are worrying people. ” But Mr. Goldin’s comments were merely the prelude to a conversation that was supposed to be about how to pull that off. The answers from the corporate executives who comprised a panel could be crudely boiled down to this: The people who have not benefited from globalization need to try harder to emulate those who have succeeded. Abidali Neemuchwala, the chief executive officer of Wipro, the global information technology and consulting company that hosted the event along with The Financial Times — and who last year earned some $1. 8 million plus stock grants worth an additional $2 million or so — said working people would have to pursue training for the jobs of the future. “People have to take more ownership of upgrading themselves on a continuous basis,” he said. No one can reasonably argue against the merits of training (or entrepreneurialism for that matter). The jobs of the future have not yet been invented. New skills will be required to seize them. But nowhere in the discussion was there a mention of tax policy, or addressing the soaring costs of gaining higher education, or access to health care. At a panel on Wednesday morning, Christine Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, injected a rarely heard word into a conversation about the crisis for households: redistribution. “There are things that can be done,” she said. “It probably means more redistribution than we have at the moment. ” But then the conversation moved on to other subjects. Ray Dalio, founder of the American investment firm Bridgewater Associates — who took home $1. 4 billion in compensation in 2015 — suggested the key to reinvigorating the middle class was to “create a favorable environment for making money. ” He touted in particular the “animal spirits” unleashed by stripping away regulations. For years, economic inequality has ranked as one of the most discussed issues at Davos, both in the formal conference agenda and in the conversations that fill hallways and the private parties and dinners held throughout town. For years, little to nothing has changed. “People talk about inequality, how it’s a major problem, the greatest threat to globalization and the global economy,” Mr. Stiglitz said. “You have to recognize that the way we have managed globalization has contributed significantly to inequality. But I have not yet heard a good conversation about what changes in globalization would address inequality. ” That is not an accident, he surmised. Any sincere list would have to include items that involve transferring wealth and power from the sorts of people who come to Davos to ordinary workers via more progressive taxation, increased bargaining rights for labor unions, and greater protections for labor in general. Same as every other year, Davos is again plastered with the slogan of the World Economic Forum: “Committed to Improving the State of the World. ” But whatever improvements are supposed to be made, one can safely assume they will not conflict with those in attendance continuing to enjoy the state of the world as it is now, with canapés and aged Bordeaux and private jets at the ready. Which means that the global populism insurrection is unlikely to lose momentum anytime soon. | 1 |
Syrian War Report – October 31, 2016: Al-Nusra-led Forces Failed to Break Aleppo Siege ‹ › GPD is our General Posting Department whereby we share posts from other sources along with general information with our readers. It is managed by our Editorial Board Pressure on Taliban leaders, makes Afghan Issue more Complex By GPD on November 1, 2016
Nazar Mohammad Mutmaeen for Veterans Today
Afghan writer and political Analyst based in Kabul
Two years ago, I had heard from the important Afghan officials and politicians that if the former leaders (old generation) of the Taliban were eliminated, their new (young) generation would become split, the Taliban would become weakened and eventually, they would become ready to have talks and even join with the Afghan government.
In past two years, the leaders of the Taliban became targeted on the other side of the Durand Line in various occasions; the leader of the Taliban, Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour came under attack and became killed; meanwhile, Mullah Mohammad Hassan Rahmani, member of the Taliban Leading Council and Mullah Said Mohammad Haqqani, the deputy head of Taliban’s Information and Culture Commission died as a result of illness. Earlier, Mullah Obaidullah Akhud, former Defense Minister of the Taliban and Ustad Mohammad Yasir, head of Taliban’s Information and Culture Commission passed away due to torture in Pakistan’s prisons.
Mullah Ahmadullah Nanai, member of the Taliban Leading Council became arrested by Pakistan, and thus, some other leaders of the Taliban moved up to an uncertain location and have endured the security threats there.
Said Mohammad Tayyib Agha, former head of the Qatar Office [Taliban’s Political Office based in Qatar], Mawlawi Neik Mohammad, member of the Taliban Leading Council and the Qatar Office and Hafiz Azizurrahman, member of the Qatar Office resigned and became retired as well.
Discussions on the jurisdiction of the Taliban’s Political Office based in Qatar are going on; besides that, there is not any specific policy of the jurisdiction of the representatives of the Taliban that are in touch with Central Asian, Arabic and some European, regional and neighboring countries.
What if the two years old plan of the U.S., Pakistan and the Afghan government is right; the plan which was about targeting and eliminating the Taliban’s leaders in order for the power to become transferred to the new generation of the Taliban; and, then the efforts on dividing the Taliban would have made in order for the Taliban, when they are in weaker position, to become ready to have peace and then join with the Afghan government.
The Afghan people have positive thoughts about the recent reports on peace which were broadcasted by domestic and international media. The Afghan nation is tired of war and it becomes content with effort on peace. However, there are signs observed that there are still some circles that try to implement the former plan in order for way to be paved for the division of the Taliban.
I am inclined that if the leaders of the Taliban who have almost 20-year experience of Afghan politics and situation in the country are eliminated, we would remain at war and then, we would never see the dawn of the peace; the best example in this regard is presence of various parities during Jihad (holy war) against the Soviet Union, which later caused the Afghan nation to taste the civil war.
Considering the current situation, it seems that the international policy is in change regarding the parties involved in the Afghan matter. On a hand, the Taliban are under pressure from different sides and ways and from the other hand, the situation in the National Unity Government of Afghanistan (NUG) is so deteriorated. Moreover, the incidents similar to Ghor’s tragedy that caused more than 30 civilians to be killed by gunmen on 25/26 October are probable to be repeated in the areas where different races or proponents of Jamiat e Islami and Jonbesh parties or Hazaras along with other ethnicities live together.
Disputes Over Power Among NUG’s Leaders
Disputes between President Ghani, Chief Executive, Abdullah and First Vice President, Dostum are on peak; the disputes leaked to media; the Chief Executive mentioned the wounded situation of Dostum in the Afghan cabinet; however, Dostum made rigorous remarks against Abdullah; recently, President Ghani and Chief Executive, Abdullah became accused of nationalism and monopoly by Dostum.
The remarks of Dostum carried out reactions from the Presidential Palace, the members of the Parliament, Afghan politicians and civil societies.
Rasheed Dotum put allegations on the National Directorate of Security (NDS) and National Security Council (NSC) and consider that they have hidden hand in the incident where the convey of Dostum came under the attack by the Taliban in Faryab province which caused a lot of causalities to Dostum’s fighters.
After the Brussels Conference, President Ghani wanted to bring changes in the Afghan cabinet and important governmental bodies, to remove some cabinet ministers and replace them with others, because the Afghan government had promised the international donors that it will bring positive reforms in the government; however, President Ghani faced opposition from the Chief Executive because Abdullah wants 50% of share in these new changes as well. The Chief Executive had threatened that if Ghani hired Nader Naderi as the head of Afghanistan Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Service Commission (IARCSC), then, the Chief Executive would introduce the head of the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG) which propose and suggest provincial governors.
Perhaps, President Ghani might have promised the international community regarding the removal or displacement of Dostum; that’s why Dostum publicly criticizes President Ghani, head of NSC, Haneef Atmar and head of NDS, Masoum Stanekzai.
Whenever Dostum was attending the north of Afghanistan in the past, he was directly supported by NSC and Americans, and it was tried to oppress the people of a specific race there in order for them to become obligated to take weapon, and a result, for the war to become severed in the north under the banner of Daesh (ISIS).
Some Turkish sources indicates that the failed coup of Turkey was planned by two Turk generals with the cooperation of America and NATO in Afghanistan; Turkish sources claim that two billion dollars were given to two Turk generals; this amount was first transferred to an African country and then to Turkey in order for it to be distributed among Turk generals for the successful army coup. The coup became failed by Turkish leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his friends and this caused the relations between Turkey and the U.S. to become deteriorated. The impact of Turkey on Dostum cannot be neglected; a visit to Turkey became planned for Dostum and he went there; after his return, Dostum was not so enthusiastic, as he was in the past, to cooperate with the U.S. to carry out the project of making new armed groups in the north of Afghanistan. Thus, the U.S. Air Forces (USAF) did not cooperate with Dostum in Faryab at the level they were doing it in the past, and as a result, Dostum, as in the past, returned back to Kabul disappointed and failed. Even more, the Afghan government has said that it has considered the complaints regarding people’s oppression by Dostum and his militia in the area.
Before the failed military coup of Turkey, relations between this country and Russia were deteriorated and the reason were: Annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea, where a lot of Turks live; interference of Russia in Syria and Russia’s skepticism on Turkish role alongside the U.S. in supporting ISIS.
Russia had doubts that Turkey might help Islamist warriors in Central Asia’s Caucasia, Chechen and Crimea, and perhaps, Dostum would also help Turks in this process. On the other side, Turks were skeptic that Russians might support PKK in order for a barrier in front of Turkey to be created.
After the failed military coup in Turkey, Turks hold America and Fethullah Gulen, the opponent of Turkish government living in the U.S. responsible for the coup, which made Turkey to rebuild its ties with Russia. However, as Turkey has close and powerful immemorial ties with Dostum; therefore, the ties between Turkey and Russia would be the reason that caused First Vice President, Dostum to step back from the U.S. project on making new armed group in the north of Afghanistan.
It is said that a secret deal had been made with President Ghani and Dostum in the latest days of the second round of the 2014 Presidential Elections; some unconfirmed reports indicates that Dostum asked President Ghani in the latest days of the second round of the 2014 Presidential Elections to provide him with 10 million USD; Many negotiations were made between Ghani and Dostum in this regard; eventually, Ghani had to give 9 million USD to Dostum. When Ghani wanted to share the issue of 9 million dollars of his support with Dostum to his proponents in Jawzjan, Dostum grabbed the microphone and did not let Ghani to complete his word in order for the secret deal not to become disclosed. For that reason, disputes raised between Ghani and Dostum in Jawzjan, and other leaders of the campaign mediated between them.
It is thought that Ghani gets revenge of those 9 million dollars and that dispute, that’s why the President might not provide the First Vice President with his authorities.
The problem is that it is not the first time that the U.S. and Afghan politicians trust, regarding achieving their goals, in someone who does not have fame on domestic, regional and even international level; this game is repeated in Kabul from the era of Dr. Najeebullah to the Ghani’s Administration; whenever, the war criminals are trusted, it is indispensable that the government and the Afghan people are faced tragedies and problems.
Briefly, the rumors on that President Ghani monopolizes power, decreases the power and authority of his team, vice presidents, ministers, advisors and governors are increasing; moreover, it is also heard that he personally appoints the directors and deputy directors in the ministries.
Johns Nocholson’s Remarks on ISIS
The remarks of top US and NATO Commander in Afghanistan, General John Nicholson on that the main reason behind weakness of Afghan army is incorrect and weak management and that ISIS is strengthening in Afghanistan and that this country would be turned in to a powerful station of ISIS in the region, raise concerns.
John Nicholson said that the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan is attempting to Khorasan Caliphate in the north of Afghanistan under the leadership of ISIS and added that warriors from the other side of the Durand Line (Pakistan) are willing to join fighter with them, also.
Each time the U.S. officials met Pakistani authorities, they made remarks on ISIS in Afghanistan; and Russian are concerned about the involvement of Pakistan, U.K and U.S. in the phenomenon of ISIS/Daesh.
The people of Afghanistan are concerned about the appearance of some unidentified gunmen in the country’s northern provinces, and probably, Badakhshan and Kunduz would have the position of today’s northern and southern Waziristan; these areas would be intentionally turned into main centers of insecurities.
The remarks of John Nicholson are considerable; the U.S., on international level, announce that the fighters of ISIS are eliminated and this group is about to lapse; on the other hand, the general commander of NATO and U.S. forces in Afghanistan, surprisingly, makes remarks on strengthening of ISIS in Afghanistan.
A few months ago, President Ghani, during his remarks in Nangrahar, province the people of Nangrahar with good news that ISIS is defeated and it is about destroy; however, after some numbered days, ISIS showed its activities and even made group assaults on Pachiragam district of Nangarhar.
Efforts on Peace
Reliable sources indicate that there would not be any improvement in the Afghan peace process from the Obama Administration, and making new policies regarding the Afghan peace and war are responsibility of the new administration. In addition, Obama does not have the authority to make major decisions anymore, according to the U.S. law.
The Obama Administration has promised the Afghan government that it would support this weak government and would not let it to fall.
Domestic and international reports on recent talks between the Taliban and the U.S. need be thought about. The involved parties in the Afghan matter are required to have a clear strategy and framework regarding the negotiations. Taliban has made some major political mistakes in last five years; they had not got any written agreement with involved parties during the inauguration of the Qatar Office, the Taliban could not get the needed use of the Karzai’s opposition against the bases of American forces in Afghanistan, and also, the Taliban had not got the official or written guarantee from Dr. Ashraf Ghani in their meeting with him before the second round of the 2014 Presidential Elections.
Afghan people needs real peace, not if, this time, the U.S. and other involved parties initiated a new game under the banner of peace negotiations. In the case, the U.S. policy for now is that it cannot have a clear position regarding the Afghan peace process until its new government takes power in 2017.
The Afghan sides are required not to trust a lot in neighboring and other foreign counties; however, it is needed to have face-to-face talks with the U.S., as an important party of the war; their [Americans] concerns should be answered, too; nonetheless, the best and the easiest way to peace is inter-Afghan understanding and dialogue; and besides that, having neighboring countries as bail and attracting international support in improvement of the peace process is mandatory. Related Posts: No Related Posts The views expressed herein are the views of the author exclusively and not necessarily the views of VT, VT authors, affiliates, advertisers, sponsors, partners, technicians, or the Veterans Today Network and its assigns. LEGAL NOTICE - COMMENT POLICY Posted by GPD on November 1, 2016, With 95 Reads Filed under World . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 . You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed. FaceBook Comments
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WikiLeaks Report: Obama Admin Discriminated Against Christians for Top Jobs In Favor of Muslims Oct 29, 2016 Previous post
In a bombshell email from September 2008 , advisers to Barack Obama’s presidential campaign consciously decided to choose Arab Muslims over Arab Christians in suggesting top staff positions should Obama win the White House. The email was released by WikiLeaks in its latest series, “The Podesta Emails.”
Former New York Solicitor General Preeta D. Bansal sent the email to Michael Froman, a classmate of Obama’s at Harvard and a member of the 12-person advisory board for the Obama campaign’s transition team. The email came with “the compiled lists of Asian American and Muslim American candidates for top Administration jobs, sub-cabinet jobs, and outside boards/agencies/policy committees.”
The key reveal comes in this passage:
In the candidates for top jobs, I excluded those with some Arab American background but who are not Muslim (e.g., George Mitchell). Many Lebanese Americans, for example, are Christian. In the last list (of outside boards/commissions), most who are listed appear to be Muslim American, except that a handful (where noted) may be Arab American but of uncertain religion (esp. Christian).
This suggests the Obama campaign’s transition team aimed to hire Muslims over Christians, or at the very least that in the interests of diversity, the team was willing to give preferential treatment to Muslim Arabs rather than Christian Arabs. The emphasis on adherence to Islam is significant, given other troubling aspects of the Obama administration.
Of the Syrian refugees admitted to the United States in September 2016, 98.9 percent were Muslim (1825 refugees), as compared to only 1.1 percent non-Muslim (22 refugees). Over the whole year, non-Muslim Syrian refugee admissions account for less than one percent (0.8) overall, with 11,818 Muslims and only 95 non-Muslims.
According to The Gulf/2000 Project at Columbia University, the religious breakdown of the Syrian population from 2008-2009 shows that non-Muslims made up a great deal more
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BRENTWOOD, N. Y. — After five teenagers were found dead in this Long Island town last year, murdered by the members of a transnational gang with ties to El Salvador, a local problem turned into a national flash point, a referendum on illegal immigration. Now, in the wake of President Trump’s broad executive orders on deporting undocumented immigrants, Suffolk County police officials are wrestling with a conundrum facing police departments across the country: how to shut down a violent gang when the immigrants they will need as witnesses and tipsters may be afraid to come forward. “The last thing I want is a fearful community,” the Suffolk County police commissioner, Timothy Sini, said in a recent interview. “Whether it’s fear of criminals or fear of law enforcement. We solve crimes based on people coming to us. It’s that simple. If people think they’re going to get deported every time they speak to a police officer, it’s not helpful. ” Part of the issue is that Mr. Trump wants local police officers to act as immigration agents, threatening to withhold federal funding from those departments that do not cooperate. So Mr. Sini is far from alone in trying to balance public safety with the threat of losing millions of dollars in funding. Last month, the International Association of Chiefs of Police issued a statement saying that it would “strongly oppose any initiative that would mandate that state and local law enforcement agencies play a role in the enforcement of federal immigration law. ” The chiefs urged “clear guidance” on how, or even whether, to make local policy changes. Sanctuary cities, which limit their agencies and local law enforcement officials from assisting in the enforcement of federal immigration laws, are facing a similar question. But the confusion about how Mr. Sini’s department will enforce national policy is clearly provoking more fear among undocumented immigrants in Suffolk County. “In the absence of any clear direction of the police, people assume that whatever we’re getting from the federal level is coming down to the local level,” said Irma Solis, the director of the Suffolk County office of the New York Civil Liberties Union. “People will say, ‘I will think twice, or three times, before I end up reporting something,’” Ms. Solis added. Mr. Sini told Ms. Solis and other advocates at a meeting in January, “If a victim or a witness comes to us, we don’t inquire about their immigration status. ” But still, some are unconvinced. At the Brentwood office of Make the Road New York, an advocacy group that works with undocumented immigrants, members said they were very anxious. “You see this fear that they are going to attack us, the Hispanics, because they have power from higher up, and the sheriff is cooperating,” said Luis, 41, a father of two daughters, who immigrated from El Salvador without authorization 10 years ago. He did not want his sur name to be used because he is afraid for his older daughter’s safety in the high school, he said. That was the same school — Brentwood Ross — that Kayla Cuevas and her best friend, Nisa Mickens, attended. On Sept. 13, they were killed by members of the gang the police said, their bodies found by a near an elementary school. Kayla’s mother, Evelyn Rodriguez, approved of Mr. Trump’s aggressive tactics toward deporting gang members. “I believe everybody should have that American dream, coming here and working hard for your family and doing the right thing,” Ms. Rodriguez, whose parents came to New York from Puerto Rico, said in a recent interview. “I do not accept the ones that are coming over with the criminal record long as ever and doing the crimes here and killing our kids. ” Law enforcement officials say that not every member is an undocumented immigrant, but that the gang recruits from a base of unaccompanied Central American minors who entered the country illegally. Since Sept. 13, the police in Suffolk County have arrested more than 90 members, with many in federal custody as officials gather evidence to charge them under organized crime law. The gang, also known as La Mara Salvatrucha, was responsible for the killings of 11 people in Suffolk County last year, the police said. It was not clear if the murders would be included in the charges. As part of Mr. Trump’s executive orders, he directed the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency to expand its crime initiative. Even before the orders, Suffolk County had rejoined a joint gang task force with the F. B. I. and increased its own street patrols last fall. But to Ms. Rodriguez, it is not enough. “I told the Third Precinct, I want you to be pressing on this,” Ms. Rodriguez said, referring to the police precinct that covers Brentwood. “If you see three, four individuals in front of a store, I want you to roll up on them and see ID and if they don’t have ID, then you bring them in. ” Even as Mr. Sini has tried to make the police department more transparent within the community, he does so amid Suffolk County’s tangled history with Latino immigrants. In 1986, at the height of the civil war in El Salvador, the Suffolk County Legislature declared the county a place of sanctuary for refugees fleeing conflict in Central America. But once the population grew from a couple of thousand to almost 7, 000 immigrants, attitudes changed. By 1993, that resolution was reversed. According to census statistics through 2014, 58, 426 Salvadorans live in Suffolk County, and nearly live in Brentwood. Including immigrants from Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic, Hispanics and Latinos represent 68 percent of the population in Brentwood. Over the years, law enforcement policies toward undocumented immigrants have hardened. In 2006, the Suffolk County sheriff, Vincent DeMarco, invited Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to station themselves permanently in the county jails. Officers would comply with the enforcement agency’s requests to hold prisoners 48 hours after their scheduled release so that their legal status in the country could be investigated. In 2014, in response to rulings in federal lawsuits against similar policies in other jurisdictions, Mr. DeMarco changed the jail’s detainer policy to require a warrant from a judge in order to detain undocumented immigrants. Then, in December, Mr. DeMarco reversed the policy again, saying he would honor requests from ICE to hold prisoners who had possibly violated immigration law. Mr. DeMarco did so after neighboring Nassau County made a similar change. “To me, that is good public policy for the county, but it’s also good public policy for the country,” Mr. DeMarco said, adding that he considered the change even before Mr. Trump was elected. But how undocumented immigrants land in jail is now the prime concern for advocates in Suffolk County, who worry that traffic stops and routine interactions could accelerate deportations. Many Latino immigrants in Suffolk County already feel as if they are under suspicion from a police force that has, in the past, been less than sympathetic. The community still resents an unsolved 2010 murder of a Salvadoran man. The Police Department is still under Justice Department supervision after the settlement of a 2009 discrimination investigation. Then in 2014, a Suffolk County police sergeant, Scott Greene, was arrested on charges of stealing from Latino drivers during traffic stops. “Maybe the average white guy on the street in Suffolk County has no idea who Sergeant Greene is,” Mr. Sini said. “But ask the average Latino and they know exactly who Sergeant Greene is, and it kills the department. ” “We could do 6, 000 community events and talk to people, but one Sergeant Greene, and we’re back to Square 1,” he said. Mr. Sini, 36, a former federal prosecutor, became the police commissioner in December 2015, after Police Chief James Burke was indicted on charges of covering up the assault of a heroin addict. Ms. Rodriguez, who lost her daughter to gang violence, attributed the rise of gang activity to what she sees as the Brentwood School District’s lackadaisical policies for monitoring students and responding to threats, including those she reported on behalf of Kayla. Ms. Rodriguez has retained a lawyer to sue the school district. But mostly, she wants government officials — from Washington to New York — to understand the urgency of the situation. “I want them to really acknowledge that there is a problem,” Ms. Rodriguez said, “especially here on Long Island in Brentwood. ” | 1 |
The Department of Justice should keep the public informed about the results of former President Barack Obama’s decision to grant early releases to 1, 715 convicts, says a former federal prosecutor. [“What [Attorney General Jeff] Sessions Justice Department needs to do now is track the hundreds of fellows who got these pardons and commutations,” said former federal prosecutor Bill Otis. “With overall recidivism rates for drug offenses already being 77 percent, I think we have a pretty good idea, but [the public] should get specifics: How many of these guys what’s the nature of the new crime were there related violent crimes in the mix as well and how many victims (including but not limited to addicts and overdose victims) were there?” But only the Department of Justice has the manpower and access to raw data needed to detail and analyze Obama’s process which released a record 1, 715 convicts back into Americans’ neighborhoods. At least one other group has tried to gauge the impact of President George W. Bush’s pardons — but that group had to hire three researchers to assemble only some of the data that the federal government has at its fingertips but does not share. Since January, President Donald Trump has already taken some steps to increase federal transparency by forcing agencies to release data about crime by illegal aliens. For Otis, this change is a good example of what officials should do with information about Obama’s commutations. “It may be helpful to have some kind of interagency standard or oversight body to ensure the public has reasonable access to the data it paid for,” consistent with privacy rules, said Jason Richwine, a public policy expert who studies government data to gauge the impact of policy alternatives. “When the government publishes [only] selected statistics from the restricted data, we get answers only to the questions that the government thinks are important — not necessarily the same questions that the public wants (or needs) to be answered,” he said. “It’s almost always a good idea for the feds to be more transparent,” said Otis. “The sheer size of the federal government makes it hard for citizens to know what’s going on,” Otis wrote, adding: The feds should also be, not just more transparent, but quicker to release crime data. Because the present release procedures are so slow, liberals were able to deny for many months — if not close to a year — the crime spike that began at the end of 2014, and to dismiss it as just ‘scattered reports’ or ‘a bunch of scaremonger anecdotes. In January, as he was preparing to leave the White House, Obama claimed “there is no growing crime wave,” despite the crime wave that has killed an extra 1, 500 Americans in 2015 and 2016. Sheltered by the embargo on government data that could have debunked his denial, Obama used his pardon power to shorten sentences for 1, 715 criminals, including traffickers of deadly drugs. Many of those who received clemency are also violent felons. For example, Obama commuted the sentence of a drug trafficker sentenced for involvement in his ’s shooting death — and Sherman Ray Meirovitz will be back on the streets in June instead of serving out a life sentence. Obama freed a former armed cocaine dealer onto Virginia’s streets in March, along with a former armed Philadelphia crack cocaine dealer, plus a former armed California meth trafficker. Obama also justified his release by claiming racial disparities in the criminal justice system. “About one in every 35 African American men, one in every 88 Latino men is serving time right now. Among white men, that number is one in 214,” Obama said in a 2015 NAACP speech. He continued: For nonviolent drug crimes, we need to lower long mandatory minimum sentences — or get rid of them entirely. Give judges some discretion around nonviolent crimes so that, potentially, we can steer a young person who has made a mistake in a better direction. We should pass a sentencing reform bill through Congress this year. We need to ask prosecutors to use their discretion to seek the best punishment, the one that’s going to be most effective, instead of just the longest punishment. We should invest in alternatives to prison, like drug courts and treatment and probation programs. Obama’s White House stated that 60 percent of those incarcerated in federal prison were black or Latino but declined to reveal critical details. The claim deeply shaped Congress’s debate over crime in 2015 and 2016, when Obama and his deputies tried to pass the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015 (SCRA) which would have slashed mandatory minimums for drug traffickers. The bill’s language, however, reached far beyond the small number of people convicted solely on drug offenses. Sessions, who is now the U. S. Attorney General, noted in May 2016 that there are “virtually no cases of simple possession” in the federal courts. Nearly all, or 99. 5 percent, of those incarcerated in federal prison for “nonviolent drug crimes” are convicted on trafficking charges. The bill stalled in the Senate as a handful of Republican senators, including Arkansas’ Tom Cotton and Florida’s Marco Rubio, publicly opposed the legislation, and GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump campaigned on a platform promising “law and order. ” Defeated by data, Obama sought another path to reducing the federal prison population. “As was so often the case, Obama simply took the law into his own hands. Had Congress thought its prior drug laws were too stringent, it could have, by legislation, given retroactive effect to any lighter sentences it wanted,” Otis explained. “But it didn’t — the push for sentencing ‘reform’ fizzled. Frustrated with Congress’s refusal to adopt even more of his agenda, Obama just acted unilaterally. ” Now that Obama has provided clemency to 1, 715 prisoners, his actions will have ramifications, Otis warned: I think there are two effects of Obama’s mass clemencies. One is to send the message that we’re just not that serious anymore in dealing with drug traffickers, and that we think the real problem is that American is too callous and punitive (and racist?) — not that drug dealers are too unfeeling towards the lives they damage while trying to make a quick buck … The other effect will be simply to exacerbate the heroin overdose crisis that’s been escalating for at least a decade. Why we become lenient toward drug dealers at exactly the moment the dangers of drugs have reached a shocking level is a mystery wrapped in an enigma. Obama undertook his campaign at a time when over 47, 000 Americans died from drug overdose deaths in 2014, including 28, 647 from opioid overdoses, and overdose deaths tripled between 2010 and 2015. The CDC found over that a staggering 500, 000 people died from drug overdoses from 2000 to 2014. It is difficult to track criminals who received commutations, especially when the government is reluctant to share or even collect important statistics, as several experts explained to Breitbart News. Without clear and detailed government data, activists and critics of government policies must rely on outside surveys, indirect or data, often decorated by anecdotes. A Justice Department investigation into the makeup of the commutations would need to compare the makeup of the commuted population, versus the current prison population, versus the general population. Unfortunately, much of the needed data is not collected and the existing statistics sometimes raise more questions than they answer. For example, the Uniform Crime Reports, a compilation of street crime reports collected from 18, 000 different sources published annually by the FBI, has five race categories: White, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. “White” in the UCR’s case includes all Latinos — and the Latino population in the U. S. stood at roughly 57 million in 2015. Blurring racial and ethnic categories makes obtaining a complete picture difficult. Since nearly all of the heroin used in the U. S. is brought across the border by Mexican traffickers, who are nearly always illegal aliens, there is an immigration angle to Obama’s sentence commutations as well, made more opaque by the “muddled” data collected by the feds. For example, a report by the CATO Institute recently claimed that Trump’s new VOICE program was unwarranted because immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than similar Americans. “Our headline finding is that both illegal immigrants and legal immigrants have incarceration rates far below those of Americans — at 0. 85 percent, 0. 47 percent, and 1. 53 percent, respectively,” claimed author Alex Nowrasteh. However, the study, titled “Criminal Immigrants: Their Numbers, Demographics, and Countries of Origin,” relies on extrapolations from the American Community Survey, not on actual data from the Department of Justice. That lack of DOJ data skews the CATO report because it cannot measure how many migrants were sent home before they could like many American criminals who stay in the country to commit more crimes. That immigrant vs. American comparison problem might be reduced if the federal government released data showing the share of criminals in jail under offenses. But, said author Alex Nowrasteh, “that data is not in the … If you have it, please share it. ” The group ProPublica tried to study the patterns in the pardons (not commutations) approved by President George W. Bush. The group recognized the lack of DOJ data and launched an enormous undertaking by at least two authors and three researchers, and extensive data analysis, to show that 494 requests for pardons were submitted, but only 189 were partly or fully approved. Of those 189 pardons, many were for crimes, while only a small proportion was for drug offenses. “Accounting for the effects of these variables did not eliminate the strong influence of race on getting a pardon [and] [a]fter testing all available variables, we found that whites were still nearly four times as likely to be pardoned as minorities overall,” said the 2011 report, which explains the complexities caused by the lack of public federal data. President Bush relied almost exclusively on recommendations from the Office of the Pardon Attorney inside the Justice Department. The data thus provide an opportunity to assess the office’s impact on final pardon decisions. Through a Freedom of Information Act request, ProPublica obtained the names of petitioners who were denied pardons during Bush’s two terms — 1, 729 individuals. The names of 189 petitioners who received pardons came from the pardon office website. ProPublica pulled a random sample of 500 names from the combined list … For all those in the sample, ProPublica staff and freelance researchers searched public records or made phone contacts to gather demographic data such as age, race, gender and marital status. Researchers gathered sentencing information from federal court records and FOIA requests, and searched other records to collect data on bankruptcies, liens, financial judgments and any additional criminal history … We conducted a binary logistic regression. The dependent variable was whether the petitioner received a pardon. We tested all other available variables against the outcome. In the end, variables that we included in the analysis were: … Hispanic petitioners are classified as white in most federal court and prison records. To identify Hispanics in our sample, we relied on Hispanic surname or race as designated in other public records … The government’s habit of hoarding original data complicates many policy debates, said experts. When the government shares its data, the public can understand existing patterns and data, crime expert Heather McDonald told Breitbart News. For example, she said: [In] New York City blacks make up 53 percent of all New York police department pedestrian stops, but blacks are only 23 percent of the city’s population. To a naïve observer, that disparity in police activity looks like racism. What you need to know is that blacks commit 75 percent of all shootings in New York City and 70 percent of all robberies. By contrast, whites are 34 percent of the population but they commit less than two percent of all shootings and less than four percent of all robberies. Whites make up nine percent of all police pedestrian stops. So blacks are actually under stopped compared to what their crime rates would predict and whites are over stopped compared to what their crime rates would predict. The extra knowledge can help resolve public debates, such as the controversy over race and arrests rates, she explained. “The big fallacy of all activism is to ignore the fact that policing today is and police go where people are most being victimized and that is in minority neighborhoods. But the public is, by and large, clueless about how vast the disparities in criminal offending are,” she said. “The federal government could take the lead in educating the public about policing and crime. ” On immigration issues, the federal government hides data about the scale of programs, such as the program, and it hides data about green card holders, said Steven Camarota, research director at the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS). Similarly, the federal government has muddled data regarding repatriations, he said, adding: “This is how the Obama administration made [the number of] deportations look higher. ” The federal government does have data from the states about the number of illegal aliens in U. S. jails, but it only releases data about the annual number of hours spent by all illegal alien prisoners, he continued. The data about cumulative hours is released via federal reports about federal funding for state jails that house illegal aliens. “It is not enough to know that Arizona says they had a million hours of aliens in prison in the last year,” he told Breitbart News. “You want to know what that is a percentage of the total” number of hours and prisoners, he said. Without the “microcode’ data, he said, “we can’t do our own analysis. ” “I would like to know all the different categories of people among those arrested,” said Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the CIS. “How many have protected status? How many have green cards?” she asked. “They won’t even tell us how many are ” she said, adding: “I know they can do a breakdown because I’ve seen it in the past. ” The Department of Homeland Security should reveal far more of the data is keeps secret, said Vaughan, including: “The number of releases of illegal aliens from ICE custody, the number of people who are caught and released by the Border Patrol, how about the number of people who are here on exchange visas who are working as opposed to studying? The number on [Optional Practical Training] approvals … [and] what ‘training’ they’re doing and the number of terror convicts who are foreign born. ” For example, the agency should release data about ‘IRS tax returns which are filed by people who provide two different [identification] numbers … how many times are returns filed with a number that is used multiple times … how many employers are reporting information that includes Social Security Numbers that are used by multiple employees,” she said. The Department of Education should collect and release data about how private universities treat applications by people from various racial and ethnic backgrounds, said Roger Clegg, president of the Center for Equal Opportunity. “That’s not something that private universities are willing to divulge,” he told Breitbart News. Until the federal government chooses to accurately collect and then publicize such crime data, Americans seeking the truth about dangerous criminals released into their communities will continue to be left in the dark. “Data about Obama’s commutations would be especially useful, for a reason that’s easy to see: They were given out in record numbers, vastly more than any President at least since Eisenhower,” Otis told Breitbart News. “Why was that? Maybe we should examine the facts to find out. It could be that there were so many more harmless or people in federal prison when Obama was President, but, if so, let’s put the facts on the table. ” “In deciding the real basis for Obama’s nearly unprecedented clemency binge, of course it would be useful for the public (and the press, if it had any interest) to be able to see more of the story behind the clemency decisions,” he said. “One other thing: Liberals are forever telling us that we need ‘ ’ policy, only they seldom seem to welcome the data,” he added. Listen to a discussion of this investigation on Breitbart News Daily, airing Monday through Friday on SiriusXM PATRIOT 125 from 6 AM EST to 9 AM EST: | 1 |
Jakub Voracek #93 of the Philadelphia Flyers celebrates after scoring the winning goal during the shootout against the Buffalo Sabres at Wells Fargo Center on October 25, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.(AFP)
The Philadelphia Flyers came back from behind to beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 on Tuesday night.
Trailing 3-nothing at the end of the second period, the Flyers sprang into life and scored three times to tie the game at three-apiece at the end of the third period.
No goals went either way from then onwards. And so he game was taken into overtime and later into shootout. That’s where Jakub Voracek scored the game winner for the Flyers. | 0 |
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According to the JASTA law which allows government and leaders of foreign governments’ harassment by families of victims of the terrorist attacks, it is so likely that Saudi king be tried. According to experts, the passing of JASTA may cause international chaos. Especially after some governments threat they will pass similar legislation to prosecute US officials if US do so.
Is it possible that Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz being tried for potential liability in events of September 11? The trial is possible by the legislation of Jasta. By Jasta law the families of the victims could sue governments and this will lead to chaos in international relations.
In late September, United States Congress ignored President Obama’s advice and his veto and passed JASTA law, the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act. This law made US-Saudi relation more chaotic.
US confederate states expressed concern to JASTA legislation
Not just Saudi Arabia expressed concerns to JASTA, US confederate states also expressed concern about breaking the US quasi-sacred treaty with Saudi Arabia and asked for appealing. France and the Netherlands have threatened to pass similar laws which lead to a series of judicial complaints against USA and its military and diplomacy allies.
John Kerry, United States Secretary of State, showed his displeasure and called it a huge risk. A few days ago Kerry and Adel al-Jubeir discussed about the ramifications of JASTA and pointed out the negative impact on the diplomatic immunity of US interests. He said: “there are ways to fix the problem.” While experts agreed that it is only possible to reduce the strength of America in complaining by circumvent the law.
Even Saudi minister warned the danger of chaos in the international system.
According to Hussein ibish, an expert on the Persian Gulf littoral states, JASTA will cause chaos at the international level.
Last September, European Union warned: “Other countries may also want to pass similar legislation and discuss impunity. This threat was an addition written letters to US government.
Also France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom representatives discussed about the feedback of this law. The Gulf littoral states, Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, Pakistan and Japan Protested against JASTA.
The Saudi-US Relations in danger of Jasta
Bernard Haykel, Princeton University Professor, said: “If Saudi king does not appear in New York court to be interrogated, warrant will be issued against Saudi Arabia.” Riyadh and Washington relations declined over the past three years especially with Obama's policies on Syria.” JASTA shows Saudi ruling that Obama turned his back to its allies in the Middle East,” he added.
Riyadh strictly denies his involvement in 9/11, While 15 of the 19 were from Saudi Arabia. Turki al-Faisal, the former head of Saudi intelligence, also comments:” America wants to invade his most loyal friend over the past 70 years.”
Jasta law does not refer to Saudi Arabia. It would allow families of the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks to sue the perpetrators of the attack. | 0 |
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Leading Republican presidential hopeful suggests Israeli-Palestinian peace accord may be impossible: ‘Sometimes agreements can’t be made’After being asked by a voter at a Charleston, South Carolina, town hall event hosted by MSNBC about what steps he would take to broker an accommodation between the sides in the conflict, the GOP contender vowed to give it “one hell of a shot” and called it “probably the toughest agreement of any kind to make.”But when pressed by host Joe Scarborough over whether he ascribed fault to either Israelis or Palestinians over the failure to reach a lasting accord, Trump declined to take sides.
“You know, I don’t want to get into it, because … If I win, I don’t want to be in a position where I’m saying to you and the other side now says, ‘We don’t want Trump involved,'” Trump said.
“Let me be sort of a neutral guy,” he continued. “A lot of people have gone down in flames trying to make that deal. So I don’t want to say whose fault is it. I don’t think it helps.”Trump also expressed skepticism over the possibility of achieving a two-state solution, given the conditions of the conflict and the need for any agreement to be sustainable over time.
“It’s possible it’s not makeable, because don’t forget it has to last — it’s wonderful to make it and it doesn’t work, but it has to last,” he said. “To make lasting peace there? Probably the toughest deal of all, but I’m going to give it a shot.”
Though he was not asked directly what he considers the most substantial obstacles standing in the way of a peace agreement, he suggested that growing hostility between the two peoples was contributing to the current stalemate, and what he considers the root of the conflict.
“A lot of people say an agreement can’t be made, which is okay. I mean, sometimes agreements can’t be made. Not good, but, you know, you have both sides really, but one side in particular, growing up and learning that these are the worst people,” he said. “I was with a very prominent Israeli the other day. He says it’s impossible, because the other side has been trained from the time they’re children to hate Jewish people.”In the past, Trump has questioned Israel’s commitment to peace, while at the same time suggesting the Jewish state does not have a negotiating partner in the Palestinians. He has also called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “a good friend.”
At a presidential candidates forum hosted by the Republican Jewish Coalition in December 2015, the real estate magnate said, “I don’t know that Israel has the commitment to make it, and I don’t know that the other side has the commitment to make it.”
He made the same point in an interview with AP earlier that day: “A lot will have to do with Israel and whether or not Israel wants to make the deal — whether or not Israel’s willing to sacrifice certain things,” he said. “They may not be, and I understand that, and I’m okay with that. But then you’re just not going to have a deal.”
Trump’s comments Wednesday came hours after a dramatic upset in polls saw Trump fall behind Texas Sen. Ted Cruz for the first time in 31 consecutive polls, coming in at 26% of registered Republican voters nationally, two points behind Cruz at 28%. | 0 |
WASHINGTON — When President Obama relied heavily on executive orders to push through policies that had no chance in Congress, Republicans called him a dictator who abused his power and disregarded the Constitution. They even took him to court. “We have an increasingly lawless presidency where he is actually doing the job of Congress, writing new policies and laws without going through Congress,” Representative Paul D. Ryan, then the Budget Committee chairman, said in a 2014 television interview after Mr. Obama made clear in his State of the Union address that he would readily take unilateral action to get his way. Now President Trump, at the start of his tenure, is relying heavily on executive actions not just to reverse Obama administration initiatives, but to enact new federal policies covering immigration, health care and other areas in ways that could be seen more as the province of the House and Senate. And he is doing that with clear Republican majorities in Congress. The flurry of administration edicts flowing from the Trump White House puts some top Republicans in the awkward position of welcoming aggressive executive muscle flexing from a president of their own party after castigating Mr. Obama for using the same approach. Their rationale: Mr. Obama took executive action too far, stretching the intent of legislation to fulfill an ideological agenda. “We’ve never been against executive action,” said Ashlee Strong, a spokeswoman for Mr. Ryan, now the House speaker. “We’re against overreaching, illegal action. ” Mr. Trump’s eager embrace of the executive order — he signaled clearly during his campaign that he intended to follow his predecessor’s lead — allows him to claim immediate progress on his campaign promises rather than waiting for a lengthy legislative process to play out. Many of his major proposals — building a border wall, hiring more border and immigration officers, creating a new office for victims of crimes committed by immigrants in the country illegally — will presumably require funding by Congress, and that is no certainty in the current political environment. The question then becomes how Mr. Trump would proceed if Congress balks. House Republicans are currently suing the executive branch — and winning — in a case that argues the Obama administration spent more than $13 billion on health insurance subsidies without necessary congressional approval in a clear breach of the Constitution. The health care executive order issued by Mr. Trump last week directed federal officials to find ways to minimize the financial burden of the health care law on governments, health care providers and others. Many saw the move as a backdoor attempt by the new White House to undermine the current law of the land while Republicans try to figure out a way to repeal it. It was the reverse of the type of action Republicans criticized President Obama for — using his executive powers to prop up the health care law without sufficient authority. But there were no loud complaints from Republicans this time, a fact not lost on Democrats. “Congressional Republicans’ hypocritical acquiescence to President Trump’s executive orders is an abdication of their responsibility to govern, especially in light of their vocal opposition to even the most restrained use of executive authority by President Obama,” said Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the Democratic leader. But some Republicans are wary too. Even as they welcome the opportunities opened up by having an ally in the White House, some worry that the continued emphasis on executive actions is just another step in the dilution of legislative power. “We need to go back to being the legislative branch,” said Representative Ileana a Florida Republican opposed to a potential executive order by Mr. Trump that would end a special program allowing younger illegal immigrants to remain in the United States. “We didn’t like this when Obama was doing it, so why should we accept it now?” Other Republicans were hoping the start of a new administration would allow a reset between the executive branch and a legislative branch that has seen its influence steadily erode as lawmakers surrender power and responsibility to the administrative side. Mr. Trump’s broad assertion of executive power could make any rebalancing difficult to achieve, though lawmakers say they intend to keep pushing. “The imperial presidency was not created overnight and it will not be undone overnight,” said Senator Mike Lee, Republican of Utah, who is leading an effort called the Article I Project to try to recapture some lost authority for the House and Senate. Mr. Lee and Ms. Strong of the speaker’s office said a good first step in Congress’s reasserting itself would be enactment of a bill passed by the House this month requiring congressional approval of major new rules being pushed by federal agencies. If it could clear the Senate, Mr. Trump has said he would sign it in what would represent a major victory for congressional Republicans trying to rein in the regulatory power of the executive branch. Still, Mr. Trump’s early focus on pushing his agenda through executive actions underscores a fundamental truth of presidencies. New occupants of the White House tend not to surrender power accumulated by their predecessors. They tend to build on it. | 1 |
Chart Of The Day: Mind The Big Rigs----Class 8 Truck Sales Down 46% Since Peak By David Stockman.
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A fund has been set up to help an farmer forced to spend £30, 000 to fund his own defence after he was prosecuted for shooting a convicted burglar in the foot when he intruded on his isolated Yorkshire farm. [Kenneth Hugill, who uses a walking stick and a hearing aid, wept with relief after it took a jury at Hull Crown Court just 24 minutes to acquit him of grievous bodily harm. Despite being cleared of wrongdoing, the octogenarian farmer was left with a legal bill of at least £30, 000 for the trial. The family has said they will have to borrow the money and pay it back over decades. Mr. Hugill said he fired an antiquated shotgun in the dark towards a vehicle as it revved its engine and began driving towards him, explaining in court that he had never intended to hurt anyone. Outside court, the pensioner wiped away tears as he said: “I am very, very pleased — it’s marvellous. I thought I should not have been prosecuted right from the start. I don’t shock easily. I didn’t feel it was justified. “The court ordeal has not affect[ed] me much, but it was more my wife and daughter in law. I pulled the trigger because I thought the car was going to kill me. ” While the farmer, who has had two hip replacements and a operation, was arrested, fingerprinted, and forced to fund his own £30, 000 defence, police took no further action against the two intruders who were questioned on suspicion of attempted diesel theft and poaching. Lawyer Nick Freeman felt so strongly about the case he set up a crowdfunding page, on which he brands the legal system a “disgrace”. He writes that Mr. Hugill “never should have been prosecuted”. “I’m sure there are plenty of people who felt as equally incensed as I did after reading about the case, and will be happy to spare a few pounds in helping this family in their hour of financial need. ” Noting that “people break into other people’s homes [and] cause fear and misery” North Thanet MP Sir Roger Hale said the case is another example of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) treating criminals as though they were ‘victims’. “Given the circumstances, perhaps the CPS will now think twice about doing this again. It’s quite simple: people should have the right to defend their own property,” he said. “The jury in this case clearly heard the evidence and thought the old boy was quite right to defend his own property. If you don’t want to come to harm, don’t break into somebody’s else’s home or trespass on their land. “We need to have a sense of proportion about this. The people who the CPS sometimes like to present as a victim is sometimes the criminal. ” Gerry Wareham, Chief Crown Prosecutor, said it was in the public interest to prosecute Mr. Hugill. He said: “We considered all the evidence in this case extremely carefully, and took full account of the situation Mr Hugill found himself in that evening. “We are satisfied that there was sufficient evidence to put the matter before a court and that it was in the public interest to do so. ” Back to work and ploughing his fields ready to sow wheat on Tuesday, Mr. Hugill thanked supporters and said he hopes to get his guns and ammunition back after they were seized by police so he can get back to shooting rabbits on the farm. “I have been shooting since I was less than 12 years old, and it has been part of my life on the farm,” he told MailOnline. “I’m glad to get back to work and put the last 16 months behind me. Farming has been my life. ” | 0 |
A guide to the Paradoxroutine page: 1 Hah I'm here randomly post, and be good at nothing. If I were to sum up myself in one form or another it would be this: What is it that I wish to create? In a seamless dance of hope and intrigue, I jitter and pounce on that which does define. But in an ends' motion what is it that I have made? More musing of a solid soul, a gasp of an angel brought forth upon the devils mask. Shattered within a hopeless contextual void of self dissolution. To dissolve in ones own thoughts of regard of high and mighty being? In the beginning what is it that we seek? In hell and high water, in times of disregard. What is it that seeks us. From times of happenstance to those of remorse. Again we beckon the call to purpose and resolve. Every time, even without a moments clarity we call too and forth of the void, to give us direction. Show me ways beyond vice, ways not wanted of founded living, shallower within such a world. Should they be down caste or sought without voice? Give me guidance before the light. Hope before the void. I shall know of the kingship of a heralds' life, before the life of a herald be know to his people. To this preponderance I shadow skirt my minds eye, to a veil beyond the guise that which is a worded Maya. I find such things a mere hope of sound falling. Give me hope or the hope of death. Give me light or knowledge of only darkness. Give not guidance, but a misadventured fall into the abysmal realm of chance and near do wells shortcomings. Shall be you chance or stones carved Providence? I beckon the call to truth, yet I hope and pray tell that none does exist. The only way to continue searching, is to never find the answer we seek. To find is to know, to know is to be content. To be content is to stagnant in truth. To find death in one truth, one truth among many. To live is to know nothing, but to know what you understand has already become false by nature is to understand that my musings are bull****. edit on 10|27|2016 by Paradoxroutine because: Because I'm a dumbass. | 0 |
« on: Today at 03:26:53 PM » EU states agree caps on wholesale roaming charges 26 October 2016 , by Julia Fioretti - Brussels (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-telecoms-roaming-idUSKCN12Q1HV EU states agreed a preliminary compromise on Wednesday on lowering the caps for how much mobile telecoms operators can charge each other to keep their customers connected while abroad, easing concerns that a flagship EU policy to end retail roaming fees could backfire. Logged | 0 |
If government can truly alleviate poverty, why have leftist policies only made it worse? November 1, 2016 Thomas Sowell
The political left keeps announcing, as if it is a new breakthrough discovery of theirs, that life is unfair.
Have they never read Thomas Gray's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard," more than two and a half centuries ago? What about economic historian David S. Landes' statement: "The world has never been a level playing field"?
In the joint autobiography of Milton Friedman and his wife Rose, they say: "Everywhere in the world there are gross inequities of income and wealth. They offend most of us. Few can fail to be moved by the contrast between the luxury enjoyed by some and the grinding poverty suffered by others."
Moreover, Professor Friedman left behind a foundation dedicated to promoting school choice, so that disadvantaged children could get a better education for a better chance in life.
What is it that the political left is saying that they think is so new, such a breakthrough and such a necessity for progress? More important, what test of evidence — if any — have they ever subjected their notions to?
No one has presented the social vision of the left more often than Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times — and no one has been more certain that those who do not happen to share his vision "just don't get it," as he has repeatedly declared.
Mr. Kristof's essay "Growing Up Poor in America" in the October 30th New York Times is a classic example of the mindset of the left.
It begins with the story of a poor black teenager in Arkansas, being raised by a single mom. Sometimes he goes hungry and his home does not have even one book. But it does have television sets with huge screens, and apparently there is money enough to buy marijuana.
Surely we can all agree that this young fellow has very unpromising future prospects ahead of him, and that this is a human tragedy. The circumstances of his life are unfair to him and none of us would want to be born into such circumstances. Moreover, he is just one of many who are brought up in a setting that is full of dangers and with a low probability of improvement.
But that is not enough for Mr. Kristof or for the political left in general. Of such youngsters he says, "as a society, we fail them long before they fail us."
Whoa! Just when did "society" make the decisions and engage in the actions that have led to this teenager being in the bad situation he is in? And just when did "society" acquire either the omniscience or the omnipotence to prevent it?
When the left says "society" they usually mean government. That is apparently what "society" means in this case, for Kristof laments that this teenager is "the kind of person whom America's presidential candidates just don't talk about."
If the left chooses to believe that government intervention is the answer to such tragedies, that is their right. But, if they expect the rest of us to share that belief, surely they could subject that belief to some empirical test. But we can, however.
The 1960s were the triumphant decade of those who wanted government intervention to "solve" what they called "social problems." How did that work out? What were things like before this social vision triumphed? And what were things like afterwards?
Homicide victimization rates among black males were going down substantially in the 1940s and the 1950s. But homicide victimization rates reversed and skyrocketed in the 1960s, wiping out all the progress of the two previous decades.
When the 1960s began, most black children were born into families with both a mother and a father. After the great welfare state expansion during the 1960s, most black children were born to a single mother, like the youngster in Arkansas today.
Kristof's essay also mentions a teenage girl who is a single mother, and suggests that "sex education" could have prevented her from getting pregnant. Teenage pregnancy was going down — repeat, DOWN — during the 1950s. It reversed and shot up after the 1960s began bringing the "sex education" vision into schools across the country.
Very similar trends occurred in England, after very similar visions and policies also triumphed there in the 1960s. Perhaps it is the left that just doesn't get it — or cannot face the hard fact that its own vision and policies worsened the very things they claimed would be made better. | 1 |
A woman was arrested on charges of animal cruelty after officials found all the signs that her pit bulls had been used for dog fighting, according to prosecutors in Queens. Huddled in cages inside a garage in Far Rockaway, Queens, the four dogs had torn ears, bruises, broken teeth, puncture wounds and cuts. But it wasn’t just the battered dogs that detectives said confirmed their suspicions. Investigators also found a stockpile of training equipment, like a bloodied “break stick,” a tool commonly used to separate a dog’s clenched jaws, as well as a device known as a slat mill, a treadmill often used to make fighting animals firm and fleet. The discovery opened a window into the world of how dogs are trained to fight, in particular the murky business of building and selling slat mills and similar devices, which are essentially conveyor belts set on wheels that dogs can run on endlessly. They sell briskly on Facebook and eBay, typically marketed as a great way for a dog to blow off steam. Yet animal cruelty experts and the police say that these machines are the dog fighting world’s open secret and are found and used as evidence in most dog fighting stings nationwide. Some pet owners, manufacturers and veterinarians say that the devices can be a healthy way to strengthen dogs and that they can help produce prize dogs for the somewhat obscure world of canine strength competitions. The machines can be used by any dog, their defenders say, but the avalanche of online instructional videos show overwhelmingly that it is pit bulls — the chief breed used in dog fighting — doing the running. With brand names like Dogtrotter USA and the Game Changer, the largely homemade machines look something like miniaturized treadmills, but are typically not motorized. Dogs are tethered to an overhead bar and move the belt by running on it. Neither of the companies that make the Dogtrotter or the Game Changer responded to requests for comment. Dogtrotter devices have been recovered in several police operations, according to news reports. At the offices of the Humane Society of the United States in Gaithersburg, Md. Chris Schindler, the director for animal cruelty and fighting prevention, keeps as a teaching tool a slat mill recovered during a sting operation. Owning a running machine or making one hardly means that a person is involved in dog fighting — people living in apartments or with limited mobility might find them a practical way to exercise energetic dogs. Dr. Richard Goldstein, the chief medical officer of the Animal Medical Center in Manhattan, said the center used motorized treadmills to rehabilitate patients, adding that the machines must be monitored at all times by trained workers. Nonmotorized treadmills can be a cheaper and safer alternative for pet owners, he said, adding that sled dogs, for example, are often trained on treadmills before races so they can run indoors. “We understand that there is obviously abuse of the techniques to train dogs to strengthen their endurance,” Dr. Goldstein said, “but it is a legitimate tool for training dogs. ” Slat mills are a preferred piece of equipment for dog fighters, said a man who trained and fought pit bulls across the United States for over 20 years, before quitting in 2010 and becoming an informant for animal rights groups and law enforcement. “You can be very discreet with your illegal activity. You can portray it as saying that it’s just exercise equipment,” said the man, who declined to be named because he is an informant. “The reality is, it’s all illegal and it is made to make these dogs fighting machines. ” Experts say there is a strong correlation between fighting and the running tracks commonly sold on the web. “A lot of things can be inhumane in the wrong hands,” Mr. Schindler said. Dog fighting is illegal nationwide, and in 20 states, including New York, possession of slat mills is, too, if there is proof of intent to use them for dog fighting purposes. “You’re not talking just about the mill itself, you’re talking about the totality of the evidence seized, that show this person is involved in dog fighting, which is inherently cruel,” Mr. Schindler said. Randall Lockwood, senior vice president for forensic sciences at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said that in the last two years in Baltimore alone, there had been close to 20 dog fighting busts and in nearly all of them a slat mill or similar device was found. “It’s relatively compact, you can keep it in your basement, no one sees you involved in the training, and it can be secretive,” Dr. Lockwood said. “That is why it is one of the preferred pieces of conditioning equipment. ” Slat mills were discovered on the property of Michael Vick, a former professional football player who was convicted in 2007 of running a dog fighting ring on his Virginia estate. A regimen used to condition dogs to fight is called “a keep” and incorporates diets and exercises that differ from trainer to trainer. Many employ some kind of running device. To train a dog to run, the dog is usually confined to a running machine while food or even a live animal is placed just out of reach. Some instructional videos show dogs sprinting on separate mills, pointed at one another. Brian Miller, who breeds Olde English Bulldogges, a slim and powerful bulldog variant, in Holton, Kan. just north of Topeka, runs his dogs on mills that he makes himself and that he markets as Revolution Carpet Mills. Mr. Miller’s dogs enter competitions, legal Iron bouts in which dogs haul weights a short distance on their own volition. Running on a carpet mill offers a type of resistance training, he said, and helps his pulling dogs, with names like Static and Smash, build their muscles. When people call to order mills, however, he has learned to listen for certain buzzwords and unusual questions to try to keep them from falling into the wrong hands. They may mention “a keep,” or ask how long a dog can run until exhaustion. “I end the conversation abruptly,” Mr. Miller said. “It is for my own mental and emotional . ” The woman who has been charged with animal cruelty by Queens prosecutors, Cherise Mickens, 27, had rented a garage in which her dogs were found starving, stacked in metal crates, alongside a slat mill. She faces up to four years in prison if convicted. A lawyer for Ms. Mickens did not respond to a request for comment. Advocacy groups like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals condemned the discovery and stressed that laws around the running machines should be strengthened. The whole slat mill industry is problematic, the dog fighting informant said. Manufacturers “can’t differentiate between if I’m a dog fighter or not,” he said. “They should be banned in every state and every country. ” | 1 |
The United Nations has ended a campaign featuring Wonder Woman as an ambassador for women and girls, two months after the announcement was met with protests and a petition complaining that the fictional superhero was an inappropriate choice to represent female empowerment. In announcing the campaign in October, the United Nations said it was “about women and girls everywhere, who are wonder women in their own right, and the men and boys who support their struggle for gender equality. ” But not everyone saw it that way. Nearly 45, 000 people signed a petition protesting the selection. “A white woman of impossible proportions, scantily clad in a shimmery, body suit with an American flag motif and boots” is not an appropriate spokeswoman for gender equity at the United Nations, the petition said. Jeffrey Brez, a spokesman for the U. N. disputed that the campaign had ended early or as a result of the protest, as some reports have suggested, citing other honorary ambassadorships with much shorter tenures. The “Angry Birds” character Red spent one day in May as an honorary ambassador for climate issues, he said. “Some people voiced a concern that they didn’t feel it was appropriate for a fictional character to be representing women and girls,” Mr. Brez said on Tuesday. In response to those complaints, he said, the organization had tried to emphasize “the wonder women, women and girls” who would be affected by the campaign, which was meant to promote gender equity worldwide as part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Wonder Woman’s ambassadorship began with great fanfare with an event in October that featured the actresses Lynda Carter and Gal Gadot, who have both portrayed the character on the big and small screens. (The announcement, and the objections to it, came weeks after the United Nations rejected seven female candidates to be its next before choosing a man, António Guterres.) A spokeswoman for DC Entertainment, in whose comics Wonder Woman first appeared in 1941, said the company has been “extremely pleased” with the partnership. “Wonder Woman stands for peace, justice and equality, and for 75 years she has been a motivating force for many and will continue to be long after the conclusion of her U. N. honorary ambassadorship,” the spokeswoman, Courtney Simmons, said via email. Wonder Woman’s ambassadorship officially ends on Friday. | 0 |
This year, Michael Gartenberg, a former technology analyst, took the brave step of canceling his cable subscription. After six months of tinkering with alternatives, he went running back. Mr. Gartenberg had subscribed to PlayStation Vue, Sony’s online video service that offers a slimmer bundle of TV channels than a traditional cable subscription and for about half the price. Yet he kept running into problems: Many of his favorite channels were missing, like CW and CBS. And after a power failure in his home, he got locked out of his Vue account because his internet address was reset and Sony thought he had switched locations. Mr. Gartenberg eventually wondered whether Vue was worth the money he was saving. “At that point, there had to be better alternatives than this, and it turned out there was,” he said. “It was cable. ” Mr. Gartenberg’s return to cable is antithetical to the accelerating growth of the people who have parted ways with cable in favor of streaming video services like Netflix and Hulu. Last year, there were 4. 9 million in the United States, up 11 percent from the year before, according to the research firm eMarketer. The number of options is also proliferating, with more content providers like HBO, Showtime and Nickelodeon offering apps for streaming their content without a cable account. Yet the overwhelming majority of Americans — about 100 million homes — still cling to cable. What could be getting in the way of cutting the cord? To assess this, I tried Sony’s Vue and Dish Network’s similar streaming service, Sling TV, which also offers a slimmer bundle of TV channels than traditional cable. I decided to compare the two TV bundles rather than apps like HBO Go, Netflix and Hulu, because Vue and Sling TV were designed to replace traditional cable packages. After testing the two for a week, I had an answer: Neither streaming service felt like an adequate substitute for a cable package, largely because of content restrictions, broadcast delays and the difficulty of using a game controller with one of the services. What do Sony’s Vue and Sling TV actually offer? Vue’s starter bundle has more than 55 channels, including ESPN, NBC and Disney, for $30 a month. The bundles have 70 channels a month for $35 a month and 100 channels for $45 a month. Sling TV’s base bundle of about 25 channels, which includes ESPN, AMC and CNN, starts at $20 a month. From there, you can add mini bundles, like an extra $5 a month for a group of sports channels, or an additional $5 a month for a children’s bundle including Disney Junior and Nick Toons. Users should be aware that Vue was designed primarily for Sony’s PlayStation 4, which costs about $350. That means the default setup is to use a game controller with the service, though Sony also offers a universal PlayStation 4 remote control that works with Vue for about $30. Sony also offers Vue apps for iPhones, iPads and Android devices, as well as the Roku, Chromecast and Amazon Fire streaming gadgets. Sling TV works on more devices, including iPhones, iPads and Android devices, plus Apple TV, the Amazon Fire, Roku, Chromecast and the Microsoft Xbox, among others. Another difference is that Vue includes DVR, or the ability to record programs to watch later. You can tag your favorite shows and watch episodes for up to 28 days. Sling TV lacks this ability. For longtime cable subscribers, the limitations on content on Vue and Sling TV may be the toughest to digest. The snags include delays in live broadcasts, the inability to through some content, and some missing important channels. With Sling TV, there were long delays when watching live sports. When streaming the Wimbledon tournament, for example, tennis matches were at least 30 seconds behind the live broadcast of the same match on a cable box. This defeats the purpose of watching live sports — the scores I saw on the screen were behind the scores shown on cable TV or those popping up on Twitter. Sling TV said a number of factors caused broadcast delays, including the internet connection, type of content and channel. By contrast, there was no noticeable delay when watching live sports on Vue. Both services also offer some programs for viewing, or the ability to watch them whenever you want — yet for many shows on both services, the services were forbidden to through content. Sony and Sling said the inability to skip through some recorded content was because of agreements with content partners — in other words, they want you to watch the commercials. The setup of a cable box with TiVo is still more convenient. There are other restrictions, like some major channels missing from both bundles. Sling TV lacks CBS, CW and Discovery, among others. PlayStation Vue also lacks major channels including CW, BBC America and AE. Another limitation on Vue is that your PlayStation needs to stay put — meaning if you activated Vue in your house and then took the PlayStation to your family member’s house, you could not log in to Vue. Sony said that network providers designed this restriction to limit TV viewing to your home. Watching TV on a big screen is a group experience, so it’s important to be able to hand the remote control to others to let them channel surf. So I invited my neighbors over and asked them to do something simple with Vue and Sling TV: Find something they wanted to watch. They accomplished the tasks fairly quickly on both services, though they struggled with the PlayStation game controller. One neighbor, who works for a utility company, took about three minutes to figure out how to use the PlayStation controller to load the TV guide and pick something to watch. His wife, a scientist, took about a minute. A third neighbor, a museum worker, fumbled with the controller for about four minutes before finding an episode of “Scandal. ” They all found the universal remote control, which Sony sells separately, much more intuitive. By contrast, the test subjects all immediately knew how to use Sling TV to pick TV shows or sports events they wanted to watch, using a Roku TV remote, largely because its interface was more streamlined than the Vue’s. It’s tough to recommend either Vue or Sling TV as replacements for a majority of cable subscribers. Technologically, both Vue and Sling TV have software than a traditional cable box from Comcast, Time Warner or Charter. But because there are some missing major channels and annoying restrictions on how content can be watched, most consumers are better off sticking with cable. Sports fans may enjoy getting access to ESPN and other sports channels on either Vue or Sling TV for less than the cost of a traditional cable subscription. But the broadcast delay on Sling TV is a deal breaker. And if you don’t regularly play video games, buying a PlayStation 4 just for watching sports is costly and impractical. (The Vue apps made for cheaper streaming devices, like Roku and Fire TV, aren’t as powerful as the PlayStation app.) Roger Lynch, the chief executive of Sling TV, said the service gave people the flexibility to subscribe to bundles based on their preferences. “Everyone has their own reasons for becoming a Sling subscriber,” he said in an interview. Eric Lempel, a marketing executive for Sony, said, “We wanted to give you all the channels that you want,” without the need to pay for hundreds of unnecessary channels. For a small set of cable subscribers, both Vue and Sling TV will have all the channels they want, but they will also include unwanted channels, too. In a perfect world, consumers could pick each channel they want and pay for it, à la carte. But the content providers still hold the cards, and there is no easy way to do that quite yet. | 1 |
British banker took 60g of cocaine while torturing & killing prostitute, court... British banker took 60g of cocaine while torturing & killing prostitute, court told By 0 137
British banker Rurik Jutting took up to 60 grams of cocaine while torturing and killing a prostitute, a Hong Kong court has heard. He is also alleged to have harbored fantasies of returning to the UK to kidnap and abuse teenage girls.
The 30-year-old is on trial for the murder of two Indonesian women in his flat in the former British colony and finance hub.
In a video seen by authorities, Jutting is heard bragging about the massive amount of cocaine he had taken over the course of the three-day torture of his first victim, 23-year-old Sumarti Ningsih.
He told police he derived a “ sense of enjoyment he never had before ” from his actions and knew then that he would kill again.
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Jutting, formerly a banker at Bank of America Merrill Lynch who studied at the University of Cambridge, has denied murder but admitted to manslaughter.
He was arrested in 2014 after the bodies of Ningsih and a second Indonesian woman, 26-year-old Seneng Mujiasih, were found in his apartment.
Interview tapes played in the courtroom reveal some of Jutting’s thought processes during the killings.
“ She was unlucky to be the person in my flat when I realized that physically hurting someone when under cocaine was something I gained satisfaction from, ” he said of his first victim.
Medical experts told the court that Jutting appeared to have built up a huge tolerance to cocaine and existed on a daily dose of wine, cocaine and Red Bull.
He also revealed his plans to return to the UK and abduct schoolgirls from an expensive boarding school in Buckinghamshire.
“ They would be, say, 15 years old and I would basically turn these three girls into my sex slaves, it would be good to psychologically play them off against each other, ” he told police.
The trial continues | 0 |
Since the day Donald J. Trump began his presidential campaign, there were questions about how the Trump brand would be affected. Would his stream of insults hurt viewership of “The Apprentice” or sales of Ivanka Trump shoes? Or was all the attention good for business, a marketing adage President Trump could have learned during his time as a reality television star. The answer may surprise him. Major companies appear to be their relationships with the Trump brand, which, in some instances, does not appear to have benefited from Mr. Trump’s presidency. Hinting at lackluster sales, Neiman Marcus confirmed on Friday that it had dropped Ivanka Trump’s jewelry line from its website. A day earlier, her brand had disappeared from Nordstrom. com, a move reported by the fashion news site Racked. Not everyone was happy that retailers were distancing themselves from the Trump name. By Saturday, some Twitter users were posting #BoycottNordstrom. Companies also seem worried about how protests over the president’s actions, particularly his recent executive order on immigration, could hurt sales. On Friday, MillerCoors, a brewing company, contacted Shannon Coulter, a founder of GrabYourWallet. org, a campaign pushing for boycotts of Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and other businesses associated with the Trump name. “He wanted to talk about why they were on the list,” she said, adding, “I think all the companies are paying close attention. ” At a time when protests and boycotts can easily be organized online, brands face more pressure to respond to consumer demands. Chris Allieri, a marketing consultant with Mulberry Astor, said, “Before he became president, I think that a lot of consumers were indifferent to the Trump brand. ” He added, “It’s going to be harder for people to ignore the connection. ” The MillerCoors name appeared on GrabYourWallet. org after Peter Coors, a board member of its parent company, Molson Coors, lent his name to a for Mr. Trump in June. MillerCoors said it did not support candidates in presidential races but respected the rights of its workers to do so. “Boycotting our brands only harms employees and their families and is counter to the positive progress that we should all be encouraging and delivering at a time when our nation seems so divided,” Marty Maloney, a spokesman, said. Mr. Trump and his daughter have stepped away from executive roles at the Trump Organization, which still earns money from golf courses, hotels and other properties around the world. (Ms. Trump has also stepped away as head of her brand.) Because Mr. Trump’s company is privately held, it is hard to know what impact his presidency has had on his businesses. But the merchandise side of the Trump licensing empire may be more vulnerable to negative attention. “Retailers around the country are going to say, do we need the aggravation or not,” said Wendy Liebmann, chief executive at WSL Strategic Retail, a consulting firm. “It’s hard to imagine that if a brand is really, really doing well, a retailer like a Nordstrom or Neiman Marcus would cut off their nose to spite their face. ” Rosemary K. Young, senior director of marketing for Ms. Trump’s brand, said in a statement that the company keep expanding and that it had “significant” revenue growth in 2016. Representatives for Macy’s, which sells Ms. Trump’s clothing, handbags and shoes, did not respond to requests for comment. The retailer dropped Mr. Trump’s clothing line early in his campaign after he called Mexican immigrants “killers” and “rapists. ” Companies have also faced pressure to back away from “The Apprentice” franchise, of which Mr. Trump is an executive producer. Kawasaki said last month that it would pull its sponsorship, though the Japanese company seemed to backtrack somewhat within hours. Ms. Coulter said the Honest Company, whose products will appear in an episode of “The New Celebrity Apprentice,” had committed not to advertise for the rest of the season or next year. The brand confirmed that it had limited involvement with the show, which has not yet been renewed for 2018. In addition to possibly repelling some advertisers, Mr. Trump’s association with the show does not appear to have helped viewership much. On Thursday, he asked people — perhaps jokingly — to pray for the company’s ratings at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington. Mr. Allieri, who backed Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, said, “If you’re looking for a good opportunity to advertise, I would look beyond ‘The Apprentice,’ because there’s not going to be an upside. ” As the Trump name became politicized so have brands associated with it. Just days after #DeleteUber began trending on Twitter — a response to criticism that the app had undercut protests of Mr. Trump’s immigration order — Uber’s chief executive, Travis Kalanick, resigned from a presidential economic advisory council. Nordstrom, which mainly sold Ivanka Trump shoes, said demand for Ms. Trump’s products had not been strong. The company still has some merchandise from previous orders that it plans to sell in stores. For the time being, the relationship appears to have ended. Neiman Marcus said it “continuously” assesses productivity to determine where its products are sold. Some jewelry will still be available in the stores. After apparel, Ms. Trump’s shoes account for the largest portion of her company’s revenue. Three years ago, the brand predicted that shoe sales would reach $35 million last year at wholesale, generating $2 million in royalty fees, according to documents obtained by The New York Times. Jewelry was predicted to reach $7. 5 million, or $300, 000 in fees. At the time, Ms. Trump seemed to be having more trouble with Mondani, which makes her handbags. “We think the handbags are terrible,” the documents said. “They don’t. ” A spokesman for Ms. Trump’s brand said, “We are fortunate to have dedicated and engaged partners on our handbags and all of our product categories. ” Representatives for Mondani did not respond to requests for comment. | 1 |
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WITH the first of four planned strike days by An Garda Síochána starting tomorrow, an exclusive report in today’s Irish Independent has revealed that Sinn Féin are planning an audacious coup and will try to overthrow the government.
Pictured by photographers engaging in some basic military drills in rural Louth, Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams could be seen dancing from the top of his tank to a trad version of Ride of The Valkyries.
With chaos on our streets 100% guaranteed tomorrow as Gardaí strike, it is believed the opposition party had been planning a coup d’etat for months, according to Indo sources.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life,” Adams is believed to have said to a number of his stuffed teddy bears which also occupied his tank. Adams then drove his tank through a set of gates beside some homeless people, positioned in such a way as to mimic the conditions outside Leinster House.
The Republican party’s attempt to overthrow the government will be made easier by the fact that, thanks to the garda strike, stretched and limited resources will be directed to stopping the Nation’s criminals from robbing everyone’s TVs from their homes.
It is alleged that Adams’s first action as Taoiseach post-coup would be to achieve a united Ireland, which no longer seems as controversial a prospect as it once was if a recent Irish News poll is anything to go by, which stated that 98% of people with Celtic tattoos would vote for a united Ireland. | 0 |
HONG KONG — Chinese authorities are quietly scrutinizing technology products sold in China by Apple and other big foreign companies, focusing on whether they pose potential security threats to the country and its consumers and opening up a new front in an already tense relationship with Washington over digital security. Apple and other companies in recent months have been subjected to reviews that target encryption and the data storage of tech products, said people briefed on the reviews who spoke on the condition of anonymity. In the reviews, Chinese officials require executives or employees of the foreign tech companies to answer questions about the products in person, according to these people. The reviews are run by a committee associated with the Cyberspace Administration of China, the country’s Internet control bureau, they said. The bureau includes experts and engineers with ties to the country’s military and security agencies. While other countries, including the United States and Britain, conduct reviews of some tech products, they usually focus on products that will be used by the military or other parts of the government that are concerned with security, and not on products sold to the general public. The Chinese reviews stand out because they are being applied more broadly, including to American consumer software and gadgets popular in China, the people briefed on the reviews said. And because Chinese officials have not disclosed the nature of the checks, both the United States government and American tech companies fear that the reviews could be used to extract tech knowledge as well as ensure that the United States was not using the products to spy. Ultimately, the reviews could be used to block products without explanation or to extract trade secrets in exchange for market access. Those secrets could be leaked to Chinese competitors or expose vulnerabilities, which, in turn, Chinese hackers could exploit. Further, tech companies are concerned that the reviews could set a precedent and that other countries will follow suit, each demanding different checks that would not only be costly but also put the companies at risk of having to hand over further secrets in exchange for market access. China and the United States have been embroiled in a quarrel about tech and security that has strained their relationship. The reviews could be a fresh sticking point, raising questions about the security of American technology and the degree to which American companies will acquiesce to Beijing’s demands for fear of being punished in a huge market still partly controlled by the state. Chinese officials have not formally disclosed that they are conducting the reviews, and their existence has not been previously confirmed outside of rare, brief mentions in local news media. It is not clear specifically what Chinese authorities are demanding as part of the process. There is no indication that foreign companies have provided access to highly guarded material such as source code — the digital underpinnings of software — or other commercial secrets. One Chinese media report implied that the tech security reviews began early last year. Over the last nine months, a number of companies have been called in, the people who spoke on the condition of anonymity said. The lack of disclosure by China’s government has made it hard for the United States government to voice its objections, and has fed concerns that China is quietly carrying out further policies to target American technology companies. China’s Internet regulators suggested the possibility of reviews three years ago, after revelations by Edward J. Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor, concerning surveillance escalated tensions between China and the United States over computer security. Since then, China has quietly begun carrying out the reviews. That represents a shift in the way China manages foreign technology. Its previous efforts came through proposed new rules and other public measures that let foreign companies and governments resist. The Cyberspace Administration of China said in a faxed response to questions that many countries carried out security reviews and that the inspections did not target any particular country or product. China relies on American technology products, even as it has made clear that it is concerned about the security of those products. A majority of Chinese government offices, enterprises and other institutions that handle potentially secret information, like universities and research institutes, use Microsoft Windows. Most smartphones in China run software made by either Apple or Google. And the computing that supports China’s banks, energy companies and military uses, in part, chips and servers. In a congressional hearing last month, Apple’s general counsel, Bruce Sewell, said the Chinese government had asked the company to share source code in the last two years but that Apple had refused. Apple has seen new pressure in China as regulators have shut down its iBooks and iTunes Movies stores there. Last week, Apple disclosed that it was investing $1 billion in the Chinese app Didi Chuxing, a move that some technology experts said appeared aimed at currying favor with Beijing. Chinese restrictions against American companies have been a highly charged diplomatic issue. Last year, the Obama administration raised concerns about Chinese rules that trade groups said were written to wean the country’s banking industry off foreign technology. The United States also objected to an antiterrorism law that called for foreign companies to hand over encryption keys in China. In both cases China relented, temporarily scrapping the banking laws and tempering the language in the antiterrorism law. China’s tougher tone is part of a broader challenge that governments around the world are posing to the technology industry over issues like privacy and encryption. In the United States, federal law enforcement officials have pressed Apple to help them gain access to encrypted iPhones even as the Obama administration has resisted Chinese policies that would require similar access. Under President Xi Jinping, China has taken steps to keep tabs on technology from American companies and reduce the nation’s dependence on it. In a speech last month, Mr. Xi outlined what he described as the two prevalent viewpoints on tech policy in China. Under one, the country would continue with an industrial policy intended to absorb technology from foreign companies and ensure products are “secure and controllable. ” That phrase, companies and industry groups said, could include such measures as giving the Chinese government access to systems, providing encryption keys or handing over source code. For foreign companies, the other option could be worse. “One viewpoint holds that we must close ourselves off, make a fresh start, thoroughly shake off our reliance on foreign technology and rely on indigenous innovation to pursue development,” Mr. Xi said, according to a transcript of the speech. “Otherwise, we would always follow in the footsteps of others, and would never be able to catch up. ” Mr. Xi ultimately said China must find a middle ground and determine “which things can be imported but have to be secure and controllable which things may be imported, digested and absorbed for which things can be developed in collaboration with others and for which things we must rely on our own strength and indigenous innovation. ” While details on the tech reviews are scant, commentary from the China Daily in 2014 suggested that companies affected could include Cisco Systems and Microsoft. Other state news media has said the reviews will prevent product suppliers from “illegally controlling, interfering in or interrupting user systems, or illegally collecting, storing, handling or exploiting information about users. ” Cisco and Microsoft declined to comment on the Chinese media statements. Apple also declined to comment. A slide show from the China Electronics Standardization Institute, a group that carries out research on behalf of the government, makes the motivation for reviews clear. It links the reviews to concerns about China’s digital security vulnerabilities and what it characterizes as a technology gap between China and countries like the United States, Russia, Israel, Britain and Germany. “As the world connects to the Internet, various forms of attacks and new defensive technologies are ever multiplying, bringing challenges to China’s development of a new digital industry,” the group said. | 1 |
by Outis Philalithopoulos At the beginning of this series , Outis’ ghost embarked on a quest to explore possibly uncomfortable ideas about his identity as a progressive. In the previous episode , the Spirit of Liberalism Past abruptly vanished, and Outis found himself face to face with someone else. “What a cute bunny,” I thought to myself. “But why is she wearing a police uniform?” She stared at me with her big blue eyes and confidently held out her paw. Bemused, I took it. She softly shook my hand. “Hopps, Judy Hopps,” she announced. “Outis Philalithopoulos,” I responded slowly. “And you are?” “I am the Spirit of Liberalism Present!” “I see,” I replied. “Have you seen my movie?” “I’m afraid I’m dead,” I confessed. “So?” she responded undeterred. “So I haven’t seen it.” Her face fell. “Oh,” she said. Then she brightened again. “You just have to see it. The New York Times said it was ‘irresistible.’ And ‘delightful.’ And ‘thought-provoking.’ Not to mention ‘full of savvy jokes.’ Rolling Stone said that it might be ‘the most subversive movie of the year.’” “That sounds nice,” I said. “ And it’s on track to become the second highest grossing movie of the year,” she noted proudly. Hesitantly, I said, “I don’t mean this the wrong way, but are you sure you’re the right Spirit? Or that you weren’t sent to the wrong person?” She stared at me sternly. “Maybe you think that because I’m a bunny I can’t be a real Spirit?” “No, no!” I protested. “I just wondered what you were going to show me.” “Oh! Yes. Yes! My movie. Let’s go!” She grabbed my wrist and in a whirl, I was whisked away. I found myself in a movie theater, where an animated movie called Zootopia was playing, with Judy in the starring role. Watching the movie The city of Zootopia was a beautiful place to live. It was populated by animals who had evolved so they were all vegetarians. Their economy seemed mostly like our own, with buying and selling and corporations and advertising – but no poor people. There was, however, one problem in Zootopia, which was that some animals believed hurtful and wrong things about other animals. In particular, some animals thought that predators still had different DNA from non-predators and so were inherently violent. Also, animals often assumed that bunnies were cute, dumb, fluffy things who couldn’t do anything serious. This was annoying to Judy, but the first two thirds of the movie show her convincing even animals who underestimate her that she is exceptional. She wants to become a police officer, even though the conventional wisdom is that bunnies can’t become cops. She ignores this and becomes valedictorian of the police academy. When she starts work, the police chief doesn’t recognize her ability immediately and puts her on parking duty. Although she is understandably offended at having to do this sort of work, she resolves to show he was wrong about her, and so instead of handing out 100 tickets like she was told to do, she gives out 200 , all before her lunch break. She starts fighting back. She goes over the police chief’s head and gets herself an assignment more reflective of her true abilities. One time, a fox named Nick had tricked her about something and then laughed at her for being liberal and naive. Now she evens the score – she threatens to have Nick thrown in jail for tax violations, and using this leverage, gets him to follow her all over town. She makes him illegally enter private property and go places where he feels threatened. “What a strong, intrepid character,” I thought to myself. As time passes, Nick starts to appreciate how awesome Judy is, and they become friends. She exposes a scandal and everyone realizes that she’s a great cop. Right in that moment, though, she comes face to face with a second adversary: her unconscious mind. In the midst of a press conference, Judy gets asked an awkward question about why the animals involved in a series of incidents were all predators. She doesn’t think about what the right thing to say is, and the first thing that pops into her head is that maybe it’s because predators have different DNA than non-predators. It’s just what the anti-predator animals wanted her to say, and it makes Nick feel terrible. Anti-predator prejudice explodes, although thankfully pop stars speak out against it. Judy tries to get Nick to help her fix things, but Nick is still furious with her. Judy pleads with him: Wait, listen… I-I know you’ll never forgive me, and I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t forgive me either. I was ignorant and irresponsible and small-minded. But predators shouldn’t suffer because of my mistakes. I have to fix this. But I can’t do it without you. And after we’re done, you can hate me, [begins to cry] and… and that’ll be fine, because I was a horrible friend, and I hurt you, and you… and you can walk away knowing that you were right all along – I really am just a dumb bunny. Nick forgives her then, and things work out. They expose a plot by the anti-predator animals, and send the leader, an evil sheep, to jail. All conflict melts away as the animals dance together to the pop singer’s finale. After the movie “What did you think?” the Spirit Judy asked me excitedly. “I’m just so impressed,” I told her. She grinned. “Who would have thought that a billion-dollar corporation like Disney would have the courage to make such a strong statement in support of progressive values?” I went on. “I know!” she said. “It did a great job showing how little things that we don’t think of as bad can be hurtful to others. For example, while you were in the big city, you were carrying around a thing like a can of mace that was made to drive away foxes. And it sort of helped you to feel safe…” She blushed, ashamed. “But it made Nick feel bad, because it implied I thought foxes were dangerous.” “It showed how our attitudes can really affect people’s lives. For example, Nick was making his living as a crook, and you might have thought that it was because times were hard and he had difficulty finding a job…” Judy nodded soberly. “But actually,” she said, “it was all because when he was very young, he had wanted to be nice and good. But then some of the other young animals just assumed that since he was a fox, he had to be untrustworthy, and so he was like, ‘well, then I might as well be untrustworthy.’ “ “In general, your movie didn’t play it safe,” I said. “For example, you’re an open-minded bunny and you always try to treat others with respect. But still, one time you carelessly said something that was really not good. And then, the only way you could return to being a good bunny was to convince yourself that you were truly a bad bunny, and say so publicly.” “Oh, yeah,” Judy said. “Even though I’m really embarrassed that I said those horrible things, at least this way I could model for the children watching the movie how they ought to act when they say something wrong.” “The movie definitely delved into difficult issues,” I agreed. “At the same time, it had plenty of humor. Like there was that time you go to the DMV, and the employees there, the sloths, just operate in a lower gear than the rest of us. Which was hilarious for anyone who’s had to deal with real life public employees.” Judy shook her head. “I was in a hurry and it was just so frustrating. But I know I shouldn’t let it bother me – they can’t help it.” “The movie often combined humor and teaching moments. Like there was the really, really fat police dispatcher, so I just assumed he eats doughnuts all the time. And then he calls you a cute bunny, and you’re very patient with him, and are like, ‘Ooh, uh, you probably didn’t know, but a bunny can call another bunny cute, but when other animals do it, it’s a little…’ And so you deftly addressed the theme of political correctness, but it didn’t feel preachy because then there was a light-hearted moment…” “Right,” Judy laughed, “because he really did have a doughnut stuck in the fat folds of his neck.” “Or when they put the evil sheep in jail at the end,” I went on, “and the other inmates touch her wool ‘cause it’s soft and fluffy, which makes her really mad, because as you explained earlier in the movie…” “… touching a sheep’s wool is a microaggression and it’s not okay,” Judy supplied helpfully. “But she was xenophobic and hurt a lot of people, so when her wool gets touched, technically it’s wrong…” “But it’s also kind of funny,” I concluded. “Another way the movie used humor was to show how it isn’t smart to be prejudiced. For example, your parents sometimes said prejudiced things, but that didn’t make us want to be like them, because after all – I mean, not to be critical or anything – they’re rural, they have a really big family, they’re always saying ‘gosh’ and ‘amen to that,’ they don’t really have ambitions…” Judy fought back a smile. “Yeah, I love them to death, but they’re kind of old-fashioned.” “And so the movie shows,” I went on, “how when you have wrong ideas, your kids just won’t listen to you. Like when you were little, they would try to give you advice, and you would just wander off and they wouldn’t even notice you were gone. Or there was that scene where they tried to get you to bring fox repellent with you to the big city – because a fox had beaten you up one time, and they were worried it would happen again. And you knew that carrying fox repellent was prejudiced, but finally you just said, ‘I will take this – to make you stop talking.’“ Judy laughed. “They mean well, they really do – it’s just that there are some things they don’t really understand.” “On a side note,” I added, “I think it’s really awesome how even though you’re a bunny, you really have the mannerisms of white Millennial upper-middle-class girls down cold.” “Thanks!” she said. “And it just goes to show,” I continued excitedly, “that the right-wingers are totally wrong about us when they say we want to stamp out gender roles and make women exactly like men!” “What… do… you… mean?” she said, her voice full of warning notes. I went on obliviously. “I just mean, you do lots of things in the movie that they wouldn’t have guys do. Like for example, you force Nick to follow you around and do whatever you tell him, and that’s awesome ‘cause it showcases how you’re a strong female character, but if he had forced you to follow himaround…” “That would be controlling and creepy and horrible!” she exclaimed. “Obviously. But Nick wouldn’t do that. So what’s your point?” I wasn’t sure if this conversation was going in a good direction. Instead, I said, “Actually, I’m worried – maybe your time is short. In case we get cut off, what is the most important thing you want me to learn from your visit?” She looked at her watch. “Oh, yes. Yes. I do have to go,” she said. Then she smiled at me warmly. “My final message is, if anyone ever tells you you can’t do anything, or you can’t be anything, don’t believe them. You can .” I looked at her, stricken. “But Judy, I’m dead.” She looked quizzically at me. “So? Look, I know a lot of people assume that dead people can’t do certain things, just because they’re dead. But don’t listen to them. Follow your dreams!” And with a peal of thunder, she was gone, and I was back in the livid marshes. * * * The series will take a break for the weekend and resume Monday, at which point Outis will succeed at putting it all together – sort of. Sources: Uncritical praise of Zootopia from major press outlets: the New York Times , Rolling Stone , the Atlantic , the Guardian , the Washington Post . The Atlantic said Zootopia was “subversive,” while the Times said it “subverted clichés.” Rolling Stone declares “ Zootopia takes chances and doesn’t play it safe. Is it too soon to talk about next year’s Oscars?” The Guardian says that in the movie, “the themes of cultural sensitivity and political correctness are handled with real wit,” while the Post says that the movie is about “the hard work of becoming the best, most open-minded bunny you can be.” The sloth scene is singled out for praise by the Times, the Post, Rolling Stone, and the Atlantic. 0 0 0 0 0 0 | 1 |
Nintendo Cuts Full-Year Sales, Operating Profit Forecasts
26 October 2016 , by Yuji Nakamura and Takashi Amano (Bloomberg)
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-10-26/nintendo-cuts-full-year-sales-operating-profit-forecasts
- Boost from Pokemon Go fails to make up for sales outlook slump
- Shares decline in European trading after results release | 0 |
LA2024 Chief Executive Officer Gene Sykes told Southern California Public Radio’s 89. 3 KPCC last Thursday that President Donald Trump had been more helpful than President Barack Obama in helping to secure the 2024 Olympics for Los Angeles. [Last month, as Breitbart News reported, President Trump gave his strong support to L. A.’s Olympic bid after meeting with the International Olympic Committee: “I would love to see the Olympics go to Los Angeles. I think that it’ll be terrific. The United States committee’s members have asked me to speak up about it, and I have, and I think I’ve helped them, and let’s see what happens. ” In contrast, Sykes said, President Obama had been noncommittal, following his lackluster role in Chicago’s failed bid to host the 2016 games. “He [Obama] never went to an Olympic games, never met with the IOC [International Olympic Committee] leadership, never talked to them by phone, and showed sort of a disregard and that was deeply frustrating to the leaders of the IOC,” Sykes told KPCC. Sykes also acknowledged that Trump’s role was a “ sword,” given global opposition to some of his policies, as well as bad media coverage. In February, former L. A. mayor (and 2018 gubernatorial candidate) Antonio Villaraigosa worried openly that Trump’s immigration policies would hurt the city’s Olympic bid. 2024 would mark the 40th anniversary of the highly successful 1984 Summer Olympics, dominated for Americans by memories of Carl Lewis’s sweep (and only somewhat marred by a Soviet bloc boycott). The other contender to host the 2024 games is Paris. The vote is scheduled for September. Joel B. Pollak is Senior at Breitbart News. He was named one of the “most influential” people in news media in 2016. His new book, How Trump Won: The Inside Story of a Revolution, is available from Regnery. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak. This article has been corrected to reflect Budapest’s withdrawal from contention on March 1. | 0 |
REYNOSA, Tamaulipas — Mexico’s Gulf Cartel has hung two men described as thieves and highway robbers next to a banner where the criminal organization claims to not be behind their crimes. [After days of multiple highway robberies, the criminal organization known as the Gulf Cartel has sought to distance itself from a series of violent crimes including highway robberies, extortion, and kidnappings. On Tuesday morning, gunmen from the Gulf Cartel hung two men and a banner from a bridge in one of this city’s most traveled highways. The two men had not been killed but were beaten. The banner was signed by Comandante Toro, the leader of the Reynosa faction of the Gulf Cartel, where he claimed to not be behind the rash of crime that has been affecting the city: To all citizens, the government and social media, I am tired that for everything that happens, I or the company gets blamed. That if they rob, that if they kidnap, everything gets blamed on myself or the company — and we are fed up that we are singled out as the guilty ones. Our job is a different one and as proof, I present to you the rats that hid behind us while they robbed and kidnapped. Every robbing and kidnapping rat that we find will be turned over. We want a city in peace, that is why we removed gunmen from the streets, we want to prove it to authorities these rats are not part of our company. The men had been beaten before they were hung from the bridge using duct tape. One of the men sustained more injuries when he fell nearly 12 feet while authorities were trying to lower him. The display by the leader of the criminal organization comes just days after travelers from cities such as Monterrey, Nuevo Leon and its surrounding suburbs have taken to social media to warn others about gunmen carrying out brazen highway robberies near the city. The tourists point to an almost complete lack of patrolling by Mexican federal authorities, particularly in the outskirts of Reynosa where the robberies and the kidnappings have taken place. The alarm that the messages created led to the McAllen Economic Development Corporation and an association of manufacturing plants in Reynosa to post on their Facebook pages a message from Mexican Federal Police officers where they claim that they have stepped up their patrolling along the highway to ensure public safety. Editor’s Note: Breitbart Texas traveled to the Mexican States of Tamaulipas, Coahuila and Nuevo León to recruit citizen journalists willing to risk their lives and expose the cartels silencing their communities. The writers would face certain death at the hands of the various cartels that operate in those areas including the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas if a pseudonym were not used. Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles are published in both English and in their original Spanish. This article was written by “A. C. Del Angel” from Reynosa, Tamaulipas. | 0 |
November 2, 2016 Sweden on the brink? Police force pushed to breaking point by violence amid migrant influx
The Scandinavian country is facing an existential crisis with on average three police officers handing in their resignations a day.
If the alarming trend continues, and police officers continue to resign more than 1,000 officers will have quit the service by New Years.
Since the migrant crisis began last summer, Sweden has been hit by a series of brutal crimes and violent incidents.
In 2015 alone Sweden, with a population of 9.5million, received over 160,000 asylum applications and the country is expected to take as many as 190,000 refugees, or two per cent of the population, by the end of 2016.
| 0 |
Daisy Luther
According to a report in the New Yorker, James Comey , Big Kahuna of the FBI, went full-on cowboy in releasing details of the new Clinton email inquiry. Apparently, the Department of Justice advised him not to release the information just days before the presidential election.
Gosh. I wonder if the same advice would have been given if it was Donald Trump who was being investigated by the FBI.
Comey explained his decision in a letter to FBI employees :
“We don’t ordinarily tell Congress about ongoing investigations, but here I feel an obligation to do so given that I testified repeatedly in recent months that our investigation was completed. I also think it would be misleading to the American people were we not to supplement the record.”
The DoJ – and by DoJ I mean Attorney General Loretta Lynch , who famously had a secret meeting on an airport tarmac with Bill Clinton to talk about her non-existent grandchildren – is implying that Comey is not playing fair and that the move is inconsistent with the rules which have been designed to make it seem like they are not interfering in an election.
Here’s Comey’s letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee:
Really?
The DoJ thinks that the public shouldn’t know that the person they may be voting for is being investigated by the FBI?
That’s the most absurd thing I have heard for quite some time, and considering this election, that’s really saying something.
This is from the New Yorker report, emphasis mine.
On Friday, James Comey, the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, acting independently of Attorney General Loretta Lynch , sent a letter to Congress saying that the F.B.I. had discovered e-mails that were potentially relevant to the investigation of Hillary Clinton’s private server. Coming less than two weeks before the Presidential election, Comey’s decision to make public new evidence that may raise additional legal questions about Clinton was contrary to the views of the Attorney General, according to a well-informed Administration official. Lynch expressed her preference that Comey follow the department’s longstanding practice of not commenting on ongoing investigations, and not taking any action that could influence the outcome of an election, but he said that he felt compelled to do otherwise .
Comey’s decision is a striking break with the policies of the Department of Justice, according to current and former federal legal officials. Comey, who is a Republican appointee of President Obama, has a reputation for integrity and independence, but his latest action is stirring an extraordinary level of concern among legal authorities, who see it as potentially affecting the outcome of the Presidential and congressional elections. ( source ) Is this investigation the iceberg to HRC’s Titanic campaign?
Hillary Clinton has said she finds the development “unprecedented and deeply troubling.” (source )
Oh, I’ll bet she does.
I’ll bet if Trump had been the target of the investigation she would have been up on the stage, gripping the podium to stay upright , saying how wonderful it was that Comey decided to break the news so that voters could be aware that they might be voting for someone who was suspected of having broken federal laws. I’ll bet she’d be saying that the public has a right to know if a candidate was under investigation. I’ll bet she’d take the high road and say that those elected to the office of President of the United States have to be above and beyond reproach.
Of course, when it’s her, things are a little different, aren’t they?
We do have a right to know. We absolutely have a right to know that a person who could be elected to know all of the secrets was careless when she only knew some of the secrets. It seems like a no-brainer that the public should know that a candidate is being investigated for a second time for being criminally negligent with information entrusted to her.
And the fact that we know has severely damaged Clinton’s campaign. Although previous polls were incredibly skewed to the point of being outright fake , it looks like the mainstream is now trying to save face with a new batch of polls. A poll from ABC news and the Washington Post , both hotbeds of liberal voters, has shown that her lead has dropped to within a single point over Donald Trump due to the Clinton email scandal.
“About a third of likely voters say they’re less likely to support Clinton given FBI Director James Comey’s disclosure Friday that the bureau is investigating more emails related to its probe of Clinton’s use of a private email server while secretary of state. “
Finally, some people are actually paying attention to the character of Hillary Clinton.
But it may not be enough. There was one finding that was astonishing to me, even though it probably shouldn’t be:
“Given other considerations, 63 percent say it makes no difference.”
Meanwhile, on social media, the FBI emails are somehow not a trending topic. It certainly appears that Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, and Buzzfeed are blacking out the topic. My biggest question is this: Why now?
Why did James Comey, who has probably committed career suicide, along with a potential actual “suicide” via a shot to the back of his own head like others who have run afoul of the Clintons, feel the need to break the news, particularly after giving her a pass during the last investigation?
Opponents will jump on the fact that he’s a Republican and will say that he did it for political reasons.
They won’t admit that perhaps he felt guilty for being complicit in letting her off the hook in the first investigation into the Clinton email negligence.
They will never, ever admit that maybe his integrity and belief in the office he holds made it impossible for him to keep quiet until after the election and that, perhaps, when he was given a chance to right a previous wrong, he took it. Clinton isn’t taking it gracefully.
Clinton’s complaints, which have appeared in the press around the world, make her look even worse than she did before.
This is from The Telegraph , a UK publication:
Hillary Clinton was furiously fighting to keep her Presidential bid on track on Saturday night as her lead in the polls narrowed, after the FBI’s bombshell announcement that it had reopened its investigation into her emails.
James Comey announced on Friday afternoon that fresh evidence had emerged for his investigation into whether Mrs Clinton was criminally negligent in her handling of classified material.
On Saturday, the latest poll of polls by tracker site RealClearPolitics put Clinton 3.9 percentage points ahead of the Republican nationwide, down from 7.1 points just 10 days previously.
But wait – it gets better:
The Clinton campaign has responded with what amounts to a declaration of open warfare against Mr Comey, alleging that his actions are backed by a political motive. And Mrs Clinton herself called the decision “unprecedented” and “deeply troubling”.
“It’s pretty strange to put something like that out with such little information right before an election,” she complained, addressing cheering supporters at a rally in the must-win state of Florida.
Democrats questioned the timing of the agency’s decision, which comes as polls showed Mrs Clinton’s lead falling just 10 days before the presidential election.
“This is like an 18-wheeler smacking into us, and it just becomes a huge distraction at the worst possible time,” said Donna Brazile, the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee.
“The campaign is trying to cut through the noise as best it can.
“We don’t want it to knock us off our game. But on the second-to-last weekend of the race, we find ourselves having to tell voters, ‘Keep your focus, keep your eyes on the prize.’”
Hillary’s campaign manager sounds pretty desperate to me. As for the complaints from HRC, they just make her sound like the out-of-touch, money-grabbing, power-hungry, deceitful | 1 |
The Face to Face blog has some good advice for yall muffugguhs:
In order to push back against attempts at demoralization, particularly from the media, and to rally people heading down the home stretch, it’s time to start wearing Trump markers in public every day until the election is over.
That will manifest our greater enthusiasm in an everyday setting, not just what people see from rallies on TV or comments on the internet. It puts a human face on the movement, which does not come across so much from a yard sign (although put up one of those too).
It is also more likely to have a contagious effect at the grassroots. Even if onlookers don’t wear Trump gear of their own, at least they’ll be more likely to talk positively about voting to others, assuming they were roughly on our side.
The goal is not to appear confrontational, as though we were about to man the barricades (that would come only if the Establishment tries to steal the election). Everyday people around you are not the immediate enemy. Those who are uncertain about turning out, or are genuinely undecided, are on the wimpy and cucky side — they just want to be reassured that Trump voters are normal people.
I guarantee that no one from the enemy’s side will try to shame or ostracize you in public, in order to send a message to undecided onlookers. Only paid activists bother attempting this, and they only concentrate at Trump rallies or on the internet. Even the strongly committed Hillary voters are too demoralized to confront a stranger. The only responses you will get will be from fellow travelers, especially ones who were uncertain whether they were the only one leaning toward Trump, and are relieved to see someone being the first to break the silence in public.
Trump has been taking so much public abuse, slander, and libel on our behalf — the least we can do is put ourselves out there, too, whether we get a few sideways glances or not.
At this stage, giving our public support matters more than giving financial support. The polls are not so tight because of insufficient advertising. It’s because a handful of people are still uneasy about either turning out, or choosing Trump if they do. Making those people feel more comfortable by seeing real-life support for Trump in public will go farther than hearing an ad on the drive to work.
And some of them truly have no preference other than joining the in-group. With no visible signs of support from Hillary voters, that only leaves the Trump side for the conformists to join. Who would want to join a group that is weakly held together, when there’s a more emotionally connected group as the alternative?
You don’t have to go all-out all day long, but at least wear a hat or shirt out for an hour or so in normal public places. High-traffic retail spaces are best, like a supermarket.
It’s simple to find places selling Trump hats if you don’t already have one.
There’s no excuse to stay sitting on the sidelines with less than two weeks to go. We need to make our presence known — not just as a warning to the enemy, but more importantly to motivate anyone who doesn’t like Crooked Hillary to show up and vote Trump with the rest of the crowd.
This election is now 100% about demoralization – on both sides.
We have to keep our morale up, so that our people will go out and vote on the 8th. Huge portions of Hillary’s people aren’t going to bother, especially with new scandals dropping every minute. | 0 |
0 comments Hillary has been caught in a NEW scandal and this one has FOREIGN implications as it involves trying to FIX a Palestinian election. Listen to how casually Hillary recommends “determining” the winner in a Palestinian election when she thinks the conversation won’t get out… …then imagine what she’d do to win this one? Unearthed tape: ‘We should have made sure that we did something to determine who was going to win’ The Observer reports : The tape is 45 minutes and contains much that is no longer relevant, such as analysis of the re-election battle that Sen. Joe Lieberman was then facing in Connecticut. But a seemingly throwaway remark about elections in areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority has taken on new relevance amid persistent accusations in the presidential campaign by Clinton’s Republican opponent Donald Trump that the current election is “rigged”! Speaking to the Jewish Press about the January 25, 2006, election for the second Palestinian Legislative Council (the legislature of the Palestinian National Authority), Clinton weighed in about the result, which was a resounding victory for Hamas (74 seats) over the U.S.-preferred Fatah (45 seats).
“ I do not think we should have pushed for an election in the Palestinian territories. I think that was a big mistake, ” said Sen. Clinton. “ And if we were going to push for an election, then we should have made sure that we did something to determine who was going to win. ” Today The FBI has reopened their email investigation because Hillary keeps lying. Now this? All on the heels that WikiLeaks proved she is a drunk…HMMM I have this feeling that Hillary is somewhere drowning herself in a bottle of boos! She might want to go on a two week binge! This action is atrocious! To meddle in foreign elections is abominable and Hillary and Obama have both done so more than once. Insanity! I called Hillary for comment. She said, “What difference does it make?” | 0 |
Thu, 27 Oct 2016 14:56 UTC South Korean electronics giant Samsung has reported a drop in third-quarter profit of 30 percent, following the disastrous recall of its flagship Galaxy Note 7 smartphone. The company's overall operating profit fell to $4.6 billion which is the lowest level in two years. Its mobile division's operating profit collapsed 98 percent to just $88 million. Samsung said this month it will lose approximately $3.1 billion on the Note 7 recall over the next six months. The company has scrapped the entire line less than two months after its launch due to safety considerations. That followed a global recall of at least 2.5 million phones due to faulty batteries that could ignite. The manufacturer assured customers fixed devices were safe but the problems with overheating and fires continued. After weeks of unsuccessful attempts to save the brand's image, the electronics firm announced it was ending the production and sale of the Note 7's. The troubled smartphones have been banned by major airlines worldwide. "Regarding the mobile business, the company will focus on expanding sales of new flagship products with differentiated design and innovative features, as well as regaining consumers' confidence," Samsung said on Thursday. The company's new flagship smartphone, the Galaxy Note 8 is expected to be released in February. "Samsung has lost consumer confidence, but I think it still has at least one more chance. Rather than rushing to release the next product, it should conduct a thorough inspection and explain the results of its investigation into the Note 7, " Greg Roh an analyst at HMC Investment Securities told the BBC. | 0 |
This story by Paris Swade .
President Obama is preparing to stab Trump in the back. He is using all of his remaining time to push the TPP through congress, according to the U.S. ambassador to Canada.
*** Look at Obama now!! Look Obama is doing work.
Where was your ass when there was stuff to do. Here is Obama’s normal work day.
Obama has now spent more time golfing than any other president in history and now that is about to lose his presidency he is working to pass a bill that will destroy America.
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump both oppose the TPP and it would make up 40% of the world’s economy. We simply cannot let this deal go through, patriots! According to Canadian press the US ambassador to Canada has stated that Obama will push for #TPP to passed before Trump takes power.
This is a corporate money grab. This will not bridge the wealth gap in this country. It will increase it.
*** Share this article 1 million times, y’all!
We cannot let Obama get away with the biggest steal of his entire presidency. Trump needs to know about this. He needs to stop this. SHARE THIS SO THAT TRUMP CAN SEE IT.
Comment ‘DOWN WITH THE GLOBALISTS!’ below if you love this country. (h/t Huffington Post Canada ) (Title photo by Johnathan Ernst )
Thanks for reading. | 0 |
BNI Store Nov 2 2016 “WE’VE HAD ENOUGH!” Italian Prime Minister threatens to cripple the EU unless it stops mass Muslim migration FURIOUS Italian leader Matteo Renzi today threatened to fatally cripple the entire European Union project unless Brussels bureaucrats do something about ending the Muslim invasion. UK Express In an extraordinary threat the apoplectic PM vowed to veto the EU budget and starve Brussels of taxpayers’ cash, inducing complete paralysis, if the refugee chaos is not fixed by the end of this year. A visibly angry Mr Renzi warned that Italy “cannot survive” another influx of migrants in 2017 similar to the one it faced this year and blasted Europe’s “inability to show solidarity” on the issue. His remarkable threat marks another ratcheting up of the growing tensions between Rome and Brussels, whose friendship has been stretched to breaking point by the migration crisis. Italy has become the focal point for millions of migrants and refugees hoping to reach Europe ever since the route to Greece was effectively cut off by a repatriation deal with Turkey. More than 155,000 Muslim freeloaders posing as asylum seekers have arrived in the country this year alone after crossing the Mediterranean from Libya on rickety smugglers’ boats. But Austria, Switzerland and France to the north have shored up their borders meaning almost all of those have become trapped in Italy, placing a huge strain on services and local communities. Speaking to the talk show Porta a Porta last night, Mr Renzi blasted: “Either we block the influx by 2017 or Italy will not handle another year like the past year.” And he warned: “Right now we can manage it. Winter is coming and sea conditions will worsen, but we have six months maximum.” Mr Renzi also strongly hinted that he will veto the EU budget in retaliation for the critical situation unless Brussels steps in and forces member states to take in their fair share of migrants. He blasted: “If the Eastern countries who are growing with the help of our money do not open their doors to migrants as has been agreed, then we’ll put a veto on the future European budget.” An EU Commission to impose migrant quotas on countries has run into difficulty following furious opposition from eastern European countries and a less than enthusiastic response from others already struggling with the pressures of mass migration. A number of member states including Hungary, which recently held a referendum where 98 per cent of voters rejected migrant quotas, are even taking legal proceedings against the EU in a bid to hold up the scheme. And Italy’s interior minister, Angelino Alfano, backed up Mr Renzi’s extraordinary ultimatum to veto the EU budget and withhold funds from Brussels unless it resolves the impasse. He said: “We must use the veto. We give our money so that, in exchange for these duties, the others honour their commitments. “Money does not go through walls. You know what? If they don’t help us, we will not give more money.” Referring to the country’s net budget contribution under its former leader, the technocrat Mario Monti, he added: “The Monti government determined that we give 20 billion [euros] and receive 12, but if Hungary and Slovakia give us moral lessons about our money and then refuse to give us a hand on migrants, that doesn’t work.” | 0 |
Регион: Европа В своей новой статье независимый немецкий журналист Грета Маутнер отмечает, что прощальная поездка уходящего президента США Барака Обамы в Европу стала знаковой во многих отношениях. Прибыв в Европу как представитель проигравшей стороны, Обама пытался успокоить европейских лидеров, встревоженных победой Дональда Трампа, и заверить их, что американская политика в отношении Европы и НАТО с его уходом не претерпит значительных изменений. Как подчеркнуло издание Le Figaro , когда Белый дом сообщил Франции о том, что Барак Обама едет в Европу прощаться, тут же французского президента Франсуа Олланда «попросили», без какого-либо обсуждения, как и его итальянского, испанского и британского коллег, лишь присоединиться к Обаме и немецкому канцлеру в Берлине на собрании «шестерки». В глазах Вашингтона Ангела Меркель затмила Олланда. Однако демонстрируемые «симпатии администрации Обамы» к Ангеле Меркель причудливо сочетаются с активным прослушиванием ее телефонов со стороны американских спецслужб — АНБ и ЦРУ. Демонстрируя свою «непоколебимую верность Белому дому», Меркель сделала все, чтобы «загасить» скандал с прослушкой и вассальной политикой в отношении США, вызвавшей в 2015 году громадный резонанс. Во многом благодаря такой прелюбострастной политики Меркель к Белому дому, администрация Обамы стала чемпионом по «выбиванию» штрафных денег из германских конкурентов: Deutsche Bank (14 млрд долларов) и Volkswagen (15 млрд долларов). Поэтому не удивительно, что уже в первом пункте «европейского прощального турне» — в Афинах особых слез из-за расставаний с Обамой никто не лил. Жители этой «колыбели демократии» показали свое истинное отношение к Обаме и проводимой им политике, тысячами пройдя от Политехнического университета к посольству США в Афинах с антиамериканскими лозунгами и критикой действий Обамы. Похожая реакция была и в Германии, где подобострастная политика Меркель в отношении Белого дома уже стоила ей и партии ХДС значительной потери голосов на сентябрьских берлинских выборах, что привело к возникновению в феврале 2013 года крайне правой, антиевропейской партии «Альтернатива для Германии» (AfD). Наследием Обамы остаются войска в Афганистане, тюрьма в Гуантанамо, спровоцированные «цветные революции» на Ближнем Востоке и конфликт на Украине, тысячи мечущихся по Ближнему Востоку и Европе мирных граждан, потерявших кров из-за военной агрессии администрации Обамы. Именно это и остается в головах миллионов европейцев от 8-летнего бесславного президентства Б. Обамы! Да, остаются слезы, слезы горечи! Но не от того, что политику покидает Обама, а от того, что Обама оставался в ней, к несчастью миллионов людей, целых восемь лет! С полным содержанием статьи вы можете ознакомиться здесь . Популярные статьи | 0 |
Chart Of The Day: Soaring Obamacare Premiums By State
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ALERT: Clinton “Assault Weapon Ban” Resurrected… Gun Owners Beware
Hillary for America speechwriter Lauren Peterson wrote to the Clinton camp on Jan. 14, 2016: “Marie Claire has partnered with Harvard on a study that looks at women and guns … and they’ve asked Hillary to contribute an essay on the subject.”
Campaign political director Amanda Renteria referred to the column entitled “Yes, Guns Are a Women’s Issue” as “a great piece.”
Director of engagement De’Ara Balenger echoed the sentiment but noted a potential point of concern:
“Jordan Davis was killed by a white man, so arguably — this crime was racially motivated, which takes this outside the discussion of gun violence,” Balenger wrote. “Was there another mother in the Chicago meeting where the shooting was not racially motivated? If yes, we should use that story instead of Jordan Davis?”
Policy adviser Corey Ciorciari made the campaign’s stance on using race to push their agenda clear in his response:
“You know where I stand on this,” he wrote. “It can be racially motivated and gun violence should still very much be part of the discussion.” | 0 |
CIUDAD VICTORIA, Tamaulipas — As Mexican drug cartels continue to fight for control of this city, authorities are now investigating another gruesome execution where various suspected cartel members were murdered and set on fire inside a car. [The gruesome discovery was made by Tamaulipas State authorities on Sunday afternoon after emergency services personnel responded to a rural area called Las Norias, near the Esfuerzo Popular neighborhood. Authorities were responding to a call about a torched car. Inside the vehicle, investigators found human remains. Next to the vehicle, the cartel gunman left a poster with a threatening message where a group called La Barredora or the “sweeper” took credit for the murders. It remains unclear which cartel the group is associated with. As Breitbart Texas has been reporting, Ciudad Victoria has been ground zero for an ongoing turf war between rival the factions of Los Zetas. The violence between two rival factions has led to regular kidnappings, murders, shootouts, and gory executions. While the fighting appears to have started in Ciudad Victoria, it has since spread to the Tamaulipas border city of Nuevo Laredo and the neighboring states of Nuevo Leon and Coahuila. Editor’s Note: Breitbart Texas traveled to the Mexican States of Tamaulipas, Coahuila and Nuevo León to recruit citizen journalists willing to risk their lives and expose the cartels silencing their communities. The writers would face certain death at the hands of the various cartels that operate in those areas including the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas if a pseudonym were not used. Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles are published in both English and in their original Spanish. This article was written by “M. A. Navarro” from Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas. | 0 |
HONG KONG — In China, cheap smartphones made by relatively obscure companies aping branded designs are ubiquitous. Usually it is the major brands that go after the smaller companies for patent infringement. But one of China’s phone makers recently filed a patent complaint against Apple in the city of Beijing — and for now, it has won. With an appeals process ahead, the ruling is unlikely to have a major impact on Apple. Still, the action spotlights the growing number of cases of municipal patent offices in China backing local companies against larger, international brands. According to a statement from the Beijing Intellectual Property Office, Apple infringed on a design patent used in a phone called the 100C, made by the Chinese phone maker Baili. The statement ordered Apple to stop selling certain older versions of the iPhone within Beijing, though an appeal of such a ruling to the courts in China usually forestalls any sales injunctions. Apple said it had appealed, and a sales clerk at the Apple Store in the Sanlitun area of Beijing said on Friday evening that the store had received no instructions to stop selling the iPhone models and that “it is business as usual. ” At the store, a handful of iPhone 6 models stood mostly unused as shoppers tapped on the newer 6s models at a nearby table. “IPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, as well as iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus and iPhone SE models, are all available for sale today in China,” Apple said in a statement. “We appealed an administrative order from a regional patent tribunal in Beijing last month, and as a result the order has been stayed pending review by the Beijing I. P. Court. ” The new headache for Apple comes after increased regulatory pressure and problems in China. Recently, a Chinese company won the right to sell leather goods under the iPhone trademark after years of legal back and forth. And Apple’s movie and book services were shut down in the country shortly after they were introduced, a sign of more serious scrutiny from China’s media regulator. The Baili patent case pales in comparison to those troubles, though it underscores the annoyances that can come with running a tech business in China. The country has had its fair share of cases in which manufacturers take on global brands. In perhaps the most famous, Apple paid $60 million to use the iPad trademark. Patent issues like the one Apple has with Baili are common enough that a recent paper in the Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment Technology Law examined the topic. While the paper found that China’s patent system was not structured to benefit Chinese companies, it said there had been a number of recent “ patent suits filed by relatively unknown Chinese firms against foreign tech companies like Apple, Samsung and Dell. ” Once a local intellectual property office in China finds an issue of infringement, companies can decide whether to appeal the matter. At that point, the issue typically is litigated or resolved via a settlement of some kind. | 0 |
Georg Soros the good oil . http://mailstar.net/soros.html Sometimes for truth you have to sacrifice something in order to show non bias , it certainly puts the wind up the mad left raddicals paid by Soros . So the democrats dont think voting is rigged eh???? How do they explain this then ?? Clinton Eugene “Clint” Curtis is an American attorney, computer programmer and ex-employee of NASA and ExxonMobil, who also exposed election hacking. He is notable chiefly for making a series of whistleblower allegations about his former employer and about Republican Congressman Tom Feeney, including an allegation that in 2000, Feeney and Yang Enterprises requested Curtis’s assistance in a scheme to steal votes by inserting fraudulent code into touch screen voting systems. Remember this is the Democrats at the hearing . He tells the members how he was hired by Congressman Tom Feeney in 2000 to build a prototype software package that would secretly rig an election to sway the result 51/49 to a specified side. Now this shows Donald Trump is not only not bias but just wants an honest election and no vote rigging http://www.activistpost.com/2016/03/watch-computer-programmer-testifies-under-oath-he-coded-computers-to-rig-elections.html One might ask who are Yang enterprises ??? Field will like this . There was a reason they did not want to know who they were . http://www.yangenterprises.com/ YEI is a GSA Advantage member, offering Information Technology solutions (GS-35F-0896N), Professional Engineering Services (GS-10F-0107Y), Logistics Worldwide (GS-10F-0135Y), and Facilities Maintenance and Management Services (GS-21F-090AA).YEI receives the Marshall Space Flight Center Small Business Subcontractor Excellence Award.YEI awarded State of Florida IT Consulting Services contract.http://www.dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/state_purchasing/vendor_information/state_contracts_and_agreements/state_term_contracts/information_technology_it_consulting_services/contractors/t_z/contractors_yang_enterprises_inc Name: Li-Woan (Lee) Yang Title: President/CEO Looks like they are all in on it , no wonder its always 50/50 no matter how many people in every western country which is impossible given the differnt cultures . The video is the ultimate smoking gun against the liars who know full well its all rigged . And for the Democrats to be claiming its nottrue is an outrageous lie , they had the inquiry . | 0 |
VIDEO : Unhinged Failing Fox Anchor Megyn Kelly Attacks Mike Pence VIDEO : Unhinged Failing Fox Anchor Megyn Kelly Attacks Mike Pence Videos By Amy Moreno October 27, 2016
Megyn Kelly has completely lost it.
Her show has morphed into a wild circus act, where Kelly screeches and claws at her guests like a crazy menopausal maniac.
As her ratings slide into the abyss, Kelly is grasping at straws, and going the “Jerry Springer” route to try and garner attention.
Mike Pence appeared on her show Wednesday night, where Kelly attacked him for Trump’s CORRECT allegation that our North Korea-style media is rigged, they cherry pick polls, only using “negative ones” against Trump, and that MANY of these polls are HEAVILY oversampled (which they are).
Watch the video: This is a movement – we are the political OUTSIDERS fighting against the FAILED GLOBAL ESTABLISHMENT! Join the resistance and help us fight to put America First! Amy Moreno is a Published Author , Pug Lover & Game of Thrones Nerd. You can follow her on Twitter here and Facebook here . Support the Trump Movement and help us fight Liberal Media Bias. Please LIKE and SHARE this story on Facebook or Twitter. | 0 |
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In the war between police and Black Lives Matter, the cop-hating race-baiters are losing.
A new study shows a dramatic increase in respect for law enforcement among all Americans, including blacks, who have been repeatedly told they were the victims of a racist, white-supremacist-supporting police force.
In just the last year, Americans who say they have a “great deal of respect” for police has jumped from 64 percent to 76 percent — the highest level since 1968. Those saying they have “some” respect for police is down to 17 percent and those claiming to have “hardly any” respect for police is down to 7 percent.
The Gallup survey flies in the face of the narrative of leftists and Black Lives Matter. They’re trying to convince Americans – especially black Americans – that the police are on a racist rampage and that they have nothing more to fear in this country than a man in uniform.
But the public doesn’t buy it.
With both whites and “non-whites,” respect for police is up sharply. Four in five white Americans say they have “a great deal” of respect for the police in their area, while just over two in three “non-whites” also say they have a “great deal” of respect.
Respect for police is highest among Republicans, at 86 percent, but even 68 percent of Democrats claim a “great deal” of respect.
Adults 55 and older (81%) have the most respect, but even those 18-34 had high levels of respect at 71%.
There is a moral to this for the BLM Social Justice Warriors: You can paint our cops as racist thugs, but we know better. Police risk their lives every day to protect us and deserve our utmost respect. And judging by this poll, they’re getting it.
From the Gallup Poll:
The sharp increase over the past year in professed respect for local law enforcement comes as many police say they feel they are on the defensive — both politically and for their lives while they are on duty — amid heated national discussions on police brutality and shootings. After an officer was killed by a gunman in Harlem last year, then-New York City Police Commissioner Bill Bratton warned that the U.S. has fostered “an anti-police attitude that has grown” and that the national dialogue on police-community relations needs to discourage individuals who “exhibit anti-police behavior or attitudes.”
Louisiana became the first state to pass a bill that treats acts targeted against police officers as a hate crime. Other states are discussing passing similar laws. It’s unclear whether the spike in respect for police will have staying power or if it reflects mostly a reaction to the retaliatory killings against police officers last summer.
Although confidence in police varies among subgroups, majorities of all groups say they have a great deal of respect for their local police. And the percentage of national adults who say they have “hardly any” respect for local law enforcement remains small. | 0 |
The Guardian has published an article on the rise of the robot economy, with some fairly dramatic predictions. Not only could the rich get richer, writes the author, but it is “perfectly plausible” that they could choose to eliminate the poor. [From the article: Meanwhile, robotic capital would enable elites to completely secede from society. From private jets to private islands, the rich already devote a great deal of time and expense to insulating themselves from other people. But even the best fortified luxury bunker is tethered to the outside world, so long as capital needs labor to reproduce itself. Mass automation would make it possible to sever this link. Equipped with an infinite supply of workerless wealth, elites could seal themselves off in a gated paradise, leaving the unemployed masses to rot. If that scenario isn’t bleak enough, consider the possibility that mass automation could lead not only to the impoverishment of working people, but to their annihilation. In his book Four Futures, Peter Frase speculates that the economically redundant hordes outside the gates would only be tolerated for so long. After all, they might get restless — and that’s a lot of possible pitchforks. “What happens if the masses are dangerous but are no longer a working class, and hence of no value to the rulers?” Frase writes. “Someone will eventually get the idea that it would be better to get rid of them. ” He gives this future an appropriately frightening name: “exterminism” a world defined by the “genocidal war of the rich against the poor”. The author argues that without “substantive political change,” such a scenario is “perfectly plausible. ” He also argues that a robot tax, an idea recently endorsed by Bill Gates, ought to be considered. These dystopias may sound like science fiction, but they’re perfectly plausible given our current trajectory. The technology around robotics and artificial intelligence will continue to improve — but without substantive political change, the outcome will range from bad to apocalyptic for most people. That’s why the recent rumblings about a robot tax are worth taking seriously. They offer an opportunity to develop the political response to mass automation now, before it’s too late. Read the full piece at The Guardian, You can follow Allum Bokhari on Twitter and add him on Facebook. Email tips and suggestions to abokhari@breitbart. com. | 0 |
BREAKING: Clinton Fixer Reveals Sick Smear Hillary Ordered Against Monica
But he saved his most serious condemnation for the Democrat nominee.
Huckabee stated that Clinton had always been “surrounded by people who have never told her no.” Just like a child who always gets her way, there needs to be someone willing to take on this problem child and offer the discipline she so desperately needs.
“Is there any Republican who has breath left who could stand back and let that happen, without doing everything they can to stop it, and the only roadblock to that level of corruption that could forever taint our government is Donald Trump?” Huckabee continued.
Then he really broke it down…
“She lies to Congress … she treats foreign governments like they’re a piggy bank for the Clinton Foundation … she violates the law whenever she wants … she uses the government agencies like the FBI and the IRS to go after her own personal opponents. I don’t think Hillary could give a rip for people who are out there lifting heavy things and getting their hands dirty and greasy — she looks at them … as people she could put in her basket of deplorables.” | 0 |
Print Email http://humansarefree.com/2016/11/verified-report-these-cops-left.html Standing Rock, North Dakota ( TFC ) — Widespread outrage over both the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline and violent police crackdowns rages on. That outrage is spreading even to police agencies now returning from deployment to the reservation. Two departments have already refused to return, citing personal and public objections. As if that wasn’t enough, an army of sympathizers is re-purposing social media to combat police efforts in Standing Rock.Minnesota’s Hennepin County Sheriff’s Department is among that group. Lawmakers, according to MPR News , found police activities in Standing Rock “inappropriate”.It’s to the point where they’re considering rewriting legislation to avoid future deployments to incidents like the pipeline resistance.Police officials, of course, declined to comment on their return from North Dakota or their feelings on what’s happening there. It’s also made the task of rebuilding trust with the community an even loftier uphill battle. “I do not support Sheriff Stanek’s decision to send his deputies to North Dakota”, says LT. Governor Tina Smith, “nor did we approve his decision to begin with. I do not have any control over the Sheriff’s actions, which I think were wrong, and I believe he should bring his deputies home if he hasn’t already.”Smith’s comments split the state’s government, however, and she was targeted. Minnesota State Rep. Tony Cornish condemned Smith for prioritizing “the rights of protesters over the needs of law enforcement”, saying she should apologize to the cops.Sheriffs from Wisconsin’s Dane County were more empathetic, pulling out and refusing to return. According to the Bismarck Tribune , Sheriff Dave Mahoney made the decision after a “wide cross-section of the community” decried the deployment. “All share the opinion that our deputies should not be involved in this situation”, says Mahoney. Dane County’s deputies were deployed to Standing Rock for around a week. Sources report Dane County wasn’t involved in recent arrests, a string of which scooped up an alderwoman from Madison Wisconsin.Ald. Rebecca Kemble traveled to North Dakota as a “legal observer”, filming and participating in prayer ceremonies. When Morton County officers–if they cans till be called that–grabbed and arrested her for engaging in a riot. According to Kemble, no riot was happening. Other Wisconsin departments have been recalled, with at least one staying behind for a more couple weeks.Many other citizens have been charged for trespassing and participating in non-existent riots, including journalists. One of the most renowned reporters who’s faced DAPL (Dakota Access Pipeline)-related charges was Amy Goodman of Democracy Now . Goodman’s team filmed dog attacks by DAPL contractors who lacked proper K9 licenses. The contractors have also been accused of unethical surveillance, intimidation, and sabotaging the movement by attempting to make authorities believe the protesters have finally turned violent.Other journalists, including documentarian Deia Schlosberg, face decades in prison for filming climate activists at a separate oil project. Journalists from the independent outlet Unicorn Riot, who recently reported use of a sound cannon on water protectors, have also been arrested.Thousands of opponents to the pipeline have flooded Standing Rock to repel construction and police brutality. More still have taken to the internet, spreading information in the form of writing, video, photography, and art. Among the renegade tactics is using Facebook to “check-in” at Standing Rock. According to the Guardian , over a million people – even people I know – have joined the action.It began with a Facebook post, disclosing that Morton County sheriffs are allegedly using Facebook check-ins to track protesters. “Checking in”– whether you’re at a friend’s, restaurant, or escalating resistance – pinpoints your location to a tee. Once you check in, a notification is sent out to, yes, your friends, but theoretically anyone who’s capable of watching. It’s yet another tool in the bag of tricks authorities have deployed against civilians, and are likely utilizing in Standing Rock.Some detractors have dismissed the social media action as a waste of time. An editor at The Fifth Column challenged these in a Facebook post, narrating a debate on the subject he’d had. Editor Justin King pointed out that even if the check-in’s wasted two minutes of time, multiplied by hundreds of thousands, that equates to two months of wasted police work. Now imagine how ineffective the surveillance may be with millions continuously checking.Morton County Sheriff’s, Guardian reports, called claims of police surveillance misguided “rumors”. Morton County, by their own account, isn’t “monitoring Facebook check-ins for the protest camp or any location for that matter.”Before you trust them, consider that Facebook access for water protectors was reported as “blocked’ during a military-style raid on a camp . Data Collection Nationwide Other police departments are similarly sketchy when pressured to speak on their surveillance technologies. Wisconsin’s Milwaukee PD hid the use of cell site simulators , or Stingrays, from courts for months. Stingrays mimic cellphone towers, thus tricking phones into providing all manner of user information and data.Nearby, the Wauwatosa Police Department , despite having admitting to “collecting and analyzing cell phone data” in its public reports , denied ever even coming close to a Stingray. It took the department 5 weeks to respond to that open records request, which is considered unusually long. It remains unknown how Wauwatosa PD, which has been blasted for lack of transparency before , collects cell phone data. The Hand’s Fingers In Open Rebellion In addition to the general retreat of departments, two officers have already turned in their badges in support of the protesters. North Dakota water protector Redhawk, MintPress reports , disclosed the revelation. The individual also pointed out “you can see it in some of them, that they do not support the police actions.”“Some are waking up”, they continued, “we must keep reminding them that they are welcome to put down their weapons and badge and take a stand against the pipeline as well.”Hints of shame could be seen in the faces of officers who confronted protesters as they blocked them from prayer grounds. As the protesters condemned officers , some of whom looked down or off to the horizon in shame.The modern era of internet and technology gifts us with a plethora of ways to express ourselves, and help one another. Standing Rock is quickly becoming a stand out of that fact.Citizens, journalists, and activists are all using the internet to achieve their own goals. Whether that be spreading information being blocked, tracking police movements, sending food and rations or just voicing opinions. Standing Rock’s resistance is spreading globally, with protests occurring in Europe and elsewhere. As long as construction doesn’t stop, the movement won’t rest. | 1 |
Written by Eric Margolis Saturday November 19, 2016 Russia’s dispatch of a ten-ship flotilla to the Syrian Coast has raised some outrage and sneers aplenty in the West. Particularly when one of its embarked MiG-29K fighters crashed on takeoff from Russia’s sole carrier, the obsolescent Admiral Kuznetsov which lacks catapults. Joining Kuznetsov are believed to be two "Akula" class nuclear-powered attack submarines that are much feared by Western navies. On the surface will be the powerful, missile-armed battle-cruiser, "Peter the Great." Unlike Western warships, which are essentially fragile tin cans packed with electronics, "Peter the Great" is armored and built to withstand punishment. Other Russian missile frigates and supply ships are also off Syria. Washington just hates it when the Russians dare do what the US has been doing since World War II: conduct gunboat diplomacy, however limited. As a student of Russian naval affairs, I’m watching the current deployment of warships from the Red Banner Northern Fleet with much interest. Russia has wanted to be a major naval power since the days of Peter the Great in the early 1700’s, but it has always faced the curse of Russian geography. In spite of limited access to the world’s seas, Russia is largely a landlocked nation spread over vast distances. Russia faces geographic barriers every way that it turns. Most important, Russia’s major fleets – Northern, Baltic, Black Sea, and Pacific – are unable to concentrate on supporting one another due to geographical constraints. Compare this to the mighty US Navy that can move all but the largest warships from the Pacific to Atlantic or vice versa. All major US naval bases give easy access to the high seas. The only Russian ports that do are remote Vladivostok and even remoter Petropavlovsk on Kamchatka – that has no land link to the rest of Russia. No Russian can forget the calamity of the 1903-1904 Russo-Japanese War. Russia’s Pacific Squadron was largely bottled up in the naval fortress at Port Arthur by a surprise Japanese attack, 38 years before the Pearl Harbor attack. As a result, Russia has to send its Baltic Fleet more than halfway around the globe to the North Pacific on a 33,000km (18,000 miles) journey of the damned that took nearly half a year.] An accidental encounter in the fog with the British herring fleet nearly provoked a war with Great Britain – which reacted with similar alarm as Vladimir Putin’s fleet sailed by Britain on the way to Syria. On 27 May 1905, the combined Russian fleet was ambushed off Korea at Tsushima by Japan’s brilliant admiral, Hideki Togo. After a fierce battle (I’ve sailed over the exact spot) the Russian fleet was sunk or captured, the first time a Western power had been defeated. Tsushima lit the fuse of the 1917 Russian revolution. Russia’s inability to unite its fleets threatened their defeat in detail in a major war. World War II saw the Russian fleets more engaged in naval infantry land battles than maritime operations. During the Cold War, the US and its allies were able to bottle up Russia’s fleets by sealing off the Greenland-Iceland-UK gap, then Baltic exits at the Skaggerak Strait, and the Black Sea exit at the Turkish Straits. The US Navy planned to directly attack Russia’s Pacific Ports and cut the Tran Siberian railroad that supplied them. As a final impediment, the US SOSUS underwater hydrophone system was able to spot Soviet submarines from the time they left their home ports. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia’s neglected navy atrophied and rusted. The current mission to Syrian waters is an important sign that the Kremlin intends to restore some of its former naval power and assert Russian interests in Syria, where its had maintained a modest supply and repair depot at Tartus since 1971. Moscow’s use of naval forces to fire missiles and launch air strikes at jihadist rebels in Syria is its biggest naval venture since 1990. Interestingly, Moscow used its almost forgotten Caspian Sea squadron to launch missiles at the same jihadists. Such strikes could have been done solely from land. The Kremlin was signaling that its strategic reach had lengthened. America’s legions of pro-war neocons are now screaming that the Red Navy’s deployment to Syrian waters is somehow a grave threat to the West. It is not. The US Navy and land-based NATO airpower could easily deal with the Russians. What really worries the neocons is that the Russian flotilla might deter or impede an Israeli attack on Syria and Lebanon. And besides, is Russia not allowed to have a navy? Syria’s coast is as close to Russia as Mazatlan, Mexico is to Texas. Reprinted with permission from LewRockwell.com . Related | 1 |
0 comments There are thousands of children who live under ISIS control and they are training them to kill and terrorize. They are teaching them to blow people up and shoot them.
These ISIS children are becoming suicide bombers and they are executing people. Many have yet to reach puberty.
Throughout history, evil has taken advantage of the innocence and pliability of children. ISIS has taken that to the extreme.
This video will tear your heart in half and make you angry at the same time.
If these children come to our shores, what do we do? How do we deal with this insanity? ISIS’ children have proven to be effective weapons. ISIS is extremely organized in the preparation of these children. The Observer reports :
While they learn the deadly art of warfare, the children are also schooled in the three Rs—readin’, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic. ISIS runs a network of schools that the children attend. A Foreign Affairs piece by Mia Bloom attests to two schools that cater to English-speaking students.
Some of the children are local, but many of them are foreigners, that is, not born and bred in Syria, Iraq or Yemen. The kids come from all over the world and the schools are set up to teach them in their native languages. They come from all over including China and Kazakhstan, from Belgium and Germany and England and the US.
They even come from Israel.
ISIS figured it out without our help. Children play a very large role in their own propaganda and recruiting materials. They also play central roles in their activity. Highly trained kids are referred to by ISIS elders as their “cubs.” These “cubs” are the crème de la crème.
We face a religion of evil. It is not a religion of peace.These men are pure evil and this latest tactic proves such. I hope those in our government are thinking of how to deal with these children if they ever reach our shores. It will not be an easy solution. | 0 |
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Corruption – defined as: 1 a: impairment of integrity, virtue, or moral principle: DEPRAVITY b: DECAY,DECOMPISITION c: inducement to wrong by improper or unlawful means (as bribery) d: a departure from the original or from what is correct 2 archaic ; an agency or influence that corrupts.
Now that the FBI has decided to continue the Hillary Clinton emails investigation , Clinton has stated that she wants the FBI to show what they have; our guess is that if Comey did show what he had, Clinton would first laugh and then say they are of no importance. We tried to find another individual that made such a statement and could find none. What we did find was the way the Nazi Party told the Jews just before they killed them, “We will not hurt you; all that is just a lot of lies.” With the latest information coming out on Hillary Rodham Clinton , we have decided to just let it go because she buried herself by sending classified or secret emails to her dear friend Huma Abedin . Of course Clinton is going to downplay all this new investigation going on about her.
The corruption in the rank and file of the Clinton Campaign, the Clinton Foundation, and all of what seems to be at her call for whatever she wants, is now being opened to the eyes of those whom Clinton has a distaste for but whose votes she still wants. In Rewriting History in 2005, Hillary stated to Dick Morris her clear ideas of what the Democratic voters were to her:
“Look, the average Democrat voter is just plain stupid. They’re easy to manipulate. That’s the easy part.”
This alone should make the Democrats question why they should support an individual that calls them “stupid.” But the corruption does not end with this, and this corruption will follow Clinton to the White House, should she be elected to spew their corruption even deeper into the Washington, D.C., political machine she will have set up for her by her helpers. This CORRUPTION is nothing new to Hillary Rodham Clinton; she did it in the Watergate Scandal, where she was kicked out of the investigation due to her corruption.
With the distribution of the wikileaks disclosures of the emails from and to her top campaign advisors, it seems that they are working overtime to drum the next scandal into the ground as the following one pops up. Yes, they are very good at deflecting the attention from the scandals that surround Hillary Clinton, but that is the normal approach using the tried and true Communist Saul Alinsky approach to disguise the wrong with a distraction of others. While people are looking at the distraction, Hillary’s scandals are swept under the rug until the next one pops up. All of the Clinton staff knows how to do this and Clinton has the best at distraction: John Podesta.
Clinton seems to think that the FBI has nothing on her, and she laughs it off as nothing once again; but we heard that type of talk from none other than her idol, Saul Alinsky .
In Living History , she describes her views during that time as far more pragmatic than leftwing.
She “agreed with some of Alinsky’s ideas,” Clinton wrote in her first memoir, but the two had a “fundamental disagreement” over his anti-establishment tactics.
She described how this disagreement led to her parting ways with Alinsky in the summer before law school in 1969.
“He offered me the chance to work with him when I graduated from college, and he was disappointed that I decided instead to go to law school,” she wrote.
“Alinsky said I would be wasting my time, but my decision was an expression of my belief that the system could be changed from within.”
Hillary Clinton states rather clearly that she broke lines with Saul Alinsky because she felt that she could better do what he stated from within the “establishment.” She has not changed from that stance of change from within.
But Hillary Clinton does not do this to help the poor or even the voters: no, she reaches out to voters to place her in the White House so she can cause much more corruption at higher levels, making sure the Clinton Foundation gets rich off her being president, and she only needs the people to win.
And how about a view in the Moroccan deal that gave her a chance to get 12 million dollars for her Clinton Foundation? Let us take a look at RT news:
“$12 Million Payoff from the King of Morocco to Hillary
In a mail from February 2016, simply titled ‘speaking at the banks,’ Neera Tanden, the President and CEO of the Center for American Progress, suggests to John Podesta that Clinton “should just return the money” if she “lose[s] badly.”
Another email from Clinton aide Huma Abedin to Mook and Podesta in January 2015 details how Moroccan authorities donated to the Clinton Foundation’s Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) to get access to Clinton.
Abedin says the “King has personally committed approx $12 million both for the endowment and to support the meeting” and that “the condition upon which the Moroccans agreed to host the meeting was her participation. If hrc was not part of it, meeting was a non-starter.”
Can you believe that Hillary Clinton can get away with this? If this had been any one of the people on any Republican ticket, they would be bared from being in any election, due to their corruption. Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, just continues on like none of this has happened, ignoring the poor people that wish they had just a tenth of what she got here. Take another look at a group that is bound to duty to destroy as much of the Constitution as they can, the Center for American Progress. That group is supported by the Nazi sympathizer George Soros, who worked with Hillary Clinton to develop another group that is called, the Shadow Party. We did discuss this in an earlier article .
The idea that Hillary Clinton worked with a Nazi sympathizer like George Soros should make people stand up and ask serious questions, but our news media has their pockets lined by Soros, and they would never do anything to make him mad. It is kind of like what the Nazi Party did to the German people in 1932: control the news media and have them print and say only what Adolph Hitler said they could say, much like what they are doing today. We defeated the Nazi’s in 1945, but George Soros ran to the United States later to hide from those he allowed to suffer. Today, it would almost seem to indicate that maybe George Soros has his lady in place for his final battle on the free people of the United States. Think about that for a while and understand that Hillary Clinton gets a lot of support from George Soros.
We asked if Hillary Rodham Clinton was maybe a Communist , but with George Soros pulling her strings, maybe she is an undercover Nazi?
But with the emails coming out about John Podesta and Hillary Clinton, we have to wonder just what is going on here. Both Hillary and Podesta actually wish to destroy the Constitution. John Podesta is working to destroy the Constitution; we showed a part of that in the above referenced article.
To close, we wish we would not have such a bad election as this one–one where voting Democratic is nearly like voting to eliminate the Constitution. Voting Republican, we get a man who has no need to run for president other than to, as he stated, “to clean the swamp.” We hear from the “Public” side of Hillary Clinton, while on the “Private” side of Hillary Clinton, she has a totally different idea for the United States. In one instance, Clinton said, “The Supreme Court is wrong on the Second Amendment.” Just what part of the Second Amendment was she talking about?
We do hope that our nation wakes up very soon and sees that the Democratic Party has turned into a Socialist Party that borders upon a Communist ideology. The United States was never designed for such ill and vile ideas as both Socialists and Communists wish to impose upon the people of the United States. Our nation was designed to be a free nation, with the free entanglement of ideas, discussing how we can do better, not how we can dissolve the very Constitution that made our nation great. This election is down to what the people wish: Freedom, or a Socialist state where the poor remain poor and the rich (like the corrupt Hillary Clinton) keep getting rich. It is our time to decide what will go down in the history of the United States as the most important election of our nation. Vote for what is right for our nation, not for what we as individuals can get out of it. That is not what the United States is. Comment on this Article Via Your Facebook Account Comment on this Article Via Your Disqus Account Follow Us on Facebook! | 1 |
TORONTO — A week ago, most Oscar prognosticators and strategists had effectively written off Harvey Weinstein as a player in this year’s awards race. His movie company, troubled by executive departures and misfires, had neither the money nor the manpower needed to sustain an awards campaign, Hollywood conventional wisdom held. And Mr. Weinstein’s primary contender this time around, “Lion,” an adoption drama set in India and based on an astonishing true story, was generating virtually no tastemaker buzz. What a difference the Toronto International Film Festival can make. The festival, which runs until Sunday, has shaken up the coming film season in multiple ways. “Jackie,” starring Natalie Portman as President John F. Kennedy’s traumatized widow, was thrust into the Oscar conversation on Tuesday, when Fox Searchlight — perhaps hedging its bet on “The Birth of a Nation,” now surrounded by controversy — bought the film after its screening here. The studio plans to release “Jackie” on Dec. 9. Footage from “Hidden Figures,” about black female mathematicians who helped NASA put Americans on the moon, made a boisterous debut. “Sing,” a coming animated movie about a vocal competition, may have elbowed its way into the race for best cartoon, an unusually competitive category this year. But few used the festival to better advantage than Mr. Weinstein, who is credited with inventing and perfecting the modern awards game, even if his Oscar entrant last season, “Carol,” came up short. “Lion,” which stars Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman and Rooney Mara, had its premiere here on Saturday — most major films, including “Jackie,” had already been seen elsewhere — and generated a stream of euphoric responses from entertainment reporters and some critics. “Harvey’s baaack,” Scott Feinberg, a longtime Academy Awards handicapper for The Hollywood Reporter, said on Twitter. In a subsequent article analyzing “Lion,” Mr. Feinberg wrote, “The nature of its story and reception suggests, to me, that embattled Harvey is headed back to the place where he’s most at home: the Oscars. ” “Lion” is based on Saroo Brierley’s memoir (with Larry Buttrose) recounting his days on the streets as a boy, adoption and eventual quest to find his birth mother. Pundits are not critics, of course, and from trade publications were mixed. Some saw a crowd pleaser in “Lion,” which is set for release on Nov. 25 and directed by Garth Davis in his debut. (Until now, Mr. Davis has been primarily known for commercials, including “Ninja Kittens” for Toyota.) But a few other critics were underwhelmed, with Peter Debruge of Variety especially cutting. Mr. Weinstein was not available for an interview, according to David Glasser, the Weinstein Company’s president and chief operating officer. For his part, Mr. Glasser, speaking by telephone on Monday night, said that his studio made a strategic decision to keep as much of a lid on “Lion” as possible ahead of the Toronto event. “Bring it in, and let the audience discover it — that was the goal,” Mr. Glasser said. “We’re thrilled that people responded so favorably. ” But a nagging question remains: Does the Weinstein Company have the resources required to make a real splash for “Lion” on the awards circuit? Oscar campaigns can cost millions of dollars. Although the studio found various levels of success last year with “Southpaw” and “Woman in Gold,” recent releases like “Hands of Stone,” a boxing drama, and the period musical “Sing Street” have failed to connect with ticket buyers. In July, the company rescheduled two releases virtually at the last minute, prompting speculation about its financial health. Executive departures have also raised eyebrows in Hollywood. Mr. Glasser grew indignant when asked whether the Weinstein Company could afford to mount a awards campaign for “Lion. ” “It’s the most ridiculous comment I’ve ever heard,” he said. “Do we have the wherewithal? Yes. Absolutely. Unconditionally. ” Along with “Lion,” the Weinstein Company is gearing up for the releases of “The Founder,” about Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton) and his creation of the McDonald’s empire, and “Gold,” starring Matthew McConaughey as a prospector who runs into trouble in the jungles of Borneo. But “Lion” is the studio’s primary hope for an hit. While it faces obstacles at the box office — a large portion of the film, for instance, is in Bengali with English subtitles — Mr. Glasser said he was confident that a strong campaign and positive word of mouth would help “Lion” strike a chord with ticket buyers, not to mention awards voters. (“Lion” comes from a producing team that includes Iain Canning and Emile Sherman, two of the forces behind “The King’s Speech,” which won best picture for Mr. Weinstein and his brother, Bob, at the 2011 Academy Awards.) And the Weinsteins may well have another “Lion” trick or two up their sleeves. Expect them, for instance, to connect the film to philanthropic efforts to help young Indian orphans. “Not only is this an amazing true story,” Mr. Glasser said, “but it also brings attention to an incredibly relevant social cause. ” | 1 |
No one would dispute that Miami has put itself on the map of places that matter in the visual arts world, largely because of the fair Art Basel Miami Beach. But what happens when the circus leaves town? Much more than in the past. Few cities have come so far and so fast as Miami in terms of creating new, arts institutions. The last three years in particular have been a flurry of activity — indeed, many of the biggest museums and cultural centers weren’t around before 2013, or they existed in smaller, less ambitious forms. Buildings designed by acclaimed international architects have been constructed or are underway, campaigns have struck gold with a few choice donors, and leaders for the new institutions have flocked to Miami from all over. “It’s remarkably robust,” said Thomas Collins, now the executive director and president of the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia. He lived in Miami for six years, helping to start 2013’s Pérez Art Museum Miami (known as PAMM, and formerly the Miami Art Museum) and its new facility, designed by the renowned Swiss architecture firm Herzog de Meuron. “Every time someone launched a new institution, I thought, ‘This is it, we don’t have enough resources or audience,’” Mr. Collins said. “But that hasn’t proven true. ” The newest entry, debuting this week, is one of the most unusual: Miami Beach’s Faena Forum, a structure topped by a dome and oculus that was designed by the architect Rem Koolhaas’s firm, OMA, at a cost of some $150 million. The Forum, intended to anchor the larger Faena District in the area, will host programming by the separate nonprofit group Faena Art, but will also be put to other noncultural uses, including events. Faena Art is the brainchild of two Argentines, the real estate developer and hotelier Alan Faena and his wife, the curator Ximena Caminos. It aims to fill a gap in local cultural offerings, with an emphasis on performance rather than static exhibitions. Some will occur at the Forum, and some elsewhere, and all the events are free. The Forum was supposed to open a year ago. “It’s finally here,” said Ms. Caminos, who directs Faena Art. She and Mr. Faena moved to Miami three years ago. They started the Faena Art programming with a typically nontraditional event this week, a “processional” called “Tide by Side” that was conceived by the performance art specialist Claire Tancons. “The scene has been developing,” Ms. Caminos said of Miami. “It’s stronger and more layered. ” Despite the opening events this week that are timed to the art fairs, “We want to change the center of gravity to other parts of the year,” Ms. Caminos said. “It can’t only be driven by Art Basel. We’re more focused on locals, not those migratory birds. ” Faena Art’s performance and lecture series, “Soledades,” began this week at Faena Forum with a dance event, “Once With Me, Once Without Me. ” In the spring the Forum will host the Biennale of Moving Images. Many of the leaders of the other top institutions also hail from elsewhere, including Franklin Sirmans, a former curator at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art who succeeded Mr. Collins as director of PAMM a year ago. Mr. Sirmans noted one of the traditional strengths of the city. “One of the distinctions of Miami is that we have all these private collections,” he said, referring to the Rubell Family Collection, the de la Cruz Collection and the Margulies Collection, among others, all of which are open to the public. “But as the public museum, our responsibility is different,” he said, referring to the PAMM’s effort to reach a large audience with varied programming. Heterogeneity, he said, is baked into Miami’s art scene. “That’s another distinctive thing about us,” Mr. Sirmans said. “Most people are from somewhere else. percent or so speak Spanish, 50 percent are not born here. We are a city that builds itself off our diversity. ” Latin America is a natural focus for PAMM and is reflected in the programming at the museum, which in November introduced three exhibitions including “Julio Le Parc: Form into Action,” a survey of the artist that remains on view until March 19. The museum just announced that it received a large new gift from the benefactor whose name is already on the door — the billionaire real estate developer Jorge M. Pérez — consisting of $10 million cash and a group of 200 works by Cuban artists valued at $5 million. Mr. Pérez, whose initial $40 million gift the museum’s building project, said that as a younger city than New York or Boston, Miami was still developing its philanthropic habits. “Our money is new money,” he said. Mr. Pérez added that having strong programming was the key to staying vibrant. “It’s great for Miami to have a place that tourists come to,” he said. “But the main reason for the museum is to serve Miamians. ” Mr. Sirmans stressed that the museum was not relying on just one donor to fuel its future ambitions. “It’s not only the usual suspects,” he said of PAMM’s patrons. “It’s a deeper bench than you think. ” The collectors Irma and Norman Braman are solely funding 2017’s most important opening, a new Design District home for the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami. The ICA. founded in 2014, has been operating in temporary quarters, but next December it plans to move into a foot building by the Spanish architectural firm Aranguren + Gallegos Arquitectos (the cost has not yet been disclosed). The ICA’s new director, Ellen Salpeter, started her job less than a year ago, after working as a deputy director at the Jewish Museum in New York. With the wave of new institutions, the leadership of each one is thinking about how to distinguish itself among the others. The ICA, Ms. Salpeter said, is “nimble, a smaller museum than the Pérez. We’re something you can duck into and see a show. ” She added that the role of the ICA, which has free admission, thanks to philanthropic support from a variety of patrons, was to stage groundbreaking exhibits, like the current show, “One Day on Success Street,” the first major American survey of the German artist Thomas Bayrle. “We specialize in firsts,” Ms. Salpeter said. She said that the Miami art scene still had a ways to go, especially in terms of art galleries and small, nonprofit spaces. But there are certainly signs the Miami wave has not yet crested, as even the older institutions spruce themselves up. The Bass Museum of Art, a contemporary museum founded in 1964, is closed as it undergoes a $12 million renovation scheduled to be revealed this spring. Ms. Salpeter echoed the other Miami leaders in saying that the activity, rather than creating an adversarial environment, was welcome. She added, “A rising tide lifts all boats. ” | 1 |
WASHINGTON — After incurring their wrath for his handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s email use, some Democrats now see James B. Comey, the F. B. I. director, as a potential ally in trying to block Donald J. Trump’s promises to revive the practice of sending terrorism suspects to the military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and interrogate them using banned techniques such as waterboarding. For three years, Mr. Comey has helped carry out President Obama’s counterterrorism vision, in which F. B. I. agents have interrogated suspected terrorists and turned them over to the Justice Department for prosecution in criminal courts. During his confirmation hearing in 2013, Mr. Comey told the Senate Judiciary Committee that he believed waterboarding was torture. Mr. Trump’s nominee to serve as attorney general, Senator Jeff Sessions, has been a fierce critic of the Obama administration’s approach. He has argued that terrorism suspects should be sent to Guantánamo Bay and interrogated without access to lawyers and the right to remain silent. If confirmed, Mr. Sessions would be Mr. Comey’s boss. Mr. Sessions has also said the United States weakened itself by banning techniques such as waterboarding, which he said were legal and effective. He voted against the Detainee Treatment Act in 2005 that prohibited cruel or degrading treatment of detainees. Last year, he voted against legislation requiring all government agencies to use only interrogation methods in the Army Field Manual. Those techniques do not include waterboarding. Mr. Sessions has said he would not rule out waterboarding again. “This would be unwise advice to the enemy we face,” the senator said in 2008. He has opposed the closing of the Guantánamo Bay prison and the transporting of terrorists to the United States to face trial in federal court. The positions taken by Mr. Comey in recent years could put him at odds with not just Mr. Sessions but other members of Mr. Trump’s national security team. “Given the recent slate of appointments from the F. B. I. Director Comey may well turn out to be a bulwark against the worst abuses and provide some defense of the rule of law,” said Faiza Patel of the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University, who is a frequent critic of the F. B. I. Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn, who was offered the key position of national security adviser in the Trump White House, has said he might be open to using enhanced interrogation techniques, with certain limits, if the country faced a terrorism attack using weapons of mass destruction or another grave threat. Representative Mike Pompeo, Republican of Kansas, Mr. Trump’s choice to run the Central Intelligence Agency, is an advocate of restarting the agency’s detention and interrogation program, which Mr. Obama ended. Mr. Pompeo has criticized Mr. Obama’s decision in January 2009 to shut down the agency’s prisons and require all interrogators to strictly adhere to laws and use only Army Field Manual interrogation techniques. In 2014, he accused Mr. Obama of refusing “to take the war on radical Islamic terrorism seriously,” citing among other policies the “ending our interrogation program in 2009. ” Mr. Pompeo also took aim at a Senate report on the C. I. A. detention and interrogation program, saying its release had put American lives at risk. Under Mr. Comey, the F. B. I. has worked with the military to capture and prosecute terrorism suspects in federal court. In 2014, F. B. I. agents and Army Delta Force commandoes captured Ahmed Abu Khattala, a suspected ringleader of the 2012 terrorist attacks in Benghazi, Libya, and took him to a Navy ship in the Mediterranean Sea. Republicans, including Mr. Pompeo, criticized the administration, saying Mr. Khattala should have been taken to Guantánamo Bay. Daniel Jones, a former F. B. I. analyst who led the Senate investigation into the C. I. A. detention and interrogation program, said there was no guarantee that Mr. Comey would ally himself with Democrats to oppose a change in policy under Mr. Trump. Mr. Comey’s refusal while deputy attorney general in the George W. Bush administration to sign on to a National Security Agency surveillance program — an action that burnished a reputation for political independence — “doesn’t mean he’s not a conservative Republican in opposition to the Democratic agenda,” Mr. Jones said. Mr. Comey drew criticism from Democrats after notifying Congress on Oct. 28 that the F. B. I. had discovered emails potentially relevant to the case involving Mrs. Clinton’s use of a private email server as secretary of state, only to say days before the election that they did not change his determination that she should not face charges. Mrs. Clinton, among others, has said his actions contributed to her losing the election. Ali Soufan, a security consultant and former F. B. I. agent who has supported criminal trials for terrorists, said Mr. Comey deserved credit for making hard decisions in the email case. He predicted Mr. Comey would do the same in a new administration. “Will he win all the arguments? I don’t believe so,” he said. “Will he stand up and fight? I believe so. ” | 1 |
NTEB Ads Privacy Policy It Is Now Up To The American People To Make Sure Crooked Hillary Is Stopped At The Ballot Box On November 8th, the American people will have the opportunity to do what the FBI and the Department of Justice refuse to do, deliver a guilty verdict against Crooked Hillary Clinton. By casting your vote to stop her, you can decide if America will be made great again, or whether we will wallow in a festering swamp of corruption. The choice is all yours, America. by Geoffrey Grider November 7, 2016 Crooked Hillary, Slick Willy, and the entire Clinton Crime Family organization represent the very worst of a corrupt system that has been allowed to operate for far too long.
“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.” Proverbs 29:2 (KJV)
On November 8th , the American people will have the opportunity to do what the FBI and the Department of Justice refuse to do, deliver a guilty verdict against Crooked Hillary Clinton. By casting your vote to stop her, you can decide if America will be made great again, or whether we will wallow in a festering swamp of corruption. The choice is all yours, America. Donald Trump’s Argument For America: WikiLeaks: DNC and CNN colluded on questions for Trump, Cruz Newly released emails from WikiLeaks suggest that the Democratic National Committee colluded with CNN in devising questions in April to be asked of then-Republican primary candidate Donald Trump in an upcoming interview. In an email to DNC colleagues on April 25 with the headline “Trump Questions for CNN,” a DNC official with the email username asked for ideas for an interview to be conducted by CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer.”Wolf Blitzer is interviewing Trump on Tues ahead of his foreign policy address on Wed. … Please send me thoughts by 10:30 AM tomorrow.”The sender of the email would seem to be DNC Research Director Lauren Dillon, who was identified in previous reports of DNC emails released by WikiLeaks in July. Stay abreast of the latest developments from nation’ source Jill Stein agrees with Donald Trump, Crooked Hillary must be stopped “Get ready for war with Russia” if Hillary Clinton is elected president, said progressive Green Party presidential nominee Jill Stein.“This election, we are not only deciding what kind of world we will have, but whether we will have a world or not going forward,” Stein warned, explaining that Clinton’s trigger-happy militarism “is a mushroom cloud waiting to happen.”While Stein explained that the dangers posed by a Clinton presidency are “arguably even more immediate and intense.”, Stein blasted Clinton’s “warmongering” that “almost singlehandedly” brought us the turmoil in Libya and could lead us into a nuclear war if Clinton were elected president. source Hillary Loses The Left While Donald Trump has been consolidating his base of support, the opposite appears to be happening for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, who seems to be hemorrhaging supporters from her progressive base.Clinton’s long-running rift with the progressive left has been a vulnerability for her throughout her campaign — dating back to the Democratic primary.Yet, in the closing days of the 2016 campaign, the rift has been laid bare through a combination of WikiLeaks revelations, a series of high-profile endorsements for Green Party presidential nominee Jill Stein from progressives like Marc Lamont Hill, Cornel West, and Susan Sarandon, as well as polling data that suggests Trump’s broad populist messaging is resonating with Democrat-leaning voters.Contrary to the narrative perpetuated by corporate media, many prominent liberals are now expressing their belief that installing Hillary Clinton, a “ corporatist hawk ,” in the White House is “ the true danger ” and would be “ more dangerous ” for progressive values, the well-being of the nation, and the stability of the world than would four years of a Donald Trump presidency. source Trey Gowdy Reaction to James Comey Final Conclusion on New Hillary Emails:
Geoffrey Grider NTEB is run by end times author and editor-in-chief Geoffrey Grider. Geoffrey runs a successful web design company, and is a full-time minister of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. In addition to running NOW THE END BEGINS, he has a dynamic street preaching outreach and tract ministry team in Saint Augustine, FL. NTEB #TRENDING | 1 |
Three of the six gunmen have now been killed by security forces and at least 117 are said to be critically injured.
Baluchistan police chief Ahsan Mahboob said gunmen attacked the suburban training centre at 9.30pm on Monday.
The suspected jihadis, who were reportedly wearing suicide vests, attempted to enter a hostel where between 200 and 500 trainees were staying.
Wasim Beg, senior doctor at Quetta’s Civil Hospital, said: “Forty eight bodies have been brought to the hospital.”
At least 100 people were injured in the battle and are now being treated in hospital.
More than five have sustained bullet wounds, with one in critical condition, local media said.
Government spokesman Anwar ul Haq Kaka: “Five or six terrorists entered the training school and (went) straight to the hostel where they took cadets hostage.
“The military has been | 0 |
WASHINGTON — President Trump, in his first address to a joint session of Congress, defended his tumultuous presidency on Tuesday and said he was eager to reach across party lines and put aside “trivial fights” to help ordinary Americans. He called on Congress to work with him on overhauling health care, changing the tax code and rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure and military. But he raised new questions about his policy priorities and how he plans to achieve them, especially on immigration. Only hours before his address, Mr. Trump had broken from his tough immigration stance in remarks at the White House, suggesting that legal status be granted to millions of undocumented immigrants who have not committed serious crimes. Many of Mr. Trump’s core supporters had denounced that approach as “amnesty” during the campaign. But in his speech, Mr. Trump never mentioned legalizing undocumented people and over all held to the theme of his campaign. “The time is right for an immigration bill as long as there is compromise on both sides,” the president said at the White House, according to people in attendance who asked for anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about the meeting. The idea is a sharp break from the crackdown on immigrants in the United States illegally that Mr. Trump ordered in his first weeks in office and the positions embraced by his core supporters that helped sweep him into the White House. But Mr. Trump made only a glancing reference to an immigration overhaul in his speech, calling for a new “ ” system that would admit only those able to support themselves financially. Over all he took a hard line on immigration, much as he had during the campaign. “As we speak, we are removing gang members, drug dealers and criminals that threaten our communities and prey on our citizens,” Mr. Trump said. “Bad ones are going out as I speak tonight and as I have promised. ” But in contrast with the dark themes of his inaugural address, Mr. Trump’s speech to Congress was a more optimistic vision of America and what he called the promises ahead. The themes were largely Republican orthodoxy, delivered soberly and almost verbatim from a prepared text. Mr. Trump read from Teleprompters and appeared restrained and serious. Republicans interrupted dozens of times with standing ovations, although Democrats mostly sat . Mr. Trump presented himself as eager to put aside some of the vitriol of his presidency. “The time for small thinking is over, the time for trivial fights is behind us,” he said. “From now on, America will be empowered by our aspirations, not burdened by our fears. ” The most emotional moment of the speech came when Mr. Trump recognized Carryn Owens, the widow of William Ryan Owens, a member of a Navy SEAL team who was killed during a commando raid that the president authorized in Yemen. Ms. Owens sobbed as Mr. Trump said, “Ryan’s legacy is etched into eternity. ” Mr. Trump said that Defense Secretary Jim Mattis had guaranteed him that it was a “highly successful raid that generated large amounts of vital intelligence. ” Mr. Trump has been criticized for the raid, including by Mr. Owens’s father, with some arguing the operation was botched. Earlier in the day, Mr. Trump had blamed Mr. Owens’s death on “the generals” who oversaw the mission. Although Mr. Trump’s presidency has been defined by executive orders and pronouncements, his speech appeared to be an attempt to open a new phase and reflected his need for cooperation from Congress. “My administration wants to work with members in both parties to make child care accessible and affordable, to help ensure new parents have paid family leave, to invest in women’s health, and to promote clean air and clean water and rebuild our military infrastructure,” Mr. Trump said. The president has yet to propose major legislation to achieve his goals, with members of his cabinet and senior staff members divided over key elements of tax and health plans, and congressional Republicans split on how to structure them. By this point in his presidency, Mr. Obama had established an active — if not always friendly — working relationship with a Democratic Congress, having signed into law a $787 billion package of spending and tax cuts intended to stabilize the economy. Mr. Trump laid out the broad outlines of a health care overhaul that papered over divisions among Republicans about how to structure it, calling for a plan that uses tax credits and savings accounts to help Americans buy insurance, and promising a “stable transition” from the existing system. Yet he made no mention of an array of challenges abroad, including Syria, North Korea and Russia. Nor did Mr. Trump criticize one of his favorite foils, the “fake news” media. He did pledge his full support for NATO after questioning the need for the alliance, and argued that his demands that nations contribute more money to NATO had paid off. “I can tell you that the money is pouring in,” Mr. Trump said without providing examples or specifics. “Very nice. ” Similarly, Mr. Trump offered no specifics on his suggestion earlier in the day that he might seek a comprehensive immigration overhaul. Such a move would be a significant turnaround for Mr. Trump, whose campaign rallies rang with shouts of “build the wall!” on the Mexican border. In January, he signed an executive order directing the deportation of any unauthorized immigrant who has committed a crime or falsified a document. The standard could apply to virtually any of the estimated 11 million people in the country illegally. In his comments to the television anchors at the White House, Mr. Trump went so far as to raise the idea of granting citizenship to young undocumented immigrants who had been brought to the United States as children, one person present said. Such a change would go well beyond the temporary work permits President Barack Obama offered them through a 2012 executive order. During his campaign, Mr. Trump criticized Mr. Obama’s directive as an “illegal amnesty,” and promised to immediately end the program if elected. But he has delayed acting on the matter since taking office and expressed sympathy for its beneficiaries, sometimes known as Dreamers. The White House did not dispute Mr. Trump’s remarks to the anchors, but Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the deputy press secretary, said she had not witnessed the conversation and was therefore unable to confirm it. “The president has been very clear in his process that the immigration system is broken and needs massive reform, and he’s made clear that he’s open to having conversations about that moving forward,” Ms. Sanders said. “Right now, his primary focus, as he has made over and over again, is border control and security at the border and deporting criminals from our country, and keeping our country safe, and those priorities have not changed. ” The president’s remarks about immigration came as he prepares to issue a new version of his executive order banning travel to the United States from seven predominantly Muslim countries and suspending the acceptance of refugees. The ban has been revised because of legal challenges. Mr. Trump defended that order in his address to Congress. “It is not compassionate, but reckless, to allow uncontrolled entry from places where proper vetting cannot occur,” Mr. Trump said. “Those given the high honor of admission to the United States should support this country and love its people and its values. We cannot allow a beachhead of terrorism to form inside America — we cannot allow our nation to become a sanctuary for extremists. ” The speech reflected the war Mr. Trump is fighting with himself and his inner circle. Even as he held out the possibility of legal status for millions of undocumented immigrants, Melania Trump, the first lady, was hosting the families of victims of violent crime by such immigrants — a way of highlighting the president’s belief that immigrants who lack legal status pose a grave threat to Americans and should be feared and removed, not embraced. Mr. Trump singled out the victims’ families, saying, “Your loved ones will never be forgotten. ” Giving the official Democratic response, former Gov. Steven L. Beshear of Kentucky offered an implicit contrast to the president by noting his own humble background and military service, accusing Mr. Trump and his “cabinet of billionaires and Wall Street insiders” of favoring banks and the wealthy over ordinary people. “You and your Republican allies in Congress seem determined to rip affordable health care away from millions of people who most need it,” Mr. Beshear said. “This isn’t a game. It’s life and death for people. ” For Mr. Trump’s speech, the president turned to the top advisers who helped develop his inaugural address: Stephen Miller, his senior policy adviser, and Stephen K. Bannon, his chief strategist. The two were still working on the speech late Monday, aides said. Mr. Miller and Mr. Bannon, both architects of the president’s tough immigration policies, were responsible for shaping the dark themes of the president’s speech on Inauguration Day. | 1 |
Next Swipe left/right Colin is looking for a songwriting partner Fancy getting into the music business but need a good lyricist to work with? Colin has written songs about dolphins, Giant Haystacks and Hitler. | 0 |
(Want to get this briefing by email? Here’s the .) Good evening. Here’s the latest. 1. President Obama formally endorsed Hillary Clinton. “I don’t think there’s ever been someone so qualified to hold this office,” he said. He earlier secured a pledge from Bernie Sanders to work closely with Mrs. Clinton to unify Democrats against Donald Trump, though no promise to drop out. Senator Elizabeth Warren also backed Mrs. Clinton on Thursday evening and criticized Mr. Trump for his attack on a federal judge, Gonzalo P. Curiel. “You, Donald Trump, are a total disgrace,” Ms. Warren said in a speech to the American Constitution Society. _____ 2. Our analysis of voter data suggests Mr. Trump has a small but real chance of winning even without gains among nonwhite voters. Exit polls from 2012 — the source of conclusions that the Republicans needed to broaden their appeal — obscured the existence of millions of white, and older voters with limited education. Those are the very voters who tend to support Mr. Trump. _____ 3. A federal appeals court in San Francisco ruled that the Second Amendment did not guarantee the right to carry concealed weapons. The decision was sharply criticized by the National Rifle Association. But it is in keeping with decisions in other courts, which some analysts say minimizes the likelihood of a Supreme Court review. “This is a huge decision,” an expert in constitutional law said. “This is a major victory for gun control advocates. ” _____ 4. The World Health Organization advised millions of people across Latin America and the Caribbean to delay pregnancy, to avoid having babies with severe brain damage caused by the Zika virus. There is no vaccine against Zika, and efforts to slow its transmission have thus far failed. _____ 5. Politicians, rabbis and government ministers visited a Tel Aviv restaurant district to show solidarity and resolve a day after Palestinian gunmen fatally shot four Israeli civilians there. The terrorist attack, one of the most brazen in months of Palestinian strikes, prompted Israel to impose controls on Palestinian movements. _____ 6. The San Jose Sharks thwarted Pittsburgh’s plans to hoist the Stanley Cup by hanging on for a victory on Thursday evening. The Penguins led the Sharks going into the game, an advantage that no N. H. L. underdog has overcome since 1942. _____ 7. “Warcraft,” the first film to emerge from the franchise, will be in broad release on Friday. Our reviewer credits the director, Duncan Jones (David Bowie’s son) for imbuing “a Hobbesian war of all against all” with “a little romance and campy winks. ” It’s predictably heavy on cartoonish violence, she says: “Heads pop like grapes and so forth. ” _____ 8. Some symptoms of stress disorder may have a physical cause. A prominent researcher of brain injuries among military personnel says his team has identified signs of tissue damage caused specifically by explosions. “We talk about PTSD being a psychiatric problem — how people responded to the horror of warfare,” said the neuropathologist. “But at least in some cases, no — their brain has been damaged. ” _____ 9. One of our stories today offers a personal journey that illuminates New York City’s history of segregation. Nikole an investigative journalist who has covered the nation’s struggle over integration, writes about how she and her husband chose to place their daughter in a segregated, school. “True integration, true equality,” she writes, “requires a surrendering of advantage, and when it comes to our own children, that can feel almost unnatural. ” _____ 10. A law allowing assisted suicide went into effect in California, making it the fourth and by far the largest state to allow the terminally ill to determine the timing of their death. The other three are Oregon, Washington and Vermont. Above, a California woman who has Stage 4 colon cancer and intends to ask for drugs to end her life. _____ 11. Finally, good news: Scientists appear to have made a breakthrough in capturing and storing the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. They dissolved the gas with water and pumped it into porous basalt in Iceland, where almost all of it adhered as calcite. It took a surprisingly short time, too — just two years. “It’s beyond all our expectations,” said an Icelandic project manager. _____ Your Evening Briefing is posted at 6 p. m. Eastern. And don’t miss Your Morning Briefing, posted weekdays at 6 a. m. Eastern, and Your Weekend Briefing, posted at 6 a. m. Sundays. Want to look back? Here’s last night’s briefing. What did you like? What do you want to see here? Let us know at briefing@nytimes. com. | 1 |
Stomach upset Sleep problems Evaluate the stresses in your life and work on the one or two items over which you have some control. For example, if the clutter in your home is driving you nuts, take an hour a day for the next week to de-clutter your living space. When that it done, tackle the next item. The idea is to set aside and forget about those items you cannot control – you will only frustrate yourself and set yourself up for failure. It always surprises me how great a difference even the smallest change can make to one’s well-being. 4. Embrace herbal remedies and essential oils as an alternative to traditional expensive and potentially toxic pharmaceuticals and over-the-counter drugs. You will be amazed at how effective Melaleuca (tea tree), Lavender, Peppermint, Oregano and other essential oils can be in solving most minor health concerns. (Read the article A Big Fat List of Essential Oils for Preppers .) Likewise, tinctures and teas made from herbs (try Ginger tea) along with some honey can be used to heal a variety of maladies from the inside out. Just keep in mind that learning to use herbals and essential oils takes practice so, like growing a garden, you need to learn what works and what doesn’t. Once you do, you will be amazed at the results. Without being overly simplistic, working on these four aspects of health preparedness will go a long way toward seeing us through a disaster, a personal or economic crises or even SHTF. But there is more to it than simply good health. Medical Preparedness – An Open Letter to Preppers A while back, Contributing Author Joe Alton provided me with an “Open Letter to Preppers” regarding the importance of medical preparedness. Let me share it with out. Hey Prepper Nation, After gathering food and building a shelter, many people in the preparedness community consider personal and home defense to be the next priority in the event of a societal collapse. Certainly, defending oneself is important, but have you thought about defending your health? In a situation where power might be down and normal methods of filtering water and cleaning food don’t exist, your health is as much under attack as the survivors in the latest zombie apocalypse movie. Infectious diseases will be rampant in a situation where it will be a challenge to maintain sanitary conditions. Simple chores, such as chopping wood, commonly lead to cuts that could get infected. These minor issues, so easily treated by modern medical science, can easily become life-threatening if left untreated in a collapse scenario. Don’t you owe it to yourself and your family to devote some time and effort to obtain medical knowledge and supplies? The difficulties involved in a grid-down situation will surely put you at risk for sickness or injury. It’s important to seek education so that you can treat infectious disease and the other ailments that we’ll see. There will likely be a lot more diarrheal disease than gunfights at the OK corral. History teaches us that, in the Civil War, there were a lot more deaths from dysentery than there were from bullets. Some say “Beans, Bullets and Band-Aids”, but I say “ Beans and Band-Aids, then Bullets ”. I suppose, as a physician, that’s not too surprising. If you make the commitment to learn how to treat medical issues and to store medical supplies, you’re taking a genuine first step towards assuring your family’s survival in dark times. The medical supplies will always be there if the unforeseen happens, and the knowledge you gain will be there for the rest of your life. Many medical supplies have long shelf lives; Their longevity will one of the factors that will give you confidence when moving forward. It’s important to know some illnesses will be difficult to treat if modern medical facilities aren’t available. It will be hard to do much about those clogged coronary arteries; there won’t be many cardiac bypasses performed. However, by eating healthily and getting good nutrition, you will give yourself the best chance to minimize some major medical issues. In a collapse situation, an ounce of prevention is worth, not a pound, but a ton of cure. Start off healthy and you’ll have the best chance to stay healthy. When I say to obtain medical knowledge, I am also encouraging you to learn about natural remedies and alternative therapies that may have some benefit for your particular medical problem. Essential oils , herbal remedies, and other time-honored methods of healing should not be overlooked as you put together your medical supplies. I cannot vouch for the effectiveness of every claim that one thing or another will cure what ails you; suffice it to say, that our family has an extensive medicinal garden and that it might be a good idea for your family to have one, also. Many herbs that have medicinal properties grow like weeds, so a green thumb is not required to grow them. Many of them do not even require full sun to thrive. Even the White House garden has a collection of these beneficial plants. I’m not asking you to do anything that your great-grandparents didn’t do as part of their strategy to succeed in life. In a collapse situation we’ll be thrown back, in a way, to that era. We should learn some lessons from the methods they used to stay healthy. Those homespun skills will give you a head start to being an effective medic for your family. The non-prepper members of my family wonder why I spend all my time trying to prepare people medically for a collapse situation. They tell me that I can’t turn everyone into doctors, so why I should try? Am I trying to turn you all into doctors? No, there’s too much to learn in one lifetime; even as a physician, I often come across things I’m not sure about. That’s what medical books are for, so make sure that you put together a library. You can refer to them when you need to, just as I do. I AM trying to turn you into something, however: I’m trying to make you a better medical asset to your family and/or survival community than you were before. If you can learn how to treat common illnesses and injuries in times of trouble, I will have succeeded in my mission. Dr. Bones —– This is good advice and a reminder to all of us that our work is never done. We must continue to educate ourselves and continue to acquire skills so that we can truly be an asset rather than a burden to our survival community. The Final Word Surviving the unthinkable is something I hope we will never have to do. But if the worst happens, I want to be in top shape both mentally and physically. This is not rocket science. It is simply a common sense solution to some universal problems we Americans have when it comes to taking care of ourselves. Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation! Submit your review | 1 |
Tuesday on ABC’s “The View,” while discussing FBI Director James Comey saying Monday he “has no information that supports” President Donald Trump’s tweets accusing former President Barack Obama’s administration of wiretapping Trump Tower prior to the election, Whoopi Goldberg tipped into Trump and said he should apologize to former President Obama because she said, “Nobody wiretapped your ass!” Goldberg said, “So, yesterday, FBI director James Comey told the House Intelligence Committee there is no information about President Obama wiretapping Trump Tower, wiretapping Trump’s car, wiretapping Trump’s wife. ” She added, “The bottom line is nobody wiretapped your ass! So maybe Sean Spicer, I know you don’t get this, but perhaps an apology to the former for accusing him of a federal crime, of a felony. The problem for me is when you know you’re wrong when the FBI, CIA, KFC, LMNOP said this didn’t happen and you double down on the lie. ” Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN | 0 |
Until the Trump presidency became a reality, the main order of business in any review of “24: Legacy” would have been to assess whether the franchise is still viable without Jack Bauer, Kiefer Sutherland’s memorable counterterrorism operative, as its lead character. Now, though, and especially given the events of the past week, it’s the show’s chosen villains, not its hero, who demand attention. That’s because a good number of them speak in foreign accents, and some embody President Trump’s bogyman of the moment, the radical Muslim terrorist. This round of “24” begins Sunday night on Fox after the biggest television can offer, the Super Bowl, and the first thing viewers will see is foreign terrorists ransacking a home whose owner, an Army Ranger, is tied to a chair and covered in blood. The intruders have already killed his wife and child. “This is for Sheik ” one of them says before shooting the ranger in the head. The premiere was filmed back when it seemed unlikely that Mr. Trump would be elected — it was screened in New York on Nov. 7 — but the opening moments play as if they were scripted to support the immigration restrictions he imposed last week. The series grows considerably more layered as it goes along, with the panoply of villains encompassing a variety of demographics, yet the choice of a bin Laden surrogate as the starting point is sure to reignite the debate over the demonization of Muslims that “24” has encountered before. The new hero is Eric Carter (Corey Hawkins of “Straight Outta Compton”) who led the squad of Rangers who killed preventing a devastating attack on the United States. For their safety, the Rangers involved were given new identities and jobs, but Eric quickly discovers that all but he and Ben Grimes (Charlie Hofheimer) an unstable fellow, have been tracked down and killed. The men hunting the Rangers, we learn, are interested less in revenge than in something taken during the raid. The signature “24” format — each episode represents an hour in real time — is as as ever. One ingredient that has more or less disappeared, at least in the first four episodes, is the use of torture as a reliable way to get information, a frequent target of “24” critics. But while Jack Bauer’s violent tactics were repellent, the inner darkness they suggested gave the character a certain complexity. He could show fatherly concern about his daughter one minute and draw blood from a bad guy the next. Eric Carter isn’t as complicated or, as a result, as memorable, at least in the early going, though, by the fourth hour, the character has begun to gain traction. The new story branches quickly into multiple threads in classic “24” fashion, briefly visiting a high school that might be linked to a sleeper cell and also setting up possible romantic entanglements. Before pursuing his enemies, Eric drops off his wife, Nicole (Anna Diop) for safe keeping with his brother, Isaac (Ashley Thomas) a heavily armed drug dealer whom she used to date. (All three characters are black, and yes, it seems fair to ask why the show couldn’t have a black hero without making his brother a stereotypical black gangster.) And, of course, there is the Unit, C. T. U. with its skilled staff and interoffice intrigues. The job of filling the void left by Chloe, the analyst played so appealingly in the original series by Mary Lynn Rajskub, appears as if it were going to fall to Mariana (Coral Peña) who also has plenty of attitude and ability. She isn’t used enough early on, but presumably the role will grow. The crisis catches the unit at a moment of leadership change: Rebecca (Miranda Otto of “Homeland”) is stepping down as national director to allow her husband, John (Jimmy Smits) a senator, to run for president. (It’s a “24” rule that a president, potential president or past president must be involved in the .) Mr. Smits has big shoes to fill — the past “24” presidents played by Dennis Haysbert and Gregory Itzin were two of TV’s standout characters in the first decade of this century. Mr. Smits, like Mr. Hawkins, gets off to a slow start, but, by the fourth hour, is becoming interesting. So aside from Jack Bauer, all of the standard “24” elements are in place, including the look. Yet the terrorism aspect, for now at least, overshadows all. It should be noted that, at least in the first four episodes, the link between ’s followers and Islam is merely implied, but there’s no doubt who and what are being invoked. (A different subplot involves a radical mosque.) Previous seasons of “24” spread the nefariousness around — villains included the Chinese, the Russians, Mexican drug cartels, American politicians and more — and “24: Legacy” aims to be an demonizer, too. Not all of the venal characters here have brown skin or foreign accents, and, in one thread, bigotry, not radical terror, is the problem. Broadly speaking, however, the world of “24: Legacy” is one in which Islam equals terror radical Muslim operatives are everywhere and no one can be trusted. Yes, the series is fiction, and yes, most TV viewers can distinguish between entertainment and reality. But the stakes for this “24” seem weightier than for most previous versions, because two things are more evident now than they were the last time we saw Jack Bauer. One is that certain people, including some now working in the White House, can’t, or won’t, separate the real from the fake when it supports their interests or beliefs. The other is that an insidious part of human nature thrives on having somebody to hate. | 1 |
GLASGOW — A popular tabloid called Patrick Harvie, the leader of the Scottish Green Party, a “Green threat to the family” when he ran for Parliament in 2003 — not because of his politics but because he is bisexual. When Ruth Davidson became the first openly gay leader of the Scottish Conservative Party in 2011, she was labeled the “kickboxing lesbian. ” By the time Kezia Dugdale, the leader of the Scottish Labour Party, came out in April, it was hardly considered news at all. In the span of a generation, Scotland has shed much of its traditional social conservatism and enthusiastically embraced diversity in sexuality, a process led and reinforced by a remarkable transformation in its political culture. Homosexuality was illegal in Scotland until 1980 — in England it was decriminalized in 1967 — and as recently as 2000, billboards financed by a Christian millionaire campaigning to uphold a ban on schools’ talking about homosexuality urged Scots to “Protect Our Children. ” Today, in addition to the leaders of three of the five major political parties in Scotland, four ministers in the Scottish government are openly gay, as is the secretary of state for Scotland in Britain’s Conservative government. The one elected representative of the U. K. Independence Party in Scotland is gay, too. Of the 129 members of the Scottish Parliament, a legislative assembly with autonomy from London, 10, or nearly 8 percent, identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual, by one tally the highest known proportion for a national legislature anywhere. “Scotland has the gayest Parliament in the world,” said Andrew Reynolds, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who keeps track of the political representation of those who identify publicly as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, or L. G. B. T. across the world. By contrast, the United States Congress, representing a population 60 times Scotland’s, has six elected House members and one senator who are openly gay, lesbian or bisexual. Scotland’s transformation is emblematic of change in many Western countries. On Thursday, the British government announced that it would posthumously pardon thousands of men once convicted of having or seeking gay sex. (The 1885 Criminal Law Amendment Act, which made homosexuality illegal, did not mention women — some say to avoid giving them any ideas.) But the shift in Scotland has also reflected trends closer to home. Scotland’s Parliament is young. Established in 1999 as part of a deal to devolve more power from London, it has given a platform to a new generation that grew up with greater tolerance about sexuality has made politicians, because they are in Edinburgh, more accessible to interest groups like L. G. B. T. advocates and has injected new energy and pride into Scottish politics. In turn, the openly gay politicians who have emerged since then have helped champion L. G. B. T. rights. “It’s a big cultural shift,” said Ms. Dugdale, who became engaged to her girlfriend this summer. “When you say you’re gay, people just shrug their shoulders. There is almost a feeling of ‘so what? ’” Scotland has long voted to the ideological left of England. It was a stronghold of the Labour Party before Scottish voters switched to the even more Scottish National Party, now the dominant political force. But a mix of Calvinism and Catholicism meant that on issues like abortion, divorce and homosexuality, Scotland remained more conservative than England for decades. The Scottish nationalists were once known as the “Tartan Tories. ” Now they are the party in the British Parliament in London, and eight of their 56 members of Parliament are openly gay, bisexual or lesbian, a higher proportion than in the other main parties. “I’m very proud to be the leader of the gayest parliamentary group in the world,” Angus Robertson, the (straight) deputy leader of the Scottish National Party, declared this month. His campaign manager, Nathan Sparling, regularly performs in drag at one of London’s gay clubs. At the party’s annual conference in Glasgow this month, Mr. Sparling hosted a karaoke night dressed up as his alter ego, Nancy Clench. Ms. Davidson of the Scottish Conservatives, a churchgoing Presbyterian who trained for Britain’s Army Reserve and once cheerfully described herself as a “ lesbian,” cut her hair shorter than it had ever been when she first ran for office. “I wanted to make sure people knew what they were getting,” she said. Since then, five other Scottish Conservative Party politicians have come out, her partner has appeared with her in campaign broadcasts, and her party overtook the Labour Party as the main opposition party in Scotland for the first time. The church she attends flies a rainbow flag on its communion table. “We’ve come a very, very long way in a really short time,” she said. There is still more to do, Ms. Davidson and others said. Bullying in schools remains a problem, particularly for transgender teenagers. Hate crimes against L. G. B. T. people are up by 20 percent over the past year, according to Stonewall Scotland, an L. G. B. T. advocacy group, although that also reflects the fact that reporting rates have increased. But the changes in politics, policy and culture have been striking. One of the first things lawmakers did after the creation of the Scottish Parliament in 1999 was to repeal legislation barring schools from “promoting homosexuality,” a law that had effectively muffled any discussion of L. G. B. T. issues in schools. It was an ugly fight, with homophobic slogans splashed across front pages and billboards as parts of the national press teamed up with the Roman Catholic church and Brian Souter, a wealthy Scottish businessman, to fight the repeal. But in the end, they lost. “It was the last gasp of conservative Scotland,” said David Torrance, an author and journalist, who is a respected political commentator and also gay. Since then, Scotland has legalized civil partnerships, gay adoption and, in 2014, marriage (known in Scotland as “equal marriage” because it allows for entirely ceremonies). Scottish law, which explicitly includes prejudice against transgender and intersex people, is considered one of the most robust in the world. And now the government is considering changing its gender recognition law to accommodate those with a “nonbinary” identity, which is neither female nor male. “It’s extraordinary: We have started a conversation about a genderless society,” said Bob Orr, 66, who in 1982 Edinburgh’s first lesbian and gay bookshop, Lavender Menace. That bookshop closed years ago, as have several gay bars. Gay people increasingly go to mainstream places, Mr. Orr said, and several singers in his “L. G. B. T. choir” are straight. “The boundaries are going,” he said. “And that was always the point — that sexuality ceases to matter. ” Indeed, one of Scotland’s most prominent gay rights campaigners is straight: Liam Stevenson, a truck driver with a shaved head and soccer tattoo, led this year’s Pride Parade in Glasgow for Time for Inclusive Education, a campaign for L. G. B. T. education that he founded with a gay student. When their Parliament was created, 48 percent of Scots thought relationships were always or mostly wrong, according to the government’s social attitudes survey. That share dropped to 18 percent in the most recent survey, published this month. When Scotland hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2014, the opening ceremony featured the actor John Barrowman kissing a male dancer. This “tartan kiss” was “Scotland telling the world who we are,” Mr. Torrance said. And the world is beginning to take note. Andrew Brown, a gay wedding planner in Glasgow, said more gay couples from abroad were coming to Scotland to get married. It helps that the paperwork is so simple: “Scotland is a bit like Vegas,” said Mr. Brown, who has recently organized weddings for Chinese, Italian and Canadian couples. A few years ago, he and his husband, Scott, were considering moving to Sydney, Australia. But they have decided to stay. Val McDermid, a Scottish crime writer, moved to England in 1979, when, she said, in Scotland “just meeting other lesbians took more planning and luck than climbing Ben Nevis,” Scotland’s highest mountain. She returned two years ago. “The country that I have come back to is not the country I left,” Ms. McDermid wrote this year. “This is now a place where you can be glad to be gay because it’s O. K. to be gay. ” | 1 |
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